Chapter 202: Massive Conscription

"What?"

"Young Master, who are you talking about?"

"This..."

Everyone was shocked.

The Emperor?

The Emperor?

Liu Zheng, however, found the more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed. He slumped into his chair and gave a self-deprecating smile: "It is not that I am delusional, but this matter, this matter..."

He did not even know how to explain it.

Because his guess just now was purely based on intuition. Because when he was uncontrollably angry, he suddenly forced himself to calm down.

He used reverse thinking to ponder it for a moment.

If he were this angry, or rather, if Yinzhou were this angry, who would be the beneficiary?

If he were made to feel that this was the work of a Night Walker, who would benefit?

And so.

He arrived at this terrifying conclusion.

The Emperor!

If not for the story the Prince of Yong told him in Hanzhong, he certainly would not have suspected the Emperor.

Yet now...

Qingyang Shuo looked at Liu Zheng: "Young Master seems to have something on your mind."

Liu Zheng sighed with a bitter smile: "How could I have something on my mind? I just find it inconceivable. The Emperor, the ruler of a nation, is actually scheming against a mere Governor like me. How am I supposed to face this?"

His thoughts were in a mess.

He simply poured out all the royal secrets the Prince of Yong had told him in Hanzhong.

The others, just like Liu Zheng before, were stunned as they listened.

The struggle for the succession thirty-one years ago?

The Crown Prince died, and the Third Prince Xie Xuan went missing?

And then...

The various countries of the Western Regions that broke away from the Longyan Dynasty suddenly became powerful? And devoured five hundred thousand troops of the Longyan Dynasty?

Hearing this, everyone gasped in unison.

That was five hundred thousand people!

Good heavens!

Behind these people, how many families, how many parents, how many wives and children were involved.

Yet...

No one had ever heard a word about this incident; even the people present had never heard of it, which in itself was very inconceivable.

How was this achieved?

Qingyang Shuo took a deep breath, closed his eyes slightly, and said in a sorrowful tone: "In the seventh year of Pingyu, a plague ran rampant, and millions of the people of the Dragon Flame Nation died or were injured. From then on, the national strength of the Dragon Flame Nation declined, and all corners of the world drifted away..."

Everyone.

Felt their hearts sink and a chill run down their spines.

A plague?

Was it really a plague?

Or was it the old Emperor, in order to seal lips and prevent his disastrous defeat from being known to the world, killing them to silence them... and this silencing involved millions?

Ruthless!

Vicious!

While shocked by the old Emperor's ruthlessness, a sense of sorrow also welled up in everyone's hearts. The scene suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Born in this era, is it fortune, or misfortune?

Born into that royal family, is it fortune, or misfortune?

Qingyang Shuo pondered for a moment and smiled bitterly: "If this is the case, Young Master's prediction must be correct."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "The Emperor is not only anxious to force Young Master into the Western Regions, but also..."

The group looked at him one after another.

Qingyang Shuo said calmly: "But also, the Emperor truly does not have much time left!"

Liu Zheng felt his scalp tingle as he listened.

He does not have much time left, so he is anxious to see if Liu Zheng can flatten the Western Regions? He does not have much time left, so he is anxious to harvest all the fruits? He does not have much time left, so he wants to leave behind a kingdom without any variables for his son?

That is to say...

The next stage will enter the period where the old Emperor, in his final flare of life, returns to the decisive and murderous style of his younger years.

The precursor to a chaotic age.

Is it finally about to begin?

Liu Zheng was suddenly somewhat excited, but at the same time, somewhat lost.

A chaotic age...

The ones who will suffer are still those soldiers, still those commoners, still every single pawn on this massive chessboard.

Still Qin Zhangfeng.

Still Sikong Jing...

He suddenly fell into great contradiction, self-denial, and self-examination.

In this coming chaotic world, whom could he protect?

Whom could he fulfill?

To what extent could he go?

What could he change?

……

After the wedding.

Came the funeral.

The entire Yinzhou was plunged into an atmosphere of solemn grief.

Just as expected.

