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墨書 Inktalez
Night Star was clad in armor, exuding a heroic aura as he gazed at the generals kneeling before him in silence, flipping through the documents they had presented. The atmosphere in the Military Tent was eerily quiet.
Led by Liu Qiankun and Li Qingfeng, the group was somewhat perplexed by the general's thoughts and remained kneeling without speaking.
Qinglong had entered twice, both times reporting directly to Night Star. The others were curious but ultimately did not dare to act recklessly.
It was not until after Lunch that some began to sway unsteadily. Only then did Night Star set down the documents and lightly chuckle, "Whose idea was it for you to petition me to lead an expedition against the Three Major Tribes?"
Among the thirteen generals, seven had been brought up from the ranks by Night Star himself. Hearing his tone, they realized he was genuinely angry and dared not speak.
However, a young general following Liu Qiankun, unaware of the gravity of the situation, clasped his fists and said, "General leading the troops into battle is a great honor bestowed by His Majesty. All generals admire this. If you personally lead the attack, the Rebels will surely collapse and flee!"
He spoke with an air of self-satisfaction.
Little did he know that his words only provoked Night Star: "Oh, so according to you, if I refuse to lead this expedition, I would be disregarding the imperial will and committing treason?"
At this statement, all the generals bowed their heads: "This subordinate does not dare!"
"Does not dare?" Night Star snorted coldly, slamming the documents down on the table. "Where is your fear? You all have such boldness that you can decide for me."
Everyone felt regretful; having listened to Li Qingfeng and Liu Qiankun's persuasion that the general already had a foolproof plan against the Three Major Tribes, they had urged one another to jointly petition him for an expedition. Hearing those words seemed reasonable at the time, but now witnessing the general's anger made them realize they had fallen into someone else's trap.
The others might have been fine, but those who had always followed the general wished they could tear Liu Qiankun into pieces at that moment.
Li Qingfeng never expected that Night Star would be so unyielding. He thought that by taking this approach, the other party would comply, but he did not realize that he had offended the other soldiers as well. He immediately knelt down and said, "General, please calm your anger. This is all my fault and has nothing to do with the other soldiers. If you wish to punish someone, I, Li Qingfeng, am willing to take full responsibility."
In the army, men of iron will had agreed to support the general together. Now, seeing a frail scholar take the blame for them, how could they remain silent?
Someone immediately spoke up, "General, this matter was discussed among us all. If you must place blame, then let it fall on us! Lord Li had good intentions; we ask that you forgive him this once considering he is new to the military and unfamiliar with the rules."
"Yes, General, we are all thinking of the greater good. Please show mercy."
"We plead for your forgiveness!"
As the saying goes, the law does not punish many. Li Qingfeng's lowered face slowly revealed a sly smile. Night Star, I do not believe you will punish everyone; if you do not punish them, then you are bound to lead on this battlefield.
Night Star's eyes were like a lion in the jungle, fixed on the top of Li Qingfeng's head as if trying to see through his heart. He was increasingly certain that something was amiss with this person; he just did not understand whether this anomaly was at the behest of the Emperor or something else.
Thinking of this, he laughed heartily and personally went down to help Li Qingfeng up. "Lord Li is also serving His Majesty loyally like us; how could I blame you!"
"Then does Night General agree to lead the troops into battle?" Li Qingfeng stood up and looked into Night Star's eyes with a somewhat aggressive tone.
"This matter requires careful consideration!" Night Star replied seriously. "The soldiers may not know that our supplies have yet to arrive. I will send Qinglong to assist Lord Sun in escorting the supplies here; however, the journey is long and will take some time."
"While supplies are indeed important, General can first decide on who will lead the expedition; this would also stabilize the morale of the troops," Li Qingfeng pressed further.
Night Star smiled slightly. "I have many capable individuals under my command; even among my officers in the tent, they are well-versed in military strategy and skilled in leading troops. Why must Lord Li insist that I go into battle myself?" By the end of his statement, his tone had become quite sharp.
Li Qingfeng also smiled back. "You and I serve in the same court; it is only right that we serve His Majesty loyally. If I have said anything inappropriate, I hope Night General will forgive me."
"Not at all," Night Star waved his hand dismissively. "Lord Li has been an official for many years and must be well-versed in governance. I am merely a martial man; even if Lord Li has some misunderstandings about matters in my camp or has made some inappropriate suggestions, I understand that Lord Li has good intentions and would never hold it against you!"
Li Qingfeng, despite being cautious and thoughtful, couldn't help but blush at the words. Night Star was subtly mocking him for not understanding military affairs yet trying to take charge. He felt annoyed that this person didn't recognize his position, but he had to force a smile and replied, "What you say is indeed true; I have overstepped my bounds."
"Lord Li, there's no need for such words. We are both here to share the Sovereign's burdens, and we should communicate more," Night Star said with a smile before his expression darkened. "Qinglong, take the generals down; each of them will receive thirty military rods."
Li Qingfeng didn't expect him to be so dismissive. He glanced at Liu Qiankun, who was signaling him repeatedly, and managed to suppress the urge to say something as he left the tent with several stern-faced soldiers.
Once Night Star was alone in the military tent, it was as if he shed his armor. He sat back in his chair, sighed heavily, and pulled out an envelope from his belongings, lost in thought.
