Chapter 42: Capturing People

( ) Chapter 43: Capturing People

Rushi found a piece of clothing and gave it to him to change into.

"How did the rebel raid on the camp go this time, and how many troops did we lose?" With the great enemy at hand, Li Bucai could not afford to be careless.

Rui Tong replied: "Thanks to Princess Jingling's vigilance, she woke us up before the rebels could break in, so neither side suffered any personnel losses. This time Sky City lost eight people, the other lords together had about a dozen casualties, Lord Qian Feng lost one; the rebels lost roughly forty people."

"Understood," Li Bucai thanked the school-uniform girl. "Thanks to you this time, thank you."

The school-uniform girl replied impatiently, "I didn't expect you to have learned to be distant?"

Li Bucai gave a faint smile.

After chatting a while longer, everyone returned to their own tents.

Rushi and Xiaoxiao set up their beds on his two sides, attending to their lord. At this moment Li Bucai's Zhenhun San had not worn off, and he lay on the bed still drowsy until the sky began to brighten, then fell into a heavy sleep.

In the central army tent, the Young Marshal awoke and called Jingyi and others to come in.

"How long has it been since sunrise? Quickly change my clothes; I'm eager to watch the excitement." She only remembered that after tearing Li Bucai's clothes she soon fell to the ground herself; as for what happened later, she only recalled a warm patch in the cold that gave her warmth, and then she fell asleep and remembers nothing after that.

Jingyi and the others were sluggish, and she hurriedly said, "Why are you dragging your feet? Could all our previous effort be in vain?"

"Exactly. Last night the rebels attacked the camp; everyone was only concerned with holding off the rebels. After we drove the rebels away, his servant slipped in, and they even said the Young Marshal should be rude to that bastard."

"Would the Young Marshal be rude to him?" The Young Marshal ripped the blanket onto the floor, leapt down, and, barefoot, went to argue with Li Bucai.

"Young Marshal! You haven't changed yet," someone hurriedly caught up and helped her put on her clothes.

"You're killing me! You have this courtesy, you have this courtesy!" The Young Marshal, dressed, rushed angrily toward Li Bucai's tent.

"Young Marshal, going to settle accounts with him right now might be improper; we came to rescue the Thirteen King, and since yesterday we haven't tallied our troops yet. You are the commander. Let's wait until after the roll call before we go confront him."

Hearing her say that, he paused a moment, panted, and said angrily, "Fine! I remember you; we'll come back later to settle the score."

She then went to the open ground; instead of using drums to assemble, she instructed the servants to convey orders to each lord's tent.

Jingyi went specially to the school-uniform girl, and upon seeing her said, "Young Marshal, muster the troops; request Princess Jingling lord to promptly go to the army field to assemble."

"Understood," the school-uniform girl replied, intending to inform Li Bucai.

Jingyi blocked and said, "All the forces of the Sixteenth Route have dedicated messengers; now, with the great enemy at hand, scouts report that enemy troops are approaching the mountain pass and will strike soon. Time is tight; please, sir, quickly lead your troops to the army field to assemble."

The school-uniform girl could only gather the troops; she only had Qing'er, a scholar, here, and ordered, "The Mars boy probably hasn't woken up yet; go give notice, then hurry back to me with a report."

"Qing'er, at your service."

After watching the school-uniform girl depart with her troops, once they were far away, he hurried toward Li Bucai's tent.

"Where is the lord?"

At this moment Xianghong was waiting outside the door; seeing Jingyi send the school-uniform girl's troops away with no one calling them, she felt a bit down, then saw Qing'er, who had quietly left earlier taking Rushi and Xiaoxiao away, causing everyone to search half the night, and she said with a sour face, "Your princess has already left; you didn't follow your princess, yet you come looking for our lord—are you trying to lure our people away?"

He had hoped to finally see the lord, but her words made him fall silent at once.

"I... I... I'm sorry..."

Xianghong glanced at her, then ignored her.

Qing'er, eyes brimming with tears, whispered, "I... I wanted to report to the lord; the Marshal is conducting a roll call on the eastern open ground..."

"I have my own eyes; I just saw it."

"Oh..." Qing'er replied timidly, having wanted to see the lord, but thinking of the blunders she caused, she felt she had no face to meet him, walked a few steps sorrowfully, turned back and said, "Lord... is he alright now...?"

"Focus more on your own family's affairs; the lord has us, he doesn't need you to worry."

Qing'er could only leave in gloom.

Xianghong entered the tent; Li Bucai was still sound asleep, and she softly called, "Lord."

Li Bucai awoke to the voice, groggily said, "Xianghong? What's the matter."

"The Marshal is conducting a roll call on the eastern open ground, sending people to fetch Princess Jingling's party, but no one came to call us. Xianghong reports to the lord: should we go or not?"

"Roll call?" Li Bucai hurriedly got up, "Quick, my armor."

Rushi and Xiaoxiao heard the call and entered, helping him don the armor; Wu Zhuoran and others also came to his side. At this moment the surroundings were silent, all having been summoned away by the Young Marshal.

"All gone? Who ordered it?" Li Bucai asked.

Xianghong replied, "Jingyi."

"Did you hear what she said when she arrived?"

"I didn't hear what they said, but the other lords sent their blue‑clad guards to call, only us... perhaps the Marshal still bears a grudge from yesterday."

"Whether or not she, all go back to rest." The other lords each had someone request, but they left themselves behind, clearly trying to embarrass them.

Wu Zhuoran said, "Commander, if we don't go, will they say we disobeyed the summons?"

"No summons, no obedience required. Rest assured, if anything happens I will take full responsibility. Xianghong need not guard outside any longer; everyone return." He then returned to the tent, removed the armor, and lay back down to continue napping.

After a long while, footsteps sounded outside; Xu Rong arrived with more than ten soldiers, broke through the door, and stood before Li Bucai's bed. Two soldiers pressed spears against Li Bucai, and Xu Rong said, "Commander, the roll call is complete; all forces have gathered except Lord Li, who is hard to summon. By the Marshal's order, we are here to invite you. Lord Li, please."

Li Bucai, still lying on the bed with spears against him, erupted in anger, shouting, "I'm here to help you rescue the Thirteen King, not to play house with you. That Young Marshal was personally appointed by the Emperor, you're not bandits; without drums or horns you can't muster any troops. My troops only respond to drum and horn signals. If you want to take people, give me a charge; don't say I turn my back on people. This tent is now my territory; you entered without permission. If you don't leave, I'll be very angry, and the consequences will be severe."

Wu Zhuoran and the others had already blocked the entrance.

"The Young Marshal is indeed the Emperor‑appointed Grand Marshal; each has their own routes, adapting to the terrain. Must the roll call use drums and horns? Why did the other lords arrive without hearing drums or horns? Is Lord Li plotting rebellion?"

Li Bucai's anger flared, and he sprang up, his gaze like an arrow, glaring at Xu Rong, "You want to force me to lose my temper?"

Xu Rong involuntarily stepped back two paces; the Young Marshal had ordered that if he didn't come, they'd bind him, and he said to the soldiers, "Li Bucai disobeys the commander's orders, wants to rebel, come on, take him down."

Li Bucai had been waiting for that line; as soon as it was spoken, before any soldier could advance, he lunged forward, slipped in front of Xu Rong, drew the sword at his waist, and before Xu Rong could recover, a "Flat Sword Form" thrust toward his chest. Xu Rong quickly sidestepped; Li Bucai then feigned a "Hidden Sword Form", and while Xu Rong dodged the phantom, the real blade, hidden at his chest, pressed against Xu Rong's neck.

Capturing the thief and the king, Li Bucai seized Xu Rong; the other soldiers could only retreat. Li Bucai ordered Wu Zhuoran and the others to sheath their weapons, then fetched ropes and bound everyone together.

"You... you intend to rebel?"

"Wasn't it already decided that I'm rebelling? Why add the word 'intend' now? Rest assured, I can't yet wear the rebel's hat. I know the Young Marshal is bored, looking for me to keep her company."

He then said to Wu Zhuoran and the others, "Commander, how can we leave them out? Send them out first. Rushi, Xiaoxiao, let me put the armor on."

Re‑donned in armor, he led Xu Rong and the others toward the school army field.

……