Chapter 1545 – Taking Down Nie Liang, Attacking Yang Tao, Sword Pointing to the World (Eighty-Three)
Not having seen the Lord return in person left Qi Guanrang feeling uneasy.
It was only upon seeing the alive and kicking Jiang Pengji that he let out a long sigh of relief.
Regarding this strategic setup, Qi Guanrang had initially suggested that Qin Gong and Bai Ning lead the troops, discreetly informing the two about the plan.
However, his own Lord refused, insisting on personally leading the troops. When asked for a reason, she simply fell silent.
Qi Guanrang felt that having such a Lord was both a blessing and a curse.
While it was a blessing to have such a taciturn Lord, it was also painful that she was constantly on the brink of self-destruction, spreading her wings like a great eagle.
“How is the battle situation?”
Jiang Pengji, seated atop her horse, raised a hand to stroke Big White’s mane, who affectionately nudged her hand, breathing heavily.
Big White was a top-notch war horse, but not made of iron. Carrying Jiang Pengji through so many battles had exhausted its stamina.
Qi Guanrang briefly summarized the situation, noting that the overall data didn’t deviate much from the battle reports Jiang Pengji initially received.
Aside from a small group of defeated soldiers fleeing, the rest were either dead or captured, with casualties exceedingly heavy.
Qi Guanrang said, “After this battle, the Nie Clan no longer has a chance to turn the tide. Our army is on the brink of capturing Zhong Zhao.”
Accounting for the troops lost while Nie Liang was still alive, the Nie Clan had suffered a total loss of two hundred and sixty thousand troops in their campaigns at Zhanjiang Pass.
These troops were the Nie Clan’s foundation, and losing them all meant they’d be left with nothing, practically naked.
In Zhong Zhao, there were many lords and princes, but the only one truly capable of standing against Jiang Pengji was Nie Liang.
Who could have guessed that Nie Liang would die so early? Following that, they faced consecutive defeats, ultimately losing their pants in the last battle.
In other words, capturing Zhong Zhao was just a matter of time.
Thinking about his Lord’s hand reaching toward the big cake that was Zhong Zhao, Qi Guanrang trembled with excitement.
“Zhong Zhao?” Jiang Pengji raised a hand to rub her forehead, only to feel the dried blood clots in her palm. She froze for a moment, discreetly putting her hand down, tiredly saying, “Let’s put the matter of Zhong Zhao aside for now. Let the soldiers rest and regain their strength.”
Qi Guanrang carefully observed her and noticed her eyes were bloodshot, with a hint of redness in her pupils, clearly showing she was exhausted.
“In that case, I will follow the Lord’s wishes and let us rest for a while, allowing Zhong Zhao to fight amongst themselves for a bit.”
Jiang Pengji forced a smile at the corners of her lips.
“By the way, there’s a prisoner… does the Lord want to take a look?” Qi Guanrang asked, “Aren’t you curious why Zixiao isn’t here?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “This prisoner has something to do with Zixiao? Could it be his elder brother Wei Ying?”
Qi Guanrang chuckled, “The Lord is as sharp as ever, spot on—it’s indeed Wei Ying.”
Jiang Pengji tightened the reins, suddenly remembering something, her tone indifferent, “Let’s check tomorrow. I’m really too tired today.”
Seemingly understanding, Qi Guanrang sighed, “Yes.”
The two of them didn’t need to spell it all out; they both understood each other’s meaning.
Jiang Pengji couldn’t recruit Wei Ying, not because of her lack of charm, but because Wei Ying was tied to Nie Liang—he could only be destroyed, not traded or transferred.
Her saying she didn’t want to see Wei Ying was merely to allow him some time to reconnect with Wei Ci.
Tomorrow would reveal his fate—whether he lived or died depended on how Wei Ying chose to think.
Jiang Pengji hastily spoke a few words before closing the live broadcast.
She fetched a bucket of water from a nearby well, her expression indifferent as she discovered the well water was also red, instantly losing the desire to wash up.
