Chapter Sixty-Four: The Fish Hopes for the Fisherman's Wishes
I wonder if it's just my imagination, but the trees in Jizhou seem much greener than when I left. The bamboo curtain in front of the governor's office has been hung up again, and the lush bamboo shadows in the courtyard, bathed in warm sunlight, rustle gently in the breeze.
"My lord, Master!" Yang Xiao's joyful voice rang out in the courtyard, "We're back."
The next moment, the curtain was flung open, and dazzling sunlight streamed into the hall along with Yang Xiao, dazzling everyone's eyes.
A halo of light suddenly flashed across the invitation card in Zhong Li'an's hands. Hearing the sound, he chuckled and closed the invitation card stamped with the official seal of Jie Liang. He looked up at Yang Xiao, who was standing by the door, and said, "Why are you so happy to come back from scouting the terrain? Come in and have a cup of tea."
"My lord, strategist." Bai Ming followed Yang Xiao through the curtain into the hall, and bowed to Zhong Li'an and Qi Kun.
"Why are you two so excited?" Qi Kun looked at Yang Xiao and Bai Ming and couldn't help but smile meaningfully. "Could it be that one of you has some designs on your minds?"
Yang Xiaogang nearly spat out the hot tea she had just drunk. She coughed twice, quickly swallowed the tea, and then waved her hands repeatedly at Qi Kun, saying, "Master, a gentleman sees through things but doesn't say anything."
"Could it really be true?" Cen Xun stood up and patted Yang Xiao's shoulder, looking down at her with a hint of excitement. "After waiting for seven years, you finally couldn't wait any longer?"
Qi Kun leaned against the table with a sigh, "This is a good thing, why can't we say it?" After saying that, he looked back at Zhong Li'an and teased with a smile, "If we had known, we would have let them fight alone earlier."
Zhong Li'an also stood up with a smile, looking gently at Bai Ming and Yang Xiao who were at a loss. "It seems that my letter of request to fight back then did not mean to bring this couple together." He chuckled and pointed at Yang Xiao and Bai Ming. "Back then, when I saw the military order that Ling Yu sent me and the letter of request to fight that I was about to send to Zhao Qing, I always felt that something was going to happen between these two."
"It seems you had this planned all along, my lord." Cen Xun looked at Zhong Li'an and couldn't help but chuckle. She then patted Yang Xiao's arm. "You too, do you remember what you said to Zhao Qing when you were drunk?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao quickly gestured for Cen Xun to be quiet. A blush crept onto her face, and she frowned slightly as she pointed at Cen Xun. "Tongxi, you should stop now. He has already told me about this." She lowered her head and helplessly rubbed her forehead, then said with a wry smile, "I will never drink again."
Zhong Lishuo, who had been standing nearby, had already disappeared. He flew to Bai Ming's side, raised his hand and wrapped it around his neck. "How was it? My little note worked, didn't it?" He patted Bai Ming's shoulder. "If you ask me, you should have confessed to her a long time ago. If I were Ling Yu, I would have beaten you up by now."
The once peaceful and tranquil room instantly erupted in chaos. Yang Xiao, seemingly overwhelmed, waved her hand with a laugh, "Alright, alright, let's stop talking about me and get down to business."
Upon hearing this, Zhong Li'an smiled and nodded at Yang Xiao, "You two are also on important business." He then composed himself, his teasing expression fading, and sighed with a smile, "Alright, how did you two glean from your expedition?"
“That’s quite a gain.” Before Zhong Li’an could finish speaking, Yang Xiao suddenly stood up as if she had perked up and walked towards Zhong Li’an’s table. “My lord, may I borrow some paper and pen?”
Zhong Li'an chuckled as he watched her excited expression. He helped tidy up the table and then called out, "Someone, bring me pen and ink."
“What we saw in Runan this time was that there are two places in the mountains around the main city of Nanyang that are very suitable for ambushes.” Yang Xiao took a paperweight and spread it on the paper that the soldiers had placed on the table. Then he took a brush, dipped it in ink, sat down on the ground opposite Zhong Li’an’s table, and began to sketch with quick strokes.
