Chapter 1902: If I Were a Soldier

Luo Cunyong was truly bold, actually wanting to cane the Marquis of Wu'an's buttocks!

In ancient times, the five punishments — tattooing, cutting off the nose, cutting off the feet, castration, and execution — were the formal punishments of the Legalists and persisted for a long time.

After the great rise of the national system, the Legalists introduced a significant reform, creating the new five punishments: beating with a light stick, beating with a heavy stick, hard labor, exile, and death. These were widely accepted by the countries of the world.

Staff punishment was relatively common. In the military, it was even more prevalent.

According to the military law of Great Qi, the staves used for punishment were divided into three types: "admonition," "punishment," and "severe punishment." All were six feet long, with the thick end having a circumference of one inch and three fen, and the thin end a circumference of eight fen and a half.

The differences among the three military staves were entirely reflected in the patterns on their bodies. Among them, the admonition staff was the lightest; its body only added weight.

The punishment staff came next; in addition to weight, its body inflicted physical pain. The severe punishment staff was the heaviest, combining the whipping of flesh and soul.

Jiang Wang delayed for more than just one day, and besides the objective displacement of the labyrinth, there was also his subjective pursuit to kill Yu Guangyuan. Although this was a magnificent feat that shook the labyrinth, it undeniably violated military discipline.

He didn't just treat military orders as child's play; he completely cast them aside. Generally speaking, staff punishment involved striking the back, buttocks, or legs.

Among these, striking the buttocks was the lightest and least likely to cause problems. Staff strikes to the legs could easily lead to disability. Staff strikes to the back or spine often resulted in death. Luo Cunyong held an admonition staff and intended to strike the buttocks. This should be considered the lightest staff punishment. Receiving staff punishment while naked was also common.

But the problem was, what was Jiang Wang's identity today? Exposing his buttocks for staff punishment would be a humiliation greater than the punishment itself!

Therefore, as soon as Luo Cunyong uttered those words, Fang Yuanyou immediately drew his knife and struck! The saying goes, "When the lord is humiliated, his minister dies."

If there was anyone who humiliated the Marquis of Wu'an, he, as the Marquis of Wu'an's personal guard commander, should commit suicide if he couldn't kill that person!

However, returning to the matter. Luo Cunyong, since he could be appointed as a flag soldier, become a respected second-in-command in the army, and represent Qi Xiao's will to come to the Ding Mao First Floating Island to enforce military law, naturally possessed his own courage and responsibility.

Facing Fang Yuanyou's sudden attack with a knife, he held the military staff in both hands, stood behind the Marquis of Wu'an, and neither dodged nor avoided, nor did he make a sound.

Fang Yuanyou's military knife was stopped in front of Luo Cunyong's neck.

Jiang Wang, bare-chested, pinched the blade edge with one hand, his voice like thunder: "Military law is a great matter, how can you treat it as child's play?" His facial features had always leaned towards refined and gentle, always making many people feel he wasn't majestic enough.

But when he was bare-chested, his temperament was completely different. He didn't possess exceptionally robust muscles, but every detail of his bare body had been tempered by blood and fire, chiseled by axes and weapons.

Those lines were like knife edges, like sword scars.

That kind of rushing sense of power in his face, that oppressive sense like a towering majestic peak, deterred everyone present into silence.

Kuang Huiping, the garrison general of the Ding Mao First Floating Island, sat in his original position, his hands forcefully pressing his knees, yet still unable to suppress their trembling.

Who said the Marquis of Wu'an lacked majesty? When he was majestic, it was terrifying!

He truly wanted to stand up and "say a few words" to ease the tense situation, but he really couldn't open his mouth, didn't dare to open his mouth!

But he heard Jiang Wang continue: "If the punishment is not on me, Jiang Wang, today, how will I, Jiang Wang, punish others when I command the army tomorrow? If military law changes for me, Jiang Wang, how can we speak of it being 'iron-cast'? How can we speak of it being 'like a mountain'? How is it different from being an empty set?!"

The Marquis of Wu'an casually flicked his hand, sending Fang Yuanyou, person and knife, out of the tent: "Get out and guard the door! You are not allowed to enter again!"

