Between heaven and earth, it seemed that at this moment, the sound of hooves trampling on the snow could be heard everywhere.
The cavalry unit was indeed the most elite part of the garrison army in Xuanling Commandery, numbering several thousand soldiers. At this moment, led by the Xuanling Commandery Lord, they hurried to this location.
Along the street, the sound of horse hooves reverberated, seemingly shaking the snow away at this moment.
Numerous figures rushed from one end of the long street, and then, when they were hundreds of feet away from the Great Liang Emperor, they pulled the reins in unison, causing countless war horses crowded on the street to come to a simultaneous halt. Such an occurrence might appear ordinary, but it actually highlighted the usual discipline of this cavalry unit and, in some aspects, demonstrated its combat power.
The leading general was naturally Wei Feng.
Upon arriving, he dismounted first, and then countless riders also dismounted. After Wei Feng knelt down on one knee, the others followed suit, their movements uniform and virtually indistinguishable.
Apart from the frontier army in the Northern Frontier, there were few military units in the Great Liang Dynasty that could exhibit such behavior.
Kneeling on one knee, Wei Feng solemnly said, "This general arrived late to rescue, I request Your Majesty to punish me!"
After saying these words, Wei Feng did not lift his head. He merely looked at the shattered hem of the emperor's robe, thinking about many things. There was no need to kneel when wearing armor, this was written in the laws of the Great Liang. Even though he had come here today, there was actually no need for him to kneel. A slight bow would have sufficed. However, facing such an Emperor who had managed to survive under the joint attack of three experts in the Nepenthe Realm, any amount of respect would still be insufficient.
The Great Liang Emperor remained silent. He just calmly looked at the group of riders before him. These people did not dare to look at him and kept their heads lowered. But, he could still sense many people's emotions. Many among these riders had come from the Northern Frontier, having retired from the Great Wall. At this moment, they had already learned about many things. Hence, their feelings toward this emperor, whom they had originally thought they would never see in their lifetime, had become extremely fervent. However, at this moment, they could only suppress those emotions firmly.
The Great Liang Emperor arrived not far in front of Wei Feng, but still said nothing. But, it gave Wei Feng a great sense of pressure. Sensing the figure in front of him, it was as if a towering mountain pressed down on his back, making it difficult for him to breathe.
"I remember you are a distinguished disciple of that Great General. He once had high expectations for you."
The Great Liang Emperor looked at the riders before him with a calm expression, but these words were directed at Wei Feng.
As one of the outstanding young talents on the Great Wall, he would indeed have a bright future if not for that incident.
If someone had said this to him at ordinary times, he could think of ten thousand replies. However, in the current situation, the person speaking these words left him unable to utter a single word.
Wei Feng fell into silence. He did not know the true intentions of the Great Liang Emperor.
At this moment, it seemed that nothing should be said.
"You suffered severe injuries at the Northern Frontier, and your future prospects became bleak. To you, coming here is no different from being banished."
Upon hearing this, Wei Feng finally spoke softly, "As long as it is for the Great Liang, this general can serve anywhere."
The Great Liang Emperor did not look at him; he simply said, "It seems that the injuries from back then have truly made your life difficult. You couldn't hear any sounds, nor could you see any scenery."
At this point, how could Wei Feng still not understand? He smiled bitterly, understanding that this was the last bit of dignity the Great Liang Emperor was leaving him. Immediately, he spoke, "Your Majesty, this general has grown old. Night after night, the injuries have been causing me constant suffering. I hope Your Majesty allows me to return to my hometown for retirement."
He spoke slowly, but his voice was firm. It echoed in the wind and snow, causing the deputy commander not far behind him to change his expression. One of them, who had followed him for many years, was about to speak up immediately. However, the other, a much older deputy commander, grabbed the hem of his skirt armor and remained silent.
His expression was very complicated.
Wei Feng was not old. Even with his injuries, he was only unable to step into the Nepenthe Realm. By relying on his formidable strength at the Great Beyond Realm, there was no problem serving as the garrison commander in Xuanling Commandery. At least for the next twenty years, he still had the qualifications.
But now, Wei Feng declaring that he wanted to retire back to his hometown was somewhat unexpected.
