Chapter 1543 – Defeating Nie Liang and Attacking Yang Tao, Aiming for the World (81)
Jiang Pengji’s plan, aside from Qi Guanrang and a few others, left everyone else in the dark, including Bai Ning and Qin Gong.
“Lord, the enemy has retreated. Should we pursue them or assist Zhanjiang Pass?”
Qin Gong wiped the blood off his face, revealing a satisfied expression; tonight’s battle had been truly exhilarating.
Jiang Pengji gazed toward Zhanjiang Pass, her eyes deep and dark like an abyss, hiding a cold indifference that outsiders couldn’t perceive.
“Let’s capture the remnants. The battle at Zhanjiang Pass is probably over by now.”
Qin Gong was stunned, seemingly unable to grasp the meaning of Jiang Pengji’s words.
What does “the battle at Zhanjiang Pass is probably over” even mean?
Have we triumphed or has the enemy?
Earlier, he too had gazed toward Zhanjiang Pass, where flames reached the sky, painting the dark canopy a vivid red. The intensity of the battle was clear to see.
If the enemy had fled in full force, Zhanjiang Pass, being defenseless, could indeed crumble far and wide.
Yet, here stood their Lord, seemingly confident. Was there… something more to this?
Jiang Pengji broke his train of thought, “What are you dawdling for?”
Qin Gong replied, “I am merely curious; if the enemy has fled in full force, it seems… Zhanjiang Pass might not hold.”
“Why not? Do you know what ‘waiting for rabbits by the stump’ or ‘catching turtles in a jar’ mean?” Jiang Pengji retorted.
Qin Gong said, “Though my knowledge may pale in comparison to yours, I understand the literal meanings. So, the Lord suggests that Nie’s forces failed to ambush Zhanjiang Pass and instead fell into our counter-attack? But wait! Our troops are at the Pass guarding it, where would we find extra forces for an ambush?”
“You’re partially correct,” Jiang Pengji stated, “Moreover, who said our remaining troops are all at the Pass?”
A keen observer might find something quite strange.
Jiang Pengji brought roughly the same number of troops to guard as Nie’s forces.
Tonight, the forces that ambushed Jiang Pengji were about one to two times her own strength, and those guarding Zhanjiang Pass were significantly fewer than those of the Nie Clan.
So the question arises, where did the “missing” portion of Jiang Pengji’s troops go?
Qin Gong was momentarily stumped as a slight smile surfaced on Jiang Pengji’s indifferent face.
At that moment, she caught sight of a message from the Old Commander.
【Your Dad】: As for the right or wrong of your actions, I can’t comment, I just hope you stay true to yourself. Additionally, there’s something I forgot to mention; it’s just that your genetic awakening came much sooner than I anticipated. The ancestral genes of the Jiang Family have a defect, specifically affecting your temperament, making you irritable and unable to suppress internal murderous impulses and dark emotions.
Jiang Pengji asked, “Does the Old Commander believe my sacrifice of troops was influenced by this awakening?”
【Your Dad】: No, I’m reminding you not to let the Heavenly Brain exploit your weaknesses; I don’t want to kill my own successor with my own hands.
Jiang Pengji furrowed her brows; the Old Commander’s words were quite profound.
“I’m not a three-year-old; how could I be easily swayed by the enemy?”
【Your Dad】: Nothing is absolute. The Jiang Family was so prosperous hundreds of years ago with abundant talent, yet they too fell.
Could Jiang Pengji be more capable than those prodigies?
They fell victim to the Heavenly Brain’s schemes; what’s more, Jiang Pengji was just a young girl in her fifties!
Jiang Pengji rubbed her temples and vowed, “I’ll be careful.”
【Your Dad】: Don’t worry too much about the aftermath of the ancient bloodline awakening. Your mental domain is stable; you won’t be as unfortunate as your ancestors. Your current task is to manage your dilapidated farm well. Ten years have passed; is it not just three to five more years?
Jiang Pengji secretly smiled bitterly.
The Old Commander spoke lightly, but she wasn’t acting on her own.
Jiang Pengji had spent enough time in this backward and ignorant era. Initially thinking she wouldn’t return to the Federation, she had resigned herself to manage everything in front of her. Who would have thought the Old Commander would appear, telling her this was likely a deadly trap set for the Heavenly Brain, testing her qualification to become a Marshal—if Jiang Pengji could return to her time, why waste time and energy in this unfamiliar place?
As time went on, such thoughts grew more distinct, influencing her mentality increasingly.
However—
No matter how, she did not regret this arrangement.
If there was anything she felt regret about, it might be the concealment of her plans from Qin Gong, Bai Ning, and the soldiers under her command, leading them unknowingly into an enemy trap that caused unnecessary casualties. For everything else, she felt no regret, as her conscience was clear.
Given another chance, she would do it the same way.
For the greater victory, sacrificing a small number of people—she had no regrets.
Suddenly, Jiang Pengji found herself yearning for the fruit candies she loved so much as a child; she wanted to return to the Federation, even though it was fraught with danger!
“Three to five years? Does the Old Commander mean when the world is united, you plan to come help me deal with this mess?”
【Your Dad】: Hmph, I didn’t say anything.
With a teasing smile, Jiang Pengji said, “Old Commander, let me hear ‘Mama’ once in advance.”
【Your Dad】: Get lost!
Jiang Pengji scratched her head, feeling a heavy stone in her heart ease a bit.
She genuinely worried about wasting her entire life in this world; if the Old Commander came to take over, she wouldn’t even need a successor.
“Now that’s easy!”
Jiang Pengji sighed.
Qin Gong, astonished, asked, “What did the Lord say was easy?”
Jiang Pengji said, “In the future, having an all-round successor will make things easy. No need for teaching; if she can climb, I can exploit her as a child laborer.”
Qin Gong’s eyes widened suddenly, unable to restrain his gaze toward Jiang Pengji’s belly.
Lord… is there a Young Master on the way?
Then why was the killing so ruthless before?
“Lord, should I call the military doctor for you?”
A Young Master, the precious child that the several military advisers had been waiting for nearly a decade, was finally coming?
Jiang Pengji shot him a glare, annoyed, “What are you staring at? I’m fine; clear those thoughts out of your head.”
Does he really think she couldn’t see what kind of ideas were brewing in that brain of his?
Meanwhile, the situation at Zhanjiang Pass was unfolding just as Jiang Pengji had predicted. Qi Guanrang seized the opportunity to send troops to attack, throwing the Nie forces into disarray, and the two armies became entangled in a chaotic melee, filled with cries of battle and the occasional scream of soldiers being struck by catapult fireballs.
Qi Guanrang’s cold eyes fixated on the rear lines of the Nie forces, as if waiting for something.
“Report, Military Adviser—”
The messenger, blood-soaked and with a large chunk of skin shaved off his forehead by an enemy’s sharp weapon, looked exceedingly ghastly.
Yet he seemed unaware of his own state, relaying the battle’s developments clearly.
“… The enemy’s advance is fierce; our troops may be defeated!”
Fear grew like a snowball, getting larger and larger. The defenders at Zhanjiang Pass were being overwhelmed, and it seemed they couldn’t fight back.
Qi Guanrang looked up at the sky and said, “The time has come. Let someone—signal!”
A guard who had been following Qi Guanrang stepped forward, “Yes!”
He then took out a thick and peculiar bamboo tube from his waist and carefully lit the fuse.
Whew—
With a sharp whistle, the bamboo tube shot out a red light that reached the highest point and suddenly exploded.
Qi Guanrang gazed at the Nie Clan engaged in fierce battle at Erdao City, revealing a chilling smile.
“It’s over!”
