Dongfang Liancheng had been a commander all his life, yet he never imagined he would find himself in such a wretched state as today.
He had not anticipated that Li Tianyue would launch such a ferocious counterattack, nor that her subordinates would move with such swiftness.
They were fearless in the face of death—this was truly the last army in the Eastern Border capable of waging real war.
He looked around at his generals; not a single one was without an expression of uncertainty, their resolve evidently wavering.
Yet, aside from them, the faction of generals led by Tang Miao looked on like mere spectators.
Ironically, eighty percent of the military forces currently present belonged to their faction.
"Old General." Tang Miao caught the hesitation in Dongfang Liancheng's eyes.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Please give the order. General Yue has gone mad. If we delay any longer, I fear even more soldiers will be swayed by her words."
No sooner had these words left his mouth than the crowd chimed in, one after another, in agreement.
Weighing the stakes—on one side was eighty percent of the Eastern Border's manpower, and on the other were Li Tianyue's veteran soldiers.
The situation was critical.
Dongfang Liancheng let out a sigh and was just about to wave his hand to give the signal.
On the ground below, Li Tianyue also raised her right arm slightly, her gaze filled with desolation.
She had been giving Dongfang Liancheng a chance all this time.
If he still held even a shred of affection for his old subordinates, he should have handed over Tang Miao and his cohort long ago.
But alas, he did not!
"Take them down!" Dongfang Liancheng waved his hand to signal the attack, already turning his head away, unable to bear the sight.
"Yes, sir!"
Led by Tang Miao, the multitude of soldiers headed back to their respective units with hideous grins.
They had always been at ease; they knew Dongfang Liancheng would stand on their side!
They were the true masters of this Eastern Border, and everything here belonged to them!
In an instant, the formations activated.
Arrows imbued with Spiritual power rained down like meteors, illuminating the entire sky as they fell upon Li Tianyue's forces!
"Old General!!!"
Yet, there were a dozen men who remained motionless, kneeling toward Dongfang Liancheng.
They could only hope that this Old General, who had always prioritized the greater picture, would stop the slaughter of the loyal.
But alas, the only thing that stood tall and unyielding was that imposing, oppressive mountain of force.
"Hahaha!"
Suddenly, a loud laughter rang out.
Dongfang Liancheng furrowed his brows as he spotted a golden light in the distance, approaching from the direction of the Northern Border.
It was Li Kuangren, the very man who had furiously rebuked him in the Military Administration Hall!
...
It had come to war, after all.
Li Kuangren gazed at the execution grounds, now scoured by torrents of Spiritual power.
His aunt's subordinates were using formations to resist, and the booming explosions were ceaseless.
With a gaze cold as ice, he moved through the chaos as if entering an empty land, arriving directly before Dongfang Liancheng.
Facing this Old General who had guarded the Eastern Border for three hundred years, Li Kuangren showed not a hint of respect.
"Old fool, I advise you to tell your people to stop."
"Insolence!!!"
A general furiously rebuked Li Kuangren but was immediately stopped by Dongfang Liancheng.
Gazing at the look of ridicule on Li Kuangren's face, Dongfang Liancheng glanced down at the battlefield on the ground.
His heart gave a sudden jolt.
"Li Kuangren, what is the meaning of this?"
"Guarding the Eastern Border for three hundred years has addled your brain.
For the sake of your so-called 'greater picture,' you can no longer distinguish right from wrong—so I will distinguish it for you!
Since my aunt cannot find justice here with you, my Li family will claim it for ourselves!
In your eyes, my Li Clan is lesser than this rabble, so today, I will make you understand."
"Just what the Li Clan truly is!"
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Liancheng's face turned pale with horror.
The Li Clan held sway over the Southern Border. If they were to invite the Wu Clan to enter the South, coupled with an open rebellion, it would be nothing short of a catastrophic calamity.
But that was impossible.
The Li Clan had always been loyal and devoted.
Prefecture Lord Li Dalong and the many clansmen of the Li family cherished the nation and their homeland above all else.
Had it been otherwise, he would never have dared to suppress Li Tianyue today!
Thinking of this, Dongfang Liancheng breathed a sigh of relief and smiled bitterly.
