Chapter 205: Yang Tiexin: Wanyan Dog Thief

"If Father and Master Yideng weren't absent, we could have captured the thief and the king first; why hide up on the mountain like this, feeling so constrained!"

In the Doumu Palace's council hall, a crowd gathered around a gigantic sand table; Miss Huang, dressed in sturdy armor, pinched the command banner in her hand and pouted, muttering a complaint.

Half a month ago, after Huang Yaoshi and Yideng completed their seclusion, both had greatly refined their martial skills, but after waiting left and right without seeing Niu Dingtian, they each descended the mountain and set out for home.

One must know that under the army's powerful bows and crossbows, even grandmasters are at risk of death; only a Grandmaster can break through the bolt formation's blockade.

Now the situation before us is that Wanyan Honglie does not stay to command the central army and lead the assault on the two cities of Xiangfan; instead, he leads eighty thousand troops to forcefully attack Jiugong Mountain.

Hearing Miss Huang's complaint, Chen Jin'er'er set aside the letters arriving from the cities, smiled and said, "Rong'er is the 'female Zhuge' Uncle mentioned, and she even left a note to listen to your advice more; why are you losing confidence now?"

Seeing gazes from all sides turning toward her, Miss Huang's face flushed, she straightened her chest and retorted, "No way! It's just that the mountain was just built, so fighting there hurts a bit."

Chen Jin'er'er smiled, offering no rebuttal.

She took out the letters in her hand and distributed them to Fen Tian, Miss Huang, Han Xiao Ying, Hu Zaixing, Niu Ben, Niu Kui and others, saying, "These are the reports on General Meng and General Chen."

Both of them recommend a proactive strike: troops from Jiangling and Ezhou could quickly return as reinforcements, then use Fancheng forces to surprise Wanyan Honglie's units; as long as the heavy weapon catches them off guard, we may heavily damage the Jin soldiers.

As she spoke, she fixed her gaze on Hu Zaixing and asked, "The forces on Jiugong Mountain are commanded by General Hu; what is your opinion, General Hu?"

Hu Zaixing pondered briefly, about to reply, when a thought struck him, recalling Niu Ben's earlier reminder; he then said in a deep voice, "According to Lord Gong's earlier words, we should not seek victory or defeat, only preserve strength to drive the Jin soldiers away; this contradicts Lord Gong's view."

"I, your humble servant, believe we should primarily hold our ground and wear down the Jin soldiers. Since we are outside the city, as long as we find an opportunity to strike their supplies, they will eventually retreat."

Niu Ben, seeing this, nodded, but in his heart mourned for Meng Zongzheng and Chen Xiangmo.

Earlier he had conveyed the sect leader's instructions to several people; regardless of any ulterior motives, the two should certainly not reveal themselves when enemy troops approach the city walls.

Niu Ben knows the extent of the Black Robe Guard's infiltration of the city garrisons; seeing the campaign just gaining momentum, he hopes the two won't lose their heads.

Chen Jin'er'er's expression softened; after exchanging a glance with Fen Tian, she smiled, "In that case, we'll follow General Hu's plan: the garrison of the two Xiangfan cities will be commanded by the general stationed at Jiugong Mountain."

While speaking, she glanced at Miss Huang and continued, "Rong'er serves as a military adviser and can offer strategies to the general, but it does not affect the general's direct command."

"Your humble servant accepts the order!" Hu Zaixing exhaled, suppressing his excitement, and quickly clasped his fists in response.

At that moment, a Black Robe Guard hurried into the hall, bowed to Chen Jin'er'er and Fen Tian with clasped fists, handed over several sheets of paper, and said, "These are messages sent up from the Jin soldiers below; they request to deliver them personally to the sect leader."

There happened to be four sheets, and Chen Jin'er'er, Fen Tian, Miss Huang, and Han Xiao Ying each, without prior arrangement, drew one.

After reading the contents of the letters, the four women's expressions all froze: "Surrender Bao Xiruo and Yang Kang, and I will immediately withdraw my troops down the mountain; otherwise, when the city falls, not even chickens or dogs will be left?"

Bang!

Miss Huang arched an eyebrow, slammed the letter onto the sand table, and scoffed, "That old bachelor really thinks highly of himself? If I weren't protective of my own territory, I couldn't let him swagger for days!"

Hu Zaixing stared at the sand table, furrowing his brows, "It's autumn now, the heavens are dry; although we've set several firebreaks midway up the mountain, if Wanyan Honglie is determined to set the mountain ablaze, we can't stop it."

"Once the mountain's trees are completely burned, our advantage will be lost entirely. Moreover, when soldiers assault the mountain, their forces are extremely scattered, so the deterrent of the Thunderbolt is limited; casualties will inevitably be huge."

