Chapter 228: Gu Qingzhou Appears, A Top-Level Understanding of the Aggrieved (4)
Honestly, not many people in this carriage were what you'd call loyal ministers.
"The capital has Eunuch Cao to oversee it, and my mother is handling court affairs. There's no need to worry for now."
"On the other hand, the Heavenly Dao Sect is the leading force of the Southern Dynasty's righteous path, with immense influence."
"If they call for aid, many top-tier cultivators could be drawn in—far more than you can handle."
The Empress spoke with natural authority.
"With Your Majesty personally leading the expedition, those spineless opportunists will tremble in fear!"
Su Qing immediately flattered her.
"'Personally leading,' huh? You're still in charge of this operation. I won't interfere with your command."
"I'm only here to provide backup in case of emergencies. Don't let me down."
The Empress responded with a cool tone.
Truth be told, she just didn't trust her rebellious little brother.
If she hadn't come along, she wouldn't be able to step in quickly if something went wrong.
Since the system hadn't set any limits this time, there was no reason for her not to come.
Back at the imperial palace, in the royal study—
Su Mengxi stared at the stack of reports on her desk, pouting.
Her stunning face practically spelled out the words "not happy."
It wasn't that she couldn't handle the workload—it was that she'd been completely played.
She never expected her normally clueless daughter to sneak off like that!
She could already imagine what things would be like when they returned.
That brat would probably be grinning ear to ear, and her beloved adoptive son would be shaped into her image.
Just thinking about it made her regret not being more decisive.
She had considered joining them but hadn't made up her mind in time—then someone beat her to it.
And now, all this mountain of paperwork was pinning her down.
So frustrating!
Meanwhile, at the temporary camp of the Black Tortoise Army—
This was a battle-ready force, with every soldier a hardened veteran.
Their numbers: six thousand strong.
It was no exaggeration to say this unit could unleash terrifying force.
But ever since the Empress's orders came down, the once-disciplined camp had erupted into murmurs.
Dissatisfaction was spreading rapidly.
Not because they didn't want to fight—these were men born for battle.
What they couldn't accept was that the commander this time was just some wet-behind-the-ears brat!
Even here in the army, they'd heard of Su Qing.
Sure, the Empress trusted him, but that didn't mean he was qualified to lead them!
A teenager parachuting in to command a six-thousand-strong elite unit?
It was an insult to these blooded warriors.
Grumbles grew louder, peaking during a command briefing.
"Silence!"
A cold voice rang out, silencing the crowd in an instant.
All eyes turned to the command platform.
Standing there was a figure clad in heavy armor—mysterious and commanding.
She was their pride and military soul: Commander Xuanxin.
"If Her Majesty made this decision, then she must have her reasons. Do not make reckless assumptions."
Xuanxin's voice was icy, laced with killing intent.
But her tone didn't scare the soldiers. They didn't speak, but their faces were full of anger.
Deep down, they thought it was just blatant favoritism.
Their own general was so capable—why should they be led by a rookie?
Xuanxin noticed their expressions and sighed inwardly.
After finishing her speech, she immediately dismissed the meeting.
She knew that if she kept defending Su Qing, the backlash would only grow.
After the meeting, the soldiers went back to training.
Compared to usual, they were far more subdued, their expressions grim.
Still, out of respect for their commander, they kept their dissatisfaction quiet.
But beneath the surface, the undercurrents churned.
Late at night—
Inside a quiet command tent, lights still burned.
Several figures sat inside, speaking in hushed tones.
If a soldier had walked in, they'd be shocked—all of them were deputy generals.
Their secret discussion showed no signs of ending.
"Song Rui, won't this proposal put the general in a difficult position?"
A burly deputy general sounded hesitant.
"Relax. When he inevitably fails, it won't be our general's fault."
"If anything, it'll just show he's incompetent and unfit for command."
Song Rui was clearly prepared and smiled confidently.
"Exactly. We need to give that nepotistic punk a serious slap in the face!"
"Once he scurries off, the general can take over and lead us to victory!"
Another deputy chimed in.
The others all nodded in agreement.
If he backed down because he couldn't handle it, it was clearly his own fault.
The battle would still be fought—just with a more competent leader.
With their plan settled, the room filled with murmurs.
Even those deputies who normally didn't get along united in purpose.
They were fully confident—how could they fail against a single pampered brat?
But just then, a sudden clanging of alarms rang outside.
The sharp sound was like an air raid siren, snapping the camp to life.
The deputy generals' expressions shifted, and they rushed out.
A messenger ran past, his face anxious.
"What's going on?"
One of the deputies asked urgently.
"We're under attack!"
The messenger spat out two words, still in disbelief.
"How many? Who dares be so bold?"
Another deputy roared.
They were stationed practically under the Emperor's nose—who would dare assault them?
Whoever it was, they wouldn't be walking away from this.
"Just one person!"
The messenger's answer left them all stunned.
"A martial powerhouse. He's already broken through three layered formations. No one can stop him!"
The messenger added quickly.
The deputies grabbed their weapons and ran toward the front gate.
At that moment, the entire camp echoed with shouts, clashing steel, and cries of pain.
Su Qing was in a fantastic mood.
Since coming to this world, he hadn't experienced this kind of one-versus-army carnage.
Charging into a military camp solo and pulling a classic seven-in-seven-out run—it was exhilarating!
Everywhere he passed, bodies dropped. No one could even stall him.
And the faster he moved, the more unstoppable he became.
He never gave the enemy time to regroup—deliberately targeting those trying to form defenses.
This was the pinnacle of individual combat power in action!