Chapter 338: Clouds of War Linger
Translator: Novel Saga Editor: Novel Saga
Yin Wu Tian unflinchingly looked at that grim scar on King Level Master Jun’s belly. He gritted his teeth as he frantically cursed in his heart, [why did your opponent’s have to be negligent back then. He would’ve ripped-open your chest if he had used a bit more of his strength, ah. He has left a disaster like you alive… that guy really infuriates me...]
“Please do as you wish!” Yin Wu Tian turned around and said. He clenched his teeth as he restrained himself by saying just these few words.
“Naturally, I will do as I please. Don’t tell me that I need your orders; now do I?” Jun Qing Yang laughed heartily. With a splash, he dived into the water like a big fish.
The sky was already somewhat dark.
Yin Wu Tian bellowed as he looked up at the sky. He somehow suppressed his chest from exploding with anger, and settled down a bit.
“Go away!” Yin Wu Tian ordered in an angry voice.
“But... Sir... the sky is already dark. This Lotus Lake has sludge under the water; it is dangerous. That gentleman who went down... we should wait for him.” a fisherman suggested timidly.
“He can go to hell!” Yin Wu Tian said furiously, “He can drown to death for all I care! Go! Go! Go! You all go away from here!” He took out several silver ingots and tossed them towards that group of fisherman in order to drive them away.
Then, he furiously returned to his tent. He lifted a jug of wine, and drank half of it in one ago. Then he roared, “No one is allowed to go to the lakeside! If you hear any sound… pretend as if you did not hear anything! Is it clear?!”
The subordinates around him were confused. But this King level expert was in a fit of rage… who would dare to provoke him? It was a wiser option to let it go. Even the sentry was also withdrawn from the dark lakeside.
This Lotus Lake was still in-control, and no big disorder could be produced in it. In fact, many people were puzzled as to why so many of them had been asked to monitor it.
King Level Master Jun Qing Yang came out of the lake’s surface a little while later. He was accompanied by a thunderous noise. He then roared in a hoarse voice, “A few people should come with me!”
Yin Wu Tian heard this and sneered. He whispered, “Go away; I cannot hear you! I am not paying any attention to you!”
King Level Master Jun again shouted, “is everyone dead?”
Still no sound.
“Where is everyone? Where are the fishermen?” King Level Master Jun furiously raised his voice; Yin Wu Tian kept ignoring him.
King Level Master Jun dived into the water once again.
Yin Wu Tian triumphantly laughed. He was immensely pleased with himself. He ordered again: hide a little further.
Again after a while, King Level Master Jun appeared on the surface and said, “Several people had come here, ah. You all... where have you all gone to die?”
He clamoured again, but no one paid any attention to him. He angrily rained curses for a while, and then immersed back into the lake with a crashing sound.
Diwu Qing Rou was convening his life’s most important military conference while Chu Yang was diving down the Lotus Lake.
The security was tight in the Prime Minister’s palace. There was a policeman’s beat at every three steps, and there was a sentry at every five.
~In the middle of a big hall~
Valiant generals had gathered like clouds, and advisors like rain. They had all gathered under one roof.
All the key figures of the Great Zhao had gathered here.
Matters had been unceasingly arising in the Great Zhao these past days. High-ranking generals had been called back by Diwu Qing Rou… besides the big regiments that were carrying out the suppression of Limitless Nation.
The people had a clear feeling of premonition, [Prime Minister has gathered all the power to form a fist again! But this fist will determine the fate of the world when it strikes!]
Therefore, they immediately rushed back like a cat that had smelled a fish when they got Diwu Qing Rou’s summons. They arrived early, and the first thing they did after returning was to rush to the Prime Minister’s palace. They had all been pacing back and forth outside the entrance for more than an hour ever since...
The ones who were farther away… immediately spurred their horses the same night and made a return trip. Some even tired two horses to death, only to discover that they were a bit early.
They eagerly waited for Diwu Qing Rou to speak once they saw solemn expression on his face.