Seeing this, everyone gathered around. They watched as Yang Xiao lightly sketched on the paper with her pen, and in no time, the general terrain appeared on the paper.
“Lingyu, your drawing is… much better than what those scouts drew together.” Zhongli Shuo frowned as he looked at Yang Xiao’s detailed topographical map and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, “With this navigational ability, it’s a pity she’s not a sentry officer.”
Upon hearing this, Zhongli An couldn't help but chuckle and tapped Zhongli Shuo on the head. "Lingyu traveled all the way to join me. With such great abilities, why give up being a general and choose to be a sentry?"
The crowd burst into laughter again. In a short while, Yang Xiao had finished drawing the blueprints. As if she had accomplished a great task, she stood up, leaning on the table, and moved the paperweight away. "Alright, look," she said, lightly tapping the drawing with her pen, "the trees on the sunny side of this mountain are lush, but the branches and leaves will not be particularly dense in early spring." She looked up at Zhong Li'an, "but if we raise dust to create a spectacle, accommodating five hundred people would not be too much."
Zhong Li'an followed Yang Xiao's pen strokes, pondered for a while, and nodded, "This place isn't too far from the city, so we can provide timely assistance if anything happens."
Qi Kun leaned on the edge of the table, staring at the blueprints, and pointed to the slope behind the city. "Are you planning to ambush a group of archers here, connecting the inside and outside, and acting according to the situation?"
“That’s right,” Yang Xiao nodded, turning to look at Qi Kun. “Is there a problem?”
Qi Kun smiled and shook his head, then gently tapped the map. "It's not a problem, but it's far from enough." He looked up at Zhong Li'an. "Chen Rang's words may not be credible, but one thing is true."
Zhong Li'an looked up at Qi Kun, frowning slightly, and asked, "What do you mean by that, strategist?"
“Although Jie Liang of Nanyang has considerable ambitions, his most fatal flaw compared to you, my lord, is that he doesn’t understand how to care about the people’s feelings.” Qi Kun stood up and pondered, “So what he said earlier, that the people of Nanyang hope you can take over Nanyang, should be true.”
Zhong Li'an nodded slightly. "That's why he was so confident that he could put me above the common people, forcing me to come."
“That’s right,” Qi Kun nodded and tapped the now-dry topographical map. “The archers aren’t very formidable. If we want to take advantage of the divided public sentiment in Nanyang, it will probably be difficult.”
Seeing this, Zhongli Shuo also turned his head to ponder, "Could it be that you, strategist, intend to replace these archers with infantry? So that we can attack the city as soon as chaos breaks out?"
Qi Kun chuckled and shook his head. "No, but what Yu De said makes sense." He looked up at Yang Xiao and Bai Ming. "This slope can be used to ambush more than a thousand people, but only three hundred archers are needed. When the signal is given, you should create a disturbance and try to make the city fall into chaos without a fight."
Cen Xun knelt beside Yang Xiao, gazing intently at the map, and nodded. "The strategist is absolutely right. This way, our troop strength is reduced, and civilian casualties are also less." She looked up at Yang Xiao, "The preparations outside the city are complete, but what about inside the city?"
“I will go into the city,” Yang Xiao nodded confidently to Cen Xun. “I will lead twenty vanguard members of the Eagle Squad into the city to scout the route three days in advance. After Yu De enters the city, I will guard the area around the county seat and act according to the situation.”
"You're going into the city?" Before Yang Xiao could finish speaking, Zhong Lishuo stood up happily.
"What's wrong?" Yang Xiao asked with a smile, "Do you need something from me if I go into the city?"
Zhong Lishuo then realized he had almost let something slip, and quickly waved his hand, changing the subject: "How could I possibly bribe my comrades?"
Yang Xiao chuckled upon hearing this, "What is all this nonsense? Are you still half asleep?"
