Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"Good. Huang Feihu's army is strong and has a divine beast by its side. Our army is weak and cannot fight head-on. We can only outsmart them. I order you to take three thousand archers and sneak into Huang Feihu's camp at dusk today. Ambush them until the second watch. When the gong sounds, fire all your arrows and kill Huang Feihu and his band of rebels."

"My lord, your wisdom is truly remarkable. I will do it immediately."

"We must be careful on this journey, and we must not alert the enemy or miss the opportunity to strike."

Xiao Yin strode out of the city gate, his face grave. "I owe my position here entirely to Huang Feihu's past support. We fought alongside Lord Huang in countless battles, and we've long since developed a brotherly bond. Moreover, Lord Huang is loyal to the country and fights for his country. How could he suddenly become a traitor? King Zhou is tyrannical, and the Shang Dynasty is no longer what it used to be. I absolutely cannot put Brother Feihu in danger."

With this in mind, Xiao Yin immediately began making plans. At dusk, Xiao Yin selected three thousand archers and infiltrated Huang Feihu's camp.

"Pass down the order: you are to lie in ambush outside the camp. Do not act rashly without my permission. No matter what happens, you must obey my orders." "Yes, sir."

Xiao Yin glanced deeply at the camp ahead and walked off alone.

"Report, General Huang, someone claims to be an old acquaintance of yours and says he needs to speak with you."

"Guards, have you said who he is?"

"The man said his name was Xiao Yin."

"Oh?" Huang Feihu was slightly puzzled when he learned that it was Xiao Yin who had come, but considering that he was a former brother under his command, he still said, "Let him in."

Xiao Yinzhen walked in alone, being held down by two soldiers on either side.

"Lord Huang, it's been a long time!" Xiao Yin was excited to see his former master and hurriedly said to Huang Feihu.

"Xiao Yin, why did you come alone?" Huang Feihu's expression softened considerably.

"I came here today under orders to take your life under the cover of darkness. But I was once your subordinate and have received many favors from you. How could I, Xiao Yin, be an ungrateful wretch!"

"It's hard on you, to still remember our old friendship after all these years. But you're coming here alone, which might bring you trouble. You should leave quickly." Huang Feihu looked at his former subordinate with a pang of pity, lamenting the fickleness of fate, and worried about Xiao Yin's safety.

Seeing that Huang Feihu not only did not blame him for being his enemy, but also cared about him, Xiao Yin felt even more sorry for Huang Feihu and immediately decided to help Huang Feihu break through the barrier.

Chapter 1130 Chen Tong Uses Poison

"Not only does Lord Huang not blame me, but he is also worried about my safety. I, Xiao Yin, am truly ashamed. If I don't help Lord Huang break through the barrier, how can I have the face to live? Lord Huang, please prepare your troops and come with me. I am willing to open the gates of Lintong to send you away."

Xiao Yin led Huang Feihu's army to the foot of Lintong Pass. The guards of Lintong Pass were already fast asleep and had no idea that there was an enemy army below the city. When Xiao Yin announced that he had completed his mission and was leading his army into the city, they stupidly opened the gate and went back to sleep without even looking. Huang Feihu looked at the decadent state of the Shang army and couldn't help but lament the decline of the Shang Dynasty.

“Xiao Yin, the Shang army is in such a state now, and King Zhou is so incompetent and cruel. If you let us pass, we will definitely not be able to get away safely. You should come with me. I am going to join Xiqi. In the future, I will surely crush the Shang territory. It is better than you wasting your time here.”

"What Lord Huang said makes perfect sense, but I cannot leave yet,"

"Why?"

"I will let you go. Although Shang Jun has not reacted yet, Zhang Feng will definitely come to catch up in a while. I will stay here to cover Lord Huang's retreat."

Huang Feihu gave Xiao Yin a deep look, realizing he couldn't afford to miss the opportunity. He then mounted his horse and led his troops into the pass. "Xiao Yin, take care!"

"Lord Huang, please take care of yourself. If I survive, I will definitely come to you for help!"

Meanwhile, the garrison finally realized that it was a rebel attack and urgently reported to Zhang Feng, "Lord Zhang, Xiao Yin has betrayed us and let Huang Feihu's army out of the pass!"

"What!" Zhang Feng jumped out of bed with a start. "Oh no, oh no! Xiao Yin was Huang Feihu's former general. The two of them have been colluding for a long time. How come I didn't think of this? If Huang Feihu comes out of the pass, everything will be over." He immediately mustered his troops and chased after Huang Feihu.

As dawn broke, Zhang Feng's army hurriedly gave chase. The roars, neighing of horses, and the footsteps of soldiers disturbed the sleeping people and stirred up clouds of dust.

Zhang Feng was anxious, so he ran ahead of the army. He had only gone a few hundred meters when he saw Xiao Yin ahead. The two immediately started fighting as soon as they met.

"Xiao Yin, I ordered you to kill the enemy, but you turned into a traitor. Today I will take your dog's life to establish the authority of my army!"

