Chapter 0115 A Great Feat

Chapter 0115 A Great Feat

In the dead of night, Chenliu was silent except for the sound of galloping horses, which echoed clearly through the streets. As the horses rushed by, lanterns lit up one after another behind their swishing tails. From a bird's-eye view, this small line of light seemed like an arrow pointing straight at the sleeping Wang Mansion.

Soon, the lanterns in the Wang Mansion were also lit.

Song Shuo was snoring lightly when the sounds outside abruptly woke him up. These days, he had been sleeping lightly, unable to rest deeply. He couldn't find peace until Chenliu was returned to Xiao Rong's control.

He sat up and listened intently. Recognizing Gao Xunzhi's voice, which sounded unusually strained, Song Shuo jumped out of bed, barely managing to put on his shoes. The servant boy, just woken up, was still rubbing his eyes as a gust of wind blew past him. It took him a moment to realize that the wind was his Master.

As he approached, Gao Xunzhi's voice grew clearer. Song Shuo hurried and then suddenly pushed open Gao Xunzhi's door.

"How could this happen?! Why didn't you report it sooner!!!"

The messenger from the city guard lowered his head, his voice heavy with urgency: "I don't know, Sir. Captain Yao's personal guard only came with the message a short while ago. No one else had reported anything before him. After delivering the news, he cried for a moment and then fainted from exhaustion. The details..."

Before the messenger could finish, Gao Xunzhi grabbed a nearby coat and angrily said, "Take me to him!"

Without even glancing at Song Shuo, he stormed out. Song Shuo hesitated for a moment before following.

On the way to the city gate, Song Shuo learned what had happened. Yuan Baifu had rebelled, killing Wang Xinyong and taking nearly eighty thousand soldiers from the Northern Pacification Army. They had no idea where he was or what he intended to do.

At the city gate, Gao Xunzhi quickly ascended the watchtower. The soldier was still unconscious, but Gao Xunzhi needed answers. The medic tried acupuncture, but the soldier was too weak to wake up. Seeing this, the general guarding the gate pushed aside the medic and splashed cold water from a bucket onto the soldier's face.

The soldier's muscles tightened as he opened his eyes, his mind still numb from the cold. After a moment, he finally focused on the faces before him.

He knew little because he was the first person sent by Yao Xian. At that time, they had just descended from the Lianyun Pass, and Yuan Baifu had not revealed his subsequent plans. All he knew was that Yuan Baifu had killed Wang Xinyong and then executed several others who refused to follow him, establishing his authority. Once no one opposed him, he continued according to the original plan.

All of this had happened nine days ago. Nine days.

One day was enough for Yuan Baifu to rebel. In those nine days, who knew what other terrible things he might have done.

After finishing his account, the soldier collapsed again from exhaustion. The medic hurriedly arranged for someone to change his clothes and prepare new medicine. Gao Xunzhi stared blankly ahead for a moment, then mechanically turned and walked out of the room.

Standing on the open platform of the watchtower, the foggy feeling in his head cleared slightly. Gao Xunzhi suddenly strode towards the stairs.

But then, Song Shuo suddenly spread his arms wide, looking at Gao Xunzhi with a mix of vigilance and determination. His tone was less polite: "Where is the Chancellor going?"

Gao Xunzhi hadn't noticed when Song Shuo arrived, but he answered his question: "I... I will take some troops to Ningzhou. The King will surely come upon hearing this news. I—"

His words were disjointed, as if he needed to think before speaking.

"I'll take the troops there and wait for the King. Before everything becomes irreparable, I'll try to reason with Yuan Baifu. Perhaps he acted on impulse. He... he isn't set on this path—"

Song Shuo: "Wang Xinyong is dead."

Gao Xunzhi shuddered.

Song Shuo's pent-up anger of three months finally erupted that night over this incident.

"He killed Wang Xinyong! He tricked him out and killed him in cold blood!"

Song Shuo had never lost his temper like this before. He knew he shouldn't, given that Gao Xunzhi was acting irrationally due to shock. But Song Shuo couldn't help himself; he was truly furious.

