[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-199":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289034,4475,"Chapter 199: Provocation","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-199",199,"\u003Cp>After visiting Zhang Jiani again, Jiang Mingyu’s army had no enemy heads to sacrifice to their banners, and morale was low. Jiang Mingyu refused to give up; he would avenge his fallen comrades and make Wang Jingchun of Lingna City pay with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped his whip tightly, eyes like blades, sweeping over ten thousand warriors. His gaze seemed to ignite the fury in their hearts, rekindling their battle spirit. He shouted aloud: “Brothers, why do we leave the city today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To avenge!” Ten thousand voices roared in unison, shaking heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes! To avenge! For our brothers! For our homeland! For our dignity!” Jiang Mingyu raised his arm and cried, “We will make these arsonists and murderers know we are not to be trifled with! We will make them pay a terrible price! We will drown them in blood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Drown them in blood!” Ten thousand voices echoed, their momentum soaring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Advance!” Jiang Mingyu swept his sleeve and spurred his horse forward, leading the charge out the city gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, Jiang Mingyu’s column marched without pause. All silently clenched their teeth, hearts filled with hatred and longing. One and a half days later, they finally reached a point just twenty li from Lingna City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu carefully deployed scouts and set up a rudimentary camp. That evening, Zhang Jiaqi pushed open the flap of Jiang Mingyu’s tent and saw him frowning over a map, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, how do you plan to deploy for tomorrow’s battle?” Zhang Jiaqi asked nervously, her voice trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu set down the map and patted her shoulder: “Don’t worry—I’m here. I have a plan for this fight. You only need to follow my orders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiaqi nodded firmly, her face filled with admiration and trust. Jiang Mingyu’s words gave her great courage and eased her anxiety somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu pointed at the map: “Our army arrived in haste, unprepared with siege equipment. We must fight again with inferior forces.” He frowned deeply, his expression grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiaqi pressed: “How do we deal with the archers and boiling oil on the walls?” She stared intently at Jiang Mingyu, eager to absorb his hard-won battlefield wisdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu explained: “I’ve sent men to erect makeshift cover at the front, partially shielding us from arrows. We’ve also prepared large quantities of wet ox hides to wear—effective against fire attacks.” As he spoke, he marked symbols on the map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiaqi felt greatly relieved; her earlier unease had largely vanished. She bowed solemnly: “Thank you, my lord. I’ve noted it well. Tomorrow, I will give my all to avenge my sister!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly: “We will win this battle. As long as we carry justice in our hearts, nothing can stand before us. Rest assured—I will keep you safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn the next day, Jiang Mingyu looked at ten thousand fully armed warriors and gritted his teeth: “Brothers, the murderers of our ten thousand men wait just twenty li away in Lingna City! How shall we avenge them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Avenge! Avenge!” Ten thousand voices roared, their spirit overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction and swept his sleeve: “Good! Advance!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The twenty-li distance vanished in an instant. Jiang Mingyu led his army to the closed gates of Lingna City. He shouted: “Beat the drums!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After three drumbeats, he pointed his whip toward the walls and roared: “Listen, men on the walls! I am Jiang Mingyu! Bring out Wang Jingchun, that dog, to face death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The defenders rushed to report to the Inspector’s residence. About an hour later, a gaunt, grotesquely ugly middle-aged man appeared on the walls—it was Wang Jingchun, Inspector of Lingna City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the walls, Wang Jingchun looked down at the enemy below with smug satisfaction. Seeing Jiang Mingyu, he sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Isn’t this Jiang Mingyu? Still alive?” he called out loudly. “Last time you delivered me ten thousand heads—I haven’t even thanked you yet. Today you bring another ten thousand to die? Perfect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why don’t you take your troops back? I’m in a good mood today—I’ll give you one chance. If you dare try to storm the city again, I’ll kill every last one of you, just like last time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jingchun laughed heartily. He knew Jiang Mingyu’s soldiers were wounded and exhausted, and Tukesiluo lay gravely injured—no match for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s face turned ashen, a flash of killing intent in his eyes. He replied coldly: “Wang Jingchun, you dog, you killed my brothers and sisters, slaughtered my people—do you still expect me to retreat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today, even if I die, I will tear you limb from limb! Open the gates! Let me fight you to the death! If I break this city, I’ll kill every last one of your family!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every last one?” Wang Jingchun laughed harder. “Who do you think you are? What power do you have? Didn’t you say the same thing last time? What happened? Weren’t you crushed beneath my boots?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know how your men died? Like slaughtered pigs, writhing and screaming on the ground. Just thinking of it excites me. Especially that woman—so beautiful. I shot her dead with one arrow. Her final expression? Pure beauty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next time you visit her grave, tell her—if she’s reborn, be smarter. Following a rebel like you only gets you killed. Better to become my concubine—I’ll make her very comfortable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Wang Jingchun spoke, saliva dripped from his mouth. He wiped his lips with his sleeve and continued mocking Jiang Mingyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Wang Jingchun’s desecration of the dead, Zhang Jiaqi trembled with rage. She gripped her longsword, tears streaming down her face. She stared at the hateful face on the walls and screamed: “Corrupt dog! You beast! You defile my sister—deserve death! Come out of that city! Let me run you through with one sword!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She moved to spur her horse forward. Jiang Mingyu grabbed her reins, halting her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiaqi, calm down! This is his trick—he wants to provoke us into reckless assault. We cannot fall for his trap!” Jiang Mingyu urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No! I don’t care! I’ll kill him! I’ll avenge my sister!” Zhang Jiaqi struggled, eyes blazing with hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu felt a pang of pain seeing her grief. He knew she and that woman were inseparable; her death had shattered her. He too longed to kill Wang Jingchun instantly—but he could not act on impulse. He had greater plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiaqi, listen to me. I understand your pain—I feel it too. But we cannot act this way. We defeat him with wisdom, not rage. Do you remember the plan? We’ve prepared it. When night falls, we strike. Wang Jingchun will die for certain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, a glint of cunning flashed in Jiang Mingyu’s eyes. He had already devised a plan with Tukesiluo, exploiting Wang Jingchun’s arrogance and contempt to deliver a fatal blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that true?” Zhang Jiaqi wavered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Absolutely. Tonight is Wang Jingchun’s last night!” Jiang Mingyu declared firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. I believe you. But you must let me kill him myself!” Zhang Jiaqi gritted her teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agreed. Tonight, you will avenge your sister.” Jiang Mingyu nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the walls, Wang Jingchun watched Jiang Mingyu and Zhang Jiaqi’s exchange and smirked triumphantly. He believed he had enraged Jiang Mingyu, shattered his reason. He did not know he had already walked into a trap—waiting for him was annihilation.\u003C\u002Fp>",1222,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","55ca258fc0271e7dd8024d88f42f56d0ce23813883e08035a4a76aedca707328","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-200","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-198",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]