It is said that the most important figure after god and parents are teachers. As a result, Lou Zigui would never do something so absurd such as scolding his respected teacher in public. However, his face had turned gloomy. âRespected teacher, weâll end the conversation here.â After coldly leaving this sentence, Lou Zigui turned to leave.
âSupreme Commander, could you listen to what this Taoist has to say?â Still acting like an immortal, Master Priest You spoke up.
âWhat does Master Priest want to say?â Lou Ziguiâs voice was not without sarcasm. âDo you want to remind me once more that Iâm the star of misfortune?â
âYou are,â Master Priest You looked at Lou Zigui, not giving him a chance to get angry. Master Priest You then continued, âWhen Supreme Commander was born, the cuckoo in the back garden of Lou Estate cried blood.â
âWhat are you trying to say?â Lou Zigui asked. What does this have to do with persuading him to fight for power?
âThis Taoist remembered the incident that night,â Master Priest You lowered his voice as he twirled his long beard, âThat night the cuckoo cried blood and the sky was misty. There were cries from Lou Estate saying the meteorological phenomenon was not clear. In fact, the mist was considered to be a negative omen. Supposedly, this meant the white ghost of the Yellow River was sending off his son. Only those who are destined to live a noble life would be able to survive something like this.â
Lou Zigui sneered, âMaster Priest, I respect you as my teacher's friend, but this does not mean you can talk nonsense in front of me.â
âIf Master Priest had not recommended you,â said Mister Huihu, âChengying, we wouldnât have a master and disciple relationship.â
âThere will be a day you will dance with death. When that day comes, you will dance alone,â Master Priest You looked straight into the eyes of the Lou Zigui, âBut after that day passes, no one else will be able to hinder your footsteps, Supreme Commander.â
Motherf**ker! Lou Zigui swore in his heart, turned and walked away.
Mister Huihu wanted to shout but Master Priest You patted his old friend on the back of his hand. âDonât panic, if it meant to be for your disciple then it is meant to be. He will figure it out for himself.â he smiled.
Outside the military tent, numerous Black Frost Cavalry generals stood in rows. They were all looking at Lou Zigui.
Lou Zigui looked at Fang Tang and Shen Mu, âMy respected teacher told you to kill Prince Zhi, so you killed him?â he barked.
Fang Tang shrunk his neck. Shen Mu had a nonchalant expression. âSupreme Commander found out?â
Fang Tangâs neck straightened again. âNing Guangyuan is not a good person. So what if we killed him? O-originally, His Majesty didnât want him alive either.â
âShut up!â Lou Zigui was furious when he heard Fang Tang mentioned His Majestyâs name.
Fang Tang countered, âNo one is sending rescue troops to help His Majesty. This includes the emperorâs relatives. Which one of them has not received benevolence from the emperor? Yet, they are all staying put. So why should our Black Frost Cavalry soldiers die?â
Lou Zigui no longer spoke. Instead, he lifted his leg and kicked Fang Tang to the ground. âSupreme Commander!â shouted a general.
Deng Rong gulped. He wanted to say His Majesty had been kind to them, but when he saw all his fellow comrades getting down on their knees, Deng Rong swallowed his words back. All those with military troops are staying put. Theyâve all received benevolence from the emperor!
âI see,â Lou Zigui nodded and growled, âYou are all joining hands to force me. If you want to follow me tomorrow, then do so. If you are unwilling to display your loyalty, then just stay here!â
The generals remained on their knees. Lou Zigui tossed his sleeve and left.
âDonât panic,â Master Priest You consoled Mister Huihu, âYour disciple did not kill anyone, right?â
Mister Huihuâs eyes briefly wavered before it turned listless. If his disciple was really loyal towards His Majesty, he wouldâve killed his subordinates for secretly killing a prince and begging him to abandon the emperor. Yet, he only kicked him? His anger was far lower than it should be.
Lou Zigui walked into his resting tent. Song Jin entered the tent without announcing himself.
âGet out,â Lou Zigui roared. âSupreme Commander!â exclaimed Song Jin. He stood in front of Lou Zigui.
âAre you planning to betray His Majesty too?â asked Lou Zigui. âHis Majesty has been kind to me,â Song Jin forced a smile.
âThen what more do you want to say!? Get out!â hollered Lou Zigui, pointing to the exit.
âSupreme Commander.â Song Jin got down on both knees and knelt in front of Lou Zigui. âDo you want me to personally throw you out?â asked Lou Zigui coldly.
âSupreme Commander, deep down you know that even if weâre able to save the capital, the ones that have stayed put will revolt. His Majesty would not forgive them. Even if His Majesty was magnanimous enough to let them go, none of them would believe it. After all, His Majesty crushed his own maternal clan. All the generals and border region governors will assume theyâd be punished.â Song Jin remained on his knees as he lifted his head and stared at Lou Zigui.
Lou Zigui listened in his seat.
âEveryone knows that His Majesty had saved Supreme Commanderâs life before,â Song Jin added, âBut if we protect His Majesty, we must protect the entire Ning Clan. Supreme Commander, Song Jin thinks they donât deserve it.â
âHis Majesty has already reclaimed all their assets and privileges.â Lou Zigui icily replied. âAs long as the imperial family exists, there will be corruption,â Song Jin reasoned, âAs long as Yongning dynasty remains, we martial artists will always be considered the inferior ones in the eyes of scholars.â
Lou Zigui was silent.
