As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 360 The Pillar Collapses
The waves rippled with the wind, lapping against the boat in waves.

The large ship raised its sails and headed north.

Tian Hong stood on the deck, watching the land gradually recede into the distance.

I have mixed feelings in my heart.

"Oh my god...why is this happening?"

He lowered his eyes, tears welling up, two streams of bloody tears rolling down his face, and he murmured softly, "Your Majesty, this old minister... has failed the trust placed in him by Bei Lie..."

He had seen the Qian Yuan military god in his youth, full of vigor, which forced the ruler of Bei Lie to commit suicide to atone for his sins.

He had witnessed how Bei Lie had risen from the ashes and endured countless hardships to get to where he was today.

He vowed to dedicate his life to helping his powerful ruler unify the world and destroy enemy states.

however……

Time flies, and he has grown old.

This last chance was the closest he had ever come to destroying the Qian Yuan dynasty.

He has done his best.

However, by sheer coincidence, the sorcerer on the other side always managed to turn misfortune into good fortune and escape danger.

There are always new methods.

He tried his best not to reveal the slightest flaw, but even so, he was still forced to retreat in a sorry state by that person.

More than eighty years ago, Hou Buchen saved Qian Yuan.

Eighty years later, another extraordinary talent and general turned the tide.

Tian Hong has overcome many obstacles in his life, winning more than he has lost. He is very confident and proud.

However, at this moment, he felt a deep sense of frustration and powerlessness.

It seems I've lost my spirit.

There was nothing we could do; we tried our best, but we still couldn't win.

He had a vague feeling that if he quit this time, he would never be able to come back.

The ship sailed into the distance, carried by the wind and waves.

Fortunately... he did his best.

His soldiers were also saved.

When he looked away, Tian Hong felt as if his last breath... had dissipated.

My vision grew increasingly blurry, surrounded by Venus, and my strength was completely drained.

He swayed and then fell straight backward.

"General!!!"

Cheng Xinqing, who was always protecting him, stared wide-eyed and kept exclaiming in surprise.

They rushed forward to help him up.

The old general's hair was now gray, and he was on his deathbed.

A surprise attack across the sea, a lone force deep into enemy territory.

They once fought all the way to Yueyang, forcing Emperor Qian, Xiao Xinyue, to fight for his life.

This journey was equally challenging for Tian Hong, who carried immense mental pressure and a heavy workload.

He rarely got a good night's sleep.

They were constantly filling in the gaps and constantly reorganizing military affairs.

He knew that this journey was fraught with danger, and that the slightest mistake would lead to utter ruin.

Now, it's all over.

The large ship sailed north, the army returned home, utterly despondent.

His taut spirit snapped, and the breath he had been holding onto dissipated.

He was very tired and wanted to rest.

"General!!!"

"General!!!"

It felt like a heavy hammer had hit me on the head.

A buzzing sound filled his ears, and Cheng Xinqing was completely stunned.

They retreated safely, protecting the general well.

He was not mentally prepared to lose Tian Hong at all.

The sea breeze made the sails flutter, and everything around seemed to have faded away.

The old general in his arms had white hair and a withered face, as if all his life force had been drained away in that instant.

His life hung by a thread, his breath barely clinging to life.

Can a broken heart be cured?
Cheng Xinqing held Tian Hong in his arms, gently rocking him while calling out to him loudly.

His face was filled with sorrow.

"Xinqing... Xinqing..."

Tian Hong's vision was blurry, and he could only softly call out Cheng Xinqing's name.

He forced a smile and murmured, "I'm afraid it's not going to work out."

As soon as he saw the flood coming and spat out that mouthful of blood, he felt that he was already on the verge of death.

They held on until the army was safely withdrawn, and only then could they finally relax completely.

"General! General, you are still young! Don't say such things..."

"We're still waiting for you to lead us to retake Qian Yuan!"

The iron-willed general, who had remained unfazed even after Xiao Xinyue severed his arm, panicked at this moment, embracing the old general and weeping: "Please don't say such discouraging things..."

He had never seen Tian Hong show this side of himself before.

He leaned against Cheng Xinqing's chest, looking up at the vast, boundless sky, his eyes seeming somewhat vacant.

His gaze seemed to pierce through space, reaching a more distant direction, and beholding the ambitious monarch residing in the Tiger Palace: "Your Majesty, this old minister has failed in his duty and has no face to see you again..."

"Xinqing... the lives of us soldiers will now be in your hands."

"You've followed me for so long, remember this well..."

"The way of a general is to be cautious and decisive... Never betray the lives of your soldiers."

As if giving his last words, Tian Hong gave Cheng Xinqing his instructions.

This deputy general has been with him for many years. Although he cannot compare to the genius and extraordinary talent of Ji Yuting, he is still a steady and promising general who can shoulder responsibilities.

