245 To Bring Glory in Death, To Refuse Living in Shame (1/2)
It wasn't only Tie Zheng who had been in the thick of battle; both the old marshals Qiu Jianhan and Leng Daoyin were also covered in blood stains.
How could these two aged generals miss such a grand melee?
Thanks to their excellent cultivation base, both of them had taken down an expert from the enemy each. It was also their experienced guidance that allowed the battle to be a landslide victory in wiping out all of the Four Seasons Tower’s experts.
”Tally the casualties!”
Tie Zheng’s expression was somber.
Although the experts brought to the attack had all died, Yang Botao’s current state was unknown. Besides, the open trial was considered a failure since the suspect had been rescued.
Furthermore, the casualties today would definitely come up with a frightening number.
”Casualty report…” After a long time, an assistant general spoke with a low voice rubbing his eyes, ”Six thousand three hundred and forty-two fallen comrades. Among them, General Wan Fenggui, Wang Dezhu, and Wei Dexu… have all perished. In addition to that…”
The muscles on Tie Zheng’s face was twitching wildly. ”How many of the enemy?”
”Twenty-eight killed.”
”Twenty-eight!” Tie Zheng’s face was blanched. ”Just these twenty-eight men have taken six thousand three hundred and forty-two of our brothers?”
He turned his head slowly, watching the bloodied faces around him and feeling the aching heaviness in his heart.
He had only been thinking of exterminating the foes; he did not consider the damages on his own side. Even when Tie Zheng had an estimate of his own casualties, he was still deeply pained when he heard the exact number to be so great.
”Marshal Tie! This lowly subordinate thinks that even the fallen brothers will feel gratified in this battle! Their deaths are worth it!”
A fellow who had lost an arm and an ear straightened himself up with much effort as he continued, ”The injured brothers feel that it was worth it as well! Gratifying, I must say!”
Countless wounded soldiers around them hollered in unison, ”That’s right! Gratifying!”
”We have done something for the Nine Supremes Lords after all!”
The warriors looked solemn. ”Previously, it has always been the Nine Supremes Lords who have shielded us from danger and kept us above death threats. We’ve never done anything for the Nine Supremes Lords. Now that we face their enemies, it’s out of sheer willingness no matter how much is required from us brothers.”
Tie Zheng sighed with his chin raised and suddenly laughed with unshed tears. ”Nine Supremes Lords, the brothers have gotten revenge for all of you. Do you all see it?”
Qiu Jianhan was catching his breath when he saw a guard walking over hurriedly. He called him anxiously, ”What happened?”
The guard had been assigned to relay messages – why would he have come here in such a hurry? Could it be that something unexpected had happened?
The guard replied in distress, ”Yang Botao’s residence has been engulfed in a huge fire, it can’t be extinguished. It was Mistress Yang who poured all the oil in the residence onto blankets and furniture… All seventy-one people in the Residence of Yang didn’t make it.”
Qiu Jianhan was shaken; Tie Zheng turned around abruptly, staring at the guard with mixed feelings.
”Mistress Yang has probably gathered everyone and consumed poison…” The guard was fretful. ”There was only a package pressed under a rock in the yard and a letter was found in it…”
The guard passed the mentioned letter with both his hands. Small, neat, writing decorated the parchment, saying, ”For Old Marshal Qiu only.”
Qiu Jianhan’s eyes were rimmed red as his hands stretched out shakily to receive the letter, tearing the seal off right away to read it.
”Uncle, your niece bids farewell today. Your niece has been the wife of a hero for half of her life. This will more than suffice. This niece personally thinks that I have done nothing to embarrass my parents and this niece will never be a sinful wife at the end of it all.”
”I’d rather bring glory in death than to live in humiliation!”
”Your niece knows nothing about this matter of Yang Botao. Uncle need not feel ashamed of your niece. Please explain all this for me before my parents’ grave, uncle.”
”This unfilial daughter bows and wishes you farewell.”
Qiu Jianhan’s hand were trembling, tears coursing down his face.
This was the daughter his comrade of a brother who had perished in the battlefield had left behind… Her last words in this life were actually to defend herself – I didn’t know! If I had known, things would be different.
I didn’t disappoint you, I didn’t do my parents wrong.
I didn’t do Yutang wrong.
Leng Daoyin stuck his head over to have a look, sighing and saying gravely afterward, ”It’s the child San Lang’s left back in that year, isn't it…”
Qiu Jianhan was still tearing up.
”Clean up, report to His Majesty about this as soon as possible.”
It was on the afternoon of the same day that the royal decree was announced.
Yang Botao had committed treason, his crime heinous. He had conspired against the Nine Supremes and caused their deaths in addition to throwing the empire into a critical state. The order was nine familial extermination. If Suspect Yang were to be found, anyone could kill him! Anyone who reported the whereabouts of contemptible Yang would be awarded a thousand silver taels while anyone who killed him would be awarded ten thousand silver taels and be titled marquis!
That was the core meaning of the decree.