Chapter 823

"Ah! The Eastern Ying's hundred-generation legacy, planned for so long, consumed countless hearts and blood."

The great calamity of a thousand autumns was about to take shape.

The Eastern Ying's grand undertaking to rule the Nine Provinces was on the verge of success.

Who could have thought that here, at my hands, it would falter halfway…"

Lian Chengzhi was deeply troubled; he truly didn't care about that damn Eastern Ying hegemony.

After all, by bloodline, he was actually a man of the Central Plains of the Nine Provinces, the legitimate heir of Lian Family Fortress.

Yet when he first ascended the Heavenly Dao Golden List, he was honored as Eastern Ying's Heavenly Locust, commanding countless elite warriors.

Eastern Ying's power surged at once to rank among the top few forces in the realm.

At that time, he was exultant, convinced that the Eastern Ying's hundred-generation ideal would be realized under his hand.

His name, Lian Chengzhi, would be etched forever upon Eastern Ying's monuments and praised by all the people of the Nine Provinces.

The battle at Bai Long Creek made him see clearly.

The Nine Provinces teemed with dragons and tigers—he, Lian Chengzhi, was but a frog at the bottom of a well.

"Chengzhi, Chengzhi, don't be like this!"

Chi Xue, seeing Lian Chengzhi in such despair, felt a piercing pain, cradling his face and asking solemnly,

"What do you think is needed to dominate the Nine Provinces?"

"One's own Wu Gong, strategy, and the elite warriors and armies under one's command!"

Speaking of hegemony, Lian Chengzhi's gloom vanished instantly, and he spoke fluently,

"I believe my strategy is no worse than any in the realm, and with Second Master and others aiding me, it is more than sufficient.

The Eastern Ying army, governed by Bushido, is far more fierce and valiant than any force in the Nine Provinces.

As for elite warriors, Eastern Ying has cultivated thousands over the past millennium under Xiao Jingtian and Xiao Aoshi, with continuous imperial support—it rivals any other great power.

It's just…"

Here, Lian Chengzhi fell into a bitter smile.

His Wu Gong—when he first ascended the Heavenly Dao Golden List, he thought himself formidable enough to contend for the realm.

Only as the Heavenly Dao Golden List continued to reveal new names did he realize how utterly insignificant he truly was.

"Good! Then I will help you master the Crimson Fire Divine Art!"

Chi Xue said with firm, heartfelt eyes.

Great Yuan, Imperial Court.

After news arrived that Mu Huali and Borhu's armies had been annihilated on the front, Tiejimu Zhen grieved as if he had lost his own parents.

Great Qin, Great Yuan, and Great Tang, amidst the chaos of the Nine Provinces, stood as the three supreme imperial dynasties, revered and worshipped by all forces under heaven.

This was due not only to the presence of elite warriors like Shang Yang, Lotus Living Buddha, and Jiang Chen within the three dynasties.

It was also because each possessed countless mighty armies that struck fear into all.

The Qin Ruishi, Great Tang's Imperial Guards, and Great Yuan's Keshi Army were famed throughout the realm.

When these three elite armies formed battle arrays, even ordinary Heavenly Dao Golden List-level experts dared not claim certain victory.

Unfortunately, Great Yuan's Keshi Army was crushed at the Western Xia border by a single sword from beyond the heavens—Ximen Wudi slaughtered one hundred thousand soldiers.

Thus, the Keshi Army suffered catastrophic losses and has never recovered to this day.

Below the Keshi Army, Great Yuan's main forces consisted of four field armies stationed across the realm.

On the southern border, the Southern Frontier Army was built around Mu Huali's core, with Borhu and Borshu's armies as its wings.

Unfortunately, in this campaign to unseal Yin Yue Cave Heaven, the Southern Frontier Army—except for Borshu, who never penetrated deep into Great Tang territory—was entirely erased from history.

With this, Great Yuan's strength had plummeted to rock bottom.

Not to mention contending with mighty powers like Great Qin, Great Tang, Yunzhou, or Eastern Ying.

Even secondary powers like Great Ming and Great Han, if they mustered their forces to invade, would leave Great Yuan stretched thin, unable to suppress them as before.

