Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 1049: Chapter 371: Retreat and Ceasefire, Entrustment, Bashang’s Panic, Sudden Change in the Situation (Part 3)

He worries that Xia Chuan, Yuwen Dao, and all the high-ranking members of Great Xia will also become just like those people as the camp continues to expand and grow stronger, and their strength increases.

Fortunately, there is no such trend at the moment.

Xia Hong stood up and looked towards Qinghepu to the east, asking in a low voice, ”How many people in the Cloud Dragon and Dragon Martial armies haven’t broken through yet?”

”Cloud Dragon Army 386, Dragon Martial Army 375.”

Li Xuanling’s predictions from half a month ago seemed to be correct; for everyone to break through to Cold Resistance Level, the earliest would be April.

Seeing Xia Hong frowning, Xia Chuan continued, ”I’ve already sent a message back urging them, and also, the extra spots in the Martial Arts Pavilion have been prioritized for the Dragon Slayer Army members who haven’t broken through.”

With ample resources, urging can’t do much for cultivation matters; it still depends on personal fate, which Xia Hong fully understands.

But with the need for troops imminent, besides urging, there’s no other way.

”Try to speed them up; we’ll need them very soon.”

”Order received!”

.........

Moao Calendar Year 132, February 4th

In the main hall of Jiangxia Town, several hundred people of all ages are gathered.

Everyone was looking up at the chambers behind the main hall, their expressions extremely tense, and a small number seemed to have realized something, their eyes full of tears, faces showing grief.

In the chambers at the back of the main hall, Xiahou Zhang and Jiang Xinfan stood by the bedside.

Both appeared haggard, clearly without sleep for days and nights, yet still kept their gaze fixed on the person on the bed, faces showing both fear and some anticipation.

The person lying on the bed was Jiangxia Lord, Jiang Yinglong.

Jiang Yinglong’s left chest had three cone-shaped wounds, clearly caused by the penetration of a long spear; the wounds had stopped bleeding, but the surrounding area had turned charred, as if burned by flames.

Not only his chest, but his right shoulder and forehead were each depressed, and his body had over twenty inexplicable swellings.

At this moment, Jiang Yinglong was barely breathing, obviously not in a normal coma.

”Master!”

”Father.”

Suddenly, Xiahou Zhang and Jiang Xinfan simultaneously cried out in surprise.

It turned out that Jiang Yinglong, lying on the bed, had opened his eyes.

Yet even opening his eyes seemed strenuous for Jiang Yinglong; he didn’t speak, looking at his apprentice and son by the bed, seeming to have made some decision, a determination flashing in his eyes, his body slightly trembling.

”Master!”

Xiahou Zhang clearly sensed something, immediately rushing forward in alarm.

”Enough, don’t waste Dan Medicine on me anymore. If there were a chance of survival, I would want to live more than you. The Xianyang Level has a lifespan of two hundred years; I’m already a hundred and fifty-seven this year and have lived long enough without regret!”

Upon hearing this, both Xiahou Zhang and Jiang Xinfan showed simultaneous grief in their eyes.

”Xinfan, what conditions did Dajue Temple propose for ceasing the war?”

Knowing his father was about to give final instructions, Jiang Xinfan ignored his sadness and quickly spoke, ”Three conditions in total: first, cede thirteen village-level camps around Xuyang Camp to them, without any manipulation of population; second, compensate with eight thousand sets of Thousand Forged Armor, to be collected and delivered within two months; third, under no circumstances shall we be enemies with Dajue Temple in the future.

The third condition includes not only Jiangxia but also Yangqu and Dragon Valley towns.”

Upon hearing these three conditions, Jiang Yinglong’s face instantly deteriorated further. After coughing lightly, he spoke with sorrow, ”Jiangxia had forty-seven village-level camps in total; losing twenty-one and ceding thirteen, the territory has fallen by three-quarters—I am ashamed before the former leaders and my brother!”

Seeing his self-reproach, Xiahou Zhang and Jiang Xinfan hurriedly comforted him.

”Master, the enemy is powerful; it’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself.”

”Father, it’s not your fault. Beishuo, Jin Mountain, Wuchuan, Chui Mountain, Bashang—it’s all the fault of those five towns with their shortsightedness, refusing to help. Otherwise, how could Jiangxia have fallen to this state.”

But their comfort was clearly of little effect.

Jiang Yinglong’s face retained much sorrow, but realizing he didn’t have much time left, he repressed his grief and turned to instruct them sternly, ”After the battle at Binjiang, Jiangxia will have no chance to contend with the Eight Towns. When news of my death spreads in the Eight Towns, your situation will become similar to that of Muyin Town. Zhang’er, I’ll keep it brief...”

Bang...

”Zhang’er, heed your master’s teachings!”

Upon hearing the master’s terms of address, Xiahou Zhang’s eyes instantly filled with tears, he knelt down before the bed with a bang, sobbing uncontrollably.

”Zhang’er” was the master’s term for him in youth; Jiang Yinglong had not used it in over seventy years, yet on his deathbed, he uttered it again—how could Zhang’er not be moved?

”The request to cede thirteen villages around Xuyang Camp shows Dajue Temple’s ambition; this withdrawal is but a temporary respite for Jiangxia. There will certainly be future troubles. To protect ourselves, simply allying with Yangqu and Dragon Valley towns is far from enough. Go to the Northern Three Towns and surrender!”

”Father, had it not been for the Three Towns’ failure to intervene, how could Jiangxia have fallen to this state? How can we surrender to the enemy...”

”Junior Brother, shut up and listen to the master!”

Hearing that his father wanted Jiangxia to surrender to the Three Towns, Jiang Xinfan became agitated immediately, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by Xiahou Zhang. Looking up at his father Jiang Yinglong on the bed, his body shivered violently, and he directly bowed his head, saying nothing more.

”Trusted by my brother, he entrusted the camp and you both to me; yet in just forty years, I’ve led Jiangxia to such a declining state. After my death, I truly don’t know how I’ll face the former leader and my brother...”