Origin Paradise!

The players burst into laughter. The main quest ① was completed with utmost ease. In this world, most of the fancy skills were cumbersome due to their cost and efficiency. Moreover, the Sun Core's ability to suppress mystical techniques was terrifying.

However, their own adventure team was known for their close-combat gun skills.

The tiger-faced regimental commander glanced around and was extremely satisfied.

"Who else but me can contend for the world!"

Chapter 556 The War Begins

In the darkness of night, in Dongyang City.

The city was under curfew, and every household kept their doors and windows tightly shut as usual. The soldiers of Dongyang Garrison patrolled the streets, and everything was safe and sound. The biggest problem was that there was a headless corpse outside the Prince's Mansion.

Inside the mansion, Jiang He listened to the notification tone.

[Hint: Main quest ① has been released]

[Mission Name: A Fierce and Powerful Army]

[Mission Requirement: Recapture Dengfeng City]

[Mission Introduction: Qingzhou, located in the northeastern part of Southern Liang, encompasses Linhai and Donglai, with Dongyang in the center and the three prefectures of Gaomi in its hinterland. Dengfeng City is a crucial pass defending against Northern Wei. Every move has its destiny. The surrender of the Dengfeng commander-in-chief has led to the southward advance of the Tiange Army stationed in Licheng of Northern Wei. They have already captured Dengfeng and are expected to attack Dongyang City, and then conquer the entire territory of Qingzhou.]

[Task Time Limit: 30 calendar days]

[Task Penalty: None]

[Quest Reward: Immortal-grade Skill Enhancement Scroll *1 (Hunter Companion obtains Epic-grade)]

[Note: The Tiange Army has 30,000 infantry and cavalry, plus 20,000 surrendered infantry, totaling over 50,000 men. They are full of skilled warriors and have a formidable military force.]

Inside the Chengyun Hall, Jiang He contacted Lao Hei.

"What is the total number of troops in the Prince's Palace?"

"1,500 people."

Considering the emperor's mood, the imperial guards of the princes are usually not assigned to the most valiant and battle-hardened elites. As for their safety, the elders of Xuanjin Manor are in charge, so protecting a few of them is not difficult.

"Hey, come back here."

"clear."

Jiang He did not get up. He knew very well the identity of the Prince of Yong and that he was not qualified to lead the war, especially before the news had reached him. As long as the commanders of the various garrisons in Qingzhou wanted to live, they would not obey his orders. After all, being able to command the garrisons meant that they could rebel on the entire front.

The Southern Liang dynasty consistently maintained a policy of high pressure and generous rewards towards the imperial princes and nobles, imposing a series of negative measures such as restricting their entry into the capital, limiting their travel outside their prefectures, prohibiting them from commanding troops, and allowing the emperor to arrange marriages for them, all for one reason.

—The princes of the vassal states possessed some legitimacy to become emperors, especially those from the direct line.

In just a quarter of an hour, the golden light returned.

Wuhe skillfully stood on someone's shoulder.

"Boss, the vanguard of the Tiange Army should arrive by tomorrow evening at the latest."

"hold on."

Jiang He casually flipped through two immortal cultivation manuals.

……

The night was deep and the streets were dimly lit.

"The sky is dry and everything is dry, be careful about the fire."

Two night watchmen walked down the street, carrying a gong. As they passed the Prince's Mansion, the older watchman caught sight of a headless corpse by the roadside and was so frightened that he jumped up and down, his hair standing on end.

"puppet!?"

"It's a real person!"

The young watchman mustered his courage and took a few steps closer, but the stench emanating from the headless corpse made him retreat repeatedly.

The two night watchmen looked at each other in bewilderment. They had to ring the gong at night and mostly slept during the day, so they were unaware of the "headless mystery" that the locals were talking about.

"What should we do?" The young watchman was at a loss, at a loss for what to do. Collecting someone's body was a great favor, and according to custom, he could receive a generous reward from the family. But the location was in front of the Prince's mansion, and the officials hadn't intervened. Who knew what kind of entanglement was involved?

In the dim light, the Pei family did not send anyone to keep watch. The eldest son of the Pei family had gloriously sacrificed himself to protect the emperor. The headless corpse thrown out by the Prince’s mansion was naturally not Pei Weidao. The two were completely unrelated. The Pei family’s face remained spotless.

The old night watchman stamped his foot, his eyes gleaming.

"Death is the greatest tragedy. I'll take care of it. I'm already old anyway. I just hope someone will collect my body in the future."

The young watchman looked at the old man with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

A man's courage is what others cannot do.

