Chapter 302: Two Enemies Converge

On the surface, he scratched the back of his head: "She wanted to seek death, so of course she wouldn't let us find out. Hmm? What's on the table?" There seemed to be another paper ball on the table, damp and mushy.

"Take a look." He Chunhua exhaled a breath of irritation, "Hong Chenglue has sent another letter."

He Lingchuan opened the paper ball and took a look; it was indeed the same handwriting as last time: "I hope you will return my wife's remains."

The writing was forceful, piercing through the paper; clearly, the person who wrote the letter was also filled with repression.

"What does Father intend to do? Will you return them?"

He Chunhua was silent for a long while before waving his hand: "Return them."

He Lingchuan replied with a sound and was just about to withdraw when He Chunhua suddenly asked: "Tell me, why did she have to do this!"

"I..."

Before He Lingchuan could speak, He Chunhua continued angrily: "It was just a peace talk! If it succeeds, it succeeds; if not, we talk again! I didn't want her life, nor did I want her husband's life, and I was going to release her in three months. She was so unyielding, so resolute—why!"

"This should..." He Lingchuan thought for a moment, "have nothing to do with Father, right?"

He Chunhua's eyes widened: "Nothing to do with me?"

Nothing to do with him? Then why did A-Jin choose to commit suicide at that exact moment! "She probably didn't want to drag Hong Chenglue down anymore; dying would end it all once and for all." He Lingchuan said, "Didn't she say to Hong Chenglue, 'From now on, the sky is high for the bird to fly'?"

A-Jin was the rope that tied Hong Chenglue down; only when the rope snapped was he truly free.

"And she did it right during the peace talks!" He Chunhua's roar almost traveled two miles, "Right when it was about to be successfully negotiated!"

In truth, he knew that Hong Chenglue bringing only Dong Rui instead of an army this time showed an intention to compromise. In other words, his, He Chunhua's, plan was correct and could have succeeded.

It was just a little short—just a little short of being negotiated successfully!

That woman did it on purpose to ruin his good deed.

He Lingchuan was silent.

It was the first time he had seen He Chunhua so hysterical; he was truly a bit surprised.

His father had always been the image of a humble gentleman, graceful and poised.

He Chunhua paced back and forth a few times, as if venting half his anger through those few roars.

After a long while, he returned to normal and said to his son: "Tell me, what method could he possibly have to make General Zhao suffer a defeat?"

This was the condition Hong Chenglue had put forward during their negotiations; although it sounded unreliable, He Chunhua could not help but feel apprehensive at this moment.

A man like Hong Chenglue shouldn't be shooting without a target, right?

He had just discussed it with Zhao Pan, but there was no result; Zhao Pan had even laughed loudly and said it was impossible.

"This son does not know."

He Chunhua rubbed his temples and said: "I have agreed with General Zhao that the entire camp will strengthen its guard in the coming days. Don't run around aimlessly if you have nothing to do."

Since the matter had already occurred, no matter how angry he was, he had to guard against the opponent's retaliation next.

"Yes."

He Lingchuan withdrew from the tent, placed two torches on the carriage holding the remains, thought for a moment, and then placed a comb by A-Jin's pillow. Only then did he order his personal guards to take the carriage to the edge of the woods and whip the horse's rump fiercely.

The horse, feeling the pain, bolted into the woods; not long after, the light of the torches went out.

A dozen breaths later, even the sound of the horse's hooves faded into the darkness.

He Lingchuan stared in that direction for a while; he knew Hong Chenglue had already received A-Jin.

This couple was finally reunited.

A chill hit his face, a few droplets of water fell, and a pattering sound rose all around.

The rain had come again.

Hundred-Call Valley.

In the enormous mountain cave, a fierce fire raged. Hong Chenglue watched his beloved's figure being swallowed by the flames, his expression blank.

The Xunzhou mobile cavalry stood behind him, not daring to make a sound.

By dawn, the fire had burned out.

Hong Chenglue stepped forward to collect the ashes, placed them into an urn, and kept it safe, whispering softly as if comforting her. He wanted to take his wife home; he could not let her be buried all alone in a foreign land.

