Edict of Peace 109
Chapter 109: Inside the Carriage, Two Men Discuss the World
“Sir?”
Yu Qianfeng’s mind momentarily blanked.
He recognized the carriage of the Turkic Khan, but also sensed no hostility from the person before him. Li Guanyi looked at Po Jun, the young man smiling at him. The young man said:
“Good!”
This single word was a response, a silent exchange completing a tacit agreement.
Po Jun laughed heartily and lifted the carriage curtain. Yu Qianfeng grabbed Li Guanyi, and they both tumbled inside. Po Jun whipped his mount, a strange beast belonging to one of the seven Turkic Khans. Its hooves blazed with fire as it sped away. With a few sharp turns, they arrived at a temporary palace.
They had expertly avoided all pursuers.
The luxurious carriage, proceeding unhurriedly, attracted little attention.
Po Jun casually remarked, “I observed the celestial signs and understood the grand strategy. Today, I brought the seven Turkic Khans to a banquet with the Ying Country prince. They were already thoroughly drunk. I told him I needed to go for a stroll, and then I encountered this general who was holding the Imperial Guards hostage.”
“The general saw the carriage of the seven Turkic Khans and assumed that my Divine Generals were also here. To prevent any incident, he immediately retreated. In his haste, he used the Imperial Guards as weapons before fleeing himself. I, however, discovered that one of the Imperial Guards was Xue Daoyong, a young member of the Xue family I met during my travels years ago.”
“So I brought him back to treat his injuries.”
The young man lowered his whip, turned, and smiled slightly.
“How do you like this story, gentlemen?”
Yu Qianfeng looked at the rather carefree and unrestrained young man and said, “…If this is the reason, there are still many things that need to be verified. If many details are off, it will arouse suspicion.”
Po Jun had already rummaged through some things and casually tossed over a set of clothes and some medicine.
Clearly, he had prepared beforehand. He said,
“Don’t worry, I can handle all these matters.”
“I can ensure everything is seamless.”
“I have prepared a false identity document here. I have a villa in Jiangzhou City where you can temporarily stay.”
Yu Qianfeng raised an eyebrow. “You knew I was coming?”
Po Jun replied, “No, it’s simply being prepared for any contingency. My lineage of strategists always maintains at least three backup plans.”
Yu Qianfeng asked, “Three strategies: superior, middling, and inferior?”
Po Jun smiled faintly. “No.”
His eyes were calm, his expression haughty. He answered, “They are all superior strategies.”
Yu Qianfeng chuckled, “Arrogant,” but didn’t refuse. He casually tore off his clothes, reduced them to ashes with fire, and put on the new clothes. Gritting his teeth, he shaved off his thick beard and put on a scholar’s headwrap, appearing as a Northerner scholar.
Yu Qianfeng embraced Li Guanyi and said, “Thank you, brother, for this.”
“To be honest, my coming here has two purposes: first, to find Marshal Yue; second, to distract that fool emperor and allow my brothers to infiltrate the palace and figure out the route. Be careful in the court.”
Li Guanyi’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this.
Yu Qianfeng continued, “We already know that the fool emperor doesn’t intend to release Marshal Yue.”
“The ancestor’s entry into the capital and the grand ceremony were merely delaying tactics. He has already decided to take drastic measures. We are all veterans of the battlefield, and we cannot entrust Marshal Yue’s life to the emperor’s mercy.”
“We must have a backup plan.”
Po Jun’s eyes lit up. “You plan to break him out of prison during the grand ceremony?!”
Yu Qianfeng paused.
He nodded, thought for a moment, and pulled out something from his bosom – a tiger talisman bearing Yu Qianfeng’s name. He handed it to Li Guanyi. “This is the command tiger talisman for the Great Halberd Army. One half was with Marshal Yue; he gave it to me before entering the capital.”
“Now, I’m giving half to you.”
“If you encounter the people breaking him out of jail, or my old brothers from the Yue family army, remember to show this talisman. That will let them know you’re my sworn brother and they won’t harm you.”
The command tiger talisman of the Great Halberd Army.
