Starry night planning to resolve the crisis
Chapter Quote: Dengzhou was in a state of emergency, and Huangfu braved the wind and waves to escape, and his clever plan temporarily secured the Northeast Banner.
---
Having escaped Wu Yong's murderous Hongmen Feast, Yan Qing returned to his residence, shutting the door behind him. His back was soaked with sweat. He leaned against the door and slowly exhaled. Although he had narrowly escaped this night through quick wit and a good grasp of the situation, Wu Yong's sinister, unwilling gaze lingered in his mind like a venomous snake, reminding him that the crisis was far from over.
However, the more pressing matter at the moment is the news that Sun Li of Dengzhou is critically ill and dying of poisoning! Sun Li is not only the military commander of Dengzhou, but also a crucial pillar of the Anti-Liang Alliance in the northeast, supporting Sun An of Slaying Dragon Villa and Deng Fei of Yinmachuan. If he falls, the forces of Dengzhou will inevitably fall into chaos, a major crack in the alliance's northeastern defenses will appear, and Liangshan will lose a crucial external supporter. If the imperial court seizes this opportunity to exert pressure, the consequences will be disastrous!
An Daoquan must have disappeared under the protection of Lu Junyi in Daming Prefecture by now. Far-flung water cannot quench a nearby fire. We must immediately find someone within Liangshan who can cure this strange poison!
Yan Qing forced himself to calm down and paced slowly around the room, his mind flashing through information about the various Liangshan leaders. Besides An Daoquan, who else was proficient in medicine?
He suddenly stopped, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes - "Purple Bearded Uncle" Huangfu Duan!
This man is renowned throughout Hebei for his horse-judging skills, but few know that his expertise in equine medicine is even more profound! While horses and humans differ, they often share common ailments, particularly those caused by toxins eroding the meridians and damaging vital energy. In his previous life, Yan Qing had heard of Huangfu Duan's remarkable remedies for treating several renowned horses afflicted by poisons. His methods were so unlike those of ordinary veterinarians, bordering on the realm of Taoism! More importantly, Huangfu Duan possessed a steadfast character and, thanks to his previous introduction, had a fondness for him, suggesting he might be a suitable candidate.
But how can Huangfu Duan go to Dengzhou legitimately and as quickly as possible?
Should he directly offer his advice to Song Jiang and Wu Yong? That would be a dead end! He had just been deemed a thorn in Wu Yong's side. If he now recommended Huangfu Duan, not only would his suggestion not be accepted, but it would only lead to deeper suspicion, suspicion that he and Huangfu Duan were plotting something else. He might even end up labeling Huangfu Duan as "Yan Qing's accomplice." By then, not only would he not be able to go to Dengzhou, he might even have a hard time staying in Liangshan.
Extraordinary methods must be used to allow Huangfu Duan to go, while at the same time distancing himself from the matter as much as possible!
Yan Qing walked to the window and looked out at the dark night. The lights of Liangshan Lake swayed on the water in the distance, like will-o'-the-wisp. A bold and meticulous plan gradually became clear in his mind - he needed to take a two-pronged approach, combining light and darkness!
He quickly returned to the table, ground ink and spread paper, his movements light and steady.
First, he took out a specially made piece of thin, tough paper and quickly wrote in the secret code and agreed-upon handwriting used within the "Hidden Post." The message was concise and to the point: "Sun Li of Dengzhou has been poisoned and is in critical condition. There may be a solution within Liangshan, and we've been working on it. However, Dai Zong has gone to Beijing to investigate my background, and Wu Yong remains suspicious. The situation is precarious. We hope you'll take swift action and keep an eye on developments in Dengzhou to prevent any unforeseen events." He sealed the message with wax and hid it in his sleeve. This was a message to the outside world, hoping that Gongsun Sheng or Lu Junyi could provide support from outside, perhaps leading to a faster rescue.
Then, he took another piece of ordinary letter paper, pondered for a moment, and then wrote quickly, deliberately imitating a slightly hasty handwriting, as if written in an emergency, and wrote in an anonymous tone: "Dengzhou has undergone a dramatic change. Sun Tixia has been poisoned and his life is hanging by a thread. It is suspected to be a rare 'Qianjiyin' in the world. Ordinary doctors are helpless and may not be able to delay! I heard that Mr. Huangfu Duan, 'Purple Bearded Uncle', is not only an expert in horse appraisal, but also well versed in the properties of hundreds of herbs. He is especially good at dissolving strange poisons and may be able to save him from this disaster! General Sun is the right-hand man of the alliance. The safety of Dengzhou depends on him. The matter is urgent! I hope you will pay attention!" After writing, he carefully dried the ink without leaving any signature.
This second anonymous letter was a crucial step. He didn't intend to give it directly to Huangfu Duan, but rather to have it "accidentally" appear before someone who could influence the decision and who might have a history with Huangfu Duan and a sufficiently high status.
Who would be the most suitable candidate? Yan Qing's mind raced through several names, eventually settling on one—Guan Sheng, the "Big Knife"! As the leader of the Five Tiger Generals of the Cavalry, Guan Sheng held a respected position, a righteous and prudent character who refrained from factional strife. Furthermore, as a top-tier cavalry commander, he must have had numerous interactions with Huangfu Duan, a master of horse assessment and medical treatment, and would likely be familiar with his abilities. If Guan Sheng came forward with a recommendation, it would carry far more weight than any other, making it more likely that Song Jiang and Wu Yong would attach great importance to him.
However, how could he deliver this letter to Guan Sheng without anyone noticing and without leaving any trace pointing to himself?
Yan Qing changed into a dark blue suit that was almost black, covered his face with a black cloth, and once again slipped out of his residence like a ghost in the dark night. He did not go directly to Guan Sheng's heavily guarded courtyard in the front camp, but instead, relying on his familiarity with the terrain, he went around to the area near the stables in the back camp.
Guan Sheng loved horses as if they were his life, and especially treasured his mount, Red Hare. Every morning at dawn, he would personally go to the stable to inspect the horse, add grass to Red Hare's horse and comb its mane, without fail.
Yan Qing paused beneath an ancient locust tree near the stables. The tree's trunk was thick, and about a meter high above the ground, it held an unassuming, natural hollow. The interior was dry, perfectly situated along the path Guan Sheng used daily for his patrols, making it difficult for ordinary minions to discover. He glanced around, confirming that no one was around. He quickly rolled the anonymous letter into a thin strip, wrapped it in oiled paper, and carefully tucked it deep into the hollow, covering it with a little dust and dead leaves.
After doing all this, he didn't show any reluctance. With a few leaps and dives, he disappeared into the shadows of the building, as if he had never appeared. He then made a detour to the back of the mountain and delivered the secret letter to the "Hidden Post" through that secret delivery point.
Back in his room, the sky in the east was already turning pale. Yan Qing lay on the couch, fully clothed, eyes closed, his mind resting, his heart surging. He had laid all the groundwork he could; all that remained was to wait and see how the situation unfolded, praying that Huangfu Duan could truly dispel the strange "Qian Ji Yin" poison, and that Guan Sheng would, as he had predicted, discover the crucial anonymous letter.
Things progressed faster and more smoothly than Yan Qing had expected.
The next morning, Guan Sheng, as usual, trudged through the morning dew to the stables. As he added fine feed to his Red Hare, his eyes habitually scanned the surroundings, keenly noticing the subtle signs of cover-up at the hollow of the old locust tree. Suspicious, he approached to investigate, easily retrieving the anonymous letter wrapped in oil-paper.
After opening and reading the letter, Guan Sheng's expression suddenly changed! He had a vague impression of the name "Qianjiyin" mentioned in the letter. It seemed to be an extremely insidious and difficult poison. Recommending Huangfu Duan was even more reasonable in his opinion. He was well aware of Huangfu Duan's unique insights in pharmacology. He had often heard Huangfu Duan talk about some exquisite cases of using unique medicines to dispel animal poisons when discussing horse classics with him. His knowledge far exceeded that of ordinary doctors.
As the matter concerned the life of his close ally Sun Li and the overall situation of Dengzhou, Guan Sheng did not dare to delay. He immediately took the secret letter and hurried to the Juyi Hall to ask to see Song Jiang.
Almost at the same time, Wu Yong also received a second, more detailed secret letter sent by carrier pigeon from Dengzhou through special channels, confirming that Sun Li's poisoning symptoms were quite similar to the "pulling machine" described in the letter, and the situation continued to deteriorate, and signs of instability began to appear in Dengzhou City.
The atmosphere in the Juyi Hall suddenly became extremely solemn.
"Brother Gongming, Military Advisor!" Guan Sheng presented the anonymous letter in a solemn voice. "Although the origin of this letter is unknown and the method of delivery is also mysterious, the words in it are completely consistent with the urgent report from Dengzhou! Brother Sun Li's life is in danger, and the situation in Dengzhou is on the verge of collapse! The letter recommends Brother Huangfu Duan. I believe that although Brother Huangfu is famous for his horse medicine, his attainments in the art of medicine are indeed unique and cannot be explained by reason! At this critical moment of life and death, any feasible method is worth trying! I am willing to guarantee with my own life that Brother Huangfu Duan go to Dengzhou and do his best to rescue him!"
Song Jiang held the hastily written anonymous letter and reread the urgent report from Dengzhou, sweat forming on his forehead. If Sun Li died, Dengzhou would be in chaos, the alliance would be damaged, and Liangshan would lose important external support. This was something he absolutely did not want to see. He looked anxiously at Wu Yong: "Military Advisor, what do you think of this matter?"
Wu Yong's eyes, sharp as an eagle, repeatedly scrutinized the anonymous letter, trying to find any clues. The timing of the letter's appearance was too coincidental, and the method too strange. He instinctively suspected that it was related to Yan Qing! But the letter's content matched perfectly with the intelligence from Dengzhou, and Guan Sheng, known for his steadiness, now strongly recommended Huangfu Duan...
He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind: Sun Li must not die, and Dengzhou must not be in chaos! This was the greater good. As for the source of this letter… saving lives was paramount right now. Furthermore, Huangfu Duan was devoted to his craft and not involved in factional strife. Even if he couldn't cure the disease, sending him to Dengzhou would still be safe for the core of Liangshan. If he could, it would be a major achievement and would also stabilize the alliance. In contrast, tracing the letter's source could be put on hold.
"What Brother Guan Sheng said is indeed the wisest way to serve the country!" Wu Yong finally spoke in a decisive tone, "Brother Huangfu Duan is an extraordinary man, and he may be able to do extraordinary things! In this case, there is no time to waste. Please invite Brother Huangfu Duan here immediately! If he agrees, quickly prepare a fast boat with skilled guards to send him to Dengzhou overnight!"
The order was quickly issued. Huangfu Duan was urgently summoned to the Juyi Hall. Upon hearing the reason, the purple-bearded old man's face became solemn, but there was no fear in his eyes. He stroked his long beard and said with emotion, "Sun Tixia is a hero and a righteous man, and a pillar of our alliance. How can I sit idly by? I can't boast that I can solve the 'Qian Ji Yin', but since it involves pharmacology, I will definitely use all my knowledge and give it my all!"
No more nonsense, just action. Half an hour later, a swift boat hoisted its sails, carrying Huangfu Duan and several elite guards personally selected by Guan Sheng. Like an arrow from a bow, it sailed out of the Jinshatan Water Fort, breaking through the morning mist and speeding towards Dengzhou.
Yan Qing stood in the shadow of a secluded watchtower, gazing at the speedboat vanishing between the water and sky. His clenched fists loosened slightly, and the heavy weight hanging in his heart finally settled down. Regardless of whether this anonymous letter further instilled self-doubt in Wu Yong, at least the hope of saving Sun Li had been expressed, and there was a glimmer of hope in Dengzhou's peril.
However, he knew this merely mitigated an external crisis. The threat of Dai Zong's journey to Tokyo to investigate his past still hung heavy, and Wu Yong's vigilant gaze would not cease. With the Dengzhou incident now over, Wu Yong's attention would inevitably refocus on him with even greater intensity.
The wind and rain did not stop, they just changed direction temporarily.
He must make use of this precious window of time, speed up his pace, and lay more hidden chess pieces in the deeper layers of this dangerous place, weaving a net that can protect himself and even fight back in the stormy waves.
His gaze became deeper and more determined.
---
Chapter 51 End
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