He then patted Luo Cunyong's shoulder: "Striking the back is fine, striking the buttocks is also fine, if military law requires it, even striking the head is allowed! You just execute the punishment, this is your duty. No need to worry about any problems, under the law of the world, how can you blame someone who follows the law?"

Having said that, he turned around, casually grabbed a stool, and lay down on it completely: "Come and strike!"

Luo Cunyong had a reputation for courage, otherwise he wouldn't have been reckless enough to ask the lord to expose his buttocks. But at this moment, holding the admonition staff, his hands were unsteady, and his heart pounded like a drum!

Jiang Wang, bare-chested, lay on the stool, his voice muffled: "It's not to the point that I still need to take off my pants, right?"

Luo Cunyong was startled, almost dropping the admonition staff. He grabbed it back with seven hands and eight feet, panicking and shaking his head: "No need, no need, no need! Lord is extremely noble, there is no need to remove clothes!"

Jiang Wang then lightly shouted: "Come and strike! Not a single stick is allowed to be less!"

At this moment, the generals in the center of the tent watched.

Luo Cunyong let out a loud "ah," and the admonition staff smashed down heavily! Bang! Bang! Bang!

"One!", "Two!", "Three!"... Luo Cunyong almost roared as he counted.

The crowd of leaders in the tent all held their breath.

Receiving punishment bare-bodied was inherently humiliating, especially for nobles. Like when Jiang Wuqi initially knelt outside Ziji Hall bare-bodied holding jade.

Like Du Ruhui, the Prime Minister of Zhuang State, who received a beating bare-bodied at Yujing Mountain.

Today, the Marquis of Wu'an lay bare-bodied on a stool, his back, buttocks, and legs all receiving staff punishment. This could be considered a significant loss of face. However, the various generals sitting in the commander's tent one by one silently stood up, half-knelt on the ground, and performed a military salute.

They seemed not to be watching the Marquis of Wu'an receive punishment, but rather respecting the Marquis of Wu'an receiving an award.

If one said that previously they revered the Marquis of Wu'an for his identity and status, and for his prominent reputation, then at this moment, they revered a true soldier.

They revered military law, and also respected the soldier who followed military law.

For today's Jiang Wang, this scene could have been completely avoided. What was a wooden stick? A single finger could break it.

What was Luo Cunyong? A single word "roll" would have been enough to send him back to Jieming Island. If Jiang Wang had been resolute today in not accepting this punishment, no one could have done anything to him.

Qi Xiao did not come personally; looking across the entire Qi army in the labyrinth, who else could truly suppress him, Jiang Wang? In the situation where Qi Xiao did not come, Jiang Wang could have completely overturned this punishment order. But the wooden stick used as an admonition staff represented military law.

Luo Cunyong, as a flag soldier, represented the commander's order.

Jiang Wang admitted that his strategy was not as good as Chong Xuan Sheng's, and his military command was not as good as Li Longchuan's. The path of military strategy was profound and unfathomable. He had fundamentally only begun to engage with it in recent years, and he knew he was absolutely not a military strategy master, much less a military dao genius. He might never achieve any brilliant feats in military strategy.

But he absolutely did not want to corrupt military discipline or be the first to corrupt the atmosphere of the Great Qi army camp. Qi Xiao not coming himself was a choice given to Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang made a choice.

When Luo Cunyong gritted his teeth and used all his strength, hitting stick after stick until he finished.

The leaders half-kneeling around him rushed up in a hurry, removing their clothes to drape over the Marquis of Wu'an. For a time, his body was covered in many outer garments, seven parts gray and eight parts purple from the bruises. Luo Cunyong also immediately threw the admonition staff and knelt prostrate on the ground, bowing his head and kowtowing: "This general deserves to die, it is I who caused this matter and embarrassed the lord!"

Jiang Wang got up from the stool, looked down at himself, and laughed: "It is a bit embarrassing!"

He bent down to help Luo Cunyong up, looked at the various leaders in the tent, and said as if in deep thought: "But in the end, which is more embarrassing? Receiving staff bare-bodied? Or relying on the identity of a state marquis to trample military law, jumping above military regulations, and becoming more deserving of shame?"

