To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

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Even those cities might fall to the Chu people within a short time, leaving the people within them dead or nearly so, leaving no one to pass on information.

In this way, by marching and killing as they went, and also because they moved swiftly without stopping, relying on such cruel methods, they naturally appeared as if divine troops blessed by heaven.

They then raided Liang City unawares and took it."

Chen Tai’s countenance turned slightly unsightly as he recounted the news; after piecing together several reports, he had finally clarified a murky truth.

Upon hearing his account, the others in the main hall wore similarly hard looks on their faces.

Although he had only roughly described the situation, everyone could imagine a group of Wei Army deserters who, being coerced into attacking cities, had an almost certain death rate, nearly ten dying for every one who survived.

After the Great War had ended, under such an extremely oppressive and twisted mental state, one could only imagine what they might do.

Not to mention, it was said that the Wei Army deserters who were used by the Chu people this time included those from Wei Country who had already adopted cannibalistic practices.

With these beastly soldiers leading, the common Zhao people in the regions traversed by the Chu would be far from well-off.

Some ministers whose hometowns were in that region couldn’t help but cover their faces and weep bitterly after hearing what Chen Tai had said.

They could already imagine the tragic fates of their families back home, now in the hands of the Chu army primarily composed of those deserters.

"The Chu villains are despicable, claiming to be a great nation’s army but conducting such vile acts in warfare, they are even worse than the barbarians of the grasslands. With such tactics, they still aspire to unify the world, I spit on that!"

"That’s right, as long as there are still righteous and moral people left under the sky, with the tyrannical acts of the Chu villains, they will never dominate the world. Everyone will resist them, and we will never submit!"

"Alas, my family back home has fallen into the hands of Chu, I... I... sob sob sob..."

Inside the main hall, everyone was denouncing the Chu army, their expressions filled with anger and sorrow, and the underlying fear was so evident it practically overflowed.

The aftermath of Lu Yuan’s decision to use conscripted soldiers now became apparent.

He was cruel to the conscripts, and in turn, the conscripts would be cruel to the ordinary people.

It is often said, "The strong swing their swords at the stronger."

But in reality, it is more often the strong who oppress the weak, and the weak who go on to oppress the weaker.

Layer by layer, oppression descends until those at the very bottom, left without a way to live, die filled with resentment.

This is reality.

Now, the Chu army stands as the oppressor at the highest level, the conscripts find themselves in the middle layer, and the common Zhao people have fallen to the very bottom.

The conscripts may indeed have suffered horrific losses due to the fierce war.

But what of those ordinary people affected by the war? Could their lot be any better?

The final outcome, in fact, may be even more miserable than that of the conscripts.

Such conduct, once it spreads, will naturally be scorned by the world and anger many.

But after the anger, what those present felt was profound fear.

The Chu people’s actions know no bounds.

And now, having gained such a significant advantage, it goes without saying, with more than a certain chance, the Chu will certainly make it to Diqiu City.

By then, wouldn’t the locations along their path face another calamity?

Many people present had, following Zhao’s recent strategic southern expansions over the years, settled their own families within Dongjun.

Especially around Diqiu City, where they had focused their settlement efforts.

And these key areas were about to face the onslaught of the Chu army.

The thought of those beastly soldiers coming to their homes, and of their wives and children falling into the hands of the Chu army.

The thought of Diqiu being surrounded by the Chu army.

Filled everyone present with unstoppable panic and trepidation.

At this moment, many could hardly restrain themselves, wishing they could return home immediately and send their trusted servants to quickly go back to their families scattered outside or near the city, urging them to quickly withdraw back to Diqiu City, if not retreating back to Ji Province in Hebei.

Only in Ji Province, with a great river as a barrier, could they stop those beastly soldiers and find safety.

It has to be said, sometimes when someone breaks through the bottom line, their deterrent power skyrockets instantly.

And when Chu State, already the world’s foremost hegemon, breaks through the bottom line.

Their deterrence against all nations, against all people under the sky, is simply like that of a nuclear bomb.

Anyone who hears of it cannot help but turn pale with fear.

The ministers of Zhao before us are a living example of this.

"Enough!"

Just as people were in a state of panic, Chen Tai, as a major minister aiding the governance of the South Capital, couldn’t hold back any longer and barked out a loud order for silence. After quieting the crowd, he turned to Zhao Xi and said, "Your Highness, Chu has taken Liang City. This city is the lifeline of our Dongjun, and if we lose it, the whole of Dongjun will be at risk.

In such a case, the South Capital’s Diqiu, which Great Zhao has worked on for more than a dozen years, as well as Dongjun, home to half of our nation’s population, will all be ceded to Chu.

And without these, would Zhao still be Zhao?

Bordering on Ji Province of Hebei, relying on the remaining eight million people above, we won’t even be able to maintain the status of a hegemony.

Soon, with just a beleaguered Ji Province, Great Zhao may follow in the footsteps of Wei, becoming a minor state of safekeeping, gradually declining and perishing.

How could the thousands of years of foundation of Great Zhao perish by our hands?

Therefore, Liang City must be saved, it must be taken back."

Chen Tai spoke of the advantages and disadvantages, then knelt and petitioned, "This old minister begs your permission to immediately muster all the troops at Diqiu, and also to issue a large conscription order for the civilians in the three prefectures nearby Diqiu; all men over the age of fourteen must be enlisted into the army.