âBased on His Majestyâs abilities, he would be fine even if the capital city falls,â Song Jin inched in closer, âHis Majesty had never behaved like an emperor. He personally told me that the imperial throne was forced upon him. Supreme Commander, even if Yongning dynasty is extinguished, it does not mean His Majesty has to die. If you are in the position of power, you can decide how to deal with His Majesty. If Supreme Commander does not wish to control the world, you can present a new dynasty to His Majesty, right? â
âGet out!â Lou Zigui furiously waved his hand to dismiss Song Jin. Song Jin stood up. âSupreme Commander, I know you understand my words. Even when the crown prince was still alive, you had already turned Anyuanâs six provinces into Lou Clanâs rule.â
Lou Zigui lifted his eyes and stared at Song Jin. Song Jin bowed to Lou Zigui and left the tent.
Lou Zigui sat alone in the military tent all night. No one knew what thoughts went through his mind. That night, the Black Frost Cavalry barracks were very quiet. Even the horses neighed less than usual. Everyoneâs eyes were fixated at Lou Ziguiâs unlit tent. They were all waiting for their Supreme Commander to make his decision. Fang Tang believed his future would largely depend on Supreme Commanderâs choice.
At dawn, a team of mounted scouts that left the army several days ago returned back to the barracks. They had bad news for Lou Zigui.
âThis inferior one found out the valley soldiers ahead of us is led by the Left Tiger General Dou Yi. They are the subordinates and troops from the prince consort, Feng Jing.â The captain of this spy team stood in front of the Lou Zigui. He appeared exhausted but his voice was loud and clear.
âTheyâre preventing us from moving by blocking our path,â a general immediately shook his head, âSupreme Commander, we have yet to encounter the Northern Hu and the rebel forces, but we already have to fight this revolting group first.â
âEven if we get rid of those two, how many more of them are waiting for us?â Fang Tang spoke up, âBy the time weâre done fighting all these men, would we even make it in time to rescue the capital?â
âSupreme Commander,â another Black Frost Cavalry general muttered, âWeâre risking all our menâs lives. By the time this is over, will we still be able to save His Majesty?â
Suddenly, all the generals were indignant. Everyone had something to say. They didnât want to be so foolish.
âIn my opinion, we should turn back and occupy Qiufeng City first! We can discuss after we take over the city!â Out of all the generals, Fang Tangâs voice was the loudest.
âSupreme Commander,â Song Jin gazed at Lou Zigui, âIf we insist on going forward, perhaps Anyuan will be taken by those with ill intentions. If that happens, we wonât even have a way out.â
Lou Zigui knocked the table twice with his fingers. Silence fell on the tent, and all the generals had their eyes on their Supreme Commander.
âFang Tang, Deng Rong, listen up,â Lou Zigui instructed, âYou will each lead twenty thousand troops. Before the night falls, I want to see the heads of Dou Yi and Feng Jing.â
âSupreme Commander, are you still heading to the capital?â asked Fang Tang.
Lou Zigui coldly answered, âWhy? Are you going to go against me if I choose to head to the capital?â
âThis general does not dare.â Fang Tang instantly lowered his head.
âIf you canât bring back Dou Yi and Feng Jingâs heads, come see me with your heads.â Lou Zigui slammed the table.
âThis general will do as you bid!â Fang Tang and Deng Rong accepted the command and left the tent.
Standing outside the tent, Deng Rong gazed at Fang Tang with a complicated expression. âWeâre letting down His Majesty by doing this.â
Fang Tang lowered his head and kicked the stone at his feet. âIâm sorry.â Deng Rong also looked down at the floor.
âHis Majesty is a good person,â said Fang Tang, after kicking a few stones, âBut how could we let Supreme Commander lose this opportunity to take over the world for His Majesty? If we donât take it, thereâs a whole group of people after it!â
Deng Rong remained silent. Life savior or the country. How could one decide?
Fang Tang and Deng Rong each took twenty thousand troops and split into two roads. They charged towards the valley.
âSong Jin,â Lou Zigui commanded after sending Fang Tang and Deng Rong out. He handed a command arrow to Song Jin and named several generals. âYou guys take sixty thousand troops to Qiufeng City and conquer it.â
When the generals heard Lou Ziguiâs command, they were momentarily stunned. Then, they were overjoyed by the unexpected good news. Their Supreme Commander is going to occupy territory! He is going to seize the world!
âNow, you can rest assured. Supreme Commander knows what he wants. Which man wouldnât want to rule this great land?â Outside the military tent, Master Priest You smiled at Mister Huihu.
Mister Huihu nodded his head and the both of them turned around and went to the side.
A flock of wild geese migrating south for the winter were resting in the woods next to the military barracks. A-Ming the goose flew past the tents and saw the Black Frost Cavalry troops charging ahead.
âSupreme Commander isnât going to the capital anymore?â When Ah Ming returned to the woods, a companion immediately asked him.
âYes,â A-Ming nodded.
âI heard a lot of people want to kill Xiaoyao,â honked another goose, âSupreme Commander is just going to let the bad guys kill Xiaoyao?â
âDidnât the old man with the inscription on his face say something about the world yesterday?â a very young wild goose asked, âSupreme Commander wants to be emperor?â
âThis is mankind,â replied the oldest goose from the group. He shook his head. âHumans would do anything for power.â
The wild geese were speechless. So it turns out humans were terrible.
âLet's go,â A-Ming declared. The autumn sun had already risen. âWhen we pass by the capital, we must tell Xiaoyao the news so that the silly girl does not expect her Supreme Commander to save her.â
The wild geese flew up into the sky as Lou Zigui stepped out of his military tent. When he looked up at the sky, he saw a row of geese flying in the shape of the word âhuman 人â. They were heading south.
âSupreme Commander,â Shen Mu walked over to Lou Zigui and reported in a low voice, âSong Jin and the others have left.â
âMm.â
âHow about His Majesty?â
âHe wonât die,â Lou Zigui lightly replied. With Miss Ningâs ability, Lou Zigui believed her life wouldnât be endangered.