Chapter 589: He Has His Own Plans

Report!

The loud shout again broke the tranquility of Shi Dao's Luxurious Mansion.

A scout rushed in through the halls and alleys, knelt on one knee with a thud before Shi Dao, and reported, 'Deputy Commandant, I have ascertained that Chen Wuji has mobilized about thirty thousand troops, divided into three vanguard, center, and rear columns; the vanguard has already reached two li outside the city, while the main force is about forty li out.'

"Thirty thousand?!" Shi Dao, who had been sitting calmly in his chair, suddenly sprang up.

That speed and reaction were comparable to a spring's.

"How does this bastard have so many troops? Which stone crack did these soldiers pop out of?" Shi Dao found this number hard to accept, immediately doubting whether the scout's eyes were faulty again.

Fortunately, before he could speak, Nan Li, seated to the side, spoke first: "My lord, this account is actually easy to calculate. Chen Wuji already had over ten thousand troops under his command, and this time he also absorbed the forces of the Grand Strategist, plus the reinforcements sent by Yang Yu, making up to thirty thousand altogether."

Shi Dao still found it hard to accept; a nameless fire surged wildly in his chest, but he could find no reason to vent, so he angrily sat down, saying to Nan Li with some displeasure, "It's you who has foresight; I was narrow-minded. This bastard actually managed to gather thirty thousand troops—can that mud-leg Chen Wuji even command them?!"

"My lord, do not underestimate the enemy!" Nan Li advised, "Chen Wuji is after all the current family head of the Chen clan; even though the Chen clan has declined to this point, relying only on farming for a living, perhaps they still retain some foundation."

Shi Dao scoffed, "What foundation could they possibly have left? At most a few tattered books."

"That mud-leg Chen Wuji couldn't even read a few characters on the page. This brat is just lucky—if you threw a pig onto the land of Hezhou, he could scratch out some achievements with his claws."

Nan Li wanted to speak but held back, saying nothing further.

After Shi Dao's cursing subsided, the scout who had come to report asked, "What movements is the enemy vanguard making?"

"They have set up camp in Red Maple Valley and appear to be constructing siege equipment."

"You may go!" Nan Li nodded.

"Yes!"

After the soldiers left, Nan Li's expression grew grave as he said, "My lord, our previous preparations were still insufficient; this will be a tough battle. Please quickly conscript the city's able-bodied youths and prepare as many rolling stone logs as possible. I have heard that Chen Wuji still possesses the Shocking Heaven Thunder, a great weapon lost since the Former Dynasty, which is a potent siege implement—we must guard against it."

Shi Dao mocked Chen Wuji angrily, the pent-up frustration in his chest finally easing; he responded amiably, "I will have people make the arrangements shortly. Do you have any other instructions, sir? Truly, we owe it to your foresight; without you, we might truly suffer a hidden loss at Chen Wuji's hands."

"On an open battlefield with real swords and spears, I could never fear him, but this bastard's multitude of troops laying siege, coupled with the Shocking Heaven Thunder I never anticipated, truly leaves me uneasy."

"If we lose this battle, my reputation will be utterly ruined. After all this time of lying low, I sought to ride the momentum to soar high, not to be pinned against the city wall by a mud-leg and beaten to death."

Nan Li's expression was inscrutable: "My lord, do not worry. Ningyuan City's walls are high and thick; even if he possesses the Shocking Heaven Thunder as a weapon, victory will not be easy for him. As long as our army can hold out for a month, Chen Wuji will surely retreat, and then it will be time for my lord to slaughter in all directions."

Shi Dao gave a dark chuckle twice: "I will certainly make this bastard understand the consequences of lightly provoking me."

"This dog-thing dares to treat me as a soft persimmon to squeeze; I want to see how many lives he has enough for me to crush."

Just as Shi Dao brimmed with ambition, already imagining how to trample Chen Wuji underfoot and hack him to pieces, a loud shout came from outside again: "Deputy Commandant, it's bad—Chen Wuji is laying siege!"

Shi Dao glanced at the already westward sun, displeased, and barked, "You brat, are you not awake or what? They just reached Red Maple Valley and are still building siege equipment—how could they possibly attack the city so quickly?"

"Deputy Commandant, it's absolutely certain!" Lai Jiang exclaimed anxiously.

Nan Li waved his hand and said, "My lord, there's no need to panic; perhaps it's merely a probing attack, no harm done."

"Didn't you hear? It's only the enemy's probing attack—how did you get scared into this state?" Shi Dao pointed at Lai Jiang's nose, speechless, and scolded, "With such little courage, how do you expect to become my great general and lead troops to conquer all directions?"

Lai Jiang hung his head, silent.

After waiting for Shi Dao's tirade to subside, he quietly said, "Deputy Commandant, they're still cursing you..."

"Who is cursing me?" Shi Dao shouted angrily.

"The enemy!"

"Why are they cursing me? This bunch of scoundrels thinks besieging is too easy, so they even have time to curse me—what exactly are they saying?"

Lai Jiang stood there with his head stuck, saying nothing.

"What are they cursing me about? Have you gone mute?" Shi Dao barked.

The old general stammered, "The cursing is too vulgar; perhaps you, Deputy Commandant, should go up onto the city wall to listen yourself."

Shi Dao snorted, "Knowing full well their cursing is foul, would I still go up on the wall to listen—am I ill? Let them curse; it's nothing, just a petty provocation tactic, thinking I'd fall for it so easily!"

"Alright, tell the soldiers: no matter what they shout, let our troops shout back. Those who curse the laborers' names, I'll indulge them, satisfying their urge to curse, and I want to see how long they can keep it up."

"Yes!"

Lai Jiang responded with an affirmation and quickly departed.

Shi Dao once again sank into his chair, lifted his tea cup and gulped down a mouthful, then slammed the cup down disdainfully, saying, "Chen Wuji this bastard also dares to look down on me too much, still trying to use this provocation tactic—this little trick, thinking I'd fall for it—am I that stupid?"

Nan Li smiled faintly: "This only confirms my earlier guess; they are merely making a probing attack, their real aim being to lure my lord out of the city to fight."

"They sure have lofty ideas; how could I indulge them? I will open the city gate, but not now." Shi Dao said arrogantly, "When they've worn themselves out, I won't need their provocation—I'll personally go out to meet them."

Nan Li was startled, then hurriedly advised, "My lord, holding the city is already easy; why go out to seek suffering? Now is not the best time for you to march out and fight; please wait a bit longer."

"Sir, do not worry; I have my own sense of measure." Shi Dao said confidently.