Chapter 43
If the two sides were to unite and join forces to attack the Wei State, would the restoration of the han family's rivers and mountains not be just around the corner?
But now that Lia has founded a country, this matter has become somewhat difficult. The marriage of a monarch to another country is something that has never happened in history.
Therefore, upon receiving this news, the Song State immediately severed contact with the Wu Kingdom. In the eyes of the Song State, since your Wu Kingdom also wants to settle the Central Plains, then it remains to be seen whose fist is harder.
Although your territory currently looks vast, do not forget that while it is large, the population is superficial.
At most, it is only 2 million people. To contend for supremacy with the Song State and the Wei State, it is still a bit lacking. After all, their population base is there; even if your Wu Kingdom suddenly came up with those firearms, they have also begun to search for the manufacturing methods for such things.
They did not believe they could not obtain the manufacturing method for gunpowder from the Wu Kingdom.
Therefore, it is still unknown who will emerge victorious!
Of course, although they cut off trade with Lia, the Song State has no intention of going to war with Lia for the time being. After all, both sides consider themselves the Han lineage and are Han people, so the Wei State regime, dominated by the Tuoba clan, is their number one enemy.
So whether it is Lia or the Song State, both sides know in their hearts that their issues can be discussed later; they must first eliminate the Tuoba regime.
It is just like the end of the Yuan Dynasty; although the rebel armies all had their own ulterior motives, they all focused on resisting the Great Yuan. Once the Great Yuan was failing, it would be time for everyone to arm-wrestle.
In Northern Wei, the 50-year-old Emperor Taiwu heard that Lia had already ascended the throne in Chang'an, so he immediately summoned his ministers to discuss the matter.
"That little girl from the Hexi Corridor has now ascended the throne and established the country's name as Wu. It seems she thinks her wings have grown strong. What is laughable is that the opponent is merely a woman, yet she actually dares to claim the title of Emperor. It is truly ridiculous."
However, the ministers below dared not say anything. In recent years, although Emperor Taiwu has heavily utilized Han people and promoted Sinicization during his reign, making many contributions to social development,
the continuous years of warfare have led to a heavy burden on the people, a surge in social contradictions, and constant ethnic resistance and peasant uprisings.
Although most have been suppressed, the Hexi Corridor is the most serious faction, one that even cannot be eliminated.
Last year, Leopard led fifty thousand elite troops to suppress the rebellion, but the result was not only a crushing defeat but even the loss of the passes. Emperor Taiwu's anger can well be imagined.
However, this matter was not yet over; another Eastern Palace incident occurred within the Wei State.
Chapter 103: The Wei State Sends Troops Again
When Crown Prince Tuoba Huang supervised the state affairs, his administration was shrewd and his insights were subtle.
However, Zong Ai was sinister and violent by nature, and had committed illegal acts many times, so Tuoba Huang often expressed his dislike for Zong Ai.
The Attendant Qiu Ni Daosheng and the Gentleman-of-Attendance Ren Pingcheng served in the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace. Both were quite powerful, and both were on bad terms with Zong Ai.
Thus, in the first year of Zhengping (451 AD), Zong Ai feared that Qiu Ni Daosheng and others would expose his illegal activities, so he falsely accused them of crimes to Emperor Taiwu.
Emperor Taiwu was furious and ordered Qiu Ni Daosheng and others to be tied up and beheaded in the marketplace for public display. Most of the officials in the Eastern Palace were also executed by association.
On the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the same year, Tuoba Huang also died of grief and fear.
This matter can be said to have had wide-reaching implications, and even now people are afraid of it. It is said that now Emperor Taiwu misses his son; what will happen to the situation of Zong Ai, who was the central figure of this incident?
Once Emperor Taiwu takes action against Zong Ai, it is unknown how many people in the Northern Wei court will be implicated. Therefore, almost everyone is now in a state of self-preservation; how could they have the heart to care about other people's affairs?
Seeing that no one in the court dared to speak, Emperor Taiwu gave a cold snort. How could he not know what these people were thinking?
However, regardless of anything, that girl intends to ride over their heads, and this matter cannot be ignored.
According to the words Leopard brought back last time, the opponent has mastered a weapon called gunpowder.
According to Leopard, it is a weapon that can be thrown to explode and injure people, called a hand grenade.
Although it can knock down a group of people at once, because it is a weapon that relies on human strength to be thrown, it cannot be thrown very far, not even as far as an archer's range.
Another thing is called a cannon.
The range is long, but the firing speed is not fast, and the lethality is at most hitting people with fragments, which is not much.
Finally, there was that massive explosion.
After investigation by the people he sent, he learned that the enemy had dug tunnels in the ground and buried gunpowder in advance. By using the fired cannons to ignite the gunpowder, the entire army was wiped out.
He firmly believed that as long as these matters were understood clearly, it was not actually impossible to fight.
