Chapter 435: The Emperor Was Bombed

Chapter 435: The Emperor Was Bombed

In the wilderness of Jiuyuan Pass, boundless wild grass stretched endlessly, undulating across the landscape.

What should have been an expansive wilderness was now filled with military camps, with bonfires burning brightly. From the tents, the agonized groans of the injured could be heard from time to time.

The two soldiers on night duty by the bonfire felt heavy hearts as they listened to the sounds of pain behind them.

"To this day, we still don't know what those randomly exploding stone projectiles really are! The power is tremendous!"

"Who knows where the imperial court got them from. At this rate, even if we had another ten thousand men, they wouldn't be enough to withstand those explosions... I never want to hear that terrifying sound again..."

After saying this, the two fell into silence for a while before speaking again.

"Do you think what they’re saying is true? Is the always-masked general by the Emperor's side really Tuoba Xiao from Dongrong?"

"Shh... lower your voice, even if he’s, what can we do?"

"But if he really is Tuoba Xiao, aren't we helping the Dongrong fight our own people..."

The two soldiers fell silent again, both lost in confusion.

They had originally believed they were fighting a just war, following the prince to restore order. The prince was the rightful heir to the throne, which was why they had eagerly followed him into battle.

But now, it was no longer an internal issue of Sheng. If they were helping the Dongrong fight their own people, wasn't that treason?

On the lands of Liao Dong, countless ancestors had fallen to the Dongrong, leaving a blood feud that has accumulated over generations. How could they fight alongside the Dongrong against their own people?

Low morale spread through Prince Rong’s army, but inside the tent, Bai Rongge remained oblivious. He looked at Tuoba Xiao, who wanted to see the "stone projectiles," with a cautious glance. "General Tuoba, the stone projectiles have tremendous power. If mishandled, they might explode. It’s best if you don’t come along yet. Once I confirm it’s safe, I’ll invite you to inspect them."

Tuoba Xiao lifted his gaze, and there seemed to be a hint of malevolence in his eyes, as if he had seen through the other's thoughts.

Although Bai Rongge felt somewhat uneasy, he had no intention of letting the Dongrong people study this powerful weapon.

In his previous life, he had ultimately fallen prey to these cunning Dongrong people. If he hadn't started his grand cause so early in this life, he wouldn't have sought the Dongrong people's help.

However, he did not regret diverging from the path of his previous life. After all, Su Youyue had altered everything. He could no longer conquer the entire Great Shen as he had in his previous life, so he had to change his plans.

Moreover, that despicable woman had killed Qian'er. He was determined to avenge Qian'er as soon as possible.

Bai Rongge's eyes gradually grew cold as he gestured for Tuoba Xiao to leave.

Tuoba Xiao narrowed his eyes, his thin lips curling slightly, and without replying, he turned and left.

Watching his arrogant exit, Bai Rongge's expression darkened, but his mood brightened considerably when he remembered that this man had been defeated by Xie Yuan in his previous life, losing an arm and being beaten like a stray dog.

After sending him away, Bai Rongge quickly stepped forward to examine the "stone bombs" that had been brought back from Jiuyuan Town and were now piled together.

When he retreated from the battlefield that day, he had ordered his men to gather some fragments, so he knew that the outer shell of the stone bombs was actually ceramic. Seeing these ceramic jars, he broke into a wide smile.

"Quick, have the two master craftsmen arrived?"

Having plotted a rebellion for many years, Bai Rongge naturally had weaponsmiths dedicated to crafting arms for him. He had retreated for three days specifically to summon these skilled craftsmen, hoping to understand the court's powerful weapons as quickly as possible.

As he spoke, the two craftsmen arrived. As they were about to bow, Bai Rongge hastily waved them off. "No need for formalities, please. Two masters, take a look at these stone bombs. What materials give them such tremendous power?"

Hearing this, the two quickly stepped forward. However, as they approached, they were momentarily halted by a foul odor, which smelled strongly of manure, causing them to hesitate.

Bai Rongge watched eagerly from the side. Although the smell was not unbearable, the two soon picked up a jar, examining it closely.

"The exterior looks no different from an ordinary ceramic jar; it seems the key must be inside. Wait, what's this string..."

Hearing the puzzled voice of one of the craftsmen, Prince Rong, unable to contain his curiosity, stepped forward to get a closer look.

Just then, suddenly, a flaming arrow shot through the night and was aimed directly at the jars.

Before Prince Rong could react, he heard one of his trusted aides shout, "Your Majesty, be careful!" The next moment, a blinding white light flashed before his eyes, and he felt himself being pushed to the ground by his aide. But the two of them were then thrown into the air by a powerful blast.

A deafening explosion lit up half the night sky, jolting the entire army of ten thousand soldiers awake in fear.

"Did the earth just shake?"

"No! Those are stone bombs! Is the imperial army here?"

The soldiers, already traumatized by the stone bombs, started shouting and running around like headless chickens.

In no time, a huge fire broke out near the grain supply, sending the soldiers into chaos. In the panic, some were trampled and nearly killed.

As they rushed to put out the fire, someone screamed, "Protect the Emperor! The Emperor has been hit!" Panic spread among the soldiers, and they all rushed back to the explosion site.

The camp was in utter disarray, but a group of soldiers moved against the chaos, chasing out of the camp.

"Xie Yuan!"

In the darkness, Tuoba Xiao's blue-green eyes glinted with excitement, making him resemble a wild beast in the dark.

He spurred his horse on, faster than the Dongrong soldiers, who were clearly not Sheng ethnic, behind him, a blur on the horizon.

The team ahead, dressed in black night clothes, kept retreating without turning back.

"General Tuoba, it seems you've forgotten how you fled last time and how you lost at the martial arts field," the man replied coldly.