You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

"Not that General Shen from last time?"

"Yes, they actually sent a feudal lord to lead the troops. I heard he was quite enthusiastic, so High Priest Feng Tianyin gave special approval for the deployment."

"Whoever comes could pose a threat to Wangjiang. Be careful—"

rumble!

Suddenly, the earth rumbled and the vegetation swayed as a cavalry unit under the banner of the Nanqiu city-state swiftly arrived. They moved with lightning speed, blocking the Wangjiang army's advance and protecting the believers.

Their attitudes were crystal clear; their positions on the Heavenly Dao Sect were completely opposite.

"You actually killed innocent people?"

The leading officer confronted them aggressively, raising the guard even on the side facing the river.

"Which of us soldiers hasn't done something bullying? Isn't that why I joined the army?"

"If a soldier from the Great Qian Dynasty said that, he would be severely punished."

"Stop talking nonsense."

“You’re really being unreasonable. For the sake of these people, we have to teach you a lesson.”

"Alright, bring it on then, who's afraid of who?"

Despite this, neither side drew their weapons, instead engaging in a fistfight, exchanging blows and kicks. They used wrestling, slamming, and punching techniques to exchange blows without weapons.

They were already physically strong, and the weight of their armor made each strike powerful.

Bang, bang, bang.

The scene was a lively brawl involving hundreds of people, with flying sand and stones, splattering blood, and teeth falling out from time to time, accompanied by screams of pain and shouts of killing.

The only bottom line of restraint is not to use weapons.

But beyond that, they went all out. Once people got carried away, they didn't care about anything else. Their adrenaline surged, and they completely forgot about the pain, beating people to death. Eventually, casualties began to appear on the scene...

Nanqiu received the news quickly.

Upon hearing the messenger's report, Lü Bo felt a wave of dizziness and gritted his teeth.

"So you're saying everyone's gone home now? But there were still over a dozen casualties?"

"Yes, it's still being tallied. Because the scene was a bloody mess with clothes scattered everywhere... it's very difficult to count or even distinguish them."

"Absolutely terrible."

Just from the description, you can tell how intense the battle was.

Don't underestimate human fists and feet. They are at least at the level of medium-sized wild beasts. Even without weapons, the weight of their armor and their trained fighting skills are enough to kill. It won't be a pretty sight.

That's the truth; what's already happened is pointless to dwell on it or resort to punishment.

The task was left to the warlord, while City Lord Lü Bo needed to consider his political influence. This matter would inevitably escalate and expand, even potentially turning into war, because he understood one thing:

Lin Jian, an old friend of the "River Python," would not swallow this insult and would be urged by Qingzhou to charge forward.

Be prepared for the worst.

"Send more troops to guard the border, the more the better, and be wary of other city-states as well."

"Sir, will the missionary conference still be held?"

"We must do it, and do it on a grand scale."

Since Lü Bo had made up his mind, his subordinates immediately obeyed. After all, they were all furious. How dare those scoundrels provoke them? Did they even respect Nanqiu? We helped them defend against the kin.

Simultaneously.

Lin Jian made the same decision at the very center of Wangjiang City.

"Let's send troops to prepare for battle. In the eyes of the world, we have already started the war, so there's nothing to worry about anymore. Let's get ready for battle."

He then looked at the envoy from Qingzhou.

The other party immediately replied, "We will lobby as many allies as possible in the southern city-states to help you, and we will also provide the necessary food and weapons... but we will not go to war with the Great Qian."

“I guess Daqian wouldn’t either. That high priest has a steady and reliable style of governance, and Nanqiu is just a pawn she put forward.”

"That's right, it's a pity our people lost their composure, and things have become difficult to handle."

A shadowy aura lingered in their eyes as they looked at each other.

Regret is pointless.

War is not far off, and the spring breeze seems to carry a hint of bloodshed.

The Lord's Mansion of Nanyuan City.

Erbala strode in, only to find that the host, Cheng Feng, had already prepared fine wine for him and Song Jingyun.

The rich aroma wafts out, and the sweet taste of rice wine lingers on the tongue.

"I won't stand on ceremony, please change to a larger cup."

As expected, the Great Khan drank it down without hesitation, as generous as ever. They had met once before, and upon meeting again, he was still the same, though Erbala's face now showed signs of vicissitude.

There aren't many people of his generation left, let alone those who can continue to stir up trouble on the stage of power.

However, their spirit and energy remain outstanding, full of fighting spirit.

At this moment, the high priest and the city lord exchanged a glance and understood why he had been sent. He was an experienced veteran general, with strong personal strength and expertise in cavalry warfare, making him a suitable candidate for the situation in the south.

