Chapter 190: The Grudge of the Family of Generals
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Shame was painted on Wang Yutang’s face. "Initially, it wasn’t for the sworn brother… when the marshal was done vomiting blood in anger, the marshal’s son had sent an expert into Yutang to kidnap Shangguan Wudi’s wife and children…"
As soon as his words were uttered, there were murmurs of disgust among the other generals.
On the battlefield, life and death were determined by extreme measures; one could and one would be able to use any contemptible tactic available to him; winner takes it all. However, using any trick beyond that of warfare was taboo; holding hostages was the lowest and most tasteless tactic of all. Any general who did this would be stripped off his qualification to be listed in the continent’s notable generals, no matter how valiant he was, what came out of his battles or what merit he could achieve in the future. To involve another man's wife and children were the biggest taboo to the militants!
To use such a despicable tactic against a generation’s hero was all the more disgusting and vile!
"Shangguan Wudi received a letter saying that if he charged into the enemy as promised and died among them, his wife and son would be released. If he could save them, the grudge would be forgotten then and there. However, after Shangguan Wudi’s wife knew that she was being used to threaten her husband, she immediately took her own life, but not before killing her own child that she held in her embrace."
"The woman had said, ‘I will not let my worthless life determine my husband's destiny. He will die if he meets the enemy; if I die and leave my son alive, he shall be ashamed for the rest of his life, knowing his father has died for him when he grows up. Let him go to the underworld with his mother; his mother has done you and your father wrong in this life, I hope I can make up for it in the next."
"After she finished her words, she killed her son and herself; a smile lingering on her lips."
"Shangguan Wudi was fighting through the throngs of the enemy when he found out that his wife and son had died. Aggrieved, he decided to die amongst the cavalry – all because he didn't want to live any longer…"
From the side, Shangguan Lingxiu’s cold voice said, "Ancestor Wudi’s death is a great shame to the Shangguan Family. From then on, the Shangguan Family has sworn that if this blood grudge is not avenged to put an end to the past, it shall forever be veiled in the name of dying for a sworn brother!"
"Only when the blood grudge is avenged that our grandmother and uncle’s memorial tablets will return to our ancestral hall. This is the blood oath made by ancestor Wudi using his dantian’s Qi before he died; one that Shangguan’s descendants remember by heart!"
All the generals stood in silent awe.
"It was then that the continent’s militants set a new rule – no matter how the slaughter in battlefield went or what tactics were used, the opponents family, wife, and child, shall never be touched."
Shangguan Lingxiu’s words were like iced beads that were scattered to the ground, chilling yet ringing clear to the ear.
Yun Yang asked from the side, "What would fulfill the requirements for it to be called revenge?"
The Empire of Ziyou’s Old Marshal Wang Yutang closed his eyes solemnly.
Shangguan Lingxiu said faintly, "The Empire of Ziyou’s marshal then was Zi Hengzong. The one who had done such an uncouth thing after he died was his son, Zi Yicheng. After the incident, Zi Yicheng rebelled and removed the Empire of Ziyou’s emperor from his throne, turning his own family to royalty… until today…"
"To end this grudge, the Empire of Ziyou will have to be wiped out; Ziyou’s royalty has to be exterminated. Only then will this end!"
The expression of Marshal Zi Yuanlong from the Empire of Ziyou turned ugly. He was the Empire of Ziyou’s royal blood; he could not refrain from feeling shaken when faced with this historical case.
Shangguan Lingxiu looked at him and said coldly, "Marshal Zi doesn’t have to worry, we will not attack you when you’re in Yutang. Your death needs to take place on the battlefield; the termination of Ziyou needs to happen formally as we break Ziyou’s army and charge into Zitian City. We shall uproot the imperial Zi lineage, witnessed by the heroes in this world!"
Shangguan Lingxiu said softly, "This is the only military grudge left in this continent, recognized and acknowledged by the nations! There is no grace nor resentment involved for the rest, whether they live or die, win or lose!"
"The promise of no grace, nor resentment despite the hostility originates from here."
Shangguan Lingxiu looked calm and at peace but Yun Yang had sucked in a cold breath listening to her.
To destroy the Empire of Ziyou and uproot its royal members!
It seemed to be an impossible revenge to exact.
Yun Yang was never one to belittle himself. It was not wrong to say that he was full of himself, regarding himself highly. For a single family to uproot an imperial family, however... Yun Yang did not have such a plan for now – it was simply too ambitious!
"Generations of the Shangguan Family shall attempt to fulfill this wish; whatever it takes, we shall reunite Ancestor Wudi’s family in the underworld!"
Shangguan Lingxiu continued softly, "From the ancestors of the Shangguan Family, five or six out of ten among those at the memorial tablets here have stories similar to Ancestor Wudi… If all of you want to pay your respects to each of them, I’m afraid it will take too long."
This was obviously an implied order for the guests to leave.
Even Han Sanhe dared not object when faced with the order to leave by the Shangguan Family.
