Chapter 81 "As the imperial army, we must keep our word..."

After nightfall.

Although the city gates were open, a curfew remained in effect, and soldiers rotated patrols every two hours, with heavy guards especially outside the military camps.

A thin, dark figure approached the military camp silently.

Under the dim candlelight, the blades at the waists of each soldier gleamed with a sharp, white light, making his vision blur.

He was so nervous that he kept swallowing. But—the bag of white rice promised by the bailiff Lin was right in front of him. He had already reached the outside of the military camp. How could he give up now?

If he hadn't been small enough to squeeze through the dog hole connecting the inside and outside of the city wall, he wouldn't have gotten such a good job!

He gritted his teeth, lay down, and carefully crawled forward.

He was small and thin, dressed in a drab gray outfit, so that he was almost invisible when he was in the shadows.

He was advancing with bated breath when he suddenly heard a burst of laughter from the soldiers on night watch. He was so frightened that he trembled violently and immediately lay down on the ground, his heart pounding.

"The young girl from Yan County is quite bold, daring to hang flowers on the barricade and even carve the general's name on it!"

Upon hearing this, one of the soldiers laughed even harder, "It's not a little girl at all, I saw a very handsome young man!"

"Hahaha, man? Tell me quickly, how did the general handle this matter?"

"Does such a trivial matter require the general's attention? When Mr. Cui saw it, he said the flowers were unsettling and wondered where he had thrown them away."

Before he could finish speaking, the group burst into laughter again.

"Hey, have you noticed? Mr. Cui follows the general around every day. To put it bluntly, Mr. Cui practically wants to hang the general on his belt. Even my cousin and his wife weren't this affectionate during their honeymoon."

"Pfft!" someone chuckled, "Don't let the general hear you say that."

May God, Bodhisattva, and Jade Emperor protect me and keep me safe. I will be a vegetarian in this life and the next. Please protect me.

The person kept chanting in their mind, and while the others were joking, they snaked forward like a snake.

The sound seemed to be from fabric rubbing together. The young man, who had been laughing and joking just moments before, frowned deeply and shouted sharply, "Who?!"

"Assemble! Someone is spying on the camp!"

Before he could react, he felt a sharp gust of wind hit his face. The next moment, a sharp pain in his jaw contorted his face, and then several of his hands were pressed heavily to the ground.

"Bang!"

His forehead slammed heavily against the ground, his mind went blank for a moment, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Kill me, I won't say anything!"

Upon hearing this, everyone thought to themselves, "He really is a spy!"

They quickly and efficiently tied him up.

But he could no longer hear what the soldiers were saying, and the next moment, he fainted.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he felt the lamplight flickering before his eyes.

The thin spy's nostrils twitched slightly as a strong aroma of food wafted into his nostrils. He was startled and suddenly sat up.

On a small table not far away was a large bowl of rice. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he looked over in disbelief. Next to it, he saw half a chicken in a jar and steamed fish on a plate.

Fresh scallions are sprinkled on the fish, which is soaked in delicious soup, making it look incredibly appetizing.

Upon seeing the food, he first gasped, trembling, as if he couldn't believe his eyes, and then a flicker of fear flashed in his cloudy eyes.

This is a last meal before someone's execution!

He knew before he came that this was a life-or-death situation, but he still came for a bag of rice. That bag of rice, if saved up, would be enough to feed his two little kids for half a year. And after half a year, the war might be over.

But if he dies, how will the two eight- or nine-year-old children survive? Let alone whether Magistrate Lin will give them rice, even if he does, they might not be able to keep it.

Not to mention fate.

But the spy didn't think too much; he picked up his rice bowl and frantically shoveled rice into his mouth with his chopsticks.

She swallowed the food without even chewing it properly, shoveling it into her mouth while thinking about her two hungry little brats at home.

He paused for a moment.

The spy remarked that the prison in Yan County was indeed well-fed, and that salt was even added to the food.

He lowered his head and only then did he realize that tears were already streaming down his face.

"Whoosh—"

The spy suddenly looked up.

A figure suddenly appeared at the prison gate. He was very tall, with skin whiter than any man he had ever seen, and eyes with a slightly flirtatious look. His hand holding the chopsticks trembled, and he wondered if he had encountered a ghost messenger.