The deputy commander was quite puzzled as to why the Lord General would make such a declaration. However, the other deputy had long understood some things. The commotion in the Xuanling Commandery city had been so significant earlier that they should have gone out to investigate. However, because the Commander refused, they had been kept in the camp and not allowed to leave. There was already something suspicious about this matter. With three Nepenthe Realm powerhouses engaging in a fierce battle in Xuanling Commandery, the commotion was huge. As the garrison army of Xuanling Commandery, they should have come out to see what had happened. As the commanding general, it was impossible for Wei Feng to be unaware of this logic. However, in the end, he still stubbornly kept the tens of thousands of soldiers confined within the camp.
Now, arriving late, many people might not think much of it. But, it did not mean that everyone was a fool, especially this Emperor of the Great Liang. Such a character could not possibly be a fool.
Right now, the Great Liang Emperor was only taking away Wei Feng's military authority and making him leave. Although there might be multiple considerations, he was indeed already showing him mercy.
The gaze of the Great Liang Emperor pierced through the wind and snow, falling on the older deputy. He said calmly, "From today onwards, you are the garrison commander of this Xuanling Commandery."
The deputy did not hesitate, immediately kowtowing, "This general, Xu Ming, is willing to serve Your Majesty wholeheartedly, with no regrets even if facing certain death!"
Having served in the military for many years, Xu Ming had never lacked courage and loyalty. The reason he had not been able to take command of a military unit was simply a matter of luck. Now that the opportunity had come, how could he not seize it? Of course, he was well aware of the troubles that came with taking on this challenging role.
Even so, Xu Ming was unwilling to give up.
Watching the commanding general Wei Feng, whom he had followed for many years, casually lose his position as commanding general, and the deputy commander beside him immediately take up the position, it left the young deputy very confused. He wanted to speak again, and this time, he even wanted to stand up directly. However, halfway up, Xu Ming firmly pressed him down once again.
The Great Liang Emperor watched this scene without any thoughts or feelings. In a dynasty, how many people could he manage alone? For matters big and small, there had to be people of various ranks to handle them. There was no need for him to personally intervene.
Standing in the midst of the wind and snow, the Great Liang Emperor paid no attention to the dispirited Wei Feng. Considering that this former commander of Xuanling Commandery had made a significant mistake, the fact that he still had his life was already a fortunate thing. He should not expect more than that.
Far away, Yu Xiyi and Liu Banbi finally awakened from the overwhelming aura of the final sword move. At this moment, the two of them were still savoring the endless aftertastes of that final strike.
After coming back to their senses, Liu Banbi respectfully saluted Gan Yong who was now covered by the wind and snow from a distance. The last sword move of this blind old sword immortal not only displayed a lifetime of accumulated knowledge, but also provided a lucky chance for these two sword cultivators who were watching the battle. Typically, when a sword cultivator made a move, the intent to kill was full. But this person only had nine-tenths of that killing intent. The remaining one-tenth was for showcasing the sword move, specifically for these two observers.
After paying respects to the blind old sword immortal, Liu Banbi also saluted the Great Liang Emperor. Only then did he, along with Yu Xiyi, continue their journey southward.
In a great battle, especially when a sword immortal made his move, the benefits for these two depended on what each of them saw individually. Nevertheless, it was ultimately a form of legacy from a senior of Sword Dao to the juniors...
……
……
The small courtyard in the alley.
The knocking on the door sounded out once again.
The woman nervously looked toward the door, and the little girl behind her hid behind her mother, stealing glances at the entrance.
Previously, the entire Xuanling Commandery was enveloped in a terrifying aura. Although the woman did not know what had happened, she understood that at this moment, she should stay home and not go out.
However, when the knocking on the door sounded out, the woman inexplicably walked towards the entrance.
"Mum!"
The little girl called out.
The woman snapped out of her thoughts, and smiled at her, indicating that everything was fine. She took a deep breath and slowly approached the door, opening it gradually.
It was the same man.
He left and returned.
However, compared to when he left, the man standing before her now had torn and tattered clothes, and his complexion was even paler. Did he get frozen after going out?
The woman did not have time to think too much when the Great Liang Emperor took the initiative to say, "I'm hungry, is there still any food?"
The woman was taken aback, then nodded woodenly.
The Great Liang Emperor slowly walked in. The woman hurriedly went inside, took out the items she had put away earlier, and brewed a pot of hot tea along with some food.
"Warm yourself up, it's cold outside."
The woman looked at the Great Liang Emperor, somewhat hesitant as she asked, "What happened outside? Were you bullied? You wouldn't be bullied if you didn't provoke anyone. I know the neighbors. They might be a bit nasty with their words, but they're not bad people..."
