At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

A short while later.

The curtain of the central command tent was lifted, and Yun Lanzhi bowed and slowly walked into the tent.

He kept his head down and remained respectful throughout, already mentally prepared to meet the top commander of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Before coming, he had already inquired about Su Mu's name.

He learned that Su Mu's name was renowned throughout the Great Qian Dynasty, and his prestige resounded across the four seas.

Furthermore, it is widely believed that Su Mu, the Grand Marshal of the Great Qian Dynasty's Eastern Expedition, was a legendary figure who conquered countless battles, dominating the northern frontier and sweeping away the barbarians. Even the Eastern Barbarians' proud Admiral Murakami Heiji was defeated by him.

In Yun Lanzhi's imagination, such a war god who guards the country must be an unparalleled fierce general with a burly figure and overwhelming murderous aura.

But when he looked up and saw the old man in the main seat, he was completely stunned, his eyes filled with endless shock, and he couldn't recover for a long time.

Su Mu, seated high above, had a full head of snow-white hair, an aged yet serene face, and calm, composed eyes. He exuded no fierce, warlike aura, but rather a sense of steadiness and maturity honed by the passage of time.

Who would have thought that the peerless war god who intimidated the nations of the East China Sea and struck fear into the hearts of the Eastern Barbarians was actually a frail, white-haired old man!

Yun Lan was deeply shocked, his heart filled with endless horror.

He could not imagine that at such an advanced age, he would still command a 300,000-strong navy, stationed in the East China Sea, and conquering all directions!

Such skill and such courage are rare and inconceivable throughout history!

After a moment of stunned silence, Yun Lanzhi quickly composed herself, not daring to be the slightest bit impolite, and strode forward, bowing deeply and greeting him with clasped hands:

"Prime Minister Yun Lanzhi of Liuyu Kingdom greets Marshal Su!"

Su Mu looked at Yun Lanzhi with a gentle expression, showing no arrogance whatsoever as a leader of a great nation, and raised his hand in a light gesture.

"Prime Minister, there's no need for such formalities. Please take a seat."

"Conditions at Zhenhai Pass are harsh, so we can only meet the Prime Minister in the army's main tent. Please forgive us, Prime Minister."

"Not at all," Yun Lanzhi quickly cupped her hands in greeting, "General Su's invitation to enter the central command tent is more exciting than any luxurious palace."

After saying that, Su Mu looked at the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu beside him and introduced him with a smile: "This is the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu of our Great Qian Dynasty."

Yun Lanzhi was very surprised. He did not expect that a prince would also follow Su Mu on the eastern expedition. So he quickly bowed again and greeted Xiao Jingyu.

Xiao Jingyu, with his dignified bearing, nodded slightly, a smile on his face, and treated everyone with humility and politeness: "Welcome, Prime Minister, to my Great Qian..."

Ye Qingzhou then stepped forward to serve tea. The atmosphere inside the tent was peaceful and solemn, without any of the tense and oppressive feeling of two armies facing each other.

After taking their seats, Yun Lanzhi dared not delay for even a moment and immediately got straight to the point, speaking sincerely.

"Elder Su, Your Highness, Lan Zhi has come across the sea on the orders of the King of Liuyu, just to express the stance of the Liuyu Kingdom."

"Previously, the Eastern Barbarians sent envoys to try and win over Liuyu to form an alliance and coerce our nation into participating in the fight against the Great Qian Dynasty. However, our king has seen through their wolfish ambitions!"

"Five days ago, the Kingdom of Liuyu formally severed all trade and diplomatic relations with the Eastern Barbarians, expelled all Eastern Barbarians from its territory, completely tore up the alliance agreement, and will absolutely not participate in any war against the Great Qian!"

"My king has already set a date, and will personally travel to the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty to pay homage to the Emperor, seeking only to establish a lasting friendly neighborly relationship between our two nations, to facilitate trade, and to share in peace and prosperity!"

Yun Lanzhi's words were frank, straightforward, and sincere, without the slightest hint of pretense or evasion.

Su Mu listened quietly, a sharp glint flashing in his aged eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice steady and authoritative, resounding with conviction.

"Our Great Qian has always upheld propriety and pacified the four seas, and has never taken the initiative to invade neighboring countries."

"But! I will not attack unless attacked; if attacked, I will surely punish them!"

"The barbarians of the East have repeatedly invaded our Eastern Sea territory. And in their defeat and retreat, they went so far as to commit a heinous massacre of innocent civilians in Wanhu City and Zhenhai Pass, burning, killing, looting, setting fires, and slaughtering the city. Their crimes are heinous and their blood debts are countless!"

"This time, our Great Qian Dynasty has mobilized its army solely to punish the murderers, settle blood debts, and forever secure our maritime borders!"

"From this day forward, any nation that dares to collude with the Eastern Barbarians and aid the wicked will be an enemy of my Great Qian, and I will show no leniency!"

Su Mu's words were firm and resounding, filled with murderous intent.

Yun Lan felt increasingly fortunate that Liu Yu had realized her mistake in time and decisively chosen sides; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Immediately afterwards, Su Mu changed the subject, his expression softening slightly: "But since the Liuyu Kingdom has realized its mistake, sincerely seeks friendship, and adheres to the principles of good neighborliness, our Great Qian will naturally gladly accept it."