"May I have your name?"

"Are you the official in charge of this?"

The two of them asked questions at the same time.

The arriving official then noticed that he—no, she—was actually a woman, as could be discerned from her voice. However, whether for convenience or because she had lice, her hair was cut very close to her scalp, and she was unusually thin and filthy from head to toe, making it almost impossible to tell that she was a woman.

"Yes." The official nodded first.

The other party was fairly polite, so she had no choice but to say, "Five coins."

That will be her name.

After speaking, Qian Wu picked up his rice bowl again, tore off a chicken leg with his other hand, and quickly put it into his mouth.

She ate too fast and too hastily, and choked on a piece of chicken, coughing violently and with tears streaming down her face.

The official poured her a cup of tea and gently placed it beside her, saying, "Eat slowly."

Qian Wu sneered, "Eat slowly? Eating slowly will only delay your chance to kill me, sir?"

The official seemed quite surprised. "Who said I was going to kill you?"

"You're not going to kill me?"

The seemingly respectable official shook his head. "I won't kill him."

Qian Wu looked at the other person warily, "Then what do you want to do?"

Her previous statement had already revealed her identity. Why would this official keep her alive if he didn't kill her?

She couldn't help but look down at her dirty, bony hands. With a body like that, she wasn't even qualified to be a nurse!

The official spoke gently, “I will let you go back, but you must deliver a letter for me.”

"Aren't you afraid I'll throw your letter away?" Qian Wu blurted out.

As soon as she said that, she regretted it so much that she almost slapped herself twice.

The official smiled and said, "If you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them."

Qian Wu had never heard such refined language before, but she could vaguely guess that it meant the other party trusted her.

Fool.

She thought to herself.

And this is someone who holds an official position!

With a sly glint in his eyes, Qian Wu patted his chest with boundless pride, "You can trust me to handle things. As long as you're willing to let me go, I'll definitely deliver it to you."

Qian Wu picked up his chopsticks. "Is there anything else you need, sir?"

The official nodded, his almond-shaped eyes crinkling as he asked, "Would you like to add two more dishes?"

Qian Wu nodded in surprise.

In her eyes, this high-ranking official, who had been acting like a hypocrite, instantly transformed into a benevolent and righteous magistrate. "I want it!"

One hour later.

Qian Wu stood on the land outside the city, feeling as if his soul had left his body.

She was just released like that?

"call--"

Qian Wu turned her head sharply, but there was no one behind her. Only the horse that the official had sent for her was impatiently pawing the ground. The night wind howled, making the branches and leaves rustle like ghosts wailing.

She struggled to mount the horse, then turned and ran away as if she had been possessed.

This was her first time riding a horse. Her legs ached from the impact of the saddle, but she dared not stop. The sharp wind cut past her ears, making her wonder if someone had a knife to her throat.

The letter the official had given her was still neatly tucked into the lining of her clothes. Sweat soaked through the envelope. Qian Wu hesitated for a moment, then didn't move it.

I don't know how long we galloped on horseback, but the sky had already brightened, and the majestic city came into view.

"Who goes there?!"

A soldier drew his bow and aimed it at her, raising his voice.

Qian Wu hurriedly pulled out the letter, "I am Qian Wu, sent by Officer Lin. Quickly, let me into the city!"

When the soldier heard her mention Lin Yaguan, he whispered to the soldier next to him. A short while later, the heavy city gate opened a narrow crack. "Dismount!" someone shouted from above.

Qian Wu hurriedly led the horse inside.

The heavy gears meshed, and the door slowly closed behind her again.

The last ray of light was cut off.

"Click!"

A cold, sharp blade was suddenly pressed against her neck.

Qian Wu's body stiffened. "I am Lin Ya..."

She didn't finish speaking, because the man holding the knife in front of her was none other than Lin Yaguan.

The tall man looked down at her and said, "Is the matter settled?"

Qian Wu stammered, "No, but I have..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was abruptly cut off: "What do you have? You've been captured? Where did this horse come from?"

Does a beggar like me deserve such a fine horse?

