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The next morning, Fan's butcher shop opened as usual, as if nothing had happened the night before.

Suning wasn't idle either; he rolled up his sleeves and helped Fan Changyu braise meat.

The big pot was bubbling away, steam rising from it, and the aroma of meat filled the whole street.

As Su Ning turned the pieces of meat over, he said casually, "Changyu, the heat needs to be increased a bit so that the skin is thoroughly cooked."

Fan Changyu wiped her sweat and nodded, saying, "Ah! Husband, you're the one who knows what you're doing."

"Alright! Stop flattering me, I'm not going to give you a reward."

"Hehe, I'm just telling the truth."

Then, the two worked together seamlessly and delivered the braised meat to Yixianglou on time.

Yu Qianqian was already waiting at the door. She glanced at Su Ning with a hint of inquiry in her eyes, then looked at Fan Changyu with a meaningful smile, but asked nothing.

She simply clapped her hands and called to the workers, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and take the braised meat in, don't keep Changyu waiting. Your wages are the same, cash on delivery!"

The workers rushed forward to move the meat, and Yu Qianqian leaned close to Fan Changyu's ear and whispered, "Did you sleep well last night?"

Fan Changyu was startled and was about to speak when Yu Qianqian waved her hand, turned around, and went into the building.

Su Ning stood to the side, watching Yu Qianqian's back, lost in thought.

……

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside Jizhou City was so tense it was almost suffocating.

Wei Yan's son, Wei Xuan, wearing a brightly colored suit of armor, swaggered into He Jingyuan's tent.

He threw his riding whip on the table and said arrogantly, "He Jingyuan, I have come to deliver orders on my father's orders."

He Jingyuan put down the military book in his hand, stood up and saluted, his face full of respectful smiles, his waist almost bent to his knees: "This humble general will obey military orders."

Wei Xuan cleared his throat and solemnly read aloud, "Father has ordered you to immediately muster 30,000 troops and accompany me to Yanzhou to incorporate the Yanzhou army. Then, we will march straight to Chongzhou City, which is guarded by Prince Changxin! There must be no mistakes!"

He Jingyuan didn't even frown after hearing this, but said in a deep voice, "This subordinate obeys the order."

Wei Xuan was overjoyed to see how obedient he was. He patted He Jingyuan on the shoulder and said, "General He, a wise man submits to circumstances! My father said that as long as you behave, Jizhou will be yours in the future!"

He Jingyuan smiled slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of "blind loyalty": "Thank you for your guidance, Prime Minister. My life was given to me by you, Prime Minister. If you point east, I would never dare to go west. However..."

Wei Xuan frowned: "But what?"

He Jingyuan sighed and said with a troubled expression, "It's just that Chongzhou City is easy to defend but difficult to attack. I'm worried that we don't have enough troops! If we launch a strong attack, we're afraid we'll suffer heavy losses and fail to live up to the Prime Minister's expectations."

Upon hearing this, Wei Xuan waved his hand impatiently: "You don't need to worry about that! Father has already arranged for the Xuan Tie assassins to assist us secretly. You just need to lead the troops!"

He Jingyuan sneered inwardly, but his face remained even more respectful: "This subordinate understands! This subordinate will go and prepare immediately, and will certainly live up to the Prime Minister's high expectations!"

Wei Xuan nodded in satisfaction, then turned and left.

……

That evening, He Jingyuan summoned his trusted general Tang Peiyi into a secret room.

“Peiyi,” He Jingyuan said solemnly as he pulled a secret letter from his pocket, “you must personally deliver this to Prime Minister Wei in the capital by express courier. Remember, you must hand it to him personally, and there can be no mistakes.”

Tang Peiyi took the letter, put it in his pocket, clasped his hands and said, "General, rest assured, this humble general understands."

"Also," He Jingyuan lowered his voice, "tell Prime Minister Wei that I have already received Wei Xuan and am stepping up preparations for war, so that he can rest assured. In addition, mention that Jizhou is short of soldiers and food, and hopes to obtain weapons and provisions from the imperial court."

Tang Peiyi was taken aback: "Will Prime Minister Wei agree?"

He Jingyuan smiled slightly: "Prime Minister Wei is a smart man, he understands."

"move."

Tang Peiyi nodded, turned around, and disappeared into the night.

After seeing Tang Peiyi off, He Jingyuan immediately summoned his generals.

"Pass down the order," He Jingyuan said, his eyes sharp and his voice deep, "entire army to combat readiness! Intensify soldier training, inventory the armory, sharpen all weapons, and inspect all armor! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

The generals responded in unison, "Yes, sir!"

