Chapter 54 (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)

Chapter 54

Pei Zan received news of the attack on the southern region several days later.

The young master escaped danger and was taken to Xiaomen Pass by Granny Zhou, where his life was saved.

Lin Rong lured the enemy away on horseback, scattering the pursuing troops. Even though the Pei family's soldiers sent troops to search for her, they could not find any remains or trace of her.

Finding the body is a good thing; at least she wasn't tortured before she died. The worst thing is to find neither the living nor the dead. With Lin Rong's stunning beauty, she would surely be violated and defiled by those cruel and ruthless barbarian enemies... A woman who has lost her chastity is better off committing suicide to preserve the dignity of her family and clear her name!

But Pei Zan didn't care at all. What did rumors matter? He was not afraid of the world's attacks. Could a few malicious words be a match for the thousands of troops under his command?

Pei Zan's jaw tightened, the veins on his neck bulged, his face was ashen, and he felt a metallic taste in his throat from hatred. He crushed the report with his knuckles.

"Lin Rong, if you are humiliated, please bear with it a little longer... I will find you and avenge you. Anyone who dares to look at you, touch you, or insult you will be torn to pieces and ripped apart."

Pei Zan's phoenix eyes were bloodshot, suppressing his thunderous power. A fierce and malevolent aura emanated from his body, as if he wanted to draw his knife and kill someone.

He hoped Lin Rong would be more tactful and that she could endure hardship and survive.

He knew it would be difficult, but he didn't want her to die.

Pei Zan would never despise her; he only regretted not being able to protect her in time…

Pei Zan originally thought that the birth of his eldest son was something he had forced. He knew that Lin Rong's unwillingness, refusal, and reluctance were merely his wishful thinking and his unwillingness to be entangled.

Pei Zan was unaware that Lin Rong truly cherished her unborn child, whom she had carried for ten months. This seemingly timid woman was willing to sacrifice her life for her child.

Why doesn't she dislike Pei Jiashu?

Why is she... completely different from Pei Zan's birth mother?

Pei Zan thought of his birth mother's resentful eyes and the tortures that stung and burned his flesh.

He didn't cry or shout. Pei Zan was too young at the time, and he thought his birth mother had this peculiar habit because she liked it.

He could endure it, he could close his eyes and remain silent, and perhaps if he was a little more obedient, he could win his mother's favor and gain some of her kindness.

But the punishments became increasingly severe, and Pei Zan gradually found it difficult to bear.

One day, Pei Zan realized that the compassion and kindness he hoped for would never come to him.

There are no Buddhas or deities in the world, and the gods do not have pity on sentient beings.

Pei Zan could only obtain what he wanted by fighting, grabbing, and seizing it, by using every means at his disposal.

This was his way of surviving; he had no other choice.

But Lin Rong... is really different.

Snap.

A tear fell.

Pei Zan reached out blankly and touched the corner of his moist eye.

He closed his eyes in a daze, his thin lips pressed tightly together.

"Lin Rong, please... you must live."

-

Drums and music resounded, and bugles blared throughout the camp.

The sky was dark and overcast, with dark clouds covering the area. A menacing thunder dragon could be seen flashing across the Sword Peak Mountains, foreshadowing an impending storm.

On the hillside, Pei Zan stood with cold brows and sharp eyes, his phoenix gaze filled with power.

He stood before the 100,000 soldiers arrayed in formation, his crown and armor clad, his battle robes fluttering in the wind, a long sword gleaming coldly in his hand.

"Gentlemen, the Emperor of Wei has colluded with foreign powers, ceding territory to lure the enemy and shaking the very foundations of the state. This has led to the loss of several prefectures in Liang and Long, and the attack on six prefectures in the south, resulting in widespread suffering and a perilous situation where the people are in dire straits!"

These words caused an uproar among the soldiers.

Many soldiers of lower rank only learned of the attack on the southern region today, and they were shocked, clenched their fists, and filled with indignation.

They marched north to attack cities, but they never expected Chen Wenjin to be so despicable. The dignified ruler of a country had become a traitor, resorting to any means to win, luring foreign enemies into the Central Plains to burn, kill, and plunder!

The garrison in the south numbered only 20,000 to 30,000, and even with the private armies raised by prominent families, they numbered only a little over 40,000. Located in the south, and with their cavalry not being elite enough, how could they possibly defeat tens of thousands of foreign cavalry?

This move was clearly intended to force Pei Zan to withdraw his troops!

Force him to turn back to the city and drive out the enemy!

