Zhang Chen looked up at the sky, his gaze heavy.
The lightning technique she had just used should be a spell from The Essential Arts of Pacifying Heaven. As expected of the Great Accomplishment realm, it was indeed much more powerful!
It was a pity, however, that she had already gone mad. Once she used it more than nine times, she would die!
However, Zhang Chen also couldn't withstand nine lightning strikes. A few more, and he feared his army would be completely wiped out!
Zhang Chen pondered for a moment, then urged his horse forward, looking up at Zhang Ning and saying, "Zhang Ning, the Yellow Turban's destiny is over. Don't be stubborn and cause more suffering to the people! If you are willing to disband the Yellow Heaven Holy Sect and retire, I can spare your lives. How about it?"
"Zhang Chen, the Han is corrupt. Why do you still serve such a court? Why not surrender to the Holy Sect and create peace for the people of the world? Wouldn't that be better?"
"Hahahaha! Create peace?" Zhang Chen sneered a few times and sternly rebuked, "The people's lives are already difficult, yet they are still being coerced by you! During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, how many innocent people were implicated! Merchants had abundant wealth, so you arbitrarily killed and robbed them, calling it 'robbing the rich to help the poor'. Hmph! You don't know how many innocent people died tragically under your blades! What wrong did they do! You indiscriminately kill the innocent! What you are after is not peace for the world at all, but clearly Zhang Jiao's own selfish interests! Now you still talk about 'creating peace'? You are not worthy!"
After Zhang Chen finished speaking, his gaze was icy, staring intently at Zhang Ning.
"The Yellow Turban's defeat has no other reason, it is truly—retribution!"
Zhang Chen's words were powerful, as if every word was a sharp knife, deeply piercing Zhang Ning's heart.
"That's right, the Yellow Turban rebels have committed all sorts of evil deeds and deserve to be annihilated!"
"The Yellow Turban rebels deserve death!"
"Deserve death! Deserve death!"
...
The surrounding Soldiers shouted one after another, curses rising and falling.
Zhang Ning's face was astonished, tears rolling down her eyes uncontrollably.
She had never known that in the hearts of the world, the Yellow Turban was like this!
Father, were we wrong? Were we really wrong?
Zhang Chen lowered his head and said indifferently, "Zhang Ning, I cannot stop you today. You can leave with them. But I hope you will conduct yourselves well..."
After Zhang Chen finished speaking, he looked around at the corpses all over the ground, and a sense of sadness welled up in his heart.
These people were originally commoners, but once they were coerced by the Yellow Turban, they ended up with their corpses exposed in the wilderness!
"All Soldiers, listen to my order, withdraw and return to the city!"
Zhang Chen said indifferently, looking back at Zhang Ning with a look of hope and regret in his eyes.
Zhang Ning suppressed her grief and waved her hand, and a strong wind swept up. In an instant, the three of them disappeared.
Zhang Chen led the army back to Ye City.
Tian Feng and Gao Lan were already waiting at the city gate to welcome Zhang Chen's army back victoriously.
In this battle, Zhang Chen lost nearly ten thousand Soldiers, while the Yellow Turban's hundred thousand strong army was completely annihilated, which can be said to be a great victory.
Zhang Chen then ordered someone to compile a list of casualties and provide generous compensation.
In the afternoon, after Zhang Chen finished dealing with the matters of the fallen Soldiers, he summoned his generals to his tent.
After this great victory, rewards should naturally be given. In addition to the generals, the Soldiers who fought bravely also made great contributions. Zhang Chen then ordered the quartermaster to prepare money, grain, wine, and meat to reward the entire army.
In this battle, the Yellow Turban Army was completely annihilated. Although the army's provisions were completely burned, a lot of military equipment was captured. Although the Yellow Turban Army's equipment was crude and uneven, among the hundred thousand people, there were quite a few with excellent equipment, and now all of it belonged to Zhang Chen.
With this military equipment, he could equip at least twenty thousand more Soldiers!
After the rewards were given, Zhang Chen gave a few instructions to his generals, then dismissed everyone, leaving only Guo Jia in the tent.
Guo Jia bowed and said, "I congratulate Lord on your victorious return!"
"Sir Fengxiao, there is no need to be so polite." Zhang Chen said, "If it weren't for Sir's Qimen Dunjia technique in this battle, which broke Guan Hai's sorcery, perhaps I would have been defeated at this moment."
