Lin Junyu led every soldier of the Feather Forest Army in relentless combat against the Demons' God Guard.
At this point, it was a fight to the death. With the disparity in numbers and infantry facing cavalry,
Even with the enhancement of Valor Aura, the six hundred Feather Forest Army soldiers had been reduced to fewer than three hundred.
Fortunately, they had finally held out until the main force arrived.
"Your Highness, I've come to save you!"
After Fang Hao received the order for the general offensive and realized that the enemy intended to drive all his units together,
He immediately ordered his troops to assemble and charge into the enemy camp at the front, coordinating with the legion's main force to pursue and kill the fleeing army.
Once he saw that the overall situation had been decided, he left fifty thousand Black Cavalry behind and personally led another fifty thousand to rescue the Third Prince.
Fortunately, he had arrived in time. Seeing the Demons' God Guard surrounding and attacking Lin Junyu, he immediately ordered his fifty thousand men to encircle and slaughter them.
Liked using numbers to bully the few? Then let them have a taste of it too.
Lin Junyu and the surviving Feather Forest Army soldiers all breathed a sigh of relief.
Since they had been surrounded, they knew nothing about the situation at the front.
But now that Fang Hao had enough spare forces to come to their rescue, it meant the decisive battle had been settled. They had won.
The Southeast Legion soldiers had already gone mad with killing, pursuing the routed Demon soldiers in every direction.
"Your Highness, you're incredible. I never expected you to actually pull it off!"
Charging into an enemy formation of over a hundred thousand men with eight hundred soldiers and even beheading the enemy commander—this was a miracle!
And they had heard that the Demon commander had been the Demons' second strongest expert. Since His Highness had defeated him, that made him the Luminous Empire's second strongest expert, second only to the Emperor.
Fang Hao's gaze at Lin Junyu was now burning with fervor. He was still a prince, and with this performance and these merits, he would surely receive the Emperor's rewards.
If Fang Hao pledged loyalty to him early on, would he not earn the merit of supporting a future ruler?
Lin Junyu had no idea about Fang Hao's fervent thoughts. He led the surviving Feather Forest Army soldiers to gather the bodies of their fallen brothers, then returned to the city to rest and await further news. The rest could be left to them.
After a day and a night of encirclement and pursuit, the Demon army had completely vanished from Butler Province.
In this decisive battle, the Southeast Legion lost a total of one hundred seventy thousand men, but killed six hundred ten thousand enemies. The remaining enemies fled through Valen Gorge toward the Far East.
From then on, the Empire had completely eradicated the Demon forces from the Southeastern Plains and gained full control over them. The Empire's eastern campaign now faced no further obstacles.
"Hahaha, Your Highness, a great victory!"
"Yes, the victory report has already been sent at full speed to Far Capital. The Emperor will certainly be delighted when he learns of it!"
"Without Your Highness, how could this decisive battle possibly have been won so easily?"
"Your Highness is truly valiant. You actually led only eight hundred men into the enemy formation and killed their commander. We are in awe!"
"Worthy indeed of someone Prince Lin trusted. On behalf of the entire Southeast Legion, this old man thanks Your Highness!"
Inside the council hall, everyone was tallying the battle results, their excitement boundless. Yet the more excited they were, the more they admired and appreciated Lin Junyu.
If not for His Highness this time, the Southeast Legion would likely have suffered catastrophic losses.
Just as everyone was immersed in the victory of the battle that had just ended, a guard's report came from outside.
"Report! Third Prince, an army of three hundred thousand Royal Legion soldiers has arrived outside the city gates, claiming to be reinforcements!"
Lin Junyu now enjoyed tremendous prestige within the Southeast Legion. After a single campaign, everyone deeply admired this newly appointed legion commander.
"The Royal Legion? Who is leading them?"
"According to their messenger, it is the First Prince, the Second Prince, and Commander Flowing Wind!"
"Oh? I didn't expect all of them to come!"
The three hundred thousand Royal Legion soldiers had traveled by water and swiftly arrived at Jiashan Fortress.
Seeing that Jiashan Fortress still stood, everyone let out a sigh of relief.
They met Zichuan Shengxing and learned what the Third Prince had done.
Liu Fengchuan was greatly astonished and could not stop praising him. Another tiger had emerged in the Empire.
But killing intent had gradually begun to brew in the eyes of the two princes. They had never expected the useless prince they had bullied since childhood to have concealed himself so deeply. What was he trying to do?
At that moment, the two shared the same thought: such a formidable enemy absolutely could not be allowed to live!
Since Jiashan was no longer in danger, they led the Royal Legion to find the Empire's Southeast Legion. Zichuan Shengxing was also curious about the front-line situation, so after arranging the necessary matters, he set out with them.
