The Villain's Counterattack

Yang Kang found Wanyan Honglie and saw that he had only brought a small group of men to hunt down the Mongol envoys. He could not help but scold him, "Father, your life is of great importance. The Jin Kingdom has few capable men. If anything were to happen to your father, I'm afraid the Jin Kingdom would fall soon."

Wanyan Honglie was delighted to see Yang Kang so concerned about him and treating him with such high regard. "Those Mongolian cavalrymen move like the wind, their arrows raining down like rain, and they're tough to deal with. It's just that they're so poorly equipped that they can't fight a major battle. While the Song State is weak, with few troops and little fighting spirit, they're extremely wealthy, and their equipment surpasses even that of the Great Jin. If the Mongols were to get their hands on Song's equipment, the consequences would be disastrous."

Yang Kang sneered, "That depends on whether they can reach Mongolia safely. We're in the way. We'll swallow up as many as they come. Then it won't be the Song sending equipment to Mongolia, but directly to the Jin. Don't worry, father. I'll return to Jiaodong later and personally lead the army to destroy the Song navy and occupy the Zhoushan Islands. The reason will be that the Song is colluding with Mongolia and trying to disrespect the Jin. I think many high-ranking Song officials will rush to apologize."

Wanyan Honglie was delighted when he heard this. "That's great! How did you meet Ouyang Gongfeng?"

Yang Kang asked Ouyang Ke to go find his concubine, and he practiced to the critical moment. When his fleet was destroyed by Taihu pirates, he stayed at their house and made a final breakthrough. Then he used threats and bribes to turn them into insiders. However, they were very stubborn and were unwilling to turn against the Song Dynasty.

Wanyan Honglie laughed heartily and said, "Being neutral means leaning towards the Jin Kingdom. Taihu Lake is extremely strategic and is an obstacle to the army's southward advance. Now that you have captured it, it couldn't be better."

"Taihu Lake is still too small. I plan to capture Zhoushan and relocate half of the Taihu bandits there. We'll use this as a springboard to attack Ryukyu and dominate the East China Sea." Yang Kang said, "Father, please don't underestimate the Song Kingdom. Although the court is ruled by corrupt scholars, the lower classes are home to a group of fearless and frustrated generals, as well as countless people from the underworld. If we can't divide these people, invading the Song Kingdom will be extremely difficult."

The father and son began to point and draw at the simple map Yang Kang had drawn on the ground. Suddenly, there was a noise of fighting outside. Wanyan Honglie jumped up and said in a deep voice, "That Mongolian envoy is courting death by coming here."

Yang Kang sneered, "Father, if I weren't here today, you'd be the one in trouble. Don't you know that most people in the martial arts world hate the Jin Kingdom to the core? If they were to encounter a Jin leader, they wouldn't consider the consequences and would definitely kill him first. A life for a life, even an entire clan for a life, is a win for them."

Wanyan Honglie said unconcernedly, "Father, you traveled a lot back then, nearly losing your life several times, but didn't you manage to get through it in the end? Besides, with Kang'er by my side today, father is as stable as a rock."

The Jin soldiers outside had originally held the upper hand, but Guo Jing and Huang Rong suddenly appeared and attacked, and the situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Wanyan Honglie's face suddenly changed drastically, but Yang Kang's face turned ashen. He rushed out with both feet and rushed in like a gust of wind. Yang Kang had to deal with the Mongols, so he naturally couldn't understand Mongolian. He only heard Tuolei say, "My father ordered me to meet the Emperor of the Song Dynasty and arrange to send troops from the north and the south to attack the Jin Kingdom together. My sister said that maybe I could meet you, and asked me to bring you the eagle. She guessed right, and now we have met, right?"

"What a great plan! A joint attack from both north and south! That depends on whether the Song has the guts to do it!" Yang Kang's voice was like ice. Guo Jing was startled when he suddenly saw him and hurriedly said, "Master Zhebie, brother Tolui, and Master Borchu, leave quickly! He is the young prince of the Jin Kingdom. You are no match for him."

"No one can leave today, Guo Jing. I originally thought you still had some conscience, but who knew you were the biggest traitor? Today I will kill you, a traitor who colluded with the Tartars from outside the Great Wall. I'm sure even old Master Hong Qigong will have nothing to say." Yang Kang said as he struck out with a palm. Huang Rong casually shot out two steel needles, which flew straight into Yang Kang's eyes. He easily twisted them away, his eyes staring coldly at Huang Rong, "Don't think that just because your father is Huang Yaoshi, I can't do anything to you. When it comes to major issues, I won't give anyone face. At worst, I can mobilize 20,000 navy to pacify your Peach Blossom Island!"