“Everyone has been gathered to discuss a matter,” Diwu Qing Rou said as he knocked on the table top. “Sit down. Don’t just keep standing foolishly!”
Everyone sat down one after the other upon being mocked.
Han Bu Chu was sitting near the front wall, which was located opposite to everyone. He pulled a huge map. The map dropped with a swishing sound and opened up. There were two words in the middle of the map — Iron Cloud. The eyes of these battle trained generals immediately lit-up as a chill ran down their bodies.
Diwu Qing Rou’s blue robe fluttered as he came in front of the map. He looked at each of them, one by one, with a deep meaningful look in his eyes. He then lightly said, “Gentlemen, today you have been summoned here... because you all must do something as if your life depends on it!”
Everyone’s breathing was obstructed, while their eyes couldn’t help but involuntarily blaze-up.
“Gentlemen! Raise our heads and look around. The day you were looking forward to — has arrived!” Diwu Qing Rou suddenly turned back and pointed to the map of Iron Cloud Nation’s countless rivers and mountains. He then shouted, “Gentlemen, who amongst you wants to be the first to storm Iron Cloud’s interior regions?”
The atmosphere of the entire hall was set ablaze.
No one made any movements. However, the hall was boiling with a desire for war; in fact, this desire was so fervent that it was enough to set the world on fire.
“Gentlemen, who wants to be the first to put my Great Zhao imperial flag on top of Iron Cloud Citadel?” Diwu Qing Rou spoke in a profound voice.
“Who can bring me the severed head of Tie Long Cheng?”
“Who can behead King of hell Chu, and bring me his head?”
“Who can bring me Tie Bu Tian with his hands tied?”
Diwu Qing Rou came up with a series of questions. He practically expedited an uncontrollable battle urge inside these valiant generals until they couldn’t contain such raw urge. They clenched their fists and started gasping.
Their eyes radiated a vicious and bloody blood-lust!
“This war will decide the fate of the entire Nine Heavens Continent!” Diwu Qing Rou sounded solemn and dignified, “This war will be recorded in the history of Nine Heavens for eternity. It would be immortal even after ten thousand years!”
“The names of all who take part in it will be handed down forever in the Nine Heavens Continent. Their glorious achievements would become a legend!”
“This war will be aimed to seize the throne of the world!”
“This war will decide the ruler of world under the blue dome of heaven. It will decide who shall govern the ways of this world — who shall control the fate of people!”
Diwu Qing Rou’s voice was insipid, yet it went straight to a person’s heart; through and through. It awoke their deep-seated ‘warmongering militant’ blood. They felt as if they were under a spell.
“Prime Minister! Please give us your command!” a general with dragon whiskers clamoured.
“Prime Minister, please command us!” The crowd’s emotions were boiling fiercely. Everyone stood up and started to clamour.
“Very well then!” Diwu Qing Rou looked at them disdainfully from the corners of his eyes as he declared, “I will go in person to the battlefield this time. I will be in charge of the three armed services!”
Boom!
This declaration appeared like an explosion, and everyone was stirred up by it. [Prime Minister will personally go to war?]
The scene of following Diwu Qing Rou, and the attack without any exception to victory streaked before everyone’s eyes. This generation’s legendary military counsellor and unrivalled-famed general had personally undertaken the task.
“Do not move the troops and the horses yet; rations and fodder will take precedence.” Diwu Qing Rou then shouted, “Sir Liang!”
“Your humble subordinate is here!” A forty-fifty year old official stood up.
“Transfer each and every province’s government repositories, and stock them. Transport army provisions to the Northwest! The more the better; there must not be any mistake!”
“Understood!”
“And fodder for the warhorses; I do not need to say I presume?”
“Yes! Everything is already prepared for use.”
“Good!” Diwu Qing Rou said in a dense tone, “This war is extremely important. Entire Great Zhao would be consigned to eternal damnation if even one link goes wrong! No one will be forgiven if there is even the slightest negligence on their part. They will be immediately beheaded!”
“Yes!”
“All warhorses in Great Zhao’s nine great horse fields have already been tamed. Tell all the cavalry soldiers to set out with their warhorses and towards the north in the next few days! Remember, what I said... all!”
