Secular Immortal of the Nine Realms - Chapter 68
Chapter 68: Our Tenacity Survives!
“You two brutes! Do you know why Longdu’s envoy is here today? You won’t be able to take responsibility if a war breaks out between Longdu and Great Xia as a result of your actions!” a furious bellow echoed.
Just then, Tao Yu and Ye Qinghe stepped out of the crowd with a group of young scions and scholars. Ye Qinghe pointed his finger at Xu Ge and Huangfu Jie and reprimanded them.
Some of Great Xia’s civilians fell into contemplation. Whispers could be heard amidst the crowd.
“He’s right. How many people will die if Longdu wages war against our Great Xia?”
“That’s not the worst yet. If we are defeated in a State War, we would have to pay Longdu an astronomical sum. By then, commoners like us wouldn’t be able to fill our stomachs anymore!”
“It’ll be best not to fight a war. War just causes death and makes us poor…”
Tao Yu was delighted to hear that the civilians didn’t want to go to war with Longdu. He opened his arms wide and spoke aloud, “War God Fang must still be dreaming of his days of glory. He’s taunting other countries to start a war, so that he would have a legitimate reason to take control of the army once more. You mustn’t be fooled by him!
“Great Xia is in no position to fight a war. We’d suffer a great setback if we let War God Fang have his way. By then, it’d be impossible for us to make a comeback anymore!”
“Young master Tao is right. The two of you are renowned martial artists of our Great Xia. It’d be wonderful if you can discern right from wrong and consider the interests of our people for once.”
“We might be able to avert this crisis if the two of you step aside and allow Longdu’s envoy to collect Viscount Zhou Xiu’s body. Think about how many lives would be saved!”
The young scions and scholars whom Tao Yu and Ye Qinghe brought with them also spoke their piece too.
“Step aside, Windcloud Sword. This matter concerns national security. You shouldn’t fool around here,” a martial artist stepped forward from the crowd and spoke up.
This martial artist was famous in the capital too, being once dubbed one of the top ten pinnacle Ki Explosion martial artists alongside Xu Ge.
A few other martial artists stepped forward too.
While they thought Zhou Xiu was deserving of punishment, they were still more inclined toward peace rather than war. The deaths of their family members and friends five years ago were still fresh in their minds. They didn’t want to go through that again.
Xu Ge glanced at the martial artists before shaking his head. “To think you’re martial artists. Have your brains gone rusty from your training? Longdu nobles have begun treating our people like livestock. A war is already inevitable. Do you think they’ll change for the better if we swallow our pride and back down here? You’d be naive if you think so.”
The crowd fell in deep thought. Deep down, they knew Xu Ge was right. Even so, they couldn’t help but think that they could at least enjoy another day of peace if they delayed the war.
Great Xia was in no position to engage in a State War. Fang Chen was at Ki Manifestation, yes, but even if he could subdue ten thousand soldiers, could he oppose a million soldiers all on his own?
“Hah.” Huangfu Jie sneered at the martial artists. He turned to Tao Yu and scoffed, “I would have never thought our people would become so cowardly. They would sell out their dignity and future for the sake of intermittent peace. You’d rather remain lambs waiting to be slaughtered than to muster your courage to fight against fate.”
“What do you mean?” Ye Qinghe’s eyes turned cold.
“Nothing much. Even a martial artist like me can see that our Great Xia ought to band together in this moment of vulnerability to fight against enemies who try to trample on us, rather than to act like a bunch of helpless sheeps awaiting our enemies’ butcher knives.”
Huangfu Jie burst into laughter. He pointed at the crowd and questioned, “If the ones being hunted like livestock are your parents, your spouse, and your siblings, would you still continue tolerating our enemies’ oppression for the sake of peace?”
He paused for a second before adding, “Such a pity I wasn’t around when War God Fang purged Greenpine’s martial artists from the capital, or else I could have killed some with my own hands. Do you think War God Fang purged them because they humiliated our people? Hahaha! If that’s what you think, you’re being too short-sighted. War God Fang was telling Greenpine that Great Xia remains as ferocious as ever. Our tenacity survives!”
“Our tenacity survives…”
Many Great Xia civilians in the area lowered their heads in deep thought. Their eyes slowly lit up, as their view on the matter began to change.
“A boor dares to utter nonsense!”
Tao Mingsheng had reached the city gate with his people at some point in time, and he ordered one of his officials to lower Zhou Xiu’s body. The official cursed under his breath, but he couldn’t defy Tao Mingsheng’s direct order.
Just then, a number of Great Xia’s civilians took a step forward and glared at him.
“This…” The official felt goosebumps rising all over his body. He dared not to make a move.
Tao Mingsheng grasped the situation from the civilians’ gazes. It’s not possible for us to take down Zhou Xiu’s corpse anymore. Thus, he turned to Baron Xian and said, “Baron Xian, why don’t you enter the imperial palace and meet His Majesty first? Once we talk things over, His Majesty will surely order Viscount Zhou Xiu’s body to be let down. I doubt that Fang Chen will dare directly defy an imperial order.”
Baron Xian’s complexion looked awful. Seconds later, he waved his sleeves and bellowed, “Enter the city!”
Hundreds of Longdu cavalrymen entered the city together with Baron Xian and Tao Mingsheng. The cavalrymen would reflexively look at Zhou Xiu’s corpse when they went under it, and their faces looked terrible.
Tao Yu and the others could only back down, seeing how even Tao Mingsheng had given up.
After all of them left, Xu Ge suddenly remarked with a chuckle, “Brother Huangfu, your mouth is as impressive as ever.”
“It’s best to reason things out when it’s possible to do so,” Huangfu Jie replied with a smile.
“Who would have known that the Seven Profound Saber would be such a reasonable person? What brings you into the capital though?” Xu Ge asked.
“Something happened in the southern region.” Huangfu Jie’s expression suddenly turned grim. He discreetly scanned his surroundings. “This isn’t the place to talk. Bring me to War God Fang. I have something to report.”
“Come with me.” Xu Ge’s expression turned serious too. Something major must have happened to bring such a grim look to Huangfu Jie’s face.
Shortly after Huangfu Jie and Xu Ge left, a person arrived at the southern city gate.
He looked at Zhou Xiu’s hanging corpse and frowned. “Such cruel means. The dead should be allowed to rest in peace.”
However, he didn’t meddle in the matter. He took out a compass and inspected it. Seconds later, he cackled as he made his way into the city.
“I’m a bit thirsty. Let me get a sip of tea first. That brat can’t have gotten far anyway. He probably doesn’t know that I have already caught up with him,” he murmured. He made his way toward a tea stand located under the shade and said, “Waiter, bring me two cups of tea.”
“Coming right up, daoist!”
The waiter acknowledged the order with a nod. He quickly headed toward the tea stand to prepare tea for the customer.
“Don’t call me daoist!” The person glared at the waiter and harrumphed.
“Is that him?”
“Looks the same as in the portrait.”
“What are the two of you mumbling among yourselves?” the person grumbled impatiently. “Hurry up and bring me my tea!”
Before he knew it, the person received two strikes on the back of his head. His last thought before fainting was: Is this place a bandit’s den?! I’m ordering tea in broad daylight in the middle of the street, and I still got assaulted?
