Chapter 705: We Have People Inside the Pass (Part 1) [Two-in-One]
"Snap out of it, justice!"
Shen Tang's extremely beautiful face loomed large before Luan Xin, startling him so much that he took a step back, cupped his hands in apology, and said, "I was just lost in thought and didn't know what the lord had instructed. Please forgive me."
Shen Tang laughed loudly and said, "I said—"
"Snap out of it, justice!"
Upon hearing this, Luan Xin blushed slightly in embarrassment.
Seeing this, Shen Tang decided not to bully the honest man: "What were you thinking about so intently just now? You didn't even respond when I called you."
She knew Luan Xin's reaction time was slower than average; if he used the scholar's way, his reaction speed would be comparable to dropping from 4G to 2G, but he hadn't used it today. So, this slow reaction was simply because he was distracted. Luan Xin pursed his lips, seemingly deep in thought.
"My lord, Li Shisong is dead."
The shadow that had tormented him for years was thus dispelled.
He personally severed Li He's head.
Everything happened so fast and smoothly that it felt somewhat unreal to him, yet what he had just witnessed was still vivid in his mind…
"I know, you're still carrying his head, aren't you?"
Reminded by Shen Tang, Luan Xin looked down at his hand and nearly dropped his sword. He then realized that he had carelessly tossed away Li He's head long ago and hadn't brought it back at all. He looked at his lord, who was already laughing so hard he could hardly breathe.
Chu Yao patted Shen Tang's back lightly, seemingly helpless but actually kind and indulgent: "My lord, please stop bullying Gongyi."
It's rare to find an honest scholar among the literary figures of Wenxin.
Luan Xin looked at Shen Tang, his usually serious expression softening with a touch of composure. His brows relaxed, and his eyes seemed to sparkle with newfound energy. He said, "It's no trouble to bring a smile to the lord's face."
It was still quite a while before dawn.
Shen Tang urged the two scholars to go back and rest early.
He specifically mentioned Chu Yao: "Although Wu Hui is a scholar with a literary spirit and a protective aura, he is, after all, an older man and not as energetic as a young person. He will not be able to handle staying up for several nights in a row. I'll have the logistics department make you some ginseng soup later."
Even after Shen Tang happily skipped away, Luan Xin stood there still puzzled—Chu Yao was very old.
He glanced at the smiling young scholar beside him; apart from his striking long gray hair, there was nothing about him that suggested he was "old." Chu Yao didn't offer any further explanation, simply wishing him well before the two returned to their respective tents.
Luan Xin's good mood vanished the moment he saw Gu Chi. The latter wore a cloak for warmth, and his hair, which had been neatly tied up during the day, was now hanging down freely. Luan Xin saw Gu Chi, and Gu Chi saw him too: "Congratulations."
Luan Xin hummed in agreement.
He had no interest in knowing what Gu Chi was doing out there in the middle of the night, dressed like a dissolute playboy. He turned to return to his tent. Just as he lifted the tent flap, before he could even step inside, he heard Gu Chi behind him go berserk, asking him, "Qiu Wenyan has been kind to you, the lord has been kind to you, and Luan Gongyi, which of these two favors do you value more?"
Luan Xin looked at Gu Chi impatiently.
"Gu Wangchao, what's wrong with you in the middle of the night?" Both favors were rare beacons of light in his otherwise gloomy life, and both held great significance for him. Luan Xin was unwilling to compare their importance. He had both blasphemed his deceased former master and offended his lord.
Gu Chi simply smiled and narrowed his eyes slightly.
He said, "It's nothing, you can take it as a provocation."
"you--"
These words were so powerful that Luan Xin wanted to draw his sword upon hearing them.
"Gu Wangchao, why do you have to find someone to make things unpleasant at this time?"
Gu Chi simply smiled and took a step back with his right foot. This act of retreat calmed Luan Xin's anger somewhat—no matter how big the conflict between him and Gu Chi was, it shouldn't have been brought into the open at this time, as it would not only put his lord in a difficult position but also easily spread and become a laughing stock for the Dragon Slaying Bureau's allied forces.
After Gu Chi left, Luan Xin still did not know the purpose of his visit.
Gu Chi didn't mean anything by it; he just wanted to see if Luan Gongyi's heart was still with him, because his lord was a "heart thief." Whether civil or military, male or female, it seemed there was no one she couldn't win over. Such methods were truly "terrifying."
I slept soundly through the night until dawn.
The atmosphere inside the Chorye Pass was not good.
The newly appointed garrison commander, who had been parachuted in, came to Wei Shou to demand the return of his men.
Wei Shou rubbed his throbbing temples from a hangover, his reeking of alcohol nearly forcing the new garrison commander to back away: "Asking for someone? Who do you want to ask for?"
"Naturally, it's Supervisor Li. Didn't you host a banquet for him last night? I have some matters to discuss with him, but I couldn't find him, so I came to ask you if you know his whereabouts?"