Unexpectedly, when they led their army to Bartley City, where the Southeast Legion was stationed, they were all stunned by the sight on the plains.
The wilderness before Bartley City was carpeted with corpses. Tattered banners lay everywhere, blood flowed like rivers, and a flock of vultures still circled overhead.
"Wh-what happened here? How could it have been so brutal?"
But as they traveled onward, they saw that most of the corpses on the ground belonged to Demon soldiers. There were human corpses as well, but very few.
Everyone's expressions gradually eased. When they reached the city gates and saw the Empire's golden iris banners still flying from the walls, they finally put down the heavy stone in their hearts.
"Go report to your Prince Lin at once. We are the Royal Legion sent from Far Capital as reinforcements. Open the gates immediately!"
Someone atop the city wall shouted back.
"Prince Lin was assassinated by the Demons and has already died. The Third Prince is now our legion commander! If you wish to enter the city, we must report to His Highness first. Wait patiently!"
"What?"
The First Prince, Second Prince, Liu Fengchuan, and Zichuan Shengxing all cried out in shock.
Liu Fengchuan and Zichuan Shengxing were shocked that Prince Lin had actually died,
While the two princes were stunned that their third brother had taken control of the five hundred thousand-strong Southeast Legion. Their wariness and killing intent toward Lin Junyu reached their peak.
All four wore ugly expressions. Liu Fengchuan and Zichuan Shengxing mourned the death of Prince Lin, one of the Empire's great war gods, while the two princes were nearly driven mad by jealousy.
However, the two princes seemed to think of something. They exchanged a glance, as though they had reached an agreement, and only then did their expressions recover.
Bartley's city gates opened, and a troop of soldiers emerged.
"Your Highnesses, Commander Flowing Wind, Commander Zichuan, the Third Prince invites you inside. However, the army must remain outside to help us clear the battlefield and burn the corpses to prevent an outbreak of disease!"
As the army commander, Liu Fengchuan naturally had no objection, but the two princes did.
After they repeatedly insisted, only two hundred thousand men were left behind to clean up the battlefield with them.
All the Royal Legion soldiers were dumbfounded. They were elites who had come to fight, not to collect corpses!
But who told them to arrive late? Judging from the situation, the battle had only just ended. From the scale and brutality of the battlefield, it had to have been a massive clash involving at least a million troops.
And judging by the number of corpses, their Empire had achieved a great victory, which left them even more depressed.
"Hahaha, Third Brother, your eldest brother and second brother have come to reinforce you!"
Upon arriving at the council hall in the city lord's manor, the two princes immediately put on smiling faces as they looked at their third brother, who was no longer what he had once been.
Liu Fengchuan and Zichuan Shengxing both watched Lin Junyu with astonishment and complicated expressions. On the way to the council hall, they had already learned from the soldiers guiding them about the process and outcome of the Battle of Bartley.
It was hard to believe that such a young man had led eight hundred men in an assault against an enemy army of over a hundred thousand and even beheaded its commander.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, you have traveled a long way. You must be exhausted."
"Hahaha, Third Brother, we can't compare to you. You've truly become capable. I heard all about it on the way here!"
"Indeed! We could never do something like violating military orders and forcing the army at the crossing to obey our commands!"
The Second Prince, Lin Huiyu, smiled as he said something that changed everyone's expressions.
"Yes, Third Brother. Do you know what order Father sent us to deliver?"
The First Prince, Lin Mingyu, echoed him from the side.
They had drawn their swords openly. It seemed Lin Junyu posed such a great threat to them that they no longer even wanted to pretend.
"I do not know what order Father has sent for me."
Lin Junyu had already made some guesses, but he still feigned ignorance and asked.
"Third Brother! Do you know your crime? You defied royal and marshal's orders and mobilized the army without authorization. Father has issued an edict ordering you to be put to death!"
"Third Brother, we pleaded for you too, but we could not change Father's will. We only hope you will not make things difficult for us!"
"If you do not believe us, you may ask General Flowing Wind. He is the executor of the edict. You must also hand over your military authority. That is Father's order!"
"Yes, Third Brother. You don't intend to defy an imperial order, do you? Do not bring ruin upon yourself. We have one hundred thousand troops inside the city and two hundred thousand outside. You'd better think carefully."
Lin Junyu turned his gaze toward Liu Fengchuan. With a helpless expression, he admitted that such an order had indeed been issued.
Zichuan Shengxing stood there in stunned disbelief. How could this be? Was the Emperor not afraid of chilling the hearts of the front-line soldiers by doing this?
"The Emperor must have been misled. Otherwise, he could never have issued such an order!"
In fact, that was indeed the case. Lin Junyu's battles at the front had moved too quickly, while information from the rear lagged severely behind.
