Chapter 587

Commoner Mountain, Wild Boar Valley

Inside the stone cave, the bonfire crackled

Chen Wen sat cross-legged, eyes half-closed, not resting but fully operating that "perception" which had become increasingly clear since his breakthrough to Lv. 5

Shi Yong spread like invisible ripples, centered on him, expanding in all directions

To the southwest, Approaching Peace

The fortune momentum gathered there was turbid and heavy, filled with the bureaucracy's rigidity, the wriggling of private desires, and…… a cold, inhuman gaze

At this very moment, a stark, malicious surge of fortune momentum bearing strong connotations of 'judgment' and 'termination' rose from a corner of Approaching Peace, like a poisonous spike thrust up in the darkness, pointing far toward Commoner Mountain, toward where Yue Fei is

What also tightened Chen Wen's nerves was the accompanying malice—some fragmented karma fragments

This was not a direct notification from the system, but a passive reception of major disturbances to his own karma after his ability increased

Blurred images flashed:

A small pavilion with flying eaves, amidst bleak wind and snow

Ropes, torture devices, the indifferent faces of officials

And…… a blurry-backed figure wearing Yue Fei's armor, being shoved to kneel before the pavilion

And a word, like a brand, appeared in his perception—Wind-Wave Pavilion

At the same time, another more concealed but familiar aura to Chen Wen—the Iron Crow Army's unique, chilly trace mixed with Yuneng Pollution—tightly entwined itself upon the image of that malicious fortune momentum and the Wind-Wave Pavilion

Like a puppeteer pulling strings

Chen Wen snapped his eyes open

In the bonfire's light, his face turned slightly pale, sweat beading on his forehead

This perception expended not a little, but the information was sufficiently clear

"General Yue, Mr. Wu"

He looked at Yue Fei and Wu Yong, who were waiting attentively opposite him, his voice low

"Approaching Peace over there, something's moving"

They chose a place called Wind and Wave Pavilion. They are gathering malicious intent from the court, fabricating charges, preparing…… to carry out a public 'trial' and 'execution' against you.

"Wind and Wave Pavilion?" Yue Fei frowned, he had no impression of this place name.

"It's an execution ground, or a symbol." Chen Wen explained, "The Iron Crow Army is pushing this; it will be the key point they use to 'conclude' you."

Wu Yong twirled his short beard, his eyes sharp:

"Public execution? But with Marshal Yue here, how could they carry out an execution?"

"A stand-in."

Chen Wen spat out two words.

"The Iron Crow Army excels at this. They will create a 'Yue Fei' fake enough to pass as real, make him 'confess' to all the framed charges, then at Wind and Wave Pavilion, before the eyes of the world, carry out a righteous execution."

Yue Fei heard this, not shocked but instead let out a cold laugh.

"Excellent calculation. Using the death of a fake to solidify my 'charges', silence the gossip, and also give them an 'explanation' for the 'history' they wish to uphold."

"Then how should we respond?" Wu Yong looked at Chen Wen, "Wait for them to finish this act themselves, then Marshal Yue issues a document to expose it?"

"Passive waiting carries too great a risk." Chen Wen shook his head.

"The Iron Crow Army's methods are strange; their stand-in may not only look alike, but even obscure details unknown to outsiders, and even part of memories and habits could be imitated through extraordinary means. Ordinary people would find it extremely hard to tell apart."

"Once they successfully carry out the 'execution', in official documents and the eyes of the vast majority of people, 'Yue Fei' will be dead, a criminal. If General Yue reappears, he might instead be smeared as a 'remnant impostor' or a 'bandit borrowing the name', falling into a passive position."

Yue Fei said in a deep voice: "What Mr. Chen says is absolutely right. We must make their play unable to continue, or…… ruin it."

"Exactly." Chen Wen's eyes blazed, "They aren't planning to use a 'stand-in'? We will plant a fatal flaw in that very 'stand-in'!"

"A flaw?" Wu Yong pondered.

"A flaw that the Iron Crow Army cannot perfectly replicate, yet we can prove its uniqueness." Chen Wen said slowly.

Yue Fei's eyes shifted, as if he had thought of something.

