33: Useless Son-in-Law (XIV)

"Shenwu Empire..."

Memories buried deep within his heart were stirred, and he recalled everything from his past life.

The Shenwu Empire, the Family Alliance, and the Sect Chamber of Commerce coalition joined forces to incite internal strife, and the Tianhuo Empire actually wanted to take advantage of the situation.

Su Yun's calm heart grew restless.

Late at night, the Imperial Palace.

Su Yun's figure moved like a ghost across the palace walls, without alerting any guards.

He went straight to the outside of Prince Lie's study.

He planned to test the waters with Prince Lie and the Tianhuo Emperor.

He would volunteer to take an inconspicuous position on the front lines.

This way, he could get close to the Shenwu Empire to understand the situation firsthand without attracting too much attention.

However, as soon as he appeared, the door to the study opened from the inside.

Prince Lie and the Tianhuo Emperor were actually both there.

The two of them seemed to have been waiting for a long time.

"Su Yun, you've come."

The Emperor's voice was flat, yet carried an unquestionable majesty.

Su Yun's heart skipped a beat, and he bowed, "Your subject greets Your Majesty, and greets Prince Lie."

"No need for formalities."

The Emperor raised his hand slightly, "With the internal strife in the Shenwu Empire, my Tianhuo Empire intends to launch an expedition.

What is your take on this?"

Su Yun lowered his head, "This is an excellent opportunity to expand our territory.

Your subject is willing to serve the Empire."

Hearing this, a satisfied smile appeared on the Emperor's face.

The eunuch beside him immediately unfurled a bright yellow imperial decree and read it aloud in a shrill voice.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Su Yun of the Su Family, possessing both literary and military talent and exceptional cultivation, is hereby appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Third Army of the Expeditionary Force, commanding one hundred thousand troops, to set out on the expedition immediately!

Additionally, Li Daoran, Old Ancestor of the Li Family, and Zhang Ting, Old Ancestor of the Zhang Family, are ordered to serve as Deputy Marshals to assist in military affairs.

Respect this!"

Boom!

The content of the imperial decree exploded in Su Yun's mind like a bolt of thunder from the Nine Heavens.

Grand Marshal of the Third Army?

And having people from the Li Family and Zhang Family serve as Deputy Marshals?

Su Yun instantly felt a chill run through his entire body.

He suddenly looked up at the smiling face on the throne, instantly discerning the extremely vicious open conspiracy behind this.

Borrowing a knife to kill!

Casting aside the donkey once the grinding is done!

The Imperial Family was trying to roast him over a fire!

If he won, Su Yun's prestige would soar, and the Imperial Family could easily reclaim the military power with any random excuse.

If he lost, he would be a sinner, and the Su Family would also be implicated.

Even if there was a stalemate on the battlefield, those Deputy Marshals from the Li and Zhang Families would definitely do everything in their power to make him die out there!

What a vicious scheme!

He had been pushed to the opposite side of all the noble factions, becoming a pawn destined to be sacrificed.

But could he refuse?

Disobeying an imperial decree was treason.

The Su Family would instantly be reduced to ashes.

"Your subject... accepts the decree and thanks you for your grace."

Su Yun knelt down, raised his hands high, and received the scorching hot seal of the Grand Marshal.

After leaving the Imperial Palace, Su Yun did not return home, but went directly to the Family Forbidden Ground.

After listening to his account, the Su Family's Old Ancestor was silent for a long time, finally letting out a long sigh.

"I understand."

The Su Family's Old Ancestor's eyes became extremely sharp, "Go without worry.

From the moment you leave the capital, the Su Family will fully retract, and the entire Family will enter the highest state of alert."

When he returned to his residence, the sky was already beginning to brighten.

The Eldest Princess Long Xi and Lin Nianci were already waiting at the door.

Looking at his two wives' worried eyes, Su Yun felt a warmth in his heart and pulled them into his embrace.

"Wait for me to return."

A thousand words were reduced to just this one sentence.

Before parting, the Eldest Princess stuffed an ancient-looking jade pendant into his hand.

"Father's thoughts are unfathomable," she whispered, "When it is absolutely necessary, crush it; it can block a fatal blow for you."

Su Yun gripped the jade pendant tightly and nodded.

Three days later, outside the Imperial Capital, an army of three hundred thousand troops assembled.

