Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 347 Only by using boats can peace be achieved.

On the surface, this seems to be a good opportunity for Long Qinghuang to continue her advance.

Gu Zhanting aggravated his old injuries, and the army was exhausted after being rescued from the brink of death. They were truly at their weakest point, so now was the perfect time to fight.

Although it's not that simple in reality... the Demon-Repelling Pass is different from the previous defensive fortifications. The formation of this ancient pass is not comparable to the one that could be half-crippled by a casual dragon's claw attack. Gu Zhanting's old injury was aggravated, but he wasn't injured again, so his condition wasn't that bad. He could still fight while suppressing his old injury.

The demon race has just reclaimed so many cities, and they will need time to digest them, especially the main city that Gu Zhanting just abandoned. There are still a large number of generals, including Zhao Jiayong, leading their troops and hiding in various parts of the city. Even if Long Qinghuang captures them all at once, it will still take some time to recruit and resettle them.

They didn't even have time to drink a cup of tea before launching a full-scale attack. What's going on here?

However, this suits Long Qinghuang's temperament very well... Gu Zhanting was really troubled and turned to the generals, asking, "What do you think?"

Xiang An said, "The best course of action now is to seek help from the Imperial Advisor. He could ignore the previous border city incident, but now that they have breached the Demon-Repelling Pass, he will not stand idly by."

Gu Zhanting's expression was not good: "Besides asking the Imperial Advisor for help, don't you have any ideas of your own?"

Xiang An hesitated for a moment, then said, "The Demon Emperor's direct attack without any pause means he won't have time to pacify the rear. We can send someone back to the border city to contact General Zhao and others to instigate an uprising in the rear."

Gu Zhanting nodded slightly in thought, but remained noncommittal.

But then Huo Xingyuan said, "I suggest sending an envoy."

"Hmm?" Gu Zhanting said coldly, "What does Huo Qing mean by this?"

"The main question is what the Demon Queen actually wants," Huo Xingyuan said. "Logically speaking, she should know how difficult it is to conquer the Demon Repelling Pass, yet she still insists on attacking it. Does she really want to drive straight in? There must be some purpose behind it, right? Why not send an envoy to find out?"

Having served as the emperor's front man for so long, the Huo family had a good understanding of the emperor's thoughts. Huo Xingyuan immediately saw that Gu Zhanting didn't want to fight at this moment.

If we really want to fight, both of Xiang An's suggestions are very reasonable and can be implemented in parallel without any trade-offs. We can just send someone to carry it out directly. What's there to hesitate about?

Since the emperor himself wanted to negotiate, someone had to step forward and speak on his behalf, and Huo Xingyuan was the one who did that job.

So many people cursed the Huo family, how many cursed them to death? He was the one taking the blame for the emperor.

Xiang An couldn't hold back any longer and cursed, "Does the Marquis of Zhenyuan mean he wants to make peace? Has a single defeat extinguished all his martial spirit?!"

Huo Xingyuan said calmly, "I only said that I was sending an envoy to find out what the Demon Emperor wanted, but I never said that I wanted peace."

"You know what you want, but what happens next? Satisfying it means seeking peace, not satisfying it means fighting. So, do you want peace or fighting?"

"Things in the world are not simply black and white; knowing yourself and your enemy is more important."

"you……"

"What's all this arguing about? What kind of behavior is this!" Gu Zhanting coldly interrupted, "What Huo Qing said makes some sense. We need to know ourselves and our enemy. Long Qinghuang launched the war before, which can be seen as an attempt to reclaim the territories lost in previous years. Now that she is continuing to fight, what is she after? We need to figure it out."

Xiang An: "..."

Why else would someone hit you? Because they think you're weak, damn it.

As long as you can stand up for yourself, who cares about the reason! Do you think you're just a bystander?
Gu Zhanting waved his hand: "Send an envoy first, and we'll discuss the results later. Everyone, please do your job properly and don't let anyone take advantage of you."

The military meeting ended just like that. Xiang An and the others, still seething with anger, went off to take charge of the defenses. Lu Xingzhou, along with Sheng Yuanyao and A Nuo, who had finished eating melons, ran off in a flash.

