Ever-changing, Part Three
After understanding the current situation, Li Letian realized that seven days had passed since the battle at Yunxia Peak. During these seven days, the imperial soldiers and the Black Mountain knights had fought several bloody battles. In the end, led by the Beggars' Sect, the knights emerged victorious.
However, everyone understands that the bloody battle in Montenegro is just the beginning.
This meeting with the leaders of various sects basically finalized the decision to march north to defend the emperor. The Beggars' Sect has numerous disciples scattered throughout the land, and Xiang Yu volunteered to have the Beggars' Sect take on the main role, with other sects providing support from various locations.
The major sects that arrived in Black Mountain were basically in agreement. As for those sects and families that were initially excluded from the conference, they could only be mobilized by Li Letian's proclamation. Li Letian didn't say it aloud, but he was actually quite pessimistic about it. He didn't think that he, a fledgling "alliance leader," had much influence.
However, Li Letian's mind was not on the important national matter of "serving the emperor" and he did not want to get entangled in it, so he readily agreed to the matter of the proclamation.
By late at night, most of the warriors in the camp had left. Xiang Yu, holding the newly drafted proclamation, stepped forward to confirm the details with Li Letian.
"Alliance Leader, we will secretly send this first batch of proclamations to the leaders of each sect to avoid alerting the imperial court prematurely." Xiang Yu paused slightly, "Please take another look at the specific content and see if there is anything that needs to be added."
Li Letian only saw his lips moving, completely oblivious to what he was saying. The words on the paper also became obscure and difficult to understand. "What exactly happened to Miss Xin?"
He Zi'an had already privately informed Su Yishan about Xin Rui'en's situation. Only Li Letian, constantly surrounded by people and a central figure in this uprising meeting, was unable to confirm the details with He and Su. He and Su certainly hadn't expected him to be so concerned about Xin Rui'en's condition.
Upon hearing Li Letian's question, Xiang Yu stopped. He put down the proclamation in his hand and said, "According to the message relayed by my disciples, a man who looks very much like a person from the Western Frontier is leading a woman from the Central Plains northwestward. They are heading towards the Blood Palace."
“I remember this person; he has some connection with your Beggars’ Sect.” Li Letian looked directly into Xiang Yu’s eyes.
“That’s right.” Xiang Yu didn’t shy away from the topic. “It was Chief Du who single-handedly facilitated the cooperation between my sect and the Blood Palace. Actually, I was against it at first, because the Blood Palace is, after all, a cult, and too uncontrollable.”
"And now," Li Letian asked, "has he escaped your control?"
"The Blood Palace's assassins betrayed us in battle, causing the deaths of many disciples in our sect." Xiang Yu said regretfully, "If I had been more resolute in opposing them back then, this wouldn't have happened."
Li Letian was in a state of turmoil. He patted Xiangyu on the shoulder and sighed, "Sign the first batch of proclamations tonight, and I'll head west tomorrow. I'll leave the rest to you."
"Alliance Leader, the Beggars' Sect has no one else to entrust with this task, which is why the elders have given me this appointment. It is also because the Beggars' Sect has the largest number of members that everyone has elevated me to be the temporary commander of this allied army." Xiang Yu's face was filled with shock and fear: "Now that you have returned, there is no reason for me to continue."
“Since you’ve won once, I believe you can win again.” Li Letian replied decisively, “Before I leave, I will explain to the heroes that I will entrust you with various tasks.”
Xiang Yu shook his head repeatedly.
Li Letian glanced at the few people remaining in the tent, only Su Yishan was someone he knew well. "Brother Yishan, I would like to ask you to stay by Chief Xiang's side and lend him a hand."
The unexpected assignment surprised Su Yishan.
“You are someone I trust.” Li Letian nodded slightly. “I must save Miss Xin, and I hope you can help me.”
“I will go with you.” He Zi’an stepped forward at this moment, and he also entrusted, “Brother Yishan, I also need you to explain things to my father.”
Xiang Yu was about to say something when Li Letian raised his hand to interrupt him: "Hero Xiang, with Brother Yishan's help, I believe there won't be any problems. For the sake of all living beings, please don't refuse anymore."
“Since the Alliance Leader is determined to leave,” Xiang Yu sighed, “I have something else to tell you, which may be of some help to the two heroes.”
"But what other news is there about Miss Xin?"
Xiang Yu shook his head. "News has come from the Beggars' Sect branch in the northwest that several merchants returning from their business trips in the Western Frontier have reported seeing a Central Plains man carrying a sword. He had a gold-hilted sword with a coiled dragon pattern hanging at his waist."
“Golden handle, coiled dragon pattern.” He Zi’an covered his mouth, repeating Xiang Yu’s words as he fell into deep thought.
“Yes,” Xiangyu confirmed, adding further details, “The gold handle is inlaid with turquoise and decorated with coiled dragon patterns.”
"You mean Senior Li Zizhan is currently in the Western Frontier?" He Zian asked, puzzled. "But why would he go there?"
“It’s not necessarily the senior.” Xiang Yu shook his head. “There’s just a man who carries this sword and appears in the Western Frontier.”
"According to Chief Xiang's suggestion," He Zi'an pondered for a moment, "we could go and seek help from the Canghai Sword Manor?"
"The journey to the Western Frontier is extremely dangerous. If we can get help from the Canghai Sword Manor, the Alliance Leader and Hero He will be able to take better care of us on the way."
