Rebirth of a Stunning Beauty (Complete) - 35

~Chapter Five: Conquest, Section One~

When the Third Young Master and Hua Rong, along with the other women, stripped naked and jumped into the bubbling hot spring, seven pairs of eyes were fixed on Min Rou without blinking. Suddenly, Min Rou did something that greatly annoyed the Third Young Master.

She jumped into the bath fully clothed.

"How could you do this?" the Third Young Master exclaimed, mouth agape, filled with indignation.

Min Rou pulled her long hair back, blushed, and smiled shyly at the Third Young Master, saying, "I only agreed to bathe with you, I didn't say I had to take off my clothes."

"Even the wisest can make a mistake!" the Third Young Master sighed helplessly, lay back in the water, and slowly sank into the depths…

That evening, at the welcoming banquet hosted by Gongzi Yu for the Third Young Master and the others, everyone enjoyed themselves immensely.

After the banquet, as Gongzi Yu personally escorted the Third Young Master and the others back to their residence, he invited the Third Young Master to the Chenjun Palace the next day to discuss the matters concerning the day of the military expedition.

That night, Minrou slept soundly alone in her room, while the Third Young Master and the other women, including Hua Rong, engaged in a passionate night of lovemaking on the large bed that could comfortably seat ten people. The Third Young Master only managed to get a brief nap of less than an hour before dawn. Fortunately, he had practiced dual cultivation techniques during their encounter, so although his body was quite exhausted, his spirit remained high.

Early the next morning, the Third Young Master, along with Hua Rong, Song Qing, Lian Zhou, Luo Er, and Qin Ni'er, went to Gongzi Yu's palace to discuss matters related to the military campaign against the Great Sun. Wu Minrou was not interested in such matters, so the Third Young Master did not take her along, leaving Shui Muwei and Luo Shengjing to care for her at their residence.

Upon entering the palace's council hall, Gongzi Yu was already seated facing south, with his ministers, including Zhao Ziyang, Zhou Lingfei, and Zuo Tianzong, among other civil and military officials, arranged to his left and right.

Lian Fenghua and his son, upon seeing the Third Young Master and his party, had cold eyes and expressionless faces.

Lianzhou Tianying, whose martial arts were crippled by his own sister, glared fiercely at Lianzhou Luo'er as the Third Young Master and his entourage entered the hall. Lianzhou Luo'er pretended not to see him.

The Third Young Master ignored the expressions of Lianzhou and his father. In fact, a father like Lianzhou Fenghua, who would even poison his own daughter, would have long ago annihilated the three of them if it weren't for Lianzhou Luo'er's sake.

"Greetings, Young Master!" The Third Young Master approached Young Master Yu's seat and gave him a perfunctory bow. Young

Master Yu chuckled and said, "Third Young Master, there's no need for such formalities. Someone, bring seats."

After the Third Young Master and his entourage were seated, they exchanged a few words with Young Master Yu before getting to the point. Young Master Yu said, "Third Young Master, I intend to send troops to Great Japan to eliminate the future threat to the Central Plains. I wonder what your insights are on how to conquer Great Japan?"

The Third Young Master smiled slightly and said, "Young Master, you flatter me." "Since you've decided to send troops to Great Japan, you must already have a plan. I've only been here to join in the fun. Once you've finalized your plan, I'll simply assist you in the killing and arson." Young Master

Yu chuckled, "Third Young Master's words are amusing. Third Young Master, I believe that Great Japan is currently weak, with only 200,000 troops and a population of only 4 million. Their weaponry is primitive and outdated. Therefore, after annihilating their army, we can massacre the entire nation, extinguishing their lineage. Then, we can relocate the residents of the southeastern coast across the sea to occupy Great Japan's territory, making it a province of our Central Plains. I wonder if Third Young Master thinks this method is appropriate?" The Third Young Master

thought for a moment and asked, "How many troops does Young Master intend to send to conquer Great Japan?" "

Young Master Yu said, "I have commanded the East Sea Navy for many years and fought countless battles against pirates. We currently have thirty large warships capable of carrying 1,500 soldiers; fifty medium-sized warships capable of carrying 1,000 soldiers; and one hundred small warships capable of carrying 500 soldiers. These ships, large and small, can carry nearly 150,000 soldiers across the sea at once. I plan to send 300,000 troops, transporting soldiers, weapons, and supplies in three separate trips. Of course, supplies such as provisions may be insufficient, but since we are going to conquer the Great Sun, we can easily plunder provisions and meat on the spot for military use."

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "The Great Sun's 200,000 troops are indeed no match for the East Sea Navy. However… we do not fully understand the situation in the Great Sun's territory. The Great Sun people have the advantage of timing, location, and popular support. With 300,000 troops, it's unlikely they can wipe out all four million people. If we attack and the Great Sun people hide in the mountains, are we supposed to search them one by one?" "

Young Master Yu laughed, "Back when we fought the pirates, I sent spies to the Great Sun Kingdom. They've been infiltrating for years and have a good understanding of its geography, customs, and people. The Great Sun Kingdom has four large islands and countless smaller ones. But most of its land remains undeveloped, and some places are unknown even to the people of the Great Sun Kingdom themselves. The people of the Great Sun Kingdom are mostly integrated into the prosperous areas of the larger islands. We only need to slaughter all the inhabitants of their famous cities. Even if some escape to the mountains, they'll only live as savages. Furthermore, once our people from the southeastern coast migrate there, raise children, and develop the land, a hundred years from now, the land of the Great Sun Kingdom will be mostly inhabited by people of the Central Plains. Even if the remnants of the Great Sun Kingdom want to rise again, it will be impossible." "

Third Young Master was intrigued by Gongzi Yu's logical analysis. But then he thought, what a terrible atrocity it would be to slaughter four million people! Massacre is inevitable in war. Third Young Master, having studied philosophy in his previous life, naturally knew that slaughter was, in fact, an unavoidable art in war.

A well-executed and effective massacre could demoralize the enemy, destroy their will to resist, and eliminate their manpower. But if the massacre went too far, inciting a desperate, united front against the enemy, then the losses would outweigh the gains.

Theoretically, 300,000 well-armed troops could gradually slaughter four million people. But if they incited a large-scale massacre..." The Japanese people's rebellious spirit, their shared hatred of the enemy, if they were to fight to the death, even an army of 300,000 would likely be overwhelmed by civilians more than ten times their size.

Moreover, the four million people of Great Japan were an invaluable asset! They had undeniable value as slaves and servants.

Therefore, the Third Young Master objected, saying, "Young Master, I believe a massacre is feasible." He then analyzed the dual impact of a massacre for Young Master Yu, saying, "A massacre is necessary, but we cannot carry out a nationwide genocide. We can appropriately massacre a few cities, and among those cities, we can spare a few."

Young Master Yu had already been pondering the potential repercussions of the massacre when the Third Young Master analyzed it, but now, upon hearing this, he immediately understood: "The Third Young Master means that cities that offer strong resistance should be massacred, while those that offer little resistance or surrender should be appeased, creating the impression that those who resist die and those who do not live. This is to erode their morale and cohesion?" "

The Third Young Master nodded and smiled. "What you say is absolutely right, Young Master. Moreover, from a broader perspective, the four million people of the Great Japanese Empire are a considerable fortune! Please consider this, Young Master. The native inhabitants of the Great Japanese Empire are familiar with the situation on the four islands. In the future, the hard and arduous work such as mining and reclaiming wasteland can be done by the people of the Great Japanese Empire. As for four million slaves, I think it would be more worthwhile to enslave them than to kill them, wouldn't it?"

Young Master Yu pondered and said, "Those who are not of our race will surely have different hearts. What if the people of the Great Japanese Empire are enslaved too much by us and they decide to rebel?"

The Third Young Master laughed and said, "That's alright. I have another plan. Didn't you plan to relocate a large number of people from the Central Plains to the Great Japanese Empire? We can have the relocated people bring with them a large amount of Central Plains culture. Only the people from the Central Plains will be allowed to open academies, and the people of the Great Japanese Empire will not be allowed to open schools. Kill all the scholars of the Great Japanese Empire and burn all the books of the Great Japanese Empire!"

