Peace Order

Chapter 1912: Chapter 17: The Final Move

"Who dares to assault my great city!?"

"It’s, it’s the Taiping Army..."

"The Taiping Army?!"

"The Taiping Army is long dead, do not jest here!"

Wang Chuanning, the general defending the vicinity of the Northern Domain of Ying Country, was awoken by the clamor. He angrily led his army onto the city walls, only to see the ancient war banner of the Taiping Army wildly dancing in the wind.

Ahead of the Taiping Army, several generals stood in a line.

Each raised their weapon high.

Thus, a glimpse of the Taiping Army’s peak brilliance was revealed here. As the weapons were lowered, amidst Yan Xuanji’s angry roar, Wang Chuanning felt a chill in his limbs.

Me?

Facing a flash of the Taiping Army at its prime?

Moreover, it was not just the Taiping Army at its peak; these old generals had surpassed their past prowess. Although their vitality and physique were lacking, at this moment, a stronger emotion than the [mourning soldiers] surged within them.

This would inevitably be the last battle of the Taiping Army!

Regardless of victory or defeat, after this battle, they would all withdraw from the battlefield.

The name "Taiping Army" might eventually be swept into a corner of history, ultimately forgotten, but before that, before our glory is drowned out by time, there remains this battle!

This battle cannot be lost!

In less than a day, this fortress was breached.

The Ying Country’s General Wang Chuanning was slain by Yuan Shitong on the spot, raising morale significantly. After defeating enemy after enemy, the Taiping Army no longer sealed off the rear and occupied cities as usual. Instead, like a sharp blade, they advanced directly towards the Eastern Capital.

During this period, top generals and front-line troops were in confrontation on the front line.

The other second-line troops were forced to suppress the uprising forces. Meanwhile, this Taiping Army, which was also an elite force, advanced almost unimpeded, with few able to stop them.

Abandoning many other considerations, they could directly penetrate under the gates of the Eastern Capital in just a few days.

This information was swiftly relayed to the imperial palace.

Jiang Gao sat in the grand hall of the palace, dazed and lost. He hadn’t slept for days, and even when resting, he only briefly closed his eyes. Scrolls were spread open in front of him, all of which were inscribed with red cinnabar characters.

They represented the most urgent and critical military intelligence of the entire nation.

This level of military intelligence was akin to a battlefield of tens of thousands of troops.

In the past, such events occurred only a few times within a decade.

But now, they appeared with an exceptionally high frequency.

"Report!!"

"General Qin Yulong was defeated by Yue Qianfeng and had to retreat fifty miles, holding fast between the mountains——"

"The army has lost thirty percent!"

"Report!"

"The chaotic army’s sneak attack on Zhenbei City failed; a general still guards Zhenbei City!"

"Report——!"

"Grandmaster Jiang Su intends to retreat; Emperor Qin Li Guanyi advances. Grandmaster Jiang Su is restrained by Emperor Qin and cannot retreat to assist!"

"Report, urgent military intelligence!"

"General Taishu Yi beheaded a court envoy, proclaimed himself as general, and declared himself king!"

"Report——"

Message after message was transmitted almost incessantly, galloping into the Ying Country’s imperial palace. The scouts and elite cavalry delivering these reports were nearly ceaseless. To expedite the transmission of these intelligence reports, Jiang Gao even directly opened the palace gates.

He then halted all the original security measures to prevent assassins.

All this was to facilitate faster transmission of intelligence across Ying Country.

Wei Yiwen said it’s inadvisable, as it jeopardizes Your Majesty’s safety; Jiang Gao merely replied, the world has reached such a state that any delay in handling these messages could affect the entire situation.

How could one place hypothetical assassins’ threats above the nation and the country?

So the palace gates were completely removed.

The intelligence flowed continuously inside, and with numerous civil and military strategists as the core, they assisted Jiang Gao in handling these reports. The intelligence was then rapidly relayed in the same speed, yet the world had grown so exhausted, that no single person could change the situation anymore.

Even as Jiang Gao put in such relentless effort.

He looked up, and the unprocessed scrolls and intelligence reports before him remained piled high like mountains. Not only had they not diminished at all, their number had even increased compared to before!

Wei Yiwen’s eye bags were noticeably larger, even Jiang Cai seemed exhausted, clutching the scrolls and merely dozing off by the red pillar, leaning against it, which supported the Ying Country’s royal palace.

But was it the pillar or the people supporting this palace and royal dignity?

Jiang Gao did not wake them but tread lightly, slowly walking out. As he looked at the sky, the weather had darkened. The summer night’s sky, even after nightfall, retained a slightly bright blue, faintly outlining the contours of the sky and clouds.

Jiang Gao hadn’t rested for days, now staring at the sky, dazed and lost.

This majestic, luxurious palace resembled a lock, confining the vast sky and Jiang Gao himself. He stood quietly here, the palace tranquil and silent, still glorious, yet inexplicably imbued with a sense of desolation, making him want to immerse in this emotion, away from reality.

Footsteps sounded from behind.

"...Your Majesty."

Jiang Gao turned back, seeing Wei Yiwen standing behind him, the old Prime Minister’s face weary. Before this, Wei Yiwen had placed significant emphasis on maintaining his health. Among his white hair, there were still strands of black, and his hair had a kind of lustrous gloss.