Chapter 688: First Volume_Chapter 688: This Is the Son of the Pillar of the State

First Volume_Chapter 688: This Is the Son of the Pillar of the State

Although Lü Qiu died, his spirit of fighting to the death without retreat earned Chen Ping's profound respect.

On the battlefield, each serving his own lord, slaying one another — it was an unavoidable matter.

Setting aside their hostile relations, Chen Ping actually very much wished to befriend a fierce general like Lü Qiu.

"These Northern Di soldiers truly live up to their fame — a million elite troops, generals as numerous as jade."

"Even a mere Colonel could be so unbending in the face of death."

"Bury him."

Burying an enemy general is the highest tribute one can pay to an enemy general.

But when his subordinates went forward to straighten Lü Qiu's attire, they discovered a letter tucked in his bosom.

"General, there is a letter on Lü Qiu's person, and it is signed by Lü Li…"

Lü Li?!

Chen Ping's brow shot up: "Bring it here, quickly!"

As the foremost hawkish minister of the Northern Di, Lü Li had long spread his fearsome name far and wide — who in all of Shedynasty did not know of him, who had not heard?

A Colonel on the Northern Di Border actually carried a letter from the Northern Di Pillar State — there had to be hidden circumstances within!

Chen Ping took the letter and hurriedly tore it open.

His eyes could not help but widen.

"Heh heh heh, what fine Peace Talks these are!"

"These North Di Barbarians truly have vicious, ruthless hearts!"

"Knowing progress at the Negotiation Table would be hard to come by, they actually want to repeat their old tricks — organize Raiding Cavalry to keep harassing our Liang Border, thereby creating bargaining chips for the talks?"

"But unfortunately, our Shedynasty struck first!"

Chen Ping tucked the letter safely away and immediately summoned a messenger.

He ordered the letter sent back to Beixi County at once, for Main General Xu Mo to decide.

As for the Lü Qiu before him, a cold glint flashed through Chen Ping's eyes.

"If this bastard hadn't had the bad luck to die right here, who knows how many more of our Shedynasty's common folk would have fallen to his cruelty."

"Bury him? Pah!"

"Chop this man's head off!"

"Somebody! Take twenty light cavalry and keep up the pursuit."

"The Enemy Army's Warhorse are spent — they shouldn't be able to run fast. Bring me a live one back, so we can identify whose head this is, and just what sort of identity could correspond directly with the Northern Di Pillar State."

With Chen Ping's single order, the cavalry each took up their duties.

In less than One Incense Stick Time, the light cavalry spotted three Beidi Cavalry.

At that moment, the enemy had been forced by their exhausted Warhorse to risk a brief rest.

The Beixi Soldiers naturally did not hesitate — encircling, shooting on the move, and under the premise of minimizing losses, they cut down two of the Beidi Cavalry, then swarmed in and pinned the last remaining rider to the ground.

When Lü Qiu's head was hurled before the Beidi Cavalry.

That rider's face went deathly pale, his eyes filled with utter shock.

"Colonel Lü…"

"You… fare well."

Seeing the rider's reaction, Chen Ping became all the more certain this man's identity was no ordinary one, and immediately barked low: "Just who is this Colonel Lü?"

"Answer quickly, and I'll grant you a quick end. Otherwise, I'll drag you back to Beixi County and let the Jinyiwei interrogate you."

"You'll have to talk in the end anyway, and endure a round of flesh-and-bone suffering — why bother?"

After wavering again and again, the rider still gave in: "Th-this is the son of the Pillar of the State, Lü Qiu."

Upon learning the true identity of the fallen general, the Beixi Soldiers present were all utterly astonished.

Chen Ping, however, was thrilled: "Heh heh heh, I knew it — he had to be of extraordinary origin."

"The son of the Pillar of the State? Too bad he's not a Northern Di Prince."

"Somebody! Quickly take Lü Qiu's head back to Beixi County, pack it in an ice box, and send it to Jingdu."

……

Six hours later, Beixi Xian Ya.

Xu Mo looked at the letter and the head laid out before him, and in his excitement slammed a palm onto the table — nearly shattering the old elm-wood desk.

"Hahaha, the heavens truly aid me!"

"The Young Master launched troops against the Northern Di during the State Peace Talks — that was already a breach of lawful authority."

"For the sake of Shedynasty's interests, he could only bear the infamy."

"Now, this Secret Letter can give the Young Master a just cause for his campaign."

"Since the Northern Di were unkind first, they cannot blame Shedynasty for being unjust."

At the thought of Lü Qiu's head being flung onto the Negotiation Table, and what reaction Lü Li would have, Xu Mo could hardly contain his anticipation.

That Lü Li was indeed a case of cleverness backfiring on the clever.

He thought that after the Two Nations' Peace Talks, opportunities for merit and fame would dwindle, so he sent his own son to the Front Line at this Deadline to gild his record.

As it turned out, the best-laid plans of men could not match the heavens — the lad just happened to run into Xu Mo's own younger clan cousin.

"Well killed!"

Xu Mo excitedly clenched his fist and roared.

Lin Quqi beside him, being a scholar after all, gazed at Lü Qiu's head and could not help feeling a vague unease.

"General Xu, Lü Qiu is, after all, Lü Li's son. Killing him will surely provoke a fierce backlash from the Northern Di."

"Are we really sending the head back to Jingdu?"

Before Xu Mo could answer, Li Zhang had already given his reply with casual ease.

"It doesn't matter."

"On the battlefield, casualties are inevitable. Since Lü Li sent his own son to the battlefield, he must be prepared for the white-haired to bury the black-haired."

"Of course, if we could capture Lü Qiu alive, our bargaining chip would be greater."

"It's a pity we didn't know Lü Qiu's identity beforehand—we only took the head, so the chip is smaller, but it's still a free one. Why not take it?"

"Lü Li will certainly be furious, but even if he rage-spits blood, it won't change a thing."

"Compared to his son, the one province we've seized is the true priority."

"He can only grit his teeth and swallow it."

Speaking thus, Li Zhang fell into thought, his mind already made up.

He immediately said sternly to Xu Mo: "General Xu, this secret letter and the head must be rushed to Jingdu without pause, at full gallop."

"If these arrive only after negotiations end, they lose all value."

"How quickly can our Beixi Yizhan's couriers reach Jingdu?"

Li Zhang's suggestion matched Xu Mo's own thoughts—he replied instantly: "Two days and two nights."

"Today, the scale of Beixi Yizhan has no equal anywhere in Shedynasty."

"Each courier is equipped with five fast war horses, plus the County City regularly allocates silver to build stations along the route."

"Every thirty Li, there is one of our Beixi County's stations."

"Changing horses every thirty Li keeps the war horses perpetually at peak energy; thus, imperial urgent reports from Beixi County to Jingdu have been shortened to two days and two nights."

Hearing this, Li Zhang inwardly marveled—Beixi County's development had surpassed his understanding.

Leaving aside distant matters, even this single system of stations was unparalleled in Shedynasty, indeed throughout Heaven.

Only Qin Feng could afford such dense station placement—every thirty Li.

Li Zhang gave a firm nod: "Then this matter cannot wait—send it to Jingdu at once!"

"As for subsequent operations, I believe we should strike with one-Strike Victory, pressing forward until we seize Xiongying Ridge!"

Hearing this, even Xu Mo frowned tightly.

"Xiongying Ridge? That's no longer just one province—it far exceeds Brother Qin's original plan."