knife

Chapter 99 Let Me Open Your Eyes

The group passed the checkpoint and continued slowly forward.

Linghu Zhishu turned around and found that Gu Xiaoman was also looking at him. When she saw him turn around, Gu Xiaoman waved enthusiastically. Her smiling face made people think they were good friends.

The tense atmosphere from just moments ago seemed to have never existed at all.

"Is this person's cultivation level actually enough to challenge you?" Linghu Zhishu asked.

Chang Jian shook his head and said, "I'm old, while this man is in his prime, only one step away from the ninth rank. Moreover, his fighting experience as a desperate criminal is no less than mine. More importantly, he's all alone, so he's willing to risk everything and fight to the death, while I don't have that kind of courage!"

Linghu Zhishu frowned.

"Of course, he was also sure I wouldn't dare to do anything to him. I have a whole family outside the Great Wall! If I really did something to him, Li Dachui and Fang Xiaomao would retaliate, and I would be in big trouble."

"If he really breaks through to the ninth rank, then Li Dachui and Xiao Changche's strength will be even greater!" Linghu Zhishu said worriedly, "Li Dachui and Xiao Changche are getting mixed up, and my uncle is already having a huge headache. Elder Chang, why is it that these people cultivate to the high-level Xuan Yuan rank as easily as eating and drinking?"

“Comparison is the thief of joy!” Chang Jian sighed. “This Wild Wolf is almost forty. It’s not surprising that he has this level of skill. There are several generals of this caliber under the Commander-in-Chief. But it’s the prodigies like Li Dachui and Xiao Changche who are truly speechless. Secretary, this Wild Wolf may be just one step away from the ninth rank, but that one step can sometimes trap a person for a lifetime.”

"If you could reach the Innate Realm sooner, your uncle could finally rest easy!"

“There are even more people trapped on my line!” Chang Jian seemed somewhat dejected: “Back when Zhou Zhifang came to the Northeast, he was not as good as me. In just twenty years, there is a world of difference between us. It’s disheartening to think about it.”

"When you last met Zhou Zhi, was he unwilling to share his experience with you?"

“Zhou Zhi isn’t that stingy!” Chang Jian said. “He treated me with great hospitality, but he himself couldn’t explain exactly how he broke through back then.”

"I'm afraid it's just a perfunctory response!"

“No.” Chang Jian said seriously, “I can still tell the difference. Zhou Zhi is a very proud person. If he doesn’t want to tell you, he will refuse you directly. Opportunity is still opportunity. He was fortunate enough to get his own opportunity, while I still have to search hard. Zhou Zhi told me that there is no need to be too attached. Sometimes, being too attached will only make you attached to appearances. The more you want something, the further you are from what you want.”

“That’s true, but when it comes to our own personal interests, who can talk so lightly?” Linghu Zhishu said, “It’s really easy to talk when you’re not the one suffering.”

“That makes sense.” Chang Jian smiled wryly. “But it’s also true. Secretary, next year, I plan to go out and travel around to look for my opportunities.”

Linghu Zhishu nodded. The Chang family and the Linghu family are now bound together. The two families have many marriage alliances. They share both prosperity and adversity. Over the years, the Linghu family has always hoped that Chang Jian could break through to the Innate Realm, so that their strength would become even greater.

"The Commander-in-Chief has been struggling at the ninth rank of the Profound Origin realm for many years. Who knows, he might even achieve enlightenment before me someday!" Chang Jian said with a smile.

“Uncle has too many things to worry about, and the time he can devote to martial arts will only decrease. Moreover, for Uncle, it would be better to cultivate skills that can defeat ten or a hundred people than to spend a lot of time practicing skills that can defeat a thousand or ten thousand people.” Linghu Zhishu said, “Martial arts are ultimately just an auxiliary skill!”

"The upheaval in Baoping Prefecture has indeed troubled the Commander-in-Chief," Chang Jian said. "The situation outside the Great Wall is about to change drastically."

"Over the years, the commander-in-chief has been trying to win over Tai'an City and appease Xiao Changche, but in the end, it has all been in vain!" Linghu Zhishu said through gritted teeth, "If we had known this would happen, we should have wiped them out before they became too powerful."

Chang Jian was also speechless.

Now, the commander-in-chief has very few options left.

If left unchecked, Xiao Changche's power will inevitably expand and become increasingly difficult to control in the future. If the commander-in-chief wants to march south one day, Xiao Changche will become an obstacle.

If they intervene, they risk turning against Xiao Changche prematurely, and if they really have to fight, the price they'll pay will likely be very high. Now it's not just Xiao Changche's three thousand iron cavalry anymore; they also have to add Li Dachui and Tai'an City.

If only we had known this would happen, we could have taken down Xiao Changche while he was still in Zhenwu City, and then dealt with his men. It would have been much easier. Even the fiercest wolf pack is much less threatening without its alpha.

But who could have imagined that Xiao Changche would join forces with Li Dachui to take over Baoping Prefecture without any warning?
Linghu Zhishu touched his face.
It hurts a lot.

But he also knew that he deserved the slap.

Considering the current situation, the group lost all interest in further discussion.

It seems that in the blink of an eye, the excellent situation has deteriorated, and the future appears somewhat bleak.

If chaos truly breaks out within the pass, and the Linghu clan fails to seize the opportunity to enter the pass, once the situation within the pass stabilizes, the Linghu clan, isolated outside the pass, will have no choice but to obediently submit a memorial to the emperor.

