Book 10: Chapter 15: Complicated and Simple

War is an extremely complicated thing.

The hundreds of thousands front line army is like an extremely precise and fine gauge pointer, the massive empire behind it consisting of an unknown amount of moving gears.

Just for the transport of several hundred sets of heaven supporting giant-like Stone Catapult Carts and over a thousand large scaled crossbow carts within the designated time to the city, countless workshops had to work overtime, countless craftsmens following orders, countless troops following deployment instructions, and there was also an unknown amount of battles stopping enemy military attacks that happened.

It was the same for Great Mang’s side.

To turn the Black Phosphorus and Ghost Oil Wood Purgatory Mountain had accumulated for close to a hundred years into Devil Flame Flakes that could stick to tangible matter, moreover in a way that was outside the eyes of Yunqin’s scouting troops and spies, deliver them to this city, moreover make a flame web that seemed to cover this entire city underground, this was an extremely complicated matter. It was unknown just how much transferring of personnel was needed, how many conflicts erupted.

The time a provisions fleet arrived at its destination, the time it needed to move through their designated itinerary, will affect the logistics of the later supplies, scouting troops, military intelligence, as well as the coordination with other troops along the way… it was unknown just how many people it involved.

However, sometimes, before some people’s faces, war was instead extremely simple. In the end, it was only condensed into some simple military reports, some simple numbers.

In Yunqin Imperial City’s throne room, Yunqin’s various sector’s highest level officials already all gathered. Meanwhile, Yunqin Emperor Changsun Jinse was still in the defense study.

Because most military intelligence, especially when it involved intelligence that involved Great Mang’s northern territory, had to pass through the military before it arrived at Central Continent Imperial City, most of the higher level figures of the military received it a bit faster than Yunqin Emperor.

In the defense study, Yunqin Emperor unfolded the newest military report.

When he opened the newest military report, the scene of the powerful Yunqin army seizing Moon Seizing City already appeared in the mind of the monarch with the greatest authority in this world. Great banners representing Yunqin’s might would be planted into Moon Seizing City’s city gate towers, and then their forces would advance powerfully into the populous Great Mang territory behind Moon Seizing City.

For him, this was a completely new beginning for his empire.

It wasn’t the bit by bit expansion of the empire, but rather the will of a monarch that allowed them to take a huge step forward. Green Luan Academy and those nine elders seated behind layers of curtains, by his will, would be suppressed a bit further, thrown aside a bit further.

Today’s Yunqin was still this monarch’s world.

While carrying powerful prestige and pride, Yunqin Emperor examined this battle that was already extremely simple by the time it reached him.

Then, his dignified face became purple-red like pork liver that still hadn’t been cooked through, becoming exceptionally warped.

Hong!

The golden writing desk in front of him, the rare and precious ink-stone, paperweight, and even the piece of jade he was normally most fond of fiddling with… everything was blasted to pieces by golden lightning, shooting towards the entrance of this defense room.

The two secretaries standing outside the study instantly gushed out with blood, falling in death. The heavy redwood door behind them turned into countless fragments, spraying out like a powerful current.

AHHH!!!!!

The monarch in this defense study released a mad roar like that of a wild beast.

…

To the extreme north of the empire, Green Luan Academy in Heaven Ascension Mountain Range received a military report that was no different from Central Continent Imperial City, describing this battle that completely reversed the situation.

In Heaven’s Core Peak, Vice Principal Xia looked at Gu Xinyin, a long sigh released from his mouth. “Not even Principal Zhang dared look down on Purgatory Mountain, what qualifications does Changsun Jinse have to dare look down on Purgatory Mountain?”[1]

Gu Xinyin seemed a bit dissatisfied as he muttered to himself. He understood extremely clearly that in the eyes of some people in this world, there would only be a few people, a few battles. However, these deaths were real, the ones who suffered hardships would still be the people.

…

All of Yunqin was shaken.

The common people in Yunqin’s streets and alleys were in shock and disbelief towards the news they received.

In the minds of all of Yunqin’s people, Yunqin Empire was this world’s most powerful empire… In reality, Yunqin Empire was indeed this world’s most powerful empire.

That was why regardless of whether it was in Yunqin’s royal court or the officials who had some knowledge and experiences, they all felt that starting a war against the south in spring wasn’t the best timing, that they needed more time to prepare. It was to the extent where they could even use some methods to first try and disrupt Great Mang’s political situation. However, for Yunqin’s common people who revered martial might and carried a natural sense of pride and glory, they felt that this war against the south naturally had to be fought, and the sooner the better. Great Mang had to be taught a fierce lesson.

It was because in their opinion, there was no chance of Yunqin’s army being defeated. In their eyes, Great Mang Dynasty was precisely Nanmo Country that was utterly defeated by Principal Zhang.

During their leisure time, most of Yunqin’s people talked about how in a few days, their Yunqin’s army would probably already have breached Great Mang King City, that Great Mang’s new emperor would probably be kneeling down before their Yunqin, acknowledging his wrongs.

The news that came back from the south these past few days was also indeed exciting good news.

Their army already broke through Great Mang’s borders.

Their army cut through the enemy with irresistible force, successfully surrounding twenty thousand Great Mang soldiers, wiping them out in a single battle.

