knife

Chapter 98 Only a fool would act as your human stake.

Yan Sheng was beheaded!

Aquarius State changes hands!
As the Lunar New Year approached, two major pieces of news swept across the entire area outside the Great Wall like a hurricane, leaving everyone stunned.

The third largest power outside the Great Wall, which had dominated the area for hundreds of years and possessed the most fertile and prosperous region outside the Great Wall, was easily dealt with.

Just like three years ago when he snatched back the favorite concubine of Astu, the Left Wise King of the Northern Yuan, Xiao Changche's name once again resounded throughout the entire area beyond the Great Wall.

In everyone's eyes, the mastermind behind this operation was naturally Xiao Changche, a third-rank cavalry general.

Li Dachui, this bandit, is indeed very strong, but in this operation, he was at most an assistant to the General of Chariots and Cavalry.

After all, they had already collaborated once three years ago.

This renewed collaboration is not surprising at all.

The area outside the Great Wall is about to descend into complete chaos!

Many people are lamenting.

Not long ago, the general Linghu Ye killed General Wan Feng and exterminated his entire clan, on the grounds that Wan Feng had allowed his troops to plunder the people outside the pass and then kill them to cover it up.

Not long after, General Xiao Changche led his troops to occupy Baoping Prefecture and killed the entire Yan clan, claiming that the Yan clan had colluded with the Northern Yuan and intended to betray the country.

True or false is not important.

Importantly, the shockwaves caused by these two consecutive major actions outside the pass left everyone completely bewildered.

A major reshuffling of power.

Linghu Ye killed Wan Feng in order to better centralize power.

Xiao Changche's killing of Yan Sheng was to more effectively counter Linghu Ye.

To everyone else, this was a turning point in the conflict between Xiao Changche and Linghu Ye.

Over the past few years, everyone has clearly seen the imperial court's intention to support Xiao Changche in restraining Linghu Ye.

If Linghuye fails to suppress Xiao Changche this time, the morale of the people outside the pass will inevitably waver.

The popularity that Commander Linghu had worked so hard to build up was about to dissipate considerably.

This is naturally intolerable.

Linghu Zhishu's face was ashen, and his left cheek was noticeably higher than his right.

That was from a slap from Linghu Ye.

He's been in the Northeast for so many years, and has held great power for just as long.
This was the first time that Linghu Ye had slapped him in front of so many civil and military officials.

Linghu Zhishu knew that he deserved the slap.

As the highest intelligence leader of the headquarters, it was a serious dereliction of duty for him to only receive the news when the war broke out.

That is to say, his surname is Linghu. If it were someone else, his head would probably be hanging on the flagpole outside the headquarters by now.

Everyone in the headquarters was well aware of the seriousness of the matter.

He is now rushing to the City of Aquarius at breakneck speed.

The purpose of this trip is simple: to prevent Xiao Changche from taking Baoping Prefecture into his hands.

To achieve this, firstly, the legitimacy of Xiao Changche's actions must be denied. Yan Sheng was a fifth-rank prefect officially appointed by the imperial court, a high-ranking official in charge of a region. He was responsible for governing the area on behalf of the emperor, and always paid taxes and corvée labor on time. When the imperial court needed the local area to make more contributions, he would take the lead in providing manpower and funds. Xiao Changche's unauthorized killing of a local official was an extremely serious overstepping of authority and even a crime.

When Commander Linghu killed Wan Feng, he had solid evidence against him, leaving everyone speechless!

Even Zhang Ruo, that stubborn fellow, clapped his hands in delight at the time, didn't he? Secondly, if the first point couldn't be achieved, then they would have to seize Xiao Changche's spoils of victory. In fact, when it comes to collusion with the Northern Yuan, almost every well-known power outside the Great Wall is likely involved. Doesn't Tai'an City have one? The Northern Yuan even has an office openly located in Tai'an City! They're openly buying and selling there! So much strategic material has flowed from Tai'an City to the Northern Yuan; compared to Baoping Prefecture, Tai'an City is probably more deserving of the label of being in league with the Northern Yuan.

It cannot be ruled out that Yan Sheng has some serious weakness that Xiao Changche has fallen into his hands. If this is confirmed, then we must take control of the operation in the name of the headquarters.

You, Xiao Changche, are also a general under my command. Linghu Ye is the sole leader of military and civil affairs outside the pass. Xiao Changche is eliminating harm for the people, and naturally he is acting on the orders of Commander Linghu. Therefore, when it comes to dividing the spoils, Commander Linghu will naturally get a share.

Linghu Zhishu was well aware that this trip to Baoping Prefecture was like snatching chestnuts from a fire; trying to get the fruit that Xiao Changche had already swallowed out of his mouth would be extremely difficult.

However, his purpose in coming here was merely to buy some time and lull Xiao Changche into a false sense of security.

The events unfolded so suddenly that the military headquarters had no time to react. In Zhenwu City, the war machine was already in full swing, and Commander Linghu had begun mobilizing troops. If Xiao Changche refused to submit, the army would press in and force him to sign a humiliating treaty.

The commander-in-chief tolerated Xiao Changche for two reasons. First, he valued Xiao's talent and wanted to recruit him for his own use. After all, Xiao's talent was undeniable, and such a person would be invaluable in the future as he sought to govern the world. A thousand soldiers are easy to find, but a good general is hard to come by, and a general like Xiao Changche was extremely rare. Second, he didn't want to pay too high a price. Xiao Changche's arrogance was not without reason; his several thousand cavalry were indeed the largest force among the armies outside the Great Wall.

But now Xiao Changche's actions are blatantly undermining the warlord's foundation, and he has already shaken the house so badly that it will collapse if not handled properly. How can we tolerate this?
A checkpoint was set up on the main road, with several barricades blocking the middle of the road. A dozen soldiers stood behind the barricades, armed with guns and swords. Some soldiers even carried crossbows. Even more outrageous, there was an eight-shot crossbow lurking in the shadows.

"Who goes there? Dismount! Dismount!" a soldier shouted from behind the barricades.

A servant behind Linghu Zhishu rode forward angrily and shouted, "Are you blind? Can't you see I'm the military secretary? Which part of General Xiao's army are you? Move the roadblock immediately! The military secretary has important business to discuss with General Xiao!"

The soldier rolled his eyes, mostly white with little black, and said, "What clerk/military advisor? I have no idea. If you want to pass, you'd better come down here obediently for inspection and registration. Let's see if my boss will let you through!"

The attendant was furious and about to lash out when Linghu Zhishu rode over and looked at the other side coldly, saying, "The area outside the pass is still under the command of Commander Linghu. There has been no change of government. How dare these mere bandits block the road and set up roadblocks? What a joke!"

Upon hearing Linghu Zhishu's words, the guards behind him all changed their expressions and drew their swords with a clang. Chang Jian, who was following behind Linghu Zhishu, walked over and casually slapped a barricade with his palm. The barricade shattered into pieces with a thud.

Behind the barricades, the dozen or so soldiers, seeing Chang Jian's imposing presence, all paled and retreated in unison.

"Oh ho, Secretary Linghu, what an air of authority!" From a thatched hut by the roadside, a burly man lazily crawled out of a dugout. He stepped over the soldiers behind the barricades, walked up to them, and looked at Linghu Zhishu through the barricades, saying, "The situation outside the pass hasn't changed, so we know that being a bandit is a rather hopeless profession, which is why we joined General Chariot and Cavalry. Now we're not bandits, we're soldiers under General Chariot and Cavalry. Old sir, the barricades you just damaged were military supplies, each worth fifty taels, and you have to compensate for them."

Chang Jian burst into laughter, "In that case, I'll round it up for you to a hundred taels, how about that?"

Amidst laughter, Chang Jian slapped the barricade between him and the burly man. The burly man coldly parried with his hand, and with a muffled thud, Chang Jian remained unmoved, while the burly man slid backward, retreating more than ten steps in a flash. The soldiers who had been making a ruckus by the roadside immediately fell silent.

The big man retreated quickly, but he returned just as fast, appearing back in front of Chang Jian in a flash.

"Ninth Rank Peak, indeed impressive. I am no match for you. However, sir, you still need to compensate for the damaged military supplies. I may not be able to beat you, but I can call for help!"

Chang Jian won this move, but there was no smug look on his face. Instead, he cupped his hands and said, "May I ask who you are? You look unfamiliar. I have never seen you before!"

"My surname is Gu, and my given name is Xiaoman. My brothers on the road outside the pass gave me a bandit nickname, Wild Wolf!" Gu Xiaoman said with a grin, "But I have already reformed. The Wild Wolf is gone. I am now a guerrilla general under the command of the General of Chariots and Cavalry."

Chang Jian nodded: "As expected, heroes emerge from among the young. It seems that before long, there will be another ninth-rank hero in our region!"

"Thank you for your kind words!" Gu Xiaoman said with a smile, "It seems like we're only a hair's breadth apart, but when it comes to actually doing it, I find we're still a long way off. The old city lord said I lack experience in life-or-death battles with experts, but that's not my fault! In the past, I've only encountered weaklings, whom I killed in two or three strikes. A good opponent like you, sir, is hard to find!"

Chang Jian waved his hand: "I'm an old man, General Gu, please don't ask me to fight to the death. The world is vast, and there are countless heroes. A trip to Beiyuan might just bring you peace of mind!"

"So it seems I really have to make the trip!" Gu Xiaoman gave Chang Jian a thumbs up: "As expected, experience counts. But sir, the military funds still need to be reimbursed. If you don't want to give them to me, that's fine, I'm just a nobody! I'll have the General of Chariots and Cavalry come and ask you for them!"

Linghu Zhishu, who was standing to the side, understood.

Gu Xiaoman, also known as Wild Wolf, is only one step away from the ninth rank of Xuan Yuan in martial arts cultivation. To break through this barrier, he needs to engage in life-and-death battles with experts and gain some experience in the face of life and death. This guy actually took a liking to Chang Jian, who is at the peak of the ninth rank.

Chang Jian, however, was unwilling to fight his opponent.

Youth has the upper hand!
Even though Chang Jian's cultivation level was higher than his opponent's, this guy wasn't so easy to kill! The key was that killing him would bring enormous trouble. Neither Xiao Changche nor Li Dachui were people Chang Jian wanted to provoke.

If that's the case, why use someone as a training dummy?
The problem is, I did it, helped others, and yet I didn't even get a thank you!
"I'll pay for these barricades!" Linghu Zhishu didn't care about saving face at all: "We're all family. When we allocate military funds to Commander Xiao later, I'll add another fifty taels, how about that?"

Gu Xiaoman chuckled; this Linghu Zhishu was indeed no pushover.

(End of this chapter)