"Young Kuangren, this old man does not wish for things to be this way either, but your aunt stubbornly refuses to see reason.
However, please rest assured, your aunt is unharmed.
I will send her back to the Imperial Capital to stand trial.
I will write to the Capital asking them to consider her past merits; at most, they will strip her of her military rank.
You must understand, this old man..."
"I do not understand."
Li Kuangren's face was frosted with cold fury.
"You are still clinging to wishful thinking. Do you truly believe that because we are gentlemen, we can be bullied?"
"You..."
Dongfang Liancheng had more to say, but he was abruptly interrupted by the shout of an approaching soldier.
"Report, Old General! A message from the Ministry of War in the Imperial Capital!"
"Old General! A message from the Crown Prince and the Imperial Preceptor!"
"Fourth Prince... Fourth Prince has launched an attack!
His subordinate, the White Qilin, has declared that even if a million men die in battle, they will rescue General Yue and her troops and bring them back to Duskwild Prefecture!"
"...."
One report after another left Dongfang Liancheng's mind a total blank.
Li Kuangren sneered incessantly.
...
High above, in the Heavenly Palace.
Li Yuanshang clutched the ancestral spirit tablet hanging around his neck, the flesh on his face trembling violently.
"Rest assured, Old Ancestor. How could High Ancestor Tianyue possibly be bullied by the likes of Dongfang Liancheng and that rabble?
I'll screw his ancestors back eight generations!
If High Ancestor Tianyue suffers even the slightest harm, just give me the word, Old Ancestor, and this child will make the entire Eastern Border eat grass to survive!"
As he spoke, he let go of the spirit tablet.
Li Yuanshang was drenched in sweat, his entire body trembling.
All this time, he had heard of High Ancestor Tianyue's prestigious reputation in the Eastern Border.
The High Ancestor's name was known to everyone under heaven; she was a figure that younger generations like them looked up to.
He had many descendants who, from a young age, had resolved to become someone like High Ancestor Tianyue—to protect their home and defend the country.
But who could have known that the High Ancestor was living so miserably in the Eastern Border!
Before long, a group of men in official robes arrived, scrambling in absolute panic.
They were from the Ministry of War.
They had long since received reports regarding the events at the border, and they knew this great merchant of the Imperial Capital had arrived in a fury.
There were simply too many people the Ministry of War could not afford to offend.
Weapons, provisions, medicinal pills, talismans... for all these necessities of war, they had to look to others for help.
The moment they appeared before Li Yuanshang, every official from the Ministry of War put on a thick-skinned, ingratiating smile.
"Isn't this Nephew Yuanshang? I..."
"Who is your nephew?"
Everyone's expression changed.
Li Yuanshang had often wined and dined with these high officials and dignitaries, always maintaining a smooth and diplomatic facade.
They had never seen him in such a monstrous rage before.
Li Yuanshang narrowed his small eyes until they were merely slits.
"Good. Very good. My Li Clan Chamber of Commerce and the Hall of Heavenly Principles pay you plenty of taxes every year.
I hear most of it goes to your Ministry of War.
I usually don't say a word about how you spend my tax money, but now you're using it to attack my High Ancestor?"
"This..." The officials' faces paled.
"Nephew Yuanshang, it is your High Ancestor who is rebelling..."
"Rebelling?!!"
Li Yuanshang was beside himself with rage.
He lashed out, kicking the Ministry of War official who had spoken so tactlessly.
The man likely possessed martial skills, yet he dared not dodge.
He took a solid kick that sent him flying three meters away, while the others broke out in a cold sweat.
Li Yuanshang scolded furiously, "Rebellion, my ass! Don't think that official skin you wear holds any weight before me. Stripping the skin off your back would take me but a single word!"
"My in-law is Min Nantian. Don't force me to bring him into this. Send the message immediately—I want Dongfang Liancheng to stay his hand, and I want everyone involved to be punished!"
"This..." The officials' expressions turned ugly.
Min Nantian was the Patriarch of the Min Clan.
If he wanted to kill them, they would have nowhere to plead their case.
"Well?" Li Yuanshang feigned another kick, scaring the group into scrambling backward.
"Why haven't you pissed off to send the message yet?!"