Tu'an bordered Donghu.
Naturally, spies had also infiltrated Donghu territory.
Any major movement within Donghu would immediately be reported back to Tu'an.
For the past few months, Donghu had been continuously mobilizing troops and gathering supplies.
At first, the King of Tu'an believed that Donghu was preparing to attack Tu'an.
But as time passed one month, two months, three months now approaching the fourth month, Donghu still had not taken action against Tu'an.
Then, a report came from the spies in Donghu: the mobilization was in response to Qin, specifically to counter the Qin army that had invaded Donghu territory.
Upon hearing this news, Jin Feng initially thought it was false.
But now, witnessing with his own eyes the Qin army emerging from Donghu territory and advancing toward Tu'an, Jin Feng had no choice but to believe it.
The report was true.
"General Jin!"
"The Qin army is approaching our border city! What should we do?"
A general asked anxiously as he watched the Qin army draw nearer.
"No need to act rashly."
"These Qin troops are cavalry and pose no threat to our city."
"Moreover, Qin has no enmity with Tu'an."
Jin Feng raised his hand and spoke in a steady voice.
"Yes, sir!"
The general beside him nodded and immediately ordered the soldiers on the walls, "Lower your bows."
The soldiers followed the order and put away their bows and arrows.
Jin Feng continued to watch as the Qin army drew closer.
Finally.
When the Qin army reached less than a hundred meters from the city, they suddenly came to a complete stop.
The riderless warhorses also halted.
"General."
"That should be Tu'an's border city up ahead."
"To pass through Tu'an territory, we need to go through this city. If we enter without permission, Tu'an may retaliate."
A personal guard beside Zhang Han spoke.
"Tu'an is just a minor nation."
"Go inform them that our army wishes to pass through and has no hostile intentions toward Tu'an." Zhang Han ordered.
"Yes, sir."
The commander of his guards acknowledged the order.
He then rode forward toward Tu'an's border city.
Upon reaching the city gate, he called out loudly, "I am the personal guard commander under General Zhang Han of the First Main Camp of Great Qin's Wu'an Camp. Who commands this city?"
Hearing this, the generals atop the city walls of Tu'an were visibly shaken.
"It is the Qin army."
"The Wu'an Camp of Qin."
"That's known as Qin's most elite force!"
"Wu'an Camp's supreme commander is Zhao Feng he's a god of slaughter!"
"It's said that many of the most powerful states in Shenzhou fell at Zhao Feng's hands."
…
The generals of Tu'an murmured among themselves.
For a small border country like Tu'an, the name Zhao Feng was already well-known. This alone was enough to show how far his reputation had spread.
Everyone in Shenzhou knew of him.
After all, his fame was earned through real battles, not mere exaggeration.
Every general slain by Zhao Feng had been renowned in their own right far beyond the ranks of Tu'an.
"I am Jin Feng, Grand General of Tu'an, assigned to guard this border city."
Jin Feng maintained a composed expression as he replied to the commander below.
"Our Wu'an Camp was ordered to attack Donghu. The battle has been won, and we now seek passage through Tu'an to return to Qin."
"May we be permitted to pass?" the commander clasped his hands and inquired.
At these words, Jin Feng's expression subtly changed.
Looking at the thousands of heavily armed Qin troops before him, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes.
"This is not a decision I can make."
"I must seek permission from my king." Jin Feng responded after a brief moment of contemplation.
"How long will that take?" the commander pressed.
"At least ten days." Jin Feng answered immediately.
Upon hearing this, the commander frowned.
"We cannot afford to delay for ten days."
"If I do not have my king's decree, I cannot allow you to pass." Jin Feng replied firmly.
As soon as he said this, the other Tu'an generals around him became anxious and looked at him uneasily.
"General."
"Will this not offend Qin?"
"Qin is currently at its peak. Someday, it may even unify all of Shenzhou."
"If we refuse to let the Qin army pass, we will have made an enemy of them."
"If Qin decides to attack Tu'an in the future, we will have no means to resist."
Several generals urged Jin Feng, clearly hoping he would grant passage.
After all, Tu'an did not quarrel with Qin. If they offended Qin over this matter, it would be a foolish decision.
"Silence!"
"If Qin harbors ill intentions toward Tu'an, will any of you bear the blame?" Jin Feng snapped angrily.
Seeing this, the commander below the city walls narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly.
"So, General Jin refuses to allow us passage?"
"I must await my king's approval."
"I hope you can understand." Jin Feng maintained his stance.
"Very well."
