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The Wumei Daoist attempted to create trouble for Lu Chen at the banquet, but he was unsuccessful and ended up with a poor reception. Lu Chen did not give him an inch, always responding with clever words and taking the initiative in the conversation.
Ultimately, the banquet ended on an unpleasant note, but this only applied to Lu Chen and the Wumei Daoist. As for the interaction between Lu Chen and Chu Mang, it was relatively harmonious, as Chu Mang mostly listened to the exchanges between Lu Chen and Wumei Daoist, only smiling politely from the side.
After the banquet, Lu Chen returned to his accommodation. His temporary residence was arranged by the personnel of the Daiwa Dynasty stationed in Jianzhou City, which was quite discreet yet luxurious. Although Lu Chen had come in a private capacity, he was still the Loyalty Duke of the Daiwa Dynasty, entitled to enjoy such treatment, so it was only natural for him to have a suitable place to stay.
During this trip to the Western Seven States, Lu Chen met old acquaintances: one was Chu Yuzhu, and the other was Chu Mang. However, Chu Yuzhu did not expose his identity in front of him. Lu Chen was not someone who clung to the past; he genuinely just wanted to take a look around and gather information.
Indeed, this time Lu Chen came to the Western Seven States not only to attend a banquet but also primarily to gather intelligence and assess the overall strength of Korea. He truly observed what he needed. As for his final thoughts and conclusions, he kept them to himself.
During the banquet, both Chu Mang and the Wumei Daoist expressed their intention to invite Lu Chen to join the ranks of Korea, but he declined. The reason was simple: there was no need for further explanation. The failure of the invitation made the Wumei Daoist somewhat angry, leading him to adopt an aggressive stance towards Lu Chen, showing no signs of yielding.
In response to the attitude of the Wumei Daoist, Lu Chen merely smiled coldly, concealing his true feelings. Under normal circumstances, the Wumei Daoist might have been killed by Lu Chen, but this time was different; they were in Jianzhou City, on Korea's territory. Killing someone close to Chu Mang would clearly be disrespectful and would escalate tensions between their nations.
Lu Chen's attitude reflected that of the Daiwa Dynasty. He had to consider the interests of the dynasty at all times and could no longer act recklessly as he had before. This stemmed from a sense of responsibility—his own responsibility—wherever he went, he carried that weight.
The next morning, Lu Chen did not linger any longer but returned directly to the Daiwa Dynasty, heading back to Baiyang City. He did not take a carriage; instead, he manifested his true form and crossed over from above, reaching Baiyang City in less than half an hour.
Thus, his trip to the Western Seven States came to a definitive end. Now it was time for more important matters—specifically, coordinating with Korea, Great Qi, and Yamato for a joint campaign against the Great Zhou Dynasty. This was a significant undertaking, one that would be remembered throughout history; success or failure hinged on this endeavor.
With urgency in his steps, Lu Chen hardly paused after returning. He immediately began making arrangements, mobilizing troops from various regions to gather in Baiyang City. In just about half a month’s time, hundreds of thousands of soldiers amassed there.
The city could no longer accommodate them all, so they set up camp in the deep mountains outside. Military encampments were established one after another, filled with soldiers. Over these past few years, the army of the Daiwa Dynasty had grown beyond five hundred thousand strong—specifically around five hundred fifty thousand—all elite troops. Among them were four hundred thousand infantry and another one hundred fifty thousand comprising special forces like cavalry, archers, artillery, logistics units, etc. Thanks to advancements made by Chen Qilin, artillery units were now formally established within the army.
The organization of these artillery units was quite unique; each battalion typically included several or even dozens of gunners who managed a certain number of firearms—essentially forming an artillery battalion.
Indeed, this approach is referred to as cooperative operations. This configuration was temporarily arranged to create a diverse military formation within a single camp. In reality, those assigned to artillery units had their own independent organization; they were simply temporarily reassigned for this purpose.
The reason for this arrangement was to enhance cooperation among various troop types and improve their synergy through practical training.
In addition to the army of five to six hundred thousand, there were arrangements for top-tier combat forces, including over a dozen Thunderbolts and several dozen Dragonbone Chariots, with Thunder Runs stationed in frontline cities. As for Baiyang City, it did not have a Thunder Run installed because it simply wasn't necessary.
The Thunder Run is the most powerful fixed artillery, immobile and can only be placed within cities. Its maintenance costs are exorbitantly high, making it a waste to install in a place like Baiyang City, which wouldn't see battle for a hundred years. Therefore, Baiyang City did not have one.