Staring intently into Gao Xunzhi's eyes, he looked almost menacing: "By doing this, he's telling us he has no intention of turning back! He can kill comrades-in-arms without mercy. What makes you think he'll repent upon seeing you? Even if he does, how can you justify bringing him back to face General Wang's death?"

Song Shuo's expression was grim, and Gao Xunzhi stared at him, gradually realizing the truth. Song Shuo was right.

Yuan Baifu wasn't acting on impulse; he was.

Taking a deep breath, the cold air stung his nose, causing a sharp pain. Gao Xunzhi remained silent for a long time before speaking again: "But I still need to go to Ningzhou."

This time, Song Shuo didn't shout. He saw that Gao Xunzhi's eyes had cleared, indicating he had regained his composure.

Gao Xunzhi continued: "This matter is too serious. Those seventy thousand men aren't Yuan Baifu's; they belong to the King. I must bring them back. Moreover, the King will be enraged upon hearing this news. I cannot let him make mistakes."

Song Shuo frowned: "Isn't Xiao Rong returning with the King?"

Gao Xunzhi: "..." Yes.

But in the face of this situation, he wasn't sure if Xiao Rong could stop Qu Yunmie.

Two more days passed, and Qu Yunmie and his group reached the upper reaches of the Luo River, near the famous Tongguan Pass.

Being here made Xiao Rong crave roujiamo, but unlike sitting at a table enjoying a hearty meal, he sat on the edge of a carriage, watching people load supplies onto boats nearby.

They chose a relatively calm spot to cross the river. Although there were passenger boats, there weren't enough to transport the entire Northern Pacification Army. They had to requisition some boats, connect them, and make multiple trips to move everyone and everything across.

Xiao Rong felt nervous. Last time, they only brought provisions and supplies. Losing a boatload would have been painful but not unbearable. This time, they carried many treasures. If a boat capsized mid-river, Xiao Rong wouldn't leave until all the valuables were salvaged.

Once they crossed the river, they would be close to home. Just a little further, and things would change. Crossing a river was difficult, so they would choose the best option.

However, life often falls short by just a bit. So instead of seeing the boats fully assembled, Xiao Rong first spotted a small group of riders approaching at full speed, raising dust clouds.

Xiao Rong instinctively straightened up. Upon seeing the vast army on the opposite bank, the riders sped up, unlike the scattered troops he had encountered before, who immediately turned back.

Reaching the riverbank, they dismounted and shouted something, but the river was wide, and with so many people around, Xiao Rong couldn't hear them clearly. Qu Yunmie walked over and waved. Dong Fangjin nodded and relayed the signal.

After a few relays, a boat finally went to pick them up. On board, the riders were tense. When the boat slowly reached the opposite shore, Qu Yunmie and Xiao Rong had already approached.

Without waiting for the boat to dock properly, they all climbed out, their pant legs wet, but they paid no attention. The leader knelt before Qu Yunmie, followed by the others.

"The King, Mr. Gao sent us to inform you that ten days ago, General Yuan rebelled and killed General Wang. Now, the Left Army and Rear Army are under General Yuan's control. Two days ago, Mr. Gao led two thousand Chenliu guards to Ningzhou. He hopes Mr. Xiao can bring two thousand Central Army troops back to Chenliu to reinforce the garrison."

This man had likely memorized this message in his dreams, delivering it smoothly. But he didn't dare stand up, nor did the others behind him, all showing signs of extreme tension. Delivering bad news was never a pleasant task, and those who brought it often faced punishment.

The message mentioned Xiao Rong, but he stood stunned, eventually turning to look at Qu Yunmie.

Dong Fangjin stood nearby, holding his breath. Many were shocked, including the monk who emerged upon hearing the commotion. Even he was stunned by the news.

Everyone looked at Qu Yunmie, and he stepped forward: "Impossible."

His voice was calm, as if he truly believed it. These people had run eight hundred miles, risking their lives, just to tell him a joke.

The leader closed his eyes in despair but still mustered the courage to speak loudly again: "I am not lying! General Yuan—no, Yuan Baifu has really rebelled! Chenliu hasn't received any battle reports from him or General Wang since seven days ago. The messengers of Captain Yao, who managed to send this news, can testify that General Wang is dead and Yuan Baifu has rebelled!!!"

Qu Yunmie: "Silence!!!!"

His voice was like thunder, and the messenger's face turned pale. Suppressing the urge to retreat, he lowered his head and remained silent. Qu Yunmie glared with bloodshot eyes, his fists clenched, making a terrifying cracking sound.

No one dared to make a sound at this moment. It wasn't just the messengers who were tense; everyone was on edge. Suddenly, Qu Yunmie strode over to the messenger, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him off the ground.

Qu Yunmie used considerable force, and within an instant, the man's face turned red from suffocation. He didn't beg for mercy, likely because he couldn't even make a sound, so he only flailed his limbs slightly.

Xiao Rong's mind had been blank, but seeing Qu Yunmie's actions, he snapped back to reality and rushed over, desperately trying to pull Qu Yunmie's arm down: "The King! No, no, no—"

His voice was barely audible, almost inaudible. He was terrified and acting purely on instinct to stop Qu Yunmie. After a second or perhaps longer, Qu Yunmie slowly released his grip, and the man fell to the ground, coughing violently. His companions, though worried, did not dare to help him up at this moment.

Qu Yunmie ignored the man's condition and stared at him, asking: "Why?"

The man was still coughing, and the sound was heart-wrenching, as if he might cough out his lungs. The others behind him feared he would anger Qu Yunmie again and quickly spoke up: "What does The King want to know?"

Qu Yunmie looked at them, his expression terrifying. Just meeting his gaze made these men freeze in fear.

"Why did Yuan Baifu betray me?"

The men: "..."

Well, they didn't know!

If they knew, wouldn't they be part of Yuan Baifu's group?

They couldn't answer, and as the atmosphere grew increasingly quiet, Qu Yunmie erupted into rage once more, looking like a madman.

"Speak!!!"

"Why did he betray me? I offered him the throne, I treated him well, I trusted him, why!!! Why did he do this!!!"

But no matter how many times Qu Yunmie repeated the question, there was no answer. The men could no longer remain silent; they reflexively knelt down, trembling and shouting: "The King, please calm down!"

Even the one who had been coughing crawled up and knelt obediently. Qu Yunmie stared at their heads, then took a step back and looked around at the others.

When they met his gaze, they froze, then quickly followed suit and knelt down, shouting in unison: "The King, please calm down!!!"

No one could answer his question, not even the monk, who avoided answering by blending in.

Realizing this, Qu Yunmie paused, then looked at the only person still standing.

He gazed at Xiao Rong, who met his eyes and hesitated before lowering his gaze and kneeling before him, indistinguishable from the others.

Xiao Rong said: "The King, please calm down."

Xiao Rong didn't see it, but Qu Yunmie's fierce gaze turned blank. He watched Xiao Rong kneel before him but did not lift him up. Instead, he stumbled backward and suddenly turned, leaving in large strides.

Dong Fangjin saw this and quickly got up, calling his subordinates to follow. After they left, Xiao Rong also stood up.

Many people gathered around the messengers, wanting to learn more, but they had set out two nights ago and had no idea what had happened outside since then. Two days had passed, and surely other events had occurred, but news spread slowly. Everyone was in the dark.

These men were close to Gao Xunzhi and familiar with Xiao Rong. When he approached, they stopped talking to others and respectfully saluted him: "Mr. Xiao."

Xiao Rong asked them only one question: "Did Yuan Baifu really kill Wang Xinyong?"

They hesitated, then collectively nodded at Xiao Rong.

The plan to cross the river was completely abandoned. News spread rapidly, and the entire army was in an uproar. No one was eager to go home anymore; they all wanted to capture the traitor Yuan Baifu. Several middle-ranking generals who had served under Wang Xinyong were particularly outraged, wishing they could fly to Ningzhou today to kill Yuan Baifu and avenge General Wang.

