On the far west horizon, the sun was setting down dying the sky crimson.
The flocks of birds littered the dusky crimson sky eager to return their home.
The bright day was gently embracing the lonely night as if comforting her lovingly before their long departure.
General Jiang, Jiang Zemin glanced at the distant horizon as a drop of tear slid on his blood-smeared cheek.
The last of the rays of the setting sun along with the reminisce of the past reflected on his face softening its edges.
There was deep regret, sadness and reluctance in his bloodshot eyes as he looked at the flocks of birds that were returning home.
How he wished he could return home to his family just like these flocks of birds!
But, sadly he wouldn't have this chance in this life again...
General Jiang....no, Jiang Zemin retracted his gaze and looked at the people who were trying to shield him with their bodies despite their injuries. He felt his throat choke with emotions.
Then he glanced at the people who were surrounding them forcing them towards the cliff step by step to their death as his heart filled with hatred.
" Master, we'll clear a way for you, you should be able to leave." said a man whose face was completely covered in blood that it was unrecognisable, still shielding their master in a defensive stance.
" Yes, master you should leave!" said another one as he used his sleeves to wipe what may have been sweat or blood from his forehead.
These people who used to address Jiang Zemin as the great general now all addressed him as 'master'.
Jiang Zemin understood what they meant.
He was no longer a general from the moment he was schemed upon by his own nation and this title was only a burden to him.
As a general, he couldn't leave them behind, it was against his principles but as their master, he could.
Since they only had a master and servant relationship he wouldn't be much burdened by their death.
Jiang Zemin suppressed his emotions as he snapped back angrily, " No, even if I am no general you all are still my brothers how can I leave you here.....!"
The men were helpless when they saw how stubborn he was but they also couldn't help feeling warm and gratified by this gesture.
They all had one thought.....
It was worth it.
If it was for him they were very willing to sacrifice their lives and..... they would never regret it.
No one spoke. They just glanced into one another's eyes and understood everything.
" You guys are really funny!...." drawled a man with a hoarse voice, his voice soaked in irony, " Traitors behaving like heroes.....hehe!"
The man stood at the front leading a group of people.
Behind them stood the armies of the Burning Phoenix nation.
The person who led them was the appointed Grand Marsal, Zhou Qingshan.
After the withdrawal of Old Master Jiang from the royal court he was the only general with the highest authority.
He was from the generation of Old Master Jiang and commanded a lot of respect.
However, the Jiang family and the Zhou family were not on good terms and could even be termed, enemies.
Jiang family was one of the five founding clans that contributed to establishing the Burning Phoenix nation.
These five clans were--Jiang, Wu, Gong, Ye and Xiao( royal family).
Among these five clans, the Xiao clan ascended to the throne and became the royal family while the other four clans took the highest authoritative positions in the court and helped the Emperor in managing the nation at the beginning.
However, ambitions were something that humans feared the most. So, as the position of the royal family stabilised after the first generation of ascension the royal family started to become cautious and paranoid and these four clans were viewed as rivals for the throne.
Thus causing the decline of these clans.
The royal family started to train new loyal dogs to replace them.
So, the three clans lost that foothold in the royal leaving the Jiang family to stand alone.
These four families were very united but the fault was that they were too loyal and sentimental.
They cared too much.
It was the nation their forefathers built for them so they didn't have the hearts to destroy it with their own hands.
And this went on until they were schemed and calculated. Some lost their positions, some were exiled and some were executed.
Their fate was too horrible.
And it was also the same with the Jiang family. Previously, they lost their dukedom, then Jiang Ying Yue was almost killed and now here Jiang Zemin was plotted against.
Now let's talk about Zhou Qingshan, he was from an ordinary family and not had a hard time getting to where he was at present. Thus, he had a sort of complex and resented Old Master Jiang who was born in a great family. He felt that he would have far better achievements than Old Master Jiang if he were raised in such a family.
Nonetheless, no matter how much he resented and no matter how much he competed he could never surpass Old master Jiang.
And thus the fall of the Jiang family was one of the greatest wishes in his life.
Returning to the present,
" I wonder how that old man would react when gets to know that he had raised a traitor at his home? " Zhou Qingshan continued, his lips curved into a sardonic smile his eyes squinting with pleasure.
" Nonsense!" simultaneously shouted a few soldiers of the Raging Flame army.
They were indignant for their master when they saw how he was humiliated.
" If someone is a traitor, it's you all who are traitors. You bastards have no right to call our master that!"
" Hahaha...." Hearing all these Zhou Qingshan didn't fly into a rage and instead roared with laughter as if he found them quite amusing.
The few men who were followed beside him twitched their lips when they saw him laugh like a mad man when he was called a bastard by people.
' This man is old and crazy.'
This was the only thought they had.
Zhou Qingshan convulsed with laughter for a while until his stomach started to ache it was only then he ceased his laughter, " You people are so silly!"
As he said this Zhou Qingshan shook his head, " How can you call me a traitor when I am obeying the monarch? Huh?.....the traitor is your master. When the monarch asked him to hand over the Raging Flame army he should have just handed it over, why did he resist? Huh? Isn't it treachery? And now that the emperor asked him to die then he should just die! Why resist?.....you are saying that your master is not a traitor but he is disobeying the monarch again and again isn't that treachery?.... So, you should tell your master to accept the emperor's decree as a blessing and die peacefully to be not labelled as a traitor."
After saying this he cast a glance at the man who was shielded by the people.
Jiang Zemin just glanced at Zhou Qingshan indifferently not bothered by his mockery making him feel like a jumping clown.
Zhou Qingshan hated this look the most which was exactly the way the Old master Jiang used to look at him.
They both made him feel inferior and suffocated.
Jiang Zemin was bleeding very badly he had taken a few serious injuries to protect his brothers. His face which used to be very handsome was now covered in stubbles and his lips were dry and chapped. As he bled his face grew pale.
Jiang Zemin knew he won't be leaving alive this time. So, he was not in the mood to quibble with a crazy old man.
He just stood there supported by his brothers as he gazed at the horizon.
He missed his wife dearly.
He missed his daughters.
He also missed his father and his brother.
Jiang Zemin sighed, " Brothers if there is a next life, let's live a happy and ordinary life. Let's not be a soldier anymore....."
With that Jiang Zemin slowly closed his eyes his consciousness drifted away to a far-off place in his dream.
" Master, master! Wake up, master! You mustn't sleep!" one of the soldiers patted Jiang Zemin with his trembling hands.
What should they do?
Were they going to die just like that?
What about their grievances?
What about their revenge?
Why was God so unfair?
The soldiers from the Raging flame army felt lost.
" You should keep up. There's no escaping! l" General Zhu who was standing beside Zhou Qingshan shouted when he saw them panicking.
As he said this they started to move forward making the soldiers move towards the edge.
The soldiers looked back down the cliff and then looked at the people who were staring at them like hungry wolves.
They knew they couldn't escape this fate.
So, they choose to die of their volition rather than being caught and humiliated. Besides, their master was with them, they could not those tainted hands touch his body.
With the tacit understanding of years, the brothers glance at one another and nodded before jumping down the cliff one after another with their master.
This happened too sudden that no one could reach for a moment. And when they reacted it was too late.
The people who jumped down the cliff long vanished in the depth only leaving behind the roaring noise of the river current.