National Division

Chapter 149 The Queen: Well said!

The next day, in the morning

At the foot of Heshan Mountain, in the wilderness, the Southern Imperial Guards from the capital had already set up tents, like dandelions scattered on the grass.

Inside the military tent, Shen Xian was discussing matters with his officers and generals. A map hung on the screen, showing the overall situation in Anzhou.

Ningyang and Linchuan were marked off, while the movements of the Corpse Yin Sect were also marked in the direction of Guhe, creating a complex and intertwined situation.

Shen Xian explained the situation to the newly arrived generals Fan and Chen, and said in a deep voice: "The Corpse Yin Sect's plan is mainly divided into two routes. The key is to take Guhe County, connect the north and south, and spread the corpse plague to Henan and Hebei to realize their conspiracy."

“Our government troops should wipe them out in Anzhou, and we must not allow the situation to continue to deteriorate,” Fan Zhongdao said.

Chen Jian also said, "These corpse demons must not be allowed to continue to expand, otherwise the world will truly descend into chaos."

The two generals had seen the corpses of the unburied demons and were horrified by what they saw.

If this corpse poison spreads throughout the world, no one will be able to escape unscathed!
Shen Xian nodded and said, "The best course of action is to extinguish the demonic flames as quickly as possible, but the situation is quite complicated because it is intertwined with the struggle between immortal forces. We need to unravel the mystery and find an opportunity to strike."

The eldest princess chimed in, "After learning that the Corpse Yin Sect had acquired the Immortal Relic Grotto, the Jade Purity Sect has already dispatched powerful figures."

Shen Xian nodded, looked at Xue Zhihua, and said, "Commander Xue, keep in constant contact with the seniors of the Shangqing Sect and the capital city in order to seize opportunities in battle."

The clash between immortal forces does not mean that the military battles of mortals are unimportant. If they can wipe out the corpse demons and low-to-mid-level combat power of the Corpse Yin Sect, it will surely shake the decisions of the Corpse Yin Sect's higher-ups.

This, like competing with advanced weaponry in later generations, does not mean excluding the impact of ordinary soldier casualties on war.

But his goal was not to defeat the Corpse Yin Sect, but to destroy its remaining forces.

Xue Zhihua, with her beautiful face as indifferent as frost, said, "Uncle Lin hasn't sent any new communication jade tablets recently."

Shen Xian thought for a moment and said, "Then let's wait for further news, but we can't just wait passively; we should also take some action."

At this moment, a burly general with a dark complexion and a pine-like physique entered the tent, clasped his hands, and reported, "General, the military governor of Weibo has arrived with his men."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian's face lit up with joy, and he said, "Gentlemen, the troops from Weibo have arrived. Let's go out and greet them."

As they spoke, Shen Xian led his generals out of the military tent and the camp, and onto the official road.

An Shouxin, the military governor of Weibo, was escorted by nearly a thousand soldiers. He led a group of officers and soldiers, dismounted from his horse on a row of saddled, chestnut-red steeds, and his imposing tiger-like eyes fell on Shen Xian.

He thought to himself, "This Marshal Shen is really too young. When I was this age, I was just an ordinary soldier in the Guard's Mansion."

By the time they were given command of the imperial banner and stationed in a region, they were already in their thirties or forties.

"This humble general, An Shouxin, the military governor of Weibo, greets Commander Shen." An Shouxin tossed his riding whip to his personal guard, took a few quick steps, his burly figure resembling a giant bear, and clasped his hands in greeting.

The officers behind him also clasped their hands in greeting.

Shen Xian stepped forward, helped An Shouxin up, and said gently, "General An has finally arrived."

An Shouxin said, "General Shen, after receiving the imperial decree, I dared not delay and immediately mobilized troops. This time, I am leading 20,000 troops from Anzhou to reinforce the battle in Anzhou."

A broad smile appeared on Shen Xian's face as he said, "General An, your arrival is just in time. I was just discussing the war with the generals guarding the left and right gates. General An is a veteran of the battlefield, so you can come in and offer your advice so that we can end the war as soon as possible."

With a smile on his face, An Shouxin spoke in a humble manner, saying, "General Shen is a strategist, while I, Old An, am merely a warrior with some bravery. I dare not accept such words from General Shen."