He Jingyuan paused for a moment, then said, "In addition, send some clever people to keep an eye on Wei Xuan's every move. They must report in a timely manner where he goes and who he meets."

The generals looked at each other in bewilderment, but still accepted the order and left.

……

Meanwhile, Wei Xuan, that good-for-nothing, thought that He Jingyuan was really following orders, and he couldn't be more satisfied.

He spent his days in the brothels and red-light districts of Jizhou, spending lavishly and getting completely drunk.

"Heh heh, this He Jingyuan is nothing special!" Wei Xuan said smugly, his arm around a prostitute. "My father was right, as long as I take action, who dares to disobey?"

The prostitute flattered him with a coquettish smile: "Young master, you are wise and mighty, invincible under heaven!"

Wei Xuan laughed heartily and downed another cup of wine.

……

Late at night, the candlelight flickered inside the commander's tent.

Li Huai'an was facing the sand table, his brows furrowed.

He Jingyuan carried in a bowl of hot tea and placed it beside him.

"Still thinking about the battle of Chongzhou?" He Jingyuan's voice carried a hint of weariness, yet remained steady.

Li Huai'an raised his head, his eyes full of confusion: "Master, Wei Xuan is clearly a good-for-nothing, he's just going to his death. Why should we cooperate with him? If we really fight according to his orders, the elite troops of Jizhou will probably suffer heavy losses."

He Jingyuan did not answer directly, but pointed to Chongzhou City on the sand table: "Huai'an, what do you see?"

“Chongzhou is a high-lying city with deep moats, and Prince Changxin is good at defending it. If Wei Xuan launches a strong attack, he will surely be defeated.” Li Huai’an blurted out.

“That’s right,” He Jingyuan nodded, “but what you need to see is not just the outcome of the battle.”

He walked to the map, his finger sweeping from Jizhou through Yanzhou, finally stopping at the capital: "Wei Xiang sent Wei Xuan here, ostensibly to order us to attack Prince Changxin, but in reality, he wants to use Prince Changxin to weaken us generals who hold military power. If we are defeated, he can take back his military power. This is a top-notch open strategy."

Li Huai'an seemed to understand something: "So, Master, you agreed on the surface, but secretly you were preparing for war?"

“It’s not just about preparing for war,” a glint of light flashed in He Jingyuan’s eyes. “I’m waiting. Waiting for Wei Xuan to cause trouble in Yanzhou, waiting for Prince Changxin to be pushed to the limit and retaliate, waiting for those in the court who don’t like Wei Yan to jump out. At that time, we will not be Wei Xuan’s accomplices, but loyal ministers who will turn the tide.”

He turned around and looked at Li Huai'an: "Huai'an, you must remember that true political maneuvering is not about who wins which battle, but about who survives to the end and who has the last laugh. The two generations of Marquises of Wu'an met such ends because they were too obsessed with winning and losing on the battlefield."

Li Huai'an was startled: "Master, you mean..."

“Wei Yan thought he was using us,” He Jingyuan sneered. “Little did he know, by sending Wei Xuan, he had given us an opportunity. An opportunity for him to dig his own grave.”

He patted Li Huai'an on the shoulder: "Tomorrow, you'll come with me to the drill ground. I'll show you what it means to 'openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass.'"

Li Huai'an clenched his fist, and a light finally appeared in his eyes: "Master, I understand!"

……

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the deafening sound of war drums echoed across the Jizhou training ground.

He Jingyuan, dressed in military uniform, sat astride his warhorse, followed by Li Huai'an and other generals.

On the training ground, the 30,000-strong army had already lined up in formation, with swords and spears standing tall, exuding a murderous aura.

"All soldiers, heed my command!" He Jingyuan's voice resounded throughout the entire training ground through his inner force. "Prime Minister Wei has ordered us to march on Yanzhou and attack Chongzhou! Today, I will personally test your fighting prowess!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" the soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

He Jingyuan waved his hand, and Tang Peiyi immediately stepped forward to begin deploying his troops.

"Vanguard Battalion, step forward! Practice your formation-breaking sword techniques!"

A thousand soldiers wielding long swords immediately charged out, their blades flashing, their movements perfectly synchronized, each strike accompanied by a whistling sound.

"Archery battalion, prepare! Three volleys!"

Three thousand archers drew their bows taut, and arrows flew out like locusts, accurately hitting the bullseye in the distance.