Unlike other poor people, Sheng Yuanyao had elders in Guancheng who were on good terms with her father, and she had a house to live in.

The three of them hid inside the house, and Sheng Yuanyao, clutching her stomach, laughed heartily: "I never expected the emperor to be like this; he actually felt guilty."

Participating in a military council of this level for the first time was like entering a melon patch for Sheng Yuanyao; observing the expressions of all parties was incredibly satisfying. Lu Xingzhou simply smiled; Gu Zhanting's slight unease hadn't even been hidden from the melon-picking girl.

In fact, Gu Zhanting had inner demons, and he didn't want to ask Ye Tinglan for help no matter what, otherwise things wouldn't be so difficult.

However, the reason why the Great Qian Dynasty has been able to fight the demon race to a standstill and even gain the upper hand over the years is the result of the sincere cooperation between the Great Qian Dynasty and the Tianyao Holy Land, and has never been due to the Great Qian Dynasty itself. Once you want to exclude the Tianyao Holy Land, you will have to bear the consequences.

Sometimes, Lu Xingzhou could understand the emperor from a man's perspective. It was unbearable to be one of the strongest men of his time, yet be so tightly suppressed and restrained by a woman. Especially if deep down he harbored feelings for her, then… it was a true inner demon.

Well, there's nothing I can do, Old Deng, this woman is mine.

Sheng Yuanyao said, "Judging from this trend, we might not even need to fight anymore."

Lu Xingzhou said "hmm".

“I’ll go back to the capital with you.” Sheng Yuanyao sighed. “With the battle lines shrunk like this, it feels like there’s no place for me anymore.”

"What, you joined the army to gain experience, and you're just giving up halfway through?"

"I'm already a third-rank official~" Sheng Yuanyao said coquettishly, but there was a hint of flirtatiousness in her eyes.

Who are we training for...? Now our opponents have all become national advisors. Even a hundred years of training wouldn't be enough to catch up. We might as well just start training.

Saying he'd go back to the capital with him was just talk; it wasn't something he could decide for himself. Leaving so easily—what did he think the army was? He'd even earned merit this time. Given his previous position as commander of the scout battalion, which wasn't low to begin with, he'd most likely be given a minor general title and put in charge of a defense zone, making it even harder for him to leave.

Since they couldn't leave, this became another farewell, and who knew when they would meet again. Sheng Yuanyao recalled Shen Tang's words, "Some things need to be done quickly," and she really wanted to execute Lu Xingzhou on the spot.

Unfortunately, she couldn't bring herself to say it, so I wonder if the man had any thoughts about giving his brother a good time.

Sheng Yuanyao glanced at A'nuo without revealing her presence. "When did you get back, you little thing? Did you think you could hide your true nature as a big lantern by pretending to be silent?" A'nuo was playing dead.

Now you're complaining about my lantern? Please recall the divination you did back then.

Need to pay more.

Lu Xingzhou hadn't expected that amidst today's intense and chaotic battle, this guy would still have the mind to think about lewd things. He was truly exhausted; he felt like he'd even turned three gray hairs. At this moment, he genuinely couldn't see the hint in Sheng Yuanyao's eyes, and listlessly slumped onto the bed: "Never mind, I'm going to rest for a while..."

Ah Nuo was itching to give her master a head massage.

Sheng Yuanyao stared at Anuo, who retreated, and then retreated again.

Yao, who clearly loved rubbing Nuo's face, turned into this after she started thinking about becoming a stepmother... Nuo's life turned gloomy, and she opened the door and squatted outside.

Sheng Yuanyao sat down on the edge of the bed and wanted to massage Lu Xingzhou's head. She also remembered that Lu Xingzhou had planned a lot for this battle, and his mind would get tired.

As soon as she reached out her slender hand, she discovered that Lu Xingzhou had already fallen asleep.

So the action of pinching his head turned into brushing aside the messy hair at his temples. The female general quietly watched the man sleeping in the moonlight, her gaze as gentle as water.

…………

Outside the city gates, countless demon soldiers and generals were besieging the city.

Long Qinghuang descended from the clouds and stood outside the city. Looking up at the surging crowds appearing on the city walls, she revealed a cold smile.

