"Hurry over here, this is the safest place. You fools, why aren't you coming quickly? Are you trying to drive us mad?"
A volley of arrows had already killed a large group of soldiers, but the remaining ones were still looking around expectantly.
They were like fools. Everything that had just happened was too sudden. The brothers who had been fighting alongside them moments ago had suddenly become corpses.
The Emperor they served had become someone who wanted to kill them.
This emotional whiplash was enough to consume all their convictions.
Immediately after, the sound of another volley of arrows was heard. The soldiers present scrambled towards any place they could take cover.
Even if they couldn't hide, they would grab a corpse to shield themselves.
The number of casualties in this volley was much smaller, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
They all thought that if they could just survive this wave, the army outside wouldn't kill anymore.
However, they were wrong, completely wrong. Right after, a beam of light descended from the sky outside.
"It's fire arrows! They're trying to burn us to death!"
Then, someone saw large amounts of firewood being thrown in, evenly distributed around the edges of the square.
This square was neither too large nor too small. These people could have avoided the arrow rain by hiding at the edges.
But with the edges of the square occupied by burning firewood, they were completely out of options.
Especially since these logs were doused with oil, and the fire arrows ignited them instantly.
"Why is this happening? What did we do wrong to deserve to be burned alive?"
Despair was etched on everyone's faces. They didn't want to be burned to death, but it seemed like a distant hope now.
"This is fake, it must be fake. It's the Emperor punishing us, not trying to kill us. He's teaching us a lesson for our mutiny."
"Your Majesty, I kowtow and beg for forgiveness. Please spare me and let me go."
As soon as he spoke, he was kicked from behind. "What are you begging for? He's going to kill us all. Are you stupid?"
"Get up quickly! If we die, we won't die so pathetically."
For a full hour, the Imperial Guards outside the square walls relentlessly slaughtered the remaining soldiers on the square.
However, these remnants were also spurred into fighting spirit. Those who survived were basically the elites.
"Stop! Cease killing! His Majesty has ordered that all remaining survivors be gathered, fed well, and taken care of."
With an order, the Imperial Guards outside the square opened the main gate and shouted into the square.
"Come out, all of you. The rest are probably not useless. His Majesty has plans for you, so hurry and express your gratitude."
The soldiers who emerged from the square had somber expressions and were covered in filth.
Yet, their eyes were remarkably resolute.
Having walked back from the brink of death, they had contemplated much, but one thing remained unchanged.
They wanted to kill, to kill many, many people!
The Imperial Guards rounded up these unarmed surviving remnants and assigned them to the barracks.
It took a full three days for them to fully recover their strength.
At this point, the commander of the Imperial Guards summoned them.
They were now a far cry from their state three days prior, full of vigor and spirit.
Looking at the assembled soldiers, the commander of the Imperial Guards smiled.
"You are all at least very lucky. The slaughter didn't eliminate you, and His Majesty's decree arrived."
The commander of the Imperial Guards said with a smile, "You lost this battle and caused a mutiny. The court originally intended to execute all of you, but His Majesty ultimately chose to spare your lives. You should all be grateful, understand?"
"Yes, we will die for His Majesty!"
"Alright, enough talk. You've recovered well. His Majesty now wants to send you on a mission to sow chaos in the capital of Yunyue Kingdom. Do you have the ability to do this?"
The soldiers were stunned, not understanding his meaning.
One soldier, bolder than the rest, couldn't help but ask, "General, you mean, send us to disrupt Shuangyue City? How do we disrupt it, can we do anything we want?"
"That's right, you can do anything. Anything you think you cannot do within our country, you can do in the capital of Yunyue Kingdom."
"But General, what about our travel permits? If we go to Shuangyue City and they detain us, then we won't be able to do anything."
"Don't worry about that. We've bribed some officials in Yunyue Kingdom for your travel permits. They will arrange them for you. I will lead you to collect them. After you collect them, you will enter Shuangyue City in batches. Start the chaos after three days, and withdraw three days later. Do you understand?"
"We understand."
The soldiers bowed in unison.
A look of determination was on each of their faces. They understood that this mission might lead to their deaths, but if they were lucky, they might survive.
Two hours later, they set off together for Shuangyue City.
Meanwhile, the contingent of Zhao Kingdom soldiers, upon reaching the Zhao Kingdom capital, were imprisoned.
Upon hearing of this, the King of Zhao immediately ordered his defeated soldiers to be released for two days of rest, and then sent to cause chaos around Shuangyue City.
In short, they had developed a hatred for Shuangyue City. They had been defeated most unwillingly this time and were determined to regain their honor!
And in Shuangyue City, Chu Chen, after leaving his chambers, and disregarding the teasing of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, waited for about half an hour before hearing the sound of the door opening.
Chu Chen quickly stepped forward and saw that Li Xin Yue's complexion had improved considerably, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'm leaving now. I have to keep an eye on the Imperial Guards and all the other military forces to prevent any changes."
Li Xin Yue said with some reluctance.
Chu Chen smiled and nodded, "Princess, you've worked hard."
Li Xin Yue shook her head, "It's what I should be doing anyway."
Chu Chen returned to his chambers and approached the Empress.
"I am going to cultivate. You can go out and stay elsewhere for now."
The Empress's expression changed, and she said with some impatience.
Chu Chen heard this and asked with some confusion, "Your Majesty, it would be better to let your humble servant stay by your side. If you need anything, I can help you handle it."
The Empress had never had anyone by her side during her cultivation sessions. However, given her current relationship with Chu Chen, these matters seemed less important.
"Alright."
After saying this, the Empress said no more and entered her cultivation state.
Chu Chen waited by her side, feeling much more at ease.
Since returning from Mount Hua in Wei Kingdom, the Empress had been unable to cultivate, as if she had encountered some obstacle.