Secret Records of the Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect-Chapter 995 - 509: Vermilion Bird Flag (Part 2)

The Three Constellations managed to reduce them to mere orphans and widows, naturally they were aware long ago; not exterminating and suppressing you completely was already a gesture of benevolence. Now they’ve even given you a generalship, a princess for marriage, a chance to take part in quelling rebellions and restoring order, serving the court, yet you are resentful and dissatisfied.

Tsk, tsk, I see the Nangong Family isn’t anything commendable. But actually, their family now only has a single heir left, where is any prestige or authority?

It’s simply you lot, like tigers and wolves, who were implicated back then and exiled to guard the borders, with resentment boiling over, probably wanting to do the same as the Northern Army, kill your way to the Three Constellations, massacre the clan, and seize their throne, isn’t it?

Heh, heh, you speak of receiving their benevolence. I see you also have the same plan, pushing the Nangong Family forward as the front puppet. That’s convenient to borrow the declarations of the Immortal Venerable and the Great General, gather people’s hearts, raise banners, become independent, and collectively resist the court, right?"

Li Hu remained silent for a moment, then melancholically said,

"Could you be an offering from the Three Constellations? Surely you’re listed, aren’t you?"

Chen Xuantian laughed and said,

"No need to test, I’m just a Mountain Man, even if you fight until your liver and brain spill, I’m only here to enjoy the show."

Li Hu, too, wasn’t shy about baring his chest, then bowed to Chen Xuantian,

"The Three Constellations act against the mandate, unable to distinguish loyalty from treachery, unclear rewards and punishments, losing all popular support—from Yin Mountain to Li River, from the East Sea to Kunlun, no one believes their nonsense anymore. Now that the Northern Army has breached the capital, the defeat is certain. You are a man of great ability; if willing to assist the Young Master..."

Chen Xuantian interrupted with a smile,

"These words, he has to ask himself, no need for you to speak on his behalf."

"Understood."

Li Hu also knew the timing wasn’t right, wisely withdrew, and returned to the cabin to look after his Young Master.

Meanwhile, Chen Xuantian munched on dragon meat, leaned against the ship’s rail, glanced around at the hundreds of flying boats marked with Vermilion Bird Flags encircling the area on guard.

Hmph, the Nangong Family still has quite a few people.

Earlier, he saved someone in Yingdi Cave, using bamboo slips to inform Li Hu to attract attention up front. It was unexpected that they directly swung over with a fleet, tallying at least one or two thousand elite troops.

These individuals were merely the escorts for Nangong Che heading north to Jiangdu, with larger forces gathering in the south. Moreover, what was more outrageous was that these people were not guards from the Immortal Palace, purely private soldiers of the Nangong Family.

Yes, among this crowd of nearly a thousand, possibly only Li Hu was a Nascent Soul Martial God, taking on the rank of a guard; the others were just under the private soldiers, without titles, not drawing salary, not loyal to the Immortal Palace. Because they were all originally criminals exiled by the Three Constellations, sent to the Southern Border for reclamation, descendants of fugitives, even wild men.

They are the Li People.

Li Country, speaking of which, counts as one of the Eight Domains. Geographically, south of Yunmeng, the Li River basin, and even further south are all human settlements that could be considered Li Country.

However, the development levels of the Twelve Countries vary drastically; for example, Xun Country is also considered downstream of Li River but directly adjacent to the Central Plains, benefitting from geographical advantages, thus reaping the rewards of the mass southward migration from the Central Plains, developing exceptionally rapidly.

Yet, Li Country in the southern border hasn’t enough manpower for development; rugged mountains, dense water networks, swamps, dense forests, wolves, tigers, leopards, and demons roam rampant. For a Mountain Man, it might be a treasure trove of hunting; but who would willingly endure this misery?

Furthermore, with numerous demons in the southern border, there were stories like vassals of Li Country being wiped out by demons, forcing the court to dispatch large forces to Yunmeng Swamp to garrison and suppress. An essentially uncivilized and remote place.

But with the north plagued with the Demon Sect and Demon Teachings, too many powerful figures, fighting monsters was still better, and the environment was by no means as harsh as icy and snowy lands. Thus Southern expansion has always been a consistent national policy of the Immortal Palace.

Therefore the Three Constellations tirelessly move criminals from each country over, dispatching troops to patrol Yunmeng Swamp to guard them, prohibiting escape attempts, frequently attacking villages of wild men and refugee settlements who refuse royal authority and relocate south by themselves, capturing them for labor. Some countries even engage in the business of selling Li Country population, effectively using Li People as lower-class slave labor.

Hence, the current Li Country is less a Vassal State and more a massive prison cage. The throne of Li Vassal State’s King is merely a nominal title over many generations, occasionally given to a Duke when no better title is available. Land tax had long been managed by Southern Sect Country or General of the Southern Pacification; perhaps few vassals have genuinely set foot in their own land or seen their people. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

But humans are inherently social beings; a tribe always needs a recognizable, audible leader, which is also the role played by the Nangong Family.

Not to mention for the court, no matter what, the Nangong Family is the descendant of the Imperial Family and Great General, genuinely upper-class lineage.

And as the most highly ranked criminal among the Li People and the rightful Family Head of the most formidable Dou Family Generals—they genuinely participated in reclaiming Li Jiang alongside the people—they naturally became the recognized leader of the Li People.

For Southern expansion, fundamentally they rely on manpower to push forward; the Guardian Immortal Army itself hesitates to delve into the undergrowth, engage demons, hence they have to drive other cannon fodder to execute the job.

Thus the Nangong Family acquires a transcendent status, albeit without legitimate appointments, always feared and guarded by the court as prisoners, yet they have to use their banner, carefully control them, urging the refugee populace from Li Country to continue Southern expansion.

If careless, allowing the Nangong Family to grow too strong naturally leads to rebellion. However, suppress them too hard and the Li People lose heart, losing control over the south, then the demons might counterattack Yunmeng Swamp.

Of course, the Nangong Family themselves understand their importance, engaging in a strategic game with the Three Constellations, representing Li People contending for interests with the Central Plains while cautiously guarding against court conspiracies and assassinations. Both sides carefully maintain this balance.

If prior armies were present, the Three Constellations could suppress this group of rebellious criminals and refugees in the south. But now with chaos in the north, the Three Constellations themselves are close to collapse, the southern equilibrium naturally fails completely.

As Li Hu mentioned, the Nangong Family might have only orphans and widows, but those family generals who received kindness and protection have grown up, achieved great success in Divine Skill, traversing mountains and forests, slaying demons and monsters, recruiting soldiers, becoming military commanders, rogues, bandit chiefs, capable of gathering thousands if not tens of thousands of Southern Barbarian young warriors, criminals and wild men forming monster-catching teams.

Adding up, once the Young Master Nangong calls out, easily a force of tens of thousands, if not more, can be assembled. Although their equipment and armor certainly can’t compare with the northern Immortal Army, they are nonetheless a fierce group capable of tearing demons apart, no problem sending them directly to the battlefield, unlike the pampered sons in the capital who flee at the first touch.

Thus anyone wanting this army must first seize control of Nangong Che. Probably the Dragon Girl in Yingdi Cave, and that worm head encased in ice, had similar plans.

Hmm, Chen Xuantian certainly entertains this thought as well, after all, Nangong Che appears foolish yet manageable.

No rush, start by ensuring one hand and observing what his mother’s situation is, then decide further.