Cheng Xinqing just kept shaking his head and crying, "General! I'm not good enough yet, you still want to teach me..."

"What are you crying for, a grown man?"

It was clear that blood and tears had been shed not long ago.

Seeing Cheng Xinqing with tears streaming down his face, Tian Hong couldn't help but smile and scold him.

Help me up.

Seeing Tian Hong suddenly collapse, barely breathing.

The soldiers around him were silent and grieving.

Cheng Xinqing obediently helped him up and brought him to the bow of the boat.

Tian Hong shook his head, stood still, took the Northern Fierce Banner from a flag bearer, and with his last bit of strength, shook it vigorously.

The flags fluttered in the sea breeze.

The large ship parted the water and swayed with the waves.

As the sun sets, its afterglow paints the sky a hazy yellow.

Mingchen still has some compassion.

Before leaving, I made sure to leave him with a clear blue sky.

As Tian Hong gazed at the setting sun sinking behind the western mountains, he felt the sunlight was somewhat dazzling, as if it wanted to take his soul away from his body.

"Ha~"

He grinned, revealing a carefree smile, and turned to look at the generals of Beilie, proclaiming loudly: "One day, our Beilie iron cavalry will break through three passes and capture Yueyang. Our lord will reign supreme over the world, unifying the land. All soldiers, do not forget to give me a jug of strong wine, and tell me about that glorious and prosperous era!"

"Hahahaha~"

The laughter abruptly stopped.

The old general stood quietly at the bow of the ship, holding the flagpole.

His breath ceased, yet his back remained upright.

"General!!!"

With Cheng Xinqing's wailing as he knelt on the deck, grief reverberated throughout the entire fleet.

The pillar of the nation... has collapsed.

……

"Report!"

"General Ming, General Wang was ambushed by the Northern Lie at Linjiangang on Zhenghe Road. He annihilated 800 enemy troops, but suffered heavy casualties and was unable to pursue them further."

On the other side, outside Chengjin City, at the rear of the Qian Yuan army formation.

The scouts rushed over and reported some bad news to Mingchen.

Upon hearing this, Mingchen curled his lip and cursed inwardly, "This Wang Hong is indeed useless."

Mingchen had already warned them to be careful of enemy ambushes.

This guy is also prone to making mistakes due to his eagerness for quick success.

Even if Tian Hong were to flee in disarray, he would surely have made all the necessary arrangements.

We cannot let our guard down until the very last moment. Fortunately, the overall situation is already under control, and any minor mistakes are within our grasp.

"Report!"

"General Ming, General Bai has killed seven hundred enemy soldiers and pursued them straight into the sea."

"Report!"

"General Ming, the Northern Fierce Army has already boarded ships and fled."

……

Time passed slowly, and Mingchen remained calm and collected in the background.

He is a different type from Ling Yu and Xiao Xinyue.

He doesn't like to lead from the front, and he doesn't like to do everything himself.

Everything has been arranged; now it's up to the people below to carry it out.

As the sun set behind the western mountains, news kept arriving.

Bei Lie left, which was within Ming Chen's expectations.

He could have sent the birds to destroy the enemy ships, leaving this bunch of people here, unable to run anywhere.

However, this creates the prerequisite for a desperate, do-or-die situation.

The Beilie people are inherently warlike, like berserkers, and their forces outnumber those of Mingchen.

The will of a person under dire circumstances is terrifying.

It's either defeat or courage.

Mingchen didn't believe that a general like Tian Hong couldn't motivate these soldiers.

They were truly in dire straits, and they turned the tables and fought Mingchen's troops to the death.

Even with the morale severely damaged and supplies insufficient due to the water attack, Mingchen still had a hard time dealing with these troops who outnumbered him several times over.

Therefore, it's better to guide than to block. Rather than letting the pressure cause a breakdown, it's better to give them a way out and let them leave.

Those in positions of power do not focus on immediate gains or losses, but rather on the changing circumstances.

Mingchen's original goal was simply to keep Tian Hong stuck in place and freeze him in place.

It would be best to get rid of this swarm of buzzing flies.

The morale of the Northern Army collapsed, and escaping by boat was the best outcome for him.

Sending out several pursuing teams would only be a matter of chasing them away and playing the lottery.

We will annihilate as many as we can.

The main battlefield is still in the north.

"Alright! Let's call it a day..."

This dramatic, albeit thrilling, performance has essentially come to an end.

Mingchen glanced at the sunset and nodded slightly.

You can go back to His Majesty and ask for a reward.

However, just as he turned to leave, he seemed to realize something and paused in a daze.

The light from the Immortal Jade Record flashed by.

The ancient book, which only he could see, had turned a new page.