"We must make the people of Great Japan learn Central Plains culture, write in Central Plains script, and adopt Central Plains customs. We must force them to abandon their own ethnic customs and their faith in their own gods, replacing them with the gods of the Central Plains. Central Plains culture is profound and far more advanced than Great Japan culture. I believe the people of Great Japan will gladly accept it. Furthermore,

we should encourage intermarriage between Great Japan and Central Plains people. Great Japan women can marry Central Plains men, but Great Japan men must never marry Central Plains women. Great Japan women who marry Central Plains men will enjoy the same treatment as Central Plains women. Children born from the intermarriage of Central Plains men and Great Japan women will also have equal status with Central Plains people."

"In this way, women of the Great Sun will only want to marry men from the Central Plains, while men of the Great Sun will find it difficult to find wives. After three generations, the bloodline of the Great Sun will gradually disappear.

Those born from mixed blood, having been influenced by the culture of the Central Plains since childhood, will naturally become Central Plains people from head to toe. A hundred years later, who will remember that there was once a Great Sun Empire?"

Gongzi Yu clapped his hands and laughed, "A brilliant plan! A truly brilliant plan to wipe out the lineage! However, what if those men of the Great Sun who cannot find wives harden their hearts and rise up in rebellion?"

The Third Young Master smiled slightly and said, "We will be clear about rewards and punishments. Those who are loyal to the Central Plains, who have mastered the culture of the Central Plains, who work diligently and have made outstanding contributions, can be exceptionally allowed to marry women from the Central Plains. In this way, men of the Great Sun will inevitably rush to serve the Central Plains Empire!"

A vicious plan, an absolutely vicious plan! Almost everyone in the hall thought so. Even Hua Rong, Lian Zhou Luo'er, and Qin Ni'er, the three women of the Third Young Master, felt that his plan was even more vicious than Gongzi Yu's massacre.

Only Song Qing disagreed. In her opinion, while the Third Young Master's plan was indeed vicious, at least it didn't cause too much bloodshed, which was much better than Gongzi Yu's massacre that killed four million people, a crime against nature. After

agreeing on the general strategy for dealing with the Great Sun Kingdom, the next step was to discuss the specific details of the military deployment. Gongzi Yu would contribute 300,000 naval troops, while the Third Young Master would not need to provide military support, only a group of skilled warriors.

The Third Young Master and Gongzi Yu agreed that during the campaign against the Great Sun Kingdom, the Qin family would not use force against Gongzi Yu, and they must also restrain Xiang Qi from using force against Gongzi Yu. Furthermore, within one year of the pacification of the Great Sun Kingdom,

the Great Qin Kingdom would also not use force against Gongzi Yu.

Both the Third Young Master and Prince Yu understood that pacifying the Great Sun was a long-term benefit to the Central Plains. During the campaign against the Great Sun, Qin and Xiang Qi would honor their agreement not to use force against Prince Yu. However

, the one-year agreement after the conquest of the Great Sun was less certain. Even if Prince Yu achieved a great victory and his troop losses were less than 40,000, the resources and manpower expended in deploying such a

large army would be considerable, inevitably damaging his strength. Whether the Third Young Master would grant Prince Yu a year to recuperate was uncertain. However, Prince Yu also had his own calculations. The benefits of attacking the Great Sun were obvious. After conquering the Great Sun, he would not only gain a considerable territory but also acquire substantial resources, such as mines and farmland. Furthermore, he would have four million slaves at his disposal, making it easy to organize a slave army.

Moreover, Prince Yu knew that regardless of whether he attacked the Great Sun or not, Xiang Qi and Qin would ultimately unite against him. With his own strength, facing attacks from both the north and south, even with unparalleled martial prowess and unmatched strategy, he had little chance of victory. Conquering Great Sun would also provide him with another escape route. Even if defeated, he could retreat to Great Sun and occupy the island, seeking another opportunity to counterattack.

The Third Young Master naturally guessed Young Master Yu's plan. However, at this time, the two families were only temporary allies. Even if the Third Young Master guessed Young Master Yu's thoughts and was plotting how to eliminate this last resort, he would not reveal it openly.

The two appeared amicable on the surface, but each harbored their own ulterior motives, the details of which were not for outsiders to know.

As early as August, after receiving word from the Third Young Master, Young Master Yu had already begun preparations to send troops to Great Sun. Autumn was the most convenient time for sailing. Before the autumn rains arrived and before the prevailing southerly winds, the sea was relatively safe, with few storms. Therefore, Young Master Yu planned to officially launch his campaign in mid-October.

For years, the three kingdoms of the Central Plains had been in a state of war preparedness. Essential supplies for military campaigns, such as provisions, weapons, and funds, had long been prepared and could be mobilized in a very short time should war break out.

The reason for the delay was, of course, to wait for the Third Young Master to gather experts from Tianjing City.

As for how to divide the spoils after conquering the Great Sun, no agreement had been reached yet. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the Third Young Master and Prince Yu had not mentioned it. Naturally, none of the ministers under Prince Yu offered any opinions on

the matter. After discussing and finalizing the various details, it was already sunset. Prince Yu, the Third Young Master, and the ministers in the palace had not eaten lunch that day, only drinking some water to quench their thirst. Having finally finished their discussions and settled on the date of the expedition, Prince Yu announced that a banquet would be held in the palace to entertain the ministers.

The Third Young Master and the four women, including Song Qing, naturally stayed as well, and Prince Yu sat beside the Third Young Master during the banquet. While drinking merrily with the Third Young Master, Gongzi Yu, perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, suddenly asked, "Third Young Master, why do you seem to be missing a few people from your side today?"

The Third Young Master chuckled, "Wei Zi, Jing Shen, and Min Rou aren't here. Min Rou dislikes such disputes and stayed at her residence to rest. I ordered Wei Zi and Jing Shen to keep her company.

" Gongzi Yu nodded, his eyes slightly hazy, and said, "Third Young Master, you are truly fortunate and resourceful! Shui Muwei and Luo Sheng Jing Shen are both extremely resolute Great Sun Warriors, and you have them both at your beck and call. Miss Min Rou is a rare and extraordinary woman, and you have her by your side as well… Ah, I truly admire you."

The Third Young Master chuckled, "Young Master, you don't even like women, so what's there to admire about that? I'm just a little, well, a little more despicable in my methods." "Speaking of which, if you hadn't practiced some martial art that only virgins could learn, and remained chaste to this day, with your power and influence, you'd probably be surrounded by beauties by now, wouldn't you? Heh, the reason you used Zhen Luo, that naturally alluring woman, to seduce me back then, was probably because of your own martial arts skills, wasn't it?"

Gongzi Yu waved his hand and laughed, "Don't mention it. This young master is not interested in women... well, indeed, not interested in women, not because I don't like them, but because I can't. Sigh, don't mention it, don't mention it."

The Third Young Master suddenly realized something and said, "Young Master, you've only met Miss Minrou once, how do you know she's a rare and extraordinary woman?"

Gongzi Yu was taken aback, then shook his head and vaguely said, "Just saying. Which woman around you, Third Young Master, isn't she an extraordinary woman? Since this woman has caught your eye, she must be quite remarkable. Let's drink, let's drink!" The

Third Young Master smiled and clinked glasses with Young Master Yu, lost in thought. **** After the banquet, the Third Young Master and his party returned to their lodgings under a sky full of stars and moon. Young Master Yu personally escorted them back. The Third Young Master had tried to refuse, but Young Master Yu insisted, and the Third Young Master couldn't refuse him, so he had to comply. Only when they reached the gate of the mansion did Young Master Yu bid farewell and slowly ride away on his horse. The Third Young Master looked at Young Master Yu's tall, slender figure in the moonlight, feeling a complex mix of emotions. The Third Young Master had noticed a fleeting, barely perceptible disappointment in Young Master Yu's eyes when he saw that no one came out to greet them at the gate. The Third Young Master and his party returned to the room with the large bed. Hua Rong and the other women brought clean clothes, preparing to go to the hot springs. When they called the Third Young Master to come along, he hesitated for a long time before saying, "You all go first. I'll go talk to Min Rou for a while before going." Hua Rong laughed, " What's wrong with you now? I heard that when you dealt with Luo'er and Ni'er before, your methods were quite direct, like using some kind of 'one-shot-a-thousand-mile-long fragrance' technique. Since you're interested in Minrou, why not just be straightforward?" Hua Rong's words made Lianzhou, Luo'er, and Qin Ni'er blush deeply, and they chased after her, playfully fighting. Hua Rong giggled and ran out, the three women quickly leaving the room one after the other. Song Qing walked to the Third Young Master's side, squatted down, and took his hand, saying, "Minrou is a good girl, don't use such methods." The Third Young Master smiled. He gently stroked Song Qing's cheek, saying, "Don't worry, I would never resort to underhanded methods. If I wanted to use any despicable means, I've had countless opportunities along the way." "You've begun to understand," Song Qing pressed her face against the Third Young Master's hand, "what love is..." "I understood long ago." The Third Young Master lightly kissed Song Qing's cheek, saying, "When I met Sister Mei, when I met you, I understood long ago..."