Wu Qing was also by his side, sweat constantly seeping from his forehead, but he didn't dare to wipe it often.

From time to time, he stole glances at Hong Chenglue in front of him.

Hong Chenglue put away the ash urn and suddenly turned his head to say to him: "I already took away A-Jin's Cold Dove Powder, why did she still have some? Did you give it to her again?"

It had come; there was no escaping it. Wu Qing couldn't care about his dignity and fell to his knees with a thud: "General, I don't understand either! Whatever she said, I reported it all truthfully!"

Last time A-Jin asked him for medicine, she even told him to keep his mouth shut. How could Wu Qing dare? He turned around and reported it to Hong Chenglue anyway. Hong Chenglue immediately went to A-Jin and confiscated the Cold Dove Powder.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't have been any issues.

Hong Chenglue gritted his teeth, making a clicking sound.

Wu Qing suddenly remembered something and said immediately: "Ah, the spiritual medicine given by State Preceptor Shuangye—the Madam had already taken it several times. Could it be that she... she was actually able to move?"

A-Jin had originally been paralyzed from the neck down, able only to wiggle her fingers a few times. Hong Chenglue hadn't thought much of taking away her Cold Dove Powder because, without anyone to help her, she had no way to put the medicine into her mouth.

But after being reminded by Wu Qing, he understood.

State Preceptor Shuangye's medicine had already taken effect; perhaps she was able to move her hands!

And so, she let Hong Chenglue take away the majority of the Cold Dove Powder while secretly hiding a few small grains herself.

Thinking of this, Hong Chenglue's eye sockets grew hot again.

State Preceptor Shuangye's medicine could truly cure her; her illness was clearly already improving, yet in the end, she still chose to seek death!

She used her life to pave the way for him!

Wu Qing felt the killing intent on Hong Chenglue growing increasingly dense and was so terrified he remained kneeling on the ground.

Hong Chenglue glared at the back of his head, forcibly suppressing the urge to swing his blade.

Trash! If not for this fellow providing the medicine, Ah Jin would still be alive now. He clenched his fist tightly, then slowly relaxed it, hiding the hatred in his eyes deep down. Wu Qing was a subordinate highly valued by the Imperial Preceptor of the Frost Leaf Nation; if he were killed just like that, it would be difficult for him to explain himself upon returning to Beijia.

The sweat on Wu Qing's forehead dripped onto the ground: "This subordinate has committed a grave error, ten thousand deaths cannot redeem it, please punish me, General Hong!"

He admitted that he had "committed a grave error," but absolutely not that he had "caused the Madam's death." A-Jin's seeking of death was her own personal will.

Hong Chenglue exhaled a long breath: "Remember it; I'll punish you later. I need you to go do one thing first."

Wu Qing was currently his only link to the Beijia Nation; he was alone behind the Yuan army's lines leading the Xunzhou mobile cavalry to stir up trouble, so the aid from Nian Zanli and the Beijia Nation was especially important.

"Please speak, General!" Wu Qing's hanging heart finally dropped; asking him to do something meant he didn't intend to kill him.

"I want to meet with Nian Zanli." Hong Chenglue said coldly, "You go arrange it. Just tell him I have a way to help him achieve his goal and land on the south bank of the Hanhe River."

Hmm? Wu Qing was stunned. There was such a way? They had been monitoring the Yuan camp for many days; this person Zhao Pan was quite skilled at governing the army and setting up defenses, otherwise the Xunzhou people's southward advance would not have been blocked north of the Hanhe River.

Now Hong Chenglue was saying he could easily break this situation? "Is there a problem?" Hong Chenglue watched him not moving.

Wu Qing said hurriedly: "This subordinate will go arrange it immediately!" Not caring about the torrential rain outside the cave, he rushed out.

How to brave the torrential rain and flooding to contact the other side—the time to test him had arrived; in any case, it had to be done.

At a time like this, being drenched by the rain was better than staying by Hong Chenglue's side.