This item was incredibly valuable and represented Yu Qianfeng’s absolute trust.
If Li Guanyi hadn’t helped him escape, he might have been severely injured in the palace. This earned him Yu Qianfeng’s recognition. The large man patted Li Guanyi’s shoulder, his voice softening. “You’ve reached the second level of cultivation; I have a gift for you, little brother.”
His right hand suddenly exerted force, pressing against Li Guanyi’s chest.
A Red Dragon Law Physique appeared behind him.
The Red Dragon let out a low hum. The atmosphere of military killing intent dissipated, leaving only pure internal energy, which flowed into Yu Qianfeng’s palm. He moved his wrist, and energy burst forth.
He transformed this energy into a supremely pure force, injecting it into the young man’s body. It was intensely warm, flowing through his meridians. Yu Qianfeng explained, “For martial artists, the first level lies in physique; the second level, in the transformation of internal energy.”
“This is my Red Dragon Force. Don’t laugh, but…”
“I had a humble beginning. As a child, I scavenged for food with wild dogs, stumbled upon a murder scene, and was discovered by an old man who taught me martial arts. Later, I was a bandit, and did many foolish things. But in this vast world, people like us will always encounter opportunities.”
“This is from a rare opportunity I had. Legend says it’s a part of the ‘Red Dragon Subdues the Nine Provinces’ divine skill from the line of the Great Emperor of Central China. In those days, the Red Emperor used this skill, along with the ‘Great Wind Song,’ to dominate the region.”
“Today, I pass this unique skill onto you.”
“Consider it repayment for our shared life-or-death situation. The emperor will surely send imperial physicians to examine your injuries. If they find my Red Dragon Force within you, they will believe you were gravely injured protecting me, and that you are on your deathbed. With the Xue family and the name of the seven Turkic Khans backing you…”
“You’ll be perfectly safe.”
Yu Qianfeng withdrew his hand. The Red Dragon Law Physique faded, and with Yu Qianfeng’s action, the Bronze Tripod within Li Guanyi rapidly accumulated liquid, filling instantly.
Yu Qianfeng continued, “The second level emphasizes internal energy transformation. Practice diligently.”
“We haven’t known each other long, but we’ve faced life and death together.”
“It’s a shame we haven’t had a chance to drink properly. After the grand ceremony, once we’ve rescued Marshal Yue, if I’m still alive, we’ll have a proper drinking session – till we drop!”
“Finally, one last favor for you!”
Yu Qianfeng vanished.
Moments later, Li Guanyi heard the Red Dragon’s roar and a furious bellow, “Hou Zhongyu, you dog, you actually betrayed me! You wait, if I survive today, I’ll tear you apart tomorrow!”
Li Guanyi’s pupils constricted.
He knew that Yu Qianfeng’s action would solidify the rumors of “Yu Qianfeng colluding with Hou Zhongyu”. Po Jun said, “You have a good friend, little brother Li.”
He was now too languid to address him as ‘Sir’, turning to sit beside Li Guanyi.
“It seems you have a score to settle with Hou Zhongyu.”
“Hou Zhongyu, if my memory serves me right, is a sorcerer who appeared in the world decades ago and is recorded in a county’s gazette. I still remember. It seems he’s in the palace, in the Qilin Palace, involved with the elixir of immortality.”
“Hou Zhongyu’s presence there isn’t surprising, but you having a grudge with him…”
“And then there’s the Qilin.”
“At your age, with your experiences – fugitive, disguise…”
Po Jun looked at Li Guanyi and sighed. “What should I call you?”
“Li Guanyi of the Xue family?”
“Or the son of the former fifth Divine General under Heaven, the son of the Tai Ping Gong?”
“The wielder of the Autumn Water Sword of the Murong family?”
“Li Guanyi.”
Li Guanyi looked at the handsome young man. The latter smiled slightly. “Don’t look at me like that, little brother Li.” He pointed to his brow, calmly and composed. “This is merely basic strategy and calculation.”
“Know yourself and know your enemy; it’s very basic.”