How many among those in the legion of ancestral tablets had contributed many more meritorious deeds than him?
How much more among them were the life-long idols of militants in this world?
These were not just ancestral tablets, they were the heroic souls of militants.
As long as one was a militant, it wasn't entirely incorrect to say that coming to this place was a pilgrimage.
"Everyone, please."
Yun Yang called out then, "It’s enough that your wish was granted. You should be content that you have paid your respects to the heroic souls of the family of generals. Why are you still here? Let’s go, let’s go. Could it be that you all are so shameless to try to wheedle a meal from them?"
As he spoke, he pushed the group out, actually chasing the hundred over generals of foreign nations like he was chasing a flock of ducks.
Shangguan Lingxiu’s almond-shaped eyes glanced at Yun Yang in shock.
Since she had known Yun Yang, Yun Yang had given her the impression of a polite gentleman, laidback and graceful despite his reputation; it was as if nothing that happened could have changed his innate elegance.
However, Yun Yang was showing Shangguan Lingxiu a side that she had never seen – not at all conscious of other’s feelings, utterly uncourteous, and somewhat thuggish.
Was this how Yun Yang looked like when he faced his enemy?
Shangguan Lingxiu’s eyes formed slight crescents as she said, "After everyone."
…
When everyone bid farewell to the Shangguan Family of Generals, they were exceptionally heavy-hearted.
After experiencing the grim despair in the ancestral hall, their heart seemed to still feel the weight of it.
EVen though the heroes had passed on years ago, the grandeur of their lion-hearted spirits was still majestic and overwhelming when they faced them – even though they only stood in front of ancestral tablets.
When they walked out of the door, a ray of sunset shone on their faces, surprising the group.
It did not feel like they had spent a long time with the family of generals, but it was already sunset when they came out.
"There is nothing else for the night, this old man made no other plans. Let us rest early. We shall go to the Snapped Blade Pavilion tomorrow morning and to the Lionheart Hall in the afternoon to pay our respects to our old opponents… Then those who wish to return to their homeland can do so," Han Sanhe announced.
His words had directly shrunken the initial itinerary to half but the other foreign generals had no objections.
After all, everyone was here for two main reasons – the militant’s wine and to probe the Residence of Nine Supremes.
Now that the wine had been drunk and they had tried to infiltrate the Residence of Nine Supremes, there was not much else that they needed to do.
Instead of staying here under the uncomfortably hostile gaze of this nation and Yun Yang’s bothersome mutterings as their tour guide, it was wise for them to leave as early as possible.
Besides, all the countries except Dongxuan had suffered damage to their high-level combat power during their misadventures at the Residence of Nine Supremes. The safest guess would be that at least a tenth of the nations’ combined combat prowess had been lost, and this loss must be compensated as soon as possible lest more troubles crop up before they were fully prepared to face them.
Therefore, it was the best for all of them to return to their motherland as soon as possible.
"I'm glad to hear that there’s nothing else for the day. In that case, I shall go home tonight and not accompany all of you. These two days have really tired me out. This job is f*cking hard, I need to drink more water to replenish myself." Yun Yang pretended to heave a sigh of relief.
What he did not know was that these foreign generals were the ones to really breathe a sigh of relief. They were afraid that this fellow would try to showcase his eloquence once more; it was honestly the worst experience they had ever come across. They grumbled inwardly, "You want to drink more water to replenish yourself? You’re thirsty because you dehydrated yourself by scolding us… you bastard!"
Han Sanhe smiled faintly saying, "It has been hard for you, Young Marquis Yun."
"Merely doing my duty." Yun Yang chuckled. "Can you make your way back to the inn? I guess you all don’t have much interest in gambling anymore either, we can scrap that plan."
A few generals from Dayuan snorted and said, "Does Yutang frown on even a small gamble?"
Yun Yang rubbed his nose and replied, "Of course it’s not banned. I am just worried that they’ll pinpoint all of you upon your admittance and make their animosity apparent. That would spoil everyone’s mood… Especially if there are sore losers or if homicides were to happen, you would all die in a foreign land, and have no way to return home!"
"F*ck!" The generals cried internally, "What have we done? Why do you say we are sore losers? Dying in a foreign land and not able to go home? I shouldn’t have expected this rascal to say anything nice or anything that doesn’t insult us!"
One of the Dayuan generals could not hold himself in and said, "Do you think we'd be unable to win anything? That we would be sore losers when we gamble away our pants? Just tell us where we can gamble or else you can just shut up!"
Yun Yang chuckled. "I see that you really wish to gamble. If all of you are really keen, I can help organize a single game for the group. How about that?"
"Single game?" The generals immediately sensed that Yun Yang was plotting trouble and luring them into a trap. "What single game? How? Are you playing?" Their tone was highly guarded.
This child was full of mischief; they had to be alert. If he himself were to play, who knew if he would cheat? The generals were almost entirely certain that Yun Yang would stoop to such terrible behavior!