Chapter 1161: Turnaround

Proofreader: Papatonks

“Steward Zhuo, what did you do next? I’m eager to know.”

Baili Jingwei stared hard at Zhuo Fan, his voice stiff, “Then tell me, what game are you really playing?”

Zhuo Fan nodded, “Sure, I’ll say this first. The empire had gone through changes, but its strength remains. With the Prime Minister handling things, restoring it to its former glory was easy. As long as it’s power remains concentrated, it’s undefeated. So I had to help your ambition and give you leeway to enact your plan.”

“What?”

Baili Jingwei gasped, “You let me? Then…”

Taking a deep breath, Zhuo Fan showed a twisted smile, “Prime Minister, remember the empty city tactic a hundred years ago? It was and wasn’t. But now it couldn’t be truer.”

“Empty city tactic?”

Baili Jingwei started, turning to the Sword Kings who attacked the four lands.

Shangguan Feiyun was first to say, “We assaulted Shangguan clan, but there was no one in sight and we had no trouble seizing eastern lands, though there were more fugitives.”  

“Our assault was real, killing throughout the Sea Bright Sect, but the Snow Peak Four Elders and Ouyang Changqing were gone. Those cowards fled somewhere and we couldn’t pick their trail.” Baili Yuyun said.

Danqing Shen paused and nodded, “Murong clang was deserted, then we found out about Murong Xue.”

“Why didn’t any of you say anything?”

“Uh, we thought it was normal, that…” Baili Yuyun showed a bright smile and shrugged, “They must’ve found themselves weak and at the news of our coming they fled. It’s obvious.”

“Yes, logical.”

Zhuo Fan smiled, “What makes even more sense is when you received news of bestowal for your efforts. And you couldn’t smear your record with some pesky mistakes, right? Ha-ha-ha, but these omissions proved to be crucial. Don’t you know that grass sprouts from anything, be it fire or floods?”

Baili Jingwei heard Zhuo Fan’s disdain and grimaced with clenched fists.

Baili Yuyun found it scornful, “What’s so bad about some homeless fools? Tch!”

“Report!”

A frantic man shouted, echoing through the imperial capital as he rushed to present a jade slip, “Prime Minister, this is very bad. The western lands’ army breached the borders and is marching into the central area. The defenses were overwhelmed and are in dire need of reinforcements!”

[What?!]

Baili Jingwei and everyone else wore masks of disbelief.

Baili Jingwei grabbed his collar, turning hysterical, “What the hell happened? Didn’t the western lands capitulate? Why are they attacking the central area?”

“That…” The man stammered, put on the spot. He was just the messenger, knowing nothing.

Another shout came with the same urgency, “The southern lands’ army breached the borders and are heading inland. Prime Minister, please send reinforcements!”

Dong!

Baili Jingwei’s mind blanked out, his eyes staring into space…

“The northern lands revolted and punched through the borders, heading for our lands. Prime Minister, send reinforcements!” Another frantic shout came.

Zhuo Fan mocked and taunted, “Your Prime Minister had his men ready to deal with me. He can’t spare one man for you. Tell them they’re on their own. Devil Palace Lord is a heavy criminal, ha-ha-ha…”

“Zhuo Fan!”

Baili Jingwei glared with bloodshot eyes, “What the hell did you do?”

Zhuo Fan shrugged, but then a melody intervened, sounding cheerful and snappy. Even the tone deaf could hear its meaning.

“It’s not he who did it. He only came up with the plan and went into seclusion. We did everything.”

“Zither Sword King?”

Baili Jingwei raged, “Why would you sell out the empire?”

Liu Mubai said, “Prime Minister Baili, my people died from this same heavenly punishment. Two thousand years ago, I sought shelter in the empire and I’m unclear if the Invincible Sword forgot about it or merely disregarded me to not mention the execution. I joined the Dark Demon Lord to crush the empire and avenge my people. That is reason enough.” 

“What?”

Baili Jingwei gaped incredulously, “Even so, how could you have led the empire’s elites to strike back at the empire? They all are loyal to it. You might get to lead them once, but they’ll never go as far as to betray their country!” 

Zither Sword King showed a vague smile, the zither playing, “And if they never were central area’s?”

“Wh-“

Baili Jingwei’s mind stopped working.

Zhuo Fan was kind enough to explain, “Prime Minister Baili, I told you, the empty city tactic now was genuine. Did you really think the empire would seize the lands at the end. We’ll see who takes over who soon enough!”

Baili Jingwei staggered back in realization.

“Prime Minister, to be honest, while the Luo clan suffered, I have always been watching from the side, wanting you to make your move on the western lands. This way, the empire’s forces would scatter. While the men you sent into western lands had long since been destroyed by the Luo clan and Zither Sword King. The men posted in western lands are western lands’ soldiers in central area uniform that Zither Sword King helped hide. The border guards thought them as themselves and opened the arrays, followed by their immediate defeat under a sudden assault by western lands forces.”

“The same for the other lands?” Baili Jingwei asked in shock.

Zhuo Fan nodded, “You’re catching on. It was all a diversion. Thinking your world order came to be, your guard on the four lands loosened and the soldiers at the border were called back, giving the lands the perfect chance to strike.”

“Ignore his foolish words, Prime Minister, the northern lands is ours!” Baili Yuyun intervened, for the way it was said painted every leader that attacked the lands as traitors.

Zhuo Fan smiled, with a red-nosed old man patting his shoulder, “Baili Yuyun, you don’t have to explain yourself. That’s the hard truth.”

“Wine Sword Immortal?”

“We took northern lands, but after you left, I ordered the army to assemble in a valley, so that Ouyang Changqing and the others would kill them off. That’s why it took me three days to come.”

Sss~

“You…” Baili Yuyun gasped and fumed. 

[The drunkard has always been sloppy, but actually so vicious when he wanted to be. Those were the lives of millions of elite soldiers.]

Baili Jingwei turned his stiff head to Danqing Shen, “Dragon Cleaving Sword King was delayed for the same reason?”

“Yeah, though I didn’t have a good excuse like Wine Sword Immortal to fool you, so the brat gave me Miss Murong to use instead. No matter how suspicious you are, seeing such a prize you’ll forget everything. And sure enough, he was right. You fell for it hook, line and sinker!” 

Danqing Shen nodded.

Baili Jingwei was a blowing volcano now, looking now at Shangguan Feiyun, “Sword King Feiyun, you can’t also be…”

“Prime Minister, I’m not like these bastards. You know of my hatred for the Shangguan clan. With my land the only one stable, it proves…”

“Report!”

A guard rushed in with a ready jade slip, “The eastern lands is in revolt, with fighting all over. Prime Minister, send help!”

Shangguan Feiyun flinched and Zhuo Fan chuckled, “Yes, Sword King Feiyun was the only one who I never tried to turn. He’s very much loyal to the empire, as are his men. Though I wouldn’t bet on them for help, Prime Minister, tied up with the sudden revelation of the Shangguan clan, ha-ha-ha…” 

“Damn you…”

Baili Jingwei pointed at him in rage, his ears turning red.

In just ten days, the campaign spanning the five lands flipped through a turnaround, from the Sword Star Empire ruling supreme, to being attacked from all sides.

Baili Jingwei never saw it coming.

He had lost once more to this deadly opponent…