Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

......

Xiao Lue was truly excited tonight.

He sat in the makeshift military tent, holding a bowl of tea.

The neighing of horses, the clanging of swords and armor, and even the chirping of crickets and frogs outside the tent sounded to him like the drums of war signaling his imminent ascent to the pinnacle of his life.

He first went to the battlefield at the age of sixteen, and is now seventy-four.

It has been fifty-eight years.

He was once again overcome with passion and his heart was pounding.

The imperial court is weak. The Great Yan Dynasty is now the domain of the powerful and wealthy, the domain of aristocratic families, and the domain of those who are born to step on the bones of others.

And the world... will be shocked by Xiao Lue tonight.

The imperial court only had so many people and troops, and they all came out.

The Great Yan Dynasty is truly finished.

The Xiao family no longer needs to be confined to a corner of the world.

He picked up the bowl of herbal tea and slowly raised it towards Lulong.

"With our ancestors above, and with military duties to attend to today, Xiao Lue cannot make an exception and can only serve tea instead of wine."

"My unworthy descendant Xiao Lue is leading 50,000 Lu Long soldiers on an expedition today. We can either contend for supremacy in the Central Plains or defend our own territory. If we succeed, the Xiao family will no longer be a remote and isolated vassal state, but the rulers of the world who will enter the capital."

"May our ancestors strengthen the mighty lion of Lulong!"

A bowl of cold tea was spilled on the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Xiao Lue's only regret was that he did not go to war carrying a coffin.

Such a willingness to die for a cause should leave a significant mark on history.

Seventy-four and eighty-three are hurdles in life.

At his age, he actually had no desire for power anymore.

All I wanted was to be remembered in history.

The Xiao family members are well-read; this is the ultimate dream of scholars.

He lacked academic knowledge and was unable to produce a masterpiece; he could only achieve this through military achievements.

He sighed.

He poured himself another bowl of tea.

"I'm getting old, and yet I still have such a pleasant surprise, and it went so smoothly. It's true that heaven hasn't abandoned me."

He was leisurely preparing to have another drink, but suddenly stopped.

Yes, isn't this going too smoothly?

It's almost unbelievable that things are going so smoothly.

The Iron Fist Army, painstakingly built up by the imperial court, is about to be captured like a turtle in a jar by them.

It's like someone wrote a script in advance, and everyone is just acting according to it?

Doubts arose in his mind.

At that moment, Chen Shao's voice came from outside the tent.

"Old General!"

Suddenly, the curtain was lifted.

Xiao Lue raised his head and saw Chen Shao standing at the tent entrance, holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade upside down in his hand.

"It's almost time."

Chen Shao solemnly said:

"Success or failure hinges on this one move. We must capture the Iron Fist Army, discreetly enter the capital, and use the emperor to command the feudal lords."

"Entering the court without bowing, wearing sword and shoes in the palace, praising without naming, saving the people from dire straits, and rescuing the nation from imminent collapse."

One sentence, like a shot of adrenaline, shot into Xiao Lue's heart.

Those doubts vanished instantly.

He seemed to see himself holding a sword as he went to court, with all the officials bowing their heads and not daring to speak.

Chen Shao laughed loudly:

"In this old age, I am seized by a youthful madness, leading a yellow dog on the left and a falcon on the right, wearing a brocade hat and a sable coat, with a thousand horsemen sweeping across the plains."

"Though drunk, my heart and spirit remain open; though my temples are slightly frosted, what does it matter! When will the emperor send Feng Tang to serve me, holding the imperial staff in the clouds?"

"ah..."

Xiao Lue felt something blocking his chest.

This... this...

"Isn't the Immortal Master ignorant of poetry...?"

"How could I not understand poetry? It's just that it's not appropriate for the occasion. Now that we're about to go to war, I couldn't help but blurt it out."

"I am not boasting, but this poem will surely help the old general to be remembered in history."

"That's incredibly impressive!"

I dare not say whether the Xiao family members can write something good.

But their ability to appreciate quality is absolutely top-notch.

Although these few sentences may seem incomplete, their place in history is already a foregone conclusion.

The power of a good poem... to put it this way, even a courtesan who possesses it can be remembered in history.

Xiao Lue was overjoyed.

"This is the day I've been waiting for my whole life!"

He donned his armor and helmet, and took a long spear.

Stepping out of the tent, the night breeze felt refreshing and invigorating.

"I feel like I'm twenty years old."

Chen Shao laughed loudly:

"This is because people are in high spirits when they have a happy event."

Soon, the army was arrayed, a dark, imposing mass.

The Xiao family army was indeed elite; even with so many people and a night raid, they showed no panic and remained completely silent.

The soldier had a wooden stick in his mouth, and the warhorse's hooves were wrapped in strips of cloth.

As agreed beforehand.

The Yellow Turban army began to split up and take a detour, led by Aluminum Cloth.

Chen Shaoze and Xiao Lue led an army of 50,000 to attack from the main entrance of Shangfang Valley.

"Let's go, old general."

The army moved silently into the valley.

The further you go in, the straighter the stone walls on both sides become.

Deep within the valley, the light of a campfire still lingers.

"The imperial court is quite cautious, actually stationing its troops so deep inside."

Chen Shao led his army while simultaneously trying to demoralize them.

Xiao Lue shook his head:

"It's less about being cautious and more about being foolish."

"In a place like this, how would they escape if attacked with fire?"

Xiao Lue suddenly felt a pang of unease. What if someone else attacked them with fire?

But then Chen Shao laughed loudly again:

"To gain fame and fortune on horseback is the mark of a true hero."

"General Xiao, are you ready?"

"Haha, what a fine saying: fame and fortune can be gained on horseback!"

"Immortal Master, it's such a waste that you're only a Taoist priest. If you were to enter the imperial court, you could easily become a Grand Secretary just by using your eloquence!"

Throughout the journey, Xiao never hesitated or had any doubts.

Chen Shao immediately offered a poem.

Such as:

Relying on Junmo's words to seal the affairs of the princes, one will succeed in a thousand bones.

Do not laugh at me, drunk and lying on the battlefield; how many have returned from ancient battles?

Please ascend the Lingyan Pavilion for a moment; which scholar has ever become a marquis of ten thousand households...?

Not to mention Xiao Lue, no one in this world can resist the charm of such brilliant sentences.

The deeper Xiao Lue went, the more ambitious he became.

The army continued to press forward.

The valley ahead gradually widened, and the firelight grew brighter and brighter.

The camps of the imperial army were already faintly discernible.

Chen Shao held the knife in his hand.

"Old general, if we don't charge now, when will we?"

After saying that, he took the lead and rushed out.

Xiao Lue's literary courage had long been burning brightly, and now, seeing Chen Shao's valiant prowess, his martial courage was about to explode as well.

He drew his sword and raised his arm, shouting.

"Lu Longjun, follow me, let's charge in!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

Fifty thousand elite soldiers from Lulong drew their swords and nocked their bows.

All the torches were lit.

Like a giant beast that had been hiding in the darkness for a long time, suddenly opening its blood-red maw.