Chapter 51
◎A warm touch pressed against his lips◎
Although this sound wasn't as booming as Tieshan's, it was still full of energy and anyone who wasn't deaf could hear it.
Anyone who has served in the military knows that having generals criticized by soldiers is tantamount to public humiliation.
The army camp was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Xie Yutang looked in the direction of the sound.
This man, Yue Hongcai, was a battalion commander in the third battalion. He was in his thirties and had a remarkable record of military achievements. He was well-regarded in the army, and his soldiers respected him greatly. Xie Yutang glanced behind him and saw a neat and orderly squad of twenty men standing behind him. Although a few soldiers looked hesitant, none of them stepped forward.
This Yue Hongcai does have some ability to manage his subordinates.
Xie Yutang remained calm and composed, Yue Hongcai remained composed in the face of danger, and it was Chen Bingliang, who was the least noticeable among them, who was anxious.
Yue Hongcai belonged to the Third Battalion, and the battalion commander of the Third Battalion was Chen Bingliang.
The failure to manage subordinates strictly is the fault of the battalion commander.
When Chen Bingliang was chosen by Xie Yutang, he was both surprised and delighted.
He was shocked because he was just a minor imperial inspector patrolling the outskirts of the capital. Although he was doing quite well, who was Princess Ning'an? He hadn't accomplished anything, so why was she taking a liking to him? Could it be a trap?
What delighted him was that he had managed to infiltrate the Northern Expeditionary Force and was even appointed as the commander of the Third Battalion, a position second only to General Xie Yutang and Deputy General Su Lu—what was this? It was an immense fortune! He could easily gather enough intelligence to keep the Northern Rong in check, and he could ask for as much money as he wanted.
Therefore, from the moment he took office, Chen Bingliang made up his mind to avoid trouble, stay out of the limelight, and quietly make a fortune.
He was very much like a spy from the Northern Rong and a slave to two masters.
But before this plan could even be implemented, this troublemaker came along and started a fight.
Chen Bingliang had previously laughed at Chen Biao and at his subordinate, Wu Laogou, who was known for his foul language.
But now he felt like he was the laughingstock. Yue Hongcai usually seemed quiet and unassuming, but he suddenly caused him a huge mess!
This has dragged him, who just wanted to live a low-key life, into the spotlight.
Chen Bingliang, having lived in the capital for some time, was exceptionally skilled at reading people and flattering. Before Xie Yutang could question him, he had already put on a smiling face and devised a way to shift the blame: "Your Highness, please don't..."
To everyone's surprise, Xie Yutang didn't give him a chance to shift the blame and went straight to Yue Hongcai, who had stirred up trouble.
"You're not convinced?"
"Of course I disagree."
Yue Hongcai was not afraid at all. "What do you know? Have you ever been to the battlefield? War is not child's play. It involves human lives! Don't think that you can trick people into risking their lives just because you have some money. I've seen too many corrupt officials like you. You don't treat people like human beings. You just love to use other people's lives to fill your own selfish desires!"
The entire room fell silent.
The soldiers behind Yue Hongcai turned pale with fright and tremblingly reached out to pull him back, saying, "Boss, don't say anymore..."
"I'm going to say it anyway!"
Yue Hongcai shook off the man, "You talk a good game now, but when it comes to actual fighting, are you going to go in yourself?"
Before he could finish speaking, with a clang, Leng Feng had already pressed himself against his neck.
Xie Yutang gripped the hilt of his sword, coldly staring at the person in front of him.
Yue Hongcai sneered, then stretched his neck and said, "I only have this one worthless life, do with it as you please!"
"Kneel down."
Xie Yutang said, "Those who abandon their armor before battle deserve to be executed."
"Enough with the nonsense, just kill me, poop—"
Veins bulged on Yue Hongcai's forehead, and sweat poured down his face. The last word seemed to be forced out from his dantian, and he could no longer speak.
Only then did everyone realize that Xie Yutang had somehow placed the sword blade horizontally on Yue Hongcai's shoulder, and the sword was humming and emitting a faint vibrating sound.
Xie Yutang actually channeled his inner strength into his sword, overwhelming Yue Hongcai to the point of kneeling.
Most people in the army knew of Yue Hongcai's abilities. He was exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and his internal martial arts prowess was unmatched. On the battlefield, he could take on ten men single-handedly. If he weren't so upright and inflexible, and didn't know how to flatter or ingratiate himself with superiors, he wouldn't still be just a lowly sergeant.
With a thud, Yue Hongcai knelt heavily on the ground.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a giant drum beating on everyone's heart.
Even Yue Hongcai himself couldn't believe it.
Xie Yutang's single sword strike was enough to force him to kneel and bow his head, while he, having exhausted all his strength, could not withstand it for more than three breaths.
Yue Hongcai's eyes were bloodshot, and his heart was filled with horror.
Is this the Princess Ning'an who is rumored to be extravagant, licentious, and domineering, even bringing male lovers into her tents while leading troops into battle?
"In the siege, I will personally take to the field and share life and death with all my soldiers."
Yue Hongcai suddenly looked up and realized that Xie Yutang was answering his question, "Would you go to war yourself?"
She actually said, "We'll share life and death, and advance and retreat together."
Xie Yutang walked to the armor that was still soaked in mud and water, and to everyone's astonishment, he stepped on it with one foot, flicked his toe, and the armor drew an arc and fell straight into the campfire.
"you!"
Yue Hongcai's eyes were bloodshot.
He provoked us in public, and even if he deserved to be punished, he shouldn't have been humiliated like this. Having his armor destroyed was more shameful than forcing him to kneel in public.
Yue Hongcai scrambled to his feet, disregarding everything, and rushed into the campfire.
Xie Yutang flicked his wrist, and the hilt of his sword blocked Yue Hongcai's path.
"After the city falls tomorrow, I will use the enemy general's golden armor to reforge it for you."
Yue Hongcai's every move came to an abrupt halt.
He stared blankly at the woman in front of him. The firelight illuminated her eyebrows and eyes, revealing an extremely beautiful face. The unadorned face, covered by a cold, hard helmet, exuded a kind of awe-inspiring majesty.
Everyone in the room remained silent, watching the burning campfire and the two people beside it.
Only Su Lu loosened his grip on the scissors, exhaled, lowered his eyes, and curled the corners of his lips.
She transformed deliberate provocation into promises of reward, securing her position of control with just a few words—her master didn't need anyone's protection; she herself was the giant tree and high wall protecting others.
The flames instantly engulfed the armor, and the old rust on the armor was reflected in the firelight as if it were bloodstains. The mottled copper nails fell off one by one in the flames, making a faint crackling sound.
The soldiers held their breath, watching the scene in silence. The firelight reflected on their faces, as if igniting the passion in their hearts.
"Damn it, I'm going to fight too!"
"I'll go too, slaughter those Northern Rong brats, and get myself a golden armor too."
...
Then, a few more soldiers got up and joined the line in front of Xie Yutang.
Chen Bingliang breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and quietly pulled himself out, wisely minimizing his presence, only giving Yue Hongcai, who was still stunned, a fierce glare.
The number of people willing to fight reached five thousand.
The army, concealed by the dense forest, was temporarily kept in the dark by the Northern Rong people inside Snow Wolf Pass. Xie Yutang ordered that preparations be made within a day and a night, and that the attack would be launched at sunset the next day.
*
That night.
Xie Yutang gave the selected 4,000-strong assault team a detailed plan for the next day's raid. The plan was detailed down to each column, and corresponding countermeasures and breakout schemes were set up for all possible scenarios.
The soldiers who did not step forward were also assigned tasks.
"Deputy General Su."
A soldier spoke up, stopping Su Lu who had come to inspect the city, "The siege is imminent. Although we are not in the assault team, it is our duty to provide logistical support and sharpen our swords and arrows for our brothers who are at the forefront. But this..."
He shook the straw figure in his hand, his brows furrowed into a knot, and said with difficulty, "General Xie actually wants us to make straw figures and cut tree branches here... Could these dummies really go into battle and kill the enemy?"
Seeing this, the other soldiers also spoke up.
"Yes, Deputy General Su, what exactly is the intention behind this?"
"Could it be that we're being punished specifically because we didn't stand up for ourselves?"
"The general wouldn't be that bored."
Su Lu simply sat down beside the haystack, picked up a handful of straw, and started making straw figures by hand. "I'm not making you do these things as punishment. Believe me, every straw figure you make will play a vital role on the battlefield."
His tone was calm, and although he was younger than some of the soldiers, he exuded an aura of authority that commanded respect without anger, as if he were born for the battlefield and had already commanded countless subordinates and led countless battles. His confidence and strength, which gave him complete control, made people want to follow and pledge their loyalty.
Seeing that he was down-to-earth and sat on the ground working with everyone, the anger in their hearts dissipated considerably. Although they still didn't understand why he did this, they stopped questioning him and focused on making the straw figure.
...
Su Lu returned to his tent two hours later.
After making straw figures for almost half a day, even he couldn't help but feel soreness in his elbows. He planned to go back to camp to take a shower before going to Xie Yutang's place. But when he lifted the tent flap, he found Xie Yutang sitting at his table, writing something with his head down.
Snow Eagle, perched on her shoulder, heard the sound and tilted its head to stare at him.
Su Lu paused for a moment: "Why has Master come?"
Xie Yutang continued writing with his head down, asking instead of answering, "Did you go to see them make straw figures?"
"yes."
Xie Yutang knew his whereabouts, and this realization made Su Lu's eyes crinkle slightly. "With a major battle imminent, and none of the battalion commanders of those three battalions being reliable, it would be better to keep an eye on them."
Xie Yutang put down his pen, rolled up the note, stuffed it into the small bamboo tube of the snow eagle's claw, lifted the tent flap, patted it, and the eagle silently disappeared into the sky.
Lowering the curtain, Xie Yutang watched him carefully washing his hands in front of the copper basin. Such beautiful hands, though the ashes could be washed away, the red marks on his fingers could not be easily erased.
"Fine, I'll watch, but you insist on doing it yourself. Can't we make a straw man without you?"
Su Lu paused in scooping up water, then turned his head and said, "Master... are you worried about me?"
He especially liked calling her "master," and although the sound was plain, the ending tone was incredibly alluring, even more so than the male prostitutes in the music hall.
Xie Yutang coughed, turned his gaze away, and put his hands behind his back: "Have you made all the arrangements with Chen Bingliang?"
Seeing that she was deliberately changing the subject, Su Lu did not press her. He nodded and said, "Xie Shiyi is keeping an eye on things, but there has been no unusual activity yet."
Yue Shiyi was Xie Yutang's bodyguard. After the two had a frank conversation, they placed their complete trust in each other, and Xie Yutang also gave Su Lu the authority to mobilize Xie's bodyguards.
"Chen Bingliang does have some brains after all; he wouldn't be so restless now."
As Xie Yutang spoke, her eyes were fixed on the boy who was wiping his fingers clean one by one with his head down. She couldn't help but sigh again in her heart, how could someone be so good-looking?
Su Lu draped the handkerchief over the edge of the basin and was about to speak when she stopped abruptly when she looked up and met Xie Yutang's gaze.
The way she looked at him was different from any other time before.
Like a leopard eyeing its prey, it hesitates whether to immediately bare its claws and pin the prey down, or to linger and play with it a little longer.
The boy's Adam's apple bobbed in vain, but he couldn't utter a word.
"The attack on the city will begin tonight."
Xie Yutang walked in, grabbed his wrist, looked at the red marks on his fingers, and traced them with his fingertips. "This is the first battle since the Little Prince Muqing was reborn, isn't it? Are you nervous?"
He had just dipped his hands in cold water, so her hands were exceptionally hot, and every inch of skin he touched tingled with a tingling sensation.
Su Lu tried to pull his hand away, but couldn't. He forced a smile and said, "It's alright, what's the big deal—"
His wrist was suddenly pulled, and a warm touch immediately pressed against his lips.
Time stood still at this moment.
Breathing stopped.
His mind went completely blank for a moment, and after a few breaths, this thought vaguely arose in his mind—
She was kissing him.
First, she touched his upper lip, then tilted her head to the left, gave him a light peck at the corner of his lips, and tentatively touched his teeth with the tip of her tongue.
The boy's breathing, which had just recovered halfway, suddenly stopped, his whole body stiffened, and almost instinctively he opened his mouth, his teeth clenched, allowing her to penetrate him.
The expected tactile sensation did not occur.
What was pushed in was a pill; she pressed it against the tip of her tongue and forcefully, in a way that left no room for refusal, put it into his mouth.
Su Lu's fingers, hanging at his sides, curled up silently.
Her long eyelashes trembled, and she let out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh before obediently swallowing the pill.
Upon separating, both of them were somewhat at a loss.
"...What did Master feed me?"
Su Lu broke the silence first, his voice carrying a seductive hue that he himself was unaware of.
Xie Yutang rolled her eyes at him: "Poison."
"Let's see if you dare to eat without asking what it is again."
"I'd take anything my master gives me, even if it's poison," Su Lu chuckled. "Besides, with the Spirit Control Guide inside me, what's there to be afraid of?"
The poison of the Spirit Control Inducing Toxin is domineering and unrestrained. Once ingested, there is no antidote for life. Because this poison is so potent and strong, it is enough to eliminate all other poisons. Therefore, those who ingest the Spirit Control Inducing Toxin will never be poisoned by other poisons again.
"You also know about Spirit Control Technique."
His nonchalant attitude infuriated Xie Yutang. "It's been a whole month since you last took the medicine. If you don't take the antidote today, the poison will take effect immediately after midnight."
"You'll know how bad it is when you beg your grandpa and grandma for mercy."
Su Lu listened attentively, but his words were enough to infuriate anyone: "Since it's so powerful, why don't you keep it for now, Master, and use it to punish me next time I displease you?"
He tentatively touched the back of her hand with his fingertips, and seeing that she did not refuse, he slowly climbed up and carefully took her hands in his palms and pressed them against his chest.
"You can deliberately withhold the antidote from me, so that I'll learn my lesson and never dare to be reckless again."
"Um?"
Those eyes were so full of affection; when they gazed at you with all their heart, even a second longer could make you feel like you were drowning.
"Where did you learn to be so glib and smooth-talking?"
Xie Yutang pulled his hand away, turned and walked out of the tent, "Get ready to attack the city."
*
At the same time, inside Snow Wolf Pass.
Yu Chi Duohan slammed the memorial onto the table.
"Tell me what happened!"
"Reporting to the general, the city was bustling a few days ago. The soldiers couldn't understand the Khan's language and just thought they were getting used to our Northern Rong rule. It wasn't until today that they learned that someone was spreading rumors that Xie Yutang had led an army of 100,000 and had already surrounded Xuelang Pass, demanding that we open the city gates and surrender."
"Nonsense! The entire garrison in the capital doesn't even number 100,000. Even if it did, would Emperor Chongde, with his character, entrust such a large force to one person?"
"It's all over the city now, saying that Xie Yutang knows evil magic and has borrowed... borrowed ghost soldiers."
"What ghost soldiers? It's obviously just a bluff!" Yu Chi Duohan was furious, her ominous premonition growing stronger. "Why aren't you arresting the person spreading this rumor?!"
“General, it’s not that we don’t want to arrest them, but those spreading the news are just too scattered. We arrest one batch, and another batch comes out. They just appear out of nowhere, one after another… There are storytellers, newspaper distributors, and even beggars going from street to street singing something like… “Mars invades the chariot of ghosts, and the ghost army borrows the road.”
"It was all arranged by Xie Yutang!"
Yu Chi Duohan grew increasingly alarmed as he listened. The people were ignorant; if they truly believed this nonsense, the city would likely fall. "Kill them! Immediately issue the order: anyone who spreads rumors again will be executed on the spot!"
"You mustn't do that, General."
The deputy knelt down and kowtowed, "We have just captured Snow Wolf Pass, and the people in the city do not yet trust us. Now that the Da Yan army is at hand, if we massacre them, I'm afraid it will arouse public anger, and the consequences will be unimaginable."
Yu Chi Duohan kicked the table over, scattering lamps, candles, pens, and paper all over the floor: "Then tell me what to do—"
Before he could finish speaking, a thunderclap rang out in the dark night sky, and a soldier with blood on his face scrambled into the hall, crying out, "Lord, something terrible has happened!"
"Xie Yutang has led his army to attack the city!"
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