~Chapter Five: Conquest, Section Two~

Minrou sat alone in her boudoir, holding a bamboo flute and gazing absently at the starry sky outside the window.

Suddenly, the door opened silently, and a cool breeze blew in through the crack, stirring her snow-white dress.

The Third Young Master slowly strolled in, hands behind his back, and walked to her side, looking at the twinkling stars in the sky with her.

After a long silence, the Third Young Master suddenly asked, "Minrou, have you ever met Gongzi Yu before?"

Minrou shook her head and said, "No. I grew up in the mountains, and Gongzi Yu is of noble birth. How could I have met him? Why...why do you ask?"

The Third Young Master smiled slightly and said, "Gongzi Yu mentioned you today. From what I can tell, he seems to have feelings for you, but he's just too embarrassed to say it out of consideration for me. By the way, Minrou, what do you think of Gongzi Yu?"

Minrou said, "He's just a pitiful person struggling in this world."

"But he's the bravest in the world, and his power is immense. If he's pitiful, then no one in this world is happy.

" "That depends on how you look at it. If you think that pursuing fame, fortune, and power in this world, with the ideal of establishing unparalleled achievements, is a very happy thing, then he is indeed one of the happiest people in the world. But I always feel that living like him would be very tiring. He can't find true friends, he can't have true confidants." “

I could have been his friend, his confidant, but he was destined not to coexist with me in this world.” The Third Young Master smiled helplessly and said, “Then, what do you think of me? What kind of person am I? Do I live a tiring life?”

Minrou glanced at the Third Young Master and smiled, “You are in the mortal world, but your heart is in the clouds. How could someone like you feel tired? You treat everything in this world as a game. If you lose, you start over. If you win, you don’t get carried away. Sometimes I really envy you. I really want to be as carefree and at ease as you.”

The Third Young Master nodded and said, “It seems you understand me quite well. Minrou, do you still miss the free life in the mountains and fields? Do you feel that the mortal world is like a shackle, making you feel neither free in body nor mind?” Minrou smiled sadly and said, “What good is missing it? I can’t go back to the past.” The

Third Young Master shook his head and smiled. “You’re wrong. In fact, this mortal world, like the mountains and forests, is a cage. This world itself is a huge cage.” If your heart is not free, you will not be free no matter where you are. But if you can open your heart and let go, you will find that the world is actually a forest. No matter where you are, you can find the same freedom and joy as in the forest. Everything is in your heart.”

After saying this, the Third Young Master turned and walked towards the door, reciting aloud as he went: “If your heart desires freedom, don’t say that shackles won’t let you go. If your heart is truly weary, what worldly splendor cannot be abandoned, what face in this world will not age?” Minrou

watched the Third Young Master's retreating figure by the door, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. His words, like an aurora borealis from the depths of the universe, had opened her heart, illuminating the depths of her soul, gradually melting the thick snow that had accumulated within her.

She suddenly realized she had underestimated him; he was not only a poet, but also a wise man, a philosopher. She understood she could no longer find an opportunity to kill him, because he didn't need to scheme; he already possessed a firm grasp on her heart.

"Then, let me fall in love with you," she murmured suddenly.

"Gongzi Yu has a weakness," the Third Young Master said suddenly, lying on the large bed amidst a pile of women. Hua Rong climbed on top of him, asking curiously, "Oh? Gongzi Yu has a weakness too?"

The Third Young Master said, "Everyone has weaknesses. Gongzi Yu didn't have any weaknesses before, but now, hehe, he has exposed his weakness to me."

Hua Rong asked again, "Tell me quickly, what is his weakness?" "

Third Young Master said, "I observed his expression and discovered that Gongzi Yu might have already taken a liking to Min Rou. I also asked Min Rou, and she said she had never met Gongzi Yu. In my opinion, Min Rou wasn't lying; she simply wouldn't lie. If she had truly met Gongzi Yu before, she would have remained silent, not uttering a single word. Therefore, I believe Gongzi Yu might have fallen in love with Min Rou at first sight."

Hua Rong thought for a moment and said, "In that case, could we take advantage of Gongzi Yu's weakness?"

Third Young Master shook his head and said, "I don't want to use Min Rou against Gongzi Yu. However, as long as Min Rou is by my side, Gongzi Yu's weakness won't disappear. Unless, Gongzi Yu has the ability to take Min Rou away from me!"

Song Qing asked, "Gongzi Yu is so cunning; how could he expose his weakness to you?"

Third Young Master smiled slightly and said, "A heartless person, once they fall in love, will have a love deeper than the sea. No matter how good he is at hiding it, he can't escape my demonic eyes." "

Song Qing said, "Then aren't you afraid that Gongzi Yu will take Minrou away from you?"

The Third Young Master laughed and said, "First, I won't let Gongzi Yu have the chance to be with Minrou. Second, because of the martial arts he practices, Gongzi Yu is still a virgin and doesn't know the taste of love between men and women, so he doesn't know how to pursue women. Third, although Gongzi Yu is a person with a strong sense of dominance and acts ruthlessly, he knows that the overall situation is important and he won't use force to forcibly take Minrou or easily turn against me. Therefore, before conquering the Great Sun Kingdom, Gongzi Yu won't make any moves."

Song Qing pondered and said, "I think that Gongzi Yu will never use force to forcibly take Minrou, unless he kills you first. A person like Gongzi Yu, even if he is ruthless in other matters, might be more conventional in matters of love."

"That's hard to say," the Third Young Master shook his head. "Gongzi Yu is an extremely resolute person; he won't allow himself to have weaknesses. If he can't get Minrou, he might destroy her himself. Or perhaps..." He might eliminate me before I truly obtain Minrou, leaving her by his side. "

That's dangerous!" Hua Rong exclaimed. "You've gathered experts to the East Sea to participate in the conquest of the Great Sun. Gongzi Yu might assassinate us at sea on the return journey after the conquest!"

The Third Young Master slowly said, "I've already considered this. But while Gongzi Yu is scheming against me, haven't I also schemed against him? Perhaps the final battle between Gongzi Yu and me will take place on the return journey after the conquest of the Great Sun!" The

next

morning, the Third Young Master stood in the courtyard and released a snow-white carrier pigeon. This pigeon was given to him by Young Master Yu, who said it was brought from Tianjing City. It knew the way to Tianjing City, and as long as it smelled the Third Young Master's scent, it could definitely find someone related to him by blood and deliver the message accurately.

Young Master Yu also told the Third Young Master that this kind of carrier pigeon was an extremely rare breed. There were only three to five in the entire Central Plains. They could fly extremely high, hiding in the clouds, making them difficult for people on the ground to spot. They possessed unimaginable speed, strength greater than eagles and hawks, and a fierce, bloodthirsty nature.

The carrier pigeon soared into the sky, flying towards the north, a thousand miles away. It disappeared into the snow-white clouds, flapping its wings like a streak of white lightning. With incredible speed... It sped forward, leaving Donghai Chenjun far behind in an instant.

Suddenly, a black eagle appeared in the sky, its keen eyes spotting the snow-white carrier pigeon from afar. The eagle let out an excited cry, flapping its wings and swooping towards the pigeon, its talons already poised to strike, its beak drooling with anticipation of its meal.

