Chapter 1246: Taking a Big Bet [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
With this guarantee, what wouldn't we dare to do?
Qian Yong immediately declared with great enthusiasm, "Alright, with Ning Tunan's words, I, Old Qian, will play along to the end and gamble big with you! This time, I'm not just betting my life and fortune, I'll even stake my last trousers! If we win, I, Old Qian, will host a celebration!"
It's not easy for Qian Yong to say these words.
Qian Yong was a smooth talker, unlike a traditional martial artist. He was very cautious and selective in his social circle, and there weren't many officials in the court who would let him treat them to a meal. Ning Yan smiled and said, "A promise is a promise. General, you're definitely treating me to this meal."
His confidence in his words even drew attention from Kang Shi.
To be honest, even this big gambler wasn't entirely confident, but seeing Ning Yan's composure, his heart calmed down, and he readily accepted the invitation. The previously tense atmosphere relaxed with just a few words, and the tension vanished.
Ning Yan was naturally confident.
Just as she had guessed, Mei Meng wasn't truly united with the alliance of southwestern states. Even her appearance on the front lines this time risked deceiving the emperor, simply because of her previous demotion, her reclusive lifestyle, and the assassination attempt. Her conflict with Cui Zhi had also become public, creating a situation where it was either him or her. With the Qi Kingdom's ruler siding with the aristocratic families, he needed the two powerful allies Cui Zhi had recruited—Gongyang Yongye and Luo Yuan—and naturally, he needed to distance himself from Mei Meng.
In this Dragon-Slaying Scheme, Mei Meng was entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the country.
Although nominally a regent, Mei Meng's advisors were all from prominent families of the Qi Kingdom, and their relationship with her was merely nominal; she held no real power. With the tacit approval of the Qi Kingdom's ruler, Mei Meng was effectively sidelined.
As her influence in the imperial court diminished, Mei Meng simply fell ill.
No matter who comes to the door, they refuse to see them.
No one knew that Mei Meng would sneak out.
When the garrison commander saw her, a look of astonishment crossed his face for a moment: "Isn't Prime Minister Mei here...? How come you're here?"
His tone subtly conveyed wariness and suspicion.
Mei Meng shouldn't be in front of me right now.
“Today, I am not Prime Minister Mei. General, you only regard me as a chivalrous knight-errant.” In the dead of night, Mei Meng, wearing a black cloak with a wide hood covering most of his face, revealing only his signature red lips, said, “General, you may choose to listen to what I say today or not. The choice is yours.”
The garrison commander did not give a definite choice: "Please speak, Minister Mei."
"Tonight, the Kang Kingdom is very likely to launch a night attack on the camp with water. The water level has risen sharply and will spread to both banks. General, please make preparations in advance."
The garrison commander almost laughed at those words.
"Water attack? Tonight? Prime Minister Mei, I have always respected you, but your words are too absurd. Tonight, the moon and stars are bright, there is no wind, no rain, and no fog. How could the water level rise so suddenly? A water attack at night is even more nonsense. Prime Minister Mei, please don't make fun of me. I will pretend that I have never met you today. Please leave."
Mei Meng was not surprised by this response.
This garrison commander wasn't surnamed Cui, but he was indeed trained by a powerful family on good terms with the Cui clan. He didn't openly take sides, but his allegiance leaned towards the Cui. She calmly said, "General, why don't you ask me why I say this, and where my information comes from? Isn't it prudent to make judgments without verification? Kang has secretly built a reservoir upstream; all it takes is opening the sluice gates to release the water..."
The guard narrowed his eyes dangerously.
He didn't quite believe that the Mei Meng in front of him was real.
"How did Prime Minister Mei learn of this matter?"
What reservoir?
I've never heard of it.
It hadn't been mentioned in previous operational meetings.
How could Mei Meng know something that even Qi Guo didn't know?
Or perhaps, Mei Meng knew why she hadn't told the king?
The garrison commander drew his sword with a swift motion, the blade pressed against Mei Meng's neck. With a slight thrust, he could decapitate him: "Who are you, daring to impersonate Prime Minister Mei?"
Mei Meng's tone was flat, as if she herself wasn't the one whose life was being threatened: "I have already used my inside contacts to have the other side sabotage the opening of the gates. If this succeeds, there will be changes within the pass, and Kang Guo and the others will reap what they sow. If it fails, I urge the general to make preparations as soon as possible. That's all I have to say; the decision is up to the general."
The blade left a thin red mark on Mei Meng's neck.
The commander questioned again: "Who exactly are you?"
The person who should be overseeing the country has come to me, unable to produce any irrefutable proof of her identity, and suddenly brings up some water attack and night raid, saying that she had made arrangements in advance. If I really believe her, I will become a laughing stock.
However, the defending general dared not gamble on that one in ten thousand chance.
He then asked, "When will the informant that Prime Minister Mei mentioned take action?"
