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

In the blink of an eye, a chilling murderous intent filled the entire arena.

Ryosuke Takenaka stood frozen in front of Shigenobu Fujiwara, his palm strike still fierce and his fingertips still wielding a powerful force. If he moved just an inch further, he could instantly shatter Fujiwara's heart meridian and end his life.

But he eventually stopped.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he suppressed the overwhelming killing intent in his heart.

He knew very well that the court was in disarray and the army was in turmoil. If he were to execute a high-ranking official in public, it would only throw the already crumbling Eastern Yi court into complete chaos, causing it to collapse both internally and externally, and crumble without a fight.

With the greater good at hand, personal grudges should be set aside for now!

Takenaka Ryosuke slowly withdrew his palm strike, his cold gaze fixed on Fujiwara Shigenobu, who was still in shock and trembling all over. His sarcastic words echoed throughout the hall.

"Lord Fujiwara is truly skilled!"

"It was you who vehemently encouraged His Majesty to launch a military invasion, clamoring to cross the sea to conquer Qian, plunder Jiangnan, and seize its wealth!"

"Now that the Great Qian army is at the Eastern Sea, you, who are greedy for life and cowardly like a tiger, are the first to jump out and advocate surrendering, becoming a vassal, and selling out your country for personal gain!"

"Fickle, cowardly, despicable, and two-faced—you truly are a 'pillar of the court' of my Eastern Barbarians!"

His scathing rebuke exposed the sordid nature of the matter, leaving Fujiwara Shigenobu red-faced, trembling, and speechless, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. He could only grit his teeth, utterly humiliated.

On the dragon throne, Ito Shinmu abruptly stood up and shouted sharply, "Stop!"

The authoritative shout subsided, and the hall finally returned to a moment of calm.

Ito Shinbu's chest heaved violently as he looked at Takenaka Ryosuke with a complex expression.

Ryosuke Takenaka's words were like a bucket of cold water, completely waking him from his lingering hope.

Yes!

The Eastern Barbarian army invaded the Great Qian Dynasty. Instead of retreating after defeat, they massacred hundreds of thousands of innocent people and burned down two prosperous cities. Their blood debts were immeasurable and their sins were heinous.

Such a deep-seated hatred is irreconcilable!

The Great Qian Dynasty mobilized its 300,000-strong navy for a long-distance expedition across the sea, not to accept surrender, but to crush the Eastern Barbarians and pay for their blood debts!

Surrendering is a dead end!

Ito Kamu suppressed his panic and anger, took a deep breath, suppressed all his timidity, looked directly at Takenaka Ryosuke, and asked in a deep voice.

"Ryosuke Takenaka, you are right. Things have come to this point, and surrendering will surely mean certain death."

"Now that things have come to this, I ask you, what should our Eastern Yi do to break this deadlock?"

Ryosuke Takenaka stood tall and proud, his gaze firm, his tone resounding and powerful, showing no sign of backing down.

"Your Majesty! At this point, there is no turning back!"

"To seek peace is to die, to submit is to perish! We, the people of the Eastern Barbarians, must unite as one, abandon all other thoughts, and fight to the death!"

"Only by deploying 150,000 naval troops in a desperate battle to crush the 300,000-strong expeditionary naval force of the Great Qian Dynasty can we survive this desperate situation!"

Ito Shinbu's eyes flickered, his face showed hesitation, and he still lacked confidence deep down.

"But... the Great Qian Dynasty has a navy of 300,000 men, more than twice the strength of our Eastern Barbarians, with thousands of warships and giant ships pressing down on the sea. Do we Eastern Barbarians... really have a chance of winning?"

Seeing the Emperor's wavering and cowardice, Takenaka Ryosuke immediately seized the opportunity, accurately grasping people's hearts, and loudly persuaded him.

"Your Majesty need not be afraid! A large army does not necessarily mean a skilled one, and great power does not guarantee victory!"

"The 300,000-strong navy that the Great Qian has dispatched this time may seem impressive, but in reality, most of them are hastily recruited soldiers who have only been trained for a few months!"

"Although numerous, their discipline is poor, their combat strength is weak, and they are unfamiliar with naval warfare!"

"In contrast, our 150,000-strong Eastern Barbarian navy has been stationed in the East China Sea year-round, training daily and seasoned in naval battles. Each soldier is an elite force, well-versed in naval warfare tactics, far superior to the new recruits of the Great Qian Dynasty!"