"Lord's fortune is boundless, and you are protected by heaven. How can mere rebels harm Lord?" Guo Jia smiled and said, "In this battle, Lord's strategic planning and proper deployment were the reasons for victory! Lord's use of troops is like a god's, and I deeply admire you."
"Sir is too kind." Zhang Chen smiled slightly, then bowed solemnly.
Guo Jia was startled and quickly said, "Lord, why are you doing this? How can I accept a bow from Lord?"
"Sir Fengxiao, I know that Sir has astonishing talent and is certainly not a fish in a pond or a bird in a cage. I, Zhang, am not talented, but I sincerely ask Sir to come out and help me pacify the chaotic world, restore order, and ensure that the people of the world no longer suffer from hunger and cold, or the hardships of war and destruction. I wonder if Sir is willing?"
After hearing this, Guo Jia couldn't help but be stunned, then smiled and said, "Lord, I am used to being a free and unrestrained person and have always disliked being constrained. My assistance today is, firstly, because I cannot bear to see the people being slaughtered by rebels, and secondly, because I admire Lord's prestige and cannot bear to see Lord harmed by the rebels' sorcery. As for the matter of becoming an official, please forgive me for being unable to obey."
As expected of the greatest strategist of the Three Kingdoms, he was not so easily persuaded. Guo Jia possessed Clairvoyance, which allowed him to see through people's hearts. He could tell at a glance who was a wise ruler and who was a mediocre person. Could it be that he saw some clue?
Zhang Chen pondered slightly and said indifferently, "Sir is too serious. I know that I am difficult to enter Sir's Clairvoyance and did not dare to hope for Sir's favor. However, the country is in turmoil, and the people are suffering. If Sir does not come out, I do not know when the chaotic world will end and when the people will be at peace again?"
After Zhang Chen finished speaking, Guo Jia couldn't help but be slightly moved. After a long time, he said, "Lord, I have a question that I would like to ask Lord to answer."
"Sir, please speak."
"May I ask Lord, what is the situation in the world?"
Zhang Chen said indifferently, "The Yellow Turban Rebellion has already damaged the Han's vitality. His Majesty selling official positions in the Western Garden has further destroyed the foundation. Since this year, uprisings have sprung up like wildfires, spreading west to Ba-Shu, south to Jiaozhi. The large ones number twenty to thirty thousand, and the small ones six to seven thousand, like a prairie fire. Bian Zhang of West Liang colluded with the Qiang Tribe, gathered over a hundred thousand people, and invaded the Sanguan Pass, causing an uproar throughout the world."
Zhang Chen paused, then continued, "I observed the celestial phenomena at night and saw a dark aura surrounding the emperor's star, which I believe indicates that His Majesty is afflicted with a hidden illness. Within five years, His Majesty will surely pass away. At that time, the real chaos will begin."
As Zhang Chen's words fell, Guo Jia couldn't help but be shocked.
"So Lord also understands the art of celestial phenomena! Then, in Lord's opinion, after His Majesty passes away, what will happen to the world?"
"The Marquis will carve up the land, and the world will be in chaos. There will be foreign tribes eyeing us from the outside, and heroes competing for power within. But in the end, it is still the common people who will suffer." Zhang Chen said with a sigh, "The general trend of the world is that after a long period of division, there will be unity, and after a long period of unity, there will be division. If Sir is truly unwilling to come out, perhaps a hundred years from now, the world will return to peace. But at that time, I don't know how many of the billions of commoners will be left..."
As Zhang Chen spoke, he couldn't help but shed tears, his eyes filled with sadness.
Guo Jia's heart was deeply shaken. Zhang Chen's words were like a wake-up call, making him realize something important.
He had studied for many years and possessed extraordinary talent. If he could not help the common people out of their plight, wouldn't it be a waste?
In this battle, he had seen that Zhang Chen had the world in his heart, was a person with great ambitions, and was proficient in both civil and military strategies. The people under his command were also talented individuals, both civil and military.
This person was indeed a rare and outstanding ruler!
At this moment, Guo Jia's heart was filled with mixed emotions. After much thought, he finally bowed down and said, "Lord's aspirations are lofty, and you consider the people of the world. Guo Jia is willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"
"Fengxiao!" Zhang Chen quickly rushed to Guo Jia's side and helped him up.
Their eyes met, and they couldn't help but cherish each other.