Having said that, he fixed his gaze on the sturdy‑clad girl propping her chin by the sand table and said, "The two Xiangfan cities are easy to defend, but Jiugong Mountain lacks favorable terrain, timing, and harmony with the people; to repel the Jin troops alone, the most effective method is still to capture the thief before the king. If the adviser has a clever plan, feel free to share it."

Miss Huang heard the address, her bright eyes involuntarily narrowed, and she felt delighted that the title "adviser" was called out.

After standing, she pressed her white chin and began to stride, and the others did not interrupt.

When she reached Han Xiao Ying's side, her eyes lit up; she suddenly halted, waved the letter in her hand toward the others, and said with a proud smile:

"The brilliant plan is right here!"

——

In the afternoon, looking down from high above, warhorses on both banks of the Han River whinnied, and flags covered the sky.

After two days of rest, the Jin army's deputy commander Wanyan Sai divided ten thousand troops and launched another fierce assault on Xiangyang and Fancheng; the sounds of fighting, clashing blades, and stone cannon fire rang across the skies above the two Xiangfan cities.

Wanyan Honglie also dispatched a small force at the foot of Jiugong Mountain to launch a fierce attack on the Sun Moon Divine Sect's stronghold.

It has been ten days since the Jin invaded Song. The Great Song court has taken no action; while on high alert, it merely adopts a watch‑from‑the‑wall stance.

As the flourishing Sun Moon Divine Sect falls under Jin siege, some sects in the martial world watch coldly, even gloat, yet many wandering heroes still rush to Xiangyang's region to assassinate isolated small groups of Jin State soldiers.

"Chief! Ten brothers have died!"

Along an official road beside the Han River, three supply wagons blocked the path, and dozens of corpses lay on the ground; Lu Youjiao, eyes brimming with tears, reported to the arriving Hong Qigong with clasped fists.

"Send someone to return them to the headquarters for proper burial." Hong Qigong nodded, his eyes unable to hide sorrow.

Seeing many disciples before him wearing resentful faces, he furrowed his snow‑white thick brows, surveyed the dozens of disciples around, and said gravely, "Regardless of any past grievances with them—whether settled or not—we must not forget the great national righteousness!"

The disciples felt a chill, and together clasped fists, saying, "Disciple understands!"

Hong Qigong's expression softened, and he warned, "Since the Beggar Sect's founding, first Chief Xiao fought the Liao southward and died beyond Yanmen Pass; later Chief Qian faced the enemy alone, bravely slaying Jin soldiers. We do not seek to surpass the Beggar Sect's ancestors, but we must keep the national righteousness in mind and strive to be without regret!"

Having spoken, he fixed his gaze on Lu Youjiao and ordered, "Old beggar, go to Jiugong Mountain first and see if you can capture the Jin commander alive. Elder Lu should lead the remaining disciples to continue intercepting the supply convoy here."

"Chief, I will be careful!"

Lu Youjiao's face showed concern as he clasped his fists.

Hong Qigong gave a slight nod, took a big step, and rushed toward the distant, thunder‑shaking battlefield.

Not long after he left, more and more sword‑wielding wanderers appeared, passing through this road toward the front.

Somehow, although everyone's martial skill was modest, the prospect of killing Jin soldiers sparked a surge of hot blood in their heads.

Evening—

The setting sun reddened the Xiangfan lands; beyond Xiangyang City and Fancheng, corpses littered the fields and smoke filled the air. The once emerald‑clear moat had been stained with scarlet blood, turning the color of the sunset.

After two fierce assaults, the two ancient cities still stood unbreached; Wanyan Sai could only sound the retreat, pulling back the central camp for now.

From atop Jiugong Mountain, looking down, one could see the foot of the mountain ablaze, flames winding and slowly advancing toward the mid‑slope.

"I will say it again! Release Bao Xiruo and Yang Kang down the mountain! Otherwise, tonight I will burn the entire Jiugong Mountain!"

From the high platform atop the summit, a faint shout rose from the mountain's base, already sounding impatient. At that moment, Niu Ben shouted at the top of his lungs, "Extinguish the fire! Open a path, and we'll send them down the mountain!"

Mid‑mountain

Wanyan Honglie wore a suit of interlocking golden chainmail and dragon‑scale armor, layers of fish‑scale plates overlapping, gleaming with a cold metallic light in the mountain fire.

Hearing the reply from the mountain, his gloomy face instantly lit up with agitation; he hurriedly shouted to the soldiers ahead, "Extinguish the fire! Quickly extinguish it! Prepare to receive the princess!"

"Your Highness, be wary of deception!" a nearby guard couldn't help but clasp his fists and warn.

Wanyan Honglie's expression hesitated briefly, and with a hint of reluctance he glanced at the flames atop the mountain, then instructed, "I will first return to the camp; remember not to neglect the princess!"

"Prince, don't worry!" the guard respectfully clasped his fists and replied, then led a troop up toward the mountain peak.

Seeing this, Wanyan Honglie, excited, rubbed his hands, and under the guard's protection he stepped back, constantly looking over his shoulder, and returned to the camp tent.