After Emperor Taiwu thought through these things, he decided to send a hundred thousand troops again to attack the Wu Kingdom and see if he could force the opponent to surrender.
Considering the issue of generals, Emperor Taiwu reinstated Leopard. Although this fellow lost the battle last time, only he was relatively familiar with the weapons used by the enemy. If he were to use someone else, he really feared another great defeat like the last one.
However, Leopard could not serve as the commander-in-chief, only as a consultant. For the commander-in-chief, Emperor Taiwu appointed his nephew, Tuoba Ming.
As for Leopard, he did not want to go; the last battle had truly frightened him. But the imperial command was hard to disobey, so he could only reluctantly accept the order and began preparations to attack the Wu Kingdom.
The mobilization of a hundred thousand troops could naturally not be hidden. Soon, Lia's side received news that the Wei State intended to set out on an expedition to attack them.
Now that she has established her capital in Chang'an, the distance to Luoyang is very close. These hundred thousand troops might arrive very soon.
Lia's side also began preparations early on.
In this way, after a month had passed, the hundred thousand troops from the Wei State had finished assembling and arrived near Tong Pass. The logistics personnel even numbered as many as fifty thousand, showing the opponent's determination to defeat them this time.
Seeing such an army approaching the city for the first time, some civil and military officials were a bit flustered. This time the Wei State had brought a hundred thousand soldiers, while Tong Pass only had thirty thousand; there was almost no possibility of victory in a direct battle.
Fortunately, Lia did not show the slightest bit of worry. Seeing Lia's very calm appearance, their flustered moods gradually settled down.
Lia took over the command from Li Lin and stood on the city wall, quietly directing the soldiers to defend the city.
Morgan, on the other hand, watched Lia's command from the side with a thoughtful expression, taking in all of Lia's operations.
This was the first time she had seen someone command troops; there was no harm in learning more.
Although the enemy had come with a hundred thousand men this time and looked aggressive, Tong Pass had natural defenses to hold, and with thirty thousand soldiers here, it was absolutely impossible for the opponent to take the city.
To want to take the city gates without at least five times their military strength was nothing more than a pipe dream.
Seeing the city gates tightly closed and it being late, making it unsuitable for a siege, the soldiers of the Wei State side only shouted a few insults under the city gates before quickly leaving.
However, these enemy troops did not go too far; instead, they chose to split into three forces to surround them, and then set up camp a few miles away.
Lia looked at the soldiers a few miles away and thought for a moment. Although they only needed to hold Tong Pass to be fine, there was no need to keep defending the city forever.
Because the opponent's posture clearly showed they wanted to fight a war of attrition with them, and a war of attrition was very unfavorable for Lia's side.
Having fewer people meant they would not have too much grain. Although Lia's practice of distributing land had left Common People with surplus grain, the taxes she collected were also low, which meant the national treasury actually did not have much grain.
Unless she forcibly requisitioned grain, but that would conflict with her policies.
Lia thought for a moment and had an idea.
Since the opponent was determined to besiege the city, she would conduct a surprise night attack and find a way to assassinate the enemy's commander-in-chief.
Once the enemy's commander-in-chief was dead, these hundred thousand troops would collapse without a fight.
"General Li, have the soldiers prepare for a night raid tonight. I want to assassinate the enemy's commander-in-chief." After Lia finished thinking, she knew what to do.
"Your Majesty wants to assassinate the enemy's commander-in-chief?" Li Lin's expression was a sight to behold upon hearing this.
"Yes." Lia nodded.
Although Li Lin had seen Lia destroy a city gate with a single sword strike before, this was a solo mission to assassinate the enemy commander. He felt it was far too risky: "But if that's the case... isn't it too dangerous?"
One had to keep in mind that the enemy was divided into three groups. If one were attacked, the other two would know. If she were surrounded then, wouldn't it be a dead end?
"Don't worry, there won't be any danger in this. You all just need to be ready for the surprise attack," Lia said with confidence.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Li Lin barely managed to pull himself together and went down to prepare.
On this quiet night, no one knew that death was approaching.
"Bang!" With a loud explosion, the entire camp suddenly fell into a sea of fire. No one knew where the flames came from; they seemed to appear out of nowhere, and more and more parts of the camp were being incinerated.
The soldiers who were resting and sleeping were all terrified. The churning sea of fire before them felt like the call of the Grim Reaper. Everyone fled from their barracks, falling into utter chaos.
Many cavalrymen, having just found their horses, couldn't wait to lead the way out. Outside the camp was boundless darkness, while behind countless soldiers was a hell of fire.
Chapter 104: The Britain Trio
"Kill!!!" Another wave of battle cries arose, accompanied by several explosions of fire. The soldiers running at the front fell in large numbers instantly.
Everyone was startled. Those who were already scared out of their wits began to head in another direction; many didn't even know which direction the enemy was in.
"Stop! Don't panic!"
