Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 229 Like a head being sold under a sign!
The burly man laughed loudly, slapped his thigh, raised his bronze wine cup, and said, "You are truly a straightforward man. I toast you with a cup!"

Ling Cao smiled slightly, calmly picked up his wine cup, and drank a cup with him.

The burly man's name was Zhu Yong. Three years ago, he was the leader of a notorious bandit gang that dominated Yuhang. At its peak, his band of bandits numbered three to four thousand and had been entrenched in Yuhang for more than two years before being wiped out by Xu Zhao.

Zhu Yong, defeated and routed, staggered towards Kuocang Mountain, between Fuchun and Tonglu, sustaining numerous wounds. Halfway there, his injuries flared up, and he collapsed unconscious on a country path outside Lingjia Village. Fortunately, Ling Cao, who was patrolling the village, found him and ordered him carried back for treatment. After half a month of careful recuperation and medical care, Zhu Yong's life was saved. From then on, the two maintained regular contact.

Two nights ago, Zhu Yong secretly visited Ling Cao and told him that Zhou Bo, the bandit leader of Kuaiji whom he served, had surrendered to Wang Lang. Now, on the orders of Zhou Bo and Wang Lang, he had come to take Yan Yi's head while Yan Yi was away.

Zhou Bo and Wang Lang knew that Ling Cao was brave and resourceful, and his reputation was renowned throughout Yuhang. When the two secretly discussed the matter, they both said, "To get rid of Yan Yi, we cannot succeed without Ling Cao." Therefore, they regarded him as the key to assassinating Yan Yi and went to great lengths to invite him to join their cause.

To ensure the assassination of Yan Yi would succeed, Zhou Bo mobilized all his elite troops and joined forces with Dian Chao, another bandit leader entrenched in the Kuocang Mountains, each leading 5,000 bandits towards Yuhang. Zhou Bo's troops sailed down the Fuchun River, while Dian Chao's troops took the Tianmu Mountain Pass.

Zhou Bo and Dian Chao were not comparable to mere winter bandits; both were powerful bandits who controlled their own territories, and their strength even surpassed that of Qian Tong and Zou Ta. Back when Yan Yi attacked Qiantang, Zhou and Dian wanted to send troops to share the spoils, but they reluctantly gave up because Wang Lang, a behemoth with a large army, intervened.

Ling Cao was sitting at home when trouble came knocking on his door. He never imagined that his act of compassion in saving Zhu Yong would turn out to be inviting a wolf into his house, bringing him a terrible disaster. He wanted to refuse, but he was already stuck in a quagmire and couldn't extricate himself.

According to the information Zhu Yong subtly revealed, Wang Lang wasn't the only one controlling this matter; Xu Gong was also involved. Both were powerful prefects with considerable military strength, and they spared no expense in trying to win over Zhou Bo and Dian Chao to take Yan Yi's life. If Yan Yi refused, he likely wouldn't live more than three days.

With a knife to his throat, Ling Cao had no choice but to agree. After a moment's thought, he asked, "What if Yan Yi doesn't stay at Shuguting?"

Zhu Yong's face was full of confidence, as if he was very confident about the matter: "Don't worry, Lord Ling, according to Yan Yi's current marching speed, he will not arrive at Shugu Pavilion until Shenshi (3-5 PM) tomorrow. There is no water source within twenty li west of the pavilion, so Yan Yi will definitely rest in Shugu. At that time, I will mobilize two militias from Yuhang to harass them. As it gets dark, Yan Yi will definitely not march any further."

Ling Cao's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected that Wang Lang would even bribe the bandits of Yuhang in order to kill Yan Yi. His eyes flickered as he rapidly rehearsed the assassination details in his mind. After a long silence, he couldn't help but frown and ask, "After I carry out the assassination, I'll be surrounded by enemies. How can I ensure my safe retreat?"

"I will never forget Lord Ling's kindness in saving my life that day. How could I dare to let my benefactor be in danger?" Zhu Yong was afraid that he would back down, so he solemnly clasped his hands and said, "Please rest assured, my elite troops will immediately come to Lord Ling's aid after they have charged into the enemy lines. Even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, we will protect Lord Ling to the best of our ability!"

