Chapter 567: Whether it is or not

Night deepens.

But in the Po Feng Ridge camp, the lights remain bright.

From time to time, squads of soldiers raised torches and cautiously rode out of the camp.

Tonight the moon isn't bright; a few torches can't fully light the way, so soldiers hold them forward as best they can, riding carefully.

In unfamiliar terrain with unknown roads, delivering military news at night becomes especially hard.

Even though this unit excels at night fighting and is long accustomed to combat in darkness.

Chen Wuji kept drinking strong tea to force himself awake.

Tonight, sleeping is clearly unlikely.

He had just ordered the troops to split into two shifts for sleep, with roll call at the yin hour.

Assisting Lu Ping'an in delivering orders was merely a pretext; it's impossible that after doing this he'd have nothing left to do, just sitting back to watch the tigers fight.

Once the pretext blows up, that's when he'll really get to work.

Regardless of whether Lü Ji could surrender, he must seize this moment to crush Lu Ping'an's forces left in Wenkou Town in one fell swoop, ending the war as quickly as possible, giving them no chance to rest.

Although this arrangement will put great pressure on the soldiers, testing their physique and endurance, Chen Wuji thought it over and concluded he must do it.

This is the fastest and easiest way to end this war.

Fortunately, the troops he brought are his true veteran core; with other units he wouldn't dare do this.

In his first battle, as a commander lacking experience and soldiers with little strength, he still, without hesitation in the night, led the Qiang people around these mountains several times and finally wiped them out in one strike.

Back then Chen Wuji had a bit of newborn calf daring not to fear tigers; now he doesn't dare act so recklessly—many things require careful thought.

Lu Ping'an took over the tea stove, sat cross‑legged aside, brewed tea for Chen Wuji, and chatted intermittently, mostly about his earlier life and his time after becoming Strategist.

Chen Wuji looked at the Nan Jun terrain map beside him.

This was Lu Ping'an's recent selfless contribution.

Although he's not great at war, the map he carries is extremely detailed, finely crafted, looking less like a map and more like a beautiful artwork.

It's even made from tiger hide.

Chen Wuji pieced together a few sheets of paper, traced the terrain map bit by bit, then, per Lu Ping'an's earlier words, marked the commanding generals and troop numbers in the corresponding prefectures, down to infantry, cavalry, archers, etc.

Marking directly on the tiger‑skin map, he felt reluctant to do so.

"Lu Jinglve's past days are truly enviable," Chen Wuji muttered while busy with his own work.

This great Strategist has suddenly become quite talkative.

Probably tonight's events hit him hard, prompting deep self‑reflection and a sudden melancholy over spring's passing.

"Someone who has lived a life of exceptional prosperity and smooth sailing shouldn't harbor great ambition; living steadily and enjoying life is actually what suits him best. Ambition means change, and one accustomed to ease cannot control such change." Lu Ping'an looked up at the tent's ceiling, murmuring to himself.

Chen Wuji smiled.

How to put it? This person is actually quite interesting.

Chen Li entered silently, "Family Head, Qiu Yu finally spoke."

"Is this really a confession?" Chen Wuji asked, head down, seriously drawing the map; those winding curves demand fine brush control, so he dared not move much.

Chen Li felt a bit embarrassed, "She really confessed—she admits she's the Snake Staff Old Man's person; this is the deposition!"

He raised his hand and placed a deposition on the table.

"Just say it straight; Lu Jinglve should also be interested to hear." Chen Wuji said.

"Here!"

Lu Ping'an, who had been gazing upward pondering life, snapped his head around, "She really is the Snake Staff Old Man's person?"

"Yes!"

"How could this be… never mind, you've already interrogated her, what do I have left to doubt?" Lu Ping'an said incredulously, "But why would the Snake Staff Old Man plant such a woman beside me? To have me promote Gu Wenjie or serve him?"

"Both!" Chen Li said.

"Huh?"

"Having you serve Gu Wenjie is the Snake Staff Old Man's ultimate goal; promoting Gu Wenjie and giving him troops and grain is what needs to be done now. According to Qiu Yu's confession, she's succeeded several times already."

Lu Ping'an opened his mouth, then sneered, "Damn, that's devious!"

"I always thought Gu Wenjie genuinely wanted to ally with me; I never expected there to be so much scheming here. I considered myself the hegemon of Nan Jun, but in others' eyes I'm just a piece of meat."

"Why would Lu Jinglve think that? No need, no need!" Chen Wuji advised, "Let's first hear what Qiu Yu actually did and what the Snake Staff Old Man intends."

Lu Ping'an nodded, "Please continue, brother."

Chen Li picked up the deposition and began reading it point by point.

"Qiu Yu is the Snake Staff Old Man's adopted daughter; at six he took her in, and before sixteen she trained in killing arts on a mountain whose location even she doesn't know."

"In that mountain, periodically a batch of people is sent in; Qiu Yu doesn't know who they are or where they come from, but they're all adults, male and female. Those youths must fight them to the death; only the victors survive."

"After being brought out of that mountain at sixteen, she stayed by the Snake Staff Old Man's side until two years ago, when she was placed in the Strategist's manor. Qiu Yu controls a covert line; those people report directly to her alone, and she alone reports to the Snake Staff Old Man."

"Wait!" Chen Wuji called, "Is this a single line directly under Qiu Yu's control?"

"Yes!"

"Alright, continue!"

"Hold on." Lu Ping'an interjected, "Are those people under Qiu Yu's command all in my Strategist's manor?"

"Yes and no!" Chen Li gave a vague answer, then added, "Those people are actually scattered across the prefectures; seen now, they can be said to be beside the commanders under Lu Jinglve's command."

"That old fogey!" Lu Ping'an flared up.

"It turns out my subordinate commanders have been outwardly obedient but inwardly defiant toward me and that old thing, the Snake Staff Old Man; I said I haven't been stingy with them daily, yet they treat me this way—now I've found the reason."

Chen Li hesitated, "Actually… not entirely."