"Zhang Feng, King Zhou is a tyrannical and incompetent ruler who persecutes loyal and virtuous people. Who among the wise would still risk their lives for him? Today you want to take my life? I'll see if you have the life to take it!"

The two fought fiercely on horseback. Zhang Feng, who usually indulged in debauchery and a life of pleasure, had long lost the physique of a soldier. In no time, Xiao Yin knocked him off his horse. Xiao Yin then swung his knife in a backhand strike, hitting Zhang Feng squarely in the chest. Zhang Feng's eyes widened, his face contorted in pain, and he gripped the knife in disbelief, dying straight under Xiao Yin's blade.

Huang Feihu bid farewell to Xiao Yin and passed through Lintong Pass without losing a single soldier. He arrived at the last pass, where the guard was none other than Chen Tong, Huang Feihu's former enemy!

Chen Tong is a treacherous and ruthless man. He had been at odds with Huang Feihu when they were officials together. Now that Huang Feihu has become a rebel, he is doing everything he can to prevent Huang Feihu from leaving the pass.

"Lord Chen, Huang Feihu's army is now at the city gates. How should we respond?"

"Huang Feihu is highly skilled in martial arts. If I were to fight him head-on, I'm afraid I would not be able to gain the upper hand. However, Huang Feihu is rigid and dull-witted, which I can use to deal with him."

Chen Tong had an idea and was secretly delighted, thinking that he could take Huang Feihu's head tomorrow to curry favor with King Zhou and get promoted.

The next day, Huang Feihu's army confronted Chen Tong at the foot of the city wall. "Hey, isn't this the traitor Huang Feihu? I didn't expect you to be so tough. I thought you were long dead."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but my life, Huang Feihu's, is not so easy to take. Although we have long been enemies, I still have to advise you for the sake of our former comrades: give up your resistance and let us through, so you can save your own life." Huang Feihu replied coldly to Chen Tong's provocation.

"Hmph, Huang Feihu, I didn't expect your eloquence to have improved so much after not seeing you for so long. But it won't be so easy for you to pass this test. Since you think you are so brave, why don't you come down and fight me one-on-one and see who wins and who loses? If you win, I will personally open the door and send you out."

"Fine, there aren't many people who can beat me. You're asking for death, so don't blame me for disregarding our camaraderie." With that, Huang Feihu rode off on his horse, sword in hand. The people behind him tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Seeing Huang Feihu come out to fight alone, Chen Tong immediately rode out as well. Without saying a word, the two began to fight. They exchanged blows with swords and halberds. Chen Tong swung his halberd backhand with a swift and fierce strike, but Huang Feihu managed to dodge it by sidestepping. Huang Feihu then gathered his strength and slashed at Chen Tong. Chen Tong immediately leaned back and barely avoided the blow, but Huang Feihu still managed to slice off a piece of flesh from his arm.

Seeing that he was no match for Huang Feihu, Chen Tong took a few steps back with the reins, pretending to fight Huang Feihu to the death, and rushed forward. Huang Feihu took out his knife to block, and Chen Tong took the opportunity to sprinkle poison powder on Huang Feihu. Huang Feihu could not dodge in time and was hit in the face by the poison powder. He immediately felt unbearable pain, and blood flowed from his eyes, mouth and nose.

"rat!"

Huang Feihu endured the pain and swung his sword, forcing Chen Tong to retreat a few steps. A metallic taste filled his chest, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His vision went black, and he collapsed forward. When Huang's men saw their lord suddenly vomit blood, they realized something was wrong and immediately spurred their horses over. They caught Chen Tong's halberd as he charged forward again, picked up Huang Feihu, and ran back.

"General Huang, hold on! Your subordinate will take you back to heal your wounds." Huang Feihu's army quickly retreated, leaving behind only dust clouds as the troops ran.

"Lord Chen, I will send men to pursue them immediately."

"No need, hahaha."

"Lord Chen is incredibly brave, and Huang's army is in complete disarray. This is the perfect time to press our advantage. If we let Huang Feihu recover from his injuries, we will miss this golden opportunity."

Chen Tong snorted coldly upon hearing this, "Hmph, recover from your injuries? Huang Feihu is doomed to die after being poisoned by my powder. Once he's dead, his army will be nothing but a bunch of scattered soldiers. We won't need to wipe them out then; we'll be like a bunch of headless flies."

Chapter 1131 Blessing

"As expected of you, sir." The soldiers below bowed their heads in unison, praising Chen Tong.

Chen Tong's scheme succeeded, and he immediately began to hold a banquet to celebrate, as if he had already received King Zhou's reward. Meanwhile, Huang Feihu was hurriedly carried back to his tent by his subordinates, and a military doctor was summoned to treat him.

Everyone examined Huang Feihu thoroughly but couldn't find any wounds. They wondered what kind of injury the lord had suffered that caused him to faint. It wasn't until the military doctor came to take his pulse that they discovered the lord wasn't injured, but poisoned!