The eagle blocked the pigeon's path, expecting it to panic and scatter. That would have required considerable effort to chase, but it quickly realized the pigeon seemed oblivious, charging straight towards it.

The eagle sensed something was amiss; it had never seen such a bold pigeon, nor such a fast-flying one. Its speed far surpassed its own.

It even noticed a strange luster shimmering on the pigeon's claws and beak. It was deeply impressed by that luster; it was the light emanating from something that terrified it.

It had witnessed it firsthand. A bipedal creature on the ground had used some kind of tool to launch that thing into the sky, where it had plunged it viciously into the body of its kind. Then, that fierce and courageous eagle had instantly lost its strength and life, falling to the ground.

The eagle felt fear in that instant; it tried to avoid the pigeon, but by then it was too late. The pigeon flew straight at it, and with a sharp crack, the eagle's head shattered. Like an arrow, the pigeon pierced through the eagle's body without resistance, then soared away.

The eagle plummeted from its pedestal, blood droplets and countless feathers falling from the sky. Even in death, it couldn't understand whether that pigeon was truly a pigeon.

The earth receded swiftly beneath the pigeon's feet, piercing through layer after layer of clouds. It seemed tireless, flying at top speed towards its destination.

****

In the capital city of Tianjing, Qin Feng, having finished a day's official duties, was idly strolling the streets. He was recently troubled; his parents, citing the saying "of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring," had forced him into an arranged marriage, requiring him to go on a blind date the next day.

However, Qin Feng was a very independent thinker. He believed that matters of the heart should be mutual. How could there be any affection in a marriage arranged by parents where the man and woman had never even met? Marrying without affection was merely for the purpose of producing offspring; how could such a marriage bring happiness? Therefore, Qin Feng was now wandering outside the palace, intending to encounter a beautiful romance before his blind date. Qin Feng encountered a pigeon.

A red and white pigeon.

As the pigeon circled overhead and swooped down towards him, he noticed that it was actually white, though its feathers were now stained with blood.

He also noticed that its beak was silvery-white, gleaming with a metallic sheen. Its claws were dark black, also gleaming with a metallic sheen.

Curious, Qin Feng reached out to the pigeon, and with a gentle force, he pulled the ferocious creature into his palm. Although he easily captured the pigeon, Qin Feng discovered that it possessed immense strength, far surpassing that of an eagle. Intrigued, he carefully observed the pigeon.

He noticed a bamboo tube tied to its leg. He untied the tube, removed a slip of paper, and unfolded it. It was covered in densely packed writing in tiny, fine characters.

"I am Qin Ren, currently in Chen County, Donghai, at the residence of Prince Yu, where I'm freeloading and exploiting his affections. Whoever reads this, immediately inform my father, Qin Xiaoyao, the current Emperor of the Great Qin Kingdom, that I am preparing to join forces with Prince Yu to attack the Great Sun Kingdom across the Donghai Sea. Tell him to quickly send several capable experts to support us. Hurry. We plan to launch our attack on October 15th; you must arrive before then. The alliance agreement with Xiang Qi has been finalized.

The contract is in my possession, but due to the attack on the Great Sun Kingdom, I cannot disclose it to Prince Yu..." Yu's use of troops is something that doesn't need to be explained to Xiang Qi. If Xiang Qi wants to attack Prince Yu, he can simply delay sending troops; the Xiang family wouldn't dare to start a war lightly. Also: If you're not a member of my Qin family, and you accidentally shoot down one of my pigeons to make roast pigeon, then I can only tell you, you're very unfortunate… If you quickly deliver this letter to Tianjing City, things can still be salvaged; if you dare to hide this letter, then, hehehehe…”

Qin Feng first chuckled; the handwriting was indeed Xiao San's, and only Xiao San could speak in that tone. However, his threatening method wasn't very clever. What if the pigeon really was shot down? Where would he find the person who shot it? Qin Feng immediately perked up again. He chuckled and muttered to himself, "Great, I don't have to go on a blind date tomorrow!"

****

"Then let's send Minister Qiao, Minister Li, A Jian, and A Lei. They can leave first thing tomorrow morning. Anyway, things are back on track now. They have quite a few capable subordinates, so things can be managed even without them. Hmm, these days, those four seem to be holding positions without doing any work. It's time to give them something to do." Qin Xiaoyao said after reading the letter Qin Feng had brought.

Qin Feng said, "Father, this matter is of great importance, and I humbly request to go with you."

Gong Xiaoyao glanced at Qin Feng and said, "You, stay in Tianjing City obediently. You have a blind date tomorrow!"

Qin Feng said, "Father, I'm afraid there's a trap involved. If too few people go, it might be dangerous."

Gong Xiaoyao said, "Oh? What trap could there be?"

Qin Feng said, "Gongzi Yu has repeatedly tried to kill my third brother. Although we are temporarily joining forces to fight against Da Ri, after the victory, Gongzi Yu might try to harm my third brother on the way back to the Central Plains. Da Ri is separated from the Central Plains by a vast sea, and the main force will likely be Gongzi Yu's East China Sea navy, which is familiar with naval warfare. If Gongzi Yu launches an attack at sea, my third brother will likely have a hard time dealing with it.

" Qin Xiaoyao shook his head and said, "Even if Gongzi Yu really launches an attack at sea, it won't help you. Three hundred thousand naval troops at sea, no one can handle that."

Qin Feng said, "I think this is a very good opportunity." " We've deployed all our best warriors this time. After pacifying the Great Sun, before we return, we can seize the opportunity to kill Prince Yu! Then we can capture a warship and return to the Central Plains."

Qin Xiaoyao pondered, "What about the 300,000 naval troops of the East Sea? How can you few possibly handle them?"

"With Prince Yu dead, the East Sea navy will be leaderless. We don't need to fight them; we can simply escape their entanglement and return to the Central Plains."

Qin Xiaoyao thought for a moment and said, "Prince Yu will definitely be wary of you. He won't give you a chance to kill him. According to Aren, Prince Yu is now the bravest in the world, and his martial arts are even more terrifying than Ximen Wudi's. You few simply cannot trap him and force him to fight to the death. The only chance to kill him is not on land, but at sea. Only at sea will you have a chance to trap him. But if it's really at sea, his navy is enough to trap you!"

Qin Feng said, "Father is right." However, if we can kill Gongzi Yu, we can end the war sooner. Such a good opportunity is fleeting, and even if we have to fight to the death, it is worth it! I hope Father will grant this request!

After thinking it over again and again, Gong Xiaoyao finally nodded and said, "Alright! I will send Nu Hengmei and Xiao Tianci with you. My Qin family has sent out all its elites this time. If we still cannot kill Gongzi Yu... then it is the will of Heaven."

Qin Feng bowed slightly to Qin Xiaoyao and said, "Father is wise. Then I will go and deliver the decree to prepare."

Qin Xiaoyao nodded and said, "Go. Remember, if it is impossible, do not force it. I do not want my three sons... to perish at the hands of Gongzi Yu."

Qin Feng bowed and said, "Father, please rest assured, if this battle is not successful, I will protect my second and third brothers with my life!"

Qin Xiaoyao chuckled and said, "Do they need your protection? You just need to protect yourself." "When you come back, don't be missing any limbs! Your father is still waiting for your marriage!"

Qin Feng broke out in a cold sweat, thinking, "It seems the old man is determined to get back at me..."

After Qin Feng left, Qin Xiaoyao remained silent for a long time before suddenly saying, "Someone, go and invite the Prince of Yizi Bingjian here. I have important matters to discuss with him!"

****

Chen County, Donghai, Gongzi Yu's Palace.

Gongzi Yu sat listlessly in his bedchamber, sketching on a white silk scroll for a long time. Suddenly feeling agitated, he abruptly stood up, ripped the white silk scroll, which already contained the outline of a woman, from the easel, and crumpled it to shreds.

"Someone!" he suddenly shouted, "Bring Master Yao here!"

~Chapter 5 Conquest, Section 3~

A kind-faced, hunched old man with a full head of white hair and beard, his face wrinkled like layers of fabric, walked with faltering steps into Prince Yu's palace.

