My lord, spare his life!

Why did Wang Ba personally lead the troops?

Actually, it was He Ning who volunteered at the beginning.

He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your son is willing to share your burdens and relieve your worries, godfather."

By the standards of average lifespan in chaotic times, Wang Ba was no longer young, but in terms of physical condition, he was in his prime. He Ning was his most favored adopted son, and the child on whom he placed his boundless hopes: "[How many more battles can your father fight? Why would I need you to go to the front lines? This danger requires someone capable of absolute control. If any of these three thousand men makes a mistake, allowing the enemy to discover our true intentions prematurely, it will be disastrous.]"

Both logically and emotionally, it should be Wang Ba who takes action.

He Ning said: "But what about my godfather's health..."

Wang Ba waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, just get some rest."

He handed over the military tally he always carried to He Ning.

"While I'm away, take good care of the family in Dongxian. If your brothers and sisters make things difficult for you, ignore them and wait for me to return. If you can't handle anything, you can ask Yuanjun for advice; I think he'll help." Dongxian's power isn't limited to just Dongxian County; it's quite large. Wang Ba sent all his other children and adopted sons and daughters away, without giving them full military power, leaving only a few incompetent and weak-willed ones by his side.

Those few cowards can't threaten He Ning.

At worst, he'll make a foolish mistake and He Ning will have to clean up the mess.

The others were not bold enough, nor were they capable enough. They were not as outstanding as He Ning, nor did they have the same prestige among He Ning's subordinates.

Wang Ba gave a brief explanation and set off that day.

He Ning stayed behind, and Yuan Xie also remained in Dongxian.

The flood control efforts weren't finished yet, and he couldn't leave for the time being. He Ningwangba's words were firmly in his mind; if there was anything he wasn't sure about, he would consult Yuan Xie. Yuan Xie was almost astonished: "This is, after all, an internal affair of Dongxian. Why is General He asking an outsider like me?"

He Ning said: [Firstly, the uncles and aunts under my adoptive father each have their own agendas, and not all of them acknowledge me; secondly, among them, there is probably no one whose wisdom and strategy can surpass that of the Yuanjun; thirdly, the Yuanjun is not from Dongxian, so she can view issues more objectively and fairly.]

The forces in Dong-Ham have never been united from beginning to end.

Perhaps because Wang Ba had started his career by taking over the political legacy of his former master, some of his subordinates who had their own ambitions also had similar thoughts, but none of them put these thoughts into action—Wang Ba still held prestige among them.

Their submission to Wang Ba doesn't mean they will submit to Wang Ba's children.

Some of the children adopted by Wang Ba were orphans of fallen soldiers, while many others were the biological children of his generals. Since they were all adopted under Wang Ba's name, they naturally felt closer to and favored their own or their relatives' children, rather than He Ning, who had no powerful connections. Some even gossiped behind his back, believing that Wang Ba valued He Ning because he had an affair with He Ning's biological mother.

They completely forgot another important fact—if He Ning's mother hadn't risked her life to hold off Guan Zong, it's questionable whether Wang Ba would have survived. Wang Ba certainly had every reason to treat He Ning well.

There was some distance between them and He Ning.

How could He Ning not notice?

Therefore, he chose to seek help from Yuan Xie when he had a problem.

Besides, Yuan Xie is one of the living tokens of the secret alliance between the two parties, and now that it is on their own territory, they can use it if they can, since they don't need to pay it a salary anyway.

Yuan Xie chuckled: "Thank you for your trust."

What I really want to say is that He Ning is no pushover either.

He increasingly doubted how Wang Ba's eyes were formed, as he found his biological children/adopted children to be innocent and adorable no matter how he looked at them.

After many years, Wang Ba once again personally led his troops away from Dongxian. Before the forces near the Youyuan Mountains could make a move, they received news from Wang Ba. He was simply passing through, not using the route to launch an attack, and had no vested interest in them, so there was no need to panic.

Not many people are watching Wang Ba anymore.

That made things convenient.

They claimed they were just offering to let him pass, but the road Wang Ba was taking didn't belong to any of their factions. The Right Yuan Mountains were not like the Eastern Fan Mountains; this place wouldn't even attract bandits like those from the Eastern Fan. Since Wang Ba had shown his sincerity, their continued surprise would only make them appear inferior.

Someone remarked to their subordinates with a sigh, jokingly saying, "That old bastard Wang Hongtu has been hiding in his shell for so many years, why did he suddenly crawl out of his burrow? Tsk tsk, I wonder who he's going to bite this time."

No matter who's unlucky, just don't bite them.

Some people's curiosity was piqued.

After all, when someone who's been a homebody for over a decade suddenly leads a large group of followers out at breakneck speed toward a destination, looking like they're about to blow the enemy's head off, passersby will inevitably be curious—who is this old bastard going out to fight? Why is he fighting? What heinous crime has the person being attacked committed?

If we can't find out the details, we can only deduce and analyze based on the existing information.

"How much grain did Wang Ba and his group bring?"