News of Sikong Jing being assassinated and dying reached Hanzhong; the Prince of Yong was furious, and Sikong Zhen fainted that very day. The old couple, who had longed for their daughter to enjoy a good life in Yinzhou, wept for seven full days.

The Prince of Yong, bearing the brunt of the shock, suspected the Prince of Shu and nearly dispatched troops to Shu, but fortunately, he was held back by others.

Although Qin Zhangfeng's actions did provide some psychological comfort to the Hanzhong side.

Hanzhong still leveled accusations against Yinzhou.

Liu Zheng and the others could only endure it.

Accusations aside, the matter could no longer be undone.

Qin Zhangfeng personally made a trip to Hanzhong, knelt before the two elders, and swore: "From this day forward, you two shall be my parents. I, Zhangfeng, swear here: if this vengeance is not avenged, I shall never marry for the rest of my life!"

The two elders, eyes filled with tears, helped him up.

In this era, where the husband is the guide for the wife, for a grown man to say such things was truly rare.

This sentiment.

Was enough to console the two elders.

Just on the day of the funeral, seven days after the death.

People from Jinghua also arrived.

Ma Yong, the minor official of the sixth rank responsible for thoroughly investigating Yinzhou, came with an imperial decree.

"Investigate Yinzhou?"

Liu Zheng gave a cold laugh, looking at this fellow who was riding a large horse and posturing with such arrogance, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"You, you, you, what are you doing? I have come with an imperial decree!"

Ma Yong was startled.

Because at this moment, it was not just Liu Zheng glaring at him, but also those around Liu Zheng. If the assassination of Sikong Jing a few days ago was merely speculation, then the subsequent dispatch of someone to investigate Yinzhou basically confirmed that this matter was likely not the work of those Night Walkers from the Western Regions, but truly the current Emperor!

Qin Zhangfeng clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fire, wishing he could hammer this Ma Yong into a meat patty with one punch.

But he still held back.

Liu Zheng sneered and replied: "Official Ma, a mere sixth-rank official, if you want to investigate, then investigate. What, do you still want me to hold your horse and act as a mounting block for you?"

"You, you, you..."

Ma Yong had not expected this Prefect Liu to be so aggressive.

He was originally a capital official; upon arriving in the provinces, everyone along the way had been incredibly flattering. He felt he had finally made it, but he had not expected to be given the cold shoulder the moment he arrived in Yinzhou.

"Hmph, where is Liu Dahao?"

Ma Yong glared at Liu Zheng and then, continuing to throw his weight around, headed toward the Yinzhou Prefecture.

"Young Master, I..."

Qin Zhangfeng was furious.

Liu Zheng turned back to look at him, his face full of apology: "Zhangfeng, this vengeance..."

Qin Zhangfeng hurriedly said: "Young Master, everything is fate, and none of it is up to man. This is likely my fate, and also Jing'er's fate... Young Master, you must not be like this. If you are, how can I bear it?"

Liu Zheng felt stifled inside as well.

The one who had schemed against his brother's wife was actually the Emperor?

How was he supposed to handle this?

Unconvinced in his heart, but what could he do?

Could he fight all the way to Jinghua?

A sense of powerlessness.

This was the true sense of powerlessness.

Liu Zheng had thought that this attempt to seize Hanzhong was taking advantage of the old Emperor's desire for him to attack the Western Regions... He had not expected this old guy to be even more ruthless!

To be so vengeful!

You take advantage of me and use my psychological blind spot?

Fine!

I will have your people killed directly!

The Emperor is the Emperor.

So simple and brutal, treating this group of people as chess pieces, or even as blades of grass...

Become stronger!

For the first time, the desire to become stronger began to sprout in Liu Zheng.

To avenge Sikong Jing, and also to welcome the coming chaotic world, he had to become stronger!

The previous mindset of a carefree landlord was completely untenable now.

He gritted his teeth fiercely: "Pass down the order: conscript troops! Half a month from now, we march to the Western Regions to rebuild the Western Regions Protectorate!"

"Yes!"

Qin Zhangfeng's spirits lifted; for the first time in nearly half a month, a glimmer of light finally appeared in his listless eyes.

Yinzhou.