That night, the moon was dark and the wind howled.
In the borderlands, it was bitterly cold. At night, the sounds of wolves howling and ghosts wailing filled the air. The north wind sliced across faces like a knife as Night Star led his horse slowly into the moonlit grassland, quietly gazing at the stars above, lost in contemplation.
"You really came!" A gentle voice whispered from behind him.
Night Star turned around to see the newcomer and revealed a rare smile. "Are you well?"
Dun Zhu wore traditional clothing from her people; her loose coarse robe could not hide her beauty. Her long black hair was styled differently from the women of the Heavenly Universe Kingdom.
She had a single thick braid, bright eyes that seemed like stars fallen from the sky, a high nose bridge, rosy lips, and skin that wasn't pale but had a healthy and captivating glow.
"I imagined many times what you would say when we met again!" Dun Zhu smiled as she walked up to him. "You haven't changed; you're still so dull."
Night Star released his horse, which proudly sneezed before wandering off to graze, leaving the two young people alone under the moonlight.
"How is Uncle Zhakang? What about Wenton Granny? Does she still have knee pain whenever it rains?" Night Star asked with concern. He was not good with words, but that didn't mean he didn't care about others.
"Uncle Zhakang died in Xia Kingdom. Zha Dun is now living with Wenton Granny; their days are..." Dun Zhu laughed as she looked at him. "With war looming ahead, how can we who have no homes fare any better?"
Night Star's smile froze on his face. Although death was always inevitable due to war, in his world, he did not want to see those kind people die in vain. However, with his mission at hand, there was so little he could do.
“Gorilla, are you really going to attack us?” Dun Zhu called him by the nickname from his childhood, her eyes filled with tears. “Are you really going to kill us?”
Night Star felt a swelling in his chest, filled with sorrow. “I don’t know.”
In front of his childhood companion, he seemed to return to the naive version of himself, overwhelmed by the many things he felt powerless against. He could not bear to look into Dun Zhu's pure eyes or face how she saw him.
“You know our people are hardworking and kind. We ask for very little; we just want enough to eat. Why can’t your emperor tolerate us?”
Dun Zhu did not understand. She recalled hearing so many stories about the Heavenly Universe Kingdom from the gorilla when they were young, as if everything was vividly imprinted in her memory, as if she had experienced it herself.
It was a prosperous and beautiful place where everyone was warm and kind, with tall and spacious houses, countless delicious snacks, and houses lined up one after another. Why couldn’t they accept us?
Night Star had no way to answer her because even he did not know the answer to that question!
“The Invincible General personally leads the army to attack us. Even if we unite the Three Major Tribes, we probably have no chance of winning!” Dun Zhu's voice carried a hint of laughter, so desperate and helpless.
Night Star didn’t know what to say. The indescribable sorrow in his heart made him feel as if he were the real culprit at this moment.
“Zha Dun said that if you come tonight, it means you still consider us friends in your heart, right?”
Dun Zhu laughed out loud. “Night Star, so this is your name! The Invincible General who strikes fear into our people is actually the child Minion whom my tribe saved years ago. There’s a saying in your Heavenly Universe Kingdom: raising a tiger brings disaster; repaying kindness with enmity. Night General, doesn’t your behavior count as such?”
Night Star's voice was somewhat hoarse. “Dun Zhu, many things are not as simple as you imagine…”
“Then tell me, what do you need to do to let us go?”
The voice of Dun Zhu seemed to still be that kind-hearted little princess who was cherished by everyone in her childhood. "I don't want to see my people risking their lives time and again, and I certainly don't want to see them die at your hands. Gorilla, just consider it a good deed and save us, okay?"
Night Star clenched his fists tightly. He wished nothing more than to reset everything and return to the past. Now, as a soldier, his mission came first, and with the emperor's grace upon him, he could not forget his heavy responsibilities.
However, he could not ignore the debt of gratitude for saving a life. No matter what, he could not stand by and watch his benefactor in trouble while being powerless to help. He found himself caught in a dilemma.
Seeing that he remained silent, Dun Zhu smiled sadly, tears glistening in the moonlight, pure and holy.
Her colorful wide robe was gently loosened, sliding down to her smooth calves. Dun Zhu's youthful and radiant body merged with the sky, the grasslands, and the vast moonlight—her toned physique and tan skin appeared sensual yet sacred under the bright moonlight, wild yet innocent.
"If I give myself to you, will this gift allow you to let go?" Dun Zhu looked at his broad back, her voice enticing and filled with pleading.
Night Star turned around, taken aback by it all. He quickly picked up the robe from the ground and wrapped it tightly around her. "Why must you do this? I will definitely..."
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced through his chest—a searing heat where metal met skin, the frailty of blood flowing from his body!
Night Star opened his mouth to say something but was met with Dun Zhu's tear-streaked face, her trembling hand clutching a dagger in panic. Looking at that dagger which he once used to dominate a wolf pack and later gifted to Wenton Grandma, he felt an unexpected sense of relief!
As his heavy body fell down, he gazed at the stars in the sky and the holy moonlight, revealing a faint smile. Finally, he would no longer be so torn between choices!
But would that woman cry?
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