"who?"
"Young Commander, I've heard that your father and Merlin the Conqueror are close friends."
Yang Qingzhi understood what the gray-robed man meant and said, "It's no secret that my father is on good terms with Uncle Nie and that Zhou Jinghuan is close to Miaoyin Pavilion. But the strategist should know that neither Uncle Nie nor the proud owner of Miaoyin Pavilion likes the Southern Zhou court very much, and they never interfere in matters related to military and political affairs."
"But is this merely a matter for the imperial court?"
The man in the grey robe still held his head high and said, "Who are you? You are just a minor commander, not a major commander. How much pressure did the pro-war faction face to entrust 300,000 troops to you? How much pressure did your father endure? If we can't even get through the Lianjiang Gorge, will you and your father... still be able to hold military power in the future?"
The man in the gray robe slowed his speech, uttering each word spaced far apart, his voice sounding like a howl from hell.
His words, in particular, sounded more like a death knell to Yang Qingzhi.
"The Yang family must have made quite a few enemies over the years, right? Without military power, can the Yang family have a peaceful end?"
Yang Qingzhi's pupils contracted, and he said, "I'll write a letter to my father right away!"
The man in the gray robe lowered his head and said, "With Nie Zheng and Cui Wuming joining forces, Zhao Yan is doomed."
Yang Qingzhi pondered for a moment and said to Zuo Zhu, "Pass down the order to cease the siege at dusk. Starting tomorrow, the entire army will rest and recuperate, and set up an ambush outside the pass. Send men to provoke Zhao Yan every day. We will not launch a preemptive attack until we have provoked him to reveal himself!"
"Remember, when it comes to swearing, learn from Zhao Cheng. Swear as nastyly as you can!"
"promise!"
The man in the gray robe said, "It's easy to arrange, young commander."
Yang Qingzhi laughed and said, "Zhao Cheng sent people to insult you, so I'll send people to insult you back."
...
Jingshan Camp.
Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao stood on either side of Zhao Cheng, gazing at the departing figures of Yuan Fei and Cheng Xu riding away in the rain.
The rain has lessened a bit today.
Zhao Cheng reached out to catch the rain, looked at the sky and said, "It's okay if the rain gets lighter, but please don't stop. Give me another ten days of rain."
Zhao Hu asked, "What's so good about this gloomy, rainy day? I actually hope the rain stops."
Zhao Cheng glared at Zhao Hu and said, "Shut your stinking mouth. You're not smart enough to understand."
Zhao Hu looked at the two figures whose backs were already blurred and asked again, "Where did the strategist go?"
Zhao Cheng said, "You're not smart enough to understand."
Zhao Hu grinned and approached Zhao Cheng, saying, "Master, then give me a clear answer so I can help the Third Young Master. I'm itching to fight on the battlefield."
"What if Cui Wuming comes? Heng Wenhao can't stop him with just one knife."
“I’ve already inquired. Cui Wuming challenges the Third Young Master every day, so he doesn’t have time to kill you.”
"What if he sneaks in at night?"
Zhao Cheng hugged Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao tightly and said, "You two have to stay by my side day and night, otherwise I won't be able to sleep!"
Zhao Hu rolled his eyes.
Heng Wenhao laughed and said, "Brother Hu and I are both assassins who came from Black Mountain, but we never expected to become bodyguards."
Zhao Hu said, "If that old monster, the mountain lord, finds out about this, he'll probably be so angry that he'll lose a few years of his life."
Heng Wenhao said, "That's truly retribution."
"Ha ha--"
Zhao Cheng was also very interested in this mountain lord and interjected, "I heard from Ayun that when she bought you and Atao, the mountain lord was already very old. Are you sure the mountain lord is still alive?"
"It's hard to say."
"If he were still alive, what would he be doing now?"
Just then, a soldier came running to report.
"General, the Southern Zhou army has ceased its siege!"
Zhao Cheng didn't seem surprised and said, "After attacking for ten days straight, it's time to give the soldiers a day off."
“But…” the soldier paused, then continued, “they sent many men to shout insults at the pass.”
"Oh?" Zhao Cheng beamed with delight and asked with great interest, "These are all things I've already done before. Tell me quickly, what did they say?"
"This..." the soldier stammered, "They used very offensive language."
Zhao Cheng clapped his hands and laughed, "I'm more interested in things that are awful! Tell me quickly!"
The soldier then said, "They said..."
Zhao Cheng reminded him, "Use the first person. Just say whatever they say. Come on, put this hand on your hip and point this finger at me... Hey, that's it, right, right, right."
"Zhao Cheng, you scoundrel! Didn't you come here to drive us out of Yun Jing County? Why are you hiding inside like a coward?"
"Zhao Cheng, you don't even dare to show your head, are you afraid that I'll shoot your dog head off?"
"What great general! What 'Southern Spy Star'! He's just a coward who's afraid of death!"
"Zhao Yan, you little brat, what kind of bullshit master are you? You only dare to hide inside and show off your broken spear. If you have the guts, come out and fight me!"
"Zhao Huan is the big tortoise, and you two brothers are the little tortoises!"
Seeing the soldier stop, Zhao Cheng urged, "Keep talking!"
The soldier shook his head and said, "That's all."
That's it?
Zhao Cheng stared blankly, then exclaimed in surprise, "Yang Qingzhi can't even swear properly? That's so unoriginal!"
The soldier said weakly, "This... sounds awful..."
"You call this unpleasant?"
Zhao Cheng looked at him with a disappointed expression and said, "When you're insulting someone, remember not to use small animals. It's not offensive; it actually makes them seem cute. Big turtle, little turtle, are you making turtle soup?"
"What kind of word is 'coward'? That's so low-class, are we just kids arguing?"
Zhao Cheng shook his head and sighed, "This has greatly disappointed me."
Knowing his master's nature, Zhao Hu waved to the soldier, signaling him to leave.
Zhao Cheng stood in the rain for a while, lost in thought, and then said, "Heng Wenhao, you go there yourself and find Zhao Yan. Make him issue a strict order: without my command, no one is allowed to leave the pass!"
Heng Wenhao clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes!"
Zhao Hu asked doubtfully, "With this level of swearing, you're worried that someone will be provoked out of the city?"
Zhao Cheng said, "Seeing the soldier's reaction just now made me realize that people's perceptions are different. What is harmless to me may be very offensive to others."
Zhao Hu said seriously, "That's true. No one's skin is thicker than yours, Master."
Zhao Cheng nodded seriously and said, "If Yang Qingzhi arranged for people to hurl insults, then there must be an ambush outside the pass. If the insults have no effect today, who knows if they'll be replaced tomorrow? Yang Qingzhi may not know how to hurl insults, but the gray-robed man may."
Zhao Hu said, "Actually, I don't quite understand. Are we just going to keep guarding like this? Since the Southern Zhou has decided to launch a major northern expedition, they certainly won't give up easily. If we are blocked by Yang Qingzhi at Jiangxia Pass and can't get out, it will boost the Southern Zhou court's confidence, and they are very likely to send reinforcements again."
Zhao Cheng looked at Zhao Hu with some surprise and said, "You're quite good, you've improved!"
Zhao Hu scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
Zhao Cheng put his hands behind his back, looked at the rain, and said, "Just wait. As long as we hold Jiangxia Pass, God will help me."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
