Chapter 442: One Head for Another, One Repayment for Another!

Just as the southwestern allied forces were about to depart, Chen Wenmian arrived with the Canglang Guard, his aura calm and composed—no longer the man he once was. Wen Qingyu was astonished, then overjoyed: Duan Qingyu, at the eighth layer of Heaven, led tens of thousands of the southwestern allied forces.

Chen Wenmian, as commander, led thirty thousand Canglang Guards out via the waterway.

Following the waterway like a sharp blade, they coordinated with the main force of the Nulin Dragon King, smashing through the blocking cities; the two forces combined, like a tiger with wings, surged forward with unstoppable momentum.

This waterway lay entirely within Chen territory, and the city defenses here were nowhere near as formidable as frontier fortresses.

Added to this were the swift southwestern flying troops, nimble and light, and the Canglang heavy cavalry, radiating chilling martial energy.

Po Jun, upon learning of the reinforcements, coordinated strategy with Yuan Zhi, winning successive victories; Chen Wenmian, wielding the might of a seventh-layer battle general, fully emerged on the battlefield, carving his way into the top thirty of the Divine General Rankings.

Most of the city governors along the route lacked firm resolve to fight.

Even those who were bold and courageous enough to stand and fight—

Upon seeing the former Crown Prince personally leading the charge, their fighting spirit waned by a third even before combat began; how could they stand their ground? Worse still, Lu Youxian's death delivered a massive psychological blow to all Chen's defending generals, shattering morale.

The greater Lu Youxian's reputation as an invincible city defender had been—

The more devastating the shock to the hearts of all defending generals across the land, that Lu Youxian had fallen beneath the Anxi Protectorate's army.

Po Jun had another brilliant stratagem.

Master Yan Daiqing, Ye Buyi, Zhou Liu's camp—all originally came from Chen's major and minor noble families.

Following the strategist's plan, they leveraged their family influence to amplify the impact of Lu Youxian's defeat; all defending generals now said: if even Lu Youxian, the greatest city defender in the land, had been defeated, what hope was there for them?

Before the Anxi Protectorate's army even arrived, they had already used public opinion, Lu Youxian's prestige, and his death as a weapon to strike at the enemy's heart.

This was the highest form of warfare: defeating the enemy's strategy.

Added to this, the former Crown Prince led the charge, while Xiao Wuliang laid siege to the cities.

Master Pojun Jun deliberately showed extreme leniency toward those who surrendered, causing the defenders' will to resist to weaken further; the siege results surged like autumn tides—unstoppable, like a bamboo stalk split clean through.

That day, another city fell; they paused briefly to regroup.

Unlike Jiangnan, where Li Guanyi now was, the Anxi Protectorate's western hinterland was vast and deeply rooted; after capturing cities, there was no need to station elite troops to garrison them.

Reinforcements and supplies flowed continuously from the rear, handling city administration and integration of defenses, ensuring the quality of advancing forces; from this perspective, the army now attacking the cities along the waterway was no longer merely an army—it was the army of a nation.

Master Pojun Jun and Master Yan Daiqing were discussing the current situation.

Po Jun oversaw the overall strategy.

Yuan Zhi managed the frontline battle formations.

Master Yan Daiqing handled the entire army's logistics and supply.

Thanks to the treasury-backed support of the khans in the desert oases, Yan Daiqing's mood remained relatively calm.

"Lord Li seems to have lifted the siege of Jiangnan and is now advancing toward the front."

"Lord Li's sharp momentum is no longer what it once was, but launching a long-range campaign on land will place immense pressure on logistics."

Yan Daiqing sighed. "Jiangnan's logistics are already on the verge of collapse."

Po Jun looked at Yan Daiqing. "How do you know so clearly?"

Yan Daiqing glanced at him, gathering the Juan Sect records, and said coolly: "Every granary, every logistics armory in Jiangnan—I built them grain by grain, item by item, over the past two years. I know exactly how much each holds better than any of you."

"And Lord Li's reckless spending—I understand it better than any of you."

"He complains daily of poverty, as if he must split every silver coin in half—but at critical moments, he never hesitates. With his tactics, how long his logistics can hold out is anyone's guess."

"I suspect the Changfeng Lady will help cover part of it."