Wei Shou sneered inwardly.
Of course he knew that the other person had gone to have tea with the King of Hell.
He said, "His legs are his own, how can I control him? We drank together last night, but his tolerance for alcohol is like a cat's pee, it really ruined the mood. Such good wine, he said he couldn't drink anymore after half of it and asked to leave. Why don't you go to his lodgings and summon him again? If he's not there, perhaps he's gone to check the supplies and provisions?"
The newly arrived garrison commander said with a grim face, "We've searched everything."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shou couldn't help but take it seriously.
He asked the newly arrived garrison commander in a deep voice, "Really?"
"Naturally, it is true."
Wei Shou lowered his arms, seemingly displeased, but actually preemptively striking: "What's wrong with this guy surnamed Li? First he ran off without a word, without even informing us, then after a day and a night of fooling around, he disappeared again. What kind of place is Liguan? As the military supervisor, he keeps disappearing every few days. If the enemy sets up a strong attack now and something goes wrong, can Li Shisong bear the blame? No way, when I see the emperor, I will definitely submit a memorial to impeach him severely!"
Wei Shou spoke with righteous indignation and stern words, while the newly arrived garrison commander opened his mouth but could not utter a word. An unpleasant bluish tinge appeared on the area of his face not covered by his beard; even a blind man could tell he was unhappy. But, for whom did he look so displeased?
Hehe, Wei Shou didn't care at all.
He feigned ignorance and asked, "Don't you think so?"
"Indeed, indeed..." The newly arrived garrison commander could only agree, forcing himself to force a smile that was more like a grimace. "The supervising officer's dereliction of duty is indeed something that should be reported to the king for impeachment."
Both he and Li He were under orders from King Zheng Qiao, and naturally dared not alert the enemy at this critical juncture of internal and external troubles. He couldn't help but wonder, did Li He really have other business to attend to, leaving without informing him? Thinking about it, it wasn't unreasonable; that man prided himself on his high status and always looked down on ordinary military officers. Li He had set off to persuade Shen Tang to defect without even informing him…
Wei Shou asked him bluntly, "Do you have anything else to do? If not, I'd like to have someone fetch water for my bath."
To avoid arousing suspicion, he deliberately exuded a sour, alcoholic stench that was unbearable not only for others but also for himself. His wife was very particular about cleanliness, and having lived with her for so many years, Wei Shou had gradually developed the habit of washing himself daily.
The newly arrived garrison commander returned empty-handed.
As soon as he walked away, Wei Shou's face darkened.
He clicked his tongue in disdain.
While taking a bath, he summoned his subordinates and trusted confidants.
Wei Shou has relinquished military command of Chaoli Pass, and he can no longer command the troops stationed there. However, after so many years of fighting in the south and north, Wei Shou has also built his own private army. This private army consists of elite soldiers handpicked from thousands, each capable of taking on ten men.
This is sufficient for the current situation.
He beckoned to his trusted subordinate, signaling him to come closer. The subordinate understood and leaned in. Wei Shou whispered a few words in his ear, the meaning of which would be unclear even to outsiders.
Special code words, absolutely top-notch confidentiality.
The subordinate's eyes widened in surprise, and he exclaimed, "General!"
Wei Shou glanced at him, startling the man into retracting the words he was about to say. The subordinate's heart pounded like a drum, wondering why his general had suddenly decided to rebel against Zheng Qiao and even prepare to work for the Dragon-Slaying Bureau's allied forces. There had been no sign of him turning against them before.
No--
There is still a little bit.
An official inappropriately thought of "Chu Liangliang".
If nothing unexpected happens, his general's change of allegiance is definitely related to this person. He stammered, "But General..."
Wei Shou sneered, "Are you scared?"
The subordinate officer immediately patted his breastplate and said, "This humble general's life belongs to the general, how could I possibly be afraid of death? But general, is this matter reliable? Although the current ruler is not a good person and has a bad reputation, at least he has never withheld our military pay..."
If it weren't for earning a living, who would risk their life? This makeshift operation, the "Dragon Slaying Bureau Alliance," doesn't look well-off. In this era without a national anti-fraud app, Wei Shou's experience looks exactly like a victim of telecom fraud.
Wei Shou sat in the bathtub, watching the steam rising from the water.
He sighed and said, "If the military pay is insufficient, I still have some in my private treasury, enough to last for a while. After this period, even if Chu Wuhui is shameless, he should release the man. There is no reason in this world to make people risk their lives without feeding them. Don't worry, I won't treat my brother unfairly."
Upon hearing this, the subordinate's expression became even more strange. Wei Shou, his face dark, asked him, "What are you thinking? Your face looks as strange as if you've eaten shit?"
"Haha... This humble general is just marveling at how good the general's relationship with that Chu Liangliang really is..." The general is preparing to throw his life savings into the water, ready to lose everything.
Wei Shou snorted, "You don't understand."
Consider it repaying Chu Wuhui for the kindness he showed back then.
While Wei Shou was making intensive preparations, the Dragon-Slaying Bureau's allied forces were also preparing to concentrate their forces for the initial assault on the city. Since Wei Shou was now one of their own and could coordinate with them from within, Huang Lie and the others, after some secret discussions, decided to abandon the duel under the city walls.
By rapidly advancing in siege, we can draw the attention of the main defending force, creating an opportunity for Wei Shou's men to launch a counterattack. Once the gates of Chaoli Pass are opened, the battlefield can be pushed into the pass, allowing for a coordinated attack from both inside and outside, easily capturing this strategic pass of Yanzhou. Beyond the pass lies flat land. At that point, we can divide our forces, launch multiple attacks, and finally reunite to fight Zheng Qiao in the decisive battle at Ganzhou. Therefore, this battle is of paramount importance!
With the defense map of Chao Le Pass and the experience from the first time, the Allied forces had no difficulty in deploying and adjusting their forces.
The only thing that bothered Shen Tang was—
Our side needs to cooperate with Tao Yan and Qian Yong.
Others might tolerate it, but Shen Tang couldn't. She immediately spoke up and refused the arrangement: "Alliance Leader Huang, I will not cooperate with that Tao fellow. I don't know what the others do, but I do know that if I join forces with him and accidentally get carried away, I might kill his soldiers as well. Let me make this clear from the start! If Alliance Leader Huang doesn't mind, cooperation isn't out of the question..."
Everyone was stunned, and Tao Yan became the target of everyone's criticism.
He said angrily, "You surnamed Chen, what do you mean?"
Shen Tang stood up, placing her feet on the table: "The literal meaning."
Tao Yan was enraged and glared at her angrily.
Huang Lie had become immune to Shen Tang's various mishaps, and he calmly asked, "When did Tao Jun offend Shen Jun? If it's not some deep-seated grudge, could Shen Jun give us face and postpone the matter until later? Now is the time to unite as one."
Clearly, Shen Tang wasn't going to give him face: "This Tao Shenyu has a blood feud with one of my trusted men who wiped out my entire family! I have a lot of bad habits, one of which is siding with my own people regardless of right or wrong, not to mention that he's not even in the right. Even without this, given Tao Shenyu's character, he might betray his ally. Who can I reason with then?"
Seeing that Huang Lie was embarrassed, Zhang He stepped in and switched places with Tao Yan. His reason was quite good: "I have some old friendship with Prefect Shen and we have worked together before. We have better understanding than others."
Huang Lie had no choice but to agree.
Tao Yan's face remained dark throughout.
Other allies would occasionally glance at him.
Because fortunes change, even in chaotic times, massacring entire families is generally not a common practice; doing so is too ruthless and tantamount to cutting off one's own path. They were all curious about Tao Yan's motives for wiping out Shen Tang's entire staff.
"Shen Youli, you really have guts!"
Tao Yan's eyes were fierce. He snorted and turned to leave.
Shen Tang made a face at his departing back.
Then I heard a soft "pfft".
She looked in the direction of the voice and saw Qian Yong, one of her enemies. He suppressed his smile and said, "I don't like him either."
But that doesn't mean I find Shen Tang pleasing to the eye.
The decisive battle was set for the next day, before dawn.
The newly appointed garrison commander of Chaoli Pass was still snuggled in his warm bed when someone outside called out in a panic, "General! General!"
He has a bad temper in bed: "What are you yelling about? Are you trying to summon a ghost?"
The guard knelt on one knee, half of his armor stained with blood, and said urgently, "The enemy is attacking the city! General, please go to the front lines immediately!"
The ward's drowsiness vanished instantly.
"What? The enemy is attacking the city? They're courting death!"
The soldiers were anxious, but the commander was not.
Given the current morale of the allied forces, unless they win two or more battles, it's uncertain how many lives they'll lose to take the current Chaoli Pass. The defending general bet that this disunited, makeshift team didn't have the courage. He put on his black boots, grabbed his clothes and pulled them on, and said unhurriedly, "What's the panic? This little show of force has scared you out of your wits? Go get my sword!"
The guard who came to deliver the message was dumbfounded.
"The situation on the battlefield is critical; General, please proceed immediately!"
The garrison commander then noticed the soldiers' appearance, his initial doubt turning into a jolt of alarm. Without even bothering to straighten his clothes, he grabbed his sword and donned his armor. Pushing off the ground, he shot towards the city gate like a dazzling star. Soon, the sounds of battle cries and deafening war drums filled the air. A hail of orange-red arrows rained down from outside the city, forcing him to quicken his pace.
He shouted, "Who dares to invade Korea—"
Before he finished speaking, a sword light slashed up from below the city!
The garrison commander felt a chill run down his spine and unleashed his martial energy.
"You brat, how dare you!"
_(:з」∠)_
(End of this chapter)
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