Chapter 984

First Volume_Chapter 984: The Cruelty of War

On the battlefield, there is no room for sentimental attachments or social niceties; the only goal is victory—kill the enemy by any means necessary.

Jing Ci, accustomed to luxury and comfort, simply did not understand the cruelty of war; in his view, the victor could show mercy, the defeated could survive, and once the war ended, life would go on as before.

Yet he did not realize that war means death, means the withering of all things.

From the very moment war began, this land would be stained red with blood—no one could remain untouched!

The deaths of those dozens of soldiers were a warning bell for Jing Ci; if she hoped to influence Qin Feng through some so-called "personal ties," she might as well give up that idea now.

Whoosh…

The rope ladders slid down the City Wall; Tianji Camp Guards climbed down one after another, carrying Jing Ci's gifts behind her, dividing them into smaller bundles, and hauling them back into the city.

When only Jing Ci and Qi Ya remained outside the walls, Qin Feng still ignored Jing Ci, her face streaked with tears; his gaze flickered to Qi Ya.

"Qi Ya, come up. Liu Ming will meet with you."

What?!

Jing Ci froze, staring in disbelief at her most trusted maid—only to realize in despair that her trust had once again been trampled underfoot.

Qi Ya lowered her head, her eyes filled with sorrow and guilt, but she had no choice; from the moment she first contacted Qin Feng, she had been firmly controlled, with no room for resistance.

This journey to Changshui County with Jing Ci would expose her traitor identity completely; she would become one of Qin Feng's own, and within this day, she would report every single piece of intelligence she had gathered from the outside world to Liu Ming. The Encirclement Lines formed by the Da Di army around Changshui County would lose all value because of Qi Ya's arrival!

Aside from Jing Ci and the slaughtered soldiers, no one else knew Qi Ya was a traitor—Qi Ya would become one of Qin Feng's most vital assets for gathering external Military Intelligence!

Of course, all of this was thanks to Jing Ci; no one would have guessed that her most trusted maid had long since become Qin Feng's agent.

Watching Qi Ya slowly climb the City Wall, Jing Ci was utterly lost.

She did not understand why the world was so cruel—even a maid raised with her since childhood, as close as Sisters, would betray her without hesitation.

Jing Ci collapsed onto her carriage, tears streaming uncontrollably, her spirit shattered to the lowest point; since her birth, she had never suffered such a blow.

The Emperor of Da Di, her own father, saw her as cannon fodder; Qin Feng saw her as a pawn to be used.

The Princess of Da Di, whom all admired, was so pitiful.

Yet Qin Feng coldly waved his hand; two Tianji Camp Guards seized Jing Ci and dragged her up the rope ladder—this moment, Jing Ci was no different from Zhang Chao; both had become Qin Feng's hostages.

Standing on the City Wall, Jing Ci watched Qi Ya being led away by Liu Ming, then glanced at the Tianji Camp Guards surrounding her—cold, hostile, even monstrous—and at Qin Feng before her, cold and heartless; she finally understood the kind of man she was dealing with. But what use was it to realize this now?

Qin Feng said coldly: "Princess, this is the battlefield of deceit and mortal struggle. From the moment you encountered me in Yucheng, you were already on this battlefield."

"My only purpose in approaching you was to turn you into a pawn for victory. In a sense, you are no different from this Changshui County—indeed, you are no different from Lü Li; all of you are merely pieces in this war."

"Since I took control of Qi Ya, every move you make, every word you speak, has been under my Surveillance."

"Perhaps you saw me as a friend—but I'm sorry. Blame yourself for being Di."

Jing Ci wiped the tears from her eyes, took a deep breath, and glared at Qin Feng with forced strength.

At this moment, she truly understood this man.

The Young Master who spoke eloquently, dazzled all in Yucheng, and made scholars across Heaven bow their heads—or the merchant who debated ministers in Wang Du and opened the Shang Dao—were all illusions, or rather, merely one face of Qin Feng.

Strip away the layers of disguise, and the true Qin Feng revealed was this cruel…

"Qin Feng… I hate you!"

After long deliberation, Jing Ci finally let out a trembling cry of defiance—but it was so powerless.

Qin Feng ignored Jing Ci's furious gaze and spoke lightly: "The Emperor of Da Di has sent two hostages in succession, yet failed to rescue them. His other ministers now see Changshui County as a flood or a beast, and will not dare approach it again. The more they fear Changshui County, the less they trust the Emperor of Da Di! His move has cost him all loyalty—it proves he has been driven to the brink."

"Let me tell you what will happen next."

"Qi Ya will represent you and return to Wang Du, but under the covert protection of the Brocade Uniform Guards, and secretly contact the Night Owl; through the Night Owl, she will link up with major civil and military officials to launch a coup!"

"The Emperor of Da Di has no choice but to retreat north; meanwhile, Yushu Princess will enter Wang Du and ascend the Imperial Throne, becoming the first Queen in Da Di's history."

"Your nation's North is a wasteland, poor in Materials and Supplies. The Emperor of Da Di's northern retreat is merely a final, desperate gasp. Soon, he will be reduced from monarch to prisoner. If he has pride, he will kill himself. If not, I won't kill him—I'll imprison him. Your country will become an entirely different place!"

Qin Feng's words were like tearing open Jing Ci's wound and pouring salt into it.

Jing Ci's face turned as white as paper; she swayed unsteadily, staring blankly at Qin Feng—as if the man before her was not human, but a death-bringing specter.

Seeing Jing Ci's psychological defenses had completely collapsed, Qin Feng no longer tormented her fragile spirit; he waved his hand, signaling the Tianji Camp Guards to take Jing Ci back to the County Yamen and detain her alongside Zhang Chao.

Only after Jing Ci left did Ning Hu finally ask: "Brother Qin, aren't you being too cruel to Jing Ci?"

"Didn't you say she was one of the rare Da Di people without a stance, and posed no threat to you? Then why…?"

Before Ning Hu could finish, Qin Feng cut in softly: "Little Marquis, I'm saving her."

"If she doesn't understand the cruelty of war, even if one day Jing Qianying ascends the Imperial Throne and releases Jing Ci, those with ill intentions will still manipulate her."

"After all, Jing Qianying's rise isn't just about becoming Da Di's first Queen—it's about breaking a precedent."