Chapter 164

Jiang Mingyu sidestepped with a light motion, evading Li Bo's vicious slash. Li Bo sneered darkly: "Jiang, keep dodging—I want to see how far you can run!"

Jiang Mingyu not only showed no fear, but smiled coldly: "Commandant Li, do you really think your pitiful skills can take my life?"

Li Bo widened his cloudy eye and sneered: "Jiang Mingyu, still playing the hero? The situation is clear—your fate is sealed. Four words: all is lost!"

"How dare you defy us, alive or dead? You're laughing at your own grave. Focus on how you'll dodge my next strike!"

He turned to glance at Song Yusheng with a lewd grin: "Minister Song, am I right?"

Before Song Yusheng could reply, Jiang Mingyu spoke calmly: "Since you're so confident, let me show you what Jiang Mou can do."

No sooner had the words left his lips than a shadow leapt down from the rafters above—it was Tukesiluo!

"Ah!" Li Bo leapt backward in shock, his blade-hand trembling. "Y-you... how... you were poisoned... this... this..."

Seeing Tukesiluo's longsword, Li Bo's tongue froze. He stared wildly at Song Yusheng: "My lord, what's going on?!"

Jiang Mingyu sighed softly, seizing the moment: "Commandant Li, at this point, do you still trust everyone around you?"

He deliberately stretched his tone, glancing pointedly at Song Yusheng: "Am I not right, County Magistrate Song?"

At that instant, Song Yusheng whipped a dagger from his sleeve and plunged it deep into Li Bo's lower back.

Song Yusheng smiled sweetly: "My apologies, Commandant Li. While you were poisoning them, I already informed the Lord of your plot. Tukesiluo was in the Lord's chamber—he learned everything, slipped in through the window, and played along with you."

"You thought you'd succeeded? The Lord saw through your scheme from the start—he merely humored you. To scheme against the Lord? How laughable."

Song Yusheng's eyes brimmed with contempt for Li Bo and fawning admiration for Jiang Mingyu.

The searing pain in his back made Li Bo gasp, his face twisted in disbelief. He stared at Song Yusheng: "You beast! You betrayed me—I raised you!"

Song Yusheng sneered: "Commandant Li, in the face of interest, loyalty and betrayal are the same. I simply chose the wiser path."

Jiang Mingyu watched coldly, his heart churning beneath calm surface.

Li Bo gasped painfully: "Song Yusheng... why... why betray me? Why?"

Song Yusheng stared at him, scoffing: "Why? To stay alive."

"Longteng County, Shangmu County, and Yasmou Regional Military Commissioner—all now belong to the Lord. Even if you beg and claw, you won't leave here alive."

"And you, fool, think your brute strength can stand against the Lord's ten thousand troops? Delusional!"

Song Yusheng sneered: "Betray the Lord? Dream on. What merit do I have to defy his will? To follow him, to catch a few drops of his glory—that's more than enough."

Song Yusheng thought inwardly: he'd heard enough of Fei Hou's temper. If Fei Hou learned he'd helped dig up his ancestors' graves, no amount of merit would save him from death.

Better to take this chance to impress Jiang Mingyu, earn his trust. Besides, Jiang Mingyu's bloody methods today had already terrified him beyond endurance.

So the moment he picked up the dagger, he'd already decided to sow discord and betray Li Bo—to secure his future with Jiang Mingyu.

Seeing Jiang Mingyu nod in approval, Song Yusheng stabbed Li Bo twice more in the back and said coldly: "You know all you need to know. Take this satisfying answer to your grave."

Blood frothed from Li Bo's mouth; he tried to speak, then collapsed, dead.

Jiang Mingyu smirked, nodding in satisfaction: "Good, County Magistrate Song. Your actions tonight please me. Remain loyal, and you'll be richly rewarded."

Song Yusheng bowed repeatedly, exhaling inwardly, then withdrew from the room.

Watching Song Yusheng leave, Tukesiluo chuckled: "Thank heaven for him—without him, tonight could've gone sideways."

Jiang Mingyu gave a quiet "hmm," saying coolly: "Song Yusheng is self-serving, but he knows self-preservation. He can be shaped. He may yet become one of ours."

With Longteng secured, Tukesiluo asked: "My lord, what's our next move?"

Jiang Mingyu gazed out at the starlit sky, murmuring: "Lord Murong has likely finished his task. Tomorrow morning, we return to Yasmou Regional Military Commissioner, regroup the troops. With Longteng and Jingyang under our control, Dongping and Dingtao are next."

Here, Jiang Mingyu's eyes flashed with icy hatred: "Fei Hou—I will not share the same sky with you. Tie your noose. Wait for death."

The next morning, as Jiang Mingyu prepared to leave, he told Song Yusheng: "County Magistrate Song, I entrust Longteng County to you. Prove your worth—I will reward you handsomely."

Song Yusheng bowed repeatedly. The Lord mounted his horse and rode straight toward Yasmou.

Song Yusheng watched the Lord vanish into the distance, thinking: Jiang Mingyu is decisive, deeply cunning—I must tread carefully to survive under him. Only after accumulating merit can I gain real power. Temporary betrayal saved my life, but for long-term survival, clinging to Jiang Mingyu is the only path.

Jiang Mingyu will march east and west, expanding his power. My aid today secures his favor for now—but how do I stand once the dust settles? To earn his trust won't be easy. This betrayal was desperation. True survival requires careful thought.