They could estimate the distance to their destination based on the amount of grain, and then determine which matching forces were in that direction, using a process of elimination to roughly pinpoint their target. Wang Ba's group had prepared very little grain, in fact, pitifully little.

"A few days?"

"How many days?"

"Only seven days?"

What can you do in seven days?

To put it bluntly, some people don't even spend more than this much time on a spring outing. Wang Ba taking three thousand elite troops on a seven-day trip? No, we also have to consider the possibility of unfavorable battle conditions and the inability to obtain supplies from the target. This means three days on the way there, three days on the way back, and one day reserved for fighting the enemy.

"Hiss—what if that old bastard runs into a tough opponent? Is he planning to beg for money all the way back to his lair?" Someone couldn't help but look around, and their scalp tingled with fear that Wang Ba might use them as a blood bag to be taken advantage of if things went badly for him.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

The thought of this possibility made them lose even their enthusiasm for watching the drama unfold: "...Old Turtle only got a few scratches from fighting his enemy to the death, while we, as mere spectators, are seriously injured. Where can we complain? Quickly, keep an eye on Old Turtle's movements."

Wang Ba was naturally unaware of what these people were thinking.

They were even more unaware that Zhang Yang had a subordinate named Guan Zong.

Guan Zong received the message for help from the Imperial Throne City almost simultaneously with Zhang Yang. The difference was that Zhang Yang's message was delivered by the Star Beast Thousand-Mile Eye, while Guan Zong's message was delivered by a messenger whose life was hanging by a thread. He fainted after delivering the message and was taken away by the army doctor for emergency treatment. Even though he survived, he wouldn't wake up for a while and wouldn't be able to provide more detailed internal intelligence.

Guan Zong frowned slightly as he opened the secret distress message.

Someone whispered, "General, this is a good thing."

Guan Zong: "You mean something good?"

The adjutant said, "General, think about it carefully. How important is the Imperial Throne City to the mountains? The Imperial Throne City only helped us after receiving benefits. Once the matter is settled, it's considered even. The Imperial Throne City is still not ours. Without the Imperial Throne City, no matter how much territory we take in the mountains, it's like having an outsider sleeping soundly beside our lord..."

The Imperial City had sent troops to help because they had been paid.

The transaction was completed, and neither party owed the other anything.

Now that the Imperial Throne City is in crisis, if we intervene now or delay our intervention, the Imperial Throne City will owe us a favor, even if it doesn't necessarily submit, and will be at a disadvantage. After that, suppressing and annexing it will be much easier, and Chao Xiaoyu of the Imperial Throne City will be unable to stand up straight.

and so--

I can help, but not immediately.

Guan Zong inwardly agreed with this plan.

This is indeed the most advantageous option for Zhang Yang.

The Imperial City is too important!

Moreover, the important thing is the position itself, not the person occupying it. As long as the Imperial City exists, whether there are people or not is irrelevant.

Guan Zong pondered for a moment: "Please ask Military Advisor Xiao to come over."

A seasoned veteran's principle is that he may not monopolize the credit, but the risks must be shared. He wants to use underhanded tactics to gain the greatest short-term benefit, much like many warlords in history.

However, the biggest difference between Zhang Yang and other warlords is that the latter are mature, even rotten, adults, while Zhang Yang is a mysterious pseudo-human who appears mature on the outside but is actually wearing human skin and whose true nature is unknown.

Who knows if she agrees with Guan Zong or wants to stab him in the back?

Guan Zong felt he had made the wrong choice and was willing to take the blow, but someone else had to take the blow with him, otherwise he wouldn't feel at peace.

Xiao Sui: "..."

Guan Zong coughed awkwardly under the other party's all-knowing gaze.

Xiao Sui: "Your 'Descending Stars' shouldn't be a night-crying child, but a drowned ghost, squatting underwater every day looking for a scapegoat."

Guan Zong: "..."

Such a beautiful appearance, yet she speaks so harshly.

Oh no, this guy is a fake. No matter how good-looking his face is, it's not the original. Who knows how much Xiao Sui secretly edited it?

Xiao Sui took the secret letter, looked it over, and frowned.

The knife-and-fan in her hand spun rhythmically and gently between her fingertips.

She asked, "What do you think of this letter?"

Guan Zongdao said, "At first I thought it was a good opportunity. My lord also wants the Imperial City, and it's always better to have it in our own hands than in someone else's. But while waiting for you to arrive, I felt something was wrong."

This discrepancy was certainly not due to Guan Zong having a change of heart.

He said, "I have a feeling that's hard to describe."

Guan Zong always trusted his intuition.

"Old fox." Xiao Sui sneered, seeing through Guan Zong's clumsy performance. She put the secret letter aside, not pointing out the problem, but instead asking about the status of the messenger from the Imperial Throne City.

"His injuries are quite severe, he has lost a lot of blood, and a large amount of Yin energy has leaked out. The ghosts inside him are almost out of control... It's already a miracle that he's alive. If he wakes up, it might be three to five days, maybe seven or eight days. We obviously can't wait that long," Guan Zong said truthfully. They could afford to wait, but the Emperor's Throne City, which was cut off from the water supply, couldn't.

