Chapter 714: A Rebellion Within Ziyou!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
It was a widely known fact that not only was this son of Wu Lie bereft of a cultivation base, he was also an invalid. His was disabled from the waist down, and had even lost his sight for quite a while - it was only due to someone's kindness that he had managed to regain his sight and was able to see light again. Besides these traits that had been mentioned, there was another impression he seemed to give - he did not seem altogether too bright; in fact, he seemed to be somewhat dim-witted.
What was the use of a person like this, even if he could revert to the condition of a normal man?
How could a person like this manage to grab Wu Ying's attention? Or, in other words, what in the world were Wu Ying's standards like?
"As for my standards of selection, I prioritize one's nature over talent and other qualities. Wu Lie's son may not have many years to his age, but the things he had experienced were much more compared to a common man. His mind has reached the tempered state of perseverance and incomparable tenacity. Although he may not possess a cultivation base, and his body physically impedes him from practicing it, it wouldn't obstruct me from imparting my legacy, as long as he strengthens his body over time. However, the level of concentration he possesses is unattainable by most in this world; that is the most precious aspect of all."
Wu Ying continued, "Furthermore, allowing his upbringing to speak for itself, passing on the flame of wisdom is strong in his nature. I will not have any regrets."
"To be able to live a life as honest and with a conscience as clear - that quality itself is my top choice in a man."
The few big bosses were speechless upon hearing his reply.
As of now, Wu Ying had already selected the top two disciples to take under his wing - one who excelled in the arts, and one who excelled in combat. The rest would probably be present just to push the two a little harder - he would have to accept a few unofficial disciples to be their study companions.
Wu Lie was absolutely ecstatic over the fact that his son was selected, even seeming a little out of character; he went to express his gratitude to Wu Ying personally, and for the first time in recent history, had even presented someone with a gift by writing a stroke of calligraphy:
'Unstained Skies'1
Qiu Jianhan and the rest scoffed in disdain at a gift like this, judging it with scorn. Wu Lie, a man like you is no doubt a high-performing minister - an officer with exemplary morals - but those two simple strokes of calligraphy are barely appropriate. A gift of gratitude should be more precious than that; yours did not deserve to be given!
To everyone's surprise, Wu Ying looked as though he was honored with an award of the highest order when he was presented with Wu Lie's gift. He shook with emotion, carefully laminating the characters, eventually framing and hanging them at the main hall.
Did Wu Ying actually like the gift?
The few big bosses were elated at what they had discovered and began to brew a cauldron of ideas. Within the next few days, they gathered a bundle of calligraphies produced by famous artists and sent them over, hoping that a certain teacher would acknowledge their efforts - their very expensive and precious efforts - and return their appreciation by accepting two more disciples. They were certain that taking in a few more would not hurt!
However, they encountered a nightmare in the following days. "These calligraphies were the perfect fuel for a fire to boil some water; for Sir Wu, they will last for a while."
The big bosses had arrived at the ultimate state of speechlessness; every single one of them had been stunned into silence.
What?
They are being used as...what?
Seeing how overjoyed you were over some man's simple strokes, we really thought you were into this kind of hobby, which we then proceeded to present you with calligraphies from renowned artists. Those were the real deal - literally saying that one word was worth thousands was the humblest way to put it. How can those be compared against Wu Lie's two simple strokes? They did not even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath. Perhaps it was a truly worthless collection to you, but still, it was not exactly appropriate to start a fire with it!
This was absolutely crazy.
How could they have known that Wu Ying was a man with an inglorious past, and had since restrained himself from any form of material desires? Wu Lie was known as the embodiment of justice and righteousness, and he was the epitome of integrity in the whole of Yutang. The choice of words given by him, 'Justice and Impartiality', was far from ordinary, but to Wu Ying, it was the greatest form of acknowledgment.
That was the reason why he had decided to accept it - in an ecstatic, grandiose manner, nonetheless - for it was a gift from Wu Lie himself; the ones presented by others, however… they were merely pieces of paper tainted by a few brushstrokes - there was nothing else it could be used for!
I could still use a piece of blank paper when presented with one. What else can a piece of used paper be used for, if it not for starting a fire?