In a fit of rage, the Emperor had issued this order after being urged on by the two princes and the ministers.
After all, in his eyes, his third son truly was a useless good-for-nothing. If his death could ensure the Empire's stability, then his death would serve its purpose.
If the Emperor learned that the third son he had looked down upon had displayed such divine might at the front and reversed the entire battle,
He would certainly revoke the order. He might even bestow immense rewards and decide the matter of succession ahead of time.
That was what the First Prince and Second Prince did not wish to see. Therefore, before the Emperor came to his senses, they had to quickly use his order to eliminate this enemy.
"Commander Zichuan, the order is clear. Are you going to defy it?"
"Third Brother, what is your decision?"
The two princes did not feel entirely confident either. Their third brother's military strength was at its height, and if they truly fought, the outcome would be uncertain.
So they were exploiting the information gap and using righteousness to pressure him, hoping he would obey their father's command.
Otherwise, if he led the Southeast Legion, which still had more than three hundred thousand men remaining, in rebellion and dragged them down with him, it would not be worth the cost.
Lin Junyu was delighted inside. He had been lacking an opportunity to fake his death for his main quest, and now one had practically been delivered to him.
Moreover, he held no particular attachment to this Empire. His cold and arrogant father had personally ordered him to die, severing the final thread of attachment in his heart.
He pretended to ponder for a long time, squeezed a few tears from the corners of his eyes, then said sorrowfully,
"When a ruler commands his subject to die, the subject cannot refuse. I only ask my two elder brothers to give your younger brother some time to settle his final affairs. Is that acceptable?"
Hearing their third brother agree, the two elder brothers were secretly delighted. They had not expected it to succeed. Their third brother really did seem rather foolish.
If they had possessed such military authority and strength, they would have rebelled long ago and seized that position for themselves.
"Good, good, good. Third Brother may have one day. However, on the condition that you first hand over your military authority!"
Still, they worried that this was a delaying tactic. They had to strip him of his military authority first.
"My deputy commander, Zichuan Mingyue, directed the overall battle this time and displayed remarkable leadership ability. I hope to give her the legion command token Prince Lin entrusted to me."
"This..."
"Of course, Third Brother. Your eldest brother fully supports this decision!"
Just as the Second Prince was about to speak, the First Prince interrupted him. The First Prince was practically bursting with joy inside.
The Zichuan Clan had long secretly pledged allegiance to him. If Zichuan Mingyue received military authority, would that not mean it was his military authority?
"Second Brother, the urgent matter is to stabilize Third Brother and strip him of his military authority. Once that is done, no matter what tricks he tries, we can handle him however we wish!"
Noticing his second brother's dissatisfaction, Lin Mingyu leaned close and whispered several words into his ear, calming him down.
"Thank you, Eldest Brother! I will go to the camp at once and give her the legion command token!"
"Commander Zichuan, Commander Flowing Wind, accompany my third brother!"
The First Prince ordered Zichuan Shengxing and Liu Fengchuan. With the two of them accompanying Lin Junyu, he would feel more at ease.
"Third Prince, are you truly going to obey the edict?"
"Yes, Third Prince. We can delay for a while. Once the Emperor learns the specifics of the front-line situation, I believe he will surely rescind his order!"
The two veteran generals were deeply regretful. A star of the Empire had already risen, a hope for resisting the Demons. If he died to internal conflict, what kind of state would that be? Could this Empire still be saved?
"I understand the sentiments of you two generals, but Father has already issued his order. What else can I do?"
"If I insist on resisting, the three hundred thousand Royal Legion troops and the three hundred thirty thousand Southeast Legion troops, who have just endured a major battle and need rest, will inevitably clash. No matter the outcome, it would undoubtedly weaken the Empire's strength for its eastern campaign and give the Demons a new opportunity."
"Everything I worked so hard to accomplish at the front would become meaningless. That is not what I desire."
"Commander Zichuan, I do not know how I offended you in the past, causing you to refuse to see me all this time. I bear no resentment, but I hope your prejudice against me will not affect the Southeast Legion soldiers I swore to preserve!"
"I am placing the legion in your daughter's hands because I value her talent. I hope you will not rebuke her. There is no relationship between her and me."
At this moment, the Empire's two tiger generals were overwhelmed with shame, especially Zichuan Shengxing, who had always harbored prejudice against the Third Prince.
The Third Prince was good in every way, except that he was far too devoted to the greater good. The Empire had treated him like this, yet he was still thinking about the Empire.
The Third Prince's fate inevitably made them feel the sorrow of a fox grieving for a dead rabbit.
If the Emperor truly drove this most brilliant prince of the Empire to death, would their own families meet the same end one day?
This profound question was like a seed, taking root completely in the hearts of the two commanders.
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