Chapter 6

The Tianhua Empire and the Auckland Empire are the two most powerful countries on this continent. As for whether there are any human settlements beyond the vast seas, most people on this continent do not know, for to them, this continent is already vast beyond measure. The Tianhua Empire and the Auckland Empire, which together occupy eighty percent of the continent's land, are the entirety of most people's lives.

The Tianhua people are hardworking and simple, a typical agrarian nation. For many years, they have adhered to a state-building policy based on agriculture. With their strong assimilation capabilities, they gradually integrated many originally non-Tianhua ethnic groups. The initially not-so-large Tianhua gradually expanded, from the initial Tianhua tribe, to the Tianhua Alliance, and then to the Tianhua Kingdom. A few decades ago, the territory of Tianhua finally became the largest on the continent, and it became the Tianhua Empire.

The Auckland Empire, on the other hand, is quite different. The Auckland people were originally pirates, with plundering as their primary way of life. In the process of plundering, they annexed many surrounding tribes, gradually forming a large tribe that relied on a powerful armed force, where every citizen was a soldier. They gradually grew into the Auckland Kingdom. Similarly, a few decades ago, the territory of Auckland became the second largest on the continent, just behind Tianhua, and Auckland finally became an empire.

Before becoming the first and second largest, Tianhua and Auckland did not have many conflicts. First, their original origins were far apart, and even as they gradually expanded, there were no territorial disputes between them. Second, when they learned of each other's existence, they were both wary of the other's strength and did not want to provoke each other easily. Third, there were many other forces around them, and conflicts between the two major powers would only benefit the other forces.

However, the situation on the continent changed a few decades ago. Tianhua incorporated all the surrounding forces into its territory, and Auckland also annexed the surrounding small countries through plundering. The two countries became the first and second largest empires. As for the other countries that had not yet been annexed, they had all become vassals of the two major powers, paying tribute, sending envoys, paying taxes, performing corvée, and intermarrying. There were no forces left that could threaten the two major powers.

As the two major powers gradually expanded, the distance between them became closer. Finally, they bordered each other. At first, there were a few years of peace. The border trade made the merchants and nobles of both countries very wealthy. However, human greed has no limits. When both sides began to covet each other's territories, war was inevitable. Thus, the border became increasingly tense, and finally, ten years ago, the war broke out!

Although the Tianhua Empire has a simple and honest people, it has a large population, high productivity, and much better resilience. The Auckland Empire, on the other hand, has a fierce and strong fighting spirit, but despite focusing on production in recent years, its productivity is still far behind Tianhua. The two empires each have their strengths, and their national strength is almost equal. Therefore, when the war broke out, it turned into a protracted war. Battles raged across the border, and both sides had their victories and losses, but neither could gain the upper hand.

Zhao Zheng, who is just thirty-five years old, is the lord of Qingyang in the Tianhua Empire. As a border region between the Tianhua Empire and the Auckland Empire, Qingyang has been a frontline area since the war began, with countless battles of various sizes. Even Zhao Zheng's father died in battle a few years ago. Qingyang is the hereditary fief of the Zhao family. Since taking over Qingyang a few years ago, Zhao Zheng has participated in many battles and has become a well-known general in Tianhua.

Across from Qingyang is the Lance Province of the Auckland Empire. The Lance family has been managing Lance Province for a considerable time. Since the war began, Qingyang's main opponent has been Lance Province, and the Zhao family and the Lance family have naturally become sworn enemies in the war. Zhao Zheng's father was killed by the previous head of the Lance family, and Zhao Zheng avenged his father by killing that nobleman. Now, the one opposing Zhao Zheng is the current head of the Lance family and the lord of Lance Province, Trevor Lance.

Interestingly, the two were quite good friends in their childhood. After all, at that time, the two countries had not yet gone to war, and trade was still ongoing on both sides of the border. As the two families managing the two territories, the Zhao family and the Lance family had some interactions. Although Zhao Zheng and Trevor were not childhood sweethearts, they had met many times and could be considered drinking buddies. However, the war turned the two families into mortal enemies. While Zhao Zheng laments the unpredictability of fate, he also understands that the conflict between the two is irreconcilable.

This time, Zhao Zheng personally led the troops to this area, which was originally part of the Auckland Empire, specifically Lance Province. Although this area was not very important before, it recently became significant when nearby mountain dwellers reported the discovery of an iron mine. This is a significant find, especially now, as the soldiers' weapons are being consumed at a high rate. An iron mine would be a timely and valuable resource.

However, before Zhao Zheng could come up with a good plan to incorporate this area into Qingyang, Trevor also received the news. Since this area is part of Lance Province, Trevor had no difficulty occupying and developing it. Zhao Zheng had no choice but to launch a strong attack. Because he had to deploy troops in other areas, he only brought two thousand elite soldiers. Such an action, of course, could not escape Trevor's notice, so Trevor also sent two thousand elite soldiers to meet him.

Although both Zhao Zheng and Trevor are from noble families, there is a slight difference. Zhao Zheng's talents are more focused on military affairs, and the management of the territory is generally left to other family members. Trevor, on the other hand, is more skilled in internal affairs and delegates military matters to others. Therefore, this time, Zhao Zheng personally led the troops, while Trevor did not come himself, sending an uncle from his family to deal with Zhao Zheng.

Zhao Zheng was quite confident because he had prepared for this battle for a long time and had even invited a family retainer, a middle-aged scholar named He Chuan, to assist him. He Chuan is an expert in military strategy and is a well-known military advisor in the Zhao family. Because of his presence, Zhao Zheng felt confident in leading the troops without worrying about any tricks from the enemy.

However, despite Zhao Zheng's extreme caution, the sudden "arrival" of He Ping still caused some deviation from the original plan.