Began a massive recruitment drive.

Before the Battle of Hanzhong, the Yinzhou Army had only eighty thousand troops; later, after the Battle of Hanzhong, they recruited another twenty thousand naval troops, bringing the total force to one hundred thousand.

Logically speaking.

The total population of the three places—Yinzhou, Yangzhou, and Kezhou—was no more than a little over one million.

One hundred thousand soldiers was already a great many.

But...

Who told Yinzhou to be so rich?

Recruit!

If there are none locally, take those from outside too!

Of course, Liu Zheng was not stupid.

The content of this recruitment order, announced to the world, was that the troops were for rebuilding the Western Regions Protectorate.

Since you, old Emperor, want to force my hand, fine.

Then I will continue to go with the flow!

Let's see who is more ruthless!

You force me to the Western Regions to help you fight your brothers, so I will recruit on a massive scale, just as you wish.

Liu Zheng's goal.

Recruit two hundred thousand soldiers.

Is two hundred thousand a lot?

Back in your day, five hundred thousand were wiped out.

Two hundred thousand.

Does that sting to hear?

The Feudatory Kings of the world were shocked to hear this.

The combat effectiveness of the Yinzhou Army is known to all. If they really recruit two hundred thousand, wouldn't that be terrifying?

Qingzhou.

Upon receiving this news, the Prince of Wei rubbed his eyes in disbelief and fell into deep thought.

He was someone who knew about the Xie Xuan affair from back then.

Suddenly, amidst this series of events, he caught a scent of something unusual.

He stood up abruptly, his eyes gleaming: "Could it be that the Emperor..."

He...

This time.

Is his time truly running out?

He suddenly felt a surge of energy and shouted, "Sima!"

"Your Highness, I am here."

"Have the military supplies purchased from Yinzhou been put into storage?"

"They have been stored."

"Keep buying, the more the better!"

"Calculate the accounts clearly; buy as much as you can. Do you understand?"

Sima was shaken to his core: "Yes, Your Highness!"

The first day of recruitment in Yinzhou.

The Prince of Yong sent a grand gift.

Upon learning that Liu Zheng was going to campaign in the Western Regions, he sent fifty thousand veteran soldiers and two hundred thousand shi of grain. Frankly, even Liu Zheng had not dared to imagine such a grand gift.

It is evident that the Hanzhong side was also incomparably furious over the death of Sikong Jing.

What he did not expect even more was.

The Prince of Shu, who had just recovered from a major illness, also sent thirty thousand elite troops and one hundred and fifty thousand shi of grain! This was to show his innocence in this incident and his hatred for the Night Walkers of the Western Regions.

Liu Zheng publicly declared that Sikong Jing died from an assassination by the Night Walkers of the Dayuan Kingdom.

The people of both regions were immediately filled with righteous indignation.

The enthusiasm for the expedition to the Western Regions soared, and everyone vied to enlist.

Since ancient times.

War has been influenced by hostile emotions and hostile intentions. Once upon a time, Liu Zheng believed that he would not start a war because of hostile emotions; he had always upheld the principle of "if others do not offend me, I will not offend them." He hoped that every war he launched in the future would be rational and based on hostile intentions.

However, this time.

He believed the Longyan Dynasty and Liangzhou, which were civilized enough, were about to launch a war because of intense national hatred.

He suddenly realized.

War is actually an act of passion; no matter how it is calculated, how it is formulated, or how it is refined, it cannot escape emotion, passion, violence...

At this moment.

The atmosphere throughout Yinzhou was exactly like this.

Political objectives were no longer the ultimate goal of this war.

Their goal was revenge, to take revenge!

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

On the training ground, the new recruits began their drills, the atmosphere heavy.

Qingyang Shuo looked into the distance and said indifferently, "Young Master, Shuo does not know much about the Western Regions. For this trip to the Western Regions, Shuo will accompany you."

"Sir..."

Liu Zheng was somewhat surprised.

Qingyang Shuo was so solemn.

Could it be that he had sensed something?

【Author's Note】

Seeking tips, seeking positive reviews. Seeking opinions. Seeking the deletion of negative reviews...