“Yet the world is vast, strategists countless. I, too, aspire to be the foremost strategist of my time.”
Li Guanyi, shocked by the young strategist’s deduction of the truth from basic information, instantly recognized the man’s decisiveness and talent. The young man reached out, drew the Autumn Water Sword from his waist, placed it before him, and looked at Po Jun.
“Sir, you have already given your pledge of loyalty, so I am not worried.”
“We are accomplices, aren’t we?”
From the moment Po Jun drove away with Li Guanyi and Yu Qianfeng, they had become bound together.
Po Jun admired his calmness.
The young man straightened his clothes, bowed slightly, and said,
“Guanyi is a martial artist; I am unskilled in strategy and the grand scheme of things. Please assist me, Sir.”
He was decisive.
Just like when he wanted to become a disciple of Zu Wenyuan.
The world’s situation was turbulent and complex.
He couldn’t handle everything alone. The young man before him was undoubtedly a highly trained strategist. Li Guanyi, lacking the self-importance of many aristocratic youths, was pragmatic and humble.
Po Jun was stunned.
He had not expected the current head of the White Tiger Sect to be like this.
He composed himself.
He turned north to accept the bow, returning the courtesy. “I dare not disobey.”
The young man sat cross-legged in the carriage. “We are within the imperial palace; the pursuers have left. The seven Khans and the Ying Country prince are still feasting inside; there are still two incense sticks’ worth of time. Allow me to explain the situation of the world to you.”
He removed the luxurious silk cushions.
Using the blood that had dripped into the carriage as ink, he used his fingers to draw a map of the world on the silk. He said, “The Western Regions are in chaos. The Dangxiang are rising. The Tuyuhun are fleeing north. Within ten years, the Western Regions will be unable to invade the Central Plains.”
“The northern Turkic eighteen tribes are led by Tiefutuo, the Ying Country cavalry strong and valiant.”
“Only the Southern Chen is decadent, yet with Dantái Xiànmíng, a renowned minister, struggling to support it. Before this, the North and South dynasties have not fought to the death, only because the Western Regions and the Tuyuhun are watching, and the Turkic cavalry is powerful.”
Po Jun said, “The greatest change in the world today is Yue Pengwu.”
“With Yue Pengwu’s death, Southern Chen will have no more generals capable of supporting the dynasty.”
“And with the Western Regions divided, Ying Country will inevitably march south, plundering Jiangnan. In this way, if you disrupt Yue Qianfeng’s plans and let Southern Chen kill Yue Pengwu, what then?”
Li Guanyi firmly refused. “Impossible.”
“He serves the country and the people, and he is Big Brother Yue’s marshal. How could I sabotage Big Brother Yue’s plan?”
Po Jun smiled slightly. “You are so humane.”
He said this without expressing an opinion on this characteristic. The young man’s expression seemed to relax slightly. He smiled. “Then, I only have two strategies for you, the deployments of Tai Ping Gong scattered throughout the land.”
“Your strength is insufficient. This vast world has three places where you can rise.”
Po Jun pointed to the blood-drawn map, pointing to Jiangnan, “Twelve years ago, Ying Country and Chen Country fought a war, abandoning the eighteen prefectures of Jiangnan. The Murong family guarded this place. With your bloodline, return to the Murong family, unite the Jianghu, and dominate outside the imperial court.”
“Then, use the eighteen prefectures of Jiangnan as your foundation, expanding outward. Control the water routes, build cities to defend. This may not be enough to contend with the two countries, but outside the waves, above Jianghu legends, in impregnable cities, it’s easy to defend and difficult to attack, and you can also transcend the mundane world.”
“The emperor may have power, but he hates you deeply, making it difficult to harm you.”
“Imperial power prevails in the world. Where imperial power does not reach, only the emperor’s orders matter, and the Jianghu will run rampant.”
Li Guanyi shook his head, instantly seeing this as a path of self-imposed confinement. Po Jun smiled. “It seems you are truly unwilling to settle for such an ordinary path. Second, beyond the passes, the land where the Turkic and Ying Country clash, there are many ethnic groups and heroes.”