"Hmph, the front lines have likely already been forced to buy grain from civilians."

"With Lord Li's nature, if a civilian gives him one day's ration, he'll stake his life on it."

Po Jun let out a dry laugh and looked away.

He was the kind who, in great battles, saw only the big picture and interests.

He cared nothing for logistics.

The magnanimous General Yue Qianfeng, the fierce warrior Tian Kehan Qibili, the silent and solemn Fan Qing—

Yet in this one regard, every general, strategist, noble, or soldier from the Tiance Prefecture, the Fire Qilin Army, the Anxi Protectorate—whether from the western deserts or Jiangnan's aristocracy, whether bold or cunning, open or composed—all bowed their heads before Yan Daiqing.

There was no choice: logistics were all this man had pulled together.

In Jiangnan, he had taken the eighteen provinces, ensured the people's incomes grew under a policy of strengthening the state and army, squeezed out fifteen thousand Fire Qilin troops by tightening belts, expanded and implemented the Fu Bing conscription system, and promoted martial training and literacy among the common folk.

He enforced the "Three Ones" policy: one physician, one martial instructor, and one scholar in every village and town; implemented criminal law, seized noble assets, encouraged commerce and agriculture, and re-investigated wrongful and false cases.

And yet, he still managed to fill the granaries to the brim.

In this regard, Po Jun and the others were left speechless.

They suddenly understood why a fourth-layer Heaven master like Yan Daiqing looked so worn out.

When they arrived in the west, Li Guanyi plunged into the desert, the Anxi Protectorate faced off against the Yu Langwang and Jiang Su, battles raged everywhere—it seemed like a sea of divine generals and shifting strategists.

But behind it all, Yan Daiqing had held firm against the crushing weight of logistics.

He also cracked down on gambling dens and black markets, sustained multi-front warfare, implemented new tax policies with the khans, ensured the people were fed and clothed, and, by promoting the Fire Qilin Army's style of raiding desert bandits, eradicated banditry across the desert.

Such logistics were the kind that, in any dynasty, would be worshipped as divine.

Normally, a man would need to be forty or fifty before rising to such a level of talent.

Only the Fire Qilin Army and the Tiance Prefecture would entrust such monumental tasks directly to the young, forcing this man's potential to burst forth.

Was it Yan Daiqing's genius that secured the Tiance Prefecture's growth?

Or was it the Tiance Prefecture's unwavering trust that forged Yan Daiqing's ability?

Yan Daiqing pressed his lips together, stared at the records, rubbed his temples, and lowered his gaze—he thought of his parents still in Chen, of past events; it had been three years since he'd returned home… He exhaled, pushing the distractions from his mind.

"But it doesn't matter—there's still ample stored grain in the west, mostly barley and dried meat, but enough to solve Jiangnan's problems once transported."

"And we can exchange Jiangnan's silk and specialties to stimulate commerce."

"That's the advantage of vast territory: Jiangnan's depth cannot sustain a distant campaign, and such campaigns might collapse its home economy—but the Tiance Prefecture, under Qin Wu Hou, is not just Jiangnan."

This front advanced relentlessly, backed by the peaceful western desert as a vast logistical base, using the autumn floodwaters to transport supplies.

The cost of transporting supplies by water is much lower than by land, and it's also faster.

The various Khans of the Western Regions and their cavalry are not skilled in water warfare.

But the Fire Qilin Army drops them off along the way to fight on land.

As for food, logistics, and the various Khans, they unhesitatingly provided everything; Master Yan Daiqing improved the grain transport ships, requiring only a few men to carry provisions for a thousand soldiers along the waterways—on the Dajiang, the supply ships of the Anxi Protectorate never ceased.

With such perfect logistical support, the enemy's fighting spirit was weak; the Anxi Protectorate won every battle, its momentum surging—how could the garrison troops within Chen possibly stop this elite, battle-hardened army that had just crushed the Western Regions?

The cities along the route encountered no serious resistance.

Looking afar, Breaker saw that this place had long left the arid Western Regions; with each breath, he felt the damp air: "We're not far from Jiangnan anymore. Though the cities we've taken along the way aren't enough to cripple the entire Chen state."

"But seizing this waterway alone is enough to cut its tendons."

Master Yan Daiqing said: "There's still one more pass ahead."

