Chapter 96: A Display of Strength Part 1

The pressure Gu Huaiyu bore was far beyond what any ordinary man could imagine.

Previously, the “Decree for Military Participation in Governance” had merely incited the scholars of the world to attack him with pens and voices. Now, however, this single appointment sent a wave of trepidation through every general and civil official present. They only refrained from open defiance because of his immense power and prestige.

But who wasn’t doubting him in secret? Could a twenty-six-year-old youth truly shoulder the burden of Grand Marshal? Could he sustain the weight of the three armies?

A commander’s seal on the battlefield was not like a chancellor’s seal on a memorial. This was not a clash of court politics or a game of flowery prose; this was a slaughter of cold steel and sharp blades. It was a gamble where one’s head was tied to one’s belt. A single mistake in the command tent meant ten thousand heads rolling in the yellow sands.

Pei Jingyi’s fame was, of course, known to all. The legend of the “General who settled Mount Wu with three arrows” had long since spread across the nine provinces. But that was a testament to his bravery as a warrior—a peerless combatant. Since ancient times, a fierce general was a rare find, but a true strategic genius was one in a billion.

A general charges the front lines, while a commander orchestrates the grand strategy. The difference was as vast as the clouds and the mud.

The million-man army currently beneath the city walls was not a mere three hundred light cavalry or eight thousand elite troops; this was a force that carried the very fate of the empire. No matter how valiant Pei Jingyi was, had he ever commanded a battle of this scale?

The veteran generals exchanged glances, their palms slick with cold sweat. This was a monumental gamble, and the stake was the destiny of Great Chen.

Pei Jingyi certainly understood the immense pressure Gu Huaiyu was under. It was precisely because of this that he accepted the heavy burden without a moment’s hesitation. He rose, hands gripped tightly around his sword hilt, and stared directly into Gu Huaiyu’s eyes. His gaze was unwavering, more powerful than any oath.

Gu Huaiyu watched him, his lips curling into a faint smile. He turned to his personal guards and commanded, “Go and raise my Black Bird Flag.”

As those words fell, the atmosphere in the area became stiflingly heavy. Seeing that the matter was settled, the veteran generals could no longer sit still. Many, like Han Ding, had watched Pei Jingyi grow up and felt a personal fondness for him. However, in the face of national duty, personal feelings had to be cast aside.

The old generals rose one after another, cupping their hands as they pleaded urgently. “Lord Chancellor, please rescind this order!”

“This matter is simply too significant. We beg you to listen to the advice of us old soldiers!”

“War is no joking matter! If even a slight error occurs, the lives of a million soldiers will be lost!”

“With the strength of the entire nation at stake, how can the position of Grand Marshal be entrusted to a youth? Pei Du is too young! How can he command the respect of the men?”

For a moment, the hall was a cacophony of voices, faces flushed with the heat of the argument. Even Shen Jun, who usually supported Gu Huaiyu, frowned and advised in a low voice, “Lord Chancellor, please reconsider.”

Gu Huaiyu raised a hand to silence the dissent. His gaze fell upon the snapping fabric of the Black Bird Flag. The crimson banner burned like a wildfire, the black bird spreading its wings as if to take flight, snapping loudly in the wind.

He remained composed. This was something he had planned long ago; he was simply announcing it now. “From this moment on, where the flag stands, I stand. I shall remain behind this banner, sharing in the life and death of every soldier in our three armies.”

The crowd was shaken to the core.

To speak such words meant the Chancellor was staking his very life as a guarantee for Pei Jingyi. If they won, they would share the glory. If they lost, the Chancellor would not abandon the city; he would instead become a final monument to Great Chen’s land alongside that Black Bird Flag.

The critics were silenced. The Chancellor had put his own life on the line—who else dared to say a word?

They retreated, their fires extinguished, looking toward Pei Jingyi with complicated expressions.

Pei Jingyi, however, had already seized the Tiger Tally. He raised his arm, his voice booming like a great bell. “All Commanders-in-Chief, Lieutenant Generals, and Chiliarchs—convene at the main tent in half an hour! This Marshal shall dictate the deployment for tomorrow’s opening battle!”

“Any laggards will be dealt with by military law!”

His words were forceful, resolute, and left no room for doubt. The veterans who had just been arguing were now hurriedly readying themselves for duty.

Gu Huaiyu tilted his head to look at him, approving of his decisive conduct. Pei Jingyi gave a slight nod in return. As their eyes met, words like “I won’t let you down” became redundant. By taking that sword, he had taken Gu Huaiyu’s life and the fate of the land into his hands.