“This is indeed very important news.” He Zi’an agreed with Xiang Yu’s idea. “It’s great that Chief Xiang has gone to so much trouble.”
Li Letian wasn't very familiar with the affairs of the martial world. He could only glean that the trip to the Western Frontier seemed to offer another source of assistance. Regardless of who the other party was, it was certainly good for the plan to rescue Xin Ruien.
"It is our Beggars' Sect's duty to appoint Master Li as the leader," Xiang Yu said regretfully. "It's just a pity that in these extraordinary times, I can't do anything more."
"Thank you for your kindness." Li Letian also expressed his gratitude to Xiang Yu. "In the end, rescuing Miss Xin was a private matter between me and Hero He. We are already very grateful that Chief Xiang has gone to such lengths."
Xiang Yu picked up the sword, stretched out his arm in front of him, and said, "Then I wish the Alliance Leader and Hero He a safe journey."
Li Letian and He Zian exchanged a glance, then raised their swords and clashed them against Xiang Yu: "We also wish Chief Xiang and Brother Yishan a resounding victory."
The candlelight flickered.
Su Yishan also raised his sword, and the figures of the four people in the tent met on the ground.
*
It was past midnight. The lamp in Xiangyu's tent was still lit.
Mu Xiongzhen lifted the tent flap and looked around warily.
“They’ve already left,” Xiang Yu said, looking up from his seat at the table.
"Chief," Mu Xiongzhen said, clasping his hands in greeting, "The list of gangs that haven't yet arrived at the mountain for the meeting has been completed. The brothers are just waiting to write down the manifesto."
“There’s no one else here, so there’s no need to be so formal,” Xiang Yu said kindly. He handed the proclamation to Mu Xiongzhen. “Make copies of the proclamation, affix the seal tomorrow, sign your name, and then you can send it out.”
Having received the proclamation, Mu Xiongzhen showed no intention of leaving. He hesitated for a moment, but finally lowered his voice and asked, "Should we secretly send a message to the two seniors in Peach Blossom Spring about Li Letian's return?"
Where are they now?
"After receiving the intelligence we provided, Liu Mengde headed northwest to track Ling Guang. Wang Wenfang headed southwest, towards the area where members of the Misty Rain Pavilion were known to frequent. The two should have parted ways by now."
“Continue to provide Wang Wenfang with information about the members of the Misty Rain Pavilion.” Xiang Yu thought for a moment and said, “Continue to lead him south. Avoid Li Letian, the farther the better.”
"But isn't his cooperation with us precisely to find Li Letian's whereabouts?"
“Li Letian is still useful to us now, so he can’t die,” Xiangyu replied. “It’s not too late to tell him Li Letian’s whereabouts when our Beggars’ Sect has taken control of the situation in the future.”
"Understood."
"Furthermore," Xiangyu instructed, "the first batch of proclamations must be carried out in secrecy, without letting a word slip. We need these two knives from Peach Blossom Spring, and we cannot let them realize that we have deceived them."
"Don't worry, Brother Xiang. I'll personally oversee this."
Xiang Yu nodded. "I feel much more at ease having you do it."
"What should we do about the Blood Palace?"
"It's such a pity," Xiang Yu said with regret. "Such a good team of suicide soldiers died like this. If it weren't for showing our stance to Liu Mengde, we wouldn't have had to go to this extent."
"If Ling Guang hadn't run away, we could have taken him out too." Unlike Xiang Yu, Mu Xiongzhen felt more disgust. He didn't have any good feelings towards the Blood Palace to begin with, and he had only tolerated it for the sake of the Beggars' Sect's cause.
“He probably thought we were all doomed, so he just left.” Xiang Yu’s words carried a hint of disdain. “But in terms of the outcome, it might have been a good thing for us. He’s no pushover. If he were still here, our siege of the Blood Palace’s assassins wouldn’t have been so easy.”
"But what is the relationship between that Miss Xin and him? Why did Ling Guang take her away?"
"I don't understand this either." A moment of confusion appeared in Xiang Yu's eyes.
"I only hope that Liu Mengde can kill him as he wishes." Mu Xiongzhen expressed his concerns: "If the leader Ling Guang does not die, they will definitely take the opportunity to return to the Central Plains to seek revenge when the world is in chaos."
"Seeking revenge?" Xiangyu countered, "Why would you seek revenge?"
Mu Xiongzhen frowned.
“You’re wrong again, Xiong Zhen,” Xiang Yu said easily. “We will not declare war on the Blood Palace.”
"But……"
"Go and summon Wen Liang. I need to write a letter for Wen Liang to take to the Blood Palace." Xiang Yu spread a piece of paper on the table and said, "Tell the leader of the Blood Palace that the people of the court have wiped out all his disciples."
Wen Liang was the young man whose clothes had bird patterns on them.
"Is that guy reliable?"
“That guy was the first to arrive at Yunxia Peak,” Xiangyu recalled. “He had enough courage and the ambition to change the status quo at all costs. Such a person will definitely be of great use to us in the future.”
"Should we arrange for a trustworthy Beggar Clan disciple to accompany us?"
"If you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them." Xiang Yu picked up his pen, preparing to write the secret letter to be sent to the Blood Palace. "You focus on writing the proclamation; leave the Blood Palace matters to Wen Liang. This is also a test for him."
Mu Xiongzhen accepted the order and walked out thoughtfully.
“Xiongzhen,” Xiangyu said with an encouraging smile, “remember, things are accomplished in secrecy.”
“I understand, Brother Xiang,” Mu Xiongzhen said.
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