A glint of greed flashed in Lin's narrow eyes. He said righteously, "You were trapped in the enemy city all night and did not return. How do I know you haven't leaked any secrets? Guards, drag him out and execute him!" Lin sneered, "Don't dirty my blade for a traitor like you."

Qian Wu was filled with shock and anger: "You son of a bitch, you just don't want to give me a bag of rice, ptooey son of a bitch, I must have been blind to believe you!"

Lin, the bailiff, blushed with embarrassment and anger, and shouted, "Quickly, drag this slut away!"

Suddenly, a superior voice interrupted, "What is it?"

Qian Wu suddenly turned his head.

She didn't recognize the man, but seeing how Lin, the bailiff, looked at her like a dog seeing a bone, she knew he was a high-ranking official. She quickly said, "Sir, I have a letter here, a letter from Ji something-ning!"

The man turned to look at Officer Lin, who was all smiles and fawning. This man was a close follower of Lord Xiao, and even if he had a hundred lives, he wouldn't dare to offend him. "Lord Li, this vile woman has gone mad and is talking nonsense. I'll beat her to death right now to avoid offending your ears, sir."

The attendant spat, "Who do you think you are, daring to hide such a big matter!"

Qian Wu glared at Lin, the bailiff, with hatred.

Serves you right!

The attendant glanced at Qian Wu and said, "I'll take you to see the magistrate, but if you utter a single falsehood, neither you nor your relatives and friends will see the sun rise tomorrow!"

Qian Wu immediately replied, "Yes!"

Another half hour passed, and we arrived at the Reflection Hall.

Qian Wu had lived for twenty years and this was the first time she had ever known that such a luxurious place existed in the world. The wooden pillars, which were as thick as three people could hug, were carved with intricate designs. The beads inlaid on the top of her head were round and shiny, and looked to be the size of a bowl. Although she did not recognize the things laid on the ground, she had seen them on the daughters of the gentry who worked there in previous years. It was said that a foot of such cloth would cost more than a thousand taels of silver. The daughters were loved by their parents and only had one dress of this kind. When they wore it, they looked like fairies from the moon palace.

As for the other glittering furnishings, she couldn't understand them, but she could guess that any one of them would be enough to ensure her family of three a comfortable life for half a lifetime.

She couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart, so she smacked her lips.

The attendant who escorted her in frowned at her uncouth manner, but then a hint of smugness appeared on his face. "Never seen anything like this before, have you?" He puffed out his chest with pride. "Even in the capital, you might not find another piece like this."

"I've never seen it before," Qian Wu replied honestly, humbly seeking knowledge. "Lord Xiao is so wealthy, his chamber pot must be made of pure gold."

Her attendant glared at her fiercely.

Before long, a man with a high-pitched voice announced, "General Xiao has arrived!"

The attendant grabbed Qian Wu and forced her to kneel down.

The two of them knelt down together.

The footsteps approached from afar and soon stopped in front of Qian Wu.

What Qian Wu could see was a pair of boots embroidered with auspicious dragon patterns in red gold thread.

"Get up," General Xiao Dingguan said gently.

Qian Wu hurriedly got up from the ground.

He was not the fierce and imposing general one might imagine.

Xiao Dingguan, standing before me, was dressed in a scholar's robe. He was quite tall, but his face was thin and refined, almost handsome. Although he looked young, his temples were already gray, and his eyes had a gentle gaze.

It was the gaze of an elder, as if looking at a child they love and care about.

"Who are you?"

"Your Excellency, her name is Qian Wu. She was kind enough to ask Officer Lin to go out and gather information, but she was captured by Ji Chengning's men. She claims to have a letter from Ji Chengning on her. We are concerned about the seriousness of this matter and would like to ask Your Excellency to make a decision."

"oh?"

Xiao Dingguan's eyes darkened, and he smiled slightly, "Where is the letter?"

Qian Wu took the letter out from the inner pocket of his clothes.

She hid it so well that the letter was soaked with sweat, and a hot, foul odor wafted out.

The attendant instinctively covered his nose, but seeing that his master's expression remained unchanged, he awkwardly lowered his hand.

Xiao Dingguan accepted the letter.

His fingers were long, with large, deformed knuckles, clearly the work of someone who had practiced martial arts and swordsmanship for many years.

"Tear".

He opened the letter and unfolded the paper.

