knife

Chapter 420 You Have to Figure It Out Yourself

Li Dachui let out a burp and looked at the table where the food had been placed, which was now completely empty. He had actually eaten most of it, while Jiang Ping had been helping him grill all this time, and he hadn't eaten a single bite.

Wiping the grease from his mouth, Li Dachui smiled sheepishly: "Sorry, I was really starving. After fighting for half a day and running around for so long, I didn't even have time to think about you."

"It's okay, I'm not hungry anyway!" Jiang Ping smiled, put her hands on her hips, then put them down again, frowned and said, "I've actually gained a lot of weight from running around with you all this time, it's all your fault."

"Why blame me?" Li Dachui asked, embarrassed.

"Because I need to practice the techniques you taught me. Sometimes when I don't bake well, I'm embarrassed to show it off, so I can only eat it secretly by myself, and that's how I got fat!" Jiang Ping said.

Li Dachui couldn't help but laugh.

"Have I learned your barbecue skills now?" Jiang Ping asked with a smile.

"Almost there. Actually, when it comes to grilling, controlling the heat is one thing, and preparing the seasonings is the second. Once you've mastered these two things, you're good to go!" Li Dachui said, "You've not only mastered it, but you could even say you've surpassed your master!"

"Really?" Jiang Ping's eyes widened.

“Of course it’s true, I never lie!” Li Dachui shouted.

Jiang Ping smiled and ran into the house, saying, "Wait for me a moment!"

When Jiang Ping came out, Li Dachui noticed the package she was carrying on her shoulder and asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

"Run away!" Jiang Ping said matter-of-factly.

"Why are you running away?" Li Dachui looked at her blankly.

"Are you stupid!" Jiang Ping said without waiting for a reply, grabbing Li Dachui's hand and pulling him outside. "In Yongxing, to reduce the number of deaths, I had to summon the local Tianlu (a powerful force), and then they attracted even more Tianlu. Even He Han came after hearing the news. If I don't run away, am I supposed to wait to be caught and taken back? Don't you know He Han is my sister's chief steward? If he wants to take me back, I have no way to stop him. I can throw a tantrum in front of others, but he won't listen to me. I have to run before he comes back. Once he returns, I'll be helpless!"

“Wouldn’t it be better if you went back to Danyang?” Li Dachui said.

“Going back voluntarily and being dragged back are two different things. I don’t want He Han to drag me back, and then I’ll either be locked up in the palace or at home, surrounded by a huge group of people every time I go out,” Jiang Ping laughed. “Let’s go to Danyang quietly. Aren’t you going to challenge the Five Tigers’ Broken Gate Blade? I’ll go with you.”

“He Han saw me. If you run away, your sister will definitely suspect that I kidnapped you! She probably won’t let me go!” Li Dachui said.

"With me here, what are you afraid of?" Jiang Ping said, "I'll take you around Danyang first, and then I'll take you to the Demonic Sect's headquarters."

"You'll take me there? Can you even get in?" Li Dachui asked.

Jiang Ping chuckled: "Didn't I tell you that the Demonic Sect's headquarters is in Cloud Mist Mountain?"

"Said!"

"Then tell me, if even I know that the Demonic Sect's headquarters is in Cloud Mist Mountain, do you think my sister knows?"

Li Dachui thought to himself, "Your sister is the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect. If she doesn't know, who does?"

"Of course she knows!"

"Does the imperial court know about this?"

"No way?" Li Dachui said, "The Chu court also knows the location of the Demonic Sect's headquarters?"

"Of course," Jiang Ping chuckled. "The so-called headquarters of the Demonic Sect has long been under the control of the imperial court. Li Bao, I'm telling you this in secret, but you can't tell anyone else!"

Is there some secret?

"A huge secret!" Jiang Ping whispered, "The Demonic Sect has no leader and has long since fallen apart. Of its five banners, the Flood Banner has already pledged allegiance to the imperial court, specifically to my sister. My sister relies on them to control the navy! As for the Giant Wood Banner, most of its craftsmen are focused on honing their skills and don't want to cause trouble, so my sister promised them special status, like exemption from corvée labor, and they allied with her. The experts from the Giant Wood Banner are guarding the Cloud Mist Mountain headquarters now. It's heavily fortified!"

"So, the Demonic Sect, which has always been a thorn in the side of the Chu Kingdom, is about to become a weapon in your sister's hands?"

"More or less!" Jiang Ping laughed. "It's just that the Ruijin Banner is addicted to rebellion, and what they want is simply impossible to achieve right now. Ke Wuji is also an old stubborn man, and the Houtu Banner is mainly composed of farmers. Sister can't solve the problem of land annexation in the Great Chu in a short time, so we can only leave it at that for now."

"Won't the alliance between Ruijinqi and He Zudao become a worry for your sister?"

"Not really!" Jiang Ping pouted. "He Zudao is just using the Ruijin Banner. The Ruijin Banner thinks He Zudao is of humble origin and has massacred powerful figures in Hedong, Hexi, Luoyang, and other places, so they think he's one of them. That's why they want to help him rise to power. Heh heh, Ke Wuji's judgment is terrible. Sooner or later, they'll be abandoned by He Zudao, saving our Great Chu from wasting time and effort dealing with them. Speaking of which, He Zudao is quite a sharp knife."