“Yes!”
“Sir Jin!” Diwu Qing Rou turned towards another person.
“The subordinate is at your service!”
“Take out all the weaponry from the reserve. Spare no effort and make it your priority to enrich the northwest battlefront using the best weapons.”
“Yes!”
“Sir Ye!”
“The subordinate is here!”
“Enlist all the doctors of Great Zhao in the army with immediate effect. Let them devote their lives to the cause! Anyone who defies the command or refuses to follow it — kill them without mercy! Wipe out his nine generations!”
“Yes!” Sir Ye’s face was immediately covered in cold sweat.
“Is there a problem?” Diwu Qing Rou looked at him sternly.
“No! No problem!” Sir Ye quivered as felt a pair of evil eyes looking at him. He felt as if he had been ruthlessly surrounded by wolves and tigers; he almost pissed himself.
“Sir Wu!”
“The subordinate is here!”
“Open up the reserves of all regions; Department of Land Tax, as well as the national treasury and the silver treasury!”
“Yes!”
“It is impossible for this war to end overnight. It is quite possible that it would be long drawn out; pass my order to all — starting today, the entire Great Zhao’s taxes will be raised to double! They will be used for the war! They may be exempted from paying taxes for three years after the war ends!”
"Yes!"
“Newcomers must hurry up and train. The follow-up units must prepare to set-out at any time!”
Diwu Qing Rou continuously issued orders. All the instructions regarding the preparatory work were spoken from his mouth — they were thorough and detailed regardless of how insignificant.
They need to follow Diwu Qing Rou’s orders. It was necessary to accomplish each of these small tasks appropriately; they were all necessary in order to prepare for this war.
“Fighting a war is the same as fighting a shortage of money!” Diwu Qing Rou said, “Each of these things is the same as money! The war cannot be fought without money! So... the money reserve must be sufficient! King Level Master Jing Meng Hun, take out the entire stock reserved by Golden Horse Riders Department!”
Jing Meng Hun hurriedly replied, “Yes!”
“The ‘behind the frontline’ coordination and planning will be totally handed over to Han Bu Chu and Cheng Yun He!” Diwu Qing Rou pulled out a jade card and held it up in his hand, “This jade card is my personal faith token! Think of this jade as me! If anyone dares to agree in public, but opposes in secret — you two shall spare no effort in dealing with such crafty individuals. You may kill them at any time! There is no need to report it to me either!”
“Yes!” Han Bu Chu and Cheng Hun Ye both stood up and stepped forward. They respectfully took this jade card. It was currently representing the highest authority in Great Zhao.
“Bu Chu, Yu He; keep in mind... that the rear stability is a must to help us in prevailing over the enemy!” Diwu Qing Rou said prudently in a solemn voice, “Therefore... the back-end cannot have any disorder! Understood?”
“Prime Minister should rest assured! The two of us will sacrifice our lives, but will never dare to let down your trust!”
“Very good. Bu Chu and senior generals will stay behind, while all others can immediately leave for preparations!” Diwu Qing Rou said as he waved his hand.
“Yes!” Everyone knew that they were going to discuss the real secrets now! Even the smallest leak was enough to affect the outcome of the battle. No one had any unnecessary curiosity regarding this sort of matter.
The lesser one knew the better!
“Jing Meng Hun!”
“At your service!”
“Inform Li Jin Song of ‘Beyond the Heavens’ sect to move into action!”
“Yes!”
Jing Meng Hun immediately agreed.
“Li Jin Song won’t be able to make a big impact now, but he can disrupt Tie Bu Tian’s line of sight to some extent.” Diwu Qing Rou said faintly, “Furthermore, send out a letter in my name, and gather Great Zhao’s guardian sects for the war!”
"Yes!"
“Du Shi Qing’s family members must also play a role when the time comes,” Diwu Qing Rou insipidly said.
“Eh?” The matter that Jing Meng Hun had been afraid of… had finally happened. His face immediately turned face pale.