The old general, with his weathered face and white hair, stood tall and proud, holding the flag of the Northern Martyrs Army, looking ahead, tears of blood streaming down his face, his eyes filled with determination and perseverance.

Tian Hong, a loyal general who has fought countless battles.

Mingchen raised an eyebrow upon seeing this: "Hmm?"

Is Tian Hong dead?

How did you die?

Which pursuing force performed the great feat?
This was a pleasant surprise.

Did you win the prize?
The death of Tian Hong is perhaps a sad thing for the generals of Beilie.

But for Mingchen and Qianyuan, this is obviously a great thing.

Mingchen sent out pursuers, hoping to win a big prize.

But if we really can't catch up with them or kill them, then so be it.

Anyway, Tian Hong is old and probably doesn't have many years left to live.

This is the first time that outstanding individuals from other countries have been recorded in the Immortal Jade Record.

Will we fail if we use Tian Hong's methods to deal with Bei Lie's people?
Mingchen's mind raced with a thousand thoughts.

"General Ming?"

Several officials and attendants around him noticed that he had stopped and asked him questions as if to remind him.

Mingchen snapped out of his daze and unconsciously glanced eastward.

Tian Hong was a decisive and resourceful man, and his military campaigns were meticulous and thorough.

In some respects, he was one of the most formidable opponents he had ever encountered.

Even rivals can respect each other.

He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the departure of such a remarkable person.

Ultimately, no one can escape the cycle of life and death.

He shook his head, then said, "Let's go..."

……

Beilie, Qingcang City, Tiger Palace of the Imperial Palace.

Another busy day has passed, and Qin Lou suddenly feels a sense of emptiness. He wants to put down the memorial in his hand and go out for some fresh air.

He stepped out of Beilie's gate and gazed silently into the distance.

A day passed, and the sun set.

He is the ruler of a country, and he has many things to worry about.

At the start of the new year, the issue of grain production for farmers arises.

The question is whether the water channel connection can achieve the desired effect.

For frontline operations, troops and provisions were allocated.

Tian Hong led his isolated army deep into enemy territory, facing challenges in supplying the front lines and gathering intelligence.

……

The situation in the war seems unclear now. The plan to launch a surprise attack on Yueyang City has failed, and the regular army led by Ji Yuting has also failed to capture the two passes guarded by Ling Yu.

However, Qian Yuan's situation was even worse.

The internal strife of the Qian Yuan era hasn't been resolved yet!
Tian Hong's attack nearly killed Xiao Xinyue and stirred up trouble in the heart of Qian Yuan, leading to the alliance of the southern rebels.

Although Lingyu of the Northern Border is strong, it has few soldiers. After a period of attrition, it will surely be able to conquer the three passes, and then the entire northern lands of Qianyuan will belong to Beilie.

In the long run, the situation in Beilie is still positive.

But for some reason, Qin Lou felt inexplicably melancholy today.

I always felt like something was about to leave him.

"Your Majesty~"

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty!"

A messenger strode over and happened to see Qin Lou looking at the sky outside the Tiger Hall.

He swayed slightly, a somewhat excited smile on his face, and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has sent word that he is pregnant."

"Oh?"

His eldest princess, Qin Xuan, didn't love heroes like Ming Chen, but instead preferred the unambitious scholar, Tian Jia Erlang.

After Mingchen left gracefully, Qin Lou finally agreed to the marriage and allowed her to marry into the Tian family.

The slight grudge between the emperor and his minister over Mingchen's matter has dissipated.

The eldest princess was a bit willful, but she had no great ambitions and just wanted to live a comfortable life.

The couple loved each other, never argued or fought, lived harmoniously, and as time passed, they had a child.

This is a good thing!
Tian Jia Dalang is good in every way; he has three wives and concubines, but he still doesn't have a child.

The Tian family hasn't even reached three generations yet!

This vast family fortune seems to float in the air.

No matter how much Tian Hong serves the country and its people, he still has his own family, and he worries about them from time to time.

Now things are much better; his own daughter gave birth to his child.

I imagine he would be happy.

He's currently fighting far away, and when he returns and hears this good news, he'll probably faint with joy.

"Haha~ Is that so!"

Qin Lou laughed heartily, "Go and inform Imperial Physician Zhang immediately, and have him take a look at her."

"No... From now on, let Imperial Physician Zhang live in the Tian residence until Xuan'er gives birth."

"Yes!"

The messenger hurriedly left.

Upon receiving this news, Qin Lou seemed to feel better, and the inexplicable sorrow was washed away.

"Brother, my Xuan'er has done you a great service!"

"Come back and think carefully about your grandson's name!"

As he gazed at the afterglow of the setting sun, he sighed softly, "When you return in triumph, you must have a couple of drinks with me."

(End of this chapter)