“Warlord factions, countless powers, difficult to govern, but full of brave people.”
“Jianghu forces headed by the Snow Mountain Sword Sect, and brave warlords beyond the passes. They have the courage and songs of Yan and Zhao, and love to fight, wielding war knives. You go north, only needing three hundred armored soldiers. With my strategy, you can take a warlord’s territory.”
“Then consolidate your forces, lie dormant, submit to Ying internally, eliminate warlords externally, and wait for the opportune moment when Ying Country and Chen Country clash, then strike into Ying Country.”
“Form a pincer movement with Chen Country. If Yue Pengwu is still in Chen Country, it can contain Ying Country.”
“Maintain distant relationships while attacking those nearby. Attack the Turkic externally and march south to attack Chen, expanding territory and establishing order, your reputation will shake the countries. If you raise your sword, the world will fear you. If you rage, all nations will be uneasy. When Ying Country changes, you can enter the Central Plains, control the emperor, and obtain three hundred years of rule.”
“This is the way of the feudal lords, leaving your name in history. The Chen and Ying Country rulers would love to eat your flesh and skin, yet they cannot do anything about it, what do you say?”
Li Guanyi fell silent, his hand on his knee. He thought of the deserters, human trafficking, and his destined enemy, Yu Wen Lie, and replied,
“This is also a path in a turbulent world.”
Po Jun’s smile faded, his eyes unknowingly burning with a fire that seemed capable of devouring everything, his tone becoming gentler. “Then, what path do you desire?”
He was asking about his ambition, perhaps not fully clear yet, talking to Po Jun was also for a safe place, but Li Guanyi instinctively answered this question.
“Naturally, the unification of the world.”
This was a mark etched into his soul. In his previous life, whoever he was, he would have given the same answer.
But for this world, which had been in chaos for more than three hundred years, for any strategist living in this turbulent world, these four words represented a spirit that surpassed all other emperors and rulers.
Po Jun murmured, “Unification of the world…”
The fire in his eyes burned.
This truly fit the ambitions of their lineage!
Such a character, such bearing, it fit too perfectly.
Po Jun sighed. He sat up straight, his back erect, his finger tracing another location. “Then, there is only this place.” Li Guanyi saw where he was pointing; it was the area where Ying Country and the Western Regions bordered.
Po Jun said, “The borderland between the Western Regions and Ying Country, where the winds of Longxi rise.”
“The Western Regions are in chaos; the situation is complex, and the Duke of Ying Country already harbors rebellious intentions.”
“Above is the Turkic, below is Chen Country, outward is the Western Region desert, the fleeing Tuyuhun soldiers are there; inward is the Ying Country court, from the melting snow of the northern mountains converging here, flowing mightily into the Jiangnan rivers.”
“Of all the vast lands in the world, the most chaotic place is here.”
“If Yue Qianfeng can assist you.”
“With my strategies, with the Great Halberd Army, with the Western Regions as your rear base, with your capacity, you can establish achievements like those of the Tuyuhun. Near where the Longxi winds rage, there is a land on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, south of the mountains. The terrain is high in the north and south, low in the center. It was the place where the Red Emperor rose eight hundred years ago.”
“If you can occupy this land, capture the Western Regions inward, break through the Turkic and annex the grasslands upward, and watch the Jiangnan and Central Plains. With your cavalry and spears, you can further destroy Chen and conquer, confronting Ying Country across the river. If you raise your sword, the whole world will tremble in fear. Ying Country will not dare disarm.”
“Your might will shake the four seas. Wherever your gaze falls, the heroes of the world will be terrified. This is the ambition of a hegemon!”
Po Jun expounded on the situation in the four directions.
Li Guanyi hesitated, looking at the young man, raising his hand.
A rope was tied around his wrist, holding something. He lifted it, placing his palm on the blood-inked silk map, then opened his hand. “What if I add this?”
He removed his hand.
The young man’s black hair stirred slightly.
A golden imperial seal with a tiger head as the knob rested there quietly.
Po Jun’s breath hitched.
(End of Chapter)
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