Chapter 205 - Rank 7, Hua Mulan, Second Army Marshal, the Empress's Caution, and Murong Qiudi Catches Up

[Renowned Marshal Ranking – Rank 7]

[Hua Mulan]

[Nation: Ming Dynasty]

[Marshal Rating: Five Stars]

[Military: First-Rate]

[Political: First-Rate]

[Strength: Super First-Rate]

[Reward: One Top-Tier weapon, a set of Top-Tier armor for generals and marshals, one Top-Tier military formation, and a 5% increase in national fortune for the affiliated nation]

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"Hua Mulan?"

"From the name, it sounds like a woman?"

"I know who Hua Mulan is!"

"She's the General of the Hundred Flower Legion under the Ming Dynasty. I think her name is exactly that, Hua Mulan!"

"Oh my god, a woman has actually made it into the top ten renowned marshals of the Nine Provinces? That's unbelievable!"

"I heard this woman is greatly trusted by Emperor Zhu Houzhao of the Ming Dynasty, and commands 150,000 troops, 30,000 of whom are female soldiers she personally recruited."

"That incident even sparked heated debates in the Imperial Court back then!"

"Fortunately, when the northern steppe tribes invaded, Hua Mulan led the army and utterly destroyed them. Only then was the Hundred Flower Legion officially established."

"But even so, is that enough to be ranked in the Renowned Marshal Ranking?"

"Who knows. Since the Nine Provinces Golden Ranking recognizes her, she's definitely not as simple as she appears."

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Ming Imperial Palace.

"General Hua Mulan greets His Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"

A valiant female general, dressed in fiery red armor, knelt and saluted.

Zhu Houzhao looked at the woman before him and nodded with satisfaction.

Under his cultivation, Hua Mulan had risen from being a merely decent general to one of the most formidable generals and marshals in the Nine Provinces.

Not only was her personal strength extraordinary, but her knowledge of military strategy and tactics was also exceptional.

He had even personally taught her an incredibly powerful martial art.

It was because of this special favor that Hua Mulan had become one of the Ming Dynasty's top-tier among many generals and marshals.

At the very least, even Qi Jiguang could not match Hua Mulan's strength.

"Alright, there are no outsiders here. No need to be so formal. You may rise."

"How are things? Is life in the army still tolerable?"

"If you're feeling tired, I've left a spot for you in the Imperial Harem."

Zhu Houzhao chuckled softly.

"Your Majesty, I prefer life in the army. Though the Imperial Harem is wonderful, it is not suitable for me."

"True. Letting you stay in the Imperial Harem would be a waste of your talents!"

"Fortunately, both of us are powerful enough that we can meet whenever we want."

"However, this time I summoned you not for leisure or personal matters."

Hua Mulan's posture straightened. Thinking of the war between the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, a glint of excitement flickered in her eyes.

"Is Your Majesty planning to have me lead the attack on the Qing Dynasty? That's wonderful. I've been ready for a long time."

"Indeed. This time, I intend to completely destroy the Qing Dynasty."

"Qi Jiguang's forces alone will not be enough."

"I plan to assign you, along with the Empress who recently pledged allegiance to the Ming Dynasty and the Qi Army, to form a Second Army. You will march north across the steppe and strike at the Qing Dynasty's heartland."

"Can you handle it?"

"I guarantee to complete the mission. But is that Empress truly loyal?"

"What if she allies with the Qing Dynasty mid-campaign and attacks us from behind?"

Hua Mulan asked with concern.

"Do not worry. That Empress is mine. Her loyalty is beyond doubt."

"Even so, you must not let your guard down. The troops under her command are not to be underestimated."

"Understood, Your Majesty. I know what to do."

Zhu Houzhao gave her a deep look.

"Good."

With the official matters handled, the rest turned personal.

Seizing the rare opportunity, Zhu Houzhao stepped forward and took her hand.

In the blink of an eye, the two vanished from the hall.

When they reappeared, they were already inside Zhu Houzhao's chambers.

Two hours later.

Zhu Houzhao emerged from the chamber looking refreshed and content.

In terms of stamina, figure, appearance, and even temperament, she was becoming more and more satisfying.

If he didn't worry about making her a caged bird, he truly might have made her a Consort.

Behind him, Hua Mulan followed, her face glowing.

She shot him an annoyed glare.

Had she not been strong enough, she wouldn't have been able to endure it.

"Your Majesty, it's getting late. I'll return to camp and begin preparations. I'm ready to depart at any time!"

"Be careful. I will assign Imperial Worships to protect you personally."

"Your Majesty, with the divine armor and weapon from Heaven Dao Reward, I can absolutely protect myself."

"It's better to be overly cautious than careless."

"If anything happens to you, even if we win the war, it would be a bitter defeat for me."

"Do you understand?"

Hua Mulan was deeply moved, her heart both joyful and gratified.

But outwardly, she remained calm and composed.

She showed a hint of playful disapproval.

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North of the Ming Dynasty, near the steppe, stood a massive city.

The Empress sat on the throne at the head of the hall.

Below, stood members of the Illusion Sound Pavilion and generals of the Qi Army.

"Just now, His Majesty the Ming Emperor has issued a decree for us to join forces with Hua Mulan's Hundred Flower Legion and launch an attack on the Qing Dynasty."

"King Qi, for this campaign, who will serve as the main main marshal, you or Hua Mulan?"

"Yes, Your Highness. If Hua Mulan is the main marshal, and she harbors ill intent midway, we'll be in serious trouble. We must be cautious!"

