Chapter 430: A Heavy “Battle Report”

Night blanketed the land like ink. Within the military tent, only a few flickering oil lamps barely pushed back the gloom. The interplay of light and shadow made the atmosphere feel even heavier and more oppressive.

The air was thick with a solemn tension that defied description, so stifling that even the sound of breathing echoed clearly in the confined space. Civil and military officials stood on either side of the tent, all wearing grim expressions, hardly daring to breathe, for fear that even the slightest sound would shatter the oppressive silence.

At the wooden desk sat a middle-aged man clad in heavy armor. The iron-gray plating glinted coldly under the dim light, reflecting a face both resolute and frosty.

His gaze was deep and piercing, like a pair of unsheathed blades, locked onto the battle reports laid open before him. Each line seemed to bear a crushing weight, making his expression grow colder by the second.

There were three reports in total, each with only a few lines of text—but even those few words were laden with unbearable heaviness…

Day One of the supply delay: Hundreds of elderly men and women were driven out of Yinsha Prefecture and made to kneel, naked, in the freezing cold, kowtowing and begging in the direction of the Yan Southern Army…

Day Two: At noon, the demon soldiers forced young men and women from the city to perform the “rites of matrimony” in the snow. Those who resisted were executed by lingchi¹… the young men and women appeared to be close relatives…

Day Three: The demons brought out an iron cauldron, about two men high and one man wide. It was too far to see what was inside, but faint, sharp cries could be heard drifting from within…

Yan Wuyong lifted his head and swept his sharp gaze over the crowd. “Why hasn’t the grain arrived yet?”

His voice was eerily calm, yet it sent a chill through everyone present.

An elderly, frail man with snow-white hair stepped forward and cupped his hands respectfully. “Reporting to His Majesty Yan—the snowstorm was too severe. Perhaps they lost their way.”

At this, Yan Wuyong’s tone lifted, and his eyes locked onto Advisor Liu. “Are you certain?”

Advisor Liu nodded. “Indeed so.”

“Liu Liang!” Yan Wuyong slammed the desk and barked, “Do you take me for a fool?”

“For three consecutive days, there have been grain officers arriving with just enough rations to feed the troops for one day. Don’t tell me this is just some damn coincidence!”

Advisor Liu was silent for a moment, then replied calmly, “Your Majesty is wise. This… was all orchestrated by your humble servant.”

“Good! Very good!” Yan Wuyong grabbed the three reports and flung them at Advisor Liu. “Take a good look! Three days of delay—and this is how nearly a thousand civilians died! Read it thoroughly!”

Advisor Liu picked up the fallen reports without haste and held them in his hand. He responded solemnly, “Your Majesty, I have already read them…”

“You have?” Yan Wuyong laughed in fury. “And then?”

“I privately redirected the grain. That is a capital offense. But in my humble opinion, the civilians still barely surviving in Yinsha Prefecture are not necessarily any better off than those who died these past three days…”

Staring at the man’s indifferent demeanor, Yan Wuyong suppressed the fury burning in his chest and waved his hand. “I’m not here to argue with you. Just order the supplies returned to me immediately!”

To this, Advisor Liu knelt down and said firmly, “Your Majesty, I cannot comply.”

“Unless Your Majesty wipes out the demons in Yinsha Prefecture, no more grain will be sent. Even if messengers are dispatched, it will be pointless… by the time they return, the civilians there will either be dragged out and executed by the demons or starve to death from lack of food…”

“Liu Liang!” Yan Wuyong strode forward and glared down at the kneeling man. “I never thought you’d dare use such tactics against me.”

“I didn’t want to act… so you force my hand?”

Advisor Liu smiled faintly. “Something like that… After this, Your Majesty may grant me death, or even execute my entire clan—I would not object.”

“You—!” Yan Wuyong pointed at him, rage trapped in his chest. At last, he roared, “Guards! Liu Liang privately redirected military supplies, disregarding military law. Drag him out and flog him twenty times!”

To be frank, what Advisor Liu had done warranted a death sentence—his entire family could be executed. Twenty lashes was a light punishment.

But for a man nearing seventy, frail and worn down, even twenty lashes could be fatal.

Before the soldiers outside could enter, the others in the tent rushed forward to plead on his behalf.

“Your Majesty! The advisor made this desperate move for the sake of the people and the war effort!”

“We beg Your Majesty to be merciful! For his long years of loyal service, please spare him this once!”

“Yes! He’s old and can’t endure the flogging. If punishment must be given, this general will take it in his place!”

“We are willing to be punished in his stead!”

Seeing everyone speak up for Advisor Liu, Yan Wuyong exhaled sharply several times, then roared, “Out! All of you, out!”

Knowing that His Majesty had tacitly relented, everyone bowed and chorused, “Thank you, Your Majesty!” before hurriedly escorting Liu Liang out of the tent.

Inside, watching them leave, Yan Wuyong slumped into his seat, weary. He stared blankly at the tent ceiling.

“Of course I know what’s happening behind the lines…”

“Of course I know that time lost may cost us the war…”

“But if I really have to kill two hundred thousand of my own people with my own hand… how could I bear it?”

With those words, the weary Yan Wuyong closed his eyes, falling into deep thought…

In a corner of the tent, two ethereal figures stood side by side. Cloaked in a gray mist, Heaven Arbiter Ashen chuckled with amusement.

“This truly is a tough decision… but I must say, Mr. Gu, this Yan Wuyong you picked—he’s a bit too soft…”

“A general’s glory is built on a mountain of corpses. To walk the path of an emperor, one must make the most ruthless choices without hesitation.”

“Don’t you agree, Mr. Gu?”

Gu Ning’an replied coldly, “No choice is absolutely right. Yan Wuyong came from the common folk and rose because of them. Now you ask him to personally slaughter them—hesitation is only human.”

Heaven Arbiter Ashen gave a dry laugh and then, with interest, asked, “Then what would you do, Mr. Gu?”

Gu Ning’an looked back calmly. “I would find the one who started all this… and execute them.”

Feeling a sudden chill down his neck, Heaven Arbiter Ashen laughed awkwardly, wisely choosing not to ask who that person might be. Instead, he said, “Ling Xi and the Flood Dragon Emperor will have their answer soon too…”