Xiao Dingguan glanced at it and knew exactly what the letter was—it was a letter of persuasion to surrender written by Ji Chengning himself, stating that he was considering the people's welfare and had no intention of waging war.

His words were surprisingly earnest, explaining the advantages and disadvantages, saying that if Xiao Dingguan defected and surrendered, the court would be magnanimous and spare his life; but if he did not surrender, then...

They will be pulverized and die without a complete corpse in the blink of an eye.

After a series of threats and inducements, Ji Chengning picked up his pen again, his tone becoming warm and affectionate. He said, "Since Your Excellency has raised an army in the name of the late Crown Prince, you should know that the late Crown Prince was benevolent and loved the people like his own children. I hope Your Excellency will be extremely cautious."

His fingers suddenly gripped the corner of the letter tightly.

Ji Chengnin's letter was reasonable and persuasive. If he did not surrender, he would become a sinner who plunged the people into the flames of war.

Xiao Dingguan gave a cold laugh.

Hearing that under Ji Chengning's rule, disaster relief grain was being transported to Yan County in a steady stream, that his rule was strict and that he did not harm the people in the slightest, and that he had also executed several corrupt officials, this news had already spread like wildfire to Luanyang, causing unrest among the people of the city.

If the contents of this letter were to spread further...

Ji Chengnin, he silently chewed on this name that was both familiar and unfamiliar. No wonder—Xin was held tightly by Xiao Dingguan, her son!

Marquis Yongning... With a son like this, even if you die a gruesome death, you can rest in peace.

Seeing that his expression was not right, the attendant immediately ordered, "Men, drag this slut away who is having an affair with a traitor!"

Xiao Dingguan's cold gaze swept over him, and the attendant's heart skipped a beat. His knees went weak, and he knelt down with a thud.

Xiao Dingguan turned his head and immediately put on a gentle smile when facing Qian Wu. He said, "I have an important matter to discuss. I wonder if Miss Qian would be willing to do it?"

Qian Wu hesitated for a moment, "The bag of rice that Officer Lin promised to give me..."

Her words were vague, so Xiao Dingguan immediately said, "Someone, immediately send a thousand catties of rice to Miss Qian's house."

Qian Wu immediately replied, "My lord, I am willing!"

At this moment, let alone Xiao Dingguan asking her to do a small task, even if he asked her to do a thousand or ten thousand things, she wouldn't even blink!

"I will also give you a letter. You will deliver this letter intact to the official who gave it to you, shall you?"

Qian Wu had no idea what these high-ranking officials were thinking. "...Yes, where is the letter? I'll go deliver it right away!"

Xiao Dingguan smiled and said, "No rush, no rush."

...

In broad daylight, Qian Wu swaggered into the military camp.

Following Ji Chengning's orders, Qian Wu was surprised that no one stopped her along the way. She thought to herself that General Ning's military discipline was not very good, not as well-defended as the mansions of the local wealthy families.

"girl?"

It was that neatly dressed official again. Qian Wu took out the letter and said, "Lord Xiao asked me to give this to you."

The official smiled slightly and said, "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, this isn't a gift for nothing."

"What does the young lady want?"

Qian Wu's eyes lit up. "I want two smoked chickens! The exact same kind I had yesterday."

As she spoke, she immediately glanced at the official's face, afraid that he would think it was too much. Her fingers were hesitantly extended, waiting for him to bargain with her before she reluctantly reduced them to one and a half.

Unexpectedly, the high-ranking official nodded very kindly, "Okay."

"I want it now."

"Someone, give Miss Qian two smoked chickens."

Seeing how readily he agreed, Qian Wu's smile immediately became much more genuine, thanks to the previous "last meal" and two chickens they had shared. "Sir, you are truly a straightforward man."

The high-ranking official opened the letter and smiled, saying, "You flatter me."

Before long, two smoked chickens were brought over. The chicken skin was shiny with oil, and the meat smelled of rich, dark soy sauce. Qian Wu's mouth watered, and he couldn't wait to take a chicken foot.

The smoked chicken is cooked to perfection; with just a little effort, you can suck the skin and meat off the bone.

