Human Clan Defender

In the 383rd year of Great Qin, on the 23rd day of the sixth month, the Barbarian Clan breached the gates of Great Wilderness Prefecture. A million-strong army poured into the prefecture, igniting the conflict.

Subsequently, on the 26th day of the seventh month of the same year, Great Zhou, which had always maintained a respectful distance from Great Qin, suddenly marched its troops south. They attacked Luo'an Prefecture, swiftly breaking through several cities and inflicting heavy losses upon the armies stationed there.

To counter the assaults from both forces, Great Qin first dispatched the eight hundred thousand-strong Fire Qilin Army to reinforce Great Wilderness Prefecture. Afterward, they sent the eight hundred thousand-strong Azure Dragon Army along with an additional one million two hundred thousand elite troops—a total of two million soldiers—marching formidably towards Luo'an Prefecture. The great war thus erupted.

For two months, Great Zhou intensified its attacks on Luo'an Prefecture. Fortunately, with reinforcements from the Imperial Court, Luo'an Prefecture did not fall into Great Zhou's hands. Simultaneously, the Barbarian Clan also bolstered its forces.

In the imperial assembly, the Great Qin Holy Emperor, Gu Xuanji, wore a solemn expression; a palpable killing intent brewed in the hall.

Below, Dongfang Zhao reported the frontline situation with a calm demeanor. "Your Majesty, half a month ago, the Barbarian Clan increased their forces by one million two hundred thousand troops. Combined with their original forces that invaded Great Wilderness Prefecture, their current strength there totals two million. Although Great Wilderness Prefecture has the Black Tiger Army and the Fire Qilin Army defending it, they are under immense pressure. According to intelligence from the Heavenly Inspection Guard, the Barbarian Clan still shows signs of sending more troops. We must prepare preemptively!"

The Heavenly Inspection Guard served as the eyes and ears not only for the Demon-Subduing Division but for Great Qin itself. Although the Imperial Court had its own intelligence departments, they were significantly inferior to the Heavenly Inspection Guard.

Gu Xuanji's expression remained indifferent. "Defender Dongfang, how many additional troops do you believe Great Qin should dispatch?"

"Warfare and military strategy are not my expertise, Your Majesty," Dongfang Zhao replied, bowing his head. "Offering hasty advice might delay critical military operations!"

Gu Xuanji watched him silently for a moment before giving a slight nod. "I understand."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Dongfang Zhao bowed again and retreated.

Gu Xuanji then turned his gaze to the others. "You have all heard Defender Dongfang. The situation is tense. Great Wilderness Prefecture is Great Qin territory and absolutely must not fall into the hands of the Barbarians. Do any of you have a strategy?"

As he finished speaking, a minister stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the Barbarian Clan's ambition to conquer our Great Wilderness Prefecture is glaringly obvious. Currently, all we can do is send reinforcements. We absolutely cannot let the Barbarian Clan capture Great Wilderness Prefecture. It is already autumn. In a short while, the harsh winter will arrive. The Barbarian Desolation is an inhospitable land; once winter sets in, the Barbarian Clan will be unable to sustain their offensive and will be forced to retreat. By then, the crisis in Great Wilderness Prefecture will be resolved!"

Hearing this, Prime Minister Fu Yan nodded in approval. After the minister finished, Fu Yan stepped forward to add, "Lord Liu is correct. However, winter is still two to three months away, and much can change in that time. Furthermore, the Barbarian Clan's winter retreat depends on their inability to resupply. If we allow them to plunder resources in Great Wilderness Prefecture, they might not retreat even when winter arrives."

The greatest disparity between the Barbarian Clan and Great Qin lay in resources. The Barbarians faced resource scarcity, yet their population was vast. Every winter, a portion of their people perished. For this reason, each year, around the onset of winter, the Barbarian Clan would fearlessly invade Great Wilderness Prefecture, aiming to seize resources to enable their entire clan to survive the harsh cold. Invading Great Wilderness Prefecture might cost some lives, but it allowed many more Barbarians to survive. If they chose not to invade, a vast number of Barbarians would die. The choice was not difficult for them to make.

Thus, the Barbarian Clan's current invasion of Great Wilderness Prefecture also had a significant vulnerability: the problem of resupply. Ordinarily, the Barbarian Desolation was not excessively harsh and could provide some supplies, enabling their army to invade. Once inside Great Wilderness Prefecture, the army could plunder resources to replenish their consumption, alleviating major concerns. But once winter arrived, it would become a critical problem.

After Fu Yan finished, another minister spoke, "The issue Prime Minister Fu raised isn't insurmountable. The Barbarian Clan plunders resources from Great Wilderness Prefecture, but how can the resources plundered so far possibly sustain an army of millions? In my opinion, we simply need to issue orders for all cities and regions to guard their resources strictly and prevent the Barbarian Clan from looting indiscriminately. That should suffice."

"That is indeed one approach," Fu Yan acknowledged, then shook his head with a faint, wry smile. "Unfortunately, the Barbarian Clan's acquisition of resources isn't always as simple as mere plunder."

Gu Xuanji frowned. "Prime Minister Fu, what do you mean by that?"

Fu Yan bowed deeply, then straightened and spoke clearly, "Your Majesty may not be aware, but with the current turmoil in Great Wilderness Prefecture, many merchants are covertly supplying resources to the Barbarian Clan, ensuring their provisions remain ample—"

"Impossible!" a minister immediately interrupted Fu Yan. "Merchants are also Qin People! How could they supply resources to the Barbarian Clan!"