"In addition, Zhou Shuai's top warrior, Han Hu, is a man of unparalleled bravery and once single-handedly broke through a mountain stronghold. I have brought him here to accompany you and lend you a helping hand."

Zhu Yong sat up straight and winked at the farmer beside him. The farmer understood, got up from his seat, and went outside. A short while later, he returned with a burly man who was nine feet tall.

"Han Hu pays his respects to Lord Ling!"

A booming voice echoed in the room. The burly man knelt on one knee and bowed to Ling Cao with clasped hands. His imposing figure even blocked most of the candlelight cast on the table, giving off a strong sense of oppression.

Ling Cao scrutinized Han Hu, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. His right hand, which had been supporting Han Hu, suddenly transformed into a claw, reaching for Han Hu's throat. At the same time, his left leg shot up, kicking hard at Han Hu's knee as he knelt on the ground.

"you!"

Han Hu's pupils contracted sharply. In the nick of time, relying on his body's instincts, he jerked backward, his fingertips grazing his Adam's apple, leaving several bloody streaks on his throat. His burly body rolled over, and in the instant he rose, the two axes at his waist were already in his hands.

Zhu Yong was so shocked by this turn of events that his eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. The wine cup he was holding fell to the ground with a clatter, and he didn't even notice that the wine had soaked his robes.

Ling Cao nodded approvingly at Han Hu, whose body was tense, and laughed loudly, "Don't be alarmed, everyone. I was just testing Brother Han's skills."

Han Hu's tense nerves relaxed, and he snorted in dissatisfaction.

Zhu Yong seemed to wake from a dream, picked up the wine cup from the ground, dusted off the wine stains on his sleeves, and smiled, "I wonder if it suits your taste?"

Ling Cao nodded and said, "Remaining calm in the face of danger, you are truly a tiger warrior!"

The anger in Han Hu's eyes disappeared, and a haughty smile appeared on his bushy beard. He raised his hand to wipe away the bloodstains on his neck from his fingertips and laughed in a rough voice: "Ling Jun, you have quite the skills! There are probably no more than five people in Jiangdong who can force me to such a sorry state."

Ling Cao was slightly taken aback, then inwardly scoffed: 'A frog in a well, utterly ignorant of his own limitations!'

His surprise attack was merely a test of Han Hu's skills and reactions; he hadn't used his full strength. Now, hearing Han Hu's boastful words, he subtly raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

clap clap!

A crisp clap of hands rang out from inside the room. Zhu Yong clapped his hands and laughed, picking up a wine cup and offering it to Han Hu with both hands: "Yan Yi is a good-for-nothing who knows no martial arts. Now that the two of you have joined forces, taking his head will be as easy as taking something out of a bag! Come, let me toast you both!"

Han Hu took the wine cup, casually placed it on the table, and said with his head held high, "It's not too late to drink after we get Yan Yi's dog head tomorrow!"

Ling Cao slowly raised the wine cup to his lips, taking a small sip as he pondered: 'Yan Yi has never personally led an army into battle since raising his troops; his martial arts skills are probably just average. That's quite true.'

The three men smiled at each other, all feeling somewhat confident about assassinating Yan Yi the next day.

If Yan Yi could be killed in one fell swoop, aside from everything else, the immense fame alone would be enough to be recorded in history and benefit one for a lifetime.

Worried about jeopardizing tomorrow's important matter, Zhu Yong dared not drink too much. After suppressing his urge to drink, he persuaded Han Hu and the man dressed as a farmer to leave the table and return to their rooms, where they each rested and prepared to strike a fatal blow the next day.

The next day at noon, a cold wind howled, stirring up a sky full of withered leaves and dust, making the already dim sun even more gloomy.

Ling Cao, having made his preparations, changed into a dark, narrow-sleeved fur robe and concealed his specially made weapon in the lining of his belt. He mounted his horse and rode alongside Han Hu, followed by twelve carefully selected farmhands, all dressed in tight-fitting clothes and concealing sharp blades, heading straight for the Millet Valley Pavilion.