"This matter will be remembered by Wu'an Camp."
The commander shot Jin Feng a cold glance and uttered those words before turning his horse around and galloping back to the Qin army.
"General Jin!"
"Do you truly wish to offend Qin?"
"This is asking for disaster!"
"If Qin decides to use this as a pretext to attack Tu'an in the future, we will be powerless to stop them."
"Even Donghu fell so easily to Qin what hope do we have?"
"Please reconsider, General!"
"General…"
The Tu'an generals grew panicked, pleading with Jin Feng.
"Enough!"
"I have already spoken."
"This decision requires my king's consent. If I allow them through on my authority and Qin turns against us, what then?" Jin Feng remained resolute.
Clearly.
He did not want to bear such a heavy responsibility. If he allowed the Qin army passage and they later attacked, he would be held accountable.
As Tu'an's Grand General, he had to be cautious and deliberate.
Seeing Jin Feng's unwavering stance, the other Tu'an generals dared not speak further.
The commander of the Qin army returned to the formation.
"General."
"The Tu'an general refuses to let us pass." The commander reported, his voice filled with anger.
Zhang Han furrowed his brow, his expression darkening.
"Tu'an."
"Very well."
Zhang Han coldly spat out a sentence.
"What should we do now?"
"The Donghu might catch up soon," the personal guard commander said worriedly.
"After all these days, the Supreme General may have already successfully launched a surprise attack on the barbarian royal court."
"Once the barbarians receive the news, they will surely withdraw their troops."
"So."
"Perhaps we don't need to worry about pursuing enemies anymore," Zhang Han said in a deep voice.
"I understand," the personal guard commander nodded.
"Pass down my orders."
"March south."
"If the enemy's encirclement has been lifted, we can pass through Donghu territory and return directly to Great Qin."
"If the barbarians haven't retreated, then we'll simply fight them to the death," Zhang Han commanded.
"We obey the general's orders!" the elite soldiers shouted in unison.
"However"
Zhang Han's face turned cold as he looked toward the Tu'an border city in the distance. "This matter will not be so easily forgotten."
As he spoke, Zhang Han raised his bow, drew an arrow from his quiver, and aimed at the Tu'an border city seventy zhang away.
With the full strength of his Xiantian-level cultivation and the support of his true qi, he pulled the bowstring taut.
With a twang, the arrow was released.
Whoosh!
The arrow pierced through the air.
In the blink of an eye, it shot toward the border city.
Almost instantly
Atop the city wall of Tu'an
Whoosh!
Bang!
A sharp arrow embedded itself into the wall, sending cracks spreading around it like a spider's web.
"How is this possible?"
"From nearly a hundred zhang away, he shot an arrow straight into our city wall?"
Jin Feng's face darkened as he stared at the arrow embedded in the wall.
The other generals beside him were equally shocked.
At this moment, they finally understood
They had provoked someone they should never have provoked.
"Right now, our Great Qin does not yet share a border with Tu'an. But once we destroy Qi, we will," Zhang Han said with a cold smile.
"Let's go."
He put away his bow, turned his horse around, and galloped off.
Great Qin, Xianyang!
"It's been so many days."
"I wonder how the Supreme General is faring in the northern frontier."
"Yes."
"It's been over three months."
"The Supreme General should be returning soon, right?"
"Who could have imagined"
"That General Zhao Feng would be so bold as to lead just ten thousand cavalry deep into barbarian territory."
"This is our Great Qin's peerless Supreme General. Who else has such courage?"
"For these past few months, we've received victory reports one after another. The Supreme General has led his troops to slaughter countless barbarians and burn down countless barbarian settlements."
"Honestly, it's exhilarating!"
"This is true vengeance blood for blood, an eye for an eye!"
"The barbarians invaded our lands and slaughtered tens of thousands of our Huaxia people. They deserve to die for it."
"Indeed."
"And this is only the beginning. Once Great Qin unites the Central Plains, we should exterminate these accursed barbarians completely."
In the city, the common folk were abuzz with discussion, their voices brimming with the pride of a great empire.
Ever since Zhao Feng had annihilated the barbarian forces and the news spread throughout the empire
As more reports of his victories against the barbarians and their settlements continued to arrive.
The King of Qin had issued an edict declaring each triumph to the entire nation.
This was meant to inspire and uplift the hearts of both soldiers and civilians.
Thus, Zhao Feng's campaign, leading ten thousand light cavalry deep into Donghu territory, had become widely known throughout Great Qin. Especially in Xianyang, where news from the northern frontier arrived every half-month, ensuring that everyone was well-informed about their Supreme General Zhao Feng.