Qian Wu ate with smacking sounds, her hands and face covered in oil. After eating four claws, she wiped her mouth with satisfaction. "Hey, young man," she smiled and waved to Li Bi, "yes, you, could you get me a few sheets of oil paper?"

Li Bi hesitated before glancing at Ji Chengning.

Ji Chengnin nodded.

He then went to find some oil paper and returned to give it to Qian Wu.

Qian Wu took the chicken, quickly wrapped it in oil paper, and sealed it tightly so that not a single whiff of aroma could escape.

"What are you looking at?" Qian Wu saw Li Bi staring intently at him and shoved the two chickens into his arms. "Can't I keep them to eat?"

Li Bi touched his nose. "Okay, I didn't say no."

Across from him, Ji Chengnin calmly placed the letter down. "Li Bi, you stay with Miss Qian and wait for me to return."

"yes!"

Seeing Qian Wu staring at him warily, Li Bi smiled wryly, "Don't be afraid, young lady, I'm not a bad person."

He was a very handsome young man with a charming smile, but Qian Wu wasn't swayed by his charm.

Who knows if the person in front of her might suddenly attack and kill her, taking her roast chicken? She's seen too many beasts who can be polite and gentle one second and then plunge a knife into someone's throat the next!

...

At this moment, in the study.

Xiao Dingguan's letter was very simple. In essence, it said that General Ji was willing to negotiate peace, and the official was extremely grateful. However, Chen Chong had made similar promises to the official countless times before, but had never kept them. If the general was truly interested, could he meet him at the foot of Luanyang City on light cavalry? If the general could do so, the official would surely surrender.

A letter was passed from hand to hand among the people.

Silence fell over the study for a moment.

"Gentlemen," Ji Chengnin said with a smile, "why are you all keeping silent?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Yao resolutely replied, "Absolutely not!"

Ruan Min glanced at Cui Yao in surprise. This man seemed humble and composed, so why was he so impatient today?

Ji Chengnin's expression remained unchanged, showing neither displeasure nor emotion. "What's the reason?"

Cui Yao said, "A son of a wealthy family would not sit under a dangerous roof. As the general commands the entire army, you must not put yourself in danger."

“Mr. Cui is right. We are unaware of the details of Xiaoding Pass. General, your journey is far too dangerous.” Vice General Song Chengbi immediately interjected, “What if they launch a sneak attack? What should we do?”

Ji Chengning slowly said, "If it weren't for me, General Ruan would have been there to handle matters in the army." Ruan Min felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly stood up, saying he dared not. Ji Chengning waved his hand, signaling him to sit back down. "With the Third Prince handling things, and with seasoned veterans and nobles in charge, the morale of the army won't be thrown into chaos."

That's an extremely unlucky thing to say.

Xiao Dingguan, that's truly a brilliant tactic.

He tried to persuade Xiao Dingguan to surrender, but if Xiao Dingguan refused, the blame for the suffering and displacement of the people would fall on Xiao Dingguan's shoulders. However, Xiao Dingguan remained noncommittal and threw the problem back at him.

If he doesn't go, he will find himself in the same passive situation as Xiao Dingguan before.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

As Ji Chengning was thinking, he inadvertently looked up and met Cui Yao's gaze.

Cui Yao's face was deathly pale, except for his eyes, which were closed with bloodshot veins, as if blood was churning beneath them. The eerie contrast between the red and white made him look like a living ghost.

Ji Chengning immediately looked away.

He said in a deep voice, "As the army of the imperial court, we must keep our word and not break our promise to the people."

Xiao Dingguan is gambling.

If Xiao Dingguan had not responded, Ji Chengning would have sent spies to Luanyang to spread rumors and demoralize the army. Now, Xiao Dingguan was using the same tactic against him.

Ruan Min nodded and spoke frankly, "It was the general who took the initiative to persuade them to surrender, and now Xiao Dingguan is willing to agree. If we don't go in person..."

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood what he meant.

If they don't go in person, how can they prove to the people in the city who are wavering and uncertain, who previously followed Xiao Dingguan blindly and now don't know what to do, that the court really will let them go?

After a long silence, Cui Yao turned to Ji Chengnin and said, "If the general does not mind, I am willing to impersonate the general and go to Luanyang to persuade him to surrender."