He bowed slightly to Prince Yu and said in a hoarse, aged voice, "This old minister... the Half-Immortal Yao pays his respects to Your Highness."

Prince Yu nodded and said, "Mr. Yao, there's no need for such formality. Please sit. Someone, bring Mr. Yao some tea."

After Mr. Yao was seated, a maidservant served him a cup of fragrant tea. Mr. Yao, with trembling, withered hands, picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and asked, "I wonder what important matter Your Highness has summoned me so late at night?"

Prince Yu dismissed the maidservant and, with a wave of his hand, sent a gust of wind that slammed the palace doors shut. He paced back and forth in the room a few times and said, "Master Yao, I have been experiencing occasional angina these past few days, so I would like to ask you to examine me."

Master Yao carefully examined Gongzi Yu with his seemingly dim and cloudy old eyes for a while and said, "Young master, may this old minister take your pulse?"

Gongzi Yu walked up to Master Yao, rolled up his sleeves, and just as Master Yao's hand was about to touch his pulse, he suddenly withdrew his hand.

"Young Master, without taking your pulse, this old minister truly cannot diagnose your illness," the physician advised. "Young Master, your health is of utmost importance; please do not jeopardize your health." Young

Master Yu paced anxiously a few steps around his bedchamber, shaking his head. "I am not ill. I simply... simply feel that my 'Seven Heavens of Ruthlessness' is somewhat wavering."

The physician asked in surprise, "What do you mean, Young Master? It is entirely thanks to the 'Seven Heavens of Ruthlessness' that you were able to fuse the 'Golden Crow Profound Art' and the 'Sunflower Water Divine Thunder,' two ancient and conflicting techniques, into one. If the 'Seven Heavens of Ruthlessness' is wavering, this old minister fears..."

Young Master Yu chuckled lightly. "You fear I will suffer a qi deviation, is that it?" The physician nodded, "Why would your mind waver? Your 'Seven Heavens of Ruthlessness' has reached its zenith; you are about to enter the highest realm, 'Absolute Ruthlessness.'" At that time, the two ancient extraordinary skills, Golden Crow Profound Art and Sunflower Water Seed Thunder, will advance even further, reaching a realm unprecedented and unparalleled. Then, even the gods in heaven will likely be unable to subdue you, young master. Your mind has always been calm. How could this be? Could it be that you…you have fallen in love?”

Young Master Yu stared blankly out the window, then nodded after a long while, saying, “Master Yao is right, I have indeed fallen in love.”

Master Yao stood up, bowed deeply to Young Master Yu, and said, “May I ask which woman you have fallen for? I hope you will tell me, and I will immediately go and relieve you of this affliction!”

Young Master Yu remained silent for a long time before saying, “That girl, I have seen her before, and Master Yao should also be quite familiar with her. She is the disciple you took in when you were living in seclusion in the Lingnan Mountains.”

Master Yao looked surprised and said, “Are you referring to Wu Qingyuan’s daughter, Wu Minrou?” "

Young Master Yu nodded and said, "It is indeed this woman. Eight years ago, when I went to Mount Yinnan to invite Master Yao to come out of the mountains, I saw her from afar. At that time, she was just a ten-year-old girl. Ah, even then, I felt that she possessed a refined and otherworldly quality that made me feel close to her at first sight. I thought I would never have the chance to see her again in this life. Unexpectedly, she actually followed Qin Ren to Chen County. Eight years have passed, and she is now even more beautiful and otherworldly than before. I was already moved when I saw her just once. Alas, especially the unspoken thoughts revealed in her eyes and brows, made me feel even more sorry for her, and I only wanted to protect her and cherish her."

Master Yao said with a complicated expression, "Young Master, has Min Rou ever seen you before?" Young

Master Yu shook his head and said, "No. The time I saw her, she was walking out of the cave where Master Yao lived in seclusion, perhaps preparing to go home." "I was just on my way to find Master Yao, and I was walking the same road as her. I saw her from afar, but she didn't see me."

Master Yao shook his head and sighed, saying, "Alas, this is all my fault. If I hadn't taken Minrou as my disciple on a whim because I found her so charming and lovely, I wouldn't have planted such a seed of delusion in you!"

Young Master Yu smiled and said, "Master Yao, you are mistaken. Even if I hadn't seen Minrou eight years ago, I would still be moved by her now."

"No, eight years ago, Young Master, you had only cultivated to the third level of the Seven Heavens of Ruthlessness. That was when your inner demons were at their strongest, your mind was filled with the most impurities, and you were most susceptible to external temptations. Although your will was extremely firm, and you resisted all the temptations of the mortal world, when you saw a little girl in the mountains who was completely untouched by worldly corruption, you had no defenses against her. Your inner demons took advantage of this weakness and planted a seed of demonic obstacles in your heart. Now, eight years later, when you see Minrou again, that long-dormant seed of demonic obstacles will sprout. Right now, the obstacles are still in their early stages, and you still have the strength to control and protect them. But if you let them develop and grow stronger, I'm afraid it will be uncontrollable!"

Young Master Yu was shocked. He knew that Master Yao was a master of martial arts. His skill stemmed from nature, and he possessed a profound understanding of the principles of heaven and earth. His words were not mere alarmist rhetoric. Taking the matter seriously, he solemnly declared, "How should this be resolved? I hope you will instruct me, sir!"

The physician sighed, then, as if having made a firm decision, said to Gongzi Yu, "Young master, since this matter arose because of this old minister, this old minister will naturally resolve it properly. The only solution now is to kill Minrou, to make her disappear forever. Only then can you extinguish the thoughts in your heart and allow the demonic obstacle to vanish on its own!"

Gongzi Yu's expression changed. He said, "Is there no other way? Is this the only path? Physician, could you let Minrou stay by my side? As long as she is by my side, I will not have to worry about her day and night…" "Only this path, there is no other way!" The physician shook his head and sighed, "If you keep Minrou by your side, how can you be heartless? With feelings in your heart, the Seven Heavens of Heartlessness will utterly collapse!" " Young Master is a peerless genius with great talent and ambition. You should know when to let go and not be indecisive or hesitant!"

Young Master Yu was stunned for a long time, his expression shifting. Finally, he let out a long sigh and shook his head dejectedly, saying, "In that case, let's follow your plan, sir! Please, Master Yao, do not let Minrou suffer too much.

" Master Yao said, "Young Master, please rest assured. This old minister also feels great pity for this beloved disciple. If it weren't for you, Young Master, this old minister would never have the heart to harm her. This old minister has his own methods to let Minrou leave comfortably.

" With the plan settled, just as Master Yao was about to take his leave, Young Master Yu suddenly asked, "Master Yao, how is the batch of medicinal figures refined using the 'True Dragon Treasure Mirror' doing?"

Master Yao replied, "Of the batch of medicinal figures refined using the bodies of two hundred martial arts masters as a basis, one hundred and ninety-three were ruined. Seven were successful." "It's not that I'm boasting, but with my profound knowledge of pharmacology, although it only took me seven and a half years to refine these medicinal figures, their power is absolutely no less than that of the ones the royal family spent twenty years refining."

While Master Yao's martial arts may not rank among the top ten in the world, he is undoubtedly the number one expert in medicine and pharmacology. The extraordinary poison, the "Dissolving Power and Softening Tendons Powder," was concocted by Master Wu. As a prince of the Ying clan, Prince Yu naturally obtained a copy of the True Dragon Treasure Mirror from the palace long ago and asked Master Yao to secretly refine the medicinal figures. After nearly eight years, a batch of successful medicinal figures has finally been produced.

Prince Yu nodded and said, "I naturally trust Master Yao's abilities. Master Yao, these seven medicinal figures should be ready to use now, right?"

Master Yao replied, "The seven medicinal figures are ready for battle at any time. I have already given them instructions; these seven medicinal figures will only obey me and you, and when I am with you, they will obey only your commands." "

Young Master Yu said, "In that case, I'll trouble you, Master Yao. It won't be long before these seven medicine men are put to use..."

Master Yao responded with a "Yes," and said, "Does Young Master have any other instructions? If not, this old minister will now begin preparations to deal with Min Rou."