Whether it's true or false, we'll find out by testing it.
"I don't know."
Mei Meng didn't actually know the exact time.
She rushed over as soon as she received the news, warning the troops to be wary of the reservoir. Even the southwestern kingdoms, skilled in naval warfare, could be utterly destroyed if caught off guard in this situation. By taking precautions in advance, not only could losses be minimized, but they could also use the opportunity to ambush the enemy. The ideal scenario would be a successful detonation from within, causing Kang to be flooded first.
The defending general struggled with his inner conflict and hesitated.
He said, "I will send someone to verify this."
Hearing this, Mei Meng knew that the other party still didn't believe her: "General, it's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't."
"There are all sorts of rumors when marching and fighting. Should we believe them all? If Prime Minister Mei can completely convince me, then I will believe him too."
For example, tell him why Mei Meng knew while Qi Guo did not.
If he can't answer, why should he believe it?
It's good enough if you can be half-believing and half-doubting.
"Please bear with me for a moment, Prime Minister Mei. Once your innocence is proven, I will immediately apologize to you without hesitation!" The garrison commander offered up his simple tent as a temporary residence for the suspect. Just as he lifted the tent flap, he heard a sigh behind him.
"Sigh, it's still too late."
It's unclear whether they were betrayed by an inside source or had already been exposed.
The commander's patience finally ran out, and he flung the curtain aside.
Before the question could even leave his throat, the garrison commander noticed something amiss. The unease stemmed from beneath his feet; something seemed to be approaching him from afar. He focused his martial energy on his ears, instantly amplifying the faint, indistinct sounds—this army was stationed near a water source, so the sound of flowing water was commonplace, but the sound he had just heard was more like the roar of crashing waves, a deafening roar that shook the seas and mountains!
Something's not right, this commotion is strange!
The garrison commander suddenly recalled what Mei Meng had just said.
He stared at Mei Meng with horrified eyes. She stood motionless, her dark eyes revealing no emotion. The commander snapped to his senses, no longer hesitating, and decisively issued the order. It took considerable time for a military order to be given to the entire camp, and even longer for the soldiers to receive it and prepare for battle. However, what arrived even faster than the order was the inexplicably out-of-control, surging water!
The night patrol soldiers initially had no idea where the commotion was coming from.
The warhorse beneath him was quite perceptive, neighing restlessly, and the soldiers couldn't calm it down no matter what they did: "Why is the warhorse suddenly neighing like that?"
"Could something be wrong?"
What's that noise?
They didn't have the same sharp hearing as the garrison commander.
When I heard the noise, I could already vaguely see shadows swaying on the distant horizon and trees lying down along the shore.
Someone mustered up their courage and rode forward to investigate.
They had only gone a short distance when they immediately turned their horses around.
A voice, trembling with terror, cried out: "Quick—quick—!"
The remaining sounds were shattered by the immense force behind them, drowned out by a thunderous roar. Seeing the situation was dire, the other soldiers also began to flee towards the main camp. Their warhorses galloped at breakneck speed, barely keeping pace with the monsters chasing them.
In a flash, someone peeked behind them.
They then realized that the monsters chasing them weren't ferocious beasts at all, but rather surging waves of water! Unfortunately, the weather turned against them; the sky instantly changed, dark clouds gathered, and torrential rain poured down!
"Wake up! There's a huge flood!"
The soldier, who was taking a nap, was violently shaken awake.
"How is that possible?"
In the dim light of night, ordinary soldiers could barely make out the shadows rushing towards them, sweeping everything away. Before they could even shake off their sleepiness, the chest-deep waves had already breached the outermost defenses of the camp.
The soldier screamed and was swept away along with the baggage.
"What's the panic!"
A powerful, resounding voice pierced through the rain.
"Form ranks!"
The southwestern kingdoms were skilled in naval warfare and had extensive experience dealing with water. This experience included, but was not limited to, simple flood control. Ordinary soldiers were caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, while the brave warriors managed to maintain their footing, either riding the waves or fighting against them, thus avoiding being swept away. With the order given, their bodies reacted instinctively, conjuring up special "shields." These "shields" were actually L-shaped flood barriers. Arranged in rows, these barriers cleverly used the water flow to form a wall that blocked the floodwaters.
"continue!"
This flood-proof "shield" can isolate the impact of water flow, and even force the water flow to change course, giving our side time to gain a foothold.
boom--
The wall collapsed with a loud crash.
The water flow returned with even greater force.
The general drew his sword and forcefully broke through the waves, creating a narrow passage. But in the next instant, the separated waters healed as before, as if nothing had happened, mocking the futile efforts of mortals. The general remained unperturbed, calmly issuing a series of commands. He would meet force with force, and water with earth; the only readily available resources here were river water and sand.
