The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

Tian Kui suddenly opened his eyes.

Those eyes, which were already somewhat cloudy, were now filled with nothing but lifelessness.

He didn't look at Chen Liu, nor at his subordinates with their complex expressions. Instead, he turned around and slowly walked back to the main seat in the center of the command tent.

That was the place he had sat in for half his life.

He once stood here, surveying the landscape with great confidence and ambition.

Now, this place has become the end of his life.

He slowly sat down, straightened his armor—a symbol of his status as a great general—and made every movement with utmost solemnity.

It was as if he were not preparing to die, but rather to attend an important court assembly.

"Put your knives away."

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

The generals who were still holding their swords looked at each other, and finally lowered their arms in dejection.

The coach's intentions are very clear.

"General..." The lieutenant who had been the first to impulsively kill suddenly collapsed to his knees, tears welling in his eyes. "This humble general is incompetent! I could not protect you, General!"

"General! We'll fight them to the death! Even if it means death, we won't let you suffer such humiliation!"

"Yes, General! We are not afraid to die!"

The generals inside the tent all knelt down in a rush, their cries and calls for battle mingling together.

These people were his trusted confidants who had followed him for many years, and their grief and loyalty at this moment were genuine.

Tian Kui looked at them, a complex smile on his face.

There was relief, reluctance, and a sense of liberation.

"What are you crying about? What kind of behavior is this!"

Tian Kui barked, "None of the soldiers I, Tian Kui, lead are cowards!"

"If you lose a battle, you must accept it. If you are not as skilled as others, you must submit to it."

"Xiao Jingchen won, so he has the right to make any demands."

He stood up, walked step by step to the deputy general, and personally helped him up.

"Deputy General Zhang, how many years have you been with me?"

"Reporting to the General, it has been exactly twenty years," the deputy replied with tears in his eyes.

"Twenty years..." Tian Kui patted his shoulder. "Twenty years, I, Tian Kui, can honestly say that I have never treated you unfairly."

"Now, if I can exchange my old bones for you and the millions of brothers outside, it's worth it."

He turned around and glanced at all the kneeling generals in the tent.

"Get up, all of you!"

"Remember this: after I die, what you must do is not to avenge me, but to live on with your brothers."

"Only by surviving can there be hope. Do you understand?"

The generals wept uncontrollably, yet they still stood up as instructed.

Tian Kui nodded, then turned his gaze back to Chen Liu outside the tent.

"I can die."

"You can take my head too."

"But how can I believe that after I die, Xiao Jingchen will keep his promise and spare my men?"

This was his final question, and also the last safeguard he, as the commander-in-chief, sought to secure for his subordinates.

Chen Liu's face still held that cold expression.

"In the northern frontier, the Marquis's promise carries more weight than an imperial edict."

He offered no explanation, nor did he swear any oath; he simply stated a basic fact.

But this simple statement is more persuasive than any fancy words.

Yes, Xiao Jingchen.

The man who single-handedly suppressed a century-old border crisis in northern China.

That man who dared to openly defy the imperial decree and become an enemy of the entire court.

His reputation is indeed more reliable than anyone else's.

Because he is powerful enough that he disdains using lies to achieve his goals.

Tian Kui fell silent.

He knew he had no room for negotiation.

All he could do was choose to believe.

"it is good."

Tian Kui squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.

I promise you.

He glanced around at his men once more, as if trying to etch their faces into his mind.

"Pass on my orders."

His voice regained its usual composure and authority.

"From this moment forward, all troops of the punitive expeditionary force shall be disarmed and remain in place to await further orders from the Marquis of Zhenbei."

"No one is allowed to resist or cause trouble. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

"General!" the generals cried out in grief once again.

"Execute the order!" Tian Kui shouted sternly.

This was the last military order he issued as the Grand General.

"Yes……"

With tears in their eyes, the lieutenants accepted the order, turned around, and left the command tent to convey this command that could cause the entire army to collapse.

Soon, only Tian Kui and a few personal guards remained in the command tent.

And Chen Liu, standing outside the tent like a statue.

Tian Kui ignored Chen Liu and walked to the desk, spreading out a sheet of white paper.

He picked up his pen, but instead of writing immediately, he fell into a long silence.

He had a lot to say.

I want to write to my family in Beijing and tell them not to be sad for me.

I wanted to write this to my former political enemies in the court, to mock them for their eventual demise.

I would like to write to the Empress on the dragon throne, questioning her why she forced such a peerless hero to rebel, putting the vast land of the Great Yan Dynasty in such a dangerous situation.

But in the end, when he put pen to paper, he wrote a suicide note that was as simple as it could possibly be.

The letter was very simple, only stating that he had been defeated and incompetent, and deserved to die, and was willing to atone for his sins with his death.

The entire text makes no mention of Xiao Jingchen, nor does it delve into the origins or causes of the war.

He knew that this letter was written for Emperor Yan, but also for all the people of the world.

He couldn't praise Xiao Jingchen in the letter, or he would be branded as a traitor.

He couldn't speak ill of Xiao Jingchen, because the victor is king and the loser is villain; he no longer had the right to judge the winner.

Therefore, he could only take all the blame upon himself.

This was the last vestige of dignity he could retain as a general of the Great Yan Dynasty.

After finishing writing the letter, he carefully folded the paper, put it in an envelope, and handed it to one of his personal guards.

"Send someone to deliver this to the capital with the utmost urgency."

"Yes, General." The guard took the letter with trembling hands.

After doing all this, Tian Kui seemed to have all his strength drained away in an instant.

He stood up, took one last look at the command tent that had been with him for half his life, and then walked out of the tent step by step.

He walked slowly, but every step was exceptionally firm.

He walked past Chen Liu without looking at him.

He walked straight to the black coffin.

He reached out and gently stroked the rough coffin, a self-deprecating smile on his face.

"After a lifetime of military service, I never imagined that my final resting place would be such a flimsy coffin."

After saying that, he turned around, facing the direction of his millions of troops, and straightened his clothes.

Then, he slowly drew the sword from his waist.

That sword, symbolizing supreme glory, is called "The Great General Who Conquers the Scourge".

"Pfft!"

A soft sound.

Blood stained the sword's edge and the armor on his chest.

Tian Kui's body swayed, and then he fell straight backward.

Just then, he was poured into the coffin that had been prepared for him.

His eyes were still wide open, gazing towards the capital.

Do not look down.