However, after five months of valiant fighting, they had already approached the capital of the north. If they could conquer two more provinces, they would be able to take over the capital of the Wei dynasty. If they abandoned their northward march at this time and instead turned their troops to defend against the enemy, they would be forcing Pei Zan to give up his imperial ambitions and hand over the throne that was within his grasp.

How could Pei Zan accept this?!

Morale was low, and everyone was filled with fear and unease.

They were soldiers from the South, born and raised in the Six Provinces. Their families and children were all in the South. They made their achievements to bring honor to their parents and to ensure that their wives and children could live a good life.

If their homes are destroyed and their relatives and friends die under the barbarian cavalry, what use are their bravery in fighting the enemy and making achievements?

But they had followed Pei Zan for many years and knew that the Grand Commander was a man of great vision and decisive in his actions. Now that the ambition to conquer the world was within reach, how could Pei Zan, who had been planning for so many years, be willing to give it up?

If he deserted now, Pei Zan would surely make an example of him and execute him under his banner.

For a time, morale was low and the generals hesitated.

On one hand, there is loyalty and trustworthiness; on the other, filial piety and brotherly love. Forcing them to make a quick decision is truly heart-wrenching.

Pei Zan glanced at it and understood.

The Pei family soldiers are all loyal and righteous men, and they are naturally worried about their family and friends who are in dire straits. If Pei Zan leads his army back south, it will not only not disappoint them, but will also help him consolidate the morale of his troops!

After all, Pei Zan was a peerless hero who saved people's parents, and the soldiers and generals would only admire him more and be more willing to do their utmost for him!

What Pei Zan wanted was for them to willingly follow him and help him slaughter those barbarian beasts who had invaded his territory!

Pei Zan raised his cold sword high and shouted, "The King of Wei is heartless, no better than a pig or a dog! He has committed such a heinous act of treason, abandoning the people of Wei and allowing the barbarians to trample on the Central Plains! If we are greedy for wealth and power and abandon our homes, wives and children, how can we be worthy of being called human beings?!"

The soldiers, gripping their spears, were moved to tears by Pei Zan's encouraging words.

"Gentlemen, even though loyalty and filial piety have always been difficult to reconcile, I will not force you to become such treacherous and wicked people. I also have a wife and children, and I know your pain... I am willing to lead you back to fight and drive these barbarian tribes out of the borders of my Great Wei!"

These words stirred the emotions of everyone present, and some even burst into tears.

"We swear to follow the Grand Commander to the death!"

"We are willing to sacrifice our lives and die for our country, just to drive the enemy out of our borders!"

The soldiers, clad in armor and armed with weapons, roared with deafening cries, their resounding shouts of willingness to be ground to dust for the Great Wei echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

The soldiers missed their families and longed to return home.

No one complained of being tired or suffering along the way. They marched day and night for more than ten days and finally arrived at the six southern prefectures in just over twenty days.

Six prefectures fell, and the garrison fought with all its might, but only managed to hold onto Xuzhou in the south.

After several days of bloody battles, Zheng Zhiming shed tears of blood the moment he saw Pei Zan, and shouted, "Grand Commander!"

Pei Zan stepped forward, patted the deputy general's shoulder and arm, and praised him, "You've worked hard."

Zheng Zhiming lowered his head in shame. The young master of the Pei family had been properly taken care of, but no matter how many times his men secretly searched Qingzhou, they could not find any trace of Lin Rong.

If the woman is found dead... she was most likely abducted and raped by those barbarians.

But he had seen the women, children, and the elderly who had been tortured and killed by the barbarians. Their bodies were used and then discarded, with not a single piece of good flesh on their bodies, nor any clothes to cover them. It was a truly pitiful and horrifying sight...

Pei Zan remained silent. He calmed himself down and divided the troops he had brought back to the south into several waves. He dispatched his generals to lead troops to support the six prefectures, while he personally led 50,000 troops to attack Qingzhou and then advance towards Liang and Long prefectures.

Zheng Zhiming moved his lips, looking puzzled: "The Lianglong area is not under our jurisdiction, so why does the Grand Commander send troops to our aid?"

Pei Zan gripped his sword hilt and mounted his horse: "Since I intend to reach the top, I must treat the people of Wei equally... They are also people of Wei."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Zhiming felt deeply ashamed. He knelt down and accepted the order: "This humble general understands. This humble general will do his utmost to protect the people of Wei and will not disappoint the Grand Commander!"

-

Pei Zan knew he was late, but he comforted himself.

At least Lin Rong's body has not been found yet, and at least she disappeared in Qingzhou... If she is clever, she may have escaped, or if she is resilient, she may have survived.