I'm dying of thirst.

Unless God suddenly sends rain to give them a few more days.

Guan Zong: "And the information in the letter is quite detailed..."

He paused as he spoke.

His eyes darted to Xiao Sui, who looked at him knowingly. This was the root of Guan Zonghui's suspicion about the letter; the information within was rather detailed. It wasn't that Chao Tan didn't have time to provide detailed intelligence, but rather that Chao Tan was in the Imperial Throne City and couldn't ascertain the enemy's true strength in a short time.

The Imperial City is easy to defend and difficult to attack because of its terrain.

This terrain prevented the enemy from deploying a siege formation, let alone gathering their troops into battle array. They were forced into a narrow, serpentine formation, almost entirely exposed to the archers hiding behind arrow slits. And this was only the force within range; what about the troops outside the observation range? Chao Tan was still rushing back to reinforce at that time; how could he possibly make a seemingly clear assessment of the enemy's size? If his judgment was wrong, the reinforcements would not only fail to save the enemy but would also trap themselves.

Was Chao Tan a fool?

Xiao Sui felt that she wasn't like that at all; quite the opposite, this person was cautious and patient, like a shrewd person cultivated by a thousand-year-old tortoise, with extremely strong strategic resolve. Otherwise, under the various threats, inducements, and provocations of the enemy, the Imperial Throne City would have long since abandoned its defensive advantages and launched a proactive attack.

"Besides this, there is also intelligence on the enemy's camp."

The adjutant listened with some trepidation and confusion.

"Strategist, is there a problem with this?" The Imperial City is so high up, isn't it reasonable to find out the enemy's location from a high vantage point?

"This is a huge problem. The size of the camp can be faked to mislead the enemy and launch a surprise attack, but there's one thing that's very difficult to fake: the latrines used by the army. Their density is carefully considered." After Xiao Sui's reminder, the adjutant carefully recalled the two pieces of information and was astonished to find that they didn't match up. Xiao Sui said, "As the saying goes, the more you say, the more mistakes you make; the less you say, the fewer mistakes you make. So it's understandable that the messenger was seriously injured and unconscious..."

"So, General Chao's return with his troops has relieved the siege? This secret letter wasn't sent by General Chao, but by the enemy?"

Xiao Sui said, "No."

This letter was from both Chao Tan and the enemy.

The plea for help was genuine, but it was also true that it led them to misjudge and commit suicide.

Guan Zongdao said, "Whether to save her or not, it's up to you."

Xiao Sui disagreed, saying, "How can we do this without the Lord's permission?"

Guan Zong scoffed, "Everything has to wait? By the time you realize it, it'll be too late. Do you think all those people in Imperial Throne City can go without water for days?"

Let's address the immediate crisis first.

Xiao Sui frowned in thought, and Guan Zong did not disturb her. The adjutant even subconsciously held his breath, almost suffocating himself.

After a while, she said, "Prepare the troops first."

Guan Zong raised an eyebrow and asked her, "On what scale are you preparing?"

We can't send out all our troops, can we?

Zhang Yang hasn't even fully digested the territory he's conquered. Even after killing a group as a warning, some haven't been subdued and harbor resentment. If Guan Zong withdraws his troops, the territory he just conquered, which he hasn't even had a chance to fully enjoy, will be lost again.

Xiao Sui said, "I'll pay 30%."

Guan Zong counted the number of people under his command.

"Selling only 30% is still a bit too little..."

Guan Zong sounded a little unsure when he said this.

He knows his own situation best. He doesn't have the skills he had when he was young. Guan Si and the Hundred Ghosts Guard are not around. The soldiers under his command now are either newly trained soldiers from Tianyue or those who were assigned to him after the war based on merit. He hasn't been completely tamed yet.

Sending out 30% of our forces would make us vulnerable to being swallowed up by the enemy.

Xiao Sui said, "If we're going to set up an ambush, 30% is enough."

Guan Zong asked, puzzled, "An ambush? An ambush on whom?"

They didn't seize the initiative, so who could they possibly ambush in advance?

Xiao Sui gently waved her fan: "General, just do as I say. You'll know the answer to the riddle whenever you've prepared your troops."

Guan Zong: "..."

These bastards like to use cryptic language when loading goods.

No sooner had the troops been prepared than Zhang Daji descended from the sky.

Guan Zong suddenly realized what was happening and turned his head in astonishment.

"Heavenly Bodhisattva!"

They actually managed to load the cargo!

? ?(?w?)

My nails were a bit long, and typing made me poke the keyboard keycaps, which was very uncomfortable, so I went out to get my nails done today. Just as I got to the nail salon to remove my manicure, my bracelet broke without warning. I didn't feel it at all until the salon owner pointed it out, and then I realized my wrist was broken… That was close! If it had broken any earlier or later, on the street, I probably wouldn't have been able to find it again.