This was largely due to Donghu being on the northern frontier. The flow of information was slow if this were within the Central Plains, news could arrive within ten days at most.
And today
Another half-month had passed. Many curious citizens were watching the city gates, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a messenger with fresh battle reports from the north.
They longed for news.
At this moment, within the entirety of Great Qin
The Supreme General with the highest prestige
Was undoubtedly Zhao Feng.
Wang Jian, Meng Wu, Huan Yi
None of them could compare.
The Peerless Supreme General.
The War God of Great Qin.
This was how countless citizens of Great Qin referred to him.
It could be said
Under Ying Zheng's deliberate efforts, Zhao Feng now held the highest prestige in all of Great Qin.
Among the old Qin people, his rank was second only to the King himself.
The first belonged to the mighty royal authority.
With this level of prestige, Zhao Feng had essentially been granted an invincible status and immunity from death.
As countless citizens eagerly awaited
Clip-clop.
Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop...
Outside the city
A swift rider holding a command flag galloped into Xianyang unimpeded.
"They're here!"
"It must be a victory report!"
"It has to be a victory report!"
"The Supreme General will be safe!"
Seeing the messenger, countless citizens were both excited and anxious.
For them
They desperately wanted to hear news of victory, yet they also feared receiving bad news about Zhao Feng.
After all, Zhao Feng had led only ten thousand cavalry deep into enemy territory. If he were surrounded by the barbarians, he would have no escape.
Zhao Feng had earned countless great merits for Great Qin and held immense prestige. If he were to meet his end in the northern frontier, the entire Great Qin would be plunged into sorrow.
Sensing the anxious and expectant gazes of the crowd
Upon entering the city, the messenger raised his command flag and shouted:
"Great victory! A grand victory in the northern frontier!"
"Northern frontier grand victory!"
As his words fell
The once-anxious citizens all let out sighs of relief, then erupted into celebration.
"This is fantastic!"
"Before, we received only victory reports but this time, they specifically called it a 'grand victory'!"
"Supreme General Zhao Feng must have accomplished something extraordinary in the barbarian lands!"
"Absolutely!"
"Do you think he might have killed the King of Donghu?"
"Hahaha, if the Donghu King were dead, then Supreme General Zhao Feng's feat would shake the entire world! To lead ten thousand cavalry into enemy territory and slay their king what other general could achieve such a thing?"
"You're mistaken!"
"Even if the Supreme General didn't kill the barbarian king, he has already made a name for himself across the world! Over the past few months, he has destroyed dozens of barbarian settlements and slaughtered hundreds of thousands of their warriors! What other general could compare to such a feat?"
"That's right..."
Now that they knew Zhao Feng was safe
The citizens erupted in discussion once more, eagerly speculating on the magnitude of this latest victory.
To be called a grand victory, the battle results must have been truly extraordinary.
The Royal Palace!
The Grand Court Hall!
As they looked at the urgent messenger before them, all the court officials had a hint of anticipation in their eyes.
For them, their hearts had already settled.
Because after so much time had passed, every piece of news that had arrived had been a victorious report.
Each time, the enemy suffered great losses.
At first glance, an army of ten thousand might seem like a considerable force, but compared to the nomadic tribes, it was far too few barely enough to put up a fight.
Yet, with just this small army, Zhao Feng had managed to bite off large chunks of enemy territory, inflicting devastating losses upon them.
"Read the report!"
With a wave of his hand, Ying Zheng signaled the urgent messenger to deliver his report, his gaze filled with expectation.
"The Northern Frontier, a great victory!"
"According to confidential reports"
"General Zhao Feng used General Zhang Han to lead a small cavalry force as bait, retreating eastward to lure the enemy. The nomadic tribes took the bait, deploying hundreds of thousands of soldiers in pursuit to encircle them."
"Meanwhile, General Zhao Feng led his forces in a surprise assault on the enemy's royal court, shattering the Eastern Hu royal capital in a single battle and slaughtering countless foes."
"As of now"
"The Eastern Hu royal court has been destroyed by General Zhao Feng. A large portion has been reduced to ruins, with many Eastern Hu royals and nobles perishing under his relentless assault."
"The Northern Frontier, a great victory!" The urgent messenger declared with a trembling voice, moved by the significance of the news he was delivering.
Announcing such a momentous and morale-boosting victory one that resonated with the entire Huaxia people left the messenger himself deeply emotional.
"The enemy's royal court has been destroyed?"