The old watchman turned his head and said, "We can't leave him here to stink. I'll carry him away. Be careful tonight."

"Go ahead, I'll never mention it again," the young watchman said resolutely, patting his chest.

The two of them split up.

The old watchman struggled to carry away the headless corpse, while the young watchman continued to strike the gong.

"It's dry and dry, be careful with the candles!"

In the darkness of night, a crow, its golden light dimmed, flew out of the palace.

……

Ronghua Lane, west of the city.

The old watchman carried the corpse, skillfully dodging the patrolling guards, and arrived at the back street of the mansion.

He put the body down, then knocked on the door three times short and once long, before turning and leaving with swift, swift steps.

After a while, a porter carrying a bucket of manure went out, and when he returned, he naturally dragged the body back in.

A maid dressed in fine silk and satin covered her nose with her delicate hand and said softly, "Master Niu, I will go and tell the master the news."

Ah Niu smiled憨厚ly, took out a pipe and lit it. Dung is fertilizer, and it is common for people to compete for fertilizer on the land, so the laborers were also organized.

Similar professions, including night watchmen, are considered the lowest of the low by the scholars of Southern Liang. However, martial arts talent is not determined by the means of making a living. When someone links them together, the lowest of the low becomes the Nine Streams Sect. Due to its size, its overall strength ranks in the first tier below the Ten Great Sects, and its members are extremely secretive.

In the study of the mansion.

A row of deaf-mute maids, their eyes blindfolded, stood together at the doorway, acting as a screen, while the Left Councilor, who belonged to the Qingzhou Provincial Administration Commission, paced back and forth.

As a third-rank official in the local government, Zuo Canzheng already had the qualifications to peek into the inner circle. Other contenders for the throne would naturally not ignore the Pei family, who supported the crown prince. Both sides were well aware of the fact that they had people planted in the local area to monitor them, but they might not know the specific people.

"Master, the things have been retrieved." The maid entered with a soft voice, looking very happy, and almost fell into his arms.

"Good!" Zuo Canzheng stood up and helped the maid up, clenched his fist and said with a happy face, "Pei Weidao's body can be used to smear people. Although you used to be the Crown Prince's personal maid, I'm afraid you won't believe the dowry. How about the bride price?"

The maid was overjoyed. To be able to marry a high-ranking official as a concubine was far beyond her expectations. Besides, as long as His Highness lived, how was she any different from the principal wife? Things could be discussed again when His Highness ascended the throne in the future.

"Thank you for your kindness, sir."

The two men's conversation made the crows on the windowsill chuckle.

"Boss, a smiling tiger and a vixen, these two together are bound to cause trouble in the future."

"There is no future."

"How dare you speak!"

puff!

A broken lance from a Dengfeng cavalryman killed the Left Councilor and his maid simultaneously. This lance was one of the burial items demanded during the day, a kind of waste disposal.

Jiang He emerged from the shadows. Spatial teleportation was difficult, but her core ability, Animal Companion, proved invaluable at a crucial moment.

"An unknown assassin murdered a high-ranking official of the third rank. His audacity and shocking act have been discovered. The commander of the Dongyang Guard outside the city has been notified to immediately lead troops into the city to seal the gates and apprehend the assassin. The murder weapon originated from the garrison in Dengfeng City. An urgent messenger has been dispatched to Dengfeng City to request the garrison commander to send someone to assist in the investigation."

"As for the head, cut it off and send it to the Pei family. It's a pledge of loyalty. How they verify the evidence is their business."

"Understood." Wuhe nodded. The boss had provided a solution and pointed out the direction and steps. He could leave the rest of the trivial procedures to himself.

……

The night was not yet over.

Ronghua Ward erupted like a boiling pot, alarming high-ranking officials from all walks of life. Within half an hour, all the Dongyang Guards outside the city had entered the city, and 5,600 men sealed off the nine gates. At any time, the assassination of a high-ranking official in a local prefecture would be a major event that could reach the highest levels of government.

"Damn it, they're not letting me live!"

On the street, Sheng Gui, the commander of Dongyang, flew into a rage and lashed out with his whip at anyone he saw.

"Before dawn, arrest anyone you see on the street and throw them all in jail. Block the city gates, and have the Hound Corps search for secret passages along the walls. If I lose my hat, none of you will have an easy time."

Sheng Gui's forehead veins bulged as he roared repeatedly. The local garrison was usually in charge of maintaining order. If they couldn't catch the murderer, they would be severely punished unless they had done something bigger or made a great contribution.

Unfortunately, they still hadn't found anything by dawn.

