Chapter 842.1: Holding the City Together
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S T E L L A R C L O U D
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O R A N G E S T A R
[Alma S.] [Antonny C.] [Christine G.-L.] [K.Rom]
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Y E L L O W S T A R
[Anasi G.] [Marjoree M.] [Passerby] [Xena]
G O L D S T A R
[Anne C.] [Nevy] [Roxanne C.]
R A I N B O W S T A R
[Debra W] [Smurfinbatik]
C E L E S T I A L C O N Q U E R O R
[Ava C.] [Kiiayame] [kuroneko_chan] [Manon] [Oushna] [Sophia W.] [Val Nes] [Woon Li Ying]
Also, many thanks to everyone who bought me coffee (*≧∀≦*)
On the way back, Chang Wei didn’t utter a single word.
Noticing how utterly crushed Chang Wei looked, Wen Renchong and Zhao Dengfeng kept shooting meaningful glances at Li Shen.
Li Shen, unable to say anything with Chang Wei right there, had no choice but to ignore his companions’ silent inquiries.
The group reached the hillside where their warhorses were tethered, and sure enough, the Black Wind Cavalry horses, left untied, stood quietly and unharmed as if nothing had happened.
Ironically, it was Chang Wei’s horse whose reins had snapped, yet under the commanding presence of the Black Wind King, it remained obediently in place, not daring to wander off even an inch.
“There were wild beasts here.” Gu Jiao said as she studied the tracks on the ground.
There was actually an upside to not tying the reins. When untethered, the Black Wind Cavalry horses can fight cooperatively as a unit, whereas if they had been tied down, they would have been nothing more than easy prey for the beasts.
“No injuries?” Gu Jiao asked, gently patting the Black Wind King’s neck.
In response, the Black Wind King raised his head and let out a powerful snort, full of unchallenged dominance.
It seemed to be perfectly fine.
After all, eleven Black Wind Cavalry horses were no laughing matter. Even if a pack of wolves had come by, they would have been driven off without question.
Chang Wei’s horse had indeed been startled, but it had already been calmed down by the Black Wind King.
Until now, everyone had only ever seen the Black Wind King’s overwhelming might and dominance, but this time, they caught a glimpse of another side, one that had never emerged when he was under Han Ye’s command.
The group mounted their horses once again.
Gu Jiao let out a long sigh and said, “Don’t be so downcast. Maybe he didn’t truly mean what he said. He could’ve just been lashing out in anger.”
That was exactly the kind of consolation that only made someone even more upset.
Chang Wei gave a cold snort, lashed out with his whip, and spurred his horse into the night.
Zhao Dengfeng finally couldn’t hold back his curiosity. “What on earth happened? Did someone beat him up or something?”
Li Shen, being a man of few words, didn’t respond.
Mu Qingchen wasn’t particularly close with Zhao Dengfeng, so he kept quiet as well.
Zhao Dengfeng then turned to look at the young commander.
The young commander let out an exaggerated sigh. “Sigh… he got dumped by someone. Totally heartbroken.”
Zhao Dengfeng: “…”
Everyone: “…”
Just in case he tried to run away, Zhao Dengfeng and the others chased after Chang Wei.
Mu Qingchen stayed back with Gu Jiao, the two of them walking at a relaxed pace. Mu Qingchen then said, “I can’t quite figure out who the general from the State of Liang is, but as for the Nangong Family… it seems to be the fourth son, Nangong Jue.”
Gu Jiao replied, “Yeah, I thought so too.”
He had said, “It was my father who picked him(Chang Wei) up”. That “father” was most likely the head of the Nangong Family.
The Nangong Family head has four sons in total: Nangong Cheng was the eldest, but he was not skilled in martial arts, so the family likely wouldn’t risk sending him out in the middle of the night like this.
The second son, Nangong Li, was dead. The third, Nangong Ze, didn’t sound like the person they just overheard talking.
Right now, the only one left with full fighting strength was the fourth son, Nangong Jue.
Mu Qingchen asked, “Should we kill him?”
Gu Jiao gave him a sidelong glance. “Are you used to killing people now?”
Mu Qingchen lowered his gaze and said quietly, “I’ll have to get used to it eventually.”
Gu Jiao was quite pleased. Indeed, worthy of being the Young Master Qingchen, progressing at lightning speed.
Gu Jiao said, “He’s not coming out tonight. We can’t kill him now. Better to wait for the battle.”
When the group returned to the military camp in Quyang City, Chang Wei headed straight for the infirmary camp.
