Chapter 363: Overnight Camp Outside Xiongzhou City; Hidden Danger in the Well Water

Watching Liu Liu Yifei's figure gradually fade into the distance, Tu Tu Kesiluo spoke with deep concern: "Big Brother, is it really safe for Big Sister to go?"

Hearing this, a trace of bitterness flashed across Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face; he sighed lightly: "I only hope she arrives safely." These past two days, he had worried endlessly over Liu Liu Yifei's safety, having urged her countless times to change her mind and not go to Qu Province alone.

But Liu Liu Yifei had shown extraordinary determination regarding this. Whenever Jiang Jiang Mingyu urged her, she would frown slightly, look directly at Jiang Jiang Mingyu with those bright eyes, and speak with firmness: "My decision will not change; I must go to Qu Province this time."

To this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu could only shake his head helplessly and silently accept her choice with a bitter smile. For he knew well that once Liu Liu Yifei made up her mind, no matter how much he tried to dissuade her, she would never retreat.

That night, Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood atop the camp, gazing at the lingering sunset on the horizon, while Liu Liu Yifei's words from earlier still echoed in his mind: "Jiang Mingyu, I must go to Qu Province; do not urge me again this time, opposition is invalid!" At that moment, she had stood with hands on her hips, her tone firm yet tinged with a touch of childish innocence, leaving Jiang Jiang Mingyu with no room to argue.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt uneasy in his heart, but then he thought: Liu Liu Yifei is skilled and highly respected; perhaps, as she said, she will indeed arrive safely in Qu Province. He steadied himself and murmured inwardly: "I only hope her journey is smooth." He could only pray that after this separation, he could reunite with his wife as soon as possible.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the plains, painting the distant rolling mountains red. The great army had already marched dozens of li; dust covered the soldiers' faces, and sweat beaded on their foreheads. At that moment, a sudden burst of urgent hoofbeats came from the dust ahead.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu narrowed his eyes to examine closely and saw a young scout riding a grayish fast horse charging out of the dust. It was a sturdy warhorse, though now utterly exhausted; its body was caked in mud, its mane soaked with sweat, foam spilling from its mouth as it bit the bridle, yet it still struggled to carry its rider forward at full speed.

This scout appeared to be just over twenty, dressed in coarse cloth typical of common folk, his face covered in dust, clearly having traveled day and night without rest. He urged the horse forward at great speed until it reached Jiang Jiang Mingyu, then yanked the reins sharply; the warhorse reared high with a neigh before crashing down heavily, kicking up a cloud of dust. The scout smoothly flipped off the horse, dropped to his knees, and shouted "Your Majesty" as he knelt in homage.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu hurried forward, his face betraying an unmistakable urgency and tension. He reached out to support the scout's shoulder and said in a low voice: "You've worked hard; get up and speak. What is the situation in Xiongzhou? What movements have Zuo Zhao and Lord Tong Wa made?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu's hands trembled slightly, his eyes burning as he stared at the scout, eagerly awaiting his reply.

The scout wiped the sweat and dust from his face, revealing his youthful features. His originally baby-faced cheeks now showed signs of exhaustion from the journey, yet his eyes sparkled with excitement and a sense of mission. He looked at Jiang Jiang Mingyu and spoke in a deep voice: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the defenses in Xiongzhou City are extremely tight; I had to exert great effort to sneak inside. Since Zuo Zhao fled to Xiongzhou to seek refuge under Lord Tong Wa, Tong Wa has intensified the defenses, closed the city gates tightly, and ordered all civilians to retreat into the city; it can be said they have adopted a strategy of fortified walls and scorched earth."

After hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded slightly, his entire body relaxing, for this was exactly the reaction he had anticipated. He pressed on: "How many troops are actually in the city? Has Wei Wei Yangyao sent reinforcements there? Have you confirmed all these details?" Anxiety mixed with his tone, fearing the scout might report unfavorable information.