Dressed in military attire, Su Yun stood on a high platform, looking down at the sea of troops below.

He could clearly feel countless gazes falling upon him; some were scrutinizing, some disdainful, some gloating, but more were filled with undisguised hostility.

Over seventy percent of the generals under his command came from various major families, and the influence of the Li and Zhang Families, in particular, was deeply intertwined.

This was not an army at all; it was a powder keg prepared for him.

The army set off.

Only half a month later, the first show of force arrived.

A quartermaster came to report with a mournful face, claiming that due to the humid weather, the provisions for thirty thousand troops had become moldy and were inedible.

Deputy Marshal Li Daoran was immediately "heartbroken" and loudly suggested beheading the negligent quartermaster in public to uphold military law.

All the generals' gazes were fixed on Su Yun.

Looking at those few bags of so-called "moldy" grain, Su Yun sneered inwardly.

This kind of low-level framing wasn't even worth acting out.

He did not pursue the matter, but calmly announced, "All moldy provisions will be handled by my personal guard battalion.

Continue the advance."

That night, under everyone's puzzled gazes, Su Yun's personal guard battalion took over the provisions.

The next morning, when the army set off again, everyone was shocked to discover that several large merchant caravans had arrived overnight, not only making up for the shortage but also bringing three times the amount of high-quality provisions, piled up like a mountain.

This move made the neutral generals in the army look at this young Grand Marshal with newfound respect for the first time.

Another month passed.

The army marched to the Black Wind Mountain Range, and Deputy Marshal Zhang Ting produced a map and enthusiastically proposed.

"Grand Marshal, please look!

There is a shortcut here, a secret trade route my Zhang Family's caravans have used for decades.

It can save five days of travel and go straight into the 'First Line of Heaven,' the weakest point of the Shenwu Empire's border defense!"

Inside the military tent, all the noble generals chimed in, creating an atmosphere where "the opportunity for battle is fleeting."

Looking at the overly narrow and long valley on the map, Su Yun saw at a glance that this was a natural death trap.

But he knew that if he refused, he would immediately be labeled "cowardly and incompetent," and his prestige would vanish completely.

"Very well."

Su Yun tapped his finger heavily on the map, as if after careful consideration, "We will take this shortcut!"

He agreed.

But in a corner where no one was paying attention, he issued a secret order to his trusted subordinates.

The army, stretching for dozens of miles, marched mightily into the valley known as the "First Line of Heaven."

Both sides were ten-thousand-fathom cliffs, and the terrain was extremely perilous.

When the army reached the very center of the valley, a sudden change occurred!

Boom!

Boom!

From both the front and rear directions, earth-shaking roars suddenly rang out!

Countless giant boulders fell from the sky, dust soared into the sky, completely sealing off the entrance and exit of the valley!

One hundred thousand troops were instantly trapped and doomed in the death trap!

Immediately after, torches suddenly lit up on the cliffs on both sides, and tens of thousands of ambushers dressed in Tianhuo Empire military uniforms revealed themselves, as arrows poured down like a torrential rain.

Screams rose and fell.

Even more terrifying was that mixed in among these ambushers was a group of masked men with powerful auras, and the combat techniques they used were clearly the unique skills of the eight great families of Tianhuo!

At the same time, Deputy Marshals Li Daoran, Zhang Ting, and others immediately led their trusted troops to seize favorable positions, "putting up a desperate resistance," while in reality, they had completely detached from the main force and were watching from the sidelines!

This was a sure-kill trap, a net cast from heaven and earth, involving collusion between inside and outside!

Su Yun was in the center of the army, feeling the rapidly rising casualties and panic around him, his eyes cold.

He finally understood that from the moment he accepted the seal of the Grand Marshal, he had already stepped into this huge graveyard carefully prepared for him.

Just at this moment, five terrifying auras of the Spirit King Realm erupted from above the cliffs, like five great mountains, locking onto Su Yun tightly.

The leading masked man let out a sinister laugh, his voice echoing throughout the valley.

"Su Yun, today this 'First Line of Heaven' will be your burial ground!"

Before the words had even faded, the five Spirit King level assassins, along with the four Deputy Marshals who had long been prepared in the rebel ranks below, simultaneously erupted with earth-shattering killing intent.

Nine Spirit Kings closed in on him from all directions.