A sudden rush of wind startled the medical officer awake from his sleep.
Shivering slightly, he looked over at Chang Wei, who had practically hurled himself onto a sickbed, and then glanced toward the young commander standing outside.
He quickly stepped out and asked, “Commander… is he… alright?”
Gu Jiao replied calmly, “He’s fine. Don’t worry about him, and don’t ask too many questions. Just give him whatever medicine is necessary and carry on as usual.”
“Yes, understood.” The medical officer responded.
Everyone else returned to their own tents, while the medical officer went on to tend to the other patients.
Chang Wei lay alone on the sickbed layered with thick quilts, yet his entire body felt cold as ice.
“He was born into a poor, humble background. When my father found him all those years ago, he was a beggar on the side of the street.”
“The man may be obstinate, inflexible, and incapable of adapting to changing situations…”
“...You could say he is the most loyal dog we’ve ever raised.”
“If Chang Wei leads them and coordinates with you from within, your State of Liang’s plan to capture the city will undoubtedly yield twice the results with half the effort!””
“Just because you lot were weak and lost doesn’t mean our State of Liang’s great army is made up of the same ragged, broken remnants as the Nangong Family! That so-called General Chang Wei, if he came to our State of Liang, we wouldn’t even make him a company captain!”
Chang Wei’s fists gradually clenched tighter and tighter, his whole body trembling violently. His wounds split open, blood seeping through the gauze and soaking his entire chest with red.
It was early the next morning when the State of Liang army discovered something amiss with their military supplies. A light rain had fallen over the border at dawn, and a few soldiers from the supply unit went to wipe the rainwater off the war chariots. But the moment one of them touched the corner of a chariot, the entire thing collapsed with a thunderous crash!
The men stood frozen on the spot.
The massive sound alerted the deputy general of the supply unit. He quickly came to inspect the remaining chariots, and without exception, every last one of them collapsed just as easily!
What was more, the siege ladders they had prepared for breaching the city walls had all snapped clean through, leaving nothing but splinters of broken wood.
This incident was deemed a major accident in the military camp.
The deputy general immediately reported it to the other generals.
When Chu Feipeng arrived at the scene and examined the broken fragments of the war chariots, he rubbed his fingers against the smooth cut marks and his gaze grew cold. “Snow silkworm thread.”
A nearby general hesitated, then said, “Great General, this…”
Chu Feipeng replied coolly, “It seems someone was here last night.”
The general immediately dropped to one knee. “This subordinate has failed in his duties!”
Chu Feipeng turned his eyes toward the direction of Quyang City. “Nangong Jue wasn’t wrong. The Black Wind Cavalry of the State of Yan won’t be easy to deal with. The siege plan must be postponed. Send word to the Nangong Family, this general accepts their conditions.”
……
Having lost their equipment, the army of the State of Liang took a full eight days to transport new siege ladders and war chariots from other cities. The logistics cost them considerable manpower and resources, and even caused a slight shake in morale.
Still, it wasn’t a fatal blow. The State of Yan was surrounded by wolves on all sides, the State of Liang was not its only enemy. The other five nations were also ravenously tearing at this juicy piece of meat.
It was only a matter of time before the State of Yan would fall completely.
On the eighteenth day of the ninth month, during the hour of youshi(5-7 pm), the west wind howled with full force.
General Song Kai of the State of Liang led a vanguard force of twenty thousand to launch the first wave of attack on the western gate of Quyang City.
But the night before, Chang Wei had received an order from the Nangong Family.
The Nangong Family had been entrenched in Quyang City for years, and naturally still had spies operating within. One of them, dressed as a vegetable vendor, slipped into the military camp and made his way to the tent where Chang Wei was recuperating.
He revealed the token hidden in his sleeve and said to Chang Wei, “The family head has issued an order: If the State of Liang begins the assault, you are to immediately command your troops to charge out and wipe out the Black Wind Cavalry!”
Chang Wei responded with surprising calm, “So the family head wants me to aid the enemy in their tyranny and commit treason against the nation?”
The vendor replied, “The Emperor of the State of Yan is unjust. This is a strategy of using one beast to drive out another. The family head has no intention of betraying the country. Once the Black Wind Cavalry is eliminated, the family head will naturally have you lead troops to drive the State of Liang’s army out of our borders.”
Chang Wei lowered his gaze and said quietly, “Is that so?”
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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Description:
In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.
When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.
The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.
From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.
***
Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.
After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"
Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"
Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”
Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
He hasn't finished his lines yet though…