Chapter 973: A Proclamation Against the Wa

Everyone was shocked.

Five hundred thousand?

This...

One must know, Nanyang had just lost three hundred thousand! If one were to count only the troops that truly formed a combat force, they only had four hundred thousand left.

But now.

Xie Chengqian opened his mouth, and it was five hundred thousand.

Clearly, he intended to take the newly conscripted soldiers to the battlefield as well! War is the best way to train troops! Was Nanyang going to stake everything on a single throw this time?

"Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"Your Majesty."

A group of civil and military officials all wanted to dissuade him.

Remember the website.

Xie Chengqian, however, gave a self-deprecating smile: "My dear ministers, what exactly have we been doing in Nanyang all these years?"

The group was silent, bowing their heads in shame.

Due to his mindset, he had always felt that he would eventually fight his way back to Longyan.

A thought occurred to him.

That's right.

When Xie Chengqian inherited his father's throne, the territory was already what it is today. During his reign, he had only expanded it by an insignificant amount of land. Yet what had they paid? Three hundred thousand troops, the elite forces they had accumulated over these years, the countless funds, provisions, Weaponry and Equipment, and all sorts of investments...

And to tell the truth, Xie Chengqian had been diligent in his governance of Nanyang.

But in his heart, he still hadn't considered this place his home.

He also had to go and conquer what he could conquer.

This time.

He intended to trust this Vice Minister Liu.

Why shouldn't he truly develop this Nanyang into a place comparable to Longyan, or if not comparable, then at least a place that chases after Longyan, right? This was what he should be doing, this was what he needed to do! This was a more practical, easier, and more appropriate means for him to realize the value of his life.

Then.

Conquest.

The group of civil and military officials looked at each other in dismay.

Then they were overjoyed, and those who had just stood up knelt down again.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

He said he would take them to conquer this world, so fine, let's give it a try.

"My dear ministers, from this day forth, I shall also establish a Cabinet in Nanyang, promote the Imperial Examination, and implement Public Schooling, all in accordance with Vice Minister Liu's policies! I shall also build this Nanyang into a place more prosperous, more wealthy, and more powerful than Liangzhou!"

Xie Chengqian had suddenly found his life's direction.

A general amnesty for the world.

The entire Nanyang exploded.

Xie Chengqian had figured it out. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; regardless of the hatred of his predecessors, regardless of the state of Longyan, regardless of the Northern Expedition, he now only wanted to govern, develop, and manage this Nanyang that had followed him for so many years.

"Long live, long live, long, long live the Emperor!"

"This act of Your Majesty is worthy of a national celebration!"

"A general amnesty for the world!"

Warship after warship lined up on the Pacific Ocean. Although these Warships were not as powerful as the Yinzhou ships, they looked just as imposing and tall, and were far superior to the ships of the Wa pirates. Five hundred thousand—this was no joking number; for Nanyang, it was already exhausting the strength of the entire nation.

A war.

Three countries, each exhausting the strength of their entire nation.

With a wave of his hand.

Five hundred thousand troops.

Three hundred thousand regular troops and two hundred thousand in the Reserve Force were gathered in a mighty force.

Now things were getting interesting.

Xie Chengqian held a swearing-in ceremony to review the troops and appoint commanders. As the Emperor of Nanyang, he naturally could not lead the expedition himself, because the country still needed him to hold the fort.

Thus.

The Wa nation, with the strength of its entire nation, staked everything on a single throw.

The Li Dynasty, with the strength of its entire nation, resisted the Wa nation.

Nanyang, with the strength of its entire nation, participated in it.

Liu Zheng finally arrived at the front line.

Greeting him were Xiao Qian and a group of generals, some from Longyan and some from the Li Dynasty; everyone was full of anticipation for the arrival of Vice Minister Liu.

Eight great generals under his banner set out at the same time.

This time.

Nanyang had bet all its capital.

Everyone greeted him one after another, and each was amazed at the youth of this Vice Minister Liu.

Especially the generals of the Li Dynasty, who all found it incredible.

Having heard of this Vice Minister Liu in legends, they had assumed he would be at least in his thirties. At the time, they even felt that it was a great loss for their Li Dynasty that their Princess, the greatest beauty Li Xuanya, had fallen for such a person; they had not expected him to be so young. But while surprised, they were also worried: could such a young man, who hadn't even grown a beard, really turn the tide and save the situation?

"Vice Minister Liu has finally arrived!"

When Xiao Qian saw Liu Zheng, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Zheng was also taken aback when he saw so many people; he hurriedly jumped down from the Horse Carriage, walked over with cupped hands, and said, "Everyone, there is no need for such courtesy."

Liu Zheng naturally sensed this sentiment quite easily, and without offering any explanation, he simply smiled and greeted them one by one.

"Where is General Li? May I go see him?"

Liu Zheng asked.

Were those miraculous deeds exaggerations of him, or was it just that his luck was too good?

But now, this was a real battle with real blades and spears.

A group of people suddenly appeared to have lost interest.

"Old General Li!"

Liu Zheng could not help but feel a sting in his nose.

Li Zhenzhu's expression shifted from surprise to relief, his hand being held by Liu Zheng.

Xiao Qian and the others then led Liu Zheng to Li Zhenzhu's sickbed.

When Liu Zheng saw Li Zhenzhu, he was completely shocked. Was this still the same Li Zhenzhu he had met before? Back in Jingcheng, when the two met, Li Zhenzhu had been full of vigor and imposing, yet now, he was an old man on the verge of death, his eyes sunken and devoid of spirit.

