Chapter 178: To Forget War is to Court Peril

In the Blacksun Valley, on the side of the Empire.

As the Emperor had commanded, the Imperial Guard Fleet carried out their duty. According to the locations indicated on the map, the fleet deployed the ground forces and the necessary supplies before ascending one by one to return to their base.

Tens of thousands of imperial soldiers seized every moment to construct the fortress. After all, the dark races were within reach, and no one knew when they would launch an attack.

The newly arrived soldiers did not know what had just happened, nor did they understand why the Empire suddenly had the ability to build a fortress again. For these ordinary soldiers, it didn’t matter where the fortress came from; what mattered was that there was a fortress to defend. Whether or not there was a fortress, the casualties were entirely different.

They did not care about the affairs above; they only cared about how long they could survive.

After Song Zining had awakened, he naturally resumed his position as the Commander-in-Chief of the New World Expeditionary Force of the Empire. However, since his body had not fully recovered, and there would be no battles in the short term, he followed the advice of others and returned to the Empire for a brief three-day rest, taking the opportunity to have a medical check-up at the Imperial Medical College to see if there were any hidden dangers in his body and soul.

After sending him off, the core generals breathed a collective sigh of relief, finally free from the constant worry that this one might impulsively charge into the camp of the dark races at any moment.

Upon returning to the Empire, Song Zining discovered that there was almost no news about the final battle at Blacksun Valley. All the newspaper reports were about the Empire’s return to Blacksun Valley and the re-establishment of the base. The reasons and processes, however, were never mentioned, and Qian Ye’s name was never seen.

Even the news of Qian Ye leading the remnants of the imperial army, winning battle after battle, breaking through dozens of blockades, and defeating enemies ten times stronger, all the way to Lone Peak, was deliberately erased, and the relevant reports were destroyed.

Strangely, the Eternal Night Parliament also remained silent, as if the heavy losses of so many upper nobles had caused no waves.

The Marquis Nagahashi and Duke Wenyuan were both commended, and their merits were not reduced; they were simply listed under other categories.

When the Duke Wenyuan, still in the capital, heard the news, he sighed. His previous charges had just been pardoned, and the final verdict was still pending, so he really couldn’t afford to make any more trouble. Moreover, his faction, having offended the Emperor Hao, was somehow also unappreciated by the Prince Qingyang’s faction, becoming completely transparent within the military, unable to even view high-level classified documents.

Meanwhile, the Marquis Nagahashi had pleaded ill health and wished to return home to enjoy his twilight years. He had already submitted his application to the military, but it had yet to be approved.

Liu Chengyun, however, was reinstated to his original position. Upon his return, he sought help everywhere, and in the end, the records of rewards after the battle did not remove his military merit as Qian Ye had originally said. He was exceptionally active, constantly scheming to get new assignments.

Although he did not participate in the final deadly assault, he had fought several major battles with Qian Ye. Anyone who survived these battles and did not sustain serious injuries saw some improvement in their strength, and Liu Chengyun benefited considerably. According to the physician’s calculation, he could live for at least another ten years.

With the prospect of a longer life, Liu Chengyun’s thoughts changed. He no longer wanted to risk his remaining years to earn glory for his family, but instead began to think for himself.

He harbored deep hatred for Qian Ye, who had intended to strip him of his military merit. Thus, whenever he had the chance, he immediately submitted several memorials, vehemently detailing Qian Ye’s various offenses. Unfortunately, this time he had completely misjudged the political climate. Some higher-ups did not want to mention Qian Ye, whether for good or bad.

Liu Chengyun’s multiple accusations resulted in a stern reprimand, and the division that was originally promised to him was taken away. After this setback, Liu Chengyun, puzzled and ignored by his supporters, dared not act recklessly and could only harbor his hatred in his heart.

This was the scene Song Zining saw upon his return to the capital.

Many people thought that Song Zining would certainly speak up for Qian Ye, advocating for him. However, to their surprise, after browsing through the war reports in the military for half a day, Song Zining prepared to leave without any indication of his intentions.

Just as he was about to leave the military, a general called out to him, saying, “If General Song has a moment, the old duke would like to invite you to his manor for a chat.”

Song Zining checked the time and happily replied, “I’ve heard much about the private dishes at the old duke’s residence, but I’ve never had the chance to try them. At this hour, there should be an opportunity to taste the culinary skills of the ducal chef, right?”

The general smiled and said, “Of course, the old duke has prepared a fine meal, just waiting for you to come.”

“What are we waiting for, then?”

Moments later, Song Zining entered the Zhiji Manor and was led to a flower hall by the side pond, where the table was already set, and maids were serving the appetizers.

Zhiji Duke sat by the pond, fishing. Seeing Song Zining arrive, he beckoned, “Zining, you’re here? Perfect timing, take your seat. These dishes won’t be as good if we wait too long.”

Song Zining didn’t refuse and sat down at the lower seat, drinking three cups with Zhiji Duke.

After the third cup, Zhiji Duke waved his hand lightly, and all the attendants withdrew.

Once they were alone, Zhiji Duke slowly said, “Do you have any objections to how Qian Ye’s matter was handled?”

“Is this your doing?”

Zhiji Duke said, “Not entirely, but I did approve it.”

Song Zining was silent for a moment before saying, “To say there is no dissatisfaction at all would be impossible. However, since you made this decision, there must be a reason. I would like to hear the details, so that in the future, I will know how to handle similar situations.”

Zhiji Duke said, “I know that this treatment is unfair to Qian Ye. When I was young, I, too, acted rashly out of passion. Now, as I grow older, I realize that the fundamental principle of handling matters is to prioritize the country and the state.”

Song Zining listened intently.

