We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? Chapter 351: When Autumn Comes on the Eighth of September, My Flowers Bloom and All Others Perish

The Northern Frontier forces divided into five columns, surging towards the Zhei Kingdom's imperial capital from five separate paths.

The Zhei Kingdom sank into utter defensiveness everywhere.

Within the imperial court, divisions had formed between the Surrender Faction and the Fight-to-the-Death Faction.

Civil officials mostly made up the Surrender Faction, and these were the very ones who typically lived in luxury and corruption, peddling offices and ranks, acting with haughty tyranny as utter scoundrels.

From their perspective, surrender would safeguard their lives.

The Zhei Kingdom's ruler shared this mindset, convinced that offering land for peace was the optimal path!

Yet right when the Zhei Kingdom's ruler entertained this idea, the military generals talked him out of it.

The Fight-to-the-Death Faction pressed the Zhei Kingdom's ruler hard, pointing out that Qin Kingdom assaulted Zhei Kingdom with its entire might. The clashes between their armies had reached this intensity, clearly showing the foe's aim to wipe out their country.

How could mere handover of a handful of provinces possibly settle it?

If the Zhei Kingdom's ruler pursued peace right now, it would only shatter the troops' spirits without any benefit.

Not only that, but the Northern Frontier army's spirits soared at their height. Seeking peace then—how would the Northern Frontier army ever consent?

With the massive clash looming, chaos gripped the imperial court even more fiercely. Ultimately, swayed by the Zhei Kingdom's Prime Minister's arguments, the Zhei Kingdom's ruler consented to battle first and gauge the outcome.

Meanwhile, Xiahou Nan rallied the surviving troops and retreated to the Zhei Kingdom's imperial capital.

Xiahou Nan strode straight into the palace to confess his guilt.

Xiahou Nan had forfeited the Southern Territory. Logically, such a blunder warranted harsh penalty, though much of the blame for losing the Southern Territory fell on those court vermin rife with distrust and the Zhei Kingdom ruler's hesitation.

But would the Zhei Kingdom's ruler ever own up to his errors?

Still, this critical juncture demanded talent. Xiahou Nan stood as a renowned general commanding the troops' unwavering devotion. Punishing him now would plunge the military into turmoil.

Hence, the Prime Minister fiercely shielded Xiahou Nan, even threatening to smash his head against a pillar.

The Zhei Kingdom's Prime Minister handed the Zhei Kingdom's ruler a face-saving exit. The ruler accepted it, retaining Xiahou Nan to redeem himself via deeds and resume army command.

Yet the loss of the Southern Territory required justification to the populace, so the Zhei Kingdom's ruler beheaded a general guilty of the heaviest fault—one deliberately picked from Xiahou Nan's kin.

Now, with the realm's fate hanging by a thread, the Zhei Kingdom's ruler refrained from rash acts.

He bestowed full military command upon Xiahou Nan, permitting him to deploy any personnel and wage war as he saw fit in combat.

Provided they triumphed.

Oh no.

Provided they halted the Northern Frontier army's advance toward the Zhei Kingdom's imperial capital, all could be discussed.

Regarding Guo Xin, whose sister served as the Zhei Kingdom's Empress, he was slated for execution to atone but ultimately got spared. Still, reclaiming military command proved out of the question for Guo Xin.

Thus, Xiahou Nan elevated numerous long-trusted soldiers, reorganized the ranks, and readied to hurl the army back into the fray.

Xiahou Nan set out due south to intercept Xiao Shi once more.

Mighty General Fu Liu would confront Zhang Kui.

Western Wind King Bai Canfeng would face Fang Weiming.

Freshly elevated young general Zhong Wen would tackle Liu Xing. Yet for Xiao Mo, Xiahou Nan faced a tough bind.

Though Xiao Mo ranked as just a junior youth general, the issue lay in how this young Xiao Mo had held Yanmen Pass for thirty days!

His feats rivaled those of seasoned commanders.

In truth, his youth fueled his vigor and zeal, rendering the forces under him a sharper lance!

Thus, Xiahou Nan refused to dismiss him lightly, but who could counter this young warrior?

At last, Xiahou Nan resolved to seek out a certain figure personally.

This was the Zhei Kingdom's three-dynasty mainstay, Great Pillar of State Du Beiwang.

Great Pillar of State Du Beiwang had grown exceedingly aged. Long retired from politics, he dwelt in seclusion outside the Zhei Kingdom's imperial capital, ignoring court matters entirely.

Initially, Du Beiwang rebuffed Xiahou Nan. But after an all-night discussion, Du Beiwang agreed to take the field himself against this rising star, Xiao Mo!

Yet as Zhei Kingdom's Great Pillar of State Du Beiwang marched to bar Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo had already driven the Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry to seize two cities in half a month.

Arriving at Fengshang City, a vital Zhei Kingdom stronghold, Du Beiwang and Xiao Mo at last stood opposed.

Du Beiwang held off sealing the gates and hunkering down.

To Du Beiwang, the crack troops and valiant leaders under him had no reason to dread that mere youth Xiao Mo.

Besides, the Northern Frontier army's fierce drive demanded crushing!

Du Beiwang dispatched Vice General Gu Yuan to sortie with the army against Xiao Mo.

From the city wall's heights, Du Beiwang surveyed the clash.

Challenges rang out from both sides. As supreme commander, Xiao Mo charged ahead, slaying three Zhei Kingdom generals. Though all three stood at Golden Core realm, none endured past twenty bouts against Xiao Mo.

Sensing morale at its zenith, Xiao Mo thrust his spear forth and unleashed his army.

Fifty thousand Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry, masked as asuras, stormed alongside Xiao Mo like celestial warriors.

Gu Yuan countered with fifty thousand cavalry and four hundred thousand infantry charging at Xiao Mo.

Upon cavalry collision, though Zhei Kingdom riders held their own, Xiao Mo's onslaught smashed them apart.

Furthermore, every tactical shift by Gu Yuan fell plain to Xiao Mo's eyes. Xiao Mo countered adeptly each time, even laying ambushes that hobbled Gu Yuan severely.

Gu Yuan sensed himself exposed utterly, pierced through by Xiao Mo.

Gazing from the wall at the battlefield, the Great Pillar of State shook his head with a sigh. He told his attendants, "This man's command eclipses you all. His name will echo through history for millennia!"

Gu Yuan's first clash ended in crushing defeat. He withdrew his forces inside, and Fengshang City barred its gates tight!

Outnumbered by over a hundred thousand defenders, Xiao Mo realized a forced assault would exact brutal costs, leaving scant strength for future fights.

Moreover, Northern Frontier prowess shone in cavalry, yet sieges curtailed their might sharply.

Thus, Xiao Mo kept hurling challenges at the walls. But the foe mimicked old turtle Xiahou Nan, showing zero will to emerge.

On the seventh day of impasse at Fengshang City, Northern Pacification Prince Xiao Shi dispatched a missive. It instructed Xiao Mo merely to pin Du Beiwang down, without pressing an assault.

Xiao Mo acknowledged, yet replied he'd seize any chance to strike.

Then, Xiao Mo pored over the Zhei Kingdom's Great Pillar of State's biography anew.

Xiao Mo sensed stalemate at Fengshang City might not endure.

Though the Zhei Kingdom's Great Pillar of State cultivated only to Dragon Gate realm with a lifespan capping at five centuries, his war record dazzled across nations.

Xiao Mo rejected the notion that a merit-laden three-dynasty veteran would meekly guard a city indefinitely.

Besides, this Great Pillar of State had passed four hundred fifty years, plagued by ailments from ceaseless early campaigns, his vitality frail.

One could say for this war, Great Pillar of State Du Beiwang never anticipated survival. Battle death or road exhaustion loomed likely.

For such a haughty elder, reclaiming lands before death would honor the late emperor below.

On the standoff's tenth day, Xiao Mo penned a verse to taunt the old commander.

"When autumn comes on the eighth of September, my flowers bloom and all others perish. The sky-piercing fragrant formation penetrates the Zhei capital, the entire city adorned with white scale armor."

Reading the arrow-shot letter on the wall, admiration swelled in Du Beiwang's gaze the more he perused.

"Fine poem, a superb poem! Worthy of a twenty-year-old's fire. Only youthful dash births such lines!" Du Beiwang eyed his nearby generals and lamented, "Tell me, as one of the Seven Warring States, why hasn't our Zhei Kingdom birthed such a young legend?"

"..."

The generals bowed their heads in disgrace.

"Alas," Du Beiwang shook his head, "Zhei Kingdom breeds cliques and cabals, court brims with capitulators. Even a talent like that would struggle to ascend. How did our Zhei Kingdom decline so..."

"Great Pillar of State, this is Xiao Mo's provocation ploy. Please don't let it stir your resolve," a vice general advanced, cupped fists, and bowed.

"This old man understands," the Great Pillar of State shook his head. "But suppose we halt Xiao Mo and Xiahou Nan stops Xiao Shi—can our other commanders truly check those famed Northern Frontier lions? Once imperial walls crumble, what good our stand here?"

Silence gripped all.

Du Beiwang shook his head, "Xiao Mo seeks to crack us here, but don't we seek the same?"