At this moment, some of the officers and soldiers behind An Shouxin looked annoyed upon seeing this scene.

The commander-in-chief has always been arrogant and looked down on everyone, so why is he so respectful to this young man who hasn't even started learning anything?

Shen Xian and An Shouxin entered the military tent arm in arm and introduced themselves to the two generals guarding the left and right gates, saying, "This is General Fan Zhong, the Left Gate Guard, and General Chen Jian, the Right Gate Guard."

"This humble general greets Commander An," the two generals said, clasping their hands in greeting.

After the officers from both sides exchanged greetings.

Shen Xian said, "Currently, the members of the Corpse Yin Sect are gathered in the Ningyang and Linchuan area, numbering about 60,000 to 70,000. There are also 10,000 to 20,000 corpse demons on the Guhe River. If our army wants to annihilate the members of the demonic sect, we should advance and encircle the two counties. Do any of you have any good strategies? Please share them."

In fact, this was a brainstorming session to gather opinions from all sides before the war.

After a moment's thought, General Fan Zhong of the Left Gate Guards said, "We are not familiar with the geography of Anzhou, nor do we know the relative strengths of the immortal cultivators on both sides. We request that Commander Shen deploy his troops. We, the Gate Guards, will obey your orders!"

Chen Jian also said firmly, "The commander-in-chief only needs to give the order, and the Right Gate Guard will certainly serve him to the death."

The two Imperial Guard officers from the Southern Office of the Central Government clearly had the right mindset.

Seeing this, Shen Xian turned to An Shouxin and asked, "Commander An, do you have a good plan to defeat the enemy?"

An Shouxin pondered for a moment and said, "In my humble opinion, given the current unclear situation of the enemy, we can use Heshan as our base and prioritize defense."

Shen Xian pondered for a moment.

An Shouxin asked, "Does the Commander-in-Chief have any other ideas?"

Shen Xian said, "If we want to defeat the enemy quickly, we should send the entire army to crush the demonic corpse demons with the force of a dark cloud pressing down on the city, without giving them a chance to make arrangements. But as for the immortal path, we don't know the details of the Corpse Yin Sect."

An Shouxin said, "The immortals of the Corpse Yin Sect have unfathomable and mysterious methods; they are indeed not to be underestimated."

"As for the immortal path, our Great Jing has already sent powerful figures to suppress the enemy's experts." Shen Xian nodded and said loudly, "Victory is the most important thing in war, not protracted battles. If we can quickly annihilate the corpse demons, the immortal path will also be able to alleviate a lot of pressure."

Upon hearing this, An Shouxin's deep-seated contempt lessened somewhat.

To be honest, my original intention was to assess the quality of the young man in front of me.

Unexpectedly, he actually had some skill in military campaigns.

Shen Xian said succinctly, "However, minimizing casualties is still the priority. Those corpse demons are driven by people from the demonic path. If we eliminate their ringleaders and then coordinate with a large army to wipe them out, we can achieve complete success."

Upon hearing this, An Shouxin exclaimed in surprise, "Then, General, you are so thorough in your planning. I'm afraid you must be able to seize the perfect moment to launch your attack."

One of the officers under An Shouxin glanced coldly at the young man and said, "General Shen, this humble general believes that we should end this battle quickly."

"What brilliant idea does this general have?" Shen Xian raised an eyebrow, his cool eyes flashing, and asked.

Xue Zhihua had previously said that the Wei Bo troops were arrogant and domineering, but seeing An Shouxin so submissive before, she thought it was contrary to the rumors. However, now, looking at the military officers under his command, it is clear that most of them are not convinced.

The general was none other than Liu Miao, a junior officer. His arrogant expression was filled with haughtiness as he said, "This humble general, leading five thousand elite soldiers, is more than capable of defeating the corpse demons of Linchuan!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals and officers of the Great Jing Army in the military tent showed expressions of surprise.

Upon hearing this, An Shouxin frowned, his gaze sharp, and he shouted, "Nonsense!"

Liu Miao said, "General, speed is of the essence in war. If we give those demonic cultivators more time, the casualties will likely be even greater!"

An Shouxin stared intently at Shen Xian, observing his expression, and said, "General Shen, the men below were rude and impudent. Please forgive them."