Several leading generals seemed to want to regroup the troops, but in such a dark night with tens of thousands of people fleeing for their lives, who would listen to them?
From a tent, an adult man wearing a suit of armor walked out. Looking at the messy camp, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Great General, it's a mess! Everything is in chaos!" Seeing their pillar of support emerge, several generals hurriedly surrounded him.
"These are all enemy tricks. Kill a few people first." The man called the Great General frowned when he saw some soldiers still rushing toward his own tent.
"Yes, Great General!" Seeing the Great General speak, these generals also felt murderous intent. They grabbed several soldiers who were shouting and screaming and killed them on the spot, barely intimidating those who were still yelling.
Just as these generals were planning to regroup the troops to resist, from among the ten thousand soldiers, a sword wind struck toward Tuoba Ming from a strange angle.
Tuoba Ming seemed to sense it and instantly drew his sword to block. With a "clash," Tuoba Ming retreated several steps in succession. His face looked very pale; he seemed to be injured.
"Huh?" A slightly surprised voice sounded in the surroundings.
"Great General! Enemy attack!" Seeing the Great General suddenly attacked, several generals hurriedly surrounded him, looking around nervously.
However, the surroundings were filled with a messy crowd; they had no idea where the enemy was coming from.
"Over there!" Tuoba Ming pointed at a pillar in the distance.
The generals looked toward that pillar and saw a white figure standing on top of it.
"It's an enemy assassin!" Seeing this, the generals immediately shouted nervously.
"Call the masters accompanying the army over!" Tuoba Ming immediately ordered upon seeing this.
In this army of a hundred thousand, there were not only generals and soldiers but also masters from the common folk. Their role was to ensure the safety of the generals.
"No need to call them. I've already dealt with them in their sleep." Lia slowly descended from the sky and stopped ten meters away from the generals.
"Did you plan all of this?" Seeing Lia actually dare to maintain such a close distance from them, Tuoba Ming frowned and asked.
Clearly an assassin, yet she dared to be so close to them; she was simply acting with utter fearlessness.
One of the generals, seeing Lia so close, directly swung his blade and rushed at her. But after only a few steps, Lia swung out a Mana Slash, splitting him directly in half.
"Hiss!" Seeing this scene, the other generals gasped. Releasing sword qi externally—that required at least a Xiantian-level master.
This girl was so young yet already a Xiantian master or higher. Her future achievements were terrifying to think about.
"Are you perhaps that female emperor of the Wu Kingdom!" Tuoba Ming looked at the girl's appearance and suddenly thought of something, pointing at Lia.
"You guessed it. You're quite smart. Now, if you can catch me, you might just win," Lia said with a slight smile.
"Damn it!" Seeing Lia despise them so much, their pride flared up. Several generals immediately drew their weapons and rushed toward Lia.
However, they were met with several dark purple Lightning Orbs Lia threw from her hand. These generals immediately lay on the ground wailing.
As for why Lia, who hadn't learned magecraft, could suddenly throw things like Magic Bullets—if you know, you know.
"What kind of sorcery is this?"
Lia's move immediately intimidated the group. The ability Lia displayed was like a dimensional strike to these generals.
As time passed, the battle cries drew closer. Many charging soldiers had already reached this area, but these were Lia's troops.
Because the enemy forces were ambushed and had no Wei State generals to command them, they had no idea what was happening. They were already in a total mess.
"Sir, the Great General's main camp seems to be under attack by the enemy. What should we do?" The distant battle cries naturally caught Leopard's attention. Seeing this situation, he knew the enemy had launched a surprise attack during the night.
"Reinforce them immediately!" Leopard didn't say much and immediately had his subordinates gather the troops to provide support.
Just as Leopard and his men were preparing to support the commander-in-chief's tent, pink petals suddenly fell from the sky, as if a rain of petals was falling. But no one noticed this scene, which was very strange.
As these troops gathered and headed toward the main camp, they suddenly found a vast expanse of white in front of them. They kept walking and walking, only to return to the starting point again.
Refusing to believe it, they continued forward, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't walk out of this mist. They seemed to be trapped by something!
At the last group of enemy forces, a veiled woman appeared abruptly. She silently looked at the enemy camp, where squads of soldiers were patrolling the area.
Seeing this, Morgan reached out her hand. In her palm, dark purple lightning balls were constantly flickering. She then threw this dark purple lightning ball directly above the camp.
The lightning ball immediately transformed into dozens of thunderbolts. Dark purple lightning fell from the sky like a net, all landing on the soldiers within the camp.
The soldiers' screams immediately caught the attention of other tents. "Enemy attack!"
Horns were blown, and soldiers who were still sleeping immediately ran out of their tents.
But what greeted them was not an enemy army, but the butcher knives of their own allies!
Those killed Wei State soldiers stood up again. Wielding their weapons, they suddenly rushed toward the unprepared soldiers and stabbed a blade into a Wei State soldier's stomach.