"It's the most violent and turbulent stretch of the entire Dajiang in the Central Plains; there's also a major city there—a fortress-level stronghold built by Chen to guard against southwestern forces, with numerous ferry points and a fleet of ships."

"There, Chen's famed naval general is stationed—it's the final barrier on this campaign."

"Once we cross it, we can ride the momentum straight to Jiangnan."

"Beyond this point, no city remains capable of blocking our army."

Chen's territory is vast, occupying the expansive lands eastward along the waterway, while Tiance Prefecture holds only the western stretch along the waterway—that is, primarily the southwestern region.

And this region was originally seized twenty years ago by Tai Ping Gong and Wu Wang.

Chen's territory is being forcibly pushed back, in a half-hearted and useless resistance, to the state it was in before Tai Ping Gong's emergence—by the surging might of the Anxi Protectorate.

And the one who personally accomplished this step is none other than Tai Ping Gong's son.

As for this—

Breaker merely sneered: "Serves them right."

Stupid Chen Emperor.

Karma's come knocking!

Master Yan Daiqing looked uneasy: "But the one guarding that place is Chen's former naval commander—the superior of Old Master Kou Yulie, the Furious Scale Dragon King. It was precisely because of his conflict with his superior, and because he witnessed the corruption within the navy, that he flew into a rage and defected from Chen."

"He still harbors deep resentment toward this matter, with intense murderous intent."

"But when an army's momentum is at stake, if emotion turns to rage, it becomes easy to fall into traps; without a calm and balanced mind, defeat is inevitable."

Breaker and Master Yan Daiqing both felt some concern discussing this final barrier.

But Yuan Zhi had gone ahead with the vanguard, so they could feel somewhat reassured.

Outside this main route, the Southwest Alliance was assisting the Furious Scale Dragon King.

They had some confidence as well.

Master Yan Daiqing departed to continue managing logistics; Breaker still needed to coordinate all units.

First, he confirmed the fortification plans for cities along the waterway.

He abandoned some cities, holding only the key strategic points and ferry locations along the waterway, to avoid an overextended front that might force them into multi-front, multi-layered warfare with Chen, risking being dragged into a war of attrition.

He also had to write letters to soothe General Yue Qianfeng.

He feared that the Turkic steppes in the north, taking advantage of the Central Plains' internal war, might launch a southern invasion; General Yue Qianfeng, left behind in the Western Regions, had indeed fought a battle against the Great Tian Kehan of the Turks—and was badly beaten.

But because Shi Dalin was there, they had since recovered.

Learning of our difficulties, he kept insisting on coming to help.

His letter was full of resentment.

It read: "Every time we need to shoulder the heaviest burden, you send Old Yue to fight the top five generals in the world; but when there's glory to be won, you leave Old Yue here resting, forcing me to watch helplessly as these upstarts snatch the battle merits!"

"How could this be?"

"How could this possibly be?!"

"I refuse to accept this!"

"Military Advisor, send me a transfer order at once—I demand to be sent to the battlefield!"

Breaker replied: "General Yue, please remain calm. It's not that we're refusing to bring you here—our front-line forces are attacking cities, leaving our rear vulnerable. The Great Tian Kehan of the Turks, the second-greatest general in the world, is immensely powerful and fiercely ambitious."

"If we commit all our forces and he strikes again, capturing our Western Regions, we'll lose our very base—wouldn't that be catastrophic?"

"General Yue Qianfeng, you guard the rear to preserve the morale of our frontline soldiers."

"When this war ends, I will petition for your merit!"

"I'll petition for the top merit!"

Breaker sighed: "This should be enough."

Sometimes, these great generals are truly troublesome.

Breaker needed to coordinate all sides to ensure the full advancement of strategy, while also mediating relations among the Western Region generals, Central Plains generals, Fire Qilin Army commanders, and Tai Ping Gong's old subordinates—ensuring harmony while dividing factions to prevent internal cliques.

He had many responsibilities.

If not for Wen He, Master Yan Daiqing, and others sharing his burdens—

Breaker felt he might have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.

When the Fire Qilin Army was only in Jiangnan, with few personnel, affairs were manageable; even when stationed in Anxi of the Western Regions, things were still simple. Now, Li Guanyi's power had not yet fully merged, but in scale alone, it was clearly a state.