The installations of Thunder Runs were concentrated in cities along the Daiwa Dynasty's borders, particularly in those prone to conflict or strategically important cities. Only significant cities would have the presence of Thunder Runs.
Due to the high cost of production and maintenance of the Thunder Cannon, even the Sun Family claimed they could not afford it. Ultimately, production of the Thunder Cannon was halted, and project funds were redirected to other initiatives.
As of now, the total number of Thunder Cannons in the Daiwa Dynasty is estimated to be around twenty to thirty. The distribution of these cannons is classified information that is generally unknown to the public; even Lu Chen has only seen blueprints and has a vague understanding of their locations.
This matter is considered highly confidential, and even Sun Zizhao is unaware of it; he knows less than Lu Chen does.
Although Sun Zizhao is the emperor with overarching power, the distribution of Thunder Cannons falls under military secrecy and does not concern him much. He is indifferent to it, so Sun Zizhao indeed does not know this situation.
Additionally, there are the Yuanmo Army, with over five thousand Yuanmo soldiers currently maintained within the Daiwa Dynasty.
Among these five thousand Yuanmo soldiers, some are newly produced while others are still in production; only about three thousand are ready for combat. However, even with just three thousand Yuanmo soldiers, their combat power is already terrifying.
To put it plainly, three thousand Yuanmo soldiers can match the strength of one hundred thousand human soldiers. This formidable army represents the ultimate strength of both the Daiwa Dynasty and Lu Chen and will not be deployed unless absolutely necessary.
At this point, the total number of troops and overall strength of the Daiwa Dynasty has been assessed, yielding a preliminary estimate. The human army numbers around five hundred fifty thousand, with four to five thousand Fire Sticks and a certain number of Dragonbone Chariots, Thunderbolts, and Thunder Cannons. If all were converted into equivalent military strength, it would amount to roughly one million.
While the Daiwa Dynasty was intensively mobilizing its troops, Korea and the Great Qi Dynasty began similar actions almost simultaneously—gathering armies and preparing supplies as they slowly moved towards the border, with war imminent.
This time, all three nations shared a unified slogan: "Avenge Tyrant Zhou." This was a coalition of the Three Kingdoms vowing to dismantle the foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty; thus their slogan was unified: "Avenge Tyrant Zhou," to cleanse the realm and restore peace.
All three nations moved their armies to the border opposite the Great Zhou Dynasty. Each kingdom had its own commander; for the Great Qi Dynasty, it was naturally Chen Shilong—a master strategist skilled in military maneuvers.
The commander for Korea was a Taoist from Star Gate, while Lu Chen himself took command for the Daiwa Dynasty.
As for the overall strength comparison among the three countries, the Great Qi Dynasty has a million mercenaries and has mobilized three hundred thousand troops, claiming a total of four hundred thousand. They are divided into two routes, departing from Lu Prefecture and Chongzhou, advancing towards the direction of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The Han Kingdom has six hundred thousand mercenaries and has mobilized two hundred thousand troops, claiming a total of three hundred fifty thousand. They are gathering in one place, bypassing the Killing Green Mountain Range, and heading straight for Qingtian Pass.
The Daiwa Dynasty has five hundred fifty thousand mercenaries and has mobilized four hundred thousand troops, claiming a total of six hundred thousand. They are split into two routes, advancing from east to west. In just three days, they have already reached the border, facing the cities of the Great Zhou Dynasty not far away.
In the Daiwa Dynasty, one route is led by Lu Chen as the main force, with about three hundred thousand troops. The other route is commanded by Lian Dashuang, who has already advanced from another direction and begun attacking the cities of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
As for the target of these attacks, the Great Zhou Dynasty has long been prepared. In fact, the Great Zhou Dynasty is the true heavyweight in this conflict.
After all, it has existed for over a hundred years on a legitimate foundation, with countless troops exceeding two million, scattered across various counties in the Central Plains and Nine Provinces as well as the Southern Seven States. Upon receiving news that the Three Kingdoms were about to form an Alliance Army, the Defender of the Realm had already taken action.
This time around, it seems that the Great Zhou Dynasty has realized something important and has made no reservations. They have mobilized approximately one million five hundred thousand troops, leaving only necessary garrisons in various locations while bringing together nearly all available forces.
Indeed, to counter this formidable Three Kingdoms Alliance, the Great Zhou Dynasty's military is almost fully engaged, with a total troop count exceeding one million five hundred thousand, including archers, cavalry, and specialized units such as firearms battalions.
The military strength of the Great Zhou Dynasty remains immensely powerful; if the Three Kingdoms do not unite, then ultimately, it is still the Great Zhou Dynasty that stands as the strongest.
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