The shouts of thirty thousand Palace Guard soldiers roared like a tsunami, shaking the banners around the parade ground until they fluttered nonstop.
The soldiers raised their spears and drew their sabers, fury burning in their eyes. Every man was fired up as though injected with chicken blood, wishing he could fly straight to Yuezhou and fight the Japanese pirates to the death.
Su Fei sheathed his sword and mounted his warhorse.
He reined in his horse and shouted to the soldiers.
"Officers and men, march with me!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The war drums on both sides of the parade ground thundered. Their stirring beats mingled with hoofbeats and footsteps, forming a mighty torrent that surged toward Yuezhou.
Sunlight spilled over the army's banners. The commander's banner bearing the character "Su" streamed in the wind, shining especially brightly.
Like an unstoppable torrent of iron, the army charged toward Yuezhou, carrying the fury of Great Xuan's people.
Ten days later.
The Palace Guard led by Su Fei had just reached the outskirts of Kuaiji Commandery.
They saw a line of soldiers standing beside the road ahead, their armor damaged and their faces weary.
Fang Xiongfei, commander of the Yuezhou garrison, had long been waiting there.
Fang Xiongfei's armor was covered in scratches, and blood seeped through the bandages around his left arm. Seeing Su Fei's "Su" banner approach, he immediately strode forward, urgency in his voice.
"This subordinate, Fang Xiongfei, commander of the Yuezhou Army, pays his respects to Lord Su, Supreme Commander for the Suppression of the Japanese Pirates."
Su Fei swung down from his horse and reached out to help him up. His gaze swept over the soldiers behind him. All seven thousand-odd men of the Yuezhou Army bore weather-beaten faces. Some still had bandages wrapped around their bodies,