251: Chapter 252 We Know the Rules, the Army Sets Off

On the shores of the Aral Sea, outside the ancient city of Khwarezm.

On the endless wasteland, dust flew, blotting out the sun.

Two massive armies, like two torrents of different colors, were slowly converging.

Coming from the north was the Mongol army that had just ended the war in the Golden Horde; most of the White Tiger Army had already dispersed to garrison various parts of the Golden Horde and Chagatai.

Xie Xun had already rushed back to Beijing; as the Minister of War, he had even more important tasks.

Within the military formation, only the three White Tiger regiments of Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, and Li Wenzhong remained, like three unsheathed swords, their sharpness fully revealed.

Coming from the east was the newly deployed Azure Dragon Army.

One hundred thousand elite marines, plus two hundred thousand auxiliary troops, formed a strict and magnificent array.

Under the sunlight, a forest of spears and halberds shimmered with cold light, and heavy shields formed walls of steel.

The two armies faced each other across a distance of several miles.

In front of the Western Expeditionary Force, the Marquis of Dongliao and the Marquis of West Yu stood side by side on horseback, their faces filled with unconcealed excitement and anticipation.

In front of the Azure Dragon Army, beneath the commander's banner, two generals rode out.

The leader was about thirty years old, not particularly tall, but his face revealed a shrewd and capable air.

He wore a suit of black chainmail with a precious sword hanging at his waist; it was none other than Chen Youding, who was currently rising to fame within the Azure Dragon Army.

Beside him was an exceptionally burly man with a resolute face and a serious expression, holding a long spear; it was Zhang Dingbian.

The Marquis of Dongliao and the Marquis of West Yu came forward to pay their respects to the newly arrived commander.

“This is General Zhang Dingbian,” Chen Youding introduced, turning slightly.

Zhang Dingbian merely nodded, his gaze sweeping over the two fierce-looking Mongol leaders with a calm, rippleless expression as he acknowledged them.

Just then, Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, and Li Wenzhong also arrived on horseback from the Western Expeditionary Force and gave a military salute to Chen Youding.

“Generals Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, and Li Wenzhong reporting for duty under General Chen's command by order of Commander Xie!”

Chen Youding laughed, dismounted, and helped the three of them up. “You've worked hard, Generals! It's rumored that you three are top-tier heroes of the White Tiger Army; seeing you today, your reputation is indeed well-deserved!”

Xu Da, Li Wenzhong, and Chang Yuchun said modestly, “It is all thanks to the opportunity given by Your Majesty!”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, everyone entered the temporarily erected central command tent.

“Everyone, please look, this is His Majesty's deployment.” Chen Youding's finger pointed to the map hand-drawn by Lu Chen. “The Ilkhanate borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, connects to our Great Ming's newly expanded lands to the east, leans against the Caucasus to the north, and borders the Persian Gulf to the south. Its territory is vast and its resources are abundant.”

His finger traced several important cities. “Tabriz, Isfahan... these are their major strongholds. According to His Majesty's wishes, we must strike quickly and decisively, sweeping them away with the force of a thunderclap!”

The Marquis of Dongliao rubbed his hands, asking impatiently, “General Chen, how shall we fight? We brothers await your orders!”

The Marquis of West Yu also nodded repeatedly. “Exactly! When it comes to capturing cities and seizing strongholds, we Mongols are the best at it!”

Chen Youding said with confidence, “We are sending troops this time by His Majesty's decree because the Ilkhanate does not respect our civilization or the Celestial Empire! Our goal is to eliminate the ringleaders!”

Inside the tent, the atmosphere was enthusiastic.

With a smile on his face, Chen Youding was about to continue assigning tasks to settle these two eager Mongol leaders.

“We shall split into three routes...”

Before he could finish his sentence.

“Boom—!”

A powerful Peak pressure crushed down from the Nine Heavens.

“What's happening?” The Marquis of Dongliao was the first to jump up, nearly knocking over the table.

Zhang Dingbian gripped the long spear beside him, his sharp gaze sweeping outside the tent.

“Something's wrong!” Xu Da suddenly looked up, listening intently.

Outside the tent, the originally bustling military camp instantly fell silent.

The breathing of hundreds of thousands of people seemed to be choked by an invisible giant hand.

Even the neighing of warhorses and the whistling of banners in the wind vanished.

Dead silence.

A heart-palpitating dead silence.

Chen Youding's expression changed slightly as he was the first to lift the tent flap and rush out.

The others followed closely behind.

Under the piercing sunlight, everyone subconsciously squinted their eyes.

Then, they saw it.

The sky.

Five figures were floating there.

The leader wore dragon robes, his face calm and his gaze indifferent, like a deity looking down upon ants.

It was the current Emperor of Great Ming, Lu Chen.

Behind him, four stunning women floated side by side, each with a different but exquisite grace.

The five of them just hung there quietly in mid-air without any external help, their bodies seemingly enveloped in a faint halo, sacred and majestic.

Below, the army of hundreds of thousands—whether the arrogant Mongol cavalry or the disciplined Azure Dragon and White Tiger Armies—were all as if frozen by a spell, looking up with mouths agape, their eyes filled with shock, awe, and even fear.

The Marquis of Dongliao and the Marquis of West Yu, who had been so boisterous just a moment ago, now felt their legs go weak and instinctively knelt down.

“Thud!”

Swaths of soldiers knelt, their armor clashing with a dull thud.

Chen Youding quickly knelt and shouted, “General Chen Youding welcomes Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live forever!”

Zhang Dingbian followed immediately, kneeling to welcome him with a voice like a great bell: “Your servant Zhang Dingbian welcomes Your Majesty!”

Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, and Li Wenzhong did not hesitate at all, already down on one knee: “Your servants welcome Your Majesty!”

Throughout the entire camp, across hundreds of thousands of people, only the mountain-shaking roar of “Welcome, Your Majesty” echoed.

Lu Chen's gaze swept indifferently over the kneeling crowd below, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears with an unquestionable authority:

“Rise.”

Chen Youding bowed and said, “Your Majesty, we were just discussing military affairs and did not know of Your Majesty's arrival. We failed to welcome you properly; your servant Chen Youding deserves ten thousand deaths!”

Lu Chen did not look at him; his gaze turned toward the west, as if piercing through the endless Void Realm.

“No need for such formalities.”

His voice rang out again, this time carrying a chilling intent.

As his words fell, the world seemed to fall silent for another instant.

The hundreds of thousands of soldiers who had just been shouting were now silent, and even the sound of armor rubbing together had vanished.

Only the wind wailed across the wasteland, kicking up sand and dust from the ground, swirling and blurring people's eyes.

Chen Youding maintained his bowing posture, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.

This young general of the Azure Dragon Army, who had strategized during the Quanzhou rebellion and remained unfazed before mountains of corpses and seas of blood, now felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

The Emperor's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a cold blade scraping across everyone's heart.

Behind him, even on Zhang Dingbian's eternally unchanging stone-like face, his pupils contracted slightly, and his knuckles turned white as he gripped his spear.

Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, and Li Wenzhong exchanged glances, all seeing the gravity in each other's eyes. They were veteran generals and were most sensitive to Killing Intent.

At this moment, the Aura emanating from the Emperor was not Killing Intent directed at any one person, but a kind of... intent of annihilation, as if he were bringing the entire West into his cold gaze.

Truly, the Emperor's heart is as deep as an abyss!