On the seventeenth night of deadlock, Du Beiwang led ten thousand cavalry in a midnight raid on Xiao Mo's camp. Yet Xiao Mo lay in wait.

Xiao Mo's Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry thundered out, clashing savagely.

Xiao Mo hounded them thirty li to the walls. Regrettably, Du Beiwang slipped back into Fengshang City.

Beyond sporadic night strikes on Xiao Mo's camp, Du Beiwang dispatched cutters for Xiao Mo's supplies and even eyed dike breaches to drown his foe. But Xiao Mo anticipated all key moves.

Though in their duels Xiao Mo missed some calculations, suffering two setbacks where Du Beiwang scored gains, overall Xiao Mo reaped the greater share.

On the thirtieth day of impasse, Xiao Shi's letter arrived, revealing western Chu Kingdom's alliance betrayal and opportunistic strike on Qin Kingdom. The Qin ruler panicked, commanding Northern Frontier to hasten against them. Xiao Shi ordered Xiao Mo to forsake Fengshang City and repulse the Chu invaders.

Xiao Mo clashed heatedly with Xiao Shi's envoy, insisting he'd crack Fengshang soon with just more time—or have other Qin generals handle Chu.

Days later, Xiao Shi's follow-up demanded instant departure, as Chu had seized a city.

Fuming sleeplessly, Xiao Mo relented.

All this reached a turncoat general in Xiao Mo's ranks, who smuggled word to Fengshang City.

Du Beiwang, upon hearing, convened the generals.

"A defector from Xiao Mo's camp reports Chu Kingdom troops hitting Qin Kingdom, stretching their lines thin. Xiao Shi pulls Xiao Mo to face Chu. I propose we seize this to reclaim lost ground. Thoughts?" Du Beiwang queried.

"Great Pillar of State, it's viable—a golden chance. Spots like Yanmen Pass lie exposed. Prime moment to retake territory."

"I oppose," another vice general countered. "Xiao Mo schemes deeply. What if it's fabricated? What if Xiao Mo planted that defector to feed us lies?"

"Absurd. Idling fifty thousand Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry here wastes them. Prioritizing Chu makes sense. Else, if Chu delves into our core, what then for Qin?"

"How do you know Qin's borders collapse so fast? If they hold and we blunder into trap, Xiao Mo grabs Fengshang then reinforces—what then?"

"You think Xiao Mo risks it? The Qin ruler?"

"Why not? Xiao Mo's the Northern Pacification Prince's heir. Even if Qin capital falls, holding Zhei and striking back makes him dual-realm lord!"

"So we squander this? Await Xiao Mo smashing Chu then returning?"

"What of ambushes?"

The tent rang with heated volleys, chaos unbearable.

After one incense burn's span, the Great Pillar of State rapped the table; quiet descended.

"These days, flood scouts to track Xiao Mo's moves ceaselessly. Post-withdrawal, ready to retake cities. For ambushes, stick to main plains roads. How many snares can Xiao Mo lay? Plus, his two hundred fifty thousand face our three hundred fifty thousand—victory's no sure thing."

Finished, the Great Pillar of State sighed, "In Zhei Kingdom's do-or-die hour, grinding against Xiao Mo here solves nothing. It's not about options, but having one we can't refuse."

Four days elapsed.

Dawn broke; Xiao Mo commanded camp strike and retreat.

Next day, Great Pillar of State Du Beiwang led his host from Fengshang City toward Shengxue City to reclaim lands.

Du Beiwang marched with utmost wariness. Minor traps slowed them slightly, but as his van neared crossing an unmarked plain, a white-plated masked rider fronted ten thousand horse, barring the Zhei Kingdom van.

Rearward, the Zhei Kingdom column faced forty thousand more Northern Frontier cavalry and two hundred thousand foot crashing like a snowstorm.

"With Chu Kingdom's invasion, does the Frost Prince truly shun defense, convinced border holds are certain?" Du Beiwang eyed Xiao Mo steadily and intoned.

"I do not believe it," Xiao Mo shook his head.

"Was that missive from the so-called defector your ploy, General Xiao?" Du Beiwang pressed.

"The defector exists truly, and I tasked him to send it—that's true too," Xiao Mo affirmed. "Your Zhei Kingdom harbors true loyalists."

"The letter's contents true as well?" Du Beiwang pursued, conversing casually.

"False."

Xiao Mo shook his head.

"I staged it. His Majesty truly ordered: even if Qin capital tumbles, hold fast—no withdrawal. Take Zhei in one stroke. The Chu whelps? He'll crush them solo. Mere cities lost for now; soon all Chu lands his."

"One last query," Du Beiwang scanned the encircling Northern Frontier host. "Does the Frost Prince t