Chapter Eighty-Four: The Effects Triggered by the Checkpoint

The court discussions had come to an end, and all the officials had dispersed. Yet Ironheart Sage remained seated in a daze upon the dragon throne in the grand hall, staring blankly at his desk. There were no outsiders left; only a few palace stewards and maids lingered about. He no longer needed to mask his feelings—his face was ashen and rigid with rage.

Ironheart Sage had always considered himself a sovereign of great ambition and prowess, but the sweeping invasion by the Great Summoning Kingdom was nothing less than a resounding slap to his pride.

A young eunuch, not yet twenty, with delicate features, entered quietly. He cleared his throat and signaled to the nearby stewards and maids, who slipped silently out of the hall.

“Your Majesty, I have received another secret report from Commander Wei,” the young eunuch murmured.

“Speak. I want to hear how he explains himself this time!” Ironheart Sage sneered coldly.

“Commander Wei says there are still traitors hidden within the army and the royal city—many of them, not just one or two. He adds that our every move seems laid bare before Demon Finger Xiao and the Deathless Zhuang; we are constantly outmaneuvered. The defeat, he claims, is not a failure of the battlefield, but of intelligence and espionage.”

“And what else did he say?” Ironheart Sage’s tone grew even colder.

“Commander Wei claims the Great Summoning Kingdom had long since seen through his plans. When our army reached Lingtou, they discovered that the stronghold had been completely reinforced compared to half a year ago. Moreover, the enemy had somehow brought up a Devastation Cannon. Our forces charged valiantly over a hundred times but were repelled each time. Over ten thousand elite soldiers perished under the cannon’s fire alone.”

“Absurd!” Ironheart Sage erupted in fury, slamming his palm down and shattering the desk into splinters. “Not a failure of the battlefield? I should never have trusted his empty boasts! He claimed Demon Finger Xiao wanted me to appear weak, to feign defeat and lure him in! He talked of turning the tables, breaking through the Great Summoning Kingdom’s defenses, and seizing Lingtou within three days! I gave him full command, and where is Lingtou now? Where?”

“Your Majesty, please quell your anger. If I may… Commander Wei’s arguments are not without merit. The Devastation Cannon weighs nearly a hundred thousand pounds. To haul such a weapon up to Lingtou by manpower alone would take months. The Great Summoning Kingdom must have known of Commander Wei’s intentions well in advance. Had he chosen to bypass Lingtou and Jinshan, and instead taken the long route through Taiping Mountain, it would have thrown the enemy into chaos. Yet they were so certain he would attack Lingtou that they brought the Devastation Cannon there… Your Majesty, I truly believe there is a traitor among us!”

“Wei Juan’s secret letter was sealed with red wax, and delivered by your own Plainclothes Guard. The message was encoded, intelligible only to me and Wei Juan himself,” Ironheart Sage said icily. “Xiao Fuzi, tell me—who is the traitor? Who could decipher the code? Are you suggesting I, myself, betrayed our military secrets?”

“This… I will investigate further,” the young eunuch bowed his head.

“By the time you discover the truth, it will be too late.” Ironheart Sage slowly rose. “Has the Blood Mountain Legion of the Great Feather Kingdom garrisoned Autumn Eve City? Why is there still no news?”

“The Blood Mountain Legion remains patrolling beyond the border, Your Majesty. They have yet to cross into our territory,” the eunuch replied softly.

“How is this possible?” Ironheart Sage’s face drained of color in shock.

Under Wei Juan’s mediation, the Dawai Kingdom and the Great Feather Kingdom had already drawn up plans to carve up the Great Summoning Kingdom. Wei Juan would penetrate deep into enemy lines and hold Lingtou, exhausting the enemy’s forces, while Ironheart Sage mustered reinforcements. Together with the Blood Mountain Legion, they would strike into the enemy’s heartland, attacking from both flanks and striving for a decisive victory.

Thus, when news of Wei Juan’s defeat arrived, Ironheart Sage felt only humiliation, not panic—he still possessed the strength for another battle. But the Blood Mountain Legion’s failure to garrison Autumn Eve City as agreed filled him with a growing sense of unease.

“There’s an issue… involving Grand Chancellor Han’s two grandsons,” the eunuch stammered.

“Han Yuanzi and Han Yunzi? What trouble have they caused now? Speak!” Ironheart Sage roared.

“They set up some sort of checkpoint at Flying Rainbow Bridge, inspecting the Great Feather Kingdom’s merchant caravans,” the eunuch explained. “As Your Majesty knows, every principality has its customs. When an army is dispatched, noble youths compete to join, seeking both experience and merit for themselves…”

“I asked about those two Han brats, not for a lecture on tradition!” Ironheart Sage snapped.