"A swift victory is important, but we must not underestimate the enemy or act rashly." Shen Xian said in a deep voice, his expression unconcerned. "This general is unaware of the enemy situation in Linchuan and is rashly leading his troops there. Putting aside the fact that the Corpse Yin Sect's demonic methods are ruthless and insidious, simply venturing into dangerous territory is tantamount to suicide."

An Shouxin said, "What the commander-in-chief says is very true."

As he spoke, he looked at the officer beside him and scolded, "Did you hear that? How many times have I told you before, do not underestimate the enemy and advance rashly. If you lose the army and disgrace the country, I will not forgive you!" The officer looked sullen upon hearing this.

Shen Xian paused slightly, then said in a deep voice, "The officers and soldiers under Commander An are eager for battle, which is a good thing."

Upon hearing this, An Shouxin said, "This battle relies on Commander Shen's command and coordination."

Shen Xian said, "In addition, in Weizhou, we also have to worry about the evil people of the Corpse Yin Sect who might launch a sneak attack."

“Weizhou still has 10,000 troops remaining, which can be dispatched to provide assistance at any time if there is an emergency,” An Shouxin said.

Shen Xian thought for a moment and said, "The demons of the Corpse Yin Sect may resort to their old tricks and stir up a zombie horde in the counties under the jurisdiction of Weizhou."

An Shouxin said, "General Shen's words make sense. These demonic people are treacherous and ruthless, and we must be wary of them."

Shen Xian nodded and said, "Commander Xue, the Vermilion Bird Division branch in Weizhou must fulfill its investigative duties and conduct early detection of demonic and evil people."

Hearing this, Xue Zhihua nodded in agreement.

Shen Xian then looked at the map hanging on the screen and said in a clear voice, "My army will rest for a while and then advance on Linchuan County tomorrow. The governor of Anzhou has already set up a formation in Linchuan County. My left and right guards will approach Linchuan County and launch a full-scale attack. In the Guhe area, another 15,000 troops will be dispatched to Heshan to await orders."

An Shouxin, the military governor of Weibo, rose and clasped his hands, saying, "This humble general will obey the commander's orders."

The officers and soldiers present all clasped their hands in agreement.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Xian said, "Have the kitchen prepare wine and dishes. I invite General An and the generals from Shendu to dine together."

The soldiers standing around responded in unison.

Xue Zhihua walked to Shen Xian's side and said, "Master's communication jade tablet."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian paused for a moment, exchanged a glance with the Princess beside him, and then left the military tent. He followed Xue Zhihua and the Princess out of the military tent and arrived at Xue Zhihua's military tent.

Xue Zhihua channeled her spiritual power into the communication jade tablet, and after a short while, the voice of the Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue came through: "Junior Brother, Zhihua."

Shen Xian said, "Senior Sister."

The Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue's tone was filled with complex emotions: "Your previous plan worked. According to a senior brother from the Jade Purity Sect, six Supreme Elders who were in seclusion went to Anzhou to try and seize that batch of Nine-Turn Elixir."

Shen Xian: "..."

Xue Zhihua's melodious voice carried a hint of playful joy: "That's a good thing."

Shen Xian glanced at Xue Zhihua and thought to himself, "Zhihua is on the run, isn't she?"
A playful glint appeared in the princess's beautiful eyes as she sneered, "The Jade Purity Sect is truly going all out, sending out six Supreme Elders at once. They're determined to win."

Shen Xian paused slightly, then said, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. The Corpse Yin Sect has obtained a Nine-Turn Pill that can help one transcend tribulations, so they will surely not be able to keep it."

“But the six aren’t fools either. As they investigate, they will surely discover something,” Grand Preceptor Murong Yue said in a low voice.

Shen Xian said, "It's alright. How could the Sect Master of the Corpse Yin Sect admit to such a pill? He will definitely hide it in every possible way. In the end, a fierce battle is inevitable."

The saying goes, "Since we're already here, it's perfectly normal to take the opportunity to subdue demons and monsters."

Murong Yue asked, "Junior brother, Her Majesty asked me to ask you about the situation in Guhe County and the military conflict at the Heshan front."

Shen Xian said, "The main force of the Left and Right Gate Guards has successfully arrived at Heshan. The military governor of Weibo has also led his troops to Guhe County. I just met with the military governor of Weibo to discuss the military situation."