Xiao Jingyu, who was standing to the side, chimed in at the right moment, with a gentle smile: "Prime Minister, rest assured, we are already aware of Liuyu's sincerity."

"I will immediately report Liu Yu's position to His Majesty. When King Yu Linyuan arrives in the capital, our Great Qian will certainly treat him with courtesy and establish a lasting friendly diplomatic relationship between our two countries."

Upon hearing this, Yun Lan felt a huge weight lifted from her heart and repeatedly bowed in gratitude.

Just as the three were chatting, steady and rapid footsteps sounded outside the tent. Qin Hao, dressed in iron armor, lifted the curtain and entered, kneeling on one knee with a powerful and resounding voice.

"Reporting to Elder Su and Your Highness! The entire 300,000-strong East China Sea fleet is fully prepared! Supplies, weapons, warships, and supplies are all ready. The soldiers are standing by, awaiting Elder Su's command, and we will set sail immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingyu immediately smiled and suggested, "Elder Su, since the three armies are already ready, why don't we all go to the city gate for a look?"

The intention behind this move is self-evident: to intimidate Liuyu with overwhelming military might, making her completely obedient and daring not to harbor any disloyal thoughts in the future.

Su Mu understood immediately and nodded slightly in agreement: "Alright."

Yun Lanzhi immediately stood up and respectfully asked, "If I may be so bold as to accompany you both to witness the army's might, so that upon returning home I may truthfully convey to my king the awe-inspiring power of the Great Qian Dynasty!"

"It is a blessing for both countries that the Prime Minister has this intention. Let us go and observe," Su Mu agreed calmly.

After saying this, the three of them walked out of the central command tent and climbed the high wall of Zhenhai Pass.

……

Looking out from this high vantage point, the military formation on the vast East China Sea is magnificent to the extreme!

The warships were lined up in neat rows, with thousands of sails standing tall and their iron armor gleaming. The boundless naval force stretched out on the sea, creating a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight.

Nine majestic and imposing Great Qian Dragon warships stood at the forefront of the formation, their towering heights like mountains, their black armor gleaming coldly, their massive cannons menacing, and their banners fluttering in the wind, resembling nine steel dragons lurking on the sea, suppressing the vast ocean!

Such a magnificent military display is far more awe-inspiring than it appears from afar.

At this moment, Yun Lanzhi stood on the city wall, looking at the scene before him. His breath hitched, his mind was in turmoil, and he felt nothing but endless awe.

At this moment, he fully understood that the Dongyi's arrogant clamor was nothing but the delusions of a frog in a well. The foundation and military strength of the Great Qian were not something that the Donghai Island Kingdom could shake in the slightest!

At this moment, the 300,000 soldiers below the city saw Su Mu on the city wall and instantly stood at attention.

All the soldiers raised their heads in unison, their eyes filled with reverence, and a deafening shout suddenly resounded between the sea and the sky!

"Greetings, Elder Su!!"

The roar surged, piercing the clouds and shaking the vast ocean; the morale of the army soared to the heavens!

Standing to the side, Yun Lanzhi witnessed the magnificent scene of the people's admiration and the army's loyalty, and his respect for this centenarian war god grew even stronger.

After the military review was completed, the sun set and dusk gradually fell.

Su Mu instructed Ye Qingzhou to properly accommodate the Liuyu delegation, providing them with fine food and lodging, and to fulfill his duties as host.

Yunlan politely declined the generous gift, requesting only to stay overnight so that he could witness firsthand the magnificent spectacle of the Great Qian Navy's expedition to the east across the sea before returning home to report back.

A night passes in the blink of an eye.

The next day, as dawn broke, the vast sea was dyed red.

Inside and outside Zhenhai Pass, the entire army stood solemnly, their imposing presence awe-inspiring.

Three hundred thousand naval soldiers boarded the ships, their armor neatly arranged, their swords and spears gleaming in the sun, their eyes resolute, their fighting spirit soaring.

Su Mu, clad in dark gold armor, his white hair fluttering in the wind, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, followed by Xiao Jingyu and Wang Ben, steadily ascending the main ship's command platform.

At this moment, 300,000 soldiers were waiting for Su Mu to give orders.

They all knew that today's battle was a war of revenge to settle blood feuds and crush the Eastern Barbarians!

Looking down at the vast, boundless fleet below, listening to the howling sea breeze and feeling the soaring fighting spirit of the three armies, Su Mu smiled.

He said in a deep, resounding voice, "All troops, listen to my command!"

"Set sail!"

"Cross the East China Sea and crush the Eastern Barbarians!"

At a single command, the sound resounded across the sea and sky!

Wang Ben, standing on the command platform of the main ship, suddenly raised his hand and waved the five-colored command flag in his hand!

Command flags fluttered, and orders were strictly enforced!

In an instant, the horns on the command warship roared to life.

The deep, resonant war horn pierced the sky and echoed throughout the entire sea!

Waaaaah!!

Thousands of warships sounded their horns in unison, their magnificent momentum shaking the four seas!

Nine colossal dragon-shaped warships were the first to raise their fluttering blue dragon banners, followed by millions of other warships raising their sails!

White sails like clouds, obscuring the sky and the sun!

On the vast blue sea, the enormous Daqian naval formation slowly began to move, with warships riding the wind and waves, heading towards the Dongyi territory on the other side of the East Sea!

With iron-willed sails raised, today we tread upon the Eastern Barbarians!

The blood feuds of the past will be settled today!