"I shall keep my promise." "To save the great affair of the world for you." Li Jianwen remained silent, suddenly feeling a sense of disorientation. In this room, only Li Jianwen was left. He looked at the geographical map, where the light golden marks represented Li Zhaowen and the crimson trails represented Anxi City, both falling with grandeur in the already tumultuous Western Regions. The tumult intensified. Among his peers, Li Jianwen, who was considered not bad, suddenly felt an extreme fatigue. Li Zhaowen, and this so-called merchant from the Central Plains. The Crown Prince of Ying, Jiang Gao, and Jiang Yuan, who had risen for reasons unknown. And the Chaos Qilin that occupied and guarded a territory in Jiangnan. Li Jianwen suddenly felt that in such a magnificent world, with his own abilities falling within it, he only felt weary. It was as if, after exhausting all his strength, he still could not catch up with them. "Magnificent, rising heroes, how grand." "But also how desperate..." Li Jianwen drove himself onward, guarding this city without chaos, handling the interference of influential families ruthlessly, supporting Li Zhaowen’s strategy, preparing logistics, and soothing the soldiers’ morale. Li Zhaowen offered heavy rewards to recruit valiant warriors throughout the city. He ascended a high platform and declared, "Fight to defeat the enemy. If any can break the enemy, those within the ranks need not worry about wealth and honor!" "I will personally oversee, ensuring that no officials corrupt your achievements." He issued another order, saying, "Those who kill enemies with merit, if without rank, are promoted directly to seventh grade; rewards of a hundred rolls of silk are given; if with rank, promotions are granted sequentially." Compared to Li Jianwen, even the Duke displayed greater generosity. Thus, within the city, fierce soldiers from the ranks eagerly participated, recruiting courageous well-trained warriors within the entire Xiyi City, selecting multiple times, only obtaining eight hundred men. The Duke Mansion personally took out armor from the arsenal, heavy black armor known as Xuanjia. Clad in heavy armor, wielding sturdy bows, heavy spears, riding black warhorses. Even if it was a feigned attack strategy, combining reality with Li Guanyi’s side’s army, there still needed to be those who [Break Formation][Breaking Formation]; Li Zhaowen valued familial ties and planned to personally lead the army to rescue. When everything was ready, Li Zhaowen was already donned in battle armor, wearing the battle robe, and holding a long spear, preparing to lead eight hundred men forward, yet heard a voice saying, "Erlang, truly valiant." Li Zhaowen turned his eyes to look. Li Guanyi, in a plain wool robe, with arms crossed, leaning against the pavilion, Li Zhaowen’s eyes were serene, he smiled and nodded slightly, saying, "Mr. Li, thank you." Li Guanyi replied, "Thank me for what?" "It’s only the requirement of the alliance." "I too received quite a bit of benefit." Li Zhaowen sincerely replied, "Even if it’s just an alliance, brought people to cooperate with me at Yemen Pass at this crucial moment. It’s something ordinary people cannot achieve." "In these troubled times, there are many who break promises and behave dishonorably." "In such situations, not taking advantage of others is already being virtuous, let alone willing to truly raise troops and assist. Xiyi City does not lack these things, and there’s no reason for Li bro’s unit to charge into battle for nothing." "And through these circumstances, my elder brother finally shed his past amicability, realizing in these troubled times, one cannot follow the old rules of the eight-century households." "Only great causes can accomplish people." Li Zhaowen looked at Li Guanyi, his only friend among his peers, saying, "What a pity, clearly we once spoke of meeting again, only face to face, yet encountered such a situation." Li Guanyi answered, "Face to face?" He pointed at Li Zhaowen laughing, "What I’ve seen, with a heart for the world, full of spirit, yet valuing friendship and righteousness, is that not Li Erlang?" "I’ve seen you, I’ve known you." "Why talk about face to face!" "People of our kind saying such things only make others laugh." Li Zhaowen was momentarily stunned, then laughed freely, saying, "Indeed, among the world’s heroes, the one who knows me is only you, Mr. Li; only you can always touch my heart. This time I lead eight hundred Xuanjia to dare warriors into battle, not knowing life and death." "But my heart feels quite delighted." "If at this time, I can survive and return..." "I will certainly have a good drinking session with you." Li Zhaowen walked to Li Guanyi’s side, lightly punched his chest, with a teasing smile: "Let you also see the world’s most beautiful woman playing the qin." Li Guanyi answered, "I’ve said there’s no need to thank. Our Anxi City has also received what’s needed; this is precisely the requirement of the alliance. However, Erlang, you’ve always liked weapons and martial arts and fine horses. Do you know how many divine steeds you have?" Li Zhaowen said, "A total of six divine steeds." "If you want, Mr. Li, you can choose one, but more than that, I won’t give." Li Guanyi said, "Good, give me one." Li Zhaowen was shocked, "You really want one." Li Guanyi seldom saw his carefree and generous friend Li Zhaowen show such an expression on his face. One could see this guy truly liked his collection of six divine steeds, unable to help himself but laughed loudly. "Yes, I certainly want one, and—" Li Guanyi reached out, grabbed a battle halberd from the martial arts rack beside him, shook his wrist, sweeping the halberd, its metallic roar like a tiger’s soft growl, saying, "Also, I will go with you." Li Zhaowen was stunned, "What?" Li Guanyi replied calmly, "Previously moving troops was merely out of alliance, and now it’s due to our friendship, having nothing to do with your identity or the foundation of the Duke Mansion." "Just because of you." "Since when a brother is in difficulty, how can I sit idly by?" Li Guanyi planted the weapon he was holding upside down into the ground, looking at Li Zhaowen, smiling, saying, "Only wish to show loyalty and share life and death." "Please give me a set of armor." "With eight hundred men, to charge through ten thousand troops." "You and I going together, though ten thousand men, what is there to fear?!" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel⁂fire.net