Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

The following day, the army regrouped and marched back to the city.

They came slowly, and they're coming back just as slowly.

However, Zhou Qingfeng had already written the battle report and sent the messenger back to the city to report the victory.

"Madam, please replace the commander-in-chief of the bandit suppression campaign."

The elders persisted relentlessly.

Every day during the meetings, Zhou Qingfeng was singled out and used as a target for criticism.

They were determined to drag Zhou Qingfeng off his horse.

The First Lady sat sideways on the throne, holding a book with a blank expression, showing no reaction.

Others might not be able to tell, but Steward Qiu, the city lord's number one lackey, could sense that the First Lady was starting to get impatient. If things continued like this, the First Lady might clash with these elders.

This situation must not be allowed to happen.

Firstly, because the wife was from a different family and her origins were unclear, she took her husband's surname after marrying into the first family.

Secondly, the lady was responsible for the death of the previous city lord, which drew much criticism.

The previous city lord was named First Taibai, a born romantic.

One day, Taibai suddenly brought back a mortal woman of unknown origin.

Taibai defied public opinion, broke off the royal engagement, and married her despite external pressure.

From this moment on, it was destined to be a tragedy filled with hardship and setbacks.

Since ancient times, it has been the case that a rich man should be paired with a rich man, and a poor man with a poor man; how can a pheasant be paired with a phoenix?

Forcing a union would face strong opposition and suppression from the entire world.

How can an individual possibly contend with the entire world? It's nothing but wishful thinking that will only harm both oneself and others.

The catastrophe, after all, has finally arrived.

The imperial army is at the city gates.

To protect his wife, his family, and the Sword Tower, the First Taibai was forced to commit suicide on the spot as an apology.

The peerless genius, the First Taibai, died, but before he disintegrated, he still passed on the position of city lord to his wife, and spread all his time into the timeline of his wife's life thereafter.

Whenever the lady misses him and calls out, the First Venus will appear to accompany her and silently protect her.

It was precisely because of this that the Lady's position was as secure as Mount Tai, and no one in the Sword Tower dared to rebel.

Over the years, the lady has never referred to herself as the city lord, and she also dislikes others calling her the city lord.

Because in the lady's heart, only her husband deserved to sit in that position.

Currently, there are many dissatisfactions within the first company, and there are many rumors circulating.

If Madam were to fall out with these elders again, the First Family would likely find it even harder to tolerate her.

Therefore, as the lady's confidant, I can say what she cannot say herself.

Furthermore, you've been constantly badmouthing my apprentice right in front of me. Do you really think I'm dead?!

Steward Qiu coldly rebuked, "The three assistant commanders previously said that Assistant Commander Zhou was afraid of battle and hesitated to advance. Now that Assistant Commander Zhou has already led the troops into battle, why do you still want to replace him? What are your intentions?!"

The elders, seeing someone chime in, immediately perked up and began to voice their opinions: "Hmph, he has indeed made progress, but he's only advancing ten miles a day, so slow! Is he going to suppress bandits or go on a spring outing?!"

Another elder stepped forward and mocked, "Ha, there are bandits in the east, west and south, and Zhou Fushuai is heading north. Oh my, he's really clever. Such a talent has truly broadened my horizons."

The last elder added lukewarmly, turning the tables on the First Lady: "Why doesn't Madam replace the commander with a dog? Perhaps even a dog would do a better job than Commander-in-Chief Zhou."

Butler Qiu sneered, "Insolence! Let's have a meeting. Don't act like you're old and powerful. You three scoundrels, daring to make sarcastic remarks about the Madam, believe me or not, I'll beat you to a pulp!"

The three elders were furious, their beards bristling and eyes wide with anger: "How dare you, a mere steward, insult us?"

Butler Qiu sneered repeatedly: "So what if I scold you? Without Madam's painstaking efforts over the years, providing money and food to support you old codgers, would you have the dignity you have today?"

"Damn it, you're eating Madam's food and you still dare to give her attitude? You old fogies must be out of your minds. Should I dig your brains out, wash them, and put them back in?"

The three elders launched into a fierce verbal battle with Butler Qiu, hurling insults at each other. No one actually laid a hand on him, but the insults were truly vile, turning what should have been a high-level meeting into a vulgar shouting match.

Mao Erlang and the other three assistant commanders stood at a distance and watched the show, not intending to get involved.

Before we knew it, Butler Qiu had steered the conversation off course.

The First Lady was reading a book, listening to Butler Qiu's scolding, a fleeting smile playing at the corner of her eye.

After a while of cursing, the three elders got tired of it and realized that the topic had been steered astray.

So he gave up on continuing his verbal sparring with Butler Qiu.

He turned around and headed straight for the First Lady.

The three elders said, "Madam, it is a fact that Commander Zhou is incompetent, cowardly and afraid of battle, and has missed opportunities. How can such a person be qualified to lead an army? How can he win the respect of the people?"

"Wouldn't this just make me a laughing stock, letting everyone laugh at my being the first one?"

"There are so many talented people below who are waiting to make contributions to my family. If they saw this scene, how disheartened would they be? What would they think? They would think that the madam would rather use a mediocre person than use them."

"If people's hearts are chilled, the first family's long-standing foundation will vanish in the blink of an eye."

"We urge you, Madam, to replace Commander Zhou and give everyone an explanation."

The three elders have already spoken very harshly, even going so far as to say that their millennia-old foundation would be reduced to nothing.

It's obvious they're trying to use righteousness to pressure people and label the First Lady.

If the First Lady does not replace the commander-in-chief, she will be a sinner against the First Family.

The First Lady looked at the three of them with indifferent eyes.

The three elders simply lowered their heads, showing no sign of backing down.

At the stalemate.

Sword Dance, with flowing white hair, came stepping on the water and stood ten steps away from the lady: "Madam, the bandit-suppression army led by Zhou Qingfeng has sent a battle report. The bandits of Zhuxian Village have been completely annihilated. This battle is a great victory!"

Upon hearing this, the First Lady calmly reached out and beckoned, "Give it to me."

Seeing this, Jianwu stepped forward and placed the battle report in the First Lady's palm.

The First Lady opened the battle report and read it from beginning to end. A rare smile appeared on her usually calm face, and she couldn't help but praise, "Good, good, good, what a Zhou Qingfeng, what a peerless genius."

He casually slammed the battle report in front of the three elders: "Take a good look at this battle report."

"What brilliant achievements have these mediocre people, whom you call less than dogs, actually made?"

The three elders exchanged a glance, picked up the battle report and read it together, saying, "Your Majesty, your humble servant Zhou Qingfeng has lived up to your expectations, beheading a thousand bandits from the Shizhuo region and seven bandit leaders from the Shizai region at Huwei Ridge."

"The bandits of Zhuxian Village have been completely wiped out. This battle was a great victory, and our troops suffered only minor losses."

"Hiss!" Upon hearing this battle report, everyone present in the council chamber gasped in shock.

They were not people of limited knowledge.

This achievement would be a rare miracle on a battlefield for ordinary people.

How can a hundred people kill a thousand?

Ten times the enemy strength! A thousand-strong army charging in, and our side was instantly reduced to ashes. There was no chance of fighting them.

Moreover, wars between cultivators are even more hierarchical, with kings against kings, commanders against commanders, generals against generals, and soldiers against soldiers. Even when the two sides are evenly matched, it is difficult to determine a winner, let alone when the enemy is outnumbered.

Fighting against overwhelming odds is not unheard of, but usually it involves high-level cultivators launching surprise attacks and decapitating the enemy. Even so, it only manages to rout the enemy army, not annihilate an enemy force ten times its size.