Chapter 431: Who are you, sir?

He paused, then added: "In this battle, victory is allowed, defeat is not! Those who fear battle and hesitate shall be beheaded!"

Gongsun Heng didn't notice that, in the main tent, with the commander's desk where he stood as the dividing line, the remnants of Qing Wang's forces who had fled back from the last canyon ambush and the commanders of Chen Wang were seated separately on either side, clearly distinct.

As his words fell silent, the tent remained utterly quiet, no one responding.

What's going on? Why is there no reaction from them?

Full of doubt, Gongsun Heng's excitement and arrogance on his face instantly receded by half.

After a moment, a young officer from Qing Wang's faction leapt to his feet, his eyes bloodshot: "I, the lowly officer, volunteer as vanguard! To avenge General Zhou!"

"Exactly! Avenge him!"

"Charge! Let them taste what it's like to be ambushed!"

Several from Qing Wang's side were stirred to passionate fury.

Gongsun Heng grew excited again: "Good! This general, so eager to defeat the enemy, I'll give you the credit for capturing Xiao Jieyun alive!"

"Hold on!" Li Shen rose slowly, walked to the commander's desk, didn't even glance at the token, fixed his gaze on Gongsun Heng: "Who are you, sir?"

Gongsun Heng clasped his hands before the heavens, full of pride: "Imperial Envoy, Gongsun Heng."

"Gongsun Heng? You're from Xia? As far as I know, only the Xia imperial clan bears the double surname Gongsun."

Gongsun Heng lowered his hand, brows slightly furrowed: "And what of it?"

Li Shen curled the corner of his mouth: "How could my Lie State allow a Xia person to serve as an envoy?"

Gongsun Heng was momentarily speechless—damn! Bent on making a name for himself, he hadn't concealed his true name; this misunderstanding won't be easy to explain.

He adopted the modest, courteous demeanor he had when he was Jiang Heng, smiled faintly, and clasped his hands to Li Shen: "General, though I bear the surname Gongsun, I have long since turned from darkness to light."

"In truth, I am a covert operative of the Imperial Court in Xia. In this border war, the Xia Emperor died amidst the rebel troops, and I too played a part."

"Now I have returned to Lie State, residing in Jingcheng, and can be considered a comrade-in-arms with you, General."

"Let me be frank: I came here under orders; the epidemic in the enemy's main camp is my doing."

"Otherwise, how could I know it so well?"

Seeing Li Shen's expression ease a little, he felt somewhat relieved: "General, I, like you, merely wish to serve the Imperial Court."

"Oh." Li Shen nodded, then asked: "Since you are an Imperial Envoy, do you have a talisman or an imperial decree?"

Gongsun Heng frowned, impatient, picked up the token from the desk: "Could it be the general doesn't recognize this? With the token in hand, why would you still need a talisman or decree?"

Li Shen gave a faint smile: "In peacetime, the token alone would suffice, but not now."

"This is wartime; how could I readily believe a Xia person?"

Gongsun Heng stared, dumbfounded.

He reacted instantly, turning sharply to the Qing Wang officers who had just been clamoring to go on the raid: "Since the general doesn't want this chance for merit, what about you few?"

They glanced at each other; one looked troubled: "We… only have over two thousand men."

Gongsun Heng sucked in a cold breath: "Over two thousand! What can that accomplish?"

"Even if the enemy main camp is rife with plague, that's still tens of thousands of troops!"

"I have endured countless hardships; I absolutely cannot let all my efforts come to nothing!"

He suppressed his anger, turned again to Li Shen: "General, your caution earns my utmost respect; if you remain uneasy, I can stay constantly by your side to show my sincerity."

"I only hope the general does not miss this heaven‑sent opportunity."

Li Shen showed no sway: "If what you say is true, and the enemy camp is already plagued, why would I need to launch an extra assault?"

Gongsun Heng gaped: "No, then what?"

Li Shen snorted: "Xiao Yuanhang is full of tricks; how could I know whether he isn't again using a scheme within a scheme to lure me in?"

"I need only wait patiently for their plague to spread, for them to collapse on their own."

"Once their losses exceed half and their morale is gone, our army can strike with bows and crossbows from afar, set fire to the camp, and annihilate the enemy without losing a single soldier."

"Wait?" Gongsun Heng laughed in anger: "How long—ten days? A month? If the situation changes by then, can you bear the responsibility?"

"That's still better than marching to death!" a subordinate officer of Li Shen sprang up: "Qing Wang's men aren't afraid to die; they can go themselves!"

"My troops will never risk an sortie!"

"Exactly! Let whoever wants to go, go!"

"If you want to go, let them charge in as the vanguard; we'll provide support from outside the camp."

The tent instantly erupted into a clamor.

Qing Wang's officers cursed Chen Wang's men as cowards, while Chen Wang's men denounced Qing Wang's officers as reckless hotheads; the argument flushed their faces red, nearly coming to blows.

Gongsun Heng stood by the commander's desk, watching this absurd farce before him, feeling a chill run through his whole body.

He had traveled thousands of miles, day and night, bringing with him the confidence of certain victory and a token that could command orders.

He had imagined he would immediately wield supreme power and boundless wealth.

But he never expected to run into a wall—a wall built of fear, suspicion, and internal strife.

He could no longer hold back, shouting hoarsely: "Enough!"

The tent fell slightly silent.

Gongsun Heng clenched the token tightly, thrust it before Li Shen's eyes, and dropped the pretense.

He fixed Li Shen with a stare: "General, this is a military order. Disobey, and you die. Have you considered how you'll answer to the Imperial Court when you return to the capital?"

Li Shen locked eyes with him for a moment, then suddenly smiled, his expression full of mockery: "The envoy wants to behead me?"

He drawled: "Certainly. Then please, Envoy, first ask the officers under my command in this tent whether they will comply."

"And ask the thirty thousand troops outside the tent—will they obey or not?"

He stepped forward, closing in on Gongsun Heng: "Do you really think that with just this token of doubtful authenticity you can make me lead my own men to their deaths?"

Gongsun Heng froze completely.

Li Shen no longer looked at him, turned and issued the order: "This man claims to be of the Xia imperial clan, yet he wields my Lie State's token to command troops!"

I, the general, suspect he is a scoundrel who accidentally obtained the token!

Men! Pull him down! Guard him tightly and interrogate!

Yes!

General! This man still has three followers waiting outside!

Li Shen waved his hand: "Detain them separately! No one may speak privately with these four!"

Gongsun Heng felt a surge in his chest, a sweet, fishy taste rose in his throat: "You, you dare! How audacious! To treat the Imperial Court envoy like this, you…"

Li Shen smiled again: "Pull him down!"

The soldiers outside surged in, pouncing on Gongsun Heng like starving tigers, pinning him to the ground and dragging him out.

Xibei Daying.

Xiao Yuanhang, his face covered with a veil, gently pressed his large hand onto a soldier's scorching forehead.

"Prince!" a soldier entered, "We've cleared another camp tent that can be used to treat the brothers!"

Xiao Yuanhang nodded, deeply worried.

How many camp tents is this now?

Sick soldiers are already nearly ten percent; if this continues…

"Prince! It's bad!" a personal guard ran in.

"Speak!"

"Third Young Master, Third Young Master, he's contracted the epidemic!"