"What is my mission?"

Cheng Feng solemnly opened the imperial decree, and Erbala bowed before him.

"Stay on high alert and be ready to intervene in the battle to maintain order at any time."

He then displayed Feng Tianyin's handwriting, which included detailed instructions and other orders, but the main theme was clear: to allow the affairs of the various city-states in the southern region to develop as they saw fit.

Bystanders.

At present, Daqian has decided to remain inactive while secretly exerting its influence.

Erbala, entrusted with this important task, was no impulsive person. He immediately nodded in understanding, realizing the implication. Then he changed the subject: "How about the missionary conference?"

“My people are in charge of organizing it. There have been some setbacks, but we are sure it will be held. Everyone is more determined now.”

Song Jingyun's answer was firm and unwavering.

The numerous deployments she controls are still operating stably and will not be affected by any conflict.

On the contrary, given the organization and cohesion of the Heavenly Dao Sect, this level of provocation will only strengthen their unity. Therefore, Nan Yuan's real task now is to respond to Nan Qiu's missionary conference, maintain the safety of relevant personnel as much as possible, and treat the wounded.

This is enough.

"Okay, we'll just wait and see how things go."

Erbala may look burly, but he is actually patient. He immediately sat down and calmly drank his wine.

"Don't worry, everyone, fermentation won't take too long," Cheng Feng said confidently. "War will be coming soon."

He wasn't just saying it casually.

The Great Qian Dynasty had long ago placed its people in the city-state armies. Although they did not directly control them, it was not difficult to instigate war and ignite conflict from the grassroots level. Since they had already started fighting, there were plenty of openings to ignite conflict.

In fact, the war escalated as soon as they read out Feng Tianyin's order.

Nanqiu.

The two armies at the border were on the verge of war, exuding murderous intent and disliking each other, eager to fight.

Just as they were facing off, a few arrows suddenly shot into the enemy formations on both sides.

Someone immediately cried out in pain and collapsed, nearly causing a commotion in the ranks. Although it was a simple and brutal provocation, it was very effective. Both sides, united in purpose, immediately engaged in combat, and in an instant, swords flashed and shadows danced.

Unlike the previous hand-to-hand combat.

This time, weapons were truly used, including cavalry charges and chariot sweeps. Both sides were really angry and determined to teach the other a lesson before stopping, or else they would continue!

They no longer cared about the so-called conspiracies or beliefs behind it; all that remained was the pure desire to fight.

"kill! "

Amidst deafening roars, flesh and blood flew everywhere as people fought and struggled for the spoils.

Moreover, after the battle between the city-states of Nanqiu and Wangjiang officially broke out, the other city-states in the southern section also gradually divided into camps and became wary of each other.

A larger-scale war is brewing.

Feng Tianyin, far away in Xiayi, was the first to know, because the status notification bar had already been refreshed:

The event "War of the City-States in the Southern Section of the Great Plains" broke out.

She glanced at the details and found them to be roughly the same as she had predicted. In truth, the conflicts between them went far beyond mere faith. Over the years, some city-states had benefited from the trade dividends of the Great Qian Dynasty, while others hadn't, naturally generating jealousy, anger, and hatred…

War support +10

Multiple factors combined with their historical conflicts, such as fighting over water resources and arable land, often resulted in deaths.

There have always been frictions at the grassroots level, with villages as the unit of communication.

This behavior has been suppressed within the territory of Daqian because Feng Tianyin extended her rule to the grassroots level, but it has become increasingly rampant in the city-states, where everyone has some blood on their hands and gets angry at the slightest provocation.

Not surprisingly.

She was the mastermind behind this from beginning to end, which is not surprising.

"Pass down the order to increase logistical supplies to the Southern Plains. An army marches on its stomach; the war there will ultimately be ours to end. If we want a quick victory, we need to invest heavily. Be prepared."

At Feng Tianyin's command, the temple's higher-ups responded immediately.

No one questioned why the high priest knew about the message before it even reached him via carrier pigeon.

She has many special qualities.

Their psychic perception is extraordinary; they use methods to learn about things thousands of miles away, and the key is to make targeted deployments.

The central government of the Great Qian Dynasty unanimously decided to add fuel to the fire.

No need for extra measures, just provide more supplies. You focus on fighting the war; leave the rest to us. Everyone has their own expertise, so don't worry about farming or other such matters; just focus on the war.

Lü Bo, the leader of the Nanqiu city-state, naturally understood the intention behind it.

It doesn't matter.

He had always been loyal to the Great Qian Dynasty, so this was just a way of showing his loyalty and making the war even more exciting.