However, the military experts sent to Dengfeng City at night brought back tremendous news—the Northern Wei army had appeared on the plain north of the city, suspected to be the Tiange Army from Licheng.

The news shocked the entire city.

Before anyone could question it, a thousand-strong cavalry unit of the Tiange Army had already arrived in the suburbs. This vanguard unit, with one rider and two horses, abandoned all their supplies. They originally intended to expand their territory before the Southern Liang people could react, but they were blocked at the gate and had no choice but to retreat.

The Qingzhou Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, Commander Sheng Gui, Pei Yuye, head of the Pei family, and the head of the Dongyang Sect, the four of them, visited the Prince's Mansion together.

"We implore Your Highness to step forward and oversee the overall situation."

A huge crowd stood in the Chengyun Hall.

With disaster looming and power scattered, these men, driven by political instinct, began to seek solutions. At this moment, Prince Yong, symbolizing the Southern Liang royal family, was undoubtedly the best figurehead, holding a prestigious position.

Jiang He looked at Pei Yuye, who was sitting at the head of the table.

"Passing down family traditions through propriety and virtue ensures lasting prosperity."

"Only by being diligent in preserving one's business can one enjoy lasting blessings."

"Why is Mr. Pei being so reserved now?"

Pei Yuye looked around; the Inspector, the Commander, and the Dongyang Sect Master remained silent.

In fact, Pei was capable of taking charge of the overall situation, but once he became the supreme commander of the city's defense, if he failed, it would be virtually impossible for him to switch allegiance to the Northern Wei. Of course, Pei would never want to give up on Grand Secretary Pei unless it came to the life and death of the entire family.

"Your Highness has brought blessings to the people of Qingzhou, and the Pei family is unwilling to overstep its bounds."

"Are there any reinforcements?"

"Your Highness, the five guards of Qingzhou have already set off to assemble in Donglai City and will arrive to assist in the battle soon."

Jiang He remained noncommittal. Donglai City was the Pei family's stronghold, with approximately 28000 men from the Five Guards of Qingzhou. Combined with the Pei family's private army and skilled fighters, they had a good chance of preserving the Pei family's foundation.

As for Dongyang City, it was clearly a pawn to be sacrificed, with the aim of maximizing the time for the five guards to travel and assemble, and to deplete the Northern Wei forces, thereby relieving the subsequent defensive pressure on the Pei clan.

The so-called assistance is a joke; Dongyang and Donglai are completely in different directions.

"What did the imperial court say?"

"Grand Secretary Pei mobilized the troops of Langya Garrison... but the order was rescinded by the Grand Secretary." Pei Yuye found it difficult to speak.

The Grand Secretary had once served as the Crown Prince's tutor, and the power to reseal imperial edicts was one of the hallmarks of the "rule by aristocratic families." Unlike previous dynasties, the Grand Secretary could not only veto the decisions of other cabinet ministers, but also reseal imperial edicts. However, the emperor could also send the Grand Secretary packing his bags and going home, but this power could not be resealed.

However, the imperial court was filled with powerful families, and when one chief minister fell, hundreds or thousands more would rise up, thus achieving a certain balance between the two sides.

This time, the Grand Secretary's decision to return the Ministry of War's transfer order was nothing more than an attempt to take advantage of the power vacuum created by the Emperor's retreat to a Buddhist temple, and to watch the Pei clan be wiped out.

Jiang He couldn't help but scoff: "Go ahead and stir things up."

The political impact of the succession struggle spilled over into the military, resulting in Dongyang becoming an isolated city.

Pei Yuye felt slightly embarrassed and said, "I will not back down. I am willing to die with Your Highness."

Faced with the survival of the family, the Grand Secretary could be abandoned, and the head of the family could also be abandoned. Even if the person to be abandoned was himself, Pei Yuye could have left at all, but he took the initiative to stay and buy time for the defense line. He was afraid that if he was not there, the city would collapse in one blow.

“One thousand people,” Jiang He said.

“No.” Pei Yuye resolutely refused; he wouldn’t bring in an elite soldier from his own backyard.

"I want to control the troops in Dongyang," Jiang He said again.

"I would gladly die a thousand deaths." Pei Yuye remained resolute.

Sheng Gui: "..."

Dude, whose soldiers are you two in the city?

Pei Yuye didn't even glance at Sheng Gui, just a crude military general. The reason he was willing to support Prince Yong was entirely because of the fourth-realm martial artist who suddenly appeared during yesterday's siege. He was both fearful and exciting. If there was another fourth-realm martial artist, he could die with dignity.

Jiang He sat on the throne and pondered for a moment, then said: