Chapter 765: Irreconcilable Enemies (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Qin Li stared coldly at the person who spoke.
He, who always prioritized the greater good, could no longer contain himself. He stood up abruptly, pointed at the other party, and passionately declared, "Even if Da Yi truly harbors resentment, guess why he would? You petty thieves, hypocritical and obsequious in public, but ruthless and scheming behind the scenes! Da Yi merely asked for leave and didn't come; he didn't humiliate you, much less try to take your life. He's already being magnanimous!"
These words caused an uproar among the crowd.
The person Qin Li pointed at and cursed was even more furious, baring his teeth in anger.
"Hey Qin, what are you barking about?"
"You cowardly scoundrel! Because of you, Da Yi lost a brother. How can you still have the face to live on?" Qin Li said with an undisguised contemptuous sneer, "Da Yi is afraid to kill you for fear of getting his hands dirty!"
Upon hearing this, the man's temple veins bulged and his eyes widened in fury as he roared, "You, surnamed Qin, are nothing but a spineless, homeless dog! If it weren't for Tianhai, you and that crude scoundrel Zhao Dayi would probably still be thieves and bandits in some ditch. How dare you bully me like this?"
Qin Li raised his hand to the sword at his waist, gripping the hilt as if to draw it, and sneered, "I will never forget the kindness of my lord. But you, you ungrateful, shameless scoundrel, don't know what it means to be utterly ashamed!"
He refrained from making a move, but the other party didn't think so.
Still believing Qin Li's act was merely a bluff, he drew his sword with a whoosh and charged forward, roaring as he tried to kill Qin Li. However, the two ultimately did not fight.
"Enough!"
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Wu Xian roared, and the others quickly pulled the two men away. The situation remained perilous, with menacing enemies lurking throughout Ganzhou. Dealing with them was exhausting enough; now their own people were fighting amongst themselves.
"Let me go! Let me go! I have been humiliated by Qin Gongsu today. If I cannot make him pay the price, how can I have the face to live?"
Qin Li raised his hand and pushed away the person who was blocking him.
He said, "Since I have no face to live on, I might as well draw my sword and commit suicide."
If the other person really wants to die, he can just draw his sword and stab himself in the neck. What's with all the fuss? Qin Li then said to the others who were trying to stop him, "Let him go! I want to see what this guy is capable of and make me pay the price!"
Wu Xian frowned and said in a low voice, "Gongsu!"
Looking at his lord Wu Xian, who was still trying to smooth things over and maintain a semblance of peace at this critical juncture, Qin Li felt a sudden wave of weariness wash over him. He endured it for a while, but finally released his grip on the sword hilt. Wu Xian rubbed his throbbing temples and said slowly, "I'll trouble Gong Su to go and see Da Yi. As for this matter—once we return to Tianhai, I will definitely give him an explanation and put his mind at ease."
Wu Xian backed down.
Qin Li could only cup his hands and say, "Yes."
When he met Zhao Feng, the latter was wiping his sword with a handkerchief stained with blood. Before he could speak, Zhao Feng raised his hand and said indifferently, "Gongsu, if you're here to act as a peacemaker for our lord, you don't need to say that."
Qin Li looked up at a small grave mound in the distance.
With a soft sigh, he lifted his robe and sat down next to Zhao Feng, saying, "Dayi, I'm not here to mediate between you."
A hint of surprise appeared on Zhao Feng's blank face. Qin Li naturally did not miss the subtle change in Zhao Feng's face. He couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself. He looked at the small grave mound and said, "I'm sorry. Because of me, you have suffered a lot of grievances over the years."
After a long while, Zhao Feng still did not respond.
He simply sheathed his sword with a swish.
After examining him for a while, he finally spoke: "What did my lord say?"
Zhao Feng was perfectly healthy; everyone knew he had deliberately taken leave to see Wu Xian's reaction.
Qin Li hesitated for a moment, his tone tinged with disappointment: "My lord said that once we return to Tianhai, he will definitely give you an explanation."
"Back to Tianhai?" Zhao Feng savored the four words, then finally managed a mocking smile. "Once he's back in Tianhai, I'm afraid the big issue will be downplayed, and the small issue will be forgotten. The so-called 'explanation' will simply disappear without a trace. Isn't this what our lord always prefers? That fellow has many clansmen helping our lord, and his family is also involved in marriage alliances with other Tianhai families... The relationships are incredibly complicated. Can our lord really be so heartless as to give me an explanation? Telling me to endure it a little longer, since I've already endured so many times... But why should I endure it again and again? Do you really think I, Zhao Dayi, am a woman without any skills to make a living, only able to rely on men and retreat again and again?"
If you count carefully on your fingers, three of Wu Xian's other five powerful generals are connected to that villain's network of connections, related by blood or marriage. If Wu Xian were to give the explanation Zhao Feng wanted, it would be tantamount to offending three of his top generals for him.
Zhao Feng had no hope for Wu Xian's explanation.
At the very least, Wu Xian's proposed solution did not satisfy him.
Qin Li: "..."
What's with this strange metaphor at the end?
Before he could even process what was happening, Zhao Feng suddenly stood up, his scabbard pointing at the small grave mound. Tears were already streaming down his face. "Gongsu," he said, "why should we have to endure and back down again and again? Have I, Zhao Dayi, not risked my life for him enough?"
Qin Li remained silent. He knew that Zhao Feng needed to vent his anger, not to be comforted or advised, as that would only add fuel to the fire.
Zhao Feng gripped the scabbard tightly in one hand and clenched his fist in the other.
Looking at the lonely little grave, Zhao Feng covered his face and wept bitterly. His usually robust and reassuring physique, like a small mountain, now appeared helpless and pitiful. He choked back tears and asked Qin Li, "Gongsu, how can I tell my brother and sister-in-law about him..."
Qin Li was unable to answer.
Dying on the battlefield is the fate of most brave warriors.
However, the owner of the small grave did not die from this.
Zhao Feng hastily wiped away his tears, squatted down in front of the small grave, looked at the wooden tombstone bearing the name of his trusted subordinate, and said in a voice that Qin Li could hear clearly: "...Gong Su, do you know, the happiest days of my life were in He Yin. Back then, I led my brothers to cultivate the fields and build kang beds in He Yin... These are not the kinds of jobs a warrior should do, but he said that even if he couldn't fight anymore, he could stay with his family and wouldn't starve with his skills... Fighting and killing are truly disgusting!"
He cried out, "He shouldn't have died!"
After so many years of fighting, Zhao Feng's original brothers dwindled in number, with only his trusted subordinates remaining by his side. They came from the same place, and Zhao Feng had said more than once that he would bring them out alive and bring them back alive. But what was the result?
Zhao Feng only saw his mutilated corpse.
Most of his brain was cut off, so he could only recognize people by the remaining half of his head. They couldn't even piece together a complete corpse!
Mingming, as long as he goes back alive this time, he will be able to see his first grandchild, a rare three generations living together in this world!
Zhao Feng was also a man who had seen many life and death.
If it were just a normal death in battle, Zhao Feng would never say another word; he would collect his brother's body and give him a proper burial.
But it was deliberately dragged to its death by someone!
This was solely because the man was Zhao Feng's trusted subordinate, and solely because Zhao Feng had offended someone and had irreconcilable conflicts with them.
How could Zhao Feng swallow this insult?
Qin Li couldn't answer either. Lord Wu Xian's handling of the matter had truly offended the greater good; in the past, given Wu Xian's strong sense of righteousness, he would never have uttered such resentful words. However, Qin Li also understood why this matter hadn't been addressed immediately.
Zhao Feng sneered: "...It's nothing more than thinking that he came from a humble background, merely a subordinate official under my command, an insignificant nobody...Moreover, his death wasn't directly caused by that person; that person simply failed to provide timely support. Who can prove that he was holding a grudge and delaying, rather than that the support was slow? If someone were to kill someone for this, I'm afraid the others in Tianhai wouldn't agree."
Zhao Feng flew into a rage over a subordinate official, and it was his aggressive behavior that put his lord, Wu Xian, in a difficult position. Qin Li remained silent for a long time upon hearing this—it must be said that Zhao Feng's assessment was quite accurate.
"Gongsu."
Qin Li asked, "You want revenge?"
Zhao Feng, his eyes red, raised his hand to look at the officer's sword and sneered, "I'm going to use this sword to chop off his dog's head with my own hands! Gong Su, if you stop me, we'll never see each other again!"
Zhao Feng valued Qin etiquette more than Wu Xian.
The fact that he said these words at this moment shows how determined he is to kill.
Qin Li raised his hand and cast a spell to block eavesdropping. He then placed his hand on Zhao Feng's shoulder, signaling him to calm down. Zhao Feng thought Qin Li was going to persuade him to prioritize the overall situation again, and was slightly disappointed. But Qin Li said, "Make your move, but not now."
Zhao Feng looked up into Qin Li's eyes and saw a murderous intent surging within those dark, calm eyes: "An eye for an eye. How he drags people to their deaths, he'll repay with his own life. There's no reason for us to always back down, there's no such reason!"
This matter poses a significant hidden danger.
If the outsider faction, led by Qin Li, were to tolerate this matter, it would undoubtedly send a dangerous message to the Tianhai faction.
Since they'll tolerate any losses their faction suffers for the sake of the bigger picture, then next time they face a similar situation, they can use the same methods to eliminate any of them. They might even go further than this time! Qin Li isn't a coward; if he continues to tolerate this, it won't just be a matter of him becoming a demon, but a matter of losing all prestige, face, and being abandoned by everyone!
He doesn't have much left, he can't afford to lose any more!
Seeing Qin Li like this, Zhao Feng was at a loss.
He hesitated, "Gongsu, but this way..."
Zhao Feng's actions were justified because he had a legitimate reason to act, claiming it was to avenge his brother, but Qin Li wasn't directly involved. However, if Qin Li were to intervene, the situation would become serious, essentially exposing the factional conflicts within Wu Xian's ranks directly to the public.
Qin Li said calmly, "Old Cui is gone, right?"
Zhao Feng's expression froze, and he awkwardly looked away.
Qin Li was unaware that Old Cui had left without saying goodbye.
I wonder how much sorrow Gong Su felt.
Qin Li wasn't really sad.
Zhao Feng kept his dissatisfaction and grievances towards Wu Xian to himself, but Old Cui never tolerated it and wore it on his sleeve. Given his personality, it was surprising to Qin Li that he had endured it until now before leaving.
Zhao Feng stammered, "Yes, yes..."
Qin Li sighed, "If I had known this day would come."
He looked at his palm and said with a self-deprecating smile, "If this matter cannot be resolved, I'm afraid you will also be disappointed and leave, even if it's for the greater good."
Zhao Fengdao: "It's not that bad."
He looked at Qin Li intently.
"Young Master Qin is more important than our lord."
Before the fall of the Qin state, Qin Li was often addressed as "Prince" by the royal family and nobles. After the fall of the state and the destruction of his family, his branch of the family was forced to wander and flee. Qin Li then abandoned the previous title and had Zhao Feng address him by his courtesy name. But now, by resuming the title, he is telling Qin Li that no matter what he does, he will support him and never abandon him.
Qin Li stared blankly at the light drizzle.
After a long pause, Zhao Fengcai asked about his deepest worry.
"What if the lord objects..."
Qin Li said calmly, "He can't stop it."
By the time Wu Xian discovered it, the body was already cold.
But these words did not dispel Zhao Feng's worries. He said, "However, what if those people from Tianhai band together to put pressure on our lord and demand an explanation? Gongsu, you will be in danger."
It's better to let him handle this alone.
Qin Li closed his eyes slightly: "I have asked myself, and I have done my best all these years. I have never done anything to betray my lord. If he handles it this way, it can only prove that our fate has come to an end."
He was never a blindly loyal person.
Before wholeheartedly assisting Wu Xian, helping him build his power and smoothing things over, he was also a member of the royal family and had his own pride. Over the years, he has tried his best to maneuver and endure the various provocations and difficulties from the Tianhai faction, all to repay Wu Xian's kindness from back then.
Gratitude is not indestructible; it also needs to be carefully maintained.
Zhao Feng was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Qin Li's response. After a long silence, he could only sigh, secretly worrying for Wu Xian—it didn't matter if his lord disappointed Old Cui or him, but he mustn't let Gong Su lose heart as well.
Once your heart is broken, it can never be undone.
He gazed at the small mound of graves in the distance, thinking to himself, "Old buddy, don't walk too fast. Watch how we get revenge for you! We'll make sure that scoundrel dies a horrible death!"
The Dragon-Slaying Scheme had developed to this point, something probably no one had anticipated, including the ambitious Gu Ren. At this moment, he was filled with regret. If there were a pill for regret, he would sell everything he owned to take one, never wanting to come back.
"Huang Xiguang, I will never forgive you! This is an irreconcilable feud!" Gu Ren's voice echoed through the valley, filled with heart-wrenching despair.
In the rain, he cradled a already cold corpse in his arms, beside which lay another mangled body, its skin bluish and almost unrecognizable. This corpse's arm had been severed at the root, its lower leg missing, and a wound had cut the upper body in two, held together only by a thin sliver of flesh. The sight of this gruesome scene brought Gu Ren to tears. Rainwater mingled with his tears, flowing to his lips, a bitter, salty taste spreading through his mouth. In just a few days, he had visibly aged more than ten years, his once straight back now hunched over.
"Big brother..."
"Big brother—"
The remaining brothers were devastated.
Upon closer inspection, almost everyone was covered in wounds, and the stench of blood was overwhelming. The remaining soldiers also looked exhausted. Clearly, they had recently gone through a fierce battle.
This encounter resulted in Gu Ren losing two of his sworn brothers.
Chao Lian's eyes were red, and his body trembled slightly with anger.
"I'm going to kill Huang Xiguang!"
Gu Renliu quickly stopped him: "Twelfth, now is not the time to act rashly. The enemy is strong and we are weak. We cannot force our way in!"
Chao Lian was so angry that his back teeth were grinding.
"Did my two older brothers die in vain?"
_(:з」∠)_
Three boxed meals have been sent out.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