"The defending forces in the city, plus those brought by Lord Tong Wa, number around one hundred and fifty thousand; as for whether Wei Wei Yangyao has sent reinforcements, I have heard nothing," the scout replied decisively, his words clear and powerful.

Standing beside Jiang Jiang Mingyu, Tu Tu Kesiluo asked sharply: "Are you certain Wei Wei Yangyao has not sent troops to Xiongzhou?" His eyes were sharp, his words carrying an undeniable seriousness, his tone tinged with slight suspicion, as if he found the scout's report hard to believe.

"I have been hiding in Xiongzhou for a day and a night; if there were any large-scale troop movements, I would not have missed a single rumor," the scout retorted without flinching, responding firmly, "I stake my life on it!"

After hearing the scout's report, the heavy stone in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart finally lifted, and a smile spread across his face. He happily patted the scout's shoulder, strode back to the front of the army, and shouted loudly: "Since Wei Wei Yangyao has not yet made any moves, our thirteen thousand strong army is more than enough to easily capture Xiongzhou! It is sunset; we must keep moving, for delay breeds change! All troops, increase your pace; we must reach the walls of Xiongzhou tonight!" He waved his hands, urging the army to quicken their march; the soldiers immediately responded and advanced.

Tu Tu Kesiluo, standing nearby, also sighed in relief and smiled in agreement: "Big Brother is wise; Xiongzhou will surely be taken! Let us move forward quickly!" The usually stern-faced man finally showed a relaxed and joyful expression upon hearing such excellent battle news.

Li Goudan stepped forward, slightly rising onto his tiptoes to appear taller, cleared his throat, and said: "Your Majesty, what the Prince said is absolutely correct; the fact that Wei Wei Yangyao has not reinforced now does not mean he will not do so later." His voice was low and powerful, his pace unhurried, each word pronounced clearly and precisely.

"Perhaps he has already dispatched reinforcements, but since Wangjiang City is too far from Xiongzhou, they have not yet arrived," Li Goudan continued analyzing, stroking his beard with both hands, his brows tightly furrowed, his expression grave.

As he spoke, he beckoned to a nearby soldier, ordering him to bring the map quickly. The soldier immediately took two quick steps forward and presented a roll of parchment map with both hands. Li Goudan took the map, unrolled it in his hands, and pointed to a location on it, saying: "Your Majesty, please look; to the west of Xiongzhou lies the vast and boundless Honghe Sea; south of Honghe Sea lies the South Sea." His finger slid along the map, stopping at the position of the South Sea.

"The South Sea borders Gebao City; once Wei Wei Yangyao sends reinforcements by sea, our situation will become extremely passive," Li Goudan said, frowning and scanning the map with a stern gaze.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu also grew solemn. He took the map from Li Goudan's hands and examined it carefully, his expression grave. Although it was early autumn, the monsoon winds on the continent still blew predominantly from the southeast, which indeed meant favorable winds and currents for Wei Wei Yangyao's reinforcements. Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered for a moment, then suddenly slapped his thigh, looked up, and said: "Correct, what you say is true. All three armies must quicken their pace; we must reach the walls of Xiongzhou within two days."

"As Your Majesty commands!" Li Goudan and Tu Tu Kesiluo immediately replied, bowing deeply to Jiang Jiang Mingyu. Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved his hand to let the two rise, then strode confidently toward the front of the army. "All troops, advance with increased speed; let no day or night delay us!" he ordered loudly.

Thus, the orderly formations began to run faster across the plains, the heavy iron hooves making dull thuds in the mud. Jiang Jiang Mingyu rode his warhorse at the very front, the great banner flying high behind him rustling loudly in the wind. This army of thirteen thousand, trampling splashing mud, disappeared into the horizon under the afterglow of the setting sun; the road ahead to the decisive battle was filled with thorns, yet it stirred the blood even more.

With scouts leading the way, the army's march proceeded smoothly. By the time the sun rose three poles high the next day, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army of thirteen thousand finally reached the territory of Xiongzhou. The closer they got to Xiongzhou City, the sparser the human presence became along both sides of the road; eventually, not a single person could be seen, the villages on either side deserted, their doors tightly shut.