Breaker rubbed his temples. Someone came seeking him—he hadn't intended to meet, but it was Li Zhao Wen, so Breaker sighed, forced himself to focus, and received him. Li Zhao Wen had performed exceptionally in this campaign against Chen, with outstanding battle merits.

Breaker smiled:

"So it's General Li. What brings you here this time?"

He expected another strategy suggestion, as usual—but the words Li Zhao Wen spoke startled him slightly.

"I wish to resign."

Breaker snapped alert, puzzled: "At such a critical moment, with turmoil raging—why do you wish to resign now, Young Master?"

Li Zhao Wen said: "It's for the sake of the grand tide of the world."

She smiled and said, "Only one final barrier remains ahead—break through this great gorge, and Jiangnan is within reach. The Anxi Protectorate is filled with fierce generals and cunning strategists; I've heard Chen Wenmian has returned. Whether I'm here or not makes little difference now."

"But there is one place where my presence makes all the difference."

Po Jun was startled, then realized something, and whispered:

"Xiyicheng. The Duke's Mansion."

Li Zhaowen said, "If our grand plan succeeds, Ying State will suffer a massive blow. The current Emperor is old and has been shaken by the Yu Langwang incident. Even with his boundless ambition, he cannot defy the natural cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death."

"If the Emperor passes away, the court will descend into chaos. At that time, if the three powers each hold a third of the realm, Ying State's control over Xiyicheng will weaken further. I fear my father may make the wrong choice then."

Xiyicheng is Ying State's foothold into the Western Regions.

But if Xiyicheng falls into the hands of the Anxi Protectorate,

it means Xiyicheng will become a stepping stone for the Anxi Protectorate against Ying State.

Even if it remains neutral, not siding with the Anxi Protectorate, it would still amount to severing Ying State's influence over the Western Regions entirely.

Po Jun looked at Li Zhaowen and said:

"I never thought, General Li, that you harbored such intentions."

Li Zhaowen said, "My family has never been welcome in Ying State. When the world is in chaos, we are loyal generals and virtuous ministers of Ying State. But once Ying State unifies—or when the Emperor passes away—my family will be left teetering on the edge of ruin."

"If the Crown Prince ascends, there may still be some room to maneuver. But if it's the Second Prince…"

Li Zhaowen fell silent, then finally said, "My only hope in returning is that Xiyicheng will not attack the Western Regions at this critical moment—and if possible, might we not work together toward this great endeavor?"

Li Zhaowen smiled lightly and rose.

"Then, please, Mr. Po Jun, convey my message to Brother Li."

"The winds of the world are rising. Let us meet again one day."

Her voice paused, then added, "Tell Brother Li."

Li Zhaowen smiled faintly: "Don't forget the three promises you made me."

Li Zhaowen departed.

The very next day, battle reports arrived: Yu Langwang, the Furious Scale Dragon King, failed to breach the Great Gorge Pass—he had fallen into the enemy's trap. Though his vanguard's losses were not catastrophic, the momentum of their advance had been halted.

Upon inquiry, the truth became clear.

The fortress's defending general, knowing the Anxi Protectorate's forces were overwhelming and could not be met head-on, also understood the broader picture: his goal was not to defeat the Anxi Protectorate's army, but to stall them.

"Why not seize the natural advantage of terrain?"

"We hold both heaven's timing and earth's advantage. Even if the Anxi Protectorate's army comes, what do we fear?"

Thus, in the most turbulent and treacherous stretch of the Dajiang River, iron chains were stretched across the water, and beneath the surface, iron spikes mounted on floating logs were secretly placed. As warships passed, they were frequently caught and suffered heavy losses, forcing them to retreat.

Po Jun stripped the Furious Scale Dragon King of his rank and demoted him from Water Army Commander as punishment. He then climbed to a high vantage point and saw the iron chains stretched across the river, leveraging the natural terrain and the raging current, making passage impossible.

Po Jun marveled: "Brilliant—iron chains blocking the river. We used the rising tide to accelerate our advance, and they used that same current to set this trap. Our large ships cannot pass. How can we proceed?"

But this place was not far from Jiangnan. Once this gorge was crossed, no further obstacles stood in the way. All were at a loss—until Yan Daiqing suddenly proposed a plan and spoke to Po Jun.