He gathered all those seven-gray, eight-purple outer garments in his arms and walked towards the commander's position, his voice leisurely: "This marquis thinks it is the latter. Gentlemen, what do you think?"

Kuang Huiping was the first to kneel: "Lord Marquis's command flag points, this general would not disobey even if he were to die!"

Tu Liangcai also bowed: "This general is willing to be the vanguard of Lord Marquis, I will go through a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, strictly following orders, dying without regret!" For a time, the sounds of bowing filled the tent.

Jiang Wang turned back in front of the commander's position, sat down, quietly looked at the scene before him, and sighed: "The old matter of the Chase Wind reminds me sincerely!"

The various generals were all solemn.

This sentence held an allusion.

In former years, when the Martial Emperor was in power, he toured outside the city with Mu Guifei, stepping on the green and appreciating the spring. He occasionally saw the Destroy City Marquis's army camp and became interested, so he rode a horse through the camp with Mu Guifei.

The army had a prohibition: after sunset, riding horses in the camp was not allowed. The army had a prohibition: no one was allowed to enter the camp without orders.

The Destroy City Marquis rushed over upon hearing the news, first invited the emperor alone into the tent, indicating he needed to report on military matters. Then, using the excuse of getting a secret report, he exited the commander's tent. Outside the tent, he consecutively shot three arrows: one arrow killed the gate general who had allowed the emperor into the camp, one arrow killed the horse, and one arrow killed Mu Guifei!

The saying goes, as a minister one cannot overstep the emperor, as a general one cannot overstep military orders. Then he drew his bow and committed suicide.

Qi Martial Emperor stopped the Destroy City Marquis and cut off a lock of his hair, indicating that the emperor bore the responsibility. This was the so-called "military orders are like a mountain."

Among the nine armies of Great Qi, the Four Symbols' first, the Chase Wind Iron Cavalry, was trained exactly like this. This matter is recorded in the "History Carving Sea · Qi Strategy."

And about this matter, recorded in the "Qi Book" by the historians of Great Qi, there is a follow-up.

The Martial Emperor carried Mu Guifei's corpse back to the city, personally supported her coffin, and cried for three days. The "Qi Book" says, "Grief was extremely absolute."

But even though Qi Martial Emperor was so heartbroken, throughout his reign, the mansion of the Destroy City Marquis was as glorious as the country, its glory even continuing to this day. Jiang Wang was very familiar with this historical story. Qi Martial Emperor and the first generation Destroy City Marquis were both impressive legendary figures. He even had a copy of the first generation Destroy City Marquis's "Stone Gate Military Strategy," which was gifted by the old matriarch of the Li family, telling him not to imitate Li Longchuan, not to slacken his youthful vigor, and to spend less time in brothels and more time reading.

Although he was still ten thousand eight thousand li away from thoroughly understanding the knowledge within, he had read it seriously. Reading books to observe people, to observe his military command methods, helped him understand the first generation Destroy City Marquis's choice even more.

Taking history as a mirror, one knows the rise and fall. Reading good books diligently might bring some gains.

However, the name of that Mu Guifei was not seen in the "Thousand Beauties of Nations Biography." One might think that either the author of the "Thousand Beauties of Nations Biography" did not truly understand the Martial Emperor, or that Qi Martial Emperor's affection for that Mu Guifei was not that deep.

The Marquis of Wu'an thought that the benefits of reading more books were probably embodied here. Not being limited to either this or that, either black or white, not being confined within narrow views, and being able to draw from various sources to see through to true knowledge.

This is the so-called penetrating the truth! This is already seeing true immortality!

Whether it was Yang Feng, the Xuanwei Flag General, or Yu Xinzhou, the Blood King, both were powerful figures in this realm. Their strength was not only in cultivation.

The Blood King fought in the vast sea, in the barren and extremely evil sea area, competing for food with wolf packs, and step by step grew into the most evil king of the vast sea. The Yanggu generations stationed armies and carried coffins to guard the sunrise gate for the human race. Yang Feng also started as an ordinary soldier and step by step killed his way to the position of the Yanggu's first flag general.

Their great battle shook heaven and earth, breaking through the boundary river multiple times. It caused the Huangtai to be turbulent and the yuan force to collapse.