Five hours later.

Hong Chenglue rode Dong Rui's strange bird across the surging great river, arriving directly at the Xunzhou main camp on the other side.

Although the flood had first swallowed the south bank, the Xunzhou people were still very cautious and had withdrawn from the north bank, also retreating nearly two hundred zhang.

Water and fire are heartless; they are not a weight that humans can bear.

Dong Rui's strange bird was also not accustomed to flying in such weather; fortunately, it had the assistance of the Light Body Art, which allowed it to barely make a short-distance trip.

It landed in front of the Xunzhou main camp. Hong Chenglue jumped down and saw the camp defenses were strict; it had quite an air about it.

Just as he landed, several riders rushed out of the camp: "State your name!"

"Hong."

These few people gave up a horse, clearly having received instructions beforehand: "General Hong, please, our Lord Nian is waiting in the tent."

Hong Chenglue mounted the horse and followed; that strange bird shrank its form to the size of a crow, stopped on his shoulder, and shook its head.

This scene was not common, and everyone took a few extra looks.

Afterward, Hong Chenglue was led all the way into the main military tent.

Someone was already leaning against the door looking out; seeing him rush closer, he didn't care about the torrential rain, stepped forward to grab the reins, and laughed loudly: "General Hong, have you been well!"

"Lord Nian, long time no see." Hong Chenglue reached out to slap palms with him, jumped off the horse's back, and entered the tent together.

This man had a white face and long eyebrows, and was high-spirited; his features were thirty percent similar to Nian Songyu's. He was none other than the former Grand General of the North of the Yuan Nation, Nian Zanli.

After he defected to the northern demon nation, the Beijia Nation still appointed him as the Shepherd of Xunzhou, the head of both military and political affairs.

The two sat down, and personal guards immediately served hot tea and offered dry towels for them to wipe their faces and dry off the water.

Nian Zanli said enthusiastically: "Have you eaten? We have freshly slaughtered lamb today; it's very tender."

He and Hong Chenglue had become friends through fighting; formerly, he guarded the northern frontier of the Yuan Nation, while Hong Chenglue was a commanding general of the Beijia Nation. Each led troops to clash on the border line, and he had even suffered a loss.

Hearing Wu Qing say that Hong Chenglue requested a meeting, he attached great importance to it.

Hong Chenglue sipped the hot tea: "Thank you, but there is no need. I came to find Lord Nian uninvited because I have something to discuss."

This man was indeed straightforward. Nian Zanli raised his eyebrows, and then heard Hong Chenglue continue: "The Zhao Pan on the opposite side has already received ten thousand shi of military grain. The person who personally led the Xiazhou grain transport team to the front line is the newly appointed Xiazhou Superintendent, He Chunhua. Does Lord Nian know this news?"

The smile on Nian Zanli's face slowly faded: "I have heard."

He Chunhua had already been at the front line for several days. He had a feud of killing his son with this man, which gave him one more reason to kill and repel the Yuan army and pacify Xiazhou.

"Lord Nian has been in a standoff with Zhao Pan on the north bank of the Hanhe River for nearly two months; do you have any plans for when to launch the general offensive?"

These words vaguely carried a tone of provocation. Nian Zanli acted as if he didn't hear it: "Originally scheduled for the end of the flood season. This person Zhao Pan puts all his effort into defense; he doesn't go out lightly, doesn't take risks, and doesn't eat the bait thrown to him, just blindly builds camps and stations defenses."

Combined with the natural barrier of the Hanhe River, it was indeed difficult for him to attack the south bank.

He paused: "However, the Yuan army has a fatal flaw: they are short of clothes and food all day, struggling to maintain. If we endure for a few more days, we might be able to take them easily." How rotten the interior of the Yuan Nation was, Nian Zanli knew better than anyone else. No matter how strong Zhao Pan was, he was just one general; there were plenty of monarchs and ministers in the court dragging him down. The Yuan army's logistics and supplies were always a fatal flaw; when it came to a war of attrition, the advantage was with him.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 303 =====