Chapter 445

First Volume, Chapter 445: Not That It Won't Be Repaid

Seeing the Liang Emperor so furious for once, Hei Wei hurried to soothe him: "Your Majesty, please preserve your imperial health. That Qin Feng, emboldened by his current power, acts without restraint—he will one day pay for this! Not that it won't be repaid, but the time has not yet come. Yet Qin Feng's execution of Liu Bing has filled the Garrison Army with deep resentment; we must now do our utmost to appease them."

The Liang Emperor turned his back, walked to the Liu Li Window Qin Feng had gifted him, and snapped: "Take this damn thing apart!"

The Liang Emperor had once loved this Liu Li Window—standing by it, he could easily gaze upon the scenery outside—but he also knew well that his feud with Qin Feng had begun over "Liu Li." Had he not been so reckless back then and seized Qin Feng's Liuli Workshop, perhaps things would never have reached this point.

No sooner had he spoken than he waved his hand again: "Forget it. Why should I quarrel with a lifeless object?"

"In my lifetime, I've endured too many people and too many things. When I presided over the Hou Gong, I endured Ming Wang. After ascending the Imperial Throne, I endured the hundred officials of court; once I balanced them, I endured the powerful clans across the land. When the Bei Di invaded the border, I endured it. When the Hou Gong descended into chaos, I endured it. Now, enduring one more Qin Feng—what difference does it make?"

"That brat Qin Feng—I grow more and more disgusted by him every day, yet I cannot do without him. Whether it's the war on the Northern Border or balancing the powerful clans, I need this boy's strength."

"As for the Garrison Army, simply send my verbal edict to comfort them—say nothing else. This is a feud between the Garrison Army and the Qin Family; I won't play the fool caught between two sides."

Hei Wei felt as if he'd swallowed a calming pill. Though the Emperor now faced pressure from all sides and his emotions had grown extremely agitated, he remained a sovereign no less formidable than his predecessor—angry, yes, but long ago he had seen through the entire situation. With the Liang Emperor standing firm like a divine anchor at the rear, those below could handle affairs far more easily.

Hei Wei now had only one concern, and he ventured cautiously: "If the Garrison Army cannot swallow this humiliation and seeks revenge against Qin Feng, what then?"

The Liang Emperor snorted lightly: "The Deputy General of the Garrison Army, an old man burying his son, may lose his reason—that's understandable. But the Garrison Army Commander? A man of deep cunning—would he make such a foolish move? True, the Tianji Camp has been fully relocated out of Jingdu, but Qin Feng is far from isolated—he has the Ning Guogong Xie Family at his side, and the Longhu Army. If the Garrison Army wishes to retaliate, they must weigh the consequences carefully."

At these words, Hei Wei's gaze turned sharply grave: "Your Majesty, the Longhu Army is the imperial family's trusted core—now it has submitted to Qin Family? Is this not…"

Before Hei Wei could finish, the Liang Emperor waved him off: "As you said—Not that it won't be repaid, but the time has not yet come."

…

Northern Border, Shi Li Gang.

As the name suggests, this place is only Ten Li from Beixi County City.

At this moment, Shi Li Gang already lay strewn with over a dozen corpses—Bei Di vanguard scouts, Bei Di Night Owls, and Jin Yi Wei agents.

Since the war began, the entire territory of Beixi County has been under total lockdown: all civilians must return to the fields to assist with the Autumn Harvest; anyone wandering freely will be treated as a Bei Di Spy. In times of chaos, harsh laws prevail—only this method can decisively crush Bei Di reconnaissance and secret infiltration.

Mo Li, Right Envoy of the Jin Yi Wei, and Li Xiaolan, Left Envoy of the Jin Yi Wei, personally led Jin Yi Wei agents into the field, hunting and killing enemy nation spies across all of Beixi County.

Though enemy nation spies cannot be eradicated entirely, it suffices to clear all routes from Beixi County to the border.

As nightfall descended, a Jin Yi Wei messenger hurried back into the county city, knelt on one knee before Li Zhang, and bowed: "Young Master, the roads have been cleared!"

Li Zhang had been waiting for this moment—he turned instantly to face the troops assembled below the City Wall and roared: "The Bian Jun Da Ying bears the brunt of the enemy's main force—great pressure. If we fail to relieve them, we risk perishing with them. Tonight's surprise attack will be a brutal battle; many of you may never return. Soldiers, fight with blood and sacrifice, wrapped in horsehide, all to defend Liang Kingdom Territory—I, Li Zhang, bow to you."

Li Zhang then knelt fully, bowing three deep prostrations before the troops.

The soldiers' eyes blazed with unyielding resolve; their unified roar shook Beixi County: "For Liang! For Beixi County!"

Li Zhang rose and bowed again, looking down at his younger brother Li Lang: "Baron of Fuyun County, lead five thousand infantry—depart immediately for the border, garrison at San Die Pass, ready to support allied forces or receive further orders."

Though the Li Family Brothers usually joked and laughed, before the war Li Lang shed his usual carefree demeanor, bowed deeply, and led the infantry out of the city without delay.

Li Zhang turned to Zhao Yuxiong and Xu Mo: "Commandant Zhao Yuxiong, lead three thousand Black Cavalry straight toward Chen Si's Main Camp! The Bei Di's attention is fixed on the Bian Jun Da Ying—Chen Si's camp is surely weak. If you succeed, push forward as far as you can. If you meet resistance, withdraw from the battlefield and garrison between Li Lang's force and Chen Si's camp, awaiting further orders."

"Xu Mo, lead two thousand light cavalry to block reinforcements from the Bei Di Qian Feng Da Ying. Once Chen Si's camp is attacked, the Vanguard Camp will surely dispatch Bei Di Light Cavalry to reinforce it—your mission is to stop them. Maintain constant communication with Zhao Yuxiong—never let Bei Di Light Cavalry engage Zhao Yuxiong! The safety of the Black Cavalry's advance and retreat depends entirely on you."

Zhao Yuxiong and Xu Mo both bowed and led their troops away.

Finally, Li Zhang turned to Ning Hu, who had just returned with the grain and forage, his gaze sharpening: "The matter of chastising Jiangnan Lin Family is postponed—keep all troops escorting the grain inside the city. Lead all Tianji Camp Guards to infiltrate Bei Di territory and launch a surprise strike."

"But the Bei Di have sealed their intelligence so tightly that once we enter Northern Di Territory, we'll be spotted by Night Owls—exposure will bring encircling armies. Moreover, we know almost nothing of the Bei Di rear—so we have no specific targets. Tianji Camp Guards need only follow one rule: burn granaries, destroy military supply depots, smash supply trains—eliminate every valuable target. How to attack, how to deploy—all rests with you."

Saying this, Li Zhang descended the City Wall and clapped Ning Hu on the shoulder: "Ning Qianhu, this battle will take you and the Tianji Camp Guards deep into enemy territory—immense danger awaits. The main army's movements will likely not cover you… this mission may well be a one-way trip…"

Li Zhang did not wish to speak so plainly, yet he could not deceive Ning Hu—after all, deep behind enemy lines, fighting alone against thirty thousand Bei Di troops, even if every Tianji Camp Guard was a paragon of valor, the peril would be extreme. Only by revealing the worst outcome could Ning Hu make the wisest Adaptation Response.

A one-way trip?

Ning Hu showed no fear—in fact, he threw his head back and laughed aloud.