The Blood King never feared fierce battles; he himself became famous through evil. But he did not forget his purpose for coming to Huoshi this trip; he did not come to contend with the true human powerful!

But he avoided that one yet couldn't avoid this one; truly, heaven did not fulfill his wishes.

He had already pursued Jiang Wang twice.

But the previous time, when Yu Wangu died, he hadn't specifically come for Yu Wangu. He was scheming the Futu Pure Land, wanting to deliver a ruthless blow to the human race. Pursuing and killing Jiang Wang was out of anger, and also convenient, but he was blocked by Wang Xiao, the first person in martial dao, and almost couldn't leave.

This time he came to Huoshi specifically for Yu Guangyuan.

Yu Guangyuan was already the strongest in his bloodline in terms of cultivation. Yu Guangyuan's creations in the capacity of a wise teacher could offset ten thousand armies even more!

When Yu Guangyuan advanced to true king that day, he would inevitably become a strong support for his power system, pushing the "Extremely Evil Society" forward to a higher level, even occupying a favorable position in the upcoming leap that would involve the entire sea race.

This was not just a beautiful plan. Yu Guangyuan's path to true king was foreseeable. This time, he had seized the opportunity and came to Huoshi to lay out a plan, just for that step of penetrating the world's reality.

This child's temperament was wild, yet his talent was undoubtedly world-class, and his will was also first-class. After recognizing the reality that he could never catch up to Jiaoming at the false king level, he decisively sought advancement, wanting to penetrate the world's truth and first seek the position of emperor.

The hundred-li road had already been walked for ninety-nine li, yet at the last step, he was blocked by Jiang Wang. If he had known earlier, he should have killed this fellow forcefully, regardless of anything else.

"Yang Feng!" In the endless clash of dao principles, the Blood King actively retreated a step: "Believe you also understand, it's difficult to achieve a result today! Although this king is your enemy, I also respect your strength and do not wish for both of us to be wounded. Let us temporarily stop now, go back and sharpen ourselves, and fight again another day, how about that?"

The Blood King retreated, Yang Feng advanced. His step advanced, his body advanced, his knife advanced!

"You can leave!" Yang Feng said: "After you leave, I will cover this Huangtai!"

The Blood King's eyes surged with killing intent, but he forcibly suppressed it. Yu Guangyuan was not dead yet, and his bloodline still had an induction. Rescuing Yu Guangyuan was the top priority now.

"It's difficult for me to kill you, and it's impossible for you to kill me. I advise you not to mislead yourself." The Blood King turned his attack into defense, showing Yang Feng the greatest endurance: "The current situation near the sea, General Yang's heart is undoubtedly clear

Clear? The Diao Hailou has organized and led the Zhenghai Alliance, occupying all resources to build a foundation, and its strength has advanced by leaps and bounds. The Qi country, having destroyed Yang and covered Xia, looks invincible and specializes in overseas matters. Only your Yanggu is like the setting sun on the western mountain, with the name of jointly raising overseas but without the strength to jointly raise overseas. Are you lightly throwing away life and death here, without considering the future of the Yanggu?!"

Even though he had struggled with the Yanggu for a long time, even if he was criticized as a mad king by many true kings, he truly couldn't understand this group of people from the Yanggu.

If Yang Feng had specifically come to ambush him, specifically targeting him, then forget it. But this time, it was clear that the two of them had just met by chance. At least for him and for Yang Feng, it was unexpected.

The great dao leads to heaven, and there are not no paths to walk. Why go mad upon meeting, and have to determine life and death?

"You are right!"

Yang Feng wore golden armor, and his features were more dazzling than the golden armor. His knife was horizontal in the wilderness, his knife qi soared a thousand li, stirring up the chaotic boundary river!

He said: "The nine armies of the Qi country on Jieming Island rotate commanders, and true monarchs often come to patrol. The four great Jinghai elders of the Diao Hailou are precisely four venerable true persons."

"My Yanggu, sharing the same name with it, seems unable to bear this name."

He grinned: "But do you know why, among my Yanggu's three great flag generals, there is now only one true person?" His tall figure pressed towards the Blood King like a mountain, the cold edge plundering the blood river—

"Because we fight the most fiercely, die the most, and never hold back our strength! In war with the sea race, I would not spare this body!"