The Great Liang Emperor did not speak. He just casually took a bite of the steamed bun, then picked up a piece of meat, ate a couple of bites, and finally spoke, "There was some trouble, but it's been resolved."
Hearing this, the woman breathed a sigh of relief. She did not harbor any particular thoughts about the man in front of her. She just felt a sense of closeness since he also returned from the North.
The Great Liang Emperor glanced at her and said indifferently, "Apart from the ten pieces of Great Liang general currency that were fleeced every month, is there anything else you want?"
The woman shook her head, "I don't want those ten coins, I haven't thought about asking for them either."
A woman like her, after feeling wronged, she usually just wanted to get what she deserved. If it was very troublesome or came at a significant cost to reclaim what was rightfully theirs, she would not think about it.
The Great Liang Emperor simply said, "Go and open the door."
The woman did not hear knocking, but she did not say anything and went to open the courtyard door.
As soon as she opened it, she was startled to see a group of people standing outside.
What surprised her even more was that everyone in this group was wearing official robes. It was clear that everyone ranging from the governor of Xuanling Commandery, down to the clerks in the government offices, had all arrived here.
The woman looked back in stupefaction.
The Great Liang Emperor was sitting under the eaves, saying, "Come in."
Hearing this, the woman was somewhat hesitant and did not turn around immediately, but the officials in front of her became even more nervous.
Especially the usually high and mighty governor of Xuanling Commandery. At this moment, in the cold winter, he broke out in cold sweat as he looked at the woman extremely nervously.
The woman wore a puzzled expression.
But she still quietly stepped aside.
The group of officials entered one by one.
Led by the governor, they silently knelt in the snowy courtyard.
No one dared to look at the Great Liang Emperor sitting under the eaves, and no one cared about whether they were kneeling in the icy snow. They knelt there, their hearts uneasy.
This person in front of him had almost died in Xuanling Commandery today.
If His Majesty had truly died, then in Xuanling Commandery, from the governor to the clerks, not a single person would be able to escape blame.
Of course, now that His Majesty had not died, while it was good news, it might not be so for them.
When His Majesty was engaged in a bloody battle here, not a single official from Xuanling Commandery appeared. What did that imply?
It meant dereliction of duty.
When investigated, none of them could escape.
The Great Liang Emperor looked at the officials kneeling before him. He was silent as he picked up a steamed bun and started eating again.
The woman stood nervously on the side, not daring to speak.
The snowfall grew heavier, but the entire courtyard remained silent.
Many officials were not cultivators, and enduring this bone-piercing chill was tough, but they had no choice.
The Great Liang Emperor sat quietly under the eaves, eating both meat and steamed buns.
The warmth from the stove could only be felt by him alone.
It was unknown how long had passed.
Outside the door, the sound of horse hooves echoed once again.
A thin official scrambled in from the entrance.
"I, Fang Qian, governor of Xinliu Prefecture, pay respects to Your Majesty!"
Hearing the two words "Your Majesty," the woman was shocked, almost unable to stand.
The other officials who had long lost sensation from kneeling felt a chilling cold all over.
In the land of a prefecture, this prefecture governor was already the highest-ranking official. Now that he had arrived, it seemed to signify that many things were finally about to begin.
The Great Liang Emperor paid no attention to the prefecture governor and instead looked at the shocked woman, saying calmly, "Before this, We didn't even dare to eat your meal, because We felt that We didn't have the qualifications. Now that We have eaten your food, We must seek justice for you and countless others."
Upon hearing this, the woman knelt down.
Tears streamed down her face as she choked speechlessly.
The Great Liang Emperor looked at the kneeling officials, "We naturally understand that not everyone in this world is a good person. Among the officials in the court, the upright ones are few. We can tolerate those who are greedy for money and those who are lustful, but there are some things that can be done, some that cannot be done. Since you've done them, We will tell you the consequences."
The words of the Great Liang Emperor fell onto the hearts of everyone present, one by one.
"We don't expect you to be grateful to those people on the Northern Frontier city walls. You people even normally mock them as foolish, joking about their stupidity after having a hearty meal and drink. Instead of enjoying comfortable lives, they chose to go North and risk their lives fighting demons. What a bunch of foolish martial artists, but that's not the main issue. Keeping it to yourselves, and saying it to your friends, though unsightly, doesn't violate the laws of Great Liang. However, they sacrificed themselves, but you people are pocketing the money from their sacrifices. That, We cannot accept."
The Great Liang Emperor sighed, looking at them as he said softly, "If you want to drink their blood, We will make you lose your lives as well."