"Furthermore, the soldiers of the Great Qian Dynasty have embarked on a long-distance expedition across the sea, suffering from acclimatization issues, morale exhaustion, unfamiliarity with the topography of the East China Sea, and lack of knowledge about the undercurrents and reefs in the nearshore waters!"

"Our army is well-rested and ready, enjoys the advantage of terrain, and is fighting to defend our territory. We have the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support! Relying on our coastal advantage, we can intercept and encircle the exhausted enemy layer by layer, giving us a very high chance of victory!"

His tone shifted abruptly, his gaze sharpening, his voice impassioned, directly targeting the Emperor's ambitions.

"Your Majesty! This battle is both a catastrophic crisis and a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for our Eastern Barbarians!"

"If we achieve a great victory in this battle, crushing the main force of the Great Qian navy, we can seize control of the East China Sea in one fell swoop, and then march south to take over the prosperous Jiangnan region of the Great Qian!"

"By then, half of the Great Qian's territory will be in the hands of our Eastern Barbarians!"

"Your Majesty's eternal empire can be forged in a single day!"

Ryosuke Takenaka was originally a top strategist of the Eastern Barbarians. He was meticulous, eloquent, and most skilled at bewitching people and accurately grasping their weaknesses and desires.

After a thorough analysis of the pros and cons and a combination of persuasion and coercion, Ito Kamuyashi's ambition and fighting spirit were instantly ignited.

The cowardice of fearing the enemy gradually dissipated, replaced by boundless ambition and ruthless determination.

Ito Shinbu's eyes suddenly lit up, his aura changed abruptly, and he said in a deep voice, "That's excellent!"

"Crisis and opportunity coexist!"

"Victory means dominating the East China Sea and controlling the Jiangnan region; defeat means national ruin, family destruction, and utter annihilation!"

"We, the Eastern Barbarians, possess advantageous terrain and elite soldiers; what do we have to fear from the hundreds of thousands of new soldiers of the Great Qian Dynasty!"

He suddenly raised his hand, his tone resolute and impassioned:

"By imperial decree! The entire nation must prepare for war, and the entire army must fight to the death! We swear to live and die with the East China Sea!"

After speaking, he turned to Takenaka Ryosuke and asked in a deep voice, "In your opinion, how should I boost morale and stabilize the battle situation at this moment?"

Ryosuke Takenaka bowed deeply, his gaze resolute: "This humble subject humbly begs Your Majesty to personally lead the expedition!"

"As the ruler of a nation, Your Majesty's personal presence on the front lines, overseeing the coastal defenses and sharing the fate of the army alongside the soldiers, would greatly boost morale, inspiring the 150,000 naval troops to fight to the death without fear!"

Without hesitation, Ito Kamuyatsu declared loudly, "Granted!"

"Prepare the ships! I will personally proceed to the East China Sea battlefield immediately to oversee the army in a desperate battle!"

……

The East China Sea is vast and misty, with howling sea winds and rolling waves.

Along the coastal defense line of the Eastern Barbarians, 150,000 Eastern Barbarian naval troops were all arrayed, with thousands of warships arranged in layers to blockade the sea and stand ready for battle.

The battle flags fluttered in the sea breeze, and the atmosphere across the entire sea was tense and deadly.

At this moment, all the Dongyi soldiers knew perfectly well that they were facing an army of 300,000 Daqian naval forces, and that this was a battle for national destiny and a fight for life and death.

On the deck of the main warship, Commander-in-Chief Minamoto Yoshikiyo stood tall in his gleaming iron armor, his hands clenched into fists, his gaze fixed on the vast sea in the distance, his face solemn.

The soldiers around him were all tense and anxious, their hearts heavy with the weight of the 300,000 troops of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Minamoto no Yoshikiyo coldly swept his gaze over the soldiers, let out a cold snort, and his voice reverberated throughout the surrounding area.

"So what if it's 300,000?"

"They're just a bunch of greenhorns, inexperienced and hastily enlisted!"

"Our 150,000-strong Dongyi navy has guarded the East China Sea for generations. We are seasoned veterans, experts in naval warfare, and unparalleled in our bravery!"

"Today, let the Great Qian Dynasty know who the true maritime overlord is in this vast Eastern Sea!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the morale of the troops was stabilized, and the suppressed fighting spirit slowly rose.

Just then, an urgent report came from the warship behind: "Report! Commander-in-Chief! His Majesty the Emperor has personally led the expedition and has arrived at the rear of the sea area. Board the flagship immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Minamoto no Yoshikiyo was shocked, his face filled with astonishment, and then he was overjoyed!