Young Master Yu thought for a long time, as if using all his strength, and said, "Master... please go!"

Master Yao decided to take his leave again, but just as he reached the door, he suddenly heard Young Master Yu say, "Master! The matter of killing Min Rou is not urgent for now. Right now, I am forming an alliance with Qin Ren, preparing to send troops to Da Ri."

"If Minrou were to suddenly die in Chenjun, Qin Ren would surely believe it was my doing, which would be detrimental to the overall situation. Let's wait until after conquering Da Ri before doing this!"

Seeing that Gongzi Yu had come up with a rather flimsy reason to convince himself, Master Yao sighed helplessly and said, "This old minister obeys. This minister takes his leave!"

After Master Yao left, Gongzi Yu stood silently in the room for a long time, then suddenly sighed and muttered to himself, "Ximen Wudi was right, when a person becomes invincible... indeed, all that remains is loneliness..."

Days

passed one by one.

The Third Young Master and several women spent their days and nights indulging in pleasure in Chen County, Donghai, wandering around and having a great time.

On October 13th, Qin Feng, Qin Lei, Tie Jian, Qiao Wei, Uncle Li, Nu Hengmei, and Xiao Tianci, a group of seven, finally arrived in Chen County before their departure date after traveling more than ten routes at breakneck speed. Upon arrival,

Qin Feng and his party were warmly received by Gongzi Yu. The three Qin brothers once again gathered together for a welcoming banquet prepared by Gongzi Yu at his palace.

This time, the Third Young Master left all the women at his residence, not bringing any of them out. Meanwhile, Gongzi Yu… This time, Minrou wasn't mentioned either; he only drank and chatted with the Third Young Master and others.

The banquet was filled with clinking glasses, singing, and dancing, a picture of peace and harmony. But everyone present knew that behind this facade of tranquility lurked various sinister undercurrents and concealed countless murderous intentions.

That's how politicians are; one second they're all twisted and grimacing, wishing they could tear each other apart, and the next they're drinking and chatting like brothers. All these changes stem from the word "interest." For true politicians, interest is the sole principle governing their words and actions.

After the banquet, Gongzi Yu offered to take the Third Young Master and his group home, but the Third Young Master refused... After his brother declined several times, he didn't press the matter. This puzzled the Third Young Master. Normally, Gongzi Yu would insist on personally escorting them home, perhaps even glancing at the door to see if Minrou would come out to greet them. But now, Gongzi Yu seemed to have undergone some inexplicable changes.

The Third Young Master recalled that during his recent travels in and around Chen County, he always brought all the women with him, including Minrou. He had invited Gongzi Yu to join him on several occasions, but Gongzi Yu had always declined, citing official duties. The Third Young Master's plan to use Minrou to undermine Gongzi Yu had all failed.

Thinking carefully about Gongzi Yu's recent changes, the Third Young Master suddenly felt uneasy. An. He was certain that Gongzi Yu had feelings for Minrou. Someone as ruthless as Gongzi Yu, once he fell in love, his heart would be as strong as gold, as deep as the sea. Even Gongzi Yu, who was originally without weaknesses, would develop a vulnerability. But now, Gongzi Yu seemed indifferent to Minrou, which was an extremely dangerous sign for the Third Young Master.

This could only mean that Gongzi Yu didn't want to have a weakness. And the best way to eliminate this weakness was to make Minrou disappear from the world forever.

The Third Young Master had already guessed this. If Gongzi Yu couldn't have Minrou, he would destroy her. Gongzi Yu's current actions only confirmed this idea.

"We must deal with Minrou's Su Shi and kill Gongzi Yu!" "The Third Young Master secretly resolved that as long as Min Rou didn't die, Gongzi Yu would have a weakness, and there would be a way to force Gongzi Yu into a desperate battle to kill him. However, if Gongzi Yu successfully killed Min Rou, then Gongzi Yu would become flawless again. In that case, things would be extremely difficult.

More importantly, the Third Young Master absolutely could not allow Gongzi Yu to kill Min Rou!

The Third Young Master knew that even if Gongzi Yu wanted to deal with Min Rou, he would temporarily consider the joint military campaign against Da Ri and would not attack Min Rou. Therefore, the Third Young Master believed that the most likely time for Gongzi Yu to make his move would be after conquering Da Ri, when he returned to the Central Plains. This coincided perfectly with the Third Young Master's original plan for a final showdown with Gongzi Yu.

"Very well, then, let's settle everything then!" "Third Young Master thought so.

After returning to their residence, Qiao Wei and Uncle Li loudly proclaimed that they wanted to experience the charm of the women by the sea and drag their iron halberds to brothels to fool around. Nu Hengmei and Xiao Tianci were not into this kind of thing and went back to their rooms to rest early. The three brothers, Third Young Master and his brother, gathered in a study to discuss serious matters.

"Third Young Master, this campaign against Great Japan is the best opportunity for us to fight against Young Master Yu." Qin Feng said slowly, "If Young Master Yu returns to the Central Plains alive, even if we join forces with Xiang Qi to attack from the north and south before he recovers his strength, he can at least hold out for a year. And in that year, the Great Japan he conquered will be enough to provide him with hundreds of thousands of slave soldiers and enough military provisions."

The Third Young Master said, "Eldest Brother is right. We didn't send any troops during this campaign against Great Sun, so after conquering Great Sun, it's up to Prince Yu to send troops to garrison it. Prince Yu hasn't mentioned how to distribute the spoils to me either; it seems he wants to monopolize Great Sun. This way, Prince Yu will have an overseas enclave. Even if he's defeated in the Central Plains, he can retreat to Great Sun and wait for an opportunity to rise again and counterattack the Central Plains. If we want to drive Prince Yu out of the Central Plains, even if we join forces with Xiang Qi, the losses for both of us won't be small. Furthermore, after defeating Prince Yu, we will also have a battle with Xiang Qi. At that time, whoever wins will be severely weakened. Prince Yu can then take this opportunity to make a comeback."

Qin Feng nodded . Nodding, he said, "That's right. So, we absolutely cannot let Gongzi Yu obtain the Great Sun Kingdom. We must make sure Gongzi Yu dies at sea before we return to the Central Plains! Second brother, do you have any objections to this?"

Qin Lei chuckled and said, "Thinking things out isn't my thing. You two are in charge of planning, and I'll be in charge of killing and arson, that's all."

Qin Feng patted Qin Lei's shoulder and said, "Second brother, you should learn to use your brain. You can't just blindly charge around because of your big size and strong body. You're about to become a father, how can you act like a reckless bull?"

The third young master's eyes lit up upon hearing this and he said, "Second brother, you're about to become a father?" Tai Lei chuckled and said, "Linglong is already five months pregnant."

"Congratulations!" The third young master said with a grin, "Then you can call yourself 'father' properly from now on."

He then winked at Qin Feng and said, "Big brother, when are you going to find us a sister-in-law?" Qin Feng coughed lightly and said, "Alright, let's get down to business."

Qin Lei said, "Haven't we finished discussing the important matters? In short, our plan is to prevent Gongzi Yu from returning to the Central Plains. Regardless of his 300,000-strong navy, we must eliminate Gongzi Yu first. As for where to strike, that depends on the situation. Father instructed us that killing Gongzi Yu on land is impossible; we can't trap him or force him to fight to the death, so we can only act at sea. However, at sea, Gongzi Yu has the support of his navy, and we are not good at naval warfare. If we can't trap him, we'll be the ones trapped. In short, this is a gamble, and the stakes are quite high. If we win, the world will be at peace; if we lose, everything is over."

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "Second Brother..." "That makes sense. I thought so too. The only way to fight Gongzi Yu in the end is at sea. However, Gongzi Yu is no longer the same as before, without any weaknesses. I may have already discovered his fatal weakness!"

Qin Feng and Qin Lei's eyes lit up immediately. Qin Feng asked, "Tell me, what weakness?"

The Third Young Master smiled slightly and said, "Gongzi Yu has fallen in love with a woman. Unfortunately, that woman seems to be very interested in me, but not so much in Gongzi Yu. However, given Gongzi Yu's temperament, I think he might destroy what he can't have with his own hands."