Two steel needles flew backwards and pierced Huang Rong's earlobe, making her break out in a cold sweat. Seeing the enemy, Zhebie and Borhuhu immediately bent their bows and shot arrows. However, at such a close distance, Yang Kang caught them and threw them back. Zhebie dodged quickly and was hit in the arm, but Borhuhu was shot in the chest.

Guo Jing was horrified and hit him with a palm strike of "Kang Long You Hui". Yang Kang did not give in and slapped him back with a palm strike, knocking him back repeatedly. Knowing how powerful he was, Tolui quickly carried Borchu and Zhebe away. Although Guo Jing knew that Yang Kang was powerful, he had to stop him at the risk of his life just for his friend.

Yang Kang's men finally showed mercy, but they hated Guo Jing for being short-sighted, so they couldn't help but hit him a little harder. After ten moves, they found a flaw in Guo Jing and knocked him down with a palm. Guo Jing spat out a mouthful of blood. Huang Rong hurriedly stepped forward to support him and glared at Yang Kang fiercely. Yang Kang was not afraid at all. Instead of dodging, he glared back.

"They are still a little short of escaping from my grasp." As he said this, he was about to chase him. Guo Jing knew that his Qinggong was quite good and regardless of his injury, he quickly stood in front of him.

Yang Kang said coldly: "Do you really want to die?"

Guo Jing shook his head and said, "I will be going to Peach Blossom Island within a month, and I will die at the hands of Island Master Huang. Dying now is no different than dying later. They are all my friends and brothers, and I cannot let you kill them."

"Then you will just watch them leave and lead the Mongolian army to massacre the Han people in the future? Guo Jing, you are really a competent traitor. I will kill you today, so that Mongolia will not have to invade the Central Plains in the future without a traitor like you who is highly skilled in martial arts to lead the way!" Yang Kang was furious and hit Guo Jing's chest with both palms.

With a loud "bang", a figure appeared beside Guo Jing and collided head-on with Yang Kang. Both of them took a step back.

"Hong Qigong, have you also surrendered to the Mongols and become a traitor?" The person who came was Hong Qigong. Yang Kang was filled with sorrow at the moment, and his tone was naturally a little stiff. Hong Qigong said, "Don't talk nonsense, kid. Isn't the Jin Kingdom the biggest threat to the Song Dynasty?"

Yang Kang sneered, "How about we make a bet?"

"What are you betting on?" Hong Qigong was shocked when he saw Yang Kang, who was full of murderous aura. This kid usually looked carefree and even a little bookish, so why did he have such a strong murderous aura today?

"I bet the Mongols will one day border the Song Dynasty, invade, and massacre innocent civilians." Yang Kang sneered, "The stakes are your skins. If that day ever comes, please tattoo the word 'traitor' on your foreheads and show it openly to everyone. How about that?"

"What if you lose?" Huang Rong jumped in and pointed out his flaw. "You only said one day, but didn't specify how long it would take. Does that mean it won't be over until you die of old age?"

"Twenty years, that's the limit. If Inner Mongolia doesn't attack the Song Kingdom within twenty years, I'll lose, and I'll give you the complete copy of the Nine Yin Scriptures." Yang Kang said, looking at them coldly. "I'm waiting to see the words engraved on your foreheads, but I hope that day never comes."

After reorganizing the defeated soldiers, Yang Kang watched the three of them leave. He then invited Wanyan Honglie out and left overnight. "Kang'er, are you so pessimistic about the situation between us and Mongolia?"

"Our territory is too large. If the Mongols focus their attack on one point, it will be difficult for us to stop them. Moreover, I suspect that after they suffer here, they will turn to attack Western Xia and then invade the Song Dynasty from Western Xia."

"Western Xia and Song do not share a border."

"What about Tubo? It's inconvenient for us to attack Xixia, but it's not difficult for Mongolia to invade Xixia from a high position. The same principle applies to Tubo. Once Mongolia conquers Xixia, we will have more land bordering us. Their attack will be restricted and we will be forced to give up some marginal land. At that time, the first choice will be the land bordering Xixia, allowing Mongolia and Song to come into direct contact. Given the Mongols' stubborn temper, it would be strange if they didn't invade Song. Then it won't be Song joining forces with Mongolia to counter us, but both of us will be thinking of invading Song."

"Hiss, if Mongolia really conquered Xixia, then, then their strength..."

"Temujin is a clever man. After he hit a wall here, he will definitely seek other ways to survive. Attacking Xixia is inevitable. The Jin Dynasty's top brass will surely be happy to see him die. Father, don't overthink it. The worst that can happen is that we can just return to Liaodong and let Mongolia and Song fight each other."

"How can we just abandon a century-old foundation?"

"If you keep the land but lose the people, you will lose both the land and the people. If you keep the people but lose the land, you will gain both the land and the people."