Chapter 579: Calm Before the Storm

Daybreak.

Inside and outside Yancheng, however, an unusual silence permeated.

It was not peace.

But like a bowstring pulled taut, leather stretched to its limit, a silence that could break at any touch.

The Jin army's main camp still had banners like a forest.

But the fierce siege that had lasted several days ceased this morning.

In its place came a deeper mobilization.

The number of scouts increased severalfold.

They patrolled far around the walls of Yancheng.

Their gaze was like that of hawks.

They swept over every crenel, every possible sortie route.

Infantry formations gathered behind the camp.

They conducted what appeared to be routine drills.

But that killing aura.

Could be felt from several li away.

Wanyan Zongbi stood on a high watchtower.

Gazing into the distance at the city, scarred yet still standing.

His brows were tightly knit.

"What are the Song people preparing?"

He asked in a low voice to the strategist beside him.

"Last night, there were brief disturbances and fires at multiple places in the northwest and southeast of Yancheng."

"It seemed as if troops were moving out of the city, or as if they had suffered small-scale harassment."

"Today, the garrison on the city walls rotated frequently, and banner movements were abnormal."

The strategist answered cautiously.

"Yue Fei... is not one to sit and wait for death."

Wanyan Zongbi said slowly.

"He is either preparing for a final stand."

"Or..."

A flicker of gloom and ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

"Waiting for what."

"Report—"

A messenger rode up swiftly to the watchtower.

"Fourth Prince!"

"A secret envoy from the Southern Song Imperial Court has arrived!"

"They say the order regarding Yue Fei's disposition is already en route; please halt our advance to avoid driving them to desperation."

"Also, please watch the northwest direction, guard against... small bands of outlaws coming to meet them."

Wanyan Zongbi's mouth curled into a cold arc.

"Pause the attack?"

"Guard the northwest?"

He looked toward the hills and woods northwest of Yancheng.

"It seems someone is more eager than we are to take Yue Fei's life."

"They also want to use our sword."

"Pass the order."

His voice turned cold.

"Suspend the siege."

"But all troops must not relax."

"Especially the northwest direction."

"Send three additional Mou'an cavalry units forward thirty li to closely monitor all movements."

"If Song troops break out from that direction..."

He paused.

"Kill them without mercy."

"If they are small bands of bandits."

"Wipe them out together."

"Yes!"

Inside Yancheng.

The streets were empty.

The populace had been warned in advance and kept their doors shut.

Soldiers silently ate in their respective defense zones.

They inspected their swords, spears, bows, and crossbows.

They packed their personal packs.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

Yet it was orderly.

The main command's large tent.

Yue Fei removed his conspicuous armor.

He changed into a set of leather armor no different from that of ordinary soldiers.

He was finally examining a more detailed silk map of the breakout route.

"Wang Jun has gone missing, and his followers have been purged."

"Supplies and arrows have undergone three rounds of inspection; for now there are no problems."

"The wounded have been gathered and placed in several sturdy civilian houses, with medicine, several days' rations, and money left for them."

"All units—vanguard, main force, and rearguard—have clear routes, formations, and signals."

Wang Gui reported item by item.

His voice was steady.

Yue Fei nodded.

"How is the brothers' morale?"

"Grief and indignation, but resolute."

Wang Gui said.

"Everyone knows there is no way to retreat."

"Instead, they are no longer panicked."

"We are only waiting for the marshal's order."

Yue Fei fell silent for a moment.

"Tell the soldiers."

"Today daytime is the final rest."

"Recuperate our spirits."

"Sharpen the blades and spears."

"At midnight tonight."

"We will go home."

"Yes."

Wang Gui withdrew.

Yue Fei stood alone in the tent.

Listening to the faint sounds coming from outside.

The soldiers' low-voiced conversation.

The occasional snort of the warhorses.

And the distance.

The direction of the Jin army camp.

That symbolic, sporadic war drum sound.

He reached into his bosom.

He grasped that jade pendant.

It was still cold.

When the assassins attacked last night.

The jade pendant had no reaction.

It seems.

Mr. Chen's miraculous method.

It is also not omnipotent.

Or rather.

The power of the Iron Crow Army.

It can interfere with and even block that kind of perception.

He carefully put away the jade pendant.

His gaze became resolute again.

Whether or not there is help.

No matter how treacherous the road ahead.

Arrow.

It is already on the bowstring.

Hillside camp.

Lin Chong also did not sleep.

He personally supervised the camp's reorganization and camouflage.

The traces of last night's battle were carefully concealed.

The ashes of the casualties were carefully divided.

