Chapter 5 - Project Annihilate Song

Song Nation, Song City!

Walking on a big street of Song City, Gu Hai and Gu Han were looking at the pedestrians.

“G.o.dfather, right in front is one of our stores, everyone here is family!” Gu Han introduced.

Gu Hai nodded his head, he sighed as he looked at his surroundings: “Song City? After all these years nothing had changed!”

“G.o.dfather, I have heard that you had led armies in the past before. Furthermore, you were unrivaled, even if it was a bunch of defeated soldiers, you were able to rapidly expand till it is undefeatable. So why did you let eldest brother oversee Tiger Cage Pa.s.s and come here instead?” Gu Han asked in doubt.

Gu Hai shook his head: “That Gao Xianzhi is not that simple. It would take me a long time if I were to use the 100 thousand soldiers of Tiger Cage Pa.s.s, however, the thing I lack the most now is time!”

“Time? G.o.dfather, if you took command of the army at Tiger Cage pa.s.s, how long would you need to defeat the Song army?”

“1 year!”

“1 Year? That long?”

Gu Hai shook his head:” I am not afraid of losing if I lead the army, we would still win sooner or later. But since the Clear River Sect can agree to my promise so easily, there is likely to be some important figure watching this battle, thus they allowed the secular nations to fight amongst themselves. What I am worried about is if I take too much time, that important figure would get impatient and leave, by then, I do not know if the Clear River Sect would honor their promise...!”

“Ah? G.o.dfather, didn’t the Clear River Sect’s leader issue a decree already?” Gu Han asked in astonishment.

However, Gu Hai just snorted disdainfully: “Have you forgotten what I had told you before?”

“I understand now, only if one has strength or status will the other party honor this kind of promise. When there is a vast difference in strength or status, such a promise is just a joke, the Clear River Sect’s leader might honor it, or maybe he might not!” Gu Han said gravely.

Gu Hai nodded his head and said: “I am just but riding on that important figure’s influence! Thus I need to settle everything before that important figure leaves, only this promise will then be honored!”

“Indeed!” Gu Han felt his heart sink.

“But, G.o.dfather, currently, the morale of the Song Kingdom is high, the emperor is united with his officials, the official united with the citizens, the citizens united with the military. This is simply like an iron plate, this is a force that cannot be restrained! G.o.dfather, you have been studying this information for the past two days, do you have any ideas yet? Gu Han asked with a worry.

“If the emperor is united with his officials, then drive a wedge between them! If the officials are united with the citizens, then drive a wedge between them! If the citizens are united with the military, then drive a wedge between them!” Gu Hai said in a deep voice.

“Oh? What does G.o.dfather intend to do?” Gu Han’s eyes brightened.

“I have more or less decided on the plan, let’s call it ‘Project Annihilate Song’. Since the Song Kingdom’s King, officials, citizens, and military are united, then I will destroy that bond. The hearts of each and every one of them, I will plunge them into chaos. Once that is done the Song Kingdom will naturally crumble apart!” Gu Hai solemnly said.

“Project Annihilate Song? G.o.dfather, how are we going to do it?” Gu Han was slightly excited.

Gu Han had seen the might of Gu Hai since he was young, as long as there was the word “plan”, then it had to be a string of unimaginable strategies. Each one of the “plans” seemed to be like an enormous military campaign, all-embracing, impossible to defend against.

“Actually, I have already pretty much finished designing the plan on the way to the Song Kingdom. I spent two days to read all the information on the Song Kingdom so that I can choose the most crucial link. Now, we are just short of an opportunity, someone we can manipulate. Tomorrow, host a banquet and invite these people whom I have chosen to the banquet at the Tian Mansion, I will carefully observe everything!” Gu Hai said.

“Yes!” Gu Han nodded his head.

The two of them talked as they walked on the street. Suddenly, there was an alarmed cry from a distance.

“Ah!”

“Move aside, don’t block the way!”

“Giddy-up!”

“Rumble…!”

…………………………

………………

…………

It was absolute chaos at the road in front. There was a large number of people fleeing and tumbling in a panic. About 20 horses were galloping at a high speed, riding on the horse in front was a man dressed in embroidered clothing.

“Ka Cha!”

“Ah!”

There was a crunch which was immediately followed by a scream. One of the slower man's leg was suddenly trampled upon, causing him to scream in pain.

“Rumble….!”

The speed of the 20 horses did not decrease, instead, they continued to gallop straight ahead. Leading them was a young man, whose face had a vicious look. At this moment, his pair of eyes were overflowing with a gold gleam, as though he has seen something unpleasant.

“This is the Imperial Grandson, Song Zhengxi! The son of the Crown Prince, he is also included in the information which I gave to G.o.dfather. He is bossy and arrogant, it could be said that he is the black sheep of Song City, he has a ruthless character and has defiled many civilian women!” Gu Han explained.

“He is the Imperial Grandson, Song Zhengxi?” Gu Hai squinted both his eyes.

“Giddy-up! Scram! Get lost!” Song Zhengxi spurred the horse with a whip, rapidly galloping inside.

“Hong!”

Yet another man was knocked back flying by Song Zhengxi.

“Peng!”

Gu Han caught that man who was knocked flying.

“Humph!” Song Zhengxi noticed from the side of his eyes and gave a cold snort.

But Song Zhengxi did not stop, he just continued to gallop forward, the twenty guards behind him urged their horses to follow. The road was in complete disorder.

With the departing Song Zhengxi, sounds of weeping soon followed on the street. Song Zhengxi’s group had at least injured eight pedestrians on the streets.

“T-thanks a lot!” Said the man who was knocked back gratefully.

“Go to the medicine shop and see the doctor, check to see if you have injured your bones!” Gu Han said.

“I will, many thanks! Ouch! It seems that my bones are injured! Thank you, I will take my leave first!”

As that man left, Gu Han looked at Gu Hai, however, Gu Hai was looking at the back of Song Zhengxi, frowning: “What a strong stench of blood!”

“Oh?”

“The corner of Song Zhengxi’s s.h.i.+rt was stained with some fresh blood. In fact, most of his guards also had some blood on them, there were even some burn scars on their body. Immediately send someone to investigate where they were at earlier!” Gu Hai said in a deep voice.

“I will!” Gu Han replied.

Four hours later.

Gu Han and Gu Hai arrived at a small desolated village outside Song City.

Standing at the village entrance, Gu Hai and Gu Han’s faces sank.

They saw that in the village, there were about ten families, one of them larger than the others. However, today, it was all in ruins. These families were completely burnt in a fire. There was a charred sign board at the family that was the largest, one could barely recognize the words “Lin Residence” on it.

“Go, check for any survivors!” Gu Han ordered a bunch of guards behind him.

“Yes!”

“Hong!”

A group of guards quickly went forward, searching all the houses. Very soon, numerous charred bodies were carried out.

“There is no soot in their mouth, they were killed first, then the bodies were burnt!” the guards reported.

“Clan Master, There is someone alive here!” A guard shouted.

“Oh?” everyone immediately went to check it out.

In the ruins of the Lin Residence, a man covered in soot weakly moved.

“He did not die even after a sword pierced his heart?” Gu Han was shocked.

“No, this person’s heart is in on the right side, thus he survived!” Gu Hai said.

A group of guards quickly wiped the soot off his nose and mouth and poured some water into his mouth.

“Cough cough cough cough!”

After weakly coughing a little, the man opened his eyes and looked around his surroundings, what entered his eyes was a scene of ruins.

“Sister! Sister! Sister!” The man seemed to have went crazy and starting searching everywhere.

“All the bodies are outside!” Gu Han signed.

That man quickly climbed outside and looked carefully, finally he found the charred body of a girl.

The girls head seemed to be smashed, there was a b.l.o.o.d.y hole on the body, her clothes were a mess. The girl had died from excessive loss of blood.

“Sister! Sister! Don’t die! Sister!” The boy continuously shook the body of the girl.

However, the girl had already been long dead.

“Ah! Ah!, Song Zhengxi! Ah!” Hugging the body of the girl, the man cried painfully.

“G.o.dfather, I have checked this out earlier, this is the house of Gao Xianzhi’s top vanguard, Lin Chong! This girl is called Xiao Die, Lin Chong’s wife. The two of them were deeply in love, however, it was not known how Song Zhengxi saw Xiao Die. He had been admiring her for very long, perhaps he took advantage of the fact that Lin Chong was not here and ……!” Gu Han explained.

“Gao Xianzhi’s top vanguard, Lin Chong?” Gu Hai looked that boy in pain and asked gravely.

“Many of the influential officials are like this, this kind of tragedy is not limited to this. Even for the Imperial Grandson, this was not the first time, just that, due to their respectable status, the news was suppressed by the authorities. Even this time, very soon, the authorities will come and hush up the matter!” Gu Han shook his head.

Gu Hai frowned: “Cancel tomorrow’s banquet, there is no need to find another person. Since we b.u.mped into him, then it shall be Song Zhengxi. He is going to pay for the disaster he had caused in full!”

“G.o.dfather, you want to start off with Song Zhengxi? Do you want him dead?” Gu Han’s expression changed.

“No, I want him alive!” Gu Hai eyes had a trace of coldness.

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A day later, in a small manor outside Song City, Gu Hai directed a group of servants in attaching a big bunch of letters to messenger pigeons. Gu Han stood in front of Gu Hai, clutching a stack of papers, on the front piece was the words ‘Project Annihilate Song’.

“G.o.dfather, Xiao Die’s brother has already followed our caravan to the front lines, it should not take too long to reach the frontlines, where Lin Chong is!” Gu Han said.

“A single b.u.t.terfly cannot fly far on its own, the next thing to do is to collect all the evidence of Song Zhengxi’s misdoings. Also, collect information on the miserable condition of the families of the soldiers, if there are none, then make some up. Do not harm anyone, just make them disappear for awhile! After the battle is over, you can release them.” Gu Hai said.

“G.o.dfather, rest a.s.sured. However, there is news from the frontlines. It seems that Gao Xianzhi has heard that G.o.dfather had taken command of the Tiger Cage Pa.s.s and have stopped the movement of the army!” Gu Han said proudly.

“No, Gao Xianzhi uses strange tactics, he is not someone who is not willing to take risks, that is just misdirection. If I guessed correctly, he did not stop the army, but he brought a group of elite soldiers and quietly arrived at Tiger Cage Pa.s.s!” Gu Hai said solemnly.

“Oh?” Gu Han revealed and expression of shock.

“Gu Qin should be able to hold on for a period of time, thus, during this period of time, we must disable his 800 thousand soldiers!” Gu Hai said.

“I have seen G.o.dfather’s Project Annihilate Song, this first battle, Soldier’s Mourning Hearts!” Gu han had a look of admiration in his eyes.

“Release this flock of messenger pigeons, let the Project Annihilate Song, Begin!” Gu Hai said.

“Hong!”

The bird cage opened, a large flock of pigeons rushed towards the sky, flying towards the north.