Upon seeing Liu Zheng, Li Zhenzhu's eyes finally regained a glimmer of light.

"Here... here..."

Liu Zheng felt terrible inside.

"Help the Li Dynasty."

Liu Zheng could already see that this old general was failing; the only reason he had managed to hold on until now was entirely due to a single breath of will.

"Vice Minister Liu."

Li Zhenzhu's lips trembled.

Li Zhenzhu finally pulled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

He believed it.

He believed in this young man, he believed in this young man who had only arrived in the Li Dynasty a few months ago yet had completely eliminated the Bitter Remonstrance, he believed in this man whom even a fairy-like figure such as the Princess was deeply enamored with, and he believed in this young man who was leading Longyan to become ever more powerful.

Li Zhenzhu looked at Liu Zheng earnestly, as if he wanted to use up the very last bit of strength in his body.

Liu Zheng nodded heavily: "Liu Zheng is here, the Li Dynasty shall not fall!"

"Good, good, good, I believe in you, I believe in you."

"General!"

"Old General!"

"Oh, General."

He smiled slightly, and then his head tilted to the side.

This last old general of the Li Dynasty.

Just like that, he passed away.

Dying at this moment was truly a massive blow to morale. The morale of the Li Dynasty's army had never been great, relying entirely on Li Zhenzhu's spirit to sustain it. His death at this time was not a good thing.

Sure enough.

In the battle between the two sides that day, the Li Dynasty side suffered another crushing defeat.

All the generals burst into tears.

Liu Zheng let out a deep sigh.

Li Zhenzhu, oh Li Zhenzhu, why did you have to die at this very moment?

Another loss of twenty thousand!

The rain in the sky was still falling, and on the muddy battlefield, there were corpses everywhere.

As soon as these soldiers returned to the camp, they demanded to see the old general, to send off the old general, causing the camp to fall into extreme chaos.

A crushing defeat.

Upon learning the news of General Li's death, these Li Dynasty soldiers instantly lost all morale, and the Wa nation seized the opportunity to beat them while they were down.

Twenty thousand.

Everyone was waiting for Vice Minister Liu.

Everyone was waiting to see how he would turn the tide.

As the day grew late, Liu Zheng, who had been hiding in his tent, finally came out.

The next day.

Continued defeats.

The situation remained in a slump.

"Assemble! Assemble!"

"Everyone assemble!"

For a time, cursing could be heard throughout the entire camp. They had been fighting for a whole day and had finally managed to get some rest; why were they being summoned again? Aside from the wounded and those busy repairing defensive works, everyone was grumbling as they were gathered in the open space of the camp.

This caused the group of Li Dynasty generals busy nearby to stop and watch him.

"Summon all the soldiers."

Liu Zheng ordered coldly.

Morale at this moment was truly too important. When Li Zhenzhu was alive, even if the Li Dynasty army's combat effectiveness wasn't strong, there was still a spirit holding them together, but with Li Zhenzhu dead, this was an army of over two hundred thousand people, all with different backgrounds and different psychological states.

And these emotions, once fermented by the tension of the battlefield, would naturally be magnified infinitely.

Of course, it was impossible for everyone to be assembled.

Xiao Qian also arrived.

He knew what Liu Zheng was about to do.

Mobilization.

He had been waiting all along.

The clamor continued.

He had been waiting all along.

But at a glance, it was still a dense, packed crowd, and the noise and shouting of the entire assembly rose and fell in waves.

Liu Zheng watched quietly.

These soldiers kept on clamoring.

He had gathered them together, yet he said nothing?

They continued to argue, and Liu Zheng still waited.

By the time they realized that perhaps only when they shut their mouths would this Vice Minister Liu speak, one by one, they were all furious, yet the noisy sounds at the scene still gradually died down.

Before they knew it, a full hour had passed just like that.

These people could no longer understand.

What was he trying to do?

"Regarding the Declaration of War"

"Since the Wa wolves invaded Li, it has been several hundred years. They have poisoned millions of lives and ravaged over two thousand li of prefectures and counties. In the lands they pass through, it is like locusts crossing a field; they plunder everything clean, leaving not a blade of grass behind!"

Everyone was stunned.

"Read it!"

Only then did Liu Zheng hand a piece of paper in his hand to the deputy general.

The deputy general was taken aback, then immediately took advantage of the torchlight to read aloud.

"Those captured by the bandits have their clothes stripped and their money searched; those who possess two taels of silver and do not offer it to the bandits are beheaded on the spot. Men are provided one dou of rice per day and driven to the front lines, driven to build walls and dredge moats. Women are provided one dou of rice per day and driven to climb the ramparts to keep watch at night, driven to transport rice and carry coal. If a woman refuses to unbind her feet, her feet are immediately severed to serve as a warning to all other women!"

Everyone's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

Cruel!

What is this?

"A Declaration of War?"

Several Li Dynasty generals also looked at each other in dismay.

It was too cruel! These soldiers naturally knew how these Wa people bullied their Li Dynasty, but this was the first time they had heard it described in such detail by Vice Minister Liu!

As long as these Wa people came to the Li Dynasty, regardless of gender or age, they would all become targets of their slaughter!

Beasts!

These are a bunch of beasts!

Liu Zheng had instantly ignited the hatred in these people's hearts, and those scenes appeared, one by one, in their minds.