My Cultivation Starting from Archery

Chapter 161 The Battle of Hu Lao

"General Deng, why are you so surprised?"

Chen Sansi joked, "Did you truly think I was fiercely loyal to Dasheng?"

"Is it not so?"

Deng Feng said seriously, "Everything you have was given to you by the Emperor of Sheng Country,"

"Given to me? Indeed, he gave me a goblet of poison."

Chen Sansi found it amusing, "I, Chen, initially had only one dream—to hunt to earn silvers, learn some martial arts, and honestly be a wealthy man. What happened, though? They step by step forced me to today's position, where bullies harm people unchecked, Martial Arts Hall murders uninvestigated, and even after joining the army, there were those who hindered my advancement."

"The ensuing ten days in Yunzhou, as General Deng said, indeed had significant issues."

"Such a big issue had to be created by someone of high position, no need for me to spell it out, right?"

"From traveling on foot from Yunzhou to You State, how many of my brothers died along the way, I remember each of their names, ferrying civilians across the river, do you think I wanted this? I was forced."

"Such a court."

"You want me to be their loyal subject, do they deserve it?!"

Deng Feng was somewhat stunned.

He couldn't believe it.

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This young general from Dasheng, renowned worldwide after only two years in the army, actually didn't regard the court highly at all.

"General Deng!"

"The things I'm about to say, if overheard, are crimes punishable by the execution of my entire clan, but I still need to discuss them with you."

Chen Sansi moved closer, his voice not loud, yet deafening, "Whether it's Qing Country, Dasheng, Nan Xu, or even the barbarian tribes, in fact... they are all utterly rotten! Although I serve as a general for Sheng, everything I do is never for the so-called court."

"Firstly, it's for myself, secondly, within my capabilities, to handle some matters I find intolerable, such as Sect disciples, corrupt officials... but this is still not enough, there are still many things I can't handle."

"Just like the ten days in Yunzhou you mentioned!"

"Even if I know there's deception, what could I do? I could only pretend to be ignorant."

"What I can do is continually enhance my power, until no one dares to bully me, no one obstructs me, only then can I truly call it 'wielding a three-foot Green Blade Sword, slashing all the vile creatures of this world'!"

"I tell you so much, General, merely because I feel you are blinded by the so-called 'loyalty,' unable to see the real maladies of this world, precisely in the court you are loyal to!"

At this moment.

Deng Feng, a warrior who had read saintly books since childhood and was taught to be loyal to his country, found his worldview being utterly upended upon hearing these words.

Putting all emotions aside temporarily.

He couldn't help blurting out, "Are you planning a rebellion? When?"

"..."

This time, it was Chen Sansi who was at a loss for words.

He hadn't thought about this problem until now.

But...

The words he just said indeed seemed to imply that.

The old Emperor's poison wine vendetta was definitely something he intended to avenge.

But for now, that goal was still far off, to speak more practically, his next target was still the Main General.

After all.

He wasn't even in the Profound Image Realm, let alone a Martial Saint.

Yet the Emperor was an Immortal.

The gap between them was simply too vast.

"General Deng."

Chen Sansi changed the topic, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I..."

Deng Feng's expression was extremely grave, clearly struggling to accept it for the time being, "Chen, according to you, the world is suffering because the court is rotten? Not because of corrupt officials?"

"So."

Chen Sansi said, "General Deng's 'loyalty and righteousness,' is it truly to the common people, or just to a particular family or personal loyalties?"

"No, you are wrong!"

Deng Feng said in agony, "The saintly books do not describe it as so, receiving the ruler's favor and serving him loyally is the true truth!"

"Receiving the ruler's favor?!"

Chen Sansi asked yet again, "Where does the stipend the Emperor gives you come from?"

"Boom!"

Deng was struck as if by lightning yet again.

"Saintly books are written by people, just as the Martial Saint is also a saint, but does that make their words the truth?"

At this point, Chen Sansi abruptly stopped, "Think it over, General. If you continue to be loyal to Qing Country, aside from a hollow reputation of being loyal through six generations, what else can you gain?"

"That said,"

"I will not try to persuade you any further."

"If after seven days, you still proclaim yourself a loyal servant of the Qing Country Shen Family and the Imperial Family, then it means I have misjudged you, and you're nothing more than someone who fishes for fame. I will have them behead you and your family and hang your heads on the city walls for public display."

"Or..."

"You could realize the truth, choose to stay alive to act, and wait for the day you can 'cleanse the world's filth.'

"The decision is entirely up to you, General."

"Farewell!"

With those words,

he left the tent.

Leaving a bloodstained Deng Feng hanging on the wooden stakes, plunged into boundless shock and confusion.

'A person like this, expecting him to betray one court and be loyal to another, is absolutely impossible.'

Chen Sansi knew this well, so he straightforwardly declared his stance.

Practice!

He returned to the city, relentlessly practicing his spear technique day and night.

During this period, he sent out people like Xia Cong to persuade the other Eight Prefectures to surrender.

Once the Eight Prefectures learned that Zhao Tong Prefecture had surrendered, naturally, there wouldn't be a speck of resistance, all of them willingly opened their city gates to welcome the army of Sheng Country, thereby, only Yong Yue Prefecture was still holding out.

The fifty thousand elite troops in Yong Yue Prefecture, cultivated over many years by the Aliased King Li Gong, along with ample food and military supplies, meant that the morale of the troops was unlikely to waver significantly any time soon, making surrender impossible.