Murong Yue then asked, "Junior Brother, what are your plans for deploying troops?"

"Now that the Jade Purity and Upper Purity sects have temporarily joined forces, the Corpse Yin Sect's advantage no longer exists. Our army should commit its entire force to kill as many of the Corpse Yin Sect's remaining forces as possible and completely destroy this sect!" Shen Xian's voice was as cold as a knife as he said this: "A demonic sect like the Corpse Yin Sect, which is so utterly devoid of conscience, is simply outrageous and deserving of death by everyone!"

At any time, the widespread use of weapons of mass destruction to slaughter unarmed civilians is a crime against humanity!
The Corpse Yin Sect, no one can hold them back!
He said it, Shen Xian!
"well said!"

Just then, a dignified and indifferent female voice came from the communication jade tablet, saying, "Mr. Shen is right. Everyone has the right to kill the Corpse Yin Sect, a demonic sect!"

"Your Majesty the Heavenly Empress." Murong Yue's voice called out to the Heavenly Empress came from the other end of the communication jade tablet.

Shen Xian said, "Your subject greets the Empress Dowager."

"Mr. Shen, the army has all moved into Heshan smoothly, right?" The Empress's voice carried a hint of intimacy.

"Your Majesty, the troops from Weibo and Shendu have arrived," Shen Xian reported.

The Empress's voice carried a chilling killing intent: "If possible this time, try to annihilate the Corpse Yin Sect's remaining forces!"

Shen Xian said, "Your Majesty, I will do my best."

"I have faith in your talent and strategic thinking, sir," the Empress praised, then asked, "Sir, is An Shouxin, the military governor of Weibo, by your side?"

Shen Xian replied, "Your Majesty, it's in the central command tent."

"Summon him here. I have a few words to say to him in person." The Empress's voice carried a hint of profound meaning.

Shen Xian responded softly, then instructed the guard beside him to invite An Shouxin over.

A moment later, An Shouxin came running over almost at breakneck speed, and said, "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

The Empress's familiar, authoritative voice rang out, carrying a hint of admonition: "Shouxin, Mr. Shen is the commander-in-chief of the army chosen by me. He is a man of great strategy and unparalleled talent. I know you are a brilliant general, but do not underestimate Mr. Shen because of his youth. We must work together to eradicate the evil demons."

Upon hearing this, An Shouxin clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. With demons and monsters running rampant, I have received Your Majesty's favor many times. How could I disregard the overall situation and act out of jealousy and envy? I will certainly do my best to assist you."

Shen Xian pondered for a moment and then said, "Your Majesty, as soon as Commander An arrived at Guhe, he immediately led his personal guards here, and his soldiers fought bravely to be the first to arrive."

The Empress Dowager further cautioned, "It is good to be happy to hear of war, but we must not underestimate the enemy or act rashly."

Then, he whispered to Shen Xian, "Mr. Shen, An Shouxin is a seasoned general with both wisdom and courage. You can discuss matters of military campaigns with him. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one."

Shen Xian's steady voice carried a hint of certainty as he said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will not be stubborn. With the nation in peril, I will ensure that nothing goes wrong."

The Empress gave a few more instructions before ending the communication with the jade tablet.

As Shen Xian spoke, he looked at An Shouxin and said, "Commander An, this time the corpse demon's scourge is different from ordinary battles. It involves the forces of the immortal path. I hope that you and I can work together to celebrate our victory."

He also didn't want to have an internal conflict with An Shouxin.

Just now, the diva gave An Shouxin a warning and also reminded him to pay attention to unity.

An Shouxin patted his chest and said, "What are you saying, Commander Shen? I've risked my life and gone through fire and water. If I, Old An, even flinched, I'd be a son of a bitch!"

He was also somewhat shocked that the Empress would give such a warning. The young man before him was so well-connected that he was truly someone to be wary of.

Shen Xian said, "It's getting late, Commander An. Let's go back to the central command tent for dinner. After dinner, we can discuss military matters."

He always felt that the Corpse Yin Sect had other tricks up its sleeve, but after all, the Corpse Yin Sect was the destroyer, and he represented the Great Jing Guardian, so he could only deal with whatever came his way.

……

……

(End of this chapter)