Their army seized two important military tools storehouses in Great Mang’s northern region.

Their army pressed towards Devil Altar City, already almost controlling the entire Great Mang northern border.

Their army took down Devil Altar City. Within five days, they wiped out twenty thousand Great Mang reinforcements, completing the encirclement of Moon Seizing City.

As long as they could take down Moon Seizing City, Great Mang’s rich and fertile provinces in the northern region would become like tender eggs without any shells. Meanwhile, their Yunqin Empire could easily devour them in one go.

However today, why did things suddenly change?

More than a hundred thousand troops were burned to death in Moon Seizing City?

Great Mang’s army already began a counterattack, Yunqin’s army was forced to retreat step by step, already continuously cut up by Great Mang’s forces, being chased?

What was going on?

“Teacher, what kind of thing is it that can make an entire city quickly erupt into flames?”

Within many private schools, some Yunqin children asked their teachers in disbelief.

Many people in Yunqin’s royal court already understood what Wenren Cangyue used an entire autumn and winter of time to prepare. They also understood that Purgatory Mountain, during the fall and winter, also already used up rare and precious resources they had accumulated for a hundred years. However, these ordinary private school teachers couldn’t understand this at all, unable to answer these questions.

It was because this was a world without gunpowder. Even if dry firewood was piled up and oil scattered across them, there was no way an entire city would turn to scorched earth so quickly. For most cultivators in this world, Purgatory Mountain was an unfathomable cultivation holy land unknown by the outside world, let alone the private schools and academies of the ordinary people.

Yunqin’s commoners couldn’t understand, finding this inconceivable, even feeling like all of this wasn’t real. However, from the news sent back from the front lines, it was absolutely true.

Some casualties lists were already delivered to the military, and then passed on to the families of the deceased. In reality, these death toll lists didn’t even include Moon Seizing City’s battle, it was instead the list of the deceased soldiers from twenty days ago, that bitter advance. The number of Yunqin soldiers that perished during that period actually also exceeded a hundred thousand, just that these deaths were covered up by the previous continuous victories.

The atmosphere within Yunqin’s streets and alleys became more and more overcast. Within many homes, faint sounds of sobbing began to sound.

Even more people began to feel alarm and panic… even though they didn’t receive news of their family’s soldiers deaths, everyone knew that Yunqin sent in a total of four hundred thousand troops, but only a hundred something thousand were left, and they were still frantically trying to resist Great Mang’s vicious retaliation. None of them had confidence that their loved ones could survive under this type of casualties.

…

Inside Yunqin’s throne room, waves of hoarse shouting vaguely sounded.

A young Justice Sector official whose back and bottom were badly mangled was forced out of the throne room by silver-armored palace guards.

This Justice Sector young Imperial Censor was precisely Yunqin’s young important official Liu Xueqing.[2]

In the past half year, this upright and honorable young official already did many things that obtained the love and respect of Yunqin’s people.

There were several aged officials who also followed him from the throne room. They pushed aside several silver-armored palace guards who had disturbed and helpless expressions on their faces, supporting this young official who was flogged in the palace due to his rage and direct criticism.

Liu Xueqing woke up from fainting.

He raised his head, giving the skies above the Imperial City a look. His face immediately became just as red as the blood on his back and bottom.

He didn’t say anything. It was unknown where he got the strength from either, but he immediately stood up straight, his entire backbone becoming straight. He released a loud shout, and then directly smashed his head into the great pillar of the throne room behind him.

As if they knew he was going to do this type of martyr thing, several aged civil officials forcibly held him back.

Among them, an old official whose face was covered in wrinkles, hair snow-white, already had tears streaming down his face.

He removed the official cap on his head, and then looked at Liu Xueqing. With the most sincere pleading voice, he said, “You are still young, Yunqin Empire still needs you. I am already old. This type of thing, it should be me who does it.”

“Your Majesty!”

After saying this, this aged civil official used all of his strength to roar out. After this great shout, he used all of his strength to smash his head into the great pillar.

Blood splashed everywhere on this throne room pillar. The aged official slowly fell.

That day, Religion Sector’s Imperial Censor Liu Zaoye carried out a death remonstration, pleading Yunqin Emperor to repeal his previous command, requesting Green Luan Academy’s cultivators to join in and lead the army.

However, his blood was quickly cleaned away… Yunqin Emperor didn’t pay his death remonstration any attention, still separating Green Luan Academy from this southern war. It was to the extent where he didn’t even allow some officers who came from Green Luan Academy to lead the reinforcement armies. That day, because of their extreme words and actions, more than ten officials were beheaded, while more than twenty officials were imprisoned.

…

This day, Xu Qiubai, who used to be Jadefall City’s number one archer, had a dark red bow on his back while he began to walk in Great Mang’s northern region wastelands alone, about to coordinate with a Great Mang rapid advance force.

He was the one who previously participated in the most battles in Jadefall Border Army.

However, for him, battles were extremely simple. He just had to use arrows to shoot down enemy officers one after another.

1. Heaven’s Core Peak is where Principal Zhang previously worked. Only four people are currently allowed to enter it

2. The statesman who was on Lin Xi’s side in Deer Seeking Prefecture