The soldiers formed ranks, their morale conjuring sand to build a wall, bolstering the flood defenses. Scholars, with their magical powers, used their words to freeze the enemy. With their combined efforts, they gradually began to take control of the situation. The commander, however, was far from optimistic; he discovered the waters were rising ever higher!
Not only did the water flow increase, but the impact force also became abnormal.
As of now, the enemy is still lurking in the shadows.
He didn't believe that what he was seeing was a natural coincidence.
"ah--"
A soldier screamed, then lost his balance and was swept away by the current. The bloody shadow spread in the water, only to be diluted and washed away in the blink of an eye. From that scream onward, a series of tragic events unfolded. Something in the water was reaping the lives of soldiers!
Is something hiding in the water?
Hehehe, not only are they hiding in the water, but they're also guarding the downstream area.
Qian Yong was initially taken aback by the overwhelming force of the flood. Compared to the southwestern continent, the floods in the northwest were not so frequent, nor were they on a larger scale, and the experience in dealing with them was far less. Imagine if you were the one being flooded; in such a situation, you would most likely be routed, let alone be able to react in such a short time to build walls to keep out the water.
Realizing what had happened, Qian Yong's anger intensified.
He ordered his elite troops to detour downstream early on, specifically to set up nets to intercept soldiers swept away by the current. Kill them one by one!
He personally led his soldiers on bamboo rafts to attack.
"Prepare the bows and arrows!"
Regardless of the consequences, let's fire a few rounds to clear the field!
As the rain continued, the rising water level was astonishing, its force undiminished. Qian Yong's troops, without any assistance, sprinted downstream like arrows released from a bow. He led the charge, instantly reaching the enemy's lines: "Die!"
The other soldiers, under cover, directly mounted their spears.
Like spearfishing, poking one at a time.
Once you push someone downstream, someone will naturally clean it up.
A fierce storm raged, and war drums thundered.
Just as Qian Yong had made his show of strength, two columns of water burst forth from the enemy ranks, blocking his retreat from the left and right. These two martial arts masters not only looked alike, but their movements were also completely synchronized. An uninformed observer might have mistaken it for some kind of avatar technique.
Qian Yong: "..."
A slash to the left, a slash to the right, intercepting simultaneously.
Just as he was about to congratulate himself on his undiminished prowess, the twins simultaneously transformed into a pool of water, merging into the torrent beneath their feet, a chilling aura piercing Qian Yong's back. He had dodged the sneak attack one moment, and the killing intent returned the next. These two weren't particularly strong individually, but their coordinated attacks were troublesome. Qian Yong's attempt to show off failed; he couldn't recreate his imagined feat of riding the waves to claim the enemy's head and return victorious.
"The Five Virtues of a General, come forth!"
Qian Yong cursed inwardly.
Ning Tunan, Luan Gongyi, and Kang Jishou—none of these three literary figures gave him any boosts. Did they think the chaos of battle was unnecessary? Finally, two beams of light slowly descended…
Qian Yong: "..."
The master who had used the incantation held the mast of the bamboo raft, his face ashen.
It was obvious that he was seasick.
Qian Yong: "..."
After all these years, my old family-run pet is still the most reliable!
Qian Yong's strength was already greater than the combined strength of the two men, and he couldn't kill them immediately. However, he was not good at naval warfare and had difficulty controlling his posture in the rapids, while the two men were like fish in water. Along with the boost, Qian Yong gave one of them the great gift of losing an arm.
He scoffed, "What kind of brat dares to talk back to your grandpa!"
Grandpa will always be grandpa, and grandson will always be grandson!
The grandson is provoking his grandfather; he's gone against the Heavenly Gang!
Qian Yong not only severed his opponent's arm, but also seized an opportunity to blast the severed arm into a shower of sparks. The two brothers shared an extremely deep bond; seeing one crippled by Qian Yong's sneak attack, the other immediately went berserk, his muscles beneath his armor bulging to their limit by some unseen force, his physique swelling several times larger. Qian Yong scoffed, "The power of love?"
Unfortunately, wars rely on absolute strength.
The boost that emotions can bring cannot erase the absolute gap!
Thirty-two giant tooth-shaped tokens flew out from above the battlefield!
Below the battlefield, Mei Meng stood on the rushing water.
She looked up at the thirty-two giant dominoes, her fingers clenched tightly in her sleeves. Suddenly, an intense aura of death enveloped her.
She turned her head to avoid the arrow, but it still managed to cut off a strand of her hair.
Before she could think any further, the sword light pierced straight towards her brow.
Mei Meng glared angrily at the person who had attacked her.
After seeing the other person's face clearly, he was stunned for a moment.
"It's been a long time, Miss Mei."
Ning Yan looked at Mei Meng with a half-smile. This place was some distance from the battlefield, and Mei Meng really did not participate in the battle.
"Do you still have guards with you today?"
(*￣︿￣)
The side story is at 2200 words... It's so hard to write! Why were there so many characters back then?!
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