A strange smile appeared on Qin Feng's lips. He said, "That's good news. As long as we protect that woman, Gongzi Yu's weakness won't disappear, and we'll have a chance to eliminate him!"

~Chapter 5 Conquest, Section 4~

On the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the 783rd year of the Great Qin Calendar, the weather was clear and windy, the clouds were slightly moving, and the sea was calm.

On the altar at the port, Prince Yu loudly recited a proclamation to conquer the Great Sun. Of the 300,000 naval soldiers, more than a third boarded the warships, while the rest formed neat square formations on the beach of the harbor.

"...Those who are not of our kind are sure to have different hearts! The Central Plains, as the ruling class, should stand proudly among the nations of the world, commanding the submission of all barbarians! To share the heavens with these uncivilized barbarians is a disgrace to us! You are the brave warriors of the Central Plains, your might will be known throughout the universe, your fame will be etched in history! These pig-dog barbarians can be slaughtered at will, their blood will stain our battle flags and our medals! To kill without hesitation is the mark of a true hero!..."

Gongzi Yu's voice was not loud, but the proclamation he recited reached everyone's ears with crystal clarity. Gongzi Yu's proclamation was extremely inflammatory; even the Third Young Master couldn't help but feel his blood boil. Even Qin Feng, the most aloof of men, felt his eyes sting after hearing it. And those 300,000 naval soldiers, whether on board or off the ships... Beneath the altar, a fanatical, bloodthirsty light gradually shone in everyone's eyes.

The Imperial Censor below the altar, holding the annals of history, meticulously recorded Prince Yu's proclamation, leaving a significant mark on his legacy.

After twenty-eight cannon shots, Prince Yu, along with his generals, the Qin brothers, and numerous Qin family experts, boarded the flagship. The various warships, large and small, raised their sails and set sail for Kyushu Island, one of the four islands closest to the Central Plains of the Great Japanese Empire, located to the northeast.

The ships sailed smoothly on the sea. With favorable winds and currents, the speed was extremely fast; at this rate, the fleet would reach the coast of Kyushu in just three to five days.

Prince Yu's flagship was the largest warship in the East China Sea navy, the only one capable of carrying up to two thousand men at full capacity.

However, the ship currently only carries seven hundred people; the extra space is used to store supplies.

In this era, although gunpowder is in use, only the Qin family has the capability to manufacture lethal cannons, thanks largely to Song Qing's design. Gongzi Yu's side can only produce ceremonial cannons for celebrations and rituals. To kill with gunpowder, it must be detonated manually.

Therefore, naval battles in this era primarily rely on bows and arrows. Bows and arrows, of course, cannot sink warships; even rockets are easily extinguished after being fired, failing to effectively burn enemy ships. Therefore, when warships approach, they generally rely on their strong armor to directly confront the enemy. The ship was sunk.

In terms of warship technology, the East China Sea navy far surpassed that of the Great Japanese Empire. This was already evident in the East China Sea navy's years of battles against pirate fleets mainly composed of wandering samurai from the Great Japanese Empire.

The Great Japanese pirates were clearly supported by the Great Japanese court, and their warships were mostly provided by the Great Japanese Empire. However, compared to the warships of Prince Yu's navy, they were not even in the same league. They could be described as utterly vulnerable.

In a sense, Prince Yu's navy was already enough to dominate all the seas of this era.

Now, Prince Yu stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of his flagship, pointing confidently at the warships of various sizes that moved like flying fish around him, and said to the Third Young Master beside him: "Third Young Master, look, with just this one fleet, I am enough to sweep across all the seas and bring all the seas under my control!"

The Third Young Master nodded and said: "In this world today, only your family can possess such a powerful navy." "Apart from storms, this fleet is indeed powerful enough to dominate the seas."

Gongzi Yu smiled slightly and said, "Third Young Master, mentioning storms while sailing at sea is quite ominous!"

The Third Young Master chuckled and said, "Does the Young Master believe in such things?"

Gongzi Yu shook his head and said, "It's not belief, but respect. This sea is not something that human power can conquer. No matter how strong my fleet is, it can only conquer barbarian countries that rely on the sea for their livelihood. To think that I can conquer the sea is just a joke." Looking at the vast ocean, the Third

Young Master deeply resonated with Gongzi Yu's words. The power of heaven and earth was beyond the reach of humankind; even gods, it seemed, could not defy heaven and earth and were subject to their dictates. The sea, though the cradle of life, was also the graveyard of those who harbored disrespect for it. This natural graveyard had buried countless madmen with delusions of conquering the sea.

The sea was not meant to be conquered or feared, but to be revered.

At this moment, the Third Young Master truly felt that Gongzi Yu's heart was broader than the sea itself.

The fleet sailed smoothly, as if heaven itself was on Gongzi Yu's side. For two consecutive days, the sea had been calm and the winds had been favorable. At this rate, the fleet would reach the coast of Kyushu on the morning of the fourth day.

The girls were very excited about the voyage and often gathered together to fish when they had free time. Although Gongzi Yu was on the same ship as the girls, he rarely interacted with them. It was as if he was constantly avoiding something.

The Third Young Master noticed this and understood; he knew that Gongzi Yu was avoiding Min Rou, which further confirmed his suspicion that Gongzi Yu harbored a weakness. On the

third evening, Song Qing, Hua Rong, Lian Zhou Luo'er, Qin Ni'er, Min Rou, Shui Muwei, and Luo Sheng Jing Shen gathered for a fishing competition. The Third Young Master, having nothing else to do, acted as referee.

Qin Ni'er used Xiao Tianci's golden arrow as her fishing rod, using the strongest and most durable silkworm silk attached to it. Lively by nature and lacking patience, she quickly grew impatient as her friends caught fish one after another, her lips constantly pouting.

Suddenly, Qin Ni'er felt a powerful force surge through the golden arrow, almost causing it to slip from her hand. While feeling the terrifying force, she used all her strength to resist it, exclaiming, "Aren, help me! I've caught a big fish!" "

The Third Young Master rushed to the deck and looked out the side. He saw huge waves crashing on the surface of the sea, and a large blue-backed, white-bodied fish was thrashing about with its blood-red mouth wide open.

The Third Young Master laughed and said, "Ni'er, you've got this competition all in the bag! You caught a great white shark!" With that, he leaped off the deck and pounced on the giant shark.

At this moment, Qin Feng, Qin Lei, Tie Jian, Qiao Wei, and Uncle Li, seeing that there was something to watch, rushed over. Before they even reached the edge of the deck, they saw a fish nearly two zhang long leap into the air, clear the side of the ship, and land on the deck with a loud thud.

The fish struggled and writhed on the deck for a few moments, then died. It appeared to have no external injuries, but its internal organs had actually been shattered by the Third Young Master's true strength.

"Hmm, fresh shark fin soup to eat." The Third Young Master landed on the deck after the shark and chuckled, "Sisters, the results of this competition are in. Ni'er caught a great white shark." She was undoubtedly the number one. Although everyone caught more fish than Ni'er combined, the total weight of all the fish they caught didn't even equal that one!

The women, of course, held differing opinions, all criticizing the Third Young Master for intervening. Hua Rong even went so far as to say that without the Third Young Master's help, Qin Ni'er wouldn't have caught any fish at all, and would have been caught by a shark. Qin Ni'er, of course, wouldn't back down, insisting that the fish had bitten her hook, so it should naturally be considered her catch, and the argument went on without compromise. Finally, the Third Young Master had no choice but to announce that everyone who participated in the competition would be tied for first place, the prize being a passionate kiss from him, the Third Young Master of the Qin family. He was then given a good beating by the women.

The short twilight passed in joyful noise, and the evening was naturally spent on the boat. A lavish shark fin feast was held, and the Third Young Master invited Gongzi Yu to join the festivities. For the past two days, everyone had been eating at their own expense. Gongzi Yu hadn't yet dined with the Third Young Master and the others. However, this time he readily agreed. During the meal, he chatted and laughed as if nothing was amiss, but the observant Third Young Master noticed that Gongzi Yu spoke to many people, but not to Min Rou, not even glancing at her.

