Over in the Eastern Kingdom, Princess Gouyu spent a day lingering in the Jianghan fief before heading straight back to the Royal Capital. At the same time, she issued a feudal lord mobilization order, calling upon the armies of various lords to march to the southwestern border.
Once this mobilization order went out, the entire Eastern Kingdom was plunged into panic. Everyone knew what lay on the kingdom's southwestern border — the Black Moon Kingdom!
The Black Moon Kingdom had always been the Eastern Kingdom's sworn enemy. Among the Sixteen Surrounding Kingdoms, the hostility between these two nations was notoriously well known.
Every ten or twenty years, war would break out between them — a major war or a minor skirmish.
Generation after generation, the hatred between the two countries had accumulated to the point where only death could settle it. From the monarchs at the top all the way down to the common folk, the mere mention of the other nation made their teeth clench in bone-deep loathing.
Originally, though the Eastern Kingdom was the weaker of the two, centuries of history had not reduced it to the point of losing sovereignty or national dignity.
But today, after the royal family and the Long family — the two most powerful forces in the kingdom — had clashed, nearly half the nation's strength had been consumed.
This was the moment when the Eastern Kingdom was at its most vulnerable.
The Black Moon Kingdom seizing this opportunity to invade was nothing short of kicking someone while they were down.
Even a common street vendor could see that the Eastern Kingdom simply did not have the resources to stand against the Black Moon Kingdom now.
Most critically, the Jiang family — the most powerful and most mysterious clan in the kingdom — appeared to have rejected the royal family's honors. Which meant that the Jiang family, currently the kingdom's sole formidable fighting force, might very well refuse to fight for it.
Wave after wave of despairing news swept across the nation.
However, it was precisely at this moment that Princess Gouyu demonstrated her boldness.
On one hand, she issued the mobilization order; on the other, she made a public proclamation to the world. She declared that the Eastern Kingdom had long been prepared for the Black Moon Kingdom's invasion. The kingdom's elite armies had already reached the southwestern border and were standing in firm defense.
And the Jiang family, about whom the entire kingdom was most concerned, would indeed fight for the kingdom — they would not let the Black Moon Kingdom's filthy iron hooves set even half a step onto Eastern Kingdom soil!
It had to be said, at a time like this, such news was incredibly uplifting to the people's spirits.
Especially after the announcement that the Jiang family would defend the kingdom's territory, the entire Eastern Kingdom erupted in jubilation. Morale soared!
The Jiang family, though previously not particularly outstanding, had single-handedly turned the tide and restored the royal family during the Long family's rebellion. They had slain Marquis Long Teng and exterminated his cronies, sending shockwaves through an army of a million!
Over the course of several months, these legends had circulated far and wide, and the Jiang family had completely replaced the Long family's position, becoming the true pillar of the kingdom.
Learning that the Jiang family would still fight for their country, the entire kingdom naturally celebrated with wild joy.
Yet Jiang Chen himself remained as low-key as ever.
Upon learning of the impending Black Moon invasion, Jiang Chen once again contacted Mang Qi, having him dispatch another army of Sword Birds, just in case.
Fortunately, the endless underground caverns held Sword Bird armies in such numbers they were like hairs on an ox. The army Jiang Chen had brought last time had mobilized, at most, only a tenth of the total.
Mang Qi sending yet another wave gave Jiang Chen a bit more confidence.
He knew full well that the Black Moon Kingdom must have studied the intelligence about his ability to command Sword Bird armies.
Even so, they still dared to invade, which meant they must have some assessment of the Sword Bird army's combat power.
This battle might not be easy.
*Keen!*
A sharp, piercing cry echoed from the sky, and a streak of golden light descended — it was a Golden-Winged Sword Bird.
"Young Marquis." A figure jumped down from the Golden-Winged Sword Bird's back. It was his personal guard captain, Xue Tong.
"How did it go? Did you find out anything?" Jiang Chen asked.
"I found quite a bit. This time the Black Moon Kingdom has gathered thirty-six armies. The supreme commander leading them is Ren Feilong — the Black Moon Kingdom's foremost war star."
"Ren Feilong?" Jiang Chen knew nothing about the Black Moon Kingdom, so this name, Ren Feilong, was naturally heard for the first time.
"Mm. This man is under forty. He joined the army at thirteen, earned his reputation through a hundred battles, and became the god of war in the Black Moon Kingdom's military. He's revered as their foremost war star. They say he commands troops like a god and has never lost a battle."
"Commands troops like a god? Never lost a battle?" Jiang Chen smiled faintly. For mortal armies clashing, winning a hundred battles without a loss was certainly possible.
But when it came to commanding troops like a god, Jiang Chen was not necessarily impressed. It wasn't that he looked down on the other man's military strategy — it was that when two nations went to war, it ultimately came down to core fighting prowess.
The art of commanding troops was important, of course, but many times, in the face of absolute power, military strategy simply had no room to make a difference.
"Young Marquis, I did some investigating and obtained some information on Ren Feilong. As the supreme commander, he cannot be underestimated." Xue Tong was very cautious.
Jiang Chen took the documents and began reading. They were almost entirely case studies of Ren Feilong's battles — a continuous stream of classic engagements.
Virtually every type of warfare was covered.
This Ren Feilong was, when it came to military command, genuinely a prodigy. However, the man was called the foremost war star, and he was the perfect embodiment of the saying: "One general's glory is built on ten thousand bones."
His methods of warfare were resolute and decisive. When necessary, he spared no sacrifice and stopped at no cost.