Chapter 128: Tempting Rewards and Absurd Military Orders

Han Chong frowned slightly as he stood up. He had never had any dealings with the First Prince; if this were a simple reward, it could have easily been bestowed through an envoy.

"Please, lead the way."

Han Chong followed him toward the central hall. Passing through layers of guards, he entered the hall to find several songstresses in sheer silks, holding round fans and dancing with graceful, flowing movements. The First Prince sat at the head of the table, with two generals in crimson robes seated to his left, while only one setting was prepared on the right.

The table was laden with roasted suckling pig, wine vessels, and other delicacies. Beside it sat a tray of treasures, which even from a distance appeared to be worth a king’s ransom.

"Haha, General Han has arrived. Please, take your seat," the First Prince said with a gesture.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Han Chong bowed and took the seat on the right.

"General Han, I have heard that during your time at the Demon-Slaying Division, you captured many fierce ghosts and powerful demons, rising steadily to the rank of acting Ranger General of Qiongzhou. It is a pity that you offended the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, and the Sixth Prince, leading to your assignment here in the treacherous Northwest. It is called a reinstatement, but in reality, you were sent here as a hostage. I felt great sympathy upon hearing this. To be frank, I too have been ostracized by my brothers in the capital, which is why I requested to come to the Northwest, hoping to win glory and merit."

"Your Highness’s ambition to achieve greatness is truly admirable," Han Chong replied with a bow.

"Haha, General Han," one of the red-robed generals chimed in, "the First Prince is the eldest son of the Emperor and has a boundless future. Now is the time to employ talented men. Why not join the First Prince’s command? You would soon be promoted, with endless glory and wealth awaiting you!"

"Indeed," the other added, "with your great talent, General Han, languishing in the Northwest as a mere Fourth-Rank officer is a waste. You would be far better off following the First Prince to realize your ambitions."

"Precisely," the First Prince said. "If you are willing to join my manor, I guarantee that upon our return to the capital, I will strongly recommend you for the position of Ranger General of Fengdu. I also have a villa covering a hundred acres, complete with renowned singers, dancers, and rare treasures, all of which I would bestow upon you. What say you, General?"

"I am deeply grateful for Your Highness’s kindness. However, the war in the Northwest is not yet settled, and I am willing to do my utmost to assist you in the campaign. As for Fengdu, it is a place of sorrow for me; I have no desire to stay there long. I must humbly decline your offer."

Han Chong thought to himself that this First Prince was self-willed and arrogant, foolishly attempting to recruit capable men to seize power. Truly, human greed knows no bounds.

"A place of sorrow? Why say such things, General? Without support in the court, one naturally encounters thorns at every turn. With me in the capital, you could rest easy and rise through the ranks."

"Alas, it is a long story. I hope Your Highness will understand," Han Chong sighed, shaking his head.

The First Prince’s eyes flashed with a cold light as he chuckled, "Since you have your reasons, General, I shall not force the matter. I have official business to attend to, so I will not keep you."

"I take my leave!" Han Chong bowed and exited the hall.

...

"Your Highness, that brat surnamed Han is truly stubborn. He will surely become a major threat in the future; we must eliminate him soon!"

"Hmph."

"Your Highness, this man is in league with Generals Xun and Lei. This is detrimental to your overall command of the Northwest forces. Why not order the three of them to lead the vanguard against the Anxi enemy forces? They will surely be defeated, and it will also exhaust the enemy's strength—killing two birds with one stone!"

...

In the city of Anxi:

"What? It was that troublesome brat again?"

When the marshals Pilu and Xile heard that their Yak Elephant army had been thrown into chaos by a young general waving a red flag, Han Chong’s image immediately appeared in their minds, and they exclaimed in shock.

"Oh? Are you certain?" the two princes asked coldly.

"Absolutely. Only he has repeatedly intercepted our forces at critical moments, causing us setback after setback. No one else could have done this!" Pilu stated with certainty.

"It is truly bizarre," Feng Yuxiao, who was sitting at the lower end, said with a solemn expression. "I saw with my own eyes that the boy was dragged away by the Spider Spirit’s silk web. How did he escape? I went to investigate and found that the Spider Spirit had actually sustained minor injuries and is now in seclusion to recover."

"Hmph. I have already ordered the craftsmen to make leather blinders for the Yak Elephant army. Let's see how that brat can disrupt our forces now. Pang Ji, what do you think?"

"I have heard that the boy can summon a million-strong insect swarm; we cannot afford to be careless. I suggest our two beast-cavalry units act as the vanguard, with the four marshals leading 600,000 elite troops. We shall take half the citizens of Anxi City as hostages, and with Fellow Daoist Xiaoling assisting in the shadows, we will surely level Beiting City in one stroke!"

"Good, a brilliant plan! Let it be done. The army marches at dawn tomorrow."

The next day, in Beiting City, the drums of war sounded. The generals hurried to the Great Protector’s Manor and entered the central hall. Soon, more than a dozen generals stood in two rows.

"Reporting to Your Highness, all generals have arrived. We await your orders."

"Very well. I have been appointed as the Great General for the Pacification of the West and the Supreme Commander of the Northwest. I swear to eradicate the thieves of Shule and Beilu. These thieves have occupied our Anxi Protectorate, enslaved our people, plundered the Northwest provinces, and even dared to push eastward. Their crimes are unforgivable. I have decided to launch a campaign starting today. We shall establish three vanguard routes, each with 50,000 elite soldiers."

"Xun Kang, you shall lead the left vanguard; Han Chong, the right; and Lei Wanshan, the center. You three will march toward Anxi, and I will follow with the main force. We swear to retake the Anxi Protectorate and drive the enemy out of our borders."

The generals looked at each other in disbelief. They had not expected that after barely surviving the enemy’s beast cavalry yesterday, they would be ordered to launch a full-scale offensive today. Moreover, placing the two officers from the Demon-Slaying Division as vanguards was truly unexpected.

Han Chong and Xun Kang exchanged a look, both instantly recognizing the absurdity of the order. It was clearly a tactic to use tigers to devour wolves—and there were many wolves at that!

"Your Highness, the enemy is strong and we are weak. It would be a better strategy to hold the city and wait for them to tire themselves out," Lei Wanshan said, bowing respectfully.

"Hmm? Protector Lei, have you not been seeking to atone for your crimes? You lost the Anxi Protectorate, and I have yet to settle that score with you. Now you speak words that shake the morale of the army? Do you wish to flee from the enemy?"

"I would not dare, Your Highness."

"Hmph. The three of you are to lead your troops out immediately. There will be no delays."

The generals accepted the orders and left the manor.

...

"Two Generals, why would the First Prince issue such an absurd order? Isn't he just sending us to our deaths?" Lei Wanshan asked, pulling Han Chong and Xun Kang aside. "By the way, General Han, why did the First Prince summon you last night? Could it be related to this?"

Xun Kang shook his head slightly and turned to look at Han Chong.

"Last night, the First Prince wanted to recruit me into his service, but I politely declined."

"No wonder," Xun Kang said. "The princes in the capital are scrambling to win over officials, and every powerful minister must choose a side. Since you refused, he must bear a grudge. He is surely acting out of spite, intending to use this opportunity to have us killed!"

"I suspected as much," Han Chong replied. "But I would rather die fighting in the Northwest than serve under him."

"Brother Han, you have a backbone indeed. But what are we to do now? Fighting a million enemy troops head-on will not only put our lives in danger, but the soldiers we lead will also perish on the battlefield!" Lei Wanshan sighed and shook his head.