After understanding what Ye Tian had done in Heavenly Star Province, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't find any direction to refute him.
At this moment, her feelings were extremely complex.
Was what Ye Tian did really wrong?
This thought startled even Zhu Zhuqing herself.
What's wrong with me?
Ye Tian should be my enemy!
After all, he wanted to overturn the ruling foundation of the nobility and overturn the entire Star Luo Empire.
Without the empire, what would the glory of the Zhu family amount to?
And she, the future Crown Princess, would also become a laughingstock.
At this moment.
A shy, thin young man walked in from outside.
The youth wore straw sandals, had a rain cape draped over his back, and held a spear made from white wax wood.
However, the spear had no metal tip—just a sharpened point.
The shy youth's purpose for coming here was clear. He walked straight toward Aunt Pan:
"Aunt Pan, the Empire's soldiers are coming. Their numbers are dense and countless."
"The village chief has already gone to Heavenly Star City to inform Lord General Ye."
"He wants you to organize everyone to take refuge in the mountains."
Aunt Pan's expression became grave. She raised her eyes and asked, "When did this happen?"
The shy youth said, "Er Hei from the village saw them while herding sheep. They're even flying blue-striped black eagle banners."
Blue-striped black eagle banners?
A flash of light passed through Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
Coming from a great noble family of the Star Luo Empire, Zhu Zhuqing naturally recognized that these blue-striped black eagle banners belonged to one of the Star Luo Empire's elite legions—the Black Eagle Legion.
The Black Eagle Legion's numbers weren't large, not even ten thousand, with a standing force of eight thousand men.
Normally stationed with the Star Luo Royal Knights in the suburbs near Star Luo City, directly under the Star Luo Emperor's jurisdiction.
They had only one duty: to defend the imperial capital.
Even when Spirit Hall sent a large army to pressure the Star Luo Empire's northern border, resulting in the loss of several provinces' territory, neither the Black Eagle Legion nor the Star Luo Royal Knights moved.
How had they ended up running to the south now?
...It was probably because of her.
Zhu Zhuqing instantly understood the situation, her face turning deathly pale.
She had been too reckless. Aunt Tang was right—if something went wrong with her, the entire Star Luo Empire would probably go mad.
"Miss, come up the mountain with us. The Empire soldiers are coming soon. With your exceptional beauty, if you stay behind, you'll inevitably be violated." Aunt Pan advised bluntly.
These words dimmed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. So this was how poorly the Empire was regarded among the common people.
Zhu Zhuqing had no energy to refute anything.
After all, she had heard more or less about what kind of conduct the Empire soldiers had.
"Mm, alright." Zhu Zhuqing said weakly.
...
Meanwhile.
In Heavenly Star City.
Learning that a main force had voluntarily come, Ye Tian nearly laughed out loud.
In the conference room.
Ye Tian, seated in the main position, took a small sip of tea.
Surveying his assembled subordinates, he asked lightly, "Everyone, if you have any suggestions, feel free to speak directly."
Zhou Long stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Young Master's far-sighted vision is truly ruthless. Who would have thought that a mere Crown Princess could lure an elite force of the Star Luo Empire?"
"Not immediately eliminating Zhu Zhuqing at the time now seems to have been an incomparably correct choice."
Ye Tian set down his teacup and smiled lightly. "Uncle Zhou, don't give me undue credit. Honestly, I also didn't expect the Star Luo Empire would be so irrational."
Bo Saixi said thoughtfully, "For the Star Luo Empire, they can't determine our strength. So in their view, this action may not necessarily be a military adventure."
"However many come, we'll just fight them all." Gu Yue Na beside Ye Tian snorted coldly and raised her fist.
"Miss Yue Na is correct. I think we should not only fight them but completely devour them all."
Liu Wenxuan, the new governor of Heavenly Star Province, gazed at the map on the table.
"What our rebel army lacks now is fame."
"If we can take down the Black Eagle Legion, known as one of Star Luo's two great elite forces, the rebel army's reputation will resound throughout the entire continent."
"By then, we won't even need to send troops—all the common people of the south will rally to our cause."
"But this doesn't align with our established strategic objectives." Thirteen, as the intelligence officer, shook his head in opposition.
Ye Tian calmly sipped his tea, leisurely listening to his subordinates' discussion.
It must be said, his subordinates had grown considerably these past days.
There was reason to believe that even if he weren't here presiding over the overall situation.
The Black Eagle Legion still couldn't escape.
At most, the aftermath would deviate somewhat.
Regarding Liu Wenxuan's proposal, Ye Tian silently denied it in his heart.
Liu Wenxuan had a scholar's integrity and inherited a scholar's ideals, thinking things were too simple.
The Star Luo Empire had ruled the southern provinces for a thousand years. The common people had long grown accustomed to submitting to oppression.
Unless a knife was held to their necks, they wouldn't know to resist.
So don't expect that wherever the army passed, the people would welcome them with grain, enemy troops would flee at the sight, and all regions would submit at the mere spreading of proclamations.
Such stories might appear in future storytellers' tales—something like Lord Ye Tian being divinely mandated, his imposing presence shattering a hundred thousand enemy troops, heroes bowing before him in admiration, and so on.
But it absolutely wouldn't happen now.
Glancing at Thirteen, Ye Tian took another sip of tea.
As the intelligence officer, Thirteen seemed to have had his initiative worn down, always following his tracks.
Ye Tian had previously said to conceal strength and astonish everyone with one brilliant move.
But this absolutely didn't mean yielding, much less that when enemies came, they should passively take a beating.
He surveyed the room, setting the general tone for the upcoming discussion:
"In this battle, psychological warfare comes first."
"It's also time to let the Star Luo elite legions and nobles know that those who have the people's hearts are invincible!"
"Young Master, you mean..." Zhou Long didn't quite understand and frowned.
Before Ye Tian could answer, Liu Wenxuan, sitting across from Ye Tian, seemed to suddenly understand and said with delighted surprise, "Lord General Ye, you want to close the door to beat the dog!"
Times had changed. After the land distribution, Heavenly Star Province had long become Ye Tian's home ground.
Liu Wenxuan understood that in Heavenly Star Province, Ye Tian had truly gained the people's hearts.
What Ye Tian had in his hands wasn't just an elite army.
But nearly three million common people of Heavenly Star Province!
This was where the real power lay!
No matter how elite the Black Eagle Legion was, it was only eight thousand men.
Eight thousand men entering the great chessboard of Heavenly Star Province couldn't make even the slightest ripple!
"Closing the door to beat the dog? This is truly wonderful!" Zhou Long, who had been slow to catch on, carefully savored Ye Tian's intent.
If they fought this elite force head-on, they would inevitably need to deploy the Heavenly Strategy Army.
But the Heavenly Strategy Army wasn't made of iron. After a battle with the Star Luo elite, losing over a thousand men would be considered light.
But if they fought on home ground, using terrain for ambushes, it would be different.
In Heavenly Star Province, the Black Eagle Legion would be blind.
While behind the Heavenly Strategy Army were three million pairs of eyes providing support!
Wherever the Black Eagle Legion went, they would be completely transparent to the Heavenly Strategy Army!
This completely asymmetric battle could be fought very easily, with casualties kept to a minimum.
"Not just closing the door to beat the dog." Ye Tian smiled calmly, picking up his pointer and moving it to a red marker in the northern part of the map.
"Also, drawing out the chariot!"
(End of Chapter)