"Cavalry battalion, charge!"

Five thousand cavalrymen galloped forward, their hooves thundering, and the earth trembled.

Standing beside He Jingyuan, Li Huai'an was filled with excitement: "Master, these are the real elites!"

He Jingyuan shook his head slightly: "It's not enough. Huai'an, look at their formation. Although it's neat, it lacks variation. The real battlefield is ever-changing. A rigid formation will only make you a target for the enemy."

He spurred his horse to the front of the formation and shouted, "Change formation! From fish scale formation to crane wing formation!"

The soldiers immediately sprang into action, their originally dense square formation quickly dispersing into a crane-wing formation with its wings spread out, flexible and adaptable.

"Good!" He Jingyuan nodded in satisfaction. "Remember, there are no fixed formations in warfare, just as water has no fixed shape. Only by adapting to changing circumstances can one remain invincible."

Over the next few hours, He Jingyuan personally directed the practice of more than a dozen formation variations, each of which was exquisite.

Li Huai'an watched with rapt attention, occasionally taking notes in his notebook.

"Master," Li Huai'an couldn't help but ask, "Does Wei Xuan know that we've been practicing so many formations?"

He Jingyuan sneered: "Him? He's probably still fast asleep in some prostitute's bed right now. He thinks we're just working for him, but little does he know, we're preparing our own escape route."

He pointed to the armory in the distance: "See those newly built siege weapons? They are the foundation for our next mission to turn the tide."

Li Huai'an suddenly realized: "So that's how it is! Master is truly farsighted!"

He Jingyuan patted him on the shoulder: "Huai'an, you still have a lot to learn. Remember, true political strategy is not about how strong your military force is, but about being able to make the enemy follow your rhythm."

As the sun gradually set in the west, the drills on the training ground finally came to an end.

Although the soldiers were exhausted, their eyes gleamed with excitement.

They knew that their general was leading them into a great battle that would determine their fate.

He Jingyuan watched all this with a hint of relief in his eyes. "Huai'an, go back! There are more important things to do tomorrow."

Li Huai'an nodded and followed He Jingyuan out of the training ground.

……

In the capital city, on the Golden Palace.

Li Xing stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty, the battle at the front is intense, and the soldiers are exhausted from long fighting. I believe that the previous order for rest and recuperation should be rescinded, allowing the army to temporarily avoid the enemy's advance, rest and recuperate, and prepare for the next battle.”

Before the words were even finished, Prime Minister Wei Yan sneered and said sarcastically, "Lord Li, you make it sound so easy. The soldiers on the front lines are fighting bloody battles and are about to capture Chongzhou. Letting them rest now? Wouldn't that give the enemy a chance to catch their breath? Besides, the massacre of Jinzhou back then is still fresh in our minds. His Majesty issued a death order to punish them severely. If we let them rest now, wouldn't the whole world laugh at our Great Wei for having no one to rely on and repeating the same mistakes?"

The emperor sat on the dragon throne, his brows furrowed.

He felt a pang of unease when he recalled the horrific massacre in Jinzhou.

"Minister Li," the Emperor said in a deep voice, "Prime Minister Wei is right. The battle at the front is fierce, and it is indeed inappropriate to rest at this time. This matter shall be handled as Prime Minister Wei said, and the order for rest shall be rejected!"

Li Xing opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing the emperor's resolute gaze, he could only sigh and retreat.

Wei Yan watched Li Xing's departing figure, a smug smile playing on his lips. After court, Wei Yan returned to his residence. He had barely sat down when his trusted aide brought him a sealed box.

"Your Excellency, this was sent by He Jingyuan of Jizhou via express courier service," his trusted aide whispered.

Wei Yan opened the box, inside was a detailed military intelligence report and a handwritten letter from He Jingyuan.

In the letter, He Jingyuan spoke earnestly, expressing his determination to live up to the Prime Minister's high expectations and to take Chongzhou City at all costs.

After reading it, Wei Yan laughed heartily: "Good! Good! Good! That old bastard He Jingyuan still doesn't dare to disobey me after all!"

He stood up and paced back and forth in the room: "The war is at a critical juncture, and we really can't do without He Jingyuan. Send the order to Jizhou 100,000 shi of grain, 5,000 sets of armor, and 3,000 crossbows! Let He Jingyuan know that I, Wei Yan, will not treat him unfairly!"

"Yes, sir." The trusted aide accepted the order and left.

……

Then Wei Yan sat back down in his chair, but then he remembered something else, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

He picked up the teacup on the table, only to find his hand trembling slightly.

"Damn it!" Wei Yan slammed his teacup to the ground. "Why is there still no news about those Xuan Tie assassins? The evidence in Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua's hands is like a sword hanging over my head, keeping me up at night!"

He stood up, walked to the map, and pressed his finger firmly on the location of Lin'an Town: "We can't wait any longer! Send another fifty Xuan Tie Death Warriors to Lin'an Town! This time, we must completely eliminate Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua's family! Leave no one alive!"

"Yes," a cold voice answered from the shadows.

……

Lin'an Town, Yixianglou.

"Master Yu, we really can't keep up with the demand for braised meat!" the shopkeeper complained as he did his calculations. "Several groups of customers came today, specifically asking for your braised meat. But we only have fifty jin a day, and it's already sold out."

Yu Qianqian sat behind the counter, holding an account book in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed: "Yes! The production at Fan's butcher shop is indeed not keeping up. It seems we need to discuss with her about increasing production."

She put down the ledger, stood up and said, "I'm going to check on Fan's butcher shop. You keep an eye on things here."

"Yes, sir!"

Fan Family Butcher Shop.

Fan Changyu was cutting meat, sweating profusely, when he saw Yu Qianqian come in. He quickly wiped his hands and smiled, "Qianqian, what brings you here?"

Yu Qianqian walked to her side and said apologetically, "Changyu, I'm so sorry. Yixianglou is doing so well that your fifty catties of braised meat are simply not enough to meet demand. Do you think it's possible to increase production a bit more?"

Fan Changyu wiped his sweat and said with difficulty, "Qianqian, it's not that I'm unwilling. It's just that this braised meat recipe was passed down from my mother, and the ingredients and cooking time are very particular. If the quantity is too large, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it well and ruin your reputation."

Yu Qianqian grasped her hand and smiled, "Don't worry, I trust your skills. How about this? I'll give you extra money and hire a few more people to help you, what do you think?"

Fan Changyu thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright! Since you think so highly of me, I'll give it a try."

Yu Qianqian smiled happily: "Great! Then it's settled. Starting tomorrow, we'll supply 100 catties of braised meat every day!"

The two chatted for a while longer before Yu Qianqian got up to say goodbye.

……

In the days that followed, Yu Qianqian frequently visited Fan's butcher shop, and the two gradually became good friends.

As evening approached, Fan Changyu finished all his work and closed the shop before heading home.

Yu Qianqian was worried and said, "Changyu, it's getting dark. It's not safe for you to go back alone. How about I take you?"

Fan Changyu laughed and said, "It's nothing, just a few steps."

“No,” Yu Qianqian insisted, “the town has been rather unsettled lately, I’ll take you there.”

"Then... I'll have to trouble you."

"You're too kind! Your current busyness is all because of me."

Then, the two boarded Yu Qianqian's carriage and headed towards the Fan family's residence.

As soon as the carriage entered the woods, several masked men suddenly jumped out from the roadside and blocked its way.

"Who goes there?" the coachman shouted.

"Kill!" Without saying a word, the masked man swung his knife and slashed.

Before the driver could react, he was knocked unconscious by a knife.

Seeing that things were not going well, Fan Changyu immediately jumped off the carriage and got into a fighting stance: "What do you want?"

"Hmph, you brat, today is your death day!" A masked man grinned and pounced on her.

Although Fan Changyu was a woman, she had learned martial arts from her father since childhood and was quite skilled.

She dodged a knife by sidestepping and kicked the man in the knee. The man screamed and fell to his knees.

Yu Qianqian screamed in terror, "Help! Help!"

Just then, a familiar voice came from the woods: "Changyu! Master Yu! I'm here!"

Su Ning, wielding a Tang-style broadsword, charged forward like a gust of wind.

In fact, Fan Changyu was more than capable of dealing with these people, but one of the masked men suddenly pulled out a packet of powder from his pocket and threw it at Fan Changyu.

"Watch out!" Yu Qianqian shouted.

But it was too late. Fan Changyu inhaled the powder and immediately felt dizzy and weak in the hands and feet.

"Haha! You brat, you've been drugged by me. Let's see how arrogant you are now!" The man laughed triumphantly.

Upon seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Su Ning's eyes.

He flashed forward and instantly appeared in front of a man in black, stabbing him through the throat with a knife.

"You're courting death!" Su Ning roared, his Tang-style sword transforming into streaks of cold light.

Before the remaining masked men could react, they were all dealt with by Su Ning.

Su Ning looked at Fan Changyu lying on the ground and picked her up with heartache: "Changyu, how are you?"

Fan Changyu smiled weakly: "I'm fine... I'm just a little dizzy."

Su Ning turned to look at the man who had used underhanded tactics and said coldly, "Who are you?"

The man quickly removed his mask, revealing a terrified face: "Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! I am Butcher Guo."

"Butcher Guo?" A hint of surprise flashed in Su Ning's eyes. "Why did you harm Changyu?"

"Uh? It's all a misunderstanding! Fan Changyu stole my business, I just wanted to teach her a lesson."

Su Ning sneered, "Fine, very well. Since you're so eager to die, then I'll grant your wish!"

He kicked Guo the butcher in the stomach, sending him flying.

"Ah!" Butcher Guo screamed in agony, clutching his stomach and rolling on the ground.

Su Ning walked up to Guo the butcher, his eyes as cold as if he were looking at a corpse.

Without saying a word, he raised his foot and stomped hard on the back of Guo the butcher's hand, grinding it forcefully.

"Crack!" The sound of finger bones shattering was clearly audible.

"Ah—!" Butcher Guo let out a pig-like scream, his clothes instantly soaked with cold sweat.

"This is just the beginning." Su Ning's voice was devoid of any warmth.

Then he squatted down, grabbed Guo the butcher by the hair, pressed his face to the ground, and punched him in the back of the head.

Guo the butcher's vision went black, and he almost fainted.

"Tell me, who sent you? Don't try to fool me with that nonsense," Su Ning asked coldly.

Guo the butcher gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words: "Nobody sent me! I really did it myself!"

"Still being stubborn." Su Ning sneered, stood up, and kicked Guo the butcher in the ribs.

"Snap!" Another crisp sound.

Guo the butcher curled up in pain, groaning in agony.

“I’m giving you one last chance,” Su Ning’s voice was like it came from hell, “If you don’t talk, I’ll crush every bone in your body.”

Guo the butcher's psychological defenses completely collapsed.

He said, trembling, "I'll talk! I'll talk! It was Wei Yan! It was Prime Minister Wei who sent me!"

“Wei Yan?” Su Ning raised an eyebrow. “Why would he harm Changyu?”

Guo the butcher, his face contorted with grief, trembled as he said, "Because...because Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua have dirt on Prime Minister Wei. Prime Minister Wei is afraid they'll hand over the evidence, so he sent us to kill their whole family! Fan Changyu is Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua's daughter, and he's afraid she'll find out about this too, so..."

"Nonsense! You're just a lowly butcher in Lin'an Town, while Wei Yan is the Prime Minister of the Imperial Court. How could he possibly need you to do his bidding?"

"Young Master, you may not know this! Prime Minister Wei has an intelligence department with a network that spans the entire country. Many of his informants are no different from ordinary people in their daily lives, which is why they can obtain important intelligence and summarize it for the Wei family."

Upon hearing this, a surge of intense anger flashed in Su Ning's eyes.

I never expected Wei Yan to be so ruthless!

Even more unexpectedly, Wei Yan was so skillful that he controlled such a powerful intelligence network.

"Good! Very good!" Su Ning roared, his fists raining down like raindrops.

"Bang!" A punch landed on Guo the butcher's face, causing his nose to collapse and blood to splatter everywhere.

"Bang!" A fist slammed into his chest, breaking his ribs and piercing his lungs, making a hissing sound as air leaked out.

"Bang!" A punch landed on his abdomen, and it seemed as if his intestines had been ruptured.

Guo the butcher's screams grew weaker and weaker until his body turned into a puddle of mud.

Suning got tired and stopped what he was doing.

Then, looking at the puddle of mud on the ground, he coldly said, "This is what happens when you offend Suning!"

Then, Su Ning gently waved his hand, and the surrounding corpses and mud were all taken into his spatial world. No one would notice what had happened the next day.

Then he picked up the unconscious Fan Changyu, turned to Yu Qianqian and asked, "Boss Yu, are you alright?"

Yu Qianqian's face was pale, and she shook her head: "I...I'm fine."

"That's good," Su Ning nodded. "I'll trouble you and Master Yu to go back to the Fan family first. After we've settled Changyu, we'll take you back to Yixianglou later."

Thank you.

Su Ning walked to the carriage, placed Fan Changyu inside, and then drove the carriage towards the Fan family, quickly disappearing into the night.

...(End of this chapter)