We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? Chapter 391: Qin Jingsu! Bravest of the Three Armies!

Within the vast imperial palace of the Qin Kingdom.

Qin Siyao had spent the entire morning accompanying her mother, the Empress, and had also paid a visit to her father, the Emperor.

As Qin Siyao was strolling through the imperial gardens with her father,

The ruler of the Qin Kingdom suddenly sensed something amiss and turned his gaze towards the ancestral temple located within the palace grounds.

"Father Emperor, is something wrong?" Qin Siyao inquired, a subtle sense of foreboding also stirring within her.

It felt eerily similar to when her Second Brother...

"Let us go and investigate!"

With a forceful gesture, the Qin Kingdom's ruler commanded.

Swiftly, Qin Siyao followed her father to the ancestral temple.

"Elder Brother..."

Qin Siyao whispered, her mind reeling from the shock.

How could this be possible?

Elder Brother was with my husband; how could Elder Brother...

"My Lady!"

At that precise moment, a maid's startled cry echoed from the temple entrance.

Qin Siyao turned, her eyes widening as she saw her mother's body go limp, collapsing to the ground.

"Mother!"

Qin Siyao lunged forward, catching her mother just before she hit the floor.

"Jingsu... my child, why has this tragedy befallen us? Why must Heaven take both my sons from me? Why... why..."

"Mother!" Qin Siyao cried out in distress as her mother lost consciousness in her arms, "Please don't frighten your child, Mother!"

Three days after the conclusion of the Battle of Shuling, Xiao Mo finally breached the imperial city of the Jin Kingdom.

Upon entering the city, Xiao Mo still refrained from harming the common populace within its walls. However, the Jin Kingdom's royal family was not so fortunate.

Compared to the ruler of the Chu Kingdom, the Jin King held his own life in higher regard.

The moment the imperial capital fell, the Jin King attempted to flee, escorted by his loyal cavalry. Yet, Xiao Mo could not possibly allow such a significant threat to persist.

Otherwise, the Jin Kingdom would maintain its claim to legitimacy, posing a profound challenge in the future.

Thus, Xiao Mo personally led his cavalry in pursuit, ultimately separating the Jin Kingdom ruler's head from his body.

Apart from the Jin Kingdom's ruler, every crown prince and prince present in the Jin Kingdom's imperial capital met their demise at Xiao Mo's hands.

While the Jin Kingdom's royal family was not entirely annihilated, with a number of royal relatives residing beyond the imperial capital, Xiao Mo paid them no further mind.

Those regional lords lacked unity amongst themselves.

Even if they were to install a new figurehead from the Jin royal family, what true impact would it have?

How many would genuinely acknowledge this new ruler?

How would the other lords consent to their authority?

Ultimately, these lords would merely prop up their own chosen puppets to serve their individual agendas. Just as Xiao Mo had captured the Jin Kingdom's imperial city and was preparing to lead his forces to Caiyun City to reinforce Crown Prince Qin Jingsu, a battle report arrived via flying sword.

Upon reading the report, Xiao Mo stood frozen, lost in thought for an extended period.

"General, could it be that something has occurred at Caiyun City?"

Observing Xiao Mo's stunned reaction, Li Dadan and the others grew increasingly concerned.

Xiao Mo slowly shook his head and passed the battle report to the deputy generals standing nearby. "Crown Prince Qin Jingsu has fallen in battle."

"What!" Li Jing exclaimed, disbelief etched on his face.

"General, what transpired?" Zhao Guang inquired, his voice laced with incredulity. "Wasn't Caiyun City holding out successfully? With the formidable army the Crown Prince commanded and Caiyun City's grand protective formation, surely holding out for another month should have been feasible, right?"

In Zhao Guang's estimation, he himself had successfully defended Yanmen Pass for an considerable duration. The defensive formation of Caiyun City, he reasoned, was in no way inferior to that of Yanmen Pass.

To add to this, Caiyun City possessed ample provisions, and the Crown Prince was by no means an incompetent leader. How, then, could it have been so swiftly overrun?

"It was precisely the formation of Caiyun City that encountered issues," Xiao Mo stated, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. "After the Crown Prince departed Caiyun City, acting out of concern that the Jin Kingdom's feudal lords might interfere with our advance, he attempted to delay their pursuit. Ultimately, the Crown Prince failed to break through at Shuling and met his sacrifice."

"..." A heavy silence descended upon the assembled officers, their eyes burning with a mixture of sorrow and righteous anger!

Despite holding the esteemed position of crown prince, Qin Jingsu was remarkably approachable, devoid of any princely arrogance.

Furthermore, throughout their recent campaigns, they had faced the crucible of battle together, risking their lives side-by-side. Consequently, every soldier had long since come to regard Qin Jingsu as one of their own brothers.

"Li Jing, you shall be the commanding general. Xiao Yang and Xiao Gui, you two will serve as deputy generals. Guard the Jin Kingdom's imperial capital diligently. Furthermore, our army's wounded soldiers will be housed within the Jin Kingdom's imperial capital under your protection."

"Yongsheng, you are appointed as the recruiting officer here. Just as we did in the Chu, Yan, and Wei territories, only recruit individuals from the Jin territory who enlist willingly."

"If no one steps forward to enlist, so be it. Otherwise, if they are forced onto the battlefield, they will not exert themselves, will disrupt our military discipline, and might even defect."

"As for those Jin Kingdom generals who have surrendered to us, I will allocate half of their forces for integration into your commands, and I will take the remaining half with me!"

"While I am away on campaign, you must expedite the repair of the Jin Kingdom imperial capital's defensive formation and remain perpetually vigilant. Is that understood?" Xiao Mo issued his instructions.

"Yes, General!"

Everyone clasped their fists in salutation and responded in unison.

The subsequent morning, Xiao Mo led the grand army away from the Jin Kingdom's imperial capital.

The allied forces of the Jin Kingdom's feudal lords, who had been responsible for Qin Jingsu's demise, believed themselves to be in a secure position and hastily marched to attack the Jin Kingdom's imperial capital. However, very shortly thereafter, upon receiving the news that the Jin Kingdom's imperial capital had indeed been captured, they exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for what to do.

"This must undoubtedly be false information deliberately disseminated by Xiao Mo, nothing more than one of his deceitful schemes," declared one Jin Kingdom feudal lord. "Everyone must resist being swayed by Xiao Mo!"

The others nodded in agreement, also convinced that the imperial capital could never have fallen so readily.

They persisted in their assault on Yaoqin City. Yet, when Xiao Mo guided the Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry out of Yaoqin City and subsequently displayed the severed heads of the Jin Kingdom's ruler, crown prince, and other royals atop the city walls, the allied army of the feudal lords instantly descended into disarray, their morale collapsing.

After all, the entire Jin Kingdom royal family was now deceased, and they began to question the very cause for which they were fighting.

The hesitation born from this doubt plunged the Jin Kingdom feudal lords' allied army into a brief state of pandemonium.

Seizing this opportune moment, under Xiao Mo's command, the Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry launched a direct assault into the encampment of the feudal lords' allied army.

The Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry utterly shattered the main camp of the Jin Kingdom feudal lords' allied army.

The Northern Frontier infantry formed their battle formations, their blood qi surging towards the heavens!

Those Jin Kingdom generals who had previously surrendered to Xiao Mo harbored some initial reservations, but witnessing Xiao Mo's unstoppable momentum as he entered their territory as if it were undefended, they realized the Jin Kingdom's fate was truly sealed.

In contrast, the Qin Kingdom had only lost a single crown prince, and its exceptionally astute ruler remained. Yet, now the Jin Kingdom's imperial capital was decimated, their allied army was overwhelmingly defeated, and countless soldiers had perished.

The Jin Kingdom was irrevocably finished!