She didn't launch a direct attack, but instead ordered the camp to be set up, leisurely sat in the main camp drinking tea, and arranged for shifts to rest, making it seem like she was going to attack the city early the next morning.

The dark, dense camp and the soaring demonic aura exerted a deathly pressure on the nearby fortress.

Not long after, Long Lie entered the tent and reported: "Your Majesty, just now a messenger jumped down from the city wall, saying that Gu Zhanting sent an envoy."

Long Qinghuang asked leisurely, "Which one?"

"They said it was Zhang something, the military commander's secretary..."

"Let him go."

Long Lie was stunned. Didn't you want to force Gu Zhanting to negotiate?

"I do not easily execute envoys, but not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry is qualified to speak with me. If Gu Zhanting is sincere in wanting to talk, let him send someone who is qualified."

Long Lie understood and quickly left the tent to send the messenger back.

The envoy turned around and relayed Long Qinghuang's message. Huo Xingyuan and the others all looked at Gu Zhanting, whose face was ashen.

Huo Xingyuan gritted his teeth: "Anyway, I don't have any real position now, so it won't affect anything. I'll go anyway."

Gu Zhanting nodded: "Minister Huo remains loyal and devoted to the country."

That's really not easy. Huo Xingyuan is still quite badly injured and hasn't had a proper rest. Yet he still volunteered for the mission.

Xiang An thought to himself, "If you, Huo Xingyuan, were to fight as diligently as you flatter the emperor, you might actually become a renowned general."

Despite his injuries, Huo Xingyuan leaped out from under the city walls: "Huo Xingyuan, Marquis of Zhenyuan of the Great Qian Dynasty, requests an audience with the Dragon Emperor."

He thought he was more than qualified, but then Long Qinghuang's undisguised disdain came from the camp: "The defeated general from earlier? The one who gave up his head without his son saving him?"

Huo Xingyuan: "..."

"I heard that the useless city lords and generals of those cities are all your men. Thank you."

Huo Xingyuan: "…………"

"Get out." Long Qinghuang didn't even show her face, but had already started to dismiss them: "Your Qian Kingdom sends someone like this to talk to me? Do you look down on me?"

Suppressing his humiliation, Huo Xingyuan slowly said, "Within the fortress, besides His Majesty, I am already of the highest rank. His Majesty said he wants someone of sufficient stature; does that mean His Majesty wishes to come and negotiate in person?"

"It's not about official rank, it's about ability." Long Qinghuang sipped her tea leisurely: "Whoever can make me lose face, I will respect, just like Ye Tinglan."

Huo Xingyuan's mind raced. Who was it that had caused the demon race to suffer this time? Sheng Yuanyao? Shen Tang?
No, we've already reviewed the details of this battle. Although Sheng Yuanyao held off the demon general for three days, making her the only one among the rear cities to survive, she was nearly breached and only saved by Lu Xingzhou's rescue. Of course, with everyone withdrawing now, Guiyuan City is no longer there.

The subsequent rescue army led by Shen Tang... was most likely summoned by Lu Xingzhou. The one who truly made the Demon Emperor suffer a setback was definitely not Sheng Yuanyao or Shen Tang, but Lu Xingzhou.

Huo Xingyuan suddenly remembered a rumor.

The Demon Emperor and the Holy Lord are fighting over a man...

Isn't the male protagonist of this rumor Lu Xingzhou?
So the Demon Emperor set up such a grand display, besieging the city and overwhelming the Qian Emperor, all to put pressure on him... in order to see Lu Xingzhou?
Huo Xingyuan felt that nothing in the world was more absurd than this.

If that's the case, are you planning to call me "Dad"?
Of course, this was just his own speculation; the Demon Emperor hadn't actually said anything. Huo Xingyuan pondered this all the way back to the pass, and when he told Gu Zhanting, he simply relayed Long Qinghuang's original words.

Gu Zhanting obviously didn't take the matter of the Demon Emperor and the Holy Lord fighting over a man seriously. However, when it came to the person who had humiliated Long Qinghuang this time, he could only think of Lu Xingzhou. Gu Zhanting pondered for a moment: "Where's Lu Xingzhou? Tell him to give it a try."

(End of this chapter)