Fourteen riders, weary from their journey, arrived at the border of the millet valley and stood atop a low hill.

Ling Cao gazed into the distance and saw densely packed tents covering the pavilion, like stars surrounding the moon, protecting the pavilion in the center. At every key point on the official road, soldiers in full armor patrolled back and forth. Further away, several troop of light cavalry galloped back and forth along the dirt road, raising clouds of dust.

"Just as Zhu Jun predicted, Yan Yi has stopped here!" Han Hu leaned forward, his tiger-like eyes fixed on the front, eager to try, and said, "Ling Jun, the rest is up to you and me."

Ling Cao nodded slightly, squeezed his legs hard against the horse's flanks, and charged down the hill.
"Reporting to Young Master, Ling Cao from Yuhang has arrived with his retainers and is waiting at the camp gate!"

A guard with a halberd stood outside the commander's tent and bowed to report.

"Lead him to the east guest tent to serve tea, and tell him that I am discussing matters and will be there shortly."

Yan Yi stood before a leather map spread on the ground, sword sheath in hand, pointing to a certain spot on the map. To his left and right, Si Qing and Yin Li stared intently, occasionally whispering words of advice.

"Young Master, the five scouts from the Longxiang Camp who went north to investigate have not sent out their message as agreed for over an hour. The arrival of these two bandit groups today is also suspicious. In my opinion, our army should not advance any further. We should investigate the reasons and wait until the two thousand troops from Qiantang arrive before heading to Yuhang," Si Qing said cautiously.

Yin Li frowned slightly, his expression showing a hint of seriousness: "I have heard that Ling Cao is skilled in hand-to-hand combat. His arrival was sudden, so we must be on guard. Young Master, please wait a moment while I make the necessary arrangements."

Three months ago, Yan Yi would have been overjoyed to see Ling Cao come to surrender, and would have greeted him with the same fervor as Cao Cao. But now, with so many fierce generals under his command, he no longer cared much about Ling Cao. He nodded immediately, waited for a quarter of an hour, and then led Si Qing out of the command tent and headed east.

Outside the East Guest Tent, where there were originally few people to be seen, now there was a sentry every three steps and a guard every five steps. Yin Li's elite guards appeared and disappeared like ghosts, surrounding the entire tent like an iron barrel.

Yan Yi stepped into the tent, and the surrounding light dimmed slightly, revealing two figures standing inside. The man on the left had broad shoulders and a thick back, his muscles straining against his fur robe, while the man on the right was even more imposing, his head almost touching the tent's roof beam.

Hearing footsteps, the two figures turned around at the same time, their sharp gazes sweeping over him before bowing respectfully: "Yu Hang Ling Cao... Yu Hang Han Hu, pay your respects to Young Master."

More than a dozen assassins inside the tent stared intently at the two men.

Han Hu was tall and imposing, and even with his head bowed, he could see Yan Yi's every move. To avoid arousing suspicion, he lowered his eyelids and only used his peripheral vision to observe Yan Yi's every action, while keeping his body as relaxed as possible.

As agreed, Zhu Yong would lead a thousand elite cavalrymen, who were lying in ambush in the mountains north of Shuguting, to launch a charge against the camp and create chaos. That would be the perfect opportunity for him to make his move against Ling Cao.

Within five steps, it was but a blink of an eye for him. If two or three of Yan Yi's guards left, he could snap Yan Yi's neck in an instant with his massive hands that had killed countless people.

As Han Hu waited anxiously and nervously, a rapid sound of hooves arrived as expected, like a pleasant sound of battle striking his heart and making his blood boil.

"Reporting to the young lord, over a thousand enemy cavalry have rushed in from the north, all lightly armored and riding swift horses." "The enemy army has broken through the outer palisades!"

"The garrison of the northern camp has blocked the enemy at the gate."

"Chen Sima led the two cavalry units of the Longxiang Battalion to circle around to the enemy's side."

Messengers shuttled back and forth between the north gate of the camp and the guest tents, reporting the latest battle situation to Yan Yi.

Han Hu pricked up his ears, listening intently to each military report, his anger surging within him, his disappointment evident in his words.

What is Zhu Yong doing?! He promised a thousand cavalry to storm the camp, create chaos, coordinate an attack from within and without, and take the traitor's head. But he didn't even manage to break through the camp gates!
What should we do now? Should we take action?
Han Hu glanced at the composed Yan Yi and found that the other man was looking at him with a half-smile. Those dark eyes were piercing, as if they could see through flesh and see through the dirty schemes in his heart.

He panicked, his palms broke out in a cold sweat, and his head was buzzing.

Killing Yan Yi now is unrealistic. Not to mention the perfectly composed guards around Yan Yi, even if he succeeded, he wouldn't be able to escape the camp. Must he really follow the example of Zhuan Zhu, trading one life for another?
Han Hu was in a state of turmoil and subconsciously looked at Ling Cao.

Ling Cao reached for his belt with his right hand, his fingertips gently caressing the dark-patterned leather. He said calmly, "Young Master, I have come in haste and have not brought any valuable gifts. I only have a small gift to offer, and I hope you will accept it."

"Huaiyuan's arrival is the greatest gift." Yan Yi smiled slightly and took a half step back without making a sound.

Ling Cao suddenly raised both hands and launched an attack!
He moved with lightning speed, lunging forward, his left hand forming a claw, precisely gripping the target's right wrist, and his thumb pressing hard on the Hegu acupoint, forcefully prying open those massive hands that could split tigers and leopards!

"Let go!"

With a shout, Ling Cao lashed out with his right leg like an iron whip, the toe of his boot striking the target's Weizhong acupoint behind his knee, causing his burly body to lose its balance and lean forward. Taking advantage of the moment, Ling Cao spun around and pressed his body against the target's back, his right arm coiling around the target's neck like a python, instantly completing a standard "Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon" grappling move.

"Ling Huaiyuan, what are you doing! Are you fucking crazy?!"

Han Hu was completely stunned, never expecting that Ling Cao's target was actually him.

He roared and struggled, but Ling Cao's left elbow pressed firmly against his Dazhui acupoint on his neck, where veins were bulging. That seemingly weak arm possessed immense strength, forcing his towering body to kneel on one knee.

"Young lord, this person is the gift I have presented."

Ling Cao's eyes turned cold, a hint of contempt flashing in them. He glanced at Han Hu's face, which was twisted with anger, and cursed him inwardly as an idiot.

Yuhang is surrounded by the four cities of Linshui, Yong'an, Qiantang, and Fuchun, and is occupied by Yan Yi on three sides. Under such circumstances, even if he were to surrender, he would surrender to the powerful Yan Yi, so why would he look down on Wang Lang, who knows nothing about military strategy?

Now that he is being targeted by Wang Lang, Zhou Bo, and Dian Chao, the only way for him to escape the threat of the three men and save his life and property is to seek refuge with Yan Yi.

"Ling Huaiyuan, you bastard, you'll die a horrible death!"

Han Hu's face flushed red, a complex mix of anger, fear, and resentment churning within him, and he roared with curses.

"You mere brute force dares to look down on the heroes of Jiangdong!"

Ling Cao suddenly exerted force on Han Hu's Yuzhen acupoint at the back of his head, and when he released it, Han Hu's eyes had already turned white, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

"I acted rashly in order to deal with the thieves, and I hope you will forgive me, young lord."

Ling Cao unbuckled his belt, took out a thin weapon from a hidden compartment, and threw it on the ground.

"I have long heard of Huaiyuan's chivalrous spirit and courage, and seeing him today, I can see that his reputation is well-deserved."

Yan Yi didn't even glance at the still-trembling blade on the ground. A smile that dispelled his wariness appeared on his face as he walked towards Ling Cao.

"Young Master." Yin Li coughed lightly beside him. Although Ling Cao had no weapon in his hand, his hand-to-hand combat skills were truly divine. Whether he had a weapon or not was irrelevant to him. If such a person were to carry out an assassination, even empty-handed, he would be a deadly threat.

Yan Yi recalled Chen Shou's evaluation of Ling Cao: "He valued righteousness over life, and was chivalrous and courageous." He also recalled Ling Cao's experiences in history, where he always died on the front lines of battle. He even thought of his son Ling Tong's loyal and upright character. Yan Yi had no more doubts.

He gave Yin Li, who had spoken up to remind him, a reassuring look, walked up to Ling Cao, took his arm, and sighed contentedly, "With Huaiyuan by my side, I am like a tiger with wings!"

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind: apart from He Qi, Dong Xi, Zhang Hong, Zhang Zhao, Lu Su, and others, it seemed that he had almost recruited all the core civil and military officials of Eastern Wu in history.
A flicker of emotion crossed Ling Cao's face. Yan Yi had actually dared to approach him under such circumstances; this courage and trust alone were enough to earn him his loyalty.

He solemnly knelt on one knee and said loudly, "Your subordinate Ling Cao pays respects to the young lord!"

Yan Yi laughed loudly, helped him up, and said gently, "Huaiyuan, you must have brought more than just this one gift, right?"

Ling Cao nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping to his left and right.

"You may all step back."

At Yan Yi's command, the assassins in the tent dragged the unconscious Han Hu away in an instant, leaving only Si Qing and Yin Li.

Ling Cao knew that Si Qing and Yin Li must be Yan Yi's confidants, so he no longer hesitated and said in a deep voice: "As far as I know, the mastermind behind this assassination attempt on the young lord is Wang Lang and Xu Gong."

Yan Yi was not surprised by this and chuckled, "These are just skeletons in a tomb, nothing to worry about."

Ling Cao was momentarily impressed by his heroic spirit, and his eyes showed more respect. He continued, "Zhou Bo and Dian Chao's nine thousand bandits are coming from the Fuchun River and Tianmu Mountain. In addition to the bandits in Yuhang, tens of thousands of bandits will arrive soon. This place is not suitable for us to stay. Young Master should return to Qiantang as soon as possible."

Yan Yi smiled faintly upon hearing this, casually tracing the patterns on the scabbard with his fingertips: "These mere bandits are nothing more than targets for sale. Huaiyuan might as well bring his family and relatives to the camp for temporary accommodation, just in case."

Ling Cao hesitated. The camp only had three thousand soldiers. How could they possibly resist an enemy four times their size?
Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly heard the sound of hooves. A cavalry general wearing fish-scale armor rode up to the tent, threw a blood-soaked head on the ground, dismounted, clasped his hands and said, "Reporting to the young lord, this humble general has beheaded the bandit general Zhu Yong and presented his head to you!"

Yan Yi's gaze swept over the blood-stained, dust-covered head, and he lifted Chen Xian's arms: "Thank you for your help, Yuanliang. What are our casualties?"

Chen Xian was now completely devoted to him, and upon hearing this, he respectfully replied, "Thirty-one brothers died, and about sixty or seventy were injured."

The three thousand troops that Yan Yi led on this trip were the elite of the elite, and dealing with a mere bandit army was naturally a piece of cake for them.

Ling Cao was stunned and horrified. How could a raid of over a thousand bandit cavalry have resulted in such few casualties and been so easily wiped out?

Yan Yi's concerned voice came from beside him: "Huaiyuan, what do you think of my suggestion just now?"

Ling Cao nodded subconsciously, without any further hesitation, and immediately summoned his servants, ordering them to bring their families and relatives to the camp.

Yan Yi, worried about the possibility of something going wrong on the way, assigned another 500 infantrymen to escort them along the route.

Ling Cao's family was wealthy, and he kept hundreds of servants on his estate. Including his clan members, the total number was over a thousand. This was why, despite his passionate ambitions, he remained in Yuhang and did not take up an official post for a long time.

He looked down on Xu Zhao and sought refuge with other forces, but he was worried that his clansmen would invite Xu Zhao's revenge.

Now, by sheer coincidence, he has been given a push, and Yan Yi has gained another fierce general under his command.

(A historic breakthrough today, I wrote 5245 words)

(End of this chapter)