"So that's how it is. No wonder I told you before that the Hou Tu Banner people would leave Chu and go to the Eight Southern Towns after this incident. You, little princess, didn't care at all. It turns out you knew they would split up sooner or later."

“The stronger Ke Wuji is in the eight southern towns, the more suspicious He Zudao will be, and the greater the possibility of a falling out between the two sides,” Jiang Ping said. “Therefore, it is a great thing for the Great Chu that several stray dogs who cannot gain a foothold in Chu have gone to seek refuge with Ke Wuji. Without these guys, Chu will be much more peaceful.”

"It seems you've inherited your shrewdness and cunning from your sister." Li Dachui said with increasing respect. Jiang Ping smiled and said, "Back in Danyang, my sister would go to the palace every few days. She would discuss politics and matters with the ministers without me knowing. I always managed to glean some insights from her."

"Alright, tell me all about these things along the way, I'd love to hear it." Li Dachui laughed, "In the future, I want to get a government position, and with this experience, I might just rise to prominence and have a smooth official career!"

“It’s easy for you to rise to prominence and have a successful official career!” Jiang Ping grabbed Li Dachui’s hand and ran all the way to the horse stable.

"How can it be so simple?"

"I'm not talking to you anymore!" Jiang Ping giggled. "Figure it out yourself!"

In the middle of the night, He Han finally returned to Yongxing County.

Jiang Ping, however, had vanished without a trace.

“Miss has already left!” A pale-faced, beardless man walked over and said.

"They're leaving already?" He Han frowned. "Lin Hong is dead, and three thousand elite troops have been wiped out. Yong'an is bound to experience a major upheaval. Doesn't Miss have any instructions?"

"Miss has already sent someone back to Danyang and urgently summoned He Jiong, the deputy governor of Danyang, to Yong'an to serve as governor." The man said, "I also want Chief Steward He to go to Yong'an first to stabilize the situation."

"As the chief of the Imperial Guard, how could I possibly get any respect from Yong'an County?" He Han lamented.

"Also, Miss said to release Zhan Zhao and hand him over to Wu Qi."

"They're really going to release it?"

"The young lady said that a person cannot stand without integrity. Since you've agreed, then release them!"

"Understood!"

"Do you know where Miss went?"

"I don't know!" After saying this, the man bowed and slowly retreated into the darkness.

Prefect Feng Kuan of Xiangcheng paced back and forth in the room, the news he had just received leaving him truly uncertain about what to do.

Lin Hong, the governor of Yong'an County in the State of Chu, actually plotted a rebellion, leading three thousand iron cavalry to assassinate the imperial envoy. However, the plot was not kept secret and was discovered by the court. Soon after, the imperial army surrounded and ambushed them thirty miles away from Yongxing. Lin Hong was killed on the spot, and all three thousand of his personal guards perished in the battle.

If this news is true, then it would be the best news imaginable for him.

Because his long-held desire to reclaim Fancheng could finally be put into practice.

Having Xiangcheng but not Fancheng is like a person with only hands but no feet; they are a typical disabled person.

Only by retaking Fancheng can the entire Jingxiang defense line be considered complete.

Moreover, Fancheng holds special significance for Feng Kuan.

His face was burned during the battle in Fancheng while he was covering friendly forces.

"Lin Hong has always been deeply trusted by the Queen Dowager of Chu. There are rumors that he will soon be transferred to Danyang to serve as the Vice Minister of Revenue. How could he suddenly rebel? Is this a trap? Wasn't there a lot of talk about Lin Hong wanting to attack our Xiangcheng a while ago? I suspect this is a ruse to lure us into a trap," a general said in disbelief.

"But the information came from Ke Wuji's men. They have no reason to lie to us, and the men spoke with absolute certainty, claiming to have witnessed a major battle between the two sides!" Feng Kuan clenched his fist. "Lin Hong is a disciple of Xiang Ying, the former general of Chu. It's not impossible for him to kill the Demon Queen. More importantly, Ke Wuji and his men have decided to launch a feint attack from Ning County towards Yong'an to tie down some of our forces. If they do it and we remain silent, we'll inevitably be looked down upon."

"Are you really going to make a move?"

“Sometimes you only get one chance. If you miss it, you miss it!” Feng Kuan’s face was contorted with rage. “Even if it’s risky, I have to try. If Lin Hong is really dead, then the morale of Fancheng is definitely wavering and the army is demoralized. If we wait until the Chu Kingdom sends someone to take over and stabilize the situation, we’ll have no chance again.”

"Isn't the General currently negotiating with the State of Chu?"

Feng Kuan chuckled: "What does talking mean? Once we take Fancheng, Xiangfan will be united. If the General really wants to talk, won't we have more leverage? Issue my order: all officers of the rank of colonel and above must come to the Prefect's Mansion for a meeting tomorrow morning!"

"understand!"

Watching his men rush out, Feng Kuan touched his pimple-covered face, exhaled a breath of stale air, and thought that only by taking back Fancheng could he finally vent the anger that had been building up in his chest for the past few years.

Fancheng was lost under my watch. Although it wasn't my fault, being able to recapture it under my watch is a worthy sacrifice for the countless brothers who died there.

(End of this chapter)