Chen Ping's Sword

"Everyone, let’s discuss how to handle the situation in Ling Mountain Prefecture."

Chen Ping was not used to sitting on a high platform while a large group of civil and military officials stood below, so he would raise his voice when speaking.

So, whenever an important issue arose, he would gather a few advisors and Military Generals together, sitting around a newly crafted long wooden table.

He sat at the end of the long table, resting his hands on the table’s surface, inhaling the refreshing scent of natural wood. His expression appeared calm, but in truth, his mind was far from peaceful.

Han Xiaoru had received news from the messenger at the front and hurriedly called Chen Ping back. Upon hearing the news, he was indeed taken aback.

"Wenyuan, Wuyan, Ling Mountain, the three prefectures have fallen..."

"The Lord of Wenyuan Prefecture, Zhao Yuan, died in battle at the city gate, sacrificing his life for the country. The Lord of Wuyan Prefecture, Liu Wentong, took his own life, slaughtering his wives and children before his death, unwilling to endure humiliation... The Lord of Ling Mountain Prefecture, Teng Leshan, fled to the seaside ahead of time..."

"The lands of the three prefectures have become hell, with most able-bodied men enslaved, working day and night to move mountains and quarry stones. Most children have become food for wolves, and women have been captured, becoming ***. In just over ten days, under the influence of the Celestial Witch Potion, nearly thirty percent of the women in the three prefectures are reportedly pregnant."

"About 300,000 people are fleeing south madly, led by Masters Qingwei Qiuye and Changfeng from the defeated forces at Celestial Gate Pass, with General Yuann Qing leading 5,000 cavalry to protect them. They are being chased by 30,000 Wolf Riders led by Beizhou’s Keqisu... The refugees are now about to enter Youx Mountain, passing through One-Line Heaven Broken Blade Gorge..."

After the intelligence was summarized, Yuo Qiu read it out expressionlessly. Just listening to it made Chen Ping feel his blood rushing wildly, almost drawing his sword in response.

"Bang..."

Zhuo Yunfei slammed his palm heavily onto the long wooden table, his eyes turning blood-red. He had just been called to attend the military council, having spent the past few days mingling among the various troops, conducting ideological transformations among the soldiers.

Through transformation after transformation, he painted a picture of a beautiful future, making others believe, and first making himself believe.

Believing that under Grand General Chen’s leadership, everyone on this land could live a good life, that a peaceful and prosperous era was just around the corner...

The more he repeated these words, the more he firmly believed that the future would definitely come true... Hearing the news from the northwest, he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

His handsome face flushed red.

"This is preposterous, simply outrageous. This is the strategy of ’Empty the Cage and Replace the Bird,’ a scheme that deserves death, actions that merit execution."

Zhuo Yunfei had followed his father since childhood, becoming accustomed to the sight of the Hu people on the border. He only knew that those people were either heavily bearded, with high foreheads, their stature as robust as wild beasts. Some even had eyes that were golden-green, resembling beasts, with skins of green, red, white, and black, showcasing an alien race’s appearance.

Besides their distinct appearances, the language barrier was not much of an issue...

As enemies, it was simply a matter of life and death on the battlefield. Today, you rob me; tomorrow, I kill you.

However, he never expected that once the opposing side invaded the Central Plains, gaining control of a city, they would commit such unseemly acts.

Yet, there was still a significant group of people who believed that these Hu people were merely passing through the Central Plains and would not stay long.

This did not look like they wouldn’t stay long; it was clearly an attempt to uproot the foundation of the Central Plains.

"Indeed, it is the ’Empty the Cage and Replace the Bird’ strategy. There was a proposal before, but it was generally regarded as contrary to the way of heaven, fearing it would provoke a bloodthirsty resistance. Therefore, the Emperor of Beizhou, Yuwen Mu, sternly rejected it and adopted a strategy of winning over."

It is unclear what transpired, leading Beizhou’s Rushing Wolf Cavalry to change their approach."

Feeling embarrassed, Yuo Qiu replied.

Though he is now the Governor responsible for civilian affairs in the Three Provinces and Three Prefectures, he rarely participates in military strategies. However, he still holds a high position.

The reason for his embarrassment is that not long ago, he was the chief staff officer under the Thirteenth Prince of Beizhou, responsible for plotting strategies and was addressed as ’teacher’ by the prince.

In simple terms, he has a tarnished background.

Although he appreciates Chen Ping’s tolerance and is determined to repay him with his life, whenever someone talks about Beizhou’s brutal actions, he always feels like he is being personally criticized.

In the same situation as him is the elder from the Cui Family, Cui Huchen.

At this moment, as the head of the military generals, he was sitting on the right-hand side in the first seat. Upon hearing this, his expression changed, and he took a long breath before quickly saying, "I might know a little about this matter. Days ago, a message came from the Cui family in the Capital City, saying a master of the Esoteric Sect appeared with a ten-zhang Dharma Body in Yujing, clashing with a master from the Capital City’s Ji Family near the South City’s array."

At that time, the sky was filled with bloody rain, with dragon roars and lion roars, and the wails of ten thousand ghosts. The city wall collapsed for half a league, and the residential houses under the South City’s wall turned into a pit of ruins...

Afterward, the rumor circulated that someone from Beizhou attempted to seize the city but was beaten back by a master from the Royal Family. The specific situation remained a closely guarded secret, such as who the intruder was and who in the Imperial Palace made a move. Nobody could say for sure.

However, in my view, Beizhou must have deployed a Divine Martial expert and gained some advantage. Perhaps the Ji Family’s Royal Family unconsciously showed weakness, revealing that Yujing no longer has its foundation."

Cui Huchen, a former high-ranking official Minister of the Ministry of War during the Great Li Yuanheng Period, had a profound understanding of the mindset at higher levels.

Sometimes, a person’s ambition starts to grow gradually.