Add to this the losses in the Hetao and Yinshan regions.

As Great Khan, Tiejimu Zhen was now as frantic as an ant on a hot pan.

He no longer retained his former calm and composure, nor did he have any interest in the Heavenly Dao Golden List.

After all, he knew better than anyone how few elite warriors Great Yuan possessed.

What did it matter to him if other powers revealed more elite warriors?

"Great Khan…"

Yelu Chucai knew the pressing matter was Great Yuan's internal affairs, but each Heavenly Dao Golden List was an opportunity.

This one was no different.

Thus, despite Tiejimu Zhen's desperation, he stepped forward and spoke.

"What is it? Have you heard news of Mu Huali, General Zhebie, or Borhu?"

Tiejimu Zhen asked urgently.

Mu Huali and General Zhebie were among Great Yuan's Thirteen Wings, one of its last remaining cards—he could not afford to lose them.

Borhu, though low in Wu Gong, was one of Great Yuan's few elite battlefield commanders.

Though the Southern Frontier Army was annihilated, no reports had come of these generals being beheaded.

Thus, Tiejimu Zhen and all of Great Yuan fervently hoped for their return.

"No, Great Khan, it's like this…"

Yelu Chucai, seeing Tiejimu Zhen's bloodshot eyes, felt a chill run down his scalp, yet still spoke,

"This Heavenly Dao Golden List…"

"What Heavenly Dao Golden List? Can it be more important than the safety of Great Yuan's state?"

Tie Muzhen, hearing it was the Heavenly Dao Golden List, cut off Yelu Chu before he could finish, furious.

"Right now, the most urgent matter is to quickly redeploy other frontier troops to guard the borders."

"Then go find Mu Huali, General Zhebie, even General Chilaowen and Jiamuhe, and bring them back."

At the mention of General Chilaowen and Jiamuhe, Tie Muzhen turned his gaze to the Deputy Chancellor Bayan.

"Bayan, send men to find General Chilaowen and Jiamuhe as soon as possible. Tell them that if they return, I, the Khan, will grant them any condition they ask for."

"Even if General Chilaowen wants ten or eight of my concubines, I'm willing to give them to him."

In truth, Tie Muzhen had once willingly played the cuckold, giving his favorite concubine Timur to General Chilaowen.

But General Chilaowen, with his fiery temper, misunderstood and stormed off.

Now, to secure the Great Yuan's Jiangshan, Tie Muzhen was not only willing to give up Timur, but even more women.

He only hoped General Chilaowen would change his heart and return to the Great Yuan.

Bayan, hearing this, was moved beyond words and immediately accepted the order.

"Great Khan, disaster! Officials from the Privy Council, the Censorate, the Secretariat, and even all Six Ministries have been assassinated in succession these past two days."

From first-rank ministers down to lowly clerks without rank, all have been targeted."

Now, the Three Courts and Six Ministries are nearly paralyzed."

At this moment, Liu Zheng rushed into the hall, his face ashen.

Hearing Si Hanfei's words, Tie Muzhen's face turned deathly pale, repeating over and over:

"Retaliation, retaliation… the Qinglong Society's retaliation…"

Long ago, when the Youzhou campaign had turned disastrous, the Lotus Living Buddha forcibly returned and warned that the Qinglong Society might come for revenge.

Ever since, the entire Great Yuan had lived in fear, preparing for the Qinglong Society's retaliation.

But this retaliation came with such ferocity.

After all, the last time the Qinglong Society launched a major strike, they only assassinated part of the Tang court's civil and military officials and stopped there.

This time, they've nearly wiped out the entire central administration of the Great Yuan—the Three Courts and Six Ministries.

"Great Khan, the Qixie Army's officers and commanders have been assassinated by mysterious killers; the palace guards are now nearly crippled…"

Prince of the Blood Si Hanfei, equally frantic, delivered another devastating blow.

The Qinglong Society's massive assault didn't just paralyze the Great Yuan's central administrative institutions.

It also nearly crippled the Great Yuan's Qixie Army in one stroke.

"Dire! Quick, escort the Great Khan into the secret realm!"

Upon hearing these two reports, Yelu Chuai made an instant decision, ordering guards to escort Tie Muzhen away.