Both the Qi Army generals and the Illusion Sound Pavilion members expressed concern.

"Don't worry. This time, both our Qi Army and the Hundred Flower Legion are assigned to the Second Army."

"In fact, the Emperor originally did not plan to involve us in this national war."

"Later, I personally petitioned for battle and was granted the opportunity with great difficulty."

"However, our Qi Army will only serve as the vanguard of the Second Army."

"Are you all prepared?"

"This battle offers great opportunities for military merit, but it also comes with countless dangers."

"If you're unwilling to fight, you may remain in the city."

Hearing the Empress's words, murmurs broke out below.

But without hesitation, all the generals stepped forward to request permission to fight.

What a joke, how could they pass up such a rare chance to earn military merits?

By now, they had come to terms with their new status.

Since they now served the Ming Dynasty, they could only follow Ming Dynasty's rules.

Fortunately, the Ming Dynasty was powerful, even more so than the Tang Dynasty.

Its promotion system was also more comprehensive.

They still aspired to become top-tier generals within the Ming Dynasty system.

At this point, who the main marshal was no longer mattered.

As long as they could earn achievements in battle, everything else could be put aside.

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Ming Dynasty Palace, Empress Chambers.

Empress Wu Zhao looked at the intelligence report in her hands, her brows slightly furrowed.

Hua Mulan.

She had not expected Hua Mulan's relationship with His Majesty to be so close.

It seemed that she had been placed in the military back when Zhu Houzhao was still Crown Prince.

Over the years, she had accumulated numerous military achievements.

Combined with her exceptional strength and remarkable strategic talent, she was directly appointed as the main marshal of a 150,000 strong army.

Without absolute trust, that would have been impossible.

Rank 7 on the Renowned Marshal Ranking.

"Miss, this Hua Mulan really is not inferior to any man. She's incredible."

"She is indeed impressive, but her achievements are largely due to His Majesty's support."

"Otherwise, even if she were a hundred times more talented, it would've been useless in another nation."

"Only an Emperor as ambitious and farsighted as His Majesty could cultivate such an outstanding female marshal!"

"Yes, compared to Hua Mulan, Li Xiuning from the Tang Dynasty is not worth mentioning."

"I heard His Majesty has appointed her as the main marshal of the Second Army to campaign against the Qing Dynasty."

"If the Qing Dynasty is truly destroyed, her status will surely rise several levels."

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Ming Imperial Palace, Murong Qiudi Chambers.

"Whew!"

"I've finally made it. I've caught up to my sisters at last!"

"Hmph, in terms of talent, I'm still better than Shiyin, Yuhua, and You Ruo."

"As for people like Shi Feixuan, Wan Wan, and Huang Rong, they're not even worth mentioning."

"Only Long Bixia and Xue Yuan are truly on par with me."

"As for Empress Wu Zhao, I'm still a little behind for now."

Recently, Murong Qiudi had thrown herself into intense cultivation, setting aside all distractions.

With her own effort and Zhu Houzhao's help, her strength had skyrocketed.

In a short time, her cultivation had already caught up.

She had even surpassed Lin Shiyin and the others.

It was undeniable, her talent was truly exceptional.

In the Imperial Harem, only a few others could compare to her.

Having finished her training for the day, she called a few of her sisters for a small gathering.

When she saw the ranking in the sky, she noticed Hua Mulan's name on the Renowned Marshal Ranking.

Even Murong Qiudi could not help but feel impressed.

For a woman to force her way into the Renowned Marshal Ranking was no easy feat.

She was undoubtedly a remarkable woman of the Nine Provinces.

Even knowing that Hua Mulan would be a future rival, she felt no resentment at all.

"Sigh, when I was little, I often dreamed of leading an army into battle."

"Seeing Hua Mulan, I can't help but feel a little envious."

"I wonder when His Majesty will allow me to lead a force into war."

Lin Shiyin's eyes lit up with longing as she spoke with envy.

"Shiyin, with your personality, it's better if you just focus on martial arts."

"War is not for you."

"You can't even handle the brutality of the Martial World, let alone the battlefield."

To Murong Qiudi, the Martial World was already dangerous enough.

But war was even more terrifying.

In every battle, casualties in the thousands or tens of thousands were common.

Especially in the current national wars, casualties in the hundreds of thousands were not unusual.

Without strong mental fortitude, a single war could lead to psychological collapse.

It could even affect one's state of mind.

Even someone as proud as Murong Qiudi had the rare clarity to recognize her limits.

War was not something she could handle.

She was better suited to roaming the Martial World during peacetime.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

List of Characters:

Number One Under Heaven ( 天下第一 )

・Zhu Houzhao ( 朱厚照 ) — Emperor of Ming Dynasty

Sun Moon In The Sky ( 日月当空 )

・Wu Zhao ( 武曌 ) — Empress of Ming Dynasty

Story of Mulan ( 花木兰传奇 )

・Hua Mulan ( 花木兰 ) — General of Ming Dynasty

Painting Jianghu ( 画江湖 )

・Shui Yunji ( 水云姬 ) — Master of Illusion Sound Pavilion

Sword of Third Young Master ( 三少爷的剑 )

・Murong Qiudi ( 慕容秋荻 ) — Master of Heavenly Venerable Organization

Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword ( 多情剑客无情剑 )

・Lin Shiyin ( 林诗音 ) — Young Miss of Demon Blade Gate