Free Web NovelChapter 2116: Chapter 208: Drafting a Memorial to the Son of Heaven by Lamplight
Dao Calendar Year 3920 in Linzi, a city battered by wind and rain.
As the timeline moved into December, the intensity reached unprecedented levels!
First was the Fa Xia army, stalled before Tong Yang City.
After an initial smooth advance, they quickly became embroiled in a long tug-of-war.
The Qi Army reached the gates of Tong Yang City on November 20th.
On the same day, Xie Huaian led 300,000 troops of the Eastern Region allied armies towards Linwu. Chen Fu led 300,000 county soldiers towards Youping. freёwebnovel.com
There was no further advance from then on.
The first four days, Fengjie Prefecture changed its banner.
For half a month afterward, they couldn’t fully capture Linwu and Youping!
As everyone knew, the Qi campaign against Summer targeted the strategic space in the global situation, seizing the unprecedented opportunity of the Jing Shepherd war. It must be fast!
Even the street gossip among the common people shared this consensus.
But after Cao Jie reached Xiangyou Prefecture in Summer Country, he unexpectedly started dawdling. It was said that every day he only trained troops outside Tong Yang City, repeatedly galloping across the Jiangyin Plains, leisurely admiring the scenery, without addressing the wars on the northern and eastern fronts.
Voices began to rise slowly in the court and the public.
A million strong Qi Army marched to Summer in eight days. In just one day, they broke through Jianfeng Mountain, and in three days, occupied all of Fengjie Prefecture! In less than a day, they broke the Nine Dragons Dispersed Fire Formation, forcing out the National Defense Great Formation of Summer Country!
This attests to the strength of the Qi Army and the weakness of the Xia Army.
Since the Summer Country is so weak, why doesn’t Cao Jie crush it in one go?
Chen Fu and Xie Huaian, each leading 300,000 troops, why are they so slow in fighting for Youping and Linwu?
Among all the voices, one was the most widely spread—
Summer Country is so weak, yet Cao Jie fights so slowly, at first it would have been better to let Zhongxuan Chuliang lead!
The debate over which is stronger between Cao Jie and Zhongxuan Chuliang has always been a contentious topic in the court and the public.
In terms of influence in the Military Affairs Hall, the two have always been neck and neck, with Cao Jie having a slight edge.
In terms of battle achievements, Cao Jie has no notable records in his life. Zhongxuan Chuliang, however, has participated in many stunning battles that could be recorded in history, far more remarkable than Cao Jie.
In terms of cultivation, Zhongxuan Chuliang, wielding the might of the Eastern Region’s first God Arrives, has been promoted to True Man of the Age. The first battle of Dongzhen was against Diao Hai Building’s Chongguang Zhenren, which is much more prominent compared to the always low-profile Cao Jie.
Reviewing this Fa Xia war.
People can easily find that the reason Cao Jie could initially advance so quickly was actually due to Zhongxuan Chuliang’s efforts.
It was the murderer who braved the arrows and stones, capturing Jianfeng Mountain in a day, forcing Yu Liyang to retreat, thus breaking the will of the Xia Army in Fengjie Prefecture, leading to the occupation of the entire Fengjie Prefecture in three days. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
But after this, Cao Jie, to suppress the battle achievements of the murderer, forced such a talented commander to stay in front of Tong Yang City, leisurely training troops with him.
Allowing the battlefields of Youping and Linwu to struggle without intervention!
How strong is Qi, how weak is Summer.
They could occupy Fengjie in four days, why not occupy Xiangyou, Youping, Linwu in four days?
Not in four days, not even in fourteen days!
In such a critical war, no progress in fourteen days.
What does Cao Jie want to do?
What is Cao Jie doing?
He revealed his cards initially, letting Marquis of Ding Yuan Zhongxuan Chuliang and present Marquis of Destroying Cities Li Zhengyan risk their lives one after another, the Nine Soldiers elite troops desperately fighting, directly handing over the Purple Pole Expedition Dragon... then start a tug-of-war?
Voices claiming Cao Jie is incompetent and jealous, that the Son of Heaven should let the murderer replace Cao Jie, began to rise vehemently.
These voices initially had no influence, just some clueless people gossiping.