"How is this even possible?"
"This cannot be real."
"The Eastern Hu royal court was heavily guarded! How could Zhao Feng breach it with only ten thousand troops?"
"In reality, it was likely even fewer than ten thousand."
"For the past four months, Zhao Feng has been fighting the nomads constantly. His elite troops must have suffered some losses."
"This makes sense. Over these past months, the Eastern Hu have been completely led by the nose. Their king must have been enraged and mobilized all their forces in pursuit, leaving the royal court vulnerable."
"This battle is now settled, and the outcome is certain."
"The general should be returning soon."
"The enemy's royal court has fallen, and numerous nomadic tribes have been wiped out."
"The Eastern Hu will not recover for at least five no, perhaps even ten years."
"For ten years, our Northern Frontier will know peace."
"This is a feat of unparalleled merit!"
"Our Great Qin is truly fortunate to have General Zhao Feng!"
"We congratulate Your Majesty!"
"We all congratulate Your Majesty…"
As the murmurs of discussion faded, the court ministers knelt in unison to congratulate Ying Zheng.
Of course
Not everyone looked pleased. But given the overwhelming success of the battle, they had no choice but to offer their congratulations.
Hearing their praises, Ying Zheng's face was adorned with a satisfied smile.
Had the unification of Shenzhou already been completed, he might have even declared with boldness.
"My son, how truly mighty you are!"
"Zhao Feng."
"Our Great Qin's undisputed War God."
Ying Zheng's voice was slow and deliberate.
Before, the title War God had only been a name whispered among the military and the common people.
Then now, with this decree from the King of Qin himself, Zhao Feng's title as the War God was officially cemented.
And when Ying Zheng spoke those words
Every official in the court could see the pride in his voice.
"We congratulate Your Majesty!"
"This victory…"
"Our Great Qin's might has grown even greater."
"The states of Qi and Chu will surely be intimidated."
"When the time comes to conquer them, it will be twice as easy."
General Wang Jian stepped forward and spoke.
"Not only that."
"With this victory, General Zhao Feng's crushing of the nomads has ensured that they will not invade for ten years. This will uplift the spirit of all Huaxia people across Shenzhou."
"Especially in the newly annexed Yan state, where the people's hearts will now turn even faster to our Great Qin."
"The former King of Yan collaborated with the nomads, completely severing the trust between himself and the people of Yan. General Zhao Feng's vengeful campaign against the nomads will ensure that the people of Yan fully embrace our rule."
"The Yan lands will be easier to govern than the lands of the Three Jin states."
Han Fei also stepped forward to speak.
"Indeed."
"The King of Yan's betrayal is known throughout the land."
"To the people of Yan and all Huaxia, his actions are a disgrace."
"Now, in Yan territory, even those who resist cannot use the name of the former king as justification to oppose Qin."
"This is truly a great fortune for our empire."
Li Si also immediately added.
Hearing their words
Ying Zheng nodded, showing little outward emotion, though his thoughts were churning. His gaze then fell upon the urgent messenger.
"Has Zhao Feng begun his retreat?" Ying Zheng asked solemnly.
That was what he truly cared about.
Now that even Eastern Hu's royal court had fallen, there was no need for Zhao Feng to remain any longer.
He had been waging war alone in the Northern Frontier for four months.
It was time to return.
To Ying Zheng
Even if Zhao Feng had not annihilated the enemy's royal court, simply by devastating so many of their tribes, his achievements were already more than enough.
Though this war had solidified his prestige
And further strengthened Ying Zheng's dominance
What he valued most was still Zhao Feng himself.
"Reporting to Your Majesty."
"According to the latest intelligence, after General Zhao Feng broke through and decimated the enemy's royal court, he immediately began retreating south."
"He should have already reached the Yan lands by now." The urgent messenger reported swiftly.
"Good."
Ying Zheng laughed heartily, finally feeling at ease.
Then
He turned to Wei Liao. "Minister Wei, how are the troop movements in Yan territory progressing?"
"Your Majesty," Wei Liao responded immediately, "the Qin garrison in Yan has already mobilized to Xiangping City, awaiting General Zhao Feng's return before they advance."
"In addition"
"The Hangu Pass garrison in Zhao territory has deployed ten thousand troops to reinforce Yan."
Ying Zheng's eyes gleamed.
"Deliver my decree."
"When Zhao Feng returns to Yan"
"He is to report back to the capital immediately to give his account."
"This decree is to be delivered as an urgent order."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Wei Liao immediately accepted the order.
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