Wu Ning and a few high-ranking generals found a secret lookout spot to observe the enemy's movement.
It seemed that Ashna Shuhan had some brains after all. He actually came up with the pincer attack. Ha, not a bad move.
However, Ashna Shuhan had not listened to the advice given by his father before he died. He wanted to make a name for himself and prove to everyone that even though he was the youngest son of the Ashna family, he was also the most talented, and he was the only one who could lead the Ashna family to glory.
Thinking of this, Wu Ning shook his head. That's why one should always listen to their elders.
They stood patiently watching the layout of the Turkic army. Then, Wu Ning gave a signal and a general behind him carried out his orders.
Now that the Turkic army had completed their formation, it was time to take in their captives. One hundred thousand people to be exact.
However, the biggest headache was how to subdue them after they were captured as disobedient captives were useless.
Wu Ning rubbed his forehead. This was indeed a headache.
Wu Ning looked at the Turkic army below and his eyes suddenly lit up. Since it was not easy to tame them, he would just find someone with prestige within the Turkic army to do the job.
Wu Ning already had a candidate in mind. It seemed like the candidate wouldn't have to die when the Turks were defeated.
Good food would be Wu Ning's most capable aide in the attempt to convince the man.
After settling this matter, Wu Ning's mood lightened and he pulled out his zither.
Back then, in order to let him develop his morals, intelligence, physique, beauty, and diligence, the imperial consort not only taught him all kinds of knowledge but also taught him how to play this musical instrument.
Wu Ning sat cross-legged and placed the zither on his knee. He watched the battle below and began playing a piece called "Ambush from All Sides."
A burst of zither music accompanied the scene of the soldiers fighting below. Wu Ning closed his eyes and felt as if something was about to break out of his heart but struggled to make the breakthrough.
Following his heart, the rhythm in his hands became faster. In the end, the zither string snapped from the intense exertion.
The snapped zither string was fiercely embedded into Wu Ning's fingertip. Then, due to inertia, it was yanked out again. Wu Ning looked at the blood flowing out of his fingertip. The warlike drive in his body started to stir.
At this moment, he felt murderous intent, wanting to massacre all human beings. He did not suppress the intent but instead raised his sword to join the battle.
When the soldiers saw that the emperor was fighting with them, their morales increased tremendously. In less than four hours, the ten thousand Turkic soldiers were captured.
After killing so dozens of people, Wu Ning calmed down a little.
Looking at the brightening sky, Wu Ning set down the sword in his hand. He was covered in blood. What was wrong with him? He tried very hard to suppress the frenzy but to no avail.
Without much hesitation, Wu Ning ordered his troops to set down camp and rest. When the sky turned bright, it was time to attack the city.
Wu Ning did not have much hope for invading the city. In any case, they had already done it once. Although, it was a little different now.
***
The army gathered at the foot of the city. At Wu Ning's order, the troops began their attack.
However, after an hour of feint attacks, the troops started to retreat.
Ashna Shuhan, who was in the city, saw the retreat and became anxious. He ignored the elders' dissuasion and led another fifty thousand troops out of the city to chase after the enemy.
As expected, he was surrounded and captured by Wu Ning. Looking at the many captives, Wu Ning was concerned. These captives were all soldiers and had huge appetites.
The rate of consumption of rations in the army was twice as fast as before. It seemed that he had to invade the Turks as soon as possible, or sooner or later, he would be left with no food at all.
Hence, Wu Ning personally took action. With a thunderous momentum, he took down the Turks in less than half a month.
When they reached the main camp of the Turks, Wu Ning saw the imprisoned Zhiming Sili and asked for him to be brought up.
Zhiming Sili was very stubborn when he came up and said, "Kill me!"
Wu Ning smiled at him and prepared a hotpot feast. He personally untied him and they enjoyed the feast together.
Halfway through the feast, Wu Ning finally revealed his intention, "I've finally conquered the Turks, however the soldiers do not listen to my orders. I have ways to instill obedience, but it would take too long.
"I've thought long and hard about it and realized, why don't I find someone with prestige among the Turks to lead them? If you are willing, I will give you the territory of Turk as a fief. You only need to visit Chang An every year and pay your respects to me on time. What do you say?"
Zhi Ming thought for a moment and shook his head. "Although I am on good terms with you, I am still a Turk. If I agree to your conditions, I am afraid my reputation will be in ruins."
Wu Ning smiled. So what if Zhiming Sili's reputations were in tatters? As a general, what did he care about being cussed out? Nobody would dare to do it right in front of him. If any daring soul would like to attempt, he merely had to kill that person. After all, there were more humans in the world than ever.
"As long as you agree, I'll make sure you get to eat hotpot for every meal," Wu Ning said seductively.
Hearing the words "every meal" and "hotpot", Zhi Ming drooled, but he stood his ground, "Eternal infamy just to have hotpot for every meal? You'd have to provide kung pao chicken, roasted suckling pig, and blood curd, at the very least."
Wu Ning nodded. "Done. As long as you do a good job of being the leader, I'll provide you with new dishes every year."
Thus, an agreement was reached. Zhi Ming Sili stayed in the Turkic kingdom to manage his people, while Wu Ning returned to his country.
The attack on the Turkic kingdom had given Wu Ning countless treasures, enough to last his country for a few years.
Thus, five years later, Wu Ning launched another war and annexed several neighboring countries. Wu Ning planned to unify this Otherworld before he ended his descent.
Another twenty-five years passed. This was already the fifty-fifth year that Wu Ning had descended into the Otherworld.
Wu Ning had finally unified the entire Otherworld. It was then he came up with the idea of a single language in the world.
"Ding! Congratulations Master, for unifying the Otherworld. You have obtained 100,000 Comprehension Points."
Hearing the mechanical voice in his mind, the corners of Wu Ning's mouth curled up into a smile.
This year, Wu Ning returned to the imperial capital. All these years, he had been waging war outside, and it was all thanks to the empress dowager governing the country in his absence.
Now, he had to return and finally spend some time with her mother. What she went through was tiring, none the least.
Wu Ning accompanied the empress dowager in a stroll of the Imperial Garden, chatting about the difficult times they went through in exile.
The empress dowager sighed emotionally. "Fortunately, Huang Zhong knocked me unconscious and took me away. Otherwise, I would have been buried with you in the Imperial Palace."
Wu Ning smiled. In fact, even without Huang Zhong, he could have protected himself and the empress dowager. Nonetheless, Huang Zhong's loyalty was evident.