Lin Rong is so timid, she must be waiting for him.

The Pei family's troops arrived with overwhelming force, like a surging torrent, sweeping through the enemy lines with unstoppable momentum, and in the blink of an eye, they were locked in a fierce battle with the well-equipped barbarian soldiers.

Pei Zan, wielding a long sword, took the lead.

As his long blade slashed down on the Tibetan cavalrymen with their deep-set eyes and high noses, he tasted the intense scent of blood and felt a surge of fierce killing intent. Only then did he realize that he had gone mad and was single-mindedly focused on avenging Lin Rong.

The longsword, sharp enough to cut through iron like mud, pierced through the enemy soldier's throat in an instant. However, with a twist of the wrist bone, the sword's intent cut through the wind, tearing open the enemy soldier's flesh, causing blood to gush out, along with his intestines, which spilled onto the ground.

The crimson blood blossoms, like withered plum blossoms, splattered onto Pei Zan's alluring and handsome face. He stood tall and elegant, his black hair flowing over his shoulders, calmly shaking off the flesh and blood from his blade.

Inside the tent, a Wei woman with red, tear-filled eyes timidly looked up and met the gaze of the killing god before her.

Before she could even utter a word of "benefactor," Pei Zan had already ridden away, leaving behind only the corpses of Tibetan cavalrymen.

It's not Lin Rong.

It's not Lin Rong...

No one is Lin Rong, so he can't find Lin Rong.

Pei Zan galloped wildly on his horse, like a heroic war god descended to earth.

He gripped his longsword, launching a rapid and fierce attack, his fighting spirit intense. With each swing of his cold sword, several heads rolled to the ground beneath his hooves.

The ground was littered with severed limbs and mutilated bodies, and everywhere was covered in blackened blood and yellow sand.

Qingzhou has been recaptured, and Pei Zan has now sent troops deep into Liang and Long prefectures.

His generals obeyed his orders and focused on defending against the enemy, while Pei Zan rode his horse, wielding a blade, and led his troops to attack the Tibetan enemy camp outside the pass.

With the Pei family's army providing support, the people were immediately inspired and followed Pei's army to fight the enemy!

They wielded knives and sticks, and even five-year-old children fought for their parents who had died unjustly!

Pei Zan stayed up for several days and slaughtered all the enemy cavalry in Champa.

The man's sword roared, shaking the heavens and earth, like a stream of silver light, causing the barbarian enemy to retreat in defeat and collapse.

Pei Zan rescued countless Wei people, yet he remained unmoved by the repeated calls of "benefactor."

He had no interest in exchanging pleasantries with people, nor did he care whether they were grateful or not.

Pei Zan only wanted to find people; he only wanted to reclaim what belonged to him.

Pei Zan listened attentively to the suffering of all living beings, the boundless calamities, and the sea of ​​life and death. Only then did he realize that... all living beings suffer, and Lin Rong is the true god or bodhisattva.

She clearly received the mandate of heaven, accepted his incense offerings, and took his Bodhi prayer beads.

Lin Rong clearly came to save him... so why did she abandon him halfway through the rescue?

Even Lin Rong doesn't want him?

Pei Zan pursed his thin lips and remained silent for a long time.

He was afraid to see Lin Rong, who had suffered so much, and he was also afraid that he would never see Lin Rong again... Although he was wicked, he was considerate in bed. He never thought of hurting, injuring, or harming Lin Rong. He was extremely afraid that Lin Rong would suffer outside and be abused.

Pei Zan felt a stabbing pain in his heart and lungs, blood and foam rising to his throat, and a persistent stabbing pain in his chest.

He suddenly turned his head, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his phoenix eyes growing even colder and more ferocious.

Pei Zan sheathed his sword and looked at the corpses scattered across the grassland, a question lingering in his mind... He didn't understand, how far should the killing go? How could they possibly find Lin Rong?

Bodhisattvas do not save evil spirits, but could they show mercy to them just once?

"Lin Rong, it seems... I can never find you again."

This time, it seems Pei Zan has truly lost Lin Rong.

Author's Note: This is Monday's update [hugs]

The later parts aren't too angsty; they're more about the protagonist pursuing his wife, so I think it'll be a happier story. [Hugs] I'll write it slowly.

Previously, Lin Rong believed Pei Zan was her savior. Finally, this day came when Pei Zan realized that Lin Rong was his true savior. [Let me see...]

No extra chapter on Monday, I'll try to make Tuesday's a bit longer =3=