"General Yue, on your back, do you have the four characters 'Loyalty and Service to the Country' embroidered by your mother years ago?" Chen Wen asked.

Yue Fei nodded, his expression solemn: "Exactly. This was done by my mother, Lady Yao, after the Jingkang Incident; grieving the nation's plight, she personally dipped an embroidery needle in ink and stitched these four characters onto my back as a permanent vow. The script is in Yan style, the strokes deeply embedded, and even the minute details of the finishing hooks and barbs—its position, size, and every subtlety—are unique in the world."

Wu Yong clapped his hands: "Marvelous! Body, hair, and skin are received from one's parents, let alone a mother's personal stitching! Such marks contain the deepest familial affection and the blood oath to home and country; they cannot be reached by simple disguise or sorcery imitation! Especially the details, outsiders could hardly know them!"

Chen Wen nodded:

"Even if the Iron Crow Army could create a stand-in with ninety percent facial similarity, and even implant memory fragments through sorcery, the embroidered characters on this back—especially Mother Yue's unique needlework and stroke details—are unknown to them, and thus nearly impossible to perfectly replicate."

"Even if they knew of the embroidery, a hasty imitation would still differ."

"This is our opportunity."

Yue Fei pondered:

"Mr. Chen's meaning is…… after they 'execute' the fake Yue Fei, I will issue a proclamation from Mang Mountain, not only announcing that I am still alive, but also directly pointing out the falseness of that stand-in?"

"Not only that."

A cold light flashed in Chen Wen's eyes.

"We will make 'inspecting the embroidered characters on the back' a public challenge!"

"In the proclamation, you can describe in detail the appearance, position, and even the scene and words when your mother stitched the characters back then. And announce to the world, demanding the Imperial Court or righteous individuals, under the eyes of all, to examine the back of the corpse of the 'Yue Fei' who met his fate at Wind and Wave Pavilion."

"If the embroidery does not match, or if there is none at all, then the crime of imposture and false accusation will collapse on its own!"

Wu Yong added:

"This plot is vicious! If the Imperial Court dares not to publicly inspect, it shows guilt; if they dare to inspect, they will surely reveal the flaw. Either way, their credibility will collapse. And Marshal Yue's true embodiment of 'Loyalty and Service to the Country' will, together with this ironclad proof, take root in people's hearts!"

Yue Fei's eyes blazed with light, but then a hint of worry flashed through.

"This plan is good, but my mother is advanced in years, living in the countryside of Ezhou. If the Iron Crow Army or the Imperial Court, driven to desperation, were to seize my mother or force her to identify a fake embroidery……"

"I will take care of this."

Chen Wen's tone was firm and unyielding.

I will immediately notify our people near Black Cloud Stronghold and Ezhou, spare no expense to secretly strengthen the guards at Old Lady Yue's residence, and prepare an emergency evacuation plan.

At the same time, General Yue can state in the proclamation that his mother's tattoo was done privately, with only the mother and son knowing the details; any rumors or coerced statements from others are not credible, and public opinion should be firmly fixed on the indisputable physical evidence of the corpse examination.

The three of them then carefully examined many details.

How to ensure the proclamation spreads quickly and widely.

How to counter the Imperial Court's possible various reprisals and smears.

How to use the Northward Aspiration Army's intelligence network to add fuel to the fire at critical moments.

"The Iron Crow Army intends to bury you with a 'false death'."

Finally, Chen Wen looked at Yue Fei, his voice calm and powerful.

"We will use a 'debate over truth and falsehood' to engrave you and the four words 'Loyal Service to the Country' even deeper into the hearts of all under heaven."

"They intend to stage a play at the Wind and Wave Pavilion."

"We will be below the stage, ready with the brightest torches to expose every flaw beneath their costumes!"

Yue Fei took a deep breath, clasped his fists, and said:

"Then, thank you, Mr. Chen and Mr. Wu, for your planning."

"Fei, go prepare the proclamation; you will detail the tattoo on your back to make it known to all under heaven!"

The plan is set.

A more perilous game centered on truth and falsehood quietly unfolds.

The target, pointing directly at the Wind and Wave Pavilion, which is solidifying amid the wind and snow.