But when that time really comes, it won't be enough for you to back down and they'll let you off the hook.

A single imperial edict changes the leadership; will you stay or leave?
If we leave, all our efforts will be in vain, and decades of hard work will be wasted in an instant.

Why not leave and have a showdown with the new ruler inside the pass?

That's basically suicide.

There is another way.

Surrender to the Northern Yuan!

Not to mention others, even Linghu Zhishu was unwilling!

He couldn't bring himself to bow down to barbarians; that would truly be an insult to his ancestors.

The City of Aquarius was almost in sight. "Look, soldier!" came a cry of surprise from the ranks.

The group reined in their horses and looked up at the City of Aquarius not far away.

Rows of severed heads hung high on the city wall.

Because of the weather, the heads that had been severed for many days were still lifelike, and the expressions of anger, fear, or despair before death were so clear.

Linghu Zhishu's gaze was fixed on the two heads that were in the very center and also the tallest.

Yan Sheng and his son Yan Dong.

Thinking back to last year, this father and son even went to pay their respects to the commander-in-chief for the New Year.

The general hosted a banquet for the two men in his mansion, and he accompanied them.

How spirited and high-spirited the two of them were back then!

Especially during the harsh winter, he faced the commander-in-chief without any fear, pointing out the world and speaking with great confidence.

Even the great general admired this man.

But now, all is over.

Linghu Zhishu felt a chill run through his body, and every hair on his body stood on end.

Beyond the Great Wall, even the slightest misstep could lead to a fate as harsh as a deadly winter.

No matter how illustrious or talented you once were,
Dead, that is, a cold corpse.

"Enter the city!" He withdrew his gaze, composed himself, dismounted, and walked towards the city gate, where soldiers were checking the flow of people entering the city.

Having learned from Gu Xiaoman's experience of blocking the way, Linghu Zhishu knew that his identity would be of no use here.

Xiao Dongwei was still not fully sober.

He walked unsteadily, reeked of alcohol, his hair was a mess, and his eyes were bloodshot.

He barely managed to greet Linghu Zhishu before plopping down in a chair, panting heavily. It was unclear how much he had drunk!
Xiao Changche was always extremely strict in disciplining his troops. Such unrestrained behavior might be common in other armies, but it was practically unheard of among Xiao Changche's subordinates.

It seems that even someone like Xiao Changche couldn't keep his composure after taking over Baoping Prefecture, and became somewhat carried away with his success.

Of course, Linghu Zhishu couldn't care less about what Xiao Dongwei did.
He would love for Xiao Changche's subordinates to be drunkards, gamblers, and lechers!

"Where is General Chariot and Cavalry?" Linghu Zhishu stared at Xiao Chewei, somewhat annoyed.

Xiao Changche was becoming increasingly arrogant and domineering. He had come, but he didn't even show his face, leaving this drunkard to deal with him. Seeing this, Linghu Zhishu knew that his mission was doomed to fail.

Because Xiao Changche showed absolutely no sincerity.

Xiao Dongwei took a pot of water from the guard beside him, gulped down half of it in one go, and looked up at the other man. “What’s wrong, Secretary Linghu? Am I not qualified to receive you? Although you are the General’s secretary, I am a fourth-rank deputy general! In terms of rank, I am higher than you.”

Although the military secretary held considerable power, in terms of official rank, he was merely a minor seventh-rank official, far inferior to Xiao Dongwei.

Was Linghu Zhishu's status measured by his official rank?
"Should I then pay my respects to you, a fourth-rank deputy general?" Linghu Zhishu finally couldn't contain his anger and retorted.

"No need for that!" Xiao Dongwei waved his hand dismissively, thinking, "You bastard, I thought you could always keep your composure even if Mount Tai collapses in front of you! I hate people like you who put on airs the most. You're clearly in a dire situation, yet you act all nonchalant!"

Are you getting desperate?

"Xiao Cheqi has other important matters to attend to and cannot spare the time. If Linghu has any matters to discuss, you can tell me. If you feel that I am not worthy to hear from you, then you will have to wait until Xiao Cheqi is available to see you!"

Linghu Zhishu took a deep breath.

Hold back!

It must not happen!
"The commander sent me to ask Xiao Cheqi: Yan Sheng is innocent, so why was he executed?"

"Innocent?" Xiao Dongwei stood up with a cold laugh, staggering over to Linghu Zhishu. The stench of alcohol emanating from his large mouth made Linghu Zhishu stumble back several steps. "Secretary Linghu, you're in charge of intelligence for our entire army outside the Great Wall, yet you didn't know a thing about that damned Yan Sheng colluding with the Northern Yuan to betray the country! If we hadn't discovered it in time and dealt with him, we wouldn't even be aware that the Northern Yuan army would be advancing right behind us next year when the weather warms up and the rivers thaw!"

"Nonsense!" Linghu Zhishu sneered. Who outside the Great Wall doesn't have some kind of dealings with the Northern Yuan? If you accuse someone of treason just because of these things, then there's probably no one left outside the Great Wall. After all, a peerless talent like Xiao Changche is truly one of a kind.

"Bring all this stuff up here, let Secretary Linghu see what he's made of!"

Xiao Dongwei slammed his fist on the table and roared.

(End of this chapter)