Xiao Rong stood by the riverbank for a while, with Mi Jing watching him from behind. Mi Jing felt that Xiao Rong's state was off, but he wasn't the type to actively show concern. The sudden new situation had caught everyone off guard, and Mi Jing was also feeling unsettled.

After watching the river flow for a while, Xiao Rong turned and left. He went to find Qu Yunmie, who was selecting his weapons.

He would take the Snow Revenge Spear, the long sword, and the long knife. He strapped them all on, and when he turned, he suddenly met Xiao Rong's eyes.

Qu Yunmie's expression was grim. He organized his gear, discarding most of it. Xiao Rong knew what he intended but still asked: "Why fully armed?"

Qu Yunmie tightened his grip on the spear: "Those who betray me will die."

Xiao Rong: "You plan to leave now."

Qu Yunmie looked at him warily.

Xiao Rong continued: "How many men will you take?"

Qu Yunmie: "Thirty thousand."

Xiao Rong: "Not enough. Take sixty thousand. Add the twenty thousand from Chancellor Gao and the three thousand from the rear guard... roughly, we don't know exactly how many are left, but it should be safe enough."

Qu Yunmie did not object. Honestly, he didn't care about the number of men; he just wanted to get there quickly and catch Yuan Baifu himself.

He tried to calm down and arranged the rest: "Fine, sixty thousand it is. You take the remaining thirty thousand back to Chenliu, lock the city gates, and don't let anyone in or out."

Xiao Rong: "I won't go back. Let the monk lead them."

Qu Yunmie was taken aback, and the suppressed anger surged again: "You're not going back?! I'm heading to Ningzhou tonight. Do you want to come with me?!"

Xiao Rong: "Yes."

Qu Yunmie: "No! You can't endure such hardship!"

Xiao Rong looked up, his eyes more stubborn than Qu Yunmie's: "I can endure anything! You have no idea how much I've suffered when you weren't looking!"

Speaking of this, he suddenly forced himself to stop, then closed his eyes and took a slight breath. When he could speak calmly again, he continued, "Let me go with you. I won't hold you back. It's just a forced march, right? I can keep up. Please, take me with you."

Qu Yunmie's gaze flickered slightly. He didn't understand: "Why?"

Perhaps Xiao Rong might say it was to ensure he wouldn't act impulsively again, but he could clearly sense that this time the reason was different.

And Xiao Rong did not give him a perfunctory answer. Looking into Qu Yunmie's eyes, Xiao Rong's throat moved lightly: "Because he killed Wang Xinyong."

A person who shouldn't have died here, someone he should have warned, someone who could have avoided disaster and had a bright future.

Xiao Rong looked as if he was about to cry, but he didn't. Not only did he not cry, his expression was very resolute. Qu Yunmie lowered his eyes, blinked gently, and then put the Snow-Drinking Spear back on his back.

As he walked, the armor and weapons clashed, making a series of crisp sounds. Qu Yunmie approached Xiao Rong, reached out, and used his rough fingertips to wipe Xiao Rong's lower eyelids. Since Xiao Rong hadn't shed any tears, no one knew what Qu Yunmie meant by doing this.

Xiao Rong frowned at him. At this moment, Qu Yunmie said to him: "Don't get sick again." Xiao Rong was taken aback.

Qu Yunmie looked down at him, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible plea: "If you were to get sick now, I really wouldn't know what to do." ...

In a certain forest in the Qinling Mountains.

Wang Xinyong probably never imagined that so many people would care about him after his death. Countless people wanted to avenge him, even those he barely noticed in his daily life felt heartbroken over his demise.

But for Wang Xinyong now, none of this mattered because he had been wandering in these woods for several days. If he couldn't find his way out soon, he might truly die here. ... If that were the case, he might as well have died when he was pushed off the cliff, at least then someone might have collected his remains. Now, having wandered deep into the forest, he would be left without a trace.