But on December 7th, Dao Calendar 3920, after a major news spread, public opinion erupted instantly...
On this day, the Jingguo, one of the six powers under heaven, officially launched a western expansion war!
After an official Military Court meeting, this military empire dominant in the northern western region dispatched Eagle Soaring Guard General Zhongshan Yanwen, Qinghai Guard General Jiang Kelian, Great Commander of the Valiant Cavalry Xiahou Lie, and Shesheng Grand Commander Cao Yuxian, each leading their own troops, to attack the Northwest Five Countries Alliance!
The six protectors and seven guards of Jingguo are the essence of this military empire. But this time, they dispatched four armies at once, quite a thunderous stance.
In the full-scale war of Jing Shepherd and Qi’s grand Fa Xia, Jingguo seemed to free up its hands to deal with its "old friends" to the west.
The five countries of Han, Tie, Liao, Zhen, and Gao, in the bitter cold northwest, awoke to face the Military Empire’s shining blade.
Although the warriors erupt in the real world northwest, the impact of this matter on Qi Country is deep and far-reaching.
World affairs are never isolated, especially at the level of the six powers under heaven. Any action will affect the global pattern.
Jingguo’s western expansion seems to be just Jingguo’s own business.
But it reveals a posture and exposes a fact—the war between you, Jing Shepherd, I, Jingguo, have no time to intervene.
The real army has been deployed, a real sword and spear war has begun.
If Jingguo wanted to step back and do something, it would be too late. Jingguo invested itself in the battlefield, meaning no matter Mugu or Jinguo, they can let go even more.
Jingguo’s western expansion, in fact, intensified the Jing Shepherd war’s intensity!
The chain reaction led to... Qi Country’s Fa Xia had greater time pressure.
Because the intensification of the Jing Shepherd war indicates these two overlord countries will determine victory or defeat faster.
Time waits for no one!
Therefore, after Jingguo launched the western expansion war, criticizing Cao Jie as incompetent, cursing Cao Jie for harming the country, demanding the frontline accelerate, demanding replacing with Zhongxuan Chuliang, and even demanding the War God to don armor for battle... instantly uncontrollable.
These voices are not all from other countries.
A large part is genuinely for the Great Qi Empire’s thinking, worrying for this war. There is even a pessimistic saying, "Now Fa Xia, it can’t be quickly achieved and will soon be destroyed!"
Public opinion fermented to this point, it’s already time to respond.
Even Cao Jie at the frontline felt some pressure.
But at this crucial moment.
On the battlefield, Zhongxuan Chuliang, with a journey of thousands of miles, urgently sent back a memorial "Burning the Midnight Oil Presents to the Son of Heaven." In it, directed to the Son of Heaven, princes, and down to all officials and common people.
In this memorial, the murderer clearly stated, the entire Fa Xia strategy of Cao Jie was executed very perfectly. Regarding Cao Jie commanding the Fa Xia army, he acknowledged with full heart and expressed utter admiration.
He would strictly follow Cao Jie’s military orders, contributing all his power to accelerate the end of this war.
Regarding the debate in the court and the public between him and Cao Jie, he wrote firmly—
’In the clash of ten thousand armies, he is inferior to me. In the killing of a million, I am inferior to him. In this war tilting the nation, I should follow in his footsteps!’
This personally ended the leadership dispute between him and Cao Jie. He ended it with self-deprecation. Using a lifetime of honor, he completed Cao Jie.
As soon as this memorial was released, it instantly quelled the voices wishing to replace Cao Jie with him in the court and the public.
And following closely was War God Jiang Mengxiong, speaking publicly through the Marshal Office of the State, stating Cao Jie fought this battle very well, Summer Country already had no opportunity, he firmly supported Cao Jie.
Then...
Emperor Qi in the court, faced the civil and military officials, assertively declared—
"In the Fa Xia war, no interference with Cao Jie. Unconditionally support Cao Jie! Cao Jie says fight for a year, I will support him for a year. Cao Jie says fight for ten years, I will support him for ten years!"
Thus the countless voices were extinguished.
Countless opinions stirred by secret manipulators were thus quelled.
After all, even Emperor Qi said "fight for ten years," Cao Jie now has been delaying for just over ten days, what is there to rush?
