Silence passed between them for a brief moment, calm and still, "You are not that unskilled," Yechen said with his calm and indifferent voice, "But you know what, you chose the wrong person to fight, you chose the wrong battlefield." Yushan did not respond because there was nothing to refute or respond to him. Behind them, the Sheqiu forces had begun to collapsed one after another, one of the soldier's said, his voice loud with force, "Commander! Our rear has fallen!" Fei Yushan's eyes instantly turned into chaos, he did not remain calm as he was early, he started to flattered, he instantly singled all the Sheqiu army, "…Signal instant retreat!" at the distant ridge, the Sheqiu Crown Prince, Qiu Yanliang watched them, his expression darkening with anger.
Fei Yushan, upon reaching at the ridge, he said with pain in his arm and breathless, "Your Highness, we have been outmaneuvered…" the Crown Prince repeated coldly, with a cold sigh, "…Outmaneuvered huh? You called this outmaneuvered? If you all had not used your brain properly this would had never happened and we all would have been won, you all walked willingly into defeat! You allowed yourself to be led into their trap that was so obvious, that even their deception was unnecessary!" he said shouting, his voice higher than any one before him. The words struck harder than the blade, Fei Yushan did not respond. "…Useless… withdraw! Regroup at the outer lane, this battle is no longer worth our holding anymore." the order spread, like a cold fog. The Sheqiu army retreated from the battlefield, no longer resisting, no longer attempting to reclaim the ground that was already lost.
On the center of the battlefield, Lin Yechen did not pursue them further recklessly, he just stood there watching them retreat on their own, than finally said, "Halt at the marked line." As soon as he commanded, all noise of the clash faded and the valley had fell into a silence again, what remained was the result of this war—Victory, which had already been secured, decisive and unquestionable. The black and gold dragon banner rose higher against the sky with absolute authority, unfurling above the battlefield with commanding grandeur, only the Dragon's crimson eyes which seemed to be like almost alive amidst the wind that swept across the valley, all the eyes turned towards the rising flag of the Longlin empire. Lin Yechen said with honor, "Raise your voices Longlin forces!" he said like the thunder breaking through the clouds, his tone resounding, "Let every border, every kingdom, and every enemy, remember this day, Longlin Empire is not that easy to deal with! There is only Victory in the Longlin Empire!"
Wang Lin said pointing his sword towards the sky, "Long Live the Longlin Empire!" the words crashed through the battlefield with overwhelming force, and in that instant, all the Longlin soldiers answered as one. "LONG LIVE THE LONGLIN EMPIRE!" one again, "LONG LIVE THE LONGLIN EMPIRE!" once again, "LONG LIVE THE LONGLIN EMPIRE!" their voices shook the valley. The voices echoed throughout the mountain and the valley, steel struck against shields in unison, the deafening sound across the battlefield like the roar of a rising tide, Victory, Power, Dominance, the dragon flag billowing violently in the wind, like a declaration that none can challenge. Meanwhile Lin Yechen stood there in silent, while facing the banner, his dark armor which is stained by battle blood, the cold wind moving lightly through his loose strands of his hair. His expression not changing at all, no pride surfaced within his gaze, only stillness without any satisfaction, as though this is the outcome that had already been decided, and behind him the dragon flag continued to rise.
Behind Yechen, Wang Lin rested his blade on his shoulder, exhaling with satisfaction, "It is a pity, I had hoped for a slightly… longer engagement." Huang Lixian closed his fan with a soft snap and said, "You ask for too much from inevitability." Wang Lin replied with a faint grin, "and you complain too elegantly about missing a marriage, in the middle of the battle." Lixian's gaze shifted towards Lin Yechen, who was standing beneath the dragon banner, his expression as unreadable as ever. Lixian said solemnly in some loss, "Some losses… are very much personal than other losses." He said in a teasing disappointing tone. The battlefield wind swept past them, carrying the lingering scent of steel, smoke and blood. For a brief moment, no one spoke then—
Yechen was in a deep thought than, finally he moved, Yechen mounted his horse, pulling the reins lightly of his black horse, turning it towards the direction of the Longlin Empire, he said calmly, "Return to Longlin Empire, we march today till we arrive in Longlin Empire for the… grand wedding." Absolute silence fell on the ground. Yechen who was seated on his horse watched them, than again he said, "We march now, to the Longlin Empire." Wang Lin blinked again and again, once, genuinely caught off guard for the first time in that entire battle. Hao Lin slowly turned his head towards Yechen, his usually composed expression showing faintest amusement with traces of disbelief. Even Huang Lixian's fan froze mid-motion, then—Wang Lin let out a low laugh. "So… Your Highness does remember that you have a wedding and that Your Highness… is to be the one getting married." Hao Lin folded his arms calmly, "I had assumed that the Crown Prince had intended to conquer three more battlefields before heading for your own wedding and acknowledging it." Wang Lin seriously added, "That would seriously have been more understandable, far more believable, in fact."
Huang Lixian who was completely stilled, finally recovered from the shock, pressing his hand dramatically against his chest, "Heavens above you finally heard my prayers… after all these years of fighting beside this man, after all these years being together with this man, I can finally witness my best friend's marriage with my own eyes." Yechen watched him calmly than he replied, "Your heart is on the right side now huh?" Lixian watched below where his hand was placed, it was on the right side rather than left side of his chest. He smoothly slide his hand on the left side of his chest. His expression turned suspiciously emotional, "I was beginning to think that the empire would sooner see the peace across all the borders than see the Lin Yechen willingly to attend his own wedding and getting married." Wang Lin nodded in agreement, "A very much reasonable assumption." Lixian sighed deeply, "Do you know how difficult it is to prepare some appropriate reactions for such an occasion? I have been denied this experience for years now." Hao Lin remarked flatly, "You make it sound like as though you are the one getting married instead of his Highness." Lixian immediately looked offended and remarked back, "Naturally not. If I were to get married, the preparations would have been so magnificent and elegant that no one would forget my wedding." Wang Lin laughed outright this time, "So the Crown Prince's wedding is not sufficient for Duke Huang?" Lixian corrected him smoothly, glancing once more towards Yechen, "Not insufficient, but merely endangered by the groom's persistent habit of marching toward battlefields instead of ceremonial halls, while the wedding preparations were going on." Hao Lin and Wang Lin let out a low laugh. Meanwhile throughout their exchange of words after words—Lin Yechen remained entirely unmoved and stilled. The dragon banner billowed behind him as the morning light settled across the valley and the battlefield, his gaze stayed fixed ahead, like calm and distant, as though the matter being discussed carried a light significance. Only after Wang Lin's laughter finally subsided than only Lin Yechen finally spoke once more, he said calmly and evenly, "If you all are finished your stupid conversation, remember we have to march throughout the day and night till we finally reach Longlin Empire, we have to leave now."
All of them instantly fell in silence, Wang Lin immediately straightened his back, "See? Not even married yet and he is already getting impatient to return and meet his bride." Huang Lixian smiled faintly, mounting his horse at last, "No, I believe this is the closest thing we shall ever receive to anticipate from him." He replied thoughtfully. In that entire battlefield it was the first time that a faintest yet invisible smirk appeared on Yechen's lips, small and brief which was gone instantly, but the three man had already saw it clearly, their eyes met each other and they all said at once in mind, 'Exciting ah!' than they let out a small smirk. 'Wedding finally incoming!' than all of the Longlin forces, finally started to march back to the Longlin Empire.
To Be Continued....