Marked with names.

The lightly wounded were re-bandaged.

Those able to fight.

He was assigned to the reserve ranks.

"Instructor."

Yue Yun walked over.

His eye sockets were a little red.

Obviously, he had not slept all night.

"His father…… will there be danger in the city?"

"Those damned things of the Iron Crow Army..."

Lin Chong patted his shoulder.

"General Yue, a veteran of a hundred battles, his subordinates are all loyal and brave warriors."

"Although the Iron Crow Army's tricks are cunning, to assassinate the commander-in-chief among thousands of troops and tens of thousands of horses is no easy feat."

"What they fear more now is..."

"It should be the momentum of a breakout after our two armies join forces."

"That's why they rushed to harass last night."

He looked toward the direction of Yancheng.

"What we need to do now is..."

"Not to worry."

"It is to do what we ought to do."

"Make that pass road..."

"Turn it into a burial ground for the golden dogs and those ghostly shadows."

"Let your father."

"And the brothers inside the city."

"So they can walk out steadily."

Yue Yun nodded heavily.

He took a deep breath.

He gripped his double hammers tightly.

"I understand."

Lin'an

Qin Mansion

Qin Hui received the latest secret report from the direction of Yancheng.

"The night raid was thwarted?"

"Yue Fei is not dead?"

"The Northward Aspiration Army suffered casualties but did not collapse?"

He put down the secret report.

His face showed no joy or anger.

"What does Mr. Zeng say on that side?"

He asked Wanqi Zij.

"Mr. Zeng said, these mere jumping clowns cannot disturb the overall situation."

"The imperial edict is imminent; the internal pieces have already moved."

"Yue Fei will not survive today."

Wanqi Zij said cautiously.

"The Jin army has also been informed on that side."

"In the northwest direction, a heavenly net and earthly trap have been laid."

Qin Hui nodded slowly.

"Tell the envoy."

"No need to enter the city."

"Before the Jin army's formation, proclaiming the edict will suffice."

"We want everyone to hear it."

"Yue Fei."

"It is the imperial court that wants to punish his crime."

"It is the world that wants to erase his name."

"As for how he dies,"

"who kills him."

"It's not important."

"Yes."

Wanqi Zij bowed.

"Moreover."

Qin Hui lifted his teacup.

He lightly skimmed the foam.

"Since the Northward Aspiration rebel army has shown its head,"

"we cannot let them shrink back again."

When issuing documents to the prefectures and counties along the route.

Add a sentence.

Those who behead the Northward Aspiration bandit chiefs Lin Chong, Wu Yong, and others.

The bounty is doubled.

Promotion by three ranks.

Yes.

The sun rose higher.

It then slowly tilted westward.

The Yancheng battlefield.

There appeared the most bizarre scene since the outbreak of war.

The siege halted.

The cries of battle faded.

Even the usual sounds of arrows whistling through the air and rolling stones and logs were gone.

Only the sound of wind fluttering past the tattered banners remained.

And when the scouts and cavalry of both sides gazed at each other from afar.

That icy, vigilant gaze.

But beneath this tranquility,

the undercurrents surged, almost about to burst forth.

The Jin army was mobilizing troops.

The Yue Family Army was preparing.

The Northward Aspiration Army lay in ambush.

The Iron Crow Army watched and waited.

The imperial edict from Lin'an raced forth.

Everyone's gaze.

focused on tonight.

focused on that lone city.

and the road to life or death northwest of the city.

Chen Wen, before sunset,

finally reached the designated spot.

A place about sixty li northwest of Yancheng,

a hidden cave at the edge of Mang Mountain.

This had once been the hideout of a small rebel force.

Now it lies abandoned.

The interior is damp.

but sufficiently concealed.

The accompanying shadow guards quickly set up sentries.

Chen Wen wearily leaned against the stone wall.

He took out the new and old tallies from his bosom.

They were now quite calm.

Only the new tally had not been nourished long.

Its connection with him was still shallow.

The old tally, however, constantly maintained an extremely faint resonance with Yue Fei's jade pendant.

He tried to sense through this resonance.

But the distance was still too great.

The information was vague and unclear.

He only vaguely felt

the 'momentum' in the direction of Yancheng.

like a spring compressed to its limit.

and like an ice surface riddled with cracks.

on the brink of erupting.

"Can we only wait?"

He muttered to himself.

He gripped the tally tightly.

Feeling that faint yet genuine connection.

Nightfall.

Finally descended slowly.

It swallowed the last shred of daylight.

It also swallowed this battlefield.

the last trace of false tranquility.

The storm.

It is imminent.