He never expected that, in this critical moment of life and death, the Emperor would brave the dangers of war and personally rush to the front line!

The Emperor personally led the expedition!

These four words are enough to completely ignite the morale of the three armies, making all soldiers fearless and determined to fight to the death!

In a short while, a royal warship, gilded and inlaid with jade, and entirely golden in color, broke through the waves and came to a steady stop beside the main ship.

Dressed in golden armor, with a sharp samurai sword at his waist, Ito Shinbu stood tall and imposing, exuding a powerful aura.

Ryosuke Takenaka, Gennosuke Shimazu, Shigenobu Fujiwara, and other civil and military officials followed closely behind, stepping onto the deck of the main ship in turn.

Minamoto no Yoshikiyo immediately led his generals to kneel on one knee and loudly proclaim, "Your subject, Minamoto no Yoshikiyo, pays respects to Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise, my subject!" Ito Shinmu raised his hand to signal, then strode onto the command platform, looking down at the densely packed Eastern Yi soldiers below.

"All soldiers, listen to my command!"

"The Great Qian, relying on its strength, bullies the weak, sending hundreds of thousands of newly recruited soldiers from afar to attack, attempting to trample and slaughter our Eastern Barbarians!"

"Their army has marched a long distance and is exhausted. They are unfamiliar with naval warfare and the terrain. Although they outnumber us, they are actually no match for us!"

"We, the sons of the Eastern Barbarians, are all brave and skilled in battle, each capable of fighting against a hundred, defending our land and protecting our country!"

"Today, I will personally go to the battlefield to fight alongside you all, sharing life and death!"

"In this battle, we swear to fight to the death to repel the Great Qian rebels, protect our territory, safeguard our homeland, and uphold the might of the Eastern Barbarians!"

His impassioned speech instantly ignited the passion in the hearts of all the soldiers!

The long-suppressed fighting spirit erupted completely. All the soldiers had bloodshot eyes and were filled with boundless fighting spirit. They raised their arms and shouted in unison!

"The Eastern Barbarians will surely prevail! Long live the Emperor!!"

The earth-shattering shouts resounded across the vast sea and soared into the sky!

Minamoto no Yoshikiyo immediately issued a loud order, commanding his men to spread the news of the Emperor's personal expedition to every warship in the entire army!

In an instant, the good news spread throughout the 150,000-strong navy, and the morale of the entire army soared, and the army's morale was completely stabilized!

woo woo woo...

The rousing and sharp war horns sounded one after another, layer upon layer, resounding throughout the entire East China Sea, with a magnificent and awe-inspiring sound!

……

On the vast East China Sea, the morning mist gradually dissipates, revealing shimmering water.

On the boundless sea, countless white sails stretched to the clouds and giant ships lined up in formation. The mighty 300,000-strong navy of the Great Qian broke through the morning mist and slowly appeared at the border of the Eastern Yi Sea!

A thousand sails raced forth, and giant ships surged forward, creating an atmosphere of overwhelming killing intent!

On the command platform of the flagship, the giant Youlong, Su Mu, clad in full armor, his white hair billowing in the wind, calmly gazed at the Dongyi navy arrayed in front of him.

Xiao Jingyu, Qin Hao, Xu Cheng, Zhao Tieniu and other generals stood solemnly on either side of him.

The rugged, bold, and valiant Zhao Tieniu gazed at the densely packed Eastern Yi warships ahead, listening to the rising and falling horns and shouts of the enemy, and grinned coldly:

"Old Su, these Eastern barbarians are quite noisy!"

"The battle hasn't even started yet, but they're already sounding the bugles all over the place. They're just trying to show off and boost their morale in front of us!"

Xiao Jingyu's sharp gaze locked onto the unique golden royal flagship in the enemy formation at a glance. His eyes darkened slightly as he slowly spoke.

"No wonder the morale of the Eastern Barbarian navy is soaring and their fighting spirit is high. It seems that Ito Jintake has come in person."

"The Emperor of the Eastern Barbarians personally led the expedition, which gave these Eastern Barbarian bandits a real boost of morale."

Upon hearing this, a faint, cold smile flashed across Su Mu's aged eyes. His expression remained calm, and he spoke in a composed tone:

"The emperor's personal command would only increase the show of force."

"Since they've gone to such lengths to boost morale, then I'll personally crush their arrogance!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Mu turned to his side and gave a deep order.

"tractor."

"Go and bring up Shimazu Ryunosuke and Takenaka Hei!"