C18 Departing the Embassy Area

"Fall in and number off..."

As the sun ascended, the brethren of the King Protector Army's First Infantry Regiment were already on their feet.

Gao Shaoyi, astride his towering steed, stood resolute outside the camp gates, awaiting the full assembly of his troops.

Beside him, ten brothers served as his guard detail, exchanged by Gao Shaoyi for added security. They were armed with the 1871 model German rifles, yet Gao Shaoyi had also equipped each with a handgun.

Gao Shaoyi was adamant that every soldier should be armed with two guns for assured firepower. However, current capabilities fell short of this ideal, so for now, only the guard detail had been universally outfitted. Once they accrued sufficient merit points, the rest would follow suit.

Meanwhile, on the thoroughfare to the capital city, the envoys of the Six Nations were champing at the bit, relaying every scrap of intelligence back to their homelands.

Over at the Yamen for Prime Minister's Affairs, Prince Ding had formally requested leave, effectively giving Gao Shaoyi's actions his silent endorsement.

The envoys had been brazen at the Yamen, threatening that if the Qian Empire's Imperial Court ignored the situation, they would intervene directly. Any resulting fallout would be on the court's head.

"Marquis, the troops are assembled," reported Liu Shaan, Gao Shaoyi's right-hand man, fulfilling his role as the rallying officer.

"Fire the salute and march out."

At Gao Shaoyi's command, three antiquated cannons boomed in unison.

Matchlock cannons...

Gao Shaoyi couldn't help but feel a twinge of vertigo at the sight of these relics, older than his own grandfather.

The Western nations had already pioneered breech-loading cannons, yet they were still in experimental phases, far from mass production.

But even their outdated models were leagues ahead of ours. To pit such relics against the military might of the Western powers seemed ludicrous. How could they possibly prevail?

Gao Shaoyi's current wish was for the system to supply more modern artillery soon.

Thankfully, this skirmish was to unfold within the Embassy Area, where the role of cannons was minimal. However, in an open-field engagement, their strategic importance would be undeniable.

Although Gao Shaoyi hadn't formed a cavalry unit, the Imperial Court still issued three hundred military horses to ensure that his officers could ride instead of walk, which would have been quite unseemly.

Gao Shaoyi was aware that his merit points would see a significant increase after this conflict. He had already been in touch with several horse traders, planning to establish a cavalry force once the dust settled.

"Make way, make way for the young marquis and the King Protector Army!"

As they passed through several checkpoints manned by the Great Qian Empire's army, they were expedited through with the utmost speed.

Those manning the checkpoints understood Gao Shaoyi's mission—a matter of honor for the entire Great Qian Empire. Any delay on their part would have them metaphorically drowned in a sea of criticism upon their return.

Witnessing the imposing King Protector Army, many onlookers were initially confused. But as word spread that the army was headed for the Embassy Area, crowds began to follow, eager to see if the rumors were true.

Gao Shaoyi knew that today's deeds would cement his national reputation. No matter the challenges ahead, retreat was not an option.

After all, he had a future to consider in this realm. Without establishing a notable presence, where would he go to earn the respect and admiration he sought?

"Halt, everyone halt!"

They were a little over a kilometer from the Embassy Area, at a checkpoint controlled by the Windsar Empire.

Liu Shaan, following Gao Shaoyi's orders, approached with the Imperial Court's documents to parley.

"What a load of rubbish. I can't make heads or tails of this."

The officer in charge barely glanced at the documents before tearing them to shreds and tossing them into the air. The fluttering scraps seemed to mock the Qian Empire's pride.

"I have no orders to let you pass. As per the longstanding treaties, no one may enter the Embassy Area armed."

The officer's tone was laced with condescension. Despite having only a small contingent of soldiers, he was confident that the Qian Empire's officials wouldn't dare cause trouble on his watch.

Upon his arrival in the Qian Empire, he initially kept a low profile, knowing that as a foreigner from the West, he was in the minority.

But it didn't take long for him to realize that the locals were intimidated by them, prompting him to shed his meek facade and start harassing the common folk.

Even the Imperial Court officials avoided confrontation, emboldening these outsiders to push boundaries further. To them, the presence of thousands of elite soldiers was insignificant. They were convinced that even with a mere two soldiers, no one would dare pass through their territory, a testament to the cost of a nation's weakness.

"Step back now."

The man, noticing Liu Shaan's refusal to budge, drew a handgun from his belt, while the soldiers behind him aimed their rifles.

This show of force typically led Qian Empire officials to seek peace over conflict, regardless of the justice of their cause. It had become such a routine that they expected today would be no different, with the military withdrawing as usual.

"Disarm him."

At Gao Shaoyi's command, a squad of soldiers swiftly advanced.

Gao Shaoyi had already deduced that the Windsar Empire's soldiers wouldn't dare to fire, noting that many hadn't even bothered to load their weapons.

Bang!

When Gao Shaoyi saw a soldier attempt to shoot, he fired a shot that struck the soldier's rifle, causing him to drop it in fright.

Before the soldier could retrieve his weapon, another soldier had already trained his gun on the man's forehead.

"Do you realize what you're doing? This is an affront to the entire Windsar Empire. Nobody dares to fire upon our soldiers. Do you have a death wish?"

The commanding officer was petrified, and it took him more than ten seconds to regain his composure. He tried to intimidate Gao Shaoyi with the same rhetoric that had worked in the past, not realizing that a man who dares to pull the trigger is not so easily frightened by words.

"Is this your outpost?"

Gao Shaoyi consulted his map.

"We've had a sentry post here for five years, and no one's told us to leave..."

Panic flickered across the officer's face. In truth, this wasn't the actual location of the sentry post, which lay five hundred meters behind him. But this was a common practice among the great powers' armies—seizing land without cause, especially when the Qian Empire's people remained silent. Why wouldn't they claim this land for themselves?

"Entering the Qian Empire's territory without permission is a capital offense under the law..."