A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 736: Final Battle 1

"You lead them to wage war far and wide; if you win, what do you gain?"

"If you lose, what will they lose?"

The outcome was clear. If they won, Prince Min Tu would become the Crown Prince, and the lands of the Great Chu Dynasty would belong to the Southern Ocean Kingdom. From then on, glory and riches would be theirs to enjoy for a lifetime. The soldiers, however, would remain soldiers. They couldn’t become Crown Princes or even minor princes, not even nobles. They would still be at others’ beck and call, still risking their lives for others. But if they lost, it would be a total defeat. Everyone would die together.

Heh. So what were they seeking by crossing the vast ocean to come here? Their lives are valuable too! They also long to return to their hometowns, to their wives, children, and warm homes. Though poor, life isn’t unbearable. Why should they trade their lives for someone else’s wealth and status? And it’s not even certain they could make such a trade.

Worse still, some of the Southern Ocean Soldiers began to ponder. What exactly did we come here for? To cross the ocean from a strong and prosperous nation just to bully a weak and insignificant one? Our Monarch must have lost his mind.

With such thoughts, their gazes towards Min Tu turned somewhat askew, carrying an unspoken chill.

Zhao Junyao, Emperor for so many years, was truly astute. With just a few words, he had sown dissent among his enemy’s ranks.

Min Tu was so furious his nostrils practically flared with smoke. "Fine, you dog Emperor! Save your breath!" he roared. "The offer still stands: whoever takes the dog Emperor’s head will be granted the Hereditary Prince Title! Brothers, charge!"

The soldiers of the Southern Ocean Kingdom, having been cajoled for so long, were once again driven to action. But this time, their enthusiasm had waned substantially, far less than on the previous occasion.

Min Tu also bellowed as he rushed forward. "Dog Emperor, don’t you dare run!"

Zhao Junyao leaned on his Green-Glow Sword, a slight curl on his lips, his eyes sharp. "I didn’t plan on running anyway!"

His heart had been itching for a fight for a while now, and this Min Tu seemed like a worthy opponent.

Zhao Junyao instantly drew his longsword and charged into the fray.

He was an expert, having practiced martial arts from a young age, and was quick and agile. Min Tu was no slouch either, possessing equally profound skills. When the two fought, no one dared come within ten yards of them. It was no joke; with such formidable power, anyone caught in the slightest would have no hope of survival.

Zhao Junyao, clad in white, possessed profound internal strength, yet he moved with the lightness of a panther. His attacks were so swift that no one could see them clearly; they only perceived a white blur, like a leopard darting through a cold wind. Min Tu, dressed in black, met him head-on. The two clashed, back and forth, entangled in combat.

In the blink of an eye, a hundred bouts had passed, yet no victor had emerged.

Zhao Junyao, sword in hand, landed lightly on a high branch of a nearby tree.

Min Tu remained on the ground. Though he still stood upright, any discerning eye could see his stamina was waning.

Min Tu’s face was a mask of disbelief, and the soldiers behind him were equally dumbfounded.

"The Emperor... he knows martial arts?"

"Who said their Emperor was just a pretty face? He clearly knows martial arts!"

"More than just knowing martial arts, I think he’s a true warrior!"

"He seems even more formidable than our prince!"

"Exactly! Who doesn’t know that Prince Min Tu is the second greatest warrior of our Southern Ocean?"

The number one warrior was Min Zhuo, who was truly formidable. Unfortunately, he was already dead.

"Our warrior... was defeated?"

The group of soldiers was so stunned they were speechless.

Min Tu fiercely wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. "What are you louts standing around for? Get over here and fight!"

Even though my strength is failing, with our numbers, we can still overwhelm him! he thought. There’s still a chance of victory, isn’t there?

"Yes!"

The soldiers from the Southern Ocean Kingdom surged forward like a tide once more.

The soldiers of the Great Chu Dynasty were also thoroughly roused.

"Damn it, let’s fight!"

"RAAARGH!"

The crowd roared as they formed ranks to meet the enemy. After all, the Great Chu Dynasty soldiers were trained infantry, and their formations were formidable. Though initially thrown into some disarray by the sailors of the Southern Ocean Kingdom, the gaps in their ranks were quickly filled. Their military formations remained as impenetrable as ever.

Xia Tingfeng, Yang Chenyi, and two other guards stood less than ten feet from the Emperor. The fighting itself was the soldiers’ concern; they were solely responsible for the Emperor’s safety.

Zhao Junyao descended from the tree and joined them in the battle.

He didn’t want to waste a single second. This elite force had been selected from the Three Great Camps; winning despite being outnumbered was a given. If I don’t get down there now, I won’t even get to claim a single head! That would mean I came for nothing. Better get down there quickly and enjoy the thrill of battle! 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Behind him were Yang Chenyi and Little Seventh. Among this group, Little Seventh was the youngest, but his martial arts skills were not in the least inferior to the other three. Together, he and Yang Chenyi staunchly guarded Zhao Junyao’s rear, making any sneak attack impossible. The two of them coordinated with an almost unnatural perfection.

On the other side were Xia Tingfeng and Ye Tang. The two were old acquaintances and had sparred together in the past, so their moves blended seamlessly. One attacked while the other defended, one covered the inner perimeter while the other secured the outer. Their coordination was nearly perfect.

Zhao Junyao, protected in the center, found it difficult to claim any kills. Finally, in a fit of pique, he leaped back up into a tree. Drawing his bow, he began to unleash arrows. His archery was superb; he was adept at firing three arrows at once with exceptional skill. Therefore, even at a great distance, and regardless of whether the target was moving, his arrows never missed.

The military strength of the Great Chu Dynasty was overwhelming.

I shouldn’t have come! Min Tu thought, already regretting it halfway through the fight. He couldn’t help but blame his old man. Why did he send me to face this devil Zhao Junyao, this lunatic? Now look! I brought two thousand men, and we’re being annihilated by fewer than a thousand of theirs! How can I show my face after this?

And those four guards beside him are the most infuriating! It’s one thing to be inferior to their dog Emperor, but even his guards are better than me! Is the Great Chu Dynasty that wealthy? Are all their commoners martial arts experts?

Min Tu hid at the rear of the Southern Ocean Kingdom’s forces, beginning to seriously question his life choices.

Zhao Junyao, perched in the tree, secretly took aim at him.

Min Tu sneered. "Want to kill me? No chance!" With that, he brandished his saber and charged back into the fray.

This time, his target was the female guard.

Heh, so the rumors were true, Min Tu sneered internally. The Emperor of the Great Chu Dynasty is utterly decadent! Bringing a woman to battle is one thing, but to have a woman protect him? Shameless! Such a thing would never happen in the Southern Ocean Kingdom! I always thought a woman practicing martial arts, or one who was so forward and bold in public, would be unseemly and unattractive. But seeing this Ye Tang... so dashing... I was wrong. This woman is like a wild mare—a magnificent, vibrant, spirited creature. Beautiful, untamed... just my type.

As for how I knew she was a woman... It was because some scoundrel had slashed off Ye Tang’s hat, revealing her long, flowing hair and slender, graceful figure.