War(1)

At dawn the next day, Tie Hongchen left with the elite soldiers after making sure that Tai Jian was still sound asleep. She kissed him on the forehead before she left with tears in her eyes. Xue Kai was suspectful but he knew better than to question his superiors so he chose the best of the best of the elite soldiers; hundred of them and told them to protect Tie Hongchen. Tai Jian woke up a few hours only to find himself alone in their maternal bed. Tai Jian did not suspect anything as he thought that maybe Tie Hongchen was just too anxious to go back to her home state as she might have missed her home after staying away from her home for such a long time. Tie Hongchen was decisive and very determined as she did not turn back after she left. Tai Jian could not leave the capital as he had just caused great bloodshed that night. The capital was still tense and most of the officials were worried so Tai Jian had to step up to stabilise the kingdom. Tai Jian took fifty soldiers and barged into the palace with a sword in his hand. That very day Tai Jian destroyed the remaining strongholds of the shadow guild in Qin state. He also freed his parents. "Jian'er, you are now old enough. I am already old and my best years have passed so why don't you inherit the throne?" The old emperor asked as he stared at Tai Jian." Father is still young. I am still young and incompetent, I am afraid I will have to disappoint you," Tai Jian said with a smile. The emperor was shocked at this as it was not within his expectations. "Why?" The old emperor Qin Wushuang asked with scrutiny as he stared at his youngest son. For once he felt that he did not understand his son." That throne is more like shackles that will only tie me down. It is better to have my freedom. Big brother has made mistakes but he is the best option to inherit the throne. As for me, I will be your protector as mother wished," Tai Jian said. The emperor laughed when he heard his son's answer. Maybe only Tai Jian could dare to be so carefree before Qin Wushuang. "If you decide to struck the shadow guild ,remember to bring me along. Let the world witness my peerless sword techniques again. Allow me to be hotblooded once again," Qin Wushuang said in pride. Tai Jian went back to his study. Three days have now passed since Tie Hongchen left." How many soldiers do we currently have and what are their current strength rank? Has she sent back any news?" Tai Jian asked Xue Kai." We currently have three thousand elite soldiers skilled in military strategy,all kinds of weapons and even calvary. The weakest of them can last a hundred moves when fighting against you and the strongest of them can exchange more than a thousand moves with you without losing; of course the result is based on your previous strength assessment. As for her highness,there is no message from her ever since she left but according to our spies she will soon arrive in the heaven battling state," Xue Kai answered." What is it?" Tai Jian asked when he saw Xue Kai's hesitation." Your highness,I think it would be best if you trust her highness. She is a wargod who understands the art of war and is very skilled. Moreover, her martial arts is not any weaker than yours if nor stronger so I think that your worries is unnecessary as her highness is stronger than you think," Xue Kai said. Tai Jian sighed at the mention of this because he knew that Xue Kai was right but he couldn't stop himself from worrying as something inside him was eating up telling him that something somewhere was wrong. Ever since she left he has been having weird dreams which further intensified his worries. In the end he just sighed. "I will trust her as you said. If we receive no news after six months then I will lead an army myself to wipe out the heaven battling state and the shadow guild. Tell the soldiers to prepare. As for me I am going to have a small talk with an old friend," Tai Jian said with a devilish grin on his face. Xue Kai instantly knew what he meant when he saw such an expression on Tai Jian's face. He couldn't help but pity the person whom Tai Jian was going to have the 'small talk' with. Three months passed by in the blink of an eye and a lot of events took place. Tai Jian fought the golden phoenix emissary and forced him to escape with severe injuries after which he retreated back to the capital. After threw months Tai Jian has still not heard from Tie Hongchen. At this moment Tai Jian was playing a flute on top of a peach tree. The peach tree was about to blossom. Tai Jian stopped playing the flute and stared in the direction of the heaven battling state. No one knew what he was thinking but his eyes conveyed all the unsaid emotions. "Three months have already gone by. When will you come back?" Tai Jian asked. Xue Kai did not dare to enter the courtyard as Tai Jian had made it a restricted area. The peach tree was planted by Tie Hongchen and Tai Jian has used his mana to nurture it until it was now blossoming. There was a pot of wine buried below the peach tree waiting for Tie Hongchen's victorious return. Meanwhile after Tie Hongchen left Qin state for heaven battling state she suddenly changed course along the way and headed north. The soldiers were puzzled but they were taught to follow orders so they followed their superior. Tie Hongchen has been marching north for the last two and a half months and along the way she has destroyed many bases of the shadow guild. The soldiers were satisfied with their gains as they had managed to threaten the foundation of the shadow guild. At this moment they had just finished destroying another base of the shadow guild." Your highness,we are two days journey away from the main base of the shadow guild," a general in red armour said with a bow. The general was the deputy commander of the army and was incharge if Tie Hongchen was not around. At this moment Tie Hongchen stood on top of a cliff while staring at the direction that her deputy had pointed." I am not good with words but if you know you have things that you left behind then you should head back but if you have no worries then you can decide to continue forging ahead or to retreat," Tie Hongchen said with a neutral expression while staring at the beautiful night sky that was filled with stars." Your highness,my old bones is already satisfied that I was able to reach this far. This is a chance for me to open a path for my lord so how can I dare to retreat. I will forge ahead no matter what or else how can I have the guts to face my future generations. After this I am proud that I would have left my name in history, " an old soldier called old Bai said." If even old Bai is not afraid how can I dare to back down? I will definitely forge ahead," another soldier said. Seeing this Tie Hongchen unsheathed her sword and pointed at the sky. The soldiers also did the same."My sword as my heart. Live neither for revenge but to slay the enemies of my lord and to open up a path for the future generations. Whether in life and in death we only live for ourselves and for our lord. If lord wants our life then on the battlefield we will fight one last battle and end it ourselves if we win. If we lost then we die with the sword," the soldiers together with Tie Hongchen chanted in unison.