“You know how to find your way better than Qing,” Zhong Lishuo casually remarked, “and you’re even more clever than him.”
Yang Xiao smiled and pointed at Zhong Lishuo, "Why are you still trying to sow discord?"
"Alright, alright, you lot," Zhong Li'an chuckled and shook his head as he saw the situation was about to get out of control. He then looked up at Yang Xiao and Bai Ming, "Lingyu, Zhaoqing, when you went to scout ahead, Jie Liang's invitation also arrived."
He reached out and handed the invitation to the two of them, saying, "The requirements mentioned inside are indeed as demanding as we had anticipated."
Yang Xiao held the invitation with one hand, while leaning close to Bai Ming and frowning as she looked at it. "Attending the banquet alone, no swords, daggers or other weapons allowed, please put down your guard and enjoy the feast..." She couldn't help but clench her fist in anger, "Isn't this just too inhumane?"
Bai Ming closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and then looked up at Zhong Li'an, "They're just betting on whether we dare to go or not."
“Zhao Qing is absolutely right. Since they dare to gamble, let’s go along with it and get involved.” Zhong Lishuo patted Bai Ming on the shoulder. “We’ll adapt to the situation, catch them in the act, and give them a good reputation.”
Bai Ming smiled and looked back, "He had better turn against you and surrender the city as soon as he sees you."
"That would be wonderful..."
"Wait a minute, don't get ready yet." Yang Xiao raised her hand to stop Zhong Lishuo, frowning as she looked at the invitation and muttered, "We can't bring weapons... what about your seven-foot-long sword?"
Zhong Lishuo sighed softly and shook his head helplessly. "It's definitely not suitable for use at banquets. As for in the city, that depends on your skills." He spread his hands towards Yang Xiao. "To be honest, if I really can't bring it in, I can use any other sword."
"It seems... we have to pretend to be a member of an opera troupe and sneak in." Yang Xiao nodded and pondered for a while, then looked up at the crowd. "What opera troupe doesn't need some fancy moves or something?" She turned to Bai Ming as if she had suddenly thought of something. "Right?"
Bai Ming immediately understood her meaning, "You want to mix Yu De's knife into the spear and the long-handled sword, right?"
Yang Xiao smiled and nodded, then looked back at everyone and asked tentatively, "How is it? Is it feasible?"
“As long as the city gate guards don’t check each group one by one, there won’t be any problems.” Qi Kun nodded and looked at everyone approvingly. “In this way, the issues of weaponry and ambushes are all resolved. Yu De’s soft armor is also ready. Now we are all set and just need to wait for the appointed day.”
"That being said, you must still be careful." Zhongli An stood up, looking at everyone with a gentle yet worried expression. "I am extremely grateful that you have gone on this mission in my place. It is getting late, so please return to your tents to rest. Time is of the essence, and the supplies that the ambush troops, attendants, and Lingyu are carrying need to be carefully checked."
He looked at Yang Xiao and frowned slightly. "There are still ten days until the Spring Equinox that he set. To be on the safe side, Lingyu, you should set off in three days."
Seeing this, Yang Xiao also stood up, clasped her hands in a fist salute to Zhong Li'an, and said, "In that case, we will take our leave first, and we will make sure that there will be no mishaps on this trip."
-
Yang Xiao accepted the order and walked thoughtfully into the tent.
It's easier said than done. When the time comes, where will she find all the necessary headdresses, costumes, and weapons? She rubbed her temples, gave Zhang Ping and Mu Fei a brief explanation, and then walked into the tent with a head full of worries.
Nanyang is a great place. If we don't seize this opportunity, wouldn't it be even more difficult to take it back later?
Forget it, if all else fails, let Zhong Li'an go look for it.
Thinking of this, she sighed with a smile and turned to light the fire in the stove. Just as she sat down to brew a pot of tea, a soldier rushed in from outside to report.
"Report! General Lingyu! General Yude has arrived."
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