Moreover, these surrendered Jin Kingdom generals were aware that the Qin Kingdom treated generals from other nations impartially, with advancement solely based on military merit. Consequently, they fought with even greater ferocity on the battlefield, eager to slay enemies and prove their worth.

Following the rout of the Jin Kingdom's feudal lords' allied army, Xiahou Nan and Xiao Shi also received intelligence regarding the Jin Kingdom's complete subjugation.

This news served as an undeniable morale boost for the soldiers engaged along the other two fronts!

Over the subsequent four months, as Xiao Mo waged relentless battles throughout the Jin Kingdom's territory, inducing profound existential doubt among the Jin Kingdom's feudal lords,

An increasing number of Jin Kingdom feudal lords capitulated to Xiao Mo. Furthermore, those feudal lords dispatched the remains of Qin Jingsu.

The very feudal lord who had been responsible for Qin Jingsu's death had already been ambushed and executed by other feudal lords as a demonstrated pledge of their fealty.

On that particular day, Xiao Mo used his own head as an offering to Qin Jingsu.

"Elder Brother, I shall allow you to witness the conclusion of this grand campaign!"

After presenting his offering to Qin Jingsu, Xiao Mo employed a formation to preserve Qin Jingsu's body from decay. The entire army then carried the coffin as they advanced!

Xiao Mo continued to assign Li Jing the role of commanding general, tasking him with leading four hundred thousand Qin Kingdom troops augmented by two hundred thousand incorporated Jin Kingdom soldiers to reinforce Xiao Shi.

Meanwhile, Xiao Mo personally led five hundred thousand Qin Kingdom soldiers and four hundred thousand Jin Kingdom troops, poised to thrust directly into the heartland of the Qi Kingdom.

Following the devastating news of Jin Kingdom's obliteration, both Qi and Zhao Kingdoms initially hurled curses, deeming Jin Kingdom utterly inept. However, their rage quickly subsided as they confronted a grim reality: the overall geopolitical landscape had become significantly disadvantageous for them.

General Gu Fei of Qi Kingdom, who had been experiencing a remarkably smooth advance, on the cusp of annexing over half of Chu territory, could no longer maintain his composure. Upon receiving urgent dispatches from the imperial capital, he learned that Xiao Mo had astoundingly breached three Qi Kingdom cities within a mere month, an aggressive pace of roughly one city every ten days. This rapid offensive stunned Gu Fei into inaction.

He realized with mounting dread that if this onslaught persisted, his hard-won gains in Chu territory would be meaningless if his own homeland was lost.

Despite his profound reluctance, Gu Fei had no choice but to order a strategic withdrawal of his forces.

Upon hearing of Gu Fei's retreat, Xiahou Nan, even before Xiao Mo's latest missive reached his hands, grasped the situation instinctively. He immediately prepared to marshal his own forces for an aggressive counter-attack.

His deputy generals voiced strong opposition, fearing a potential stratagem by Gu Fei. Xiahou Nan, however, dismissed their concerns.

Overriding all objections, he personally spearheaded the pursuit of Gu Fei's retreating army.

Over the subsequent four months, Xiahou Nan's campaign was marked by swift conquest. He captured virtually every city he encountered with minimal resistance from the Qi forces, a clear indication of their desperate state.

Soon enough, Xiahou Nan had successfully reclaimed all the territory belonging to the former Chu Kingdom.

Gazing across the border into Qi Kingdom, Xiahou Nan's spirit soared. Immense satisfaction washed over him.

This colossal conflict had vexed him for two long years! It was finally his moment to launch a decisive counter-offensive!

However, Qi Kingdom was a formidable power, possessing vast lands, a highly disciplined army, numerous renowned generals, and loyal officials. Moreover, the populace held a deep allegiance to the current Qi King.

Consequently, after Gu Fei's return and the dust settled within the Qi Kingdom's court, meticulous defensive preparations commenced.

The combined advance of Xiahou Nan and Xiao Mo slowed considerably after securing only eight border cities. Meanwhile, Li Jing, at the helm of a separate grand army, successfully broke the siege around Xiao Shi. Subsequently, their forces joined, launching a potent counter-attack against Zhao Kingdom.