The understanding of Qiu Jianhan and the masses towards Wu Ying was too one-sided. They were not even aware of what Wu Ying had done or experienced - how could they even begin to empathize with Wu Ying's sentiments?
Just as the few big bosses were scrambling desperately to come up with a flurry of tactics in hopes to entice Wu Ying, a shocking piece of news was heard.
Something huge had transpired within the Empire of Ziyou.
An uprising had suddenly broken out within the royal family of Ziyou. The prince had rebelled and had overthrown the reigning emperor. The rebel forces and the royal forces were caught in a ferocious battle, which had yet to determine a victor. To sum it up, the whole Empire of Ziyou had lapsed into a state of total pandemonium.
Wang Yunzhu, the marshal of the western front, requested for further instructions. "Shall we command our forces to march from the west to eliminate Ziyou in a single stroke?"
In the wake of such sudden, shocking news, His Majesty would naturally summon the presence of all his top officers to discuss the matter.
Without a doubt, this was the perfect chance to expand the territory of Yutang's reign - it could possibly even be the prelude to Yutang's ultimate war to take over the world!
The bigger the movement, the more cautious the approach to the matter should be, especially since the bigger picture of the whole situation was not entirely within comprehension - how could a rebellion of such magnitude break out suddenly within Ziyou?
Judging by the stance employed by Ziyou over the years, the Emperor of Ziyou had not exactly performed remarkably well, but he had still governed decently. There should not have been any problems to maintain his reign for another one or two generations - the rebellion seemed to have occurred suddenly without a proper cause.
Since this seemed to have stemmed from no justifiable source, this matter had to be analyzed deeper to determine if there were any suspicious activity within - maybe this could be a ploy?
A ploy directed at Yutang!
Wu Ying and the rest made an attempt to read the future, but as their actions only reflected their innermost desires, a conclusion was drawn quickly; the fate of Ziyou had truly run its course to the point of oblivion. Even if Yutang did not mobilize her troops, the chaos before them would be the final straw that would completely wipe Ziyou off the map.
Everybody was at a loss regarding this matter.
Had the strong, ever-prosperous Empire of Ziyou, dubbed as one of the five greatest empires at present, finally reached the end of its fate as a nation?
What was happening?
Whatever it was, it did not matter any longer. Everyone felt it. This... was an opportunity bestowed by the heavens!
After a joint discussion with the military department, Wu Ying quickly drafted out an overall battle strategy directed towards Ziyou, to destroy the empire as quickly as possible.
The formations discussed were deployed at a scale sufficiently large to eliminate a nation. Besides mobilizing the entire western army at full-throttle, the southern and northern battalions would each deploy an army ten thousand strong. They would support the western army from both sides to ensure the dominance of the military in the onslaught, with the goal of ending the battle as quickly as it started.
The war strategies directed by Wu Ying were impeccably detailed. Every step of the plan - even the daily tasks - were planned ahead clearly. "This is a great opportunity blessed by the heavens. We shall destroy Ziyou with this battle!"
"Eastern front, Fu Baoguo's department - set out from the Fortress of Resilience, deploy the troops to the boundaries of Dongxuan; put a stop to any of Dongxuan's brash moves. If there are any signs of activity, sacrifice all costs and fight them head-on."
"The southern front, Leng Shan's troops - spread rumors that Supreme Cloud shall arrive and participate in the battle. Rattle the core of Dayuan."
"Northern front, Tiezheng's troops - mobilize the Steel Cavalry at full-throttle. Make each man take on their own fight. Spread the cavalry across different routes and commence the operation to harass them. It is of vital importance to make the northern enemies waste their efforts. Keep them on the run, but contain them within the territory!"
"From today, Tie Zheng shall journey as quickly as possible to the northern frontier to keep watch over the north."
"Begin a national-wide recruitment to enlist potential soldiers! The chance to unify Tianxuan has finally arrived after so long! Whatever goals there are in line to accomplish - the time is now!
When Wu Ying devised his plan, the first step was to eliminate any possibility of trouble that could stem from other nations.
Translator Note:
1Unstained Skies (青天白日 qīng tiān bái rì): Literal meaning refers to clear blue sky without clouds; it is also a figurative expression to describe an official who is impartial and full of justice.