Chapter 330: National Enmity Comes First

Chapter 330: A Nation’s Vengeance Comes First

Given time, it wouldn’t be impossible to strive for that position.

The people of Daqian are exceptionally clever.

Especially those officials who rose through the imperial examinations—they are the brightest of the bright.

A century ago, a man from Daqian once went to the Northern Hu and was hailed as a wise man.

"I only hope..."

"What?"

Just then, the sounds of battle drums and warning horns grew louder, and the thundering of hooves became increasingly distinct, as if the ground shook beneath them.

A peculiar gleam flickered in Gao Fuyan’s eyes.

Like a fish stranded on the shore, gasping its last breath, only to be met with life-giving rain at death’s door.

Not a trick of the ears, nor a mirage.

The garrison of Shengyan Pass had actually come to their aid after seeing the beacon smoke.

Gao Fuyan didn’t want to ask why no reinforcements had come when his younger brother lit the beacons before.

Pointless.

All he knew was that, just as he was about to give up completely, a ray of hope had emerged in his life once more.

See—the Daqian he’d pledged his life to still had hope.

Though corruption seeped from the top down, the rot hadn’t reached the bone.

There were still people fighting, striving, trying to change the situation with their meager strength.

Right then, Gao Fuyan felt tears well up.

He had thought his tears had run dry when his family was slaughtered.

Yet the truth was, he still clung to a buried hope for Daqian.

It was the lofty dream he had set for himself as a child, when he first picked up books and brushes—studying mankind’s origins, of the mysteries of heaven and earth, practicing loyalty, family duty, brotherhood, and trust, of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame.

He’d sworn to devour books and roam far and wide, to witness the suffering of the people and the myriad facets of life, to rise through the imperial exams and serve the people.

This conviction had spanned every moment of his life, as far back as he could remember.

The blood debt turned his hatred toward the palace’s master.

He burned to tear this country apart himself.

Yet one relief force...

Just one relief force, and he wished these people could thrive.

For Gao Fuyan. For his family—parents, siblings, wife, and kids.

The darkness choking this land would someday blow away.

He halted, but others would press on.

His lofty ambition was also the ambition of countless people in Daqian.

Gao Fuyan's lips curled into a silent smile, tears streaming down his face as he laughed.

The Left Wise King turned pale with shock. "How could they arrive so quickly?"

"Master Fuyan..."

Gao Fuyan did not raise his head, his voice low. "From the sound of it, only ten thousand strong. Without the Xie family, the Northern Frontier Army doesn't stand a chance."

His sleeve brushed lightly over his face as he continued, "These ten thousand are stepping stones to Your Majesty's glory."

"At Shengyan Pass, Qiao Song leads the vanguard to reinforce Zhenzhi Pass."

On the battlefield, Xie Yan's voice booms with grandeur.

Like fresh water bursting into a stagnant pool.

"Qiao Song?" Gao Fuyan looked up.

But it was too far, and he could not see clearly.

How could it be Qiao Song?

Qiao Song, the notorious criminal.

Yet, here he was.

No matter who came.

The Left Wise King was stunned.

The vanguard?

He bellowed in disbelief, "Has Liu Jingyuan gone mad?"

"Ten thousand men - just the vanguard?"

"Perhaps it's merely a bluff," Gao Fuyan said darkly.

The Left Wise King said, "Whether it's a bluff or not, the situation has changed. That old fox must die!"

Even if they failed to take Zhenzhi Pass tonight, killing the once-renowned General Xie would still be a victory worth bragging about.

The Left Wise King nocked another arrow.

In the next heartbeat—

An arrow buried itself deep in his back.

Taken completely by surprise, his eyes widened in shock, and his bow slipped from his grasp.

His mount reared, startled, neighing sharply.

"Wha—"

Gao Fuyan wrenched the arrow out and rammed it home again.

This was the arrow Gao Fuyan had plucked from the Left Wise King's arrow case.

The speed was so fast that the Left Wise King's guards didn’t have time to react before their lord dropped dead.

Across the vast Northern Hu, from top to bottom, no one ever doubted Gao Fuyan's resolve to defect.

After all, his past was too damn tragic.

Any normal person would be burning with hatred for Daqian, god damn it.

But…

Out of nowhere, this very Gao Fuyan killed the Left Wise King.

Amidst the clash of armies, the top general of one side was taken out just like that.

The Left Wise King’s guards were seeing red, eyes popping, as they drew their blades.

"The Left Wise King is dead, motherfucker!"

"The Left Wise King is dead, motherfucker!"

Gao Fuyan got out just two shouts before he was full of bloody holes and went down hard from his horse.

The spooked horse trampled over him, yet Gao Fuyan, not feeling a thing, gazed toward the direction of the reinforcements.

The fighting kept going.

All he could see was blood everywhere.

Because of his personal vendetta, so many had died at Zhenzhiguan.

Some he knew, others he had never met.

His single life wouldn’t be enough to make up for the slaughter of this night.

He was done for.

No time to think.

He’d be seeing his family soon.

Was that Qiao Song?

Nah. Couldn’t be.

Qiao Song didn’t have the moves for that killer backhand spear strike.

Qiao Song only worked with a broadsword.

Was that the Xie family's spear work?

Gao Fuyan needed to see it one more time.

The Left Wise King had asked him why…

Country first, then family.

He was Gao Fuyan, Daqian’s Gao Fuyan.

Blood poured from his mouth in gushes, his vision reddening before fading to black.

“Gao Zhizhen!”

In his haze, Gao Fuyan seemed to hear someone calling him Gao Zhizhen.

That was a courtesy name he’d once gone by, known to only a handful.

Time and again, people had told him the name “Zhizhen” was too arrogant, so he abandoned it.

Once he became an official, he never mentioned it again.

But the eldest and second sons of the Xie family knew.

Who could this be?

No matter—the Xie family had heirs worthy of the name.

Gao Fuyan was dead.

Run through by countless scimitars.

Crushed under stampeding hooves.

For his crimes, he deserved to be left in pieces.

Xie Yan swept his spear across, slicing through the necks of enemies before him. Choking back grief, he shouted, “The Left Wise King is dead! Kill!”

The Northern Hu army’s morale broke, their ranks crumbling.

Xie Yan fought as he barked orders, closing in and cutting down the Northern Hu forces.

Despite the odds, Gao Fuyan’s betrayal had turned the tide.

The Northern Hu fell back fighting.

By the time Xie Yan reached Gao Fuyan's corpse, it was barely human.

Zhizhen, Zhizhen.

In some ways, Gao Fuyan had earned the name “Zhizhen.”

He understood Gao Fuyan’s dying wish, so in that moment, he cried out “Gao Zhizhen” instead of “Gao Fuyan.”

He wanted Gao Fuyan to depart without regrets.

“Gao Zhizhen.”

Xie Yan whispered.

His eldest brothers’ dear friend—Gao Zhizhen.

Xie Yan’s heart was in knots, his spearwork turning ruthless.

Tonight, so many innocent lives had been lost. Though not entirely Gao Fuyan's fault, his hands were far from clean.

Yet, Gao Fuyan was also truly a man who loved and lived fiercely.

Only by cutting down more enemies can we honor the sacrifices of the people of Zhenzhi Pass.

Blood arced through the air as Xie Yan thrust his spear tirelessly, thrust after thrust.

He couldn’t tell whether the blood was his own or his enemies’.

He had grown up in the northern lands since childhood—the north was his home.

The Xie family too would rise again through the north.

With a weary glance at Gao Fuyan, Xie Yan thought, not just the Xie family.

Those innocents dragged into this must receive justice.

Too much blood was shed during the palace coup years ago, and too many debts of justice remain.

Picked up Mingchao’s silver tongue.