"The king must have been poisoned with some kind of poisonous powder. This powder is extremely potent; once it touches the skin, it can dissolve the flesh, corrode the bones, and penetrate deep into the internal organs. It is truly insidious."

"Chen Tong, that despicable man, is not skilled in martial arts himself, yet he dared to poison people in broad daylight. His despicable methods are outrageous!"

"Sir, is there any way to save my master?"

"Alas, I've only ever heard of this poison, this is the first time I've ever seen it. I don't know how to cure it either. I'm afraid you won't make it through."

"What?! You quack, shut up! If you can't save the master, I'll kill you!"

"Chen Tong, I'll go avenge the master right now!"

"What will we do without adults?"

A commotion erupted, with everyone arguing. "Alright, everyone stop arguing!" the man who had rescued Huang Feihu called out, silencing the crowd. He then asked the medic:

"Sir, is there any other way?"

"At this juncture, I should prescribe some medicine to suppress Lord Huang's toxicity and prevent it from taking effect immediately, so that we can have time to think of another solution."

"Okay, okay, okay, please ask the doctor to get the medicine quickly."

"You all go out now, stop making noise and let the adults get some rest."

Silence fell over the tent for a moment. Huang Feihu lay on the bed, his breath faint, and the cold tent was filled with a chilling atmosphere.

Night had fallen, and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness. The moonlight, however, only added to the chill of the night. Most people were drowsy, but Li Xiuyuan opened his eyes, which seemed perpetually half-asleep. A hint of doubt lingered in the depths of his bright yet icy gaze.

"Huang Feihu, have you fallen on hard times again? Why are you breathing so weakly? Let me help you."

Li Xiuyuan muttered to himself, his eyes slowly closing again, a cruel, wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Wen Zhong arrived, and the two sides clashed.

A day and a night had passed, and Huang Feihu showed no signs of improvement. His face was as pale as paper. He lay on the large military tent bed, his forehead slightly sweaty, as if he was in great pain, but his face was expressionless. If it weren't for the faint breathing around his nose, everyone in the tent would probably think he was dead.

"What should we do? It's been a whole day and night. Is Lord Huang really going to die here?"

"Old military doctor, hurry up and think of a solution!"

"Lord Huang, you must hold on! You led us to rebel against Chaoge, how can you abandon us?"

"Alas, this poison is so potent, there's nothing I can do. Generals, you should prepare for the Lord's funeral as soon as possible."

"Bah, old man, I haven't even blamed you for not being able to cure our master, and you're already cursing him to die. If he dies, I'll make you pay with your life."

"Oh dear, what's the use of blaming a military doctor? If you ask me, if anything happens to Lord Huang, I'll go and fight that scoundrel Chen Tong first, and use his head to offer a sacrifice to our lord!"

"Yes, you're right, I'll go right now!"

Immediately, the tent was filled with discussion. Huang Feihu's men were all military officers, each with a fiery temper and unwavering loyalty. Seeing Huang Feihu on the verge of death, they had long lost their reason. Some wanted revenge, some cried out, all wanting to release their pent-up resentment. Immediately, a group of them were about to challenge Chen Tong.

"It's so annoying, what's all the noise about? Is this how Huang Feihu manages his men? No wonder he fell for Chen Tong's childish tricks."

A clear voice entered the tent. Although the voice was not loud, it carried a hint of authority. Despite the noise in the tent, everyone could hear it clearly. The words were sarcastic towards Huang Feihu, but they did not sound like people mocking Huang Feihu. Instead, they sounded like a concerned elder giving a reprimand.

In an instant, the tent fell silent. Everyone turned to look at the door, where a hand with distinct knuckles lifted the curtain. The newcomer had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a stern and authoritative air. However, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, making him seem approachable. Two strands of black hair hung down by his temples, giving him the air of a gentle young master. His long hair was tied up high and perfectly neat, giving him the air of a nobleman.

This enigmatic figure, dressed in a wide-sleeved white robe embroidered with ferocious beasts in gold thread, with a rare black lotus flower fastened to his waist by a thin rope, and a gleaming golden sword hanging below it, whose name he could not recognize, was none other than Li Xiuyuan!

The warriors in the tent did not recognize him, but felt that he had an extraordinary demeanor and should not be underestimated. They also thought that he had just spoken rudely and should not be let off lightly.

"Who are you, and how dare you enter my military camp?"

"Don't waste your breath on him. He's insulting Lord Huang. I'll teach him a lesson!" With that, one of them clenched his fist and lunged at Li Xiuyuan.

Just as the man was about to punch him in the face, Li Xiuyuan neither dodged nor avoided, not even raising his eyelids. He made some kind of hand seal with his fingers, and the man lay straight down on the ground, unconscious.

"Ah!" The soldiers in the tent were all shocked and rushed over to check on him. Only Li Xiuyuan remained standing quietly in the tent, looking at these roughnecks speechlessly.