After the banquet, when the three brothers gathered to summarize the evening, the Third Young Master added another impressive assessment of Gongzi Yu: "This Gongzi Yu can be considered the world's number one infatuated villain." "Alas, what is love in this world that makes people willing to die for it..." he sighed as he went off to fool around with girls.

On the fourth day, as the sun rose above the horizon, the outline of the large island ahead gradually appeared in the eyes of the lookout on the flagship. The lookout blew the horn, and all the warships immediately prepared for battle. The Third Young Master and the others also came out of their cabins, walked to the bow, and gazed at the hazy island in the distance with Gongzi Yu.

The sun was shining behind the island, casting golden rays that made the sea appear as if it were covered in gold. The hazy coastline, illuminated by the sunlight, possessed an indescribable beauty.

Gongzi Yu snorted, "This place is nice, but it's a pity the people on the island are so inferior, they've sullied what was originally a beautiful place."

The Third Young Master nodded in agreement, saying, "There's nothing we can do, even a wild dog can bark in a beautiful jungle, right?"

The two exchanged a knowing smile, feeling an instant connection. Just

then, a small fleet appeared ahead, slowly approaching Gongzi Yu's fleet.

The flag bearer on the lead fast ship of Gongzi Yu's fleet signaled that the fleet flying the flag belonged to a retainer of the Emperor of the Great Japanese Empire. The East China Sea navy had long dealt with the Great Japanese Empire and knew its flags intimately, even recognizing the family flags of imperial retainers. Many of the naval officers and soldiers were also fluent in the Japanese language.

"Young Master," a naval commander said to Gongzi Yu, "the vanguard warships request instructions on how to deal with this Great Sun fleet."

Gongzi Yu smiled slightly and said, "We are here to conquer, not to have friendly exchanges with them. Of course, leave no one alive, kill them all."

The naval commander nodded, raised his flag, and began signaling, conveying Gongzi Yu's message.

Following Gongzi Yu's command, five large warships, fifteen medium warships, and twenty small warships immediately broke away from the main force in a goose-wing formation and rushed towards the small Great Sun fleet at high speed.

The Third Young Master could clearly see that the fleet consisted of only about thirty ships, the two largest of which were even smaller than the medium warships of the East China Sea Navy. “This fleet is too weak. Sending out so many ships seems like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”

Gongzi Yu smiled slightly and said, “You have to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. I’ve always liked to fight like this. With ten times the enemy’s strength, I can annihilate them in one fell swoop. In war, you naturally want to achieve the greatest results with the least losses. How can you do it with too few people?”

The Third Young Master nodded and said seriously, “I finally understand why you always liked to gather a large group of people to block us when you tried to kill me. It turns out you only fight people, not fight.”

Gongzi Yu laughed loudly and said, “You’re right. Fighting requires equal strength and mutual damage to be considered a fight. Fighting people requires one side to have an overwhelming advantage. Now the enemy has no chance to fight back, so it’s naturally very enjoyable to fight. That’s why I’ve only liked fighting people since I was a child, not fighting.”

The two looked at each other and laughed again. At this moment, the vanguard of Prince Yu's navy, like sharp cones, plunged fiercely into the small fleet of the Great Japanese army. Before this, both sides had already exchanged several volleys of arrows. The Great Japanese arrows were far too weak; they were already falling into the sea before even reaching the vanguard's ships. The vanguard's arrows, however, were accurate and deadly, killing and wounding many of the Great Japanese sailors, pinning them down and preventing them from raising their heads. When the vanguard rammed into the enemy fleet, most of the Great Japanese warships were instantly smashed to pieces, with only fewer than ten small boats surviving.

Even those few surviving boats could not escape their fate. The rear of the vanguard's flanking formation encircled the surviving boats, the sailors throwing grappling hooks to capture them, pulling them to their own ships, and then a large number of naval warriors jumped aboard, hacking the already terrified Great Japanese sailors to pieces.

The Japanese sailors who fell into the water after their ships were destroyed were also shot dead one by one by the archers on the vanguard fleet. The blood quickly attracted a large group of sharks, who scrambled to feed on it.

The battle was won without a doubt; not a single soldier in the vanguard fleet was injured, and not a single warship was damaged. The sailors were extremely satisfied with this complete victory.

Cheers erupted from the small warships.

Looking at the results, Gongzi Yu smiled and said, "This can be considered a good start, right? The quality of the Japanese soldiers and their weaponry are completely incomparable to my navy. Even in a land battle, my navy would be more than capable of easily wiping them out."

After sailing for another half hour, the fleet finally approached the sea.

The place where the fleet docked was just a small port, more like a fishing village than a port. With the current national strength of the Japanese Empire, it was not yet able to build a port like the one on the coast of the Central Plains that could accommodate hundreds of ships of various sizes.

Fortunately, this stretch of coastline consisted mostly of gentle beaches without reefs, allowing small and medium-sized warships to reach the shore. However, large warships and flagships could not dock and had to anchor. Smaller warships, having unloaded their troops and supplies, would then ferry the larger ships back and forth to ferry the troops and provisions.

Young Master Yu, Third Young Master, and the others naturally didn't need to be escorted by small boats. As soon as the ship came to a stop, Young Master Yu smiled at Third Young Master and said, "Third Young Master, how about a contest of lightness skills?" Third Young Master nodded, gesturing with his right hand, and said, "Please, Young Master."

Young Master Yu declined, saying, "Third Young Master's lightness skills are renowned throughout the land; please go first.

" Tie Jian, eager to try, said, "You two stop arguing! Let me set an example for you!

" Seeing Tie Jian's confident expression, Third Young Master asked curiously, "Big Cousin, isn't your lightness skill among the lowest in the world?"

Tie Jian laughed three times, then lowered his head and said seriously, "It seems you all underestimate me, Tie Jian, if I don't show you my true skills! Let me show you what the true king of lightness skill is!" With

that, he stepped over the ship's railing and leaped forward—landing like a stone towards the sea.

Before the crowd could even laugh, just as Tie Jian was about to hit the water, he suddenly roared, his entire body emitting a fiery red light that instantly turned blue, then silver-white.

The intense heat of the light instantly evaporated a large amount of water from the sea surface, and with a hissing sound, huge plumes of steam rose from the surface, rising so rapidly that they actually supported Tie Jian's mountain-like figure!

Tie Jian turned around, smiled triumphantly at the stunned crowd on the ship, and said, "How about that? Surprised? This is a phrase I created myself, called 'Riding the Clouds and Mist'!" "Look at me, don't I look like a deity riding the clouds?"

With that, he strode forward, walking on the water towards the shore. With each step, the intense heat from his feet steamed the water, lifting him up and making him appear like a deity walking on mist!

The sailors on the surrounding ships cheered, making Tie Jian even more smug.

The Third Young Master curled his lip and said disdainfully, "From now on, let him boil the water for steaming buns; it's much faster than a stove." Everyone on the flagship burst into laughter.

Seeing Tie Jian showing off, Zhao Ziyang cupped his hands to Gongzi Yu and said, "Young Master, I will go first!"

Seeing Zhao Ziyang's eager expression, Gongzi Yu knew it was because Tie Jian had stolen the show and won applause from his soldiers, making Zhao Ziyang itchy to try his hand. Although Gongzi Yu and the Third Young Master were still allies at this time, they were fundamentally mortal enemies. Therefore, if the enemy was showing off and winning applause from his soldiers, he couldn't afford to lose face. Gongzi

Yu nodded slightly to Zhao Ziyang and said, "Alright, Zhao Qing, please." At the same time, he used a secret telepathic technique to transmit a message to Zhao Ziyang: "This is a competition. Everyone present can fly, but the key is to see who flies beautifully, making the soldiers feel impressed. This will greatly boost the morale of the soldiers."

Zhao Ziyang clasped his hands and bowed to Gongzi Yu, saying, "Your subject obeys!"

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/15299.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=15299&aspx=1

Previous Page : Half-Step Multiple Desires Legend (Complete) - 22

Next Page : Rebirth of a Stunning Beauty (Complete) - 36

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Rebirth of a Stunning Beauty (Complete) - 35

comment Open a new window to view comments