They prepared new large rafts, placing straw dummies on them, clad in armor to mimic soldiers. Each raft carried elite soldiers of the Furious Scale Dragon King, expert swimmers, hidden beneath the decks. Dozens, even hundreds of large vessels surged downstream with the current.

The floating iron spikes pierced the rafts—and the straw soldiers.

The skilled swimmers then retrieved the rafts, collecting all the iron spikes and re-forging them into arrows for the army. Yan Daiqing also ordered the harvested rice straw to be gathered onto a single massive ship, over ten zhang wide.

It was loaded with Western fire oil.

And powdered incendiary agent, enhanced by Hou Zhongyu's formula.

The defending troops far away watched as the Anxi Protectorate's army, seemingly oblivious to their earlier defeat, sent more large ships downstream—and burst into laughter. When the ships were indeed caught by the iron chains,

they laughed aloud: "Hahahaha! They say Qin Wu Hou's forces are filled with fierce generals and cunning strategists—but look at this!"

Among the army, the silver-haired girl opened her eyes: "The wind has risen."

The wind surged violently.

Yan Daiqing said, "Your assistance, General Wang."

Wang Shunchen smiled: "To execute such a grand plan is my honor."

General Wang Shunchen, the Divine Archer, drew his bow and fired a single arrow from afar—it struck the lead ship and exploded into roaring flame. In an instant, the dozen ships became a dozen blazing torches.

They crashed violently into the iron chains.

Thick Western fire oil splashed onto the chains.

Hou Zhongyu's incendiary powder coated the chains. Flames roared and howled, and the iron links visibly softened, melted, then fell into the water. With the barrier gone, the dozen flaming ships surged forward like the Death King's soul-snatching chains, racing toward the fortress gate below.

Flames erupted skyward over the Dajiang!

The earlier mocking laughter turned to screams:

"Eeeeeeeyah! Fire attack! Boiling the river! Burning the city! It's—It's Yan Daiqing from the Northwest!!!"

"Yan Daiqing from the Northwest is back!!!"

Yan Daiqing, standing atop the highest deck, arms crossed, heard the cries carried on the wind—his face turned livid with rage.

He was furious enough to make his liver ache.

The dozen blazing ships surged downward, striking the Chen State warships ahead. The Western fire oil, already viscous, mixed with Hou Zhongyu's incendiary powder—those ships instantly caught fire.

In the chaos, the Anxi Protectorate's army surged forward.

They fought for a full day and night.

The fortress fell.

That day, a refined, handsome scholar sneered as he announced his name.

"Remember well!"

"I am Wen Qingyu of Jiangnan!"

"Do you remember?!"

"Jiangnan—Wen Qingyu!!!"

The southwestern allied army's strategist, Wen He, who landed via another waterway: "…………"

Yan Daiqing lifted his gaze; the two locked eyes.

Their fists clenched tight.

Later histories recorded legends.

The Left and Right Chancellors both became famed in their time for cunning and ruthlessness.

………………

Before this great victory could spread across the land, Li Guanyi stood upon the city ramparts, as the Nine Tripods of Jiuzhou roared and trembled, their surfaces seeming to carve out a mark—but time had run out.

That overwhelming momentum to swallow all under heaven had not yet reached Jiangnan.

Grand Preceptor Jiang Su had arrived at the front line.

The army surged like a flood, its aura thundering as Grand Preceptor Jiang Su led his forces to the front-line defenses of Tiance Prefecture. This towering, solemn figure—the greatest divine general under heaven—wore black battle armor and held the Silent Annihilation Divine Spear, silently gazing at the city defenses and at Li Guanyi standing atop the walls.

Li Guanyi's aura blazed fiercely; the great array spiraled above the entire city.

Jiang Su said: "It has been a long time, Qin Wu Hou."

Li Guanyi replied: "Yes, it has been a long time."

"Grand Preceptor, you have come from afar."

"I bring you a gift."

Li Guanyi raised his hand, gripping a box; with a flick of his wrist, the box flew toward Jiang Su. Jiang Su's expression did not change—he reached out and caught it. The box shattered, revealing a head with eyes wide open in death.

The head of Jiang Xuantao!

Jiang Su's gaze.

Suddenly froze.

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