“Your Majesty, only by recounting the cause can the effect be understood.” The eunuch smiled bitterly. “The Great Feather Kingdom’s deployment of the Blood Mountain Legion is a matter of national survival—their noble families were eager to profit from the coming campaign. During the preparations, they fixed their eyes on the grain route, blocking the merchant caravans and buying up all the rice and wheat at cost price, before shipping it to Nine Cauldrons City. The Great Feather Kingdom produces abundant grain, harvesting three or four times a year. Domestically, the price is low, but once across the border, it rises dramatically, with profits multiplying several times in Nine Cauldrons City.”

Ironheart Sage listened, his sense of foreboding growing ever heavier.

“The nobles of the Great Feather Kingdom, idle and opportunistic, joined forces to monopolize the grain route for profit. Yet they didn’t expect Grand Chancellor Han’s grandsons to target their caravans at the checkpoint,” the eunuch continued. “At first, it was petty extortion, but their greed grew insatiable. Recently, they’ve been collecting gold notes amounting to over two hundred thousand daily—this is…”

Ironheart Sage felt the world spinning before his eyes and collapsed weakly onto the throne. “Why did you not inform me sooner?”

“Your Majesty, the sons of all noble families engage in such practices. I thought you, burdened as you are with affairs of state, would not concern yourself with such trifles,” the eunuch replied with resignation. “Besides, I never imagined Grand Chancellor Han’s grandsons would be so ruthless. It’s practically daylight robbery. The Great Feather Kingdom’s nobles, though not outright ruined, have seen their expected profits shrink dramatically, leading them to resent the Dawai Kingdom. Some have even spread rumors that we are merely using the Great Feather Kingdom, with no intent of true alliance. This has placed great pressure on Pan Yuanshan. Though he is commander-in-chief, he must still appease the noble families…”

“Outrageous!” Ironheart Sage crossed the ten paces between them in a flash, kicking the young eunuch hard in the chest. The eunuch, unable to use his internal energy, took the blow full on, flying back to strike a massive pillar before crumpling to the floor, blood seeping from his mouth and nose.

Ironheart Sage’s fury was unabated, and his voice thundered through the hall: “Outrageous! Outrageous! All of you are nothing but fools…”

Had this happened in times of peace, it would have been a minor issue. The grandsons of Han Sanmei might have been reprimanded and fined, and the confiscated money could be returned to the Great Feather Kingdom’s merchants, soothing any ill-will. But in wartime, the consequences were dire. Any rift could plant suspicion in the Great Feather Kingdom, causing them to remain neutral, watching the Dawai and Great Summoning Kingdoms wear each other out—or worse, switch sides entirely. Whether the Great Summoning Kingdom was destroyed or the Dawai Kingdom, the victors would claim the same glory. In essence, there was no difference.

“Your Majesty, the fault is mine…” The young eunuch struggled to his feet, his voice trembling. “When I first heard of this, I didn’t think it mattered. Only when the Blood Mountain Legion failed to move did I investigate, and only now do I realize the catastrophe Grand Chancellor Han’s grandsons have wrought…”

Ironheart Sage’s chest heaved violently. He felt utterly drained, as if the heavens themselves had turned against him. Victory, once within his grasp, seemed to slip away, leaving only chaos in its wake.

“Has the Dawai Kingdom come to its end?” Ironheart Sage murmured. He did not fear the Great Summoning Kingdom, but if the Great Feather Kingdom suddenly switched sides, Dawai might well face annihilation.

“Your Majesty, do not forget the will of the people!” the young eunuch cried, alarmed by his master’s despair. “Just this noon, the Third Prince and Ye Xin of the Ye family were drinking at Fragrant Pavilion. Ye Xin declared he would go to the front lines and fight for the nation! Your Majesty, if even a notorious rake understands the duty to his country in its hour of peril, how could the Dawai soldiers dare to hold back? The people’s hearts are still with us!”

“Ye Xin? What did Guanhai say?” Ironheart Sage fought to steady himself.

“He said this is a national crisis; no one can remain untouched. ‘When the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain intact?’” the eunuch recited.

“I know he has begun to cultivate energy, but he is still but a common warrior—he isn’t subject to conscription…” Ironheart Sage murmured.

“The Third Prince said the same, but Ye Xin is shrewd. He holds the token of the Sirius Legion and is the son of the Wolf Commander. Wherever he goes, the scattered soldiers of the Sirius Legion will gather to him,” the eunuch explained. “Not only Ye Xin—hasn’t Grand Chancellor Han himself pledged to personally lead the city’s defenses? Lord Wang is also petitioning for battle. Your Majesty, this is the will of the people!”

“You see things too simply. Han Sanmei only wishes to use this opportunity to purge his rivals in the army. Wang Fang merely speaks the words—he won’t relinquish the authority of Tai Ling,” Ironheart Sage said quietly. “But as for Guanhai… Though the Ye family is a shadow of its former self, he understands that humble status is no excuse to neglect one’s duty to the nation. That is worthy of praise… Alas, it is I who have wronged the Ye family…”

“That is the integrity every subject should possess,” the eunuch replied.

(Please support the new book with recommendations and favorites!)