Just upon entering the tent, as if he suddenly remembered something, he hurriedly removed his armor, rushed to the bedside, and pulled out a small porcelain bottle.

"Three years have passed; I've waited three years. Tonight my beloved consort is finally mine!"

Staring at the two blue pills in his hand, Wanyan Honglie muttered to himself, his face flushed with an unusual excitement. In the end, his trembling hand swallowed them both whole.

The waiting period was extremely long; half an hour later, as his body began to react, a chaotic clatter of footsteps came from outside the tent, and he hurriedly lifted the curtain and rushed out.

"Prince! The royal consort has arrived!"

Upon exiting, he saw a guard leading three people to the tent entrance; one of them, wrapped in cloud‑like cedar, accentuated a full, slender body, her cloud‑topped hair beautiful, her complexion radiant—no one could match the beloved consort he had yearned for day and night.

Bao Xiruo, with her right hand holding Yang Kang, lowered her brows and eyes, standing there silently.

"Father…"

Yang Kang, his expression complex, shouted once.

To his right stood a slightly hunchbacked man, his face smeared with black ash; when he looked at Wanyan Honglie before him, his gaze froze for a moment before quickly averting.

"Beloved consort!"

Wanyan Honglie snapped back to reality, his eyes glazed as he stared at the beauty before him, hurried forward to take her hand, and, excitedly, said, "Do you know how hard I, the king, have suffered to find you and your mother!"

Bao Xiruo let out a soft hum.

"Kang, you've turned black!" Wanyan Honglie's gaze briefly passed the hunchbacked man and fell on the unfamiliar‑looking Yang Kang.

Just as he was about to exchange a few words, his eyes landed on Bao Xiruo's right hand, and he couldn't help feeling pained, saying, "Your beloved consort's hand also…"

"Don't move!! Whoever steps forward, I'll stab them to death!!"

At that moment, before the word "black" could be spoken, a sudden shift occurred; Bao Xiruo let out a roar, abruptly drew a short sword, and pressed it directly against Wanyan Honglie's throat.

"Protect the Prince!!"

"Protect the Prince!!"

The guard, realizing the situation, turned pale and dared not advance; with a sharp shout, drums roared, and within a few breaths, the arriving soldiers surrounded the group tightly, leaving no escape.

"Beloved consort, you…"

"Love your mother!"

Bao Xiruo gave a direct elbow, and at that moment her voice had turned into a man's voice; she shouted at the surrounding soldiers, "Within thirty breaths, bring three fine horses!! If you delay a second, I'll finish him off myself!"

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

……

Niu Qing glared around, giving the Gold Soldiers no chance to react; as he spoke, his sword blade sliced Wanyan Honglie's throat, a drop of fresh blood slowly dripping from the tip.

Indeed, Bao Xiruo was Niu Qing in disguise; among the Mysterious Garb Guard, his transformation skills were the finest, and when he once impersonated Niu Dingtian at Shaolin Temple, even the keenest eyes failed to detect him.

"Horses! Horses! Quickly fetch the horses!" Feeling the sting on his throat, Wanyan Honglie was terrified, his soul fleeing his body.

The Gold Soldiers dared not delay; within twenty breaths they swiftly brought three horses.

"Mount up! Return to the mountain!"

"Fall back! If any Gold Soldier is within a mile, I'll cut off his hand!"

Niu Qing called out to Yang Kang, swiftly hoisted Wanyan Honglie onto a horse's back, and the three fled the camp; the Gold Soldiers dared not approach, keeping a mile's distance while pursuing relentlessly.

Reaching a steep section at mid‑mountain, Niu Qing tore off his makeup, and the few abandoned their horses to walk; at that moment, mountain guard troops arrived to support.

Seeing the mountain peak far ahead, the hunchbacked man walking beside Yang Kang's side had his eyes flash briefly, and he leaned closer to Niu Qing.

"Get out of the way!!"

In the instant Niu Qing switched hands, he let out a sudden roar, charged straight at Niu Qing, and snatched Wanyan Honglie from his grasp.

"Uncle Yang, what are you trying to do!"

Niu Qing recovered, about to pounce and seize, but saw that the man had already drawn a piece of iron spearhead, pressing it straight against Wanyan Honglie's throat, and he couldn't help but shout angrily.

"Father! Don't be impulsive!" Yang Kang hurriedly urged, "I've already accepted you; give me some face and don't kill him yet!"

"Wanyan dog thief! Do you still remember that night at Niu Clan Village? Do you still recognize this iron spearhead in my hand?" The man, heedless, stared at Wanyan Honglie with a gaze that seemed to devour, gritting his teeth as he asked.

"Yang Ironheart! You are Yang Ironheart!"

Wanyan Honglie snapped back to his senses, his heart pounding with terror, and let out a frightened shout. (End of chapter)