Fu Yan smiled faintly. "Whether it is true or not, Defender Dongfang should know more clearly than I."

Gu Xuanji's gaze fell upon Dongfang Zhao. "Defender Dongfang, is what the Prime Minister says true?"

"Yes!" Dongfang Zhao affirmed composedly under everyone's scrutiny. He then added, "The Barbarian Clan has dispatched agents to secretly infiltrate various locations, offering high prices for grain and other supplies. Some merchants, driven by profit, clandestinely transport these goods to the Barbarian Clan. For this, the Demon-Subduing Division has already cooperated with various local yamens to apprehend a considerable number of individuals."

Upon hearing this, many ministers were visibly shaken, and some cursed aloud.

"Those fiends! As Qin People, they supply resources to the Barbarians! Do they not realize what their actions mean for Great Qin?"

"For every bit of resource they provide, more of our young men die on the front lines! Kill them! They truly deserve to die!"

"Despicable—"

Angry and contemptuous voices filled the great hall.

Gu Xuanji's face was icy as he looked at Dongfang Zhao. "How have those people been dealt with?"

"They have all been detained in various yamens, Your Majesty. Their specific punishment awaits your judgment," Dongfang Zhao replied with a bow.

"Dealt with!" Gu Xuanji repeated, then asked, "How do you think I should deal with them?"

Dongfang Zhao lowered his head, offering no answer.

Gu Xuanji looked at the other ministers, his expression cold and terrifying. "As Qin People, to conspire with the enemy and betray the country is tantamount to colluding with the Human Clan and forsaking Great Qin. This is a capital offense! Issue my decree: all who have secretly colluded with the Barbarian Clan and privately sold resources to them shall be sentenced to death for treason. Furthermore, implicate their nine relations: all men shall be sent to the penal battalions, and all women to the Bureau of Music. Ensure this is carried out without fail!"

"Moreover— from this moment on, anyone else who dares to conspire with the Barbarian Clan shall have their three clans exterminated!"

Exterminate their three clans! The faces of most present turned pale, and they instinctively lowered their heads. Compared to implicating the nine kin, exterminating three clans was undoubtedly far crueler. What was meant by exterminating three clans? The paternal clan, the maternal clan, and the wife's clan—these constituted the three clans. In Great Qin, this punishment was far more severe than implicating nine kin and was rarely decreed. But once enacted, heads would roll in vast numbers.

And yet, not a single minister dared to plead or advise moderation. Everyone could see that Gu Xuanji was incandescent with rage; anyone who spoke up risked being implicated. Besides, in their view, those who sought to profit from the nation's calamity truly deserved death. The severe penalty of exterminating three clans, while harsh, served as a powerful deterrent. In such circumstances, if anyone still dared to risk execution for betraying Great Qin, their deaths would not be mourned.

After issuing the order, Gu Xuanji's demeanor softened slightly. "Issue my decree: mobilize another seven hundred thousand troops from various regions to reinforce Great Wilderness Prefecture. We do not seek to expel the entire Barbarian Clan, but they must not be allowed to advance a single step further. When winter comes, I want them to die without a burial ground!"

When winter arrived, the Barbarian Clan would have to ensure the survival of their own people while also supporting their forces within Great Wilderness Prefecture. Then, the number of Barbarian deaths would be far greater. Currently, the Barbarians were powerful, and Great Zhou aided them. Expelling them completely with the strength of Great Wilderness Prefecture alone was clearly unrealistic. Therefore, this was the only way to stall them for the time being.

"Luo Pei, this task is entrusted to you!"

A man stepped forward, bowing. "Your servant obeys Your Majesty's command!"

Then, Gu Xuanji looked towards the silent Yang Yu. "Regarding the Imperial College, is there any news from the two Great Confucians sent to Great Liang and Dayue?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty," Yang Yu responded with a bow, "the journey to Great Liang and Dayue is long. It will likely require some more time."

Gu Xuanji nodded. "Make haste. If Great Liang and Dayue can lend their aid, Great Qin can alleviate some of this pressure!"

"Your servant understands," Yang Yu replied.

Although Great Qin Nation was powerful, it was under considerable strain resisting both the Barbarian Clan and Great Zhou, not to mention the Demon Evils already wreaking havoc. Facing attacks from two fronts, Great Qin had already shifted from offense to defense. It could not be helped. If they chose not to defend but to engage in a head-on confrontation, Great Qin would only collapse faster. Only by fighting a defensive war could they hope to contain the offensive of the two forces and then seek an opportunity to turn the tide.

Immediately after, Gu Xuanji asked, "What of Demon Evil and the Eternal Alliance? Have there been any significant moves on their part?"

Dongfang Zhao replied gravely, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Demon Evil incursions are still rampant across the land. However, the Demon-Subduing Divisions everywhere are exerting their full strength to suppress them and are, for now, managing to maintain control. But given the escalating severity of Demon Evil's rampages, this situation cannot hold for much longer. As for the Eternal Alliance, ordinary Demonfolk are not a major concern."

The Demon-Subduing Division's greatest threat was Demon Evil. Demonfolk generally lacked significant strength; the Eternal Alliance might pose a threat to a single region or locality, but it could absolutely not threaten the entirety of Great Qin. The only ones capable of threatening Great Qin were the Demon Evils backed by the Eternal Alliance.

Gu Xuanji nodded. "Defend against the Demon Evils with all our might. We cannot allow them to cause any disturbances at this critical juncture."

"Yes!"