At dusk, when the army arrived before an empty village, Tu Tu Kesiluo spat heavily on the ground and muttered angrily: "Damn it, Lord Tong Wa's skill in fortified walls and scorched earth is truly formidable; he has moved all civilians outside the city into the city. It seems this fellow is determined to fight us to the death!" As he spoke, his brows were tightly furrowed, his fists clenched tightly, filled with hatred toward Lord Tong Wa.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not respond, only looking up once at the gradually setting afterglow before asking calmly: "How far is this place from Xiongzhou?" Upon hearing this, Li Goudan raised the map and examined it carefully, saying: "Reporting to Your Majesty, according to the map, the distance from here to Xiongzhou is at most fifty or sixty li; if we increase our marching speed, we can arrive within two hours."

After hearing the reply, Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded slightly; he stroked his warhorse's mane with both hands, soothing its exhausted body after days of continuous travel. Then he flipped off the horse and said to the surrounding officers and soldiers: "We will not move further; we shall camp in this village tonight. Immediately set up cooking pots and prepare meals; let the soldiers rest well for the night!" The soldiers cheered, for after three days, they could finally rest properly.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu added: "Tu Tu Kesiluo, you also lead everyone to rest well and conserve your strength. Early tomorrow morning, we will strike directly at Xiongzhou City, striving to capture it in one decisive blow!" Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded heavily, killing intent clearly radiating from his eyes: "As commanded; I will surely make Lord Tong Wa taste our sharp blades!"

Thus, this army of thirteen thousand set up camp on the spot and began boiling water and cooking. Smoke curled upward, horses neighed contentedly, and officers and soldiers sat in groups of three or five around the campfires, talking and laughing loudly. The excitement and tension of tomorrow's battle hung in the air; every face showed exhilaration and fighting spirit...

Just as the main camp was set up, Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood in the commander's tent, gazing at the map in deep thought. A gentle breeze brushed his face outside the tent, while heat waves rolled over the distant Gobi desert. While waiting for the meal, a sharp cry suddenly pierced through the wind and the faint rustling of sand, coming through clearly:

"Old Yang, Old Yang! What's wrong? Wake up quickly!"

The voice was full of anxiety, its tail rising slightly and sounding somewhat hurried. Then came a wave of excited murmurs rising and falling, interspersed with one or two gasps of fear.

"Oh my heavens, Old Yang has fainted!"

"His face looks so terrible; he must be exhausted from the march!"

"Something's wrong; look, the corners of his mouth have turned blue; this is clearly a symptom of poisoning!"

"What?! Poisoned? He just drank a mouthful of well water... Could it be, could it be that the well water is poisoned?!"

Since nearly being poisoned twice before, Jiang Jiang Mingyu had always been extremely averse and vigilant toward the word "poison." Hearing this word appear in the crowd's murmurs, his eyes narrowed slightly, his brows furrowed tightly, and a trace of pallor flashed across his face. He suddenly turned away from the desk, strode confidently outside the tent, his black military uniform rustling loudly in the wind.

Around him, the soldiers of the cooking unit were gathered in groups of three or two, discussing the matter. Hearing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's footsteps, they automatically parted like a tide to make way for the general. With a determined expression, Jiang Jiang Mingyu quickly followed the path cleared by the crowd, moving toward the scene of the incident along the murmurs. He saw a burly middle-aged soldier lying motionless on the gravel ground, his face pale, blue-black blood seeping from the corners of his mouth; he was clearly already dead. Surrounded by curious and frightened soldiers, upon seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's arrival, they all hurriedly knelt to the ground.

"What exactly happened? Speak quickly!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke in a deep voice, his tone carrying an uncompromising severity.

Soon, an old soldier with a messy beard and dark complexion stepped forward, his weathered face full of wrinkles revealing vigilance and concern. "Reporting to my Lord, the deceased is Old Niu, one of the soldiers in our cooking unit responsible for fetching water," the old soldier said respectfully. "He was ordered to fetch water from the village well just now. Who knew that after drinking only a few mouthfuls, he suddenly rolled his eyes and fainted; it seems the well has been poisoned."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu tightly furrowed his brows, pondering deeply. He immediately realized that since this area was already on the outskirts of Xiongzhou, the poisoning of the well water was most likely the work of Lord Tong Wa. His mind raced rapidly as he shouted in a deep voice: "Issue my military order: all soldiers in the camp are temporarily forbidden from approaching the well; Tu Tu Kesiluo, take your men to investigate! We must determine whether the water source has indeed been poisoned by the enemy!"

Upon hearing the order, the soldiers snapped out of their daze and hurried away. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood motionless with a blank expression, arms tightly crossed over his chest, frowning toward the direction of the well, his expression grave and solemn, his mind calculating various possibilities.

At that moment, Tu Tu Kesiluo had already drawn his sword and led several personal guards on horseback toward the village, an underlying sense of urgency and vigilance visible within their orderly ranks. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's gaze followed their retreating figures step by step, his eyes sharp as a hawk's.

Tu Tu Kesiluo soon returned with the answer he sought; he jumped off his horse, strode confidently to Jiang Jiang Mingyu, and spoke with a serious expression: "Big Brother, your guess was correct; the well water indeed hides a deadly poison. Its color and smell are very concealed; it is clearly a deliberate arrangement by Lord Tong Wa, intending to wipe out our entire army in one sweep." As he spoke, his voice gradually grew colder, his fists clenched tightly until his knuckles turned white: "Truly sinister and vicious; this is clearly asking for death!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's brows suddenly furrowed, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "Good Lord Tong Wa, daring to be so despicable! He is bringing this upon himself!" Having said this, he spoke in a deep voice: "Issue the order: all soldiers must immediately stop making fires and temporarily eat some dry rations to fill their stomachs. Absolutely no one is to approach any water source in the village; our army can endure humiliation and hardship; even if we are hungry and thirsty, we must survive tonight. Tomorrow, after breaking Xiongzhou City, we will surely invite Lord Tong Wa to taste the flavor of wine!"

After simply gnawing on some dry rations, the soldiers of One Da Jiang lay down on the spot to rest. The exhaustion from three consecutive days of travel quickly sent them into sleep; the sound of snoring rose and fell between the small mountain village houses. The night was heavy, the campfires extinguished, and silence reigned everywhere, broken only occasionally by the chirping of insects and the calls of night owls.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sat alone in a simple tent; outside the linen curtain lay a silent black night. The candle flame flickered and trembled in the gentle breeze, its orange-yellow light reflecting on his determined profile. His brows were tightly furrowed, his expression serious, appearing deeply absorbed in thought. It seemed he was mentally mapping out some important strategic deployment.

At this moment, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart was actually surging like a storm. Learning that the well water hid a deadly poison, that this cunning enemy Lord Tong Wa had used such despicable means to attempt the annihilation of our army, filled Jiang Jiang Mingyu with both anger and a trace of worry. This caused even him, who had previously been confident, to feel a slight uncertainty.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. This sudden change in circumstances required a new response strategy, one that concerned the lives and safety of countless soldiers. Thinking of Lord Tong Wa's poisonous scheme, a cold light flashed in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes, and his fists unconsciously clenched until his knuckles turned white. This was undoubtedly bringing disaster upon himself! Lord Tong Wa, I will surely make you pay the price!

Outside the tent, the night was heavy, occasionally broken by the chirping of insects and the calls of night owls. Jiang Jiang Mingyu tilted his ear slightly, as if trying to judge the enemy situation through the silent night. At this moment, the snoring of our army's soldiers could be faintly heard from various parts of the camp; clearly, they were utterly exhausted and had quickly fallen asleep. This snoring reminded Jiang Jiang Mingyu of the situation earlier that day: our army had traveled continuously for three days and fought a fierce battle; all soldiers were utterly exhausted. Yet Lord Tong Wa had ambushed them; truly wicked and vicious!

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gently exhaled, striving to calm the surging emotions in his heart. He needed to concentrate, re-examine the current situation, and make a wise response strategy. After all, the current situation was extremely unfavorable for our army; without water supplies, even if hungry and thirsty, we must survive tonight; this was undoubtedly a tremendous test for the soldiers.

He looked up at the tent ceiling, gazing at the folds of the canvas in the flickering candlelight. A sense of confidence and determination began to rise within him; he must establish a belief strong enough to support the entire army. This battle would be the moment to test the reputation of the One Da Jiang army! Endure humiliation and hardship; we must never yield!

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's gaze fell again on the map on the desk; this familiar terrain now seemed strange and indistinguishable. Our army's momentum is lost, the situation is critical; to successfully breach the city, we must gamble everything... He quickly simulated countermeasures in his mind, his phoenix eyes always burning like torches, radiating heroic spirit. Finally, a sharp light flashed in his eyes, as if he had already made his decision.

The candle flame flickered; Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at the slightly tired Tu Tu Kesiluo before him and slowly spoke: "Tu Tu Kesiluo."

Tu Tu Kesiluo, who had been dozing, heard Jiang Jiang Mingyu's call and immediately jolted awake, his eyes opening with a somewhat nervous expression as he replied: "Big Brother, what's wrong? Has something happened?" Having said this, he unconsciously drew his long sword half out from the broken table, his hand gripping the hilt tightly, ready to respond to any sudden event.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled gently at him, a calmness and composure radiating from his phoenix eyes; this made Tu Tu Kesiluo's heart tighten. Seeing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved his hand to signal him to lower his guard and slowly explained: "Don't be so nervous; for now, nothing has happened yet."

Hearing him say this, Tu Tu Kesiluo was momentarily stunned, asking with confusion: "What do you mean 'for now, nothing has happened'? Does something happen in a moment?" He frowned slightly, a flicker of vigilance and worry passing through his eagle-like eyes.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at him, silent and absorbed, his expression inscrutable. After a long while, he lightly raised an eyebrow and said calmly: "Think about it; this road is the only path to Xiongzhou, which is why Lord Tong Wa poisoned the well water. If you were him, knowing our army is camping here..." At this point, he paused slightly, his gaze deep and burning like a torch, "And it is highly likely we have already fallen victim, would he not come to check?"

Upon hearing this analysis, Tu Tu Kesiluo's mind suddenly cleared, and he inwardly admired Jiang Jiang Mingyu's insight and predictive ability. The two locked eyes, nodding in mutual understanding. Since their southward expedition, they had become the greatest threat to the Southern Border; Lord Tong Wa would never be willing to let them go so easily. As long as there was an opportunity, he would surely come personally to eliminate them once and for all.

At this moment, Jiang Jiang Mingyu calmly raised his gaze, a glint of sharpness dancing in his eyes: "Although our army has not captured any spies from the Southern Border along the way, I know exactly where they are hiding. These treacherous spies have certainly been watching in secret and have already reported our army's movements to Lord Tong Wa. Tonight, he will surely take action..."

Upon hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo suddenly understood, a flash of keen light passing through his eyes. He rose, bowed deeply to Jiang Jiang Mingyu, and said in a deep voice, "Brother, your wisdom is profound! In that case, I shall go and make preparations immediately; we must ensure this cunning rat falls into the net!" With that, he strode out of the tent with long, swift steps, as if all the drowsiness from before had completely vanished.

Soon, a murmur quietly rose within the camp that had just been calm and desolate. Under Tu Tu Kesiluo's command, troops from various units began to move in an orderly fashion, taking their positions silently. The moonlight was bright, the mountains layered with emerald green; beneath this silent night, another fierce battle was about to commence...

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sat alone in quiet meditation within the tent. Gazing at the flickering candle flame, a faint smile curved his lips. A surge of high spirits rose within him; in this battle, he would make Lord Tong Wa retreat in the face of difficulty and taste the flavor of mutual destruction!