Zhiji Duke suddenly sighed, “You may have heard some of my past stories. Honestly, for twenty years, that frustration was always lodged in my heart, never dissolving. It was only on a certain day that I realized that in this world, with so many things and so many people, how can everything be fair? Many times, one must choose the lesser evil.”

Recalling the past, Zhiji Duke fell silent for a moment before continuing, “In fact, Qian Ye inherited my legacy, making him half my disciple. Over the years, the Empire and I owe him a great deal. Do you know why I did this?”

Song Zining replied, “Regarding Nighteye, I understand. Although I don’t know which ancient figure she is, once she truly awakens, she will be a grave threat to the Empire. The Empire is in a period of revival, and the three supreme beings on the Holy Mountain are already too much. We cannot afford to have a fourth.”

“Exactly. Though I feel guilty, I had no choice. Perhaps she never intended to oppose the Empire, but if she did, no one could bear the risk. Even if the probability is one in ten thousand, it cannot be allowed to happen. Nighteye, with her great power, must be eliminated before she grows stronger. Otherwise, the revival of the Empire might be cut short.”

Song Zining nodded.

Zhiji Duke looked at him and said slowly, “Whether you understand now or not, in ten years, when you hold significant power and every move you make affects the fate of the country, you will understand.”

Before Song Zining could respond, Zhiji Duke continued, “Do you know what has kept the hearts of the Empire from falling for a thousand years?”

This question stumped Song Zining. Though he had studied history, his knowledge was not deep enough. After much thought, he felt there were many possible answers, but none seemed quite right.

Seeing that he did not answer, Zhiji Duke said slowly, “It’s actually the eight words: ‘Non-our kind, their hearts must differ.’ This was established by the Founder himself.”

“This…,” Song Zining had never expected such an answer. Over the years, he had actually grown somewhat resentful of these eight words and did not entirely accept them.

Zhiji Duke smiled and said, “The Empire has developed to this point, with a population in the billions. From top to bottom, there are differences. How many of these people can understand reason through reading? Most people, after a day’s hard work, only think of relaxation and indulgence. Explaining high principles to them is useless. To unite the masses, the best way is to create an enemy. A powerful, evil, and difficult-to-defeat enemy, with a blood feud.”

“One hundred years after the Empire’s founding, it established its first foundation. At that time, the first generation who had experienced the brutal rule of the dark races gradually passed away. Many of the new generations of humans hoped for a more stable life. They had not experienced, nor did they want to experience, the despair of being penned up and possibly becoming blood food. They thought that a continent was enough for their survival, taking the temporary peace for granted, and seeing the gray trade under the table as a hopeful future.”

“At that time, many people believed that humanity had proven itself independent and free, and that the ceasefire was proof of this, and so they should pursue turning the temporary truce into a permanent peace agreement. They even thought that the holy wars among the races of Eternal Night were due to accumulated grievances over the ages, and that the new human race did not have such historical baggage, so peaceful coexistence was possible. It was then that the ancestors realized the foresight of the Founder and recalled these eight words. Since then, the Empire has absolutely not tolerated other races, at least in the eyes of the common people. Through various channels, the atrocities of the dark races were publicized, and thus, hatred has accumulated through the generations, even to this day.”

Song Zining listened, holding his breath.

“With an external enemy, many internal political matters of the Empire became easier to handle. This principle is understood by the heads of most noble families. Besides, the wars of Eternal Night are nothing more than the struggle for resources and living space. Struggles between factions and within factions. As each family grows stronger, they need more resources and land, and thus naturally desire more wars. Look, almost every one of the Four Great Clans and the Noble Families has businesses related to war.”

Song Zining nodded. The Song Clan had not been short of profits from the arms trade, and the Zhao Clan’s Craftsmanship House was famous throughout the world, capable of building airships with their own resources. Other clans, such as the Bai Clan with their armor and the Yin Clan with their ammunition, were also large-scale.

“I know you have seen many instances of the Empire and Eternal Night trading with each other in recent years. Think, what do these things have in common?”

Song Zining quickly caught on, “They all involve the upper echelons?”

Zhiji Duke nodded slowly, “You are correct. These matters are well known to the Imperial Family, the noble families, and the military. Eternal Night has resources we need, and we have what they want, so mutual exchange is inevitable. By exploiting the conflicts among the four races of Eternal Night, we gain significant advantages in exchange prices, which in turn greatly benefits the overall growth of the Empire’s power.”

Indeed, the higher Song Zining rose, the more he saw of the transactions with the dark races. Yet, over the years, the Empire not only did not decline but instead grew stronger.

Zhiji Duke said, “Such exchanges must be controlled by the noble families, to maintain control. Otherwise, if the common people knew that the dark races also had human nature, dignity, and could be dealt with, wouldn’t it cause chaos? Who would be willing to shed blood for the Empire? Could those battles at Blacksun Valley have been fought? Would any troops willingly fight to the death knowing it was futile?”

“Most people instinctively fear hardship and seek comfort, and they often have unrealistic fantasies. Look at the provinces on the mainland that have not seen war for a long time; how easily they were crushed by the new world’s beast armies. And if the human race had sought to join the Eternal Night Parliament and gained a seat, would it have been a permanent solution? Not to mention the small races that have disappeared, just look at the situation of the Wolf Clan, who lost their Supreme one only a thousand years ago.”

“He who is prone to war will perish, but he who forgets war will be in danger. The blood and bones of the Founder and countless predecessors earned us the dignity to stand shoulder to shoulder with the four races of Eternal Night. Not to join their parliament, follow their rules, and eventually fade away, unnoticed. Moreover, this world belongs to the darkness, and we, the Dawn, have always been the outsiders.”