Zhao Kingdom, comprising fifteen provinces in total, had already seen five of them fall under the occupation of Qin Kingdom's forces.

Despite suffering severe injuries that precluded him from direct combat, Xiao Shi's strategic acumen in battlefield command remained largely unhindered.

Both generals harbored confidence that they could annex Zhao Kingdom within the following year. However, just as their plans were unfolding seamlessly, a shocking betrayal occurred: the Zhao Kingdom ruler secretly allied with the demonic realms' Valley Kingdom and Flowing Fire Kingdom.

The Valley Kingdom and Flowing Fire Kingdom dispatched their demon race armies, temporarily shoring up Zhao Kingdom's collapsing defenses.

Had the situation stopped there, it might have been manageable. Xiao Mo and Xiao Shi still believed in their ability to gradually subjugate both Qi and Zhao Kingdoms, acknowledging it would simply require more time.

But at this critical juncture, a clandestine message arrived from the Qin Kingdom's imperial capital—

[Our health has declined. With Jingsu's departure as well, the court requires consolidation. You are instructed to suspend your offensive operations for the time being and secure the key passes. Expedite your return to the capital.]

Upon receiving the hushed directive from the capital, Xiao Mo ordered Xiahou Nan to fortify Haiyan Pass in Qi Kingdom. Concurrently, Xiao Shi instructed Zhao Guang and Li Jing to establish defensive positions at Yan Pass and Xuzi Pass in Zhao Kingdom, respectively.

These strategic locations were inherently defensible, presenting significant challenges to any attacking force.

As long as these passes remained secure, Qin Kingdom retained the capability to launch renewed assaults on the beleaguered Qi and Zhao Kingdoms at their convenience.

Under the guise of

"Subject Xiao Shi."

"Subject Xiao Mo."

"We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"

Both Xiao Shi and Xiao Mo dismounted from their horses, addressing the ruler of the Qin Kingdom in unison.

"Please rise, my esteemed ministers."

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler assisted Xiao Shi and Xiao Mo to their feet.

The ruler of the Qin Kingdom maintained a neutral expression, neither appearing well nor unwell, leading one to suspect he had feigned illness solely to summon Xiao Shi and Xiao Mo back to the imperial capital. It was as if he harbored fears of their potential rebellion. However, Xiao Mo understood that the Qin Kingdom’s ruler would not be so easily bothered.

Furthermore, Xiao Mo believed that given his understanding of the Qin Kingdom’s ruler, he would always maintain his composure, regardless of the circumstances, and would never betray any excessive emotion in front of others. Yet, what Xiao Mo had not anticipated was that, at this very moment, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler's hand, which was grasping Xiao Mo's, was actually trembling slightly.

Xiao Mo lifted his head and observed the wavering gaze in the Qin Kingdom’s ruler's eyes.

His eye sockets were riddled with bloodshot veins, appearing as though he had not slept for a considerable period.

"Frost Prince... has We's child... returned?" The Qin Kingdom’s ruler, suppressing his grief with great effort, spoke slowly.

At this juncture, he bore no resemblance to a ruler; he was merely an ordinary, common father.

"The Crown Prince... has returned..."

Several soldiers steadily conveyed the coffin forward and gently placed it beside the Qin Kingdom’s ruler.

Upon opening the coffin lid, Qin Jingsu's body was found resting peacefully within, a serene smile gracing his face.

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler crouched down, tenderly caressing his son’s visage as the civil and military officials bowed their heads in solemn respect.

"Frost Prince, was Our child brave?" After a significant pause, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler inquired with a voice full of tremor.

Upon hearing the Qin Kingdom’s ruler's question, Xiao Mo tightly clenched his fists. He clasped them together in a salute, his voice both heavy and firm as he responded, "In answer to Your Majesty! Qin Jingsu was the bravest of the three armies!"