Compared to the shock of seeing black-and-white bears on the first day, Wang Xinyong frequently encountered them in the following days. For some reason, these bears didn't hibernate, so they appeared quite often.

Most of these bears weren't particularly aggressive; there was no problem if you stayed far away. But his guard gradually lost his vigilance in this peaceful illusion and even thought about testing how close he could get. That afternoon, he encountered one, and watched as the bear stood up and slapped a hungry wolf to death with its paws.

Guard: "..."

He never dared to say anything like that again.

In winter, all animals were starving. Wang Xinyong had to find the right path while struggling to survive. Water and food weren't a concern; the mountain was full of fresh water, and despite one being an amputee and the other lame, they were both seasoned generals and elite guards, so hunting small animals wasn't a problem.

Cold, wild beasts, and the maze-like forest that seemed impossible to escape from were the real threats.

The longer time passed, the more numb Wang Xinyong became. Five days had passed since he initially said he would be out, and now he was still trapped here, unable to do anything. When he first woke up, he was full of determination, thinking he must personally kill Yuan Baifu to avenge the push. But it wasn't divine mercy; instead, fate decided to toy with him, making him believe there was hope, only to face despair once again.

Wang Xinyong grew increasingly silent, and his guard dared not provoke him. Once again, they spent the night in a narrow cave. The guard fell asleep, but Wang Xinyong remained awake.

He thought of his family. His father had long passed away, and his mother was taken to Chenliu before winter, waiting for his triumphant return. He had no children or concubines. In Jinling, he had married, but his wife divorced him upon learning he was captured by Qu Yunmie, a mere fourteen-year-old boy at the time. She was from a noble family and married him for his status and achievements. Back then, no one believed Qu Yunmie would succeed, so her actions were understandable.

After Qu Yunmie became the Northern Pacification King, Wang Xinyong secretly sent someone to inquire about his ex-wife. She remarried two months after their divorce, gave birth to a son the next year, another son four years later, and then died from puerperal fever during childbirth.

"..."

Wang Xinyong had hoped to feel vindicated by her situation, but upon hearing she had died, his feelings became complicated.

What is love, hate, and revenge compared to life and death? Once someone dies, everything is gone.

Wang Xinyong was in his darkest hour, feeling utterly hopeless, not knowing where he would die in the cold winter nights. As he was lost in thought, he heard rustling sounds outside, getting closer to the cave.

Wang Xinyong's expression slowly changed. He quietly picked up a sharpened stick nearby and waited warily for the figure to appear.

Three, two, one—suddenly, a figure darted in. Seeing the stick pointed at him, he froze. Then, upon recognizing Wang Xinyong's scruffy face, he froze again.

He was unsure if what he saw was real: "General... General Wang?"

Wang Xinyong stared blankly: "Daqiang?"

Kang Daqiang, a soldier with a straightforward name, realized it was indeed Wang Xinyong and instantly became excited: "General Wang! You're alive, thank goodness!!"

Wang Xinyong threw aside the stick, waking up his guard, and hugged Kang Daqiang, nearly shedding tears: "How did you get here!?"

Crying, Kang Daqiang replied: "Lieutenant Yao sent me to deliver a message, but I couldn't find my way out and wasted a lot of time."

Wang Xinyong patted his shoulder forcefully: "It's okay, it's okay! Now that you've found me, it's a great achievement!"

Kang Daqiang nodded tearfully: "Thank you, General, for your understanding. This humble servant has nothing to offer in return!"

Wang Xinyong laughed heartily, feeling warm despite the cold winds around him. He looked at Kang Daqiang with relief: "You're also my soldier, no need to talk about repayment. Listen, tomorrow morning, lead me back to where you came from, and we'll find Yao Xian together! Ha ha ha, Daqiang, this is called surviving a great calamity and being blessed afterward!"

Kang Daqiang's face lit up in agreement, but then he pursed his lips: "General, you're absolutely right! Um... but I don't remember which way I came from..."

Wang Xinyong: "..."

When we run out of food, you'll be the first one I eat!

Author's Note: