Chapter 1443: Who to Look For? Lin Feng? (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
What are the enemy's and our forces?
Huge disparity!
Enemy/ally configuration?
Fault!
Is this the enemy's doing?
Brutal!
"...This city is definitely not defensible. Judging from the bandits' methods, once they are provoked, a bloody massacre is inevitable..." The advisor pondered for a long time but could not come up with a way to defeat the enemy. It wasn't that this advisor was incompetent, but rather that his predecessors had already tried every possible method. These included, but were not limited to, feigning surrender and launching a sneak attack, luring people in and setting fires, and scorched earth tactics and fighting to the death.
There were quite a few forces that fought desperately along the way.
But these past offenses didn't achieve the desired effect; instead, they fueled the thieves' ferocity, leading to their deaths. Perhaps the ball kicked by a child could end up with one of their heads. They don't have many schemes left.
They also feared that the executioner's blade would fall on their own necks.
"...Can't hold out? If you can't hold out, why don't you try to find a way to hold out?"
The commander was extremely dissatisfied with this answer.
Everyone appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly they all wanted to roll their eyes.
Is it possible to hold out against such a disparity in strength simply by trying to find a way? The difference between the two sides lies in military force, not in intelligence! The most important thing right now is to save our lives from the bandits, not to think about how to die! The men exchanged glances, all sensing that the commander was reluctant to surrender. But based on their years of understanding of him, he wasn't exactly a man of unwavering resolve or one who would rather die than submit.
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, which only fueled the garrison commander's anger.
At this moment, a very clever person whispered a suggestion.
"...Gentlemen, why don't you listen to what I have to say?"
The garrison commander's eyes suddenly lit up, and he hurriedly said, "Go ahead."
The scholar said, “In my opinion, this band of thieves doesn’t care about manpower, treasure, or even occupying the city. They seem to be attacking the city just for the sake of attacking it. In that case, why don’t we send someone to talk to them? If we let them pass, they won’t make things difficult for us.”
The people in the hall fell silent once again.
Tell the enemy not to attack the city, and that our side should open the gates and allow passage.
What's the point?
If you're not after manpower, wealth, and land, what are you after in war? Is it to quickly conquer all the cities on the map with one life? Or to have your entire army go on a team-building trip and enjoy the scenery together? The actions of this group of thieves are so abstract that no one has been able to guess their true purpose to this day.
Everyone thought the suggestion was absurd, but it was exactly what the garrison commander wanted.
He was unwilling to die rather than surrender, even at the cost of his life defending the city, but he was also unwilling to easily bow down and lose face.
What will happen to the reputation he's built up over half a lifetime?
If both sides could reach an agreement, they could simply open the city gates and send these scoundrels away. In this way, they would defend the city and preserve their reputation—wouldn't that be a win-win situation? The general was delighted, but feigned a troubled expression, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "It sounds reasonable, and it could protect the people of the city from the ravages of war. However, I've heard that these bandits are cruel and barbaric, having usurped the throne and committed countless atrocities. Who should we send to negotiate this?"
Once both sides completely break off relations, the principle of "not killing envoys in war" will no longer apply. Not only will they kill them, they might even kill them and impale them on chess pieces, hanging their corpses to dry like cured meat.
Whoever takes on this mission may die.
For a time, no one dared to take on this hot potato.
This stalemate couldn't go on indefinitely. Adhering to the principle of "better to sacrifice a friend than oneself," the hotter the potato, the faster it needed to be disposed of. These people, who were always fighting amongst themselves, suddenly united as one, abandoning their mutually destructive infighting, and tacitly chose a scapegoat. The chosen scapegoat's pupils dilated slightly, seemingly not expecting the task to fall to him.
The guard turned his gaze to the scapegoat in the corner.
He was a low-key young man dressed in dark colors.
He looked only twenty-five or twenty-six, but his eyes and brows betrayed a timid, sullen air about someone in their thirties or forties. He seemed dazed when he was recommended, only reacting after being reminded by those around him. The garrison commander narrowed his eyes slightly, unable to recall the man's name for a moment.
The trusted henchman noticed his unease and promptly revealed the young man's identity, saving the commander from further embarrassment. The commander, seizing the opportunity, entrusted the important task to the young man, grasping his slightly thin hand earnestly: "The lives of all the common people in the city are entrusted to you!"
The young man felt a chill run down his spine but dared not utter a word of reluctance.
He couldn't afford to make excuses to avoid this task.
In the end, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and force themselves into it.
"Please rest assured, General."
Before leaving, the garrison commander reminded the young man to dress smartly, as he was going to the bandits as an envoy to negotiate, and he couldn't lose face. He didn't need to be extravagant, but he also couldn't be too shabby.
Look at the young man's clothes; the cuffs are all frayed.
The young man twitched the corners of his mouth and nodded vaguely.
His colleagues, however, knew exactly why the young man was like this.
Isn't it because the family is poor?
The young man wasn't a local; he took office six months ago, bringing his family with him. Renting houses, buying land, bribing officials—all of these required money. The young man didn't have much wealth, and after dealing with the first two, he neglected his colleagues and superiors, often showing disrespect in interpersonal relationships. Being an outsider with no connections, who else would they ostracize if not him?
No social circle was willing to include him.
However, he was honest and straightforward. When there was something to do, he would be asked to do it; when there wasn't, he would be left alone. He never complained about doing chores or cleaning up messes for his colleagues, which is why he stayed on. Nobody would deliberately target him, but nobody would get too close to him either.
This time, he was thrown out as a scapegoat.
The group discussed and came up with a plan, and soon dispersed.
The young man walked along, preoccupied with his own thoughts. He hadn't even had a sip of warm water after finishing his shift when a colleague came to his door. A faint smile finally appeared on his dull face. He assumed his colleague was worried about him and had come to check on him, but upon seeing the man, he realized that the colleague had come to bring him clothes. Besides the clothes, there were also quite a few accessories, not particularly valuable, but certainly much better than what he currently wore: "All of them were made last year."
Upon hearing the words "last year," the young man's expression stiffened slightly.
His face burned red, yet he couldn't vent his anger.
It was made last year, so it was impossible that he hadn't worn it before. This was clearly old clothing. Even if a wealthy family wore the same clothes several times, they would still be considered old clothing. The two men were also half a head shorter than each other. The young man wanted to refuse, but then he remembered what had happened to him when he offended someone last time.
He murmured a couple of times, his voice barely audible, before thanking them and accepting the food.
A colleague said, "I wish you continued success in your writing career and a smooth trip."
The young man's smile was forced; he only said that he would do his best.
After seeing the man off, the young man stared at the clothes on the wooden tray, finding them increasingly irritating. He was so angry that he had to drink a pot of water to calm himself down. His father, who had heard the commotion, rushed over to ask what had happened. With no one to confide in, the young man poured out his story.
The father said with a troubled expression, "Can't we just postpone it?"
The young man looked down at the somewhat worn teacup in his hand and said bitterly, "If we make an excuse to back out, who knows what other excuse they'll come up with to torment us? Withholding our monthly salary is a small matter; what I fear is being kicked out again. We've finally managed to settle down again, and our lives have just started to improve. If... how could our son bear to do that?"
If you agree to take the risk, there's still a chance of success.
If you don't agree, you'll definitely be in trouble.
Looking at his son's slightly hunched back and sunken shoulders, the father's eyes welled up with tears. He sighed for a long time but couldn't offer a solution. If it were him, he would have sold the entire city.
I wouldn't have the courage to flip the table unless absolutely necessary.
"Then you should be careful."
The young man nodded, most of his face hidden in darkness: "Mm."
The next day, he changed into the old clothes his colleague had given him. Perhaps because he was thin, the clothes weren't as tight as he had imagined, though the hem was a bit short, making the overall look somewhat disproportionate. He rode out of the city alone, heading straight for the bandits' encampment, but before he even got close, enemy scouts spotted him. The young man calmly produced the garrison commander's token.
"By order of my lord, I request an audience with the magistrate!"
"messenger?"
The young man was taken by a scout to meet a cold-faced military general.
When he arrived, the military officer was crouching down, peering into the river to fish using a specially made mousetrap, while several soldiers were lighting a fire to grill the fish. The officer approached and carefully observed the young man, then examined the token the young man had given him, and clicked his tongue in approval.
He raised his hand to let them pass: "Go ahead."
The young man cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you, General."
The general waved his hand, signaling him not to disturb his fishing.
As the young man was being led away, the sound of approaching hooves grew louder. The warhorse didn't stop, but the rider leaped down, landing smoothly without a trace of disarray. Without even glancing at the young man, the rider said to the general, "General Gongxi has been hard to find!"
The general didn't even turn his head: "Is Mama looking for me again?"
"No, it's the military medical team."
As the young man walked away, their conversation gradually faded into obscurity.
I vaguely heard the newcomer ask the military officer, "Who was that just now?"
The military officer said nonchalantly, "He's called an envoy, but who knows what kind of bad schemes he's plotting? It'll just add some fun to the situation."
The visitor said, "This man looks like an honest person."
A scapegoat pushed out by others.
The military officer scoffed, "Is he honest?"
The visitor analyzed, "His clothes don't look quite right. Such fabric requires even more tailoring. The fact that they don't fit means they're not his own; perhaps he borrowed them from someone. If he were a shrewd and worldly person, how could he not find a friend with a similar build to borrow from?"
Considering the fierce reputation they had built up over the past six months, this young man was most likely a marginalized worker ostracized by his workplace.
The military officer thought about it and agreed that it made sense.
He sympathetically remarked, "That's quite pitiful."
I could have been nicer just now.
The young man was so ashamed that he wanted to disappear.
The blush on her face lingered for a long time.
The bandit camp was well-fortified; the young man observed strict discipline and heavy guard along the way, unlike what one would expect from a makeshift operation. He instinctively considered how to break through, but before he could even devise a route, he had already arrived outside the main tent.
The soldier relayed the message, but it took a long time for the person inside the tent to respond.
"You can go in now."
The young man thanked the messenger soldier.
Upon entering the tent, one finds it bustling with activity, filled with both civil and military officials.
They all turned to look at him, and the sudden surge of their aura caused the young man's expression to change slightly, making him look like a weak little rabbit being targeted by a flock of raptors. His demeanor was indeed very humble and weak, his pupils revealing fear, yet he forced himself to appear calm.
He didn't look directly at the person at the head of the table, but instead focused his gaze on the person's neck and below. He wasn't surprised that the person was dressed as a woman, and spoke respectfully: "I am Lin Chun, and I extend my greetings to the magistrate on behalf of my lord."
Sitting at the head of the table, Shen Zixu Tang waved his hand to indicate that there was no need for formalities and asked, "May I ask what brings the envoy on this trip?"
There's no need for just a greeting.
These kinds of tricks, like feigning surrender, are somewhat interesting.
Lin Chun said, "My lord has heard that you, my lord, are unparalleled in strength and bravery, and that your army is one of the most formidable forces in the world. Now that you are approaching the city, the people inside are filled with fear. I wonder what your plans are?"
Shen Tang exclaimed "Ah!" and laughed, "What plans? Of course, it's to attack the city. Or are you here for a spring outing?"
Lin Chun managed to calm herself down and refuted Shen Tang's words.
"If the goal is to conquer cities and seize territory, why did you treat Mang County so badly, my lord?" The Mang County Lin Chun mentioned was the place Shen Tang had just conquered, only to have it recaptured by a betrayal from within its walls the moment he left. Shen Tang didn't turn around and smash the man's head; instead, he continued his attack on the next target. In other words, Shen Tang wasn't overly fixated on seizing territory, at least not absolutely obligated to. If that's the case, then this city didn't necessarily have to be attacked; a compromise could be reached, and everyone would be happy.
Shen Tang smiled and said, "So?"
Lin Chun forced himself to remain calm and continued, "My lord admires the majesty of the magistrate, but cannot bear to see the common people in the city suffer from the turmoil of war. If the magistrate does not reject you, my lord is willing to welcome you with open arms and open the city gates for you."
"Here to surrender?"
Lin Chun said, "My lord has no such intention."
Shen Tang almost burst out laughing.
"...Hmm, you guys have certainly come up with a new trick, at least you're not following the usual routine. I understand what you mean, you just want to use this as an excuse to get rid of this plague god as quickly as possible, right?" Her words startled the young man so much that he broke out in a cold sweat.
The young man replied with trepidation, "I dare not."
"Are you afraid to call me a jinx, or are you afraid to scheme against me?"
The young man hesitated to answer the question.
Fearing that the rumoredly capricious thief might suddenly turn on them and kill them, and that the number of her assassins among those listed on the banners could be counted on one hand or two, the young man, not wanting to add to her enemy's already impressive record with his own life, chose to remain silent.
Shen Tang didn't tease him or make him laugh.
The tone shifted abruptly: "There doesn't seem to be a prominent family with the surname Lin in the city."
My main body is locked in a fierce battle with the Allied forces in the central region, while my avatar's mission is to kill and arson as much as possible in the rear, with conquering cities and seizing territory being secondary. How to kill and who to kill are all matters of strategy.
Catch the big ones, let the small ones go.
Kill the master, release the servant.
They secretly killed the people while the river was still muddy. Even if they couldn't kill them, they would destroy the very foundation upon which the people could rise again.
Shen Tang had never heard of a wealthy family in the city surnamed Lin.
Looking again at Envoy Lin Chun's slightly cramped and somewhat short-hemmed attire, he understood immediately. Oh, the scapegoat pushed out.
Lin Chun maintained a composed demeanor, but her ears turned red with embarrassment.
“He will be taking office here in the second half of the year and is not a local.”
"Oh, from a humble background."
The young man hung his head, feeling as if everyone's gaze was like knives stabbing him, making him wish he could find a crack to crawl into.
He forced a smile and offered a flattering compliment.
"Born of humble origin, I naturally cannot meet the magistrate's approval."
"There's no need to be so alarmed. Being from a humble background is practically a get-out-of-jail-free card to me. If you were from a wealthy and powerful family, I wouldn't be so willing to let you go today." Shen Tang's words made Lin Chun's shoulders tremble slightly, and she didn't dare to utter a sound.
Shen Tang smiled knowingly as she carefully examined Lin Chun: "You're not happy here. Have you been thinking of finding a better opportunity elsewhere?"
('')シ┳━┳
My medical report this year isn't great, sigh.
Why can't people eat to their heart's content and get fat without restraint?
(End of this chapter)
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