Qi Guanrang was thoughtful, sending soldiers to fetch her clear water from a couple of miles away.
Jiang Pengji didn’t bother having anyone boil the water; she directly used the cool water to wash away the blood stains on her body, feeling her swollen head clear up a bit.
Your Dad: Your eyes…
Jiang Pengji coldly replied, “What?”
Your Dad: I originally thought the awakened aftereffects wouldn’t affect you much, but it seems I was mistaken.
Using the water’s surface as a mirror, Jiang Pengji found her previously light brown pupils now tinged with a hint of red.
“It’s no big deal; I’ll just claim it’s a case of red-eye disease.” Jiang Pengji thought casually.
Your Dad: Remember to control your emotions; your ancestors from the Jiang family have violent genes, and you need to keep a clear mind.
“I know; you don’t need to remind me repeatedly.”
Jiang Pengji dried her damp hair with a cloth, then suddenly asked, “I remember the Old Commander said long ago about leaving the Federation. How is it that you know so much about the Federation’s plans?”
Your Dad: After all, I’ve been a legion commander for over a hundred years; I’ve seen more of the Federation’s confidential files than you.
Jiang Pengji laughed, “Has the Old Commander fallen in love?”
Your Dad: What?
That topic was a bit too abrupt.
Jiang Pengji said, “The Seventh Legion is the foremost combat vanguard. When necessary, sacrificing a small portion of benefits is what you taught me. Yet yesterday you told me those things, and I’m somewhat surprised. Has the Old Commander turned into a lovestruck woman, softening in his thoughts?”
Your Dad: Tch, Jiang Xiaoj9 has grown bold, daring to joke about me.
Your Dad: One should govern what one is appointed to, and not meddle in matters outside their position; it’s normal for mindsets to change… I may have been too harsh.
After reading this, Jiang Pengji fell silent.
That night, she copied the calming mantra for the entire night.
This was something Wei Ci taught her—copying it when feeling restless helped to calm her mind.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere on Wei Ci’s side was quite tense.
Wei Ci had been raised mostly by Wei Ying, who had also personally guided him during his childhood, making Wei Ying more of a father figure than their actual father.
For Wei Ci, Wei Ying was both brother and father, even more so than their real father.
In their previous lives, the two brothers never had the chance to battle on the front lines, but now that it had come to pass, it ended up in such a situation.
“Why… did you not retreat on the battlefield, Big Brother?”
Wei Ying was a core figure of the Nie Clan. If he had chosen to retreat, he would surely have been protected by many; instead, he ended up captured.
Rather than being unlucky, it seemed Wei Ying had no intention of escaping at all.
“If you were in my shoes, would you have the face to go back?” Wei Ying rebutted.
Wei Ci was at a loss for words.
Wei Ying continued, “Zixiao has always been clever and smart; you’re not here to persuade me to surrender this time.”
He stated this as a fact, his tone unwavering.
Wei Ci said, “We haven’t gathered as brothers for years; even in front of Xiao Shanguang’s spirit, we only had a brief moment… Why not take this opportunity to catch up?”
He understood his elder brother’s temperament—trying to persuade him would be futile, as the other’s stance and choices couldn’t be easily swayed.
Wei Ying said, “Alright.”
The candles on the table had burned down significantly, and suddenly Wei Ying asked Wei Ci, “Do you still resent our father?”
Because of the numerous superstitions that seemed to have led to the death of their mother, Wei Ci had an incredibly unfortunate childhood, much of which was due to their father’s indifference.
Wei Ci avoided the topic, vaguely responding, “Those things are all in the past now.”
Wei Ying said, “Though there are many male members in the family, few can truly hold the ground. From now on, I will need to rely on you to oversee all family affairs.”
Wei Ci paused, softly saying, “Little brother won’t let outsiders bully them; I will keep a close watch.”
Of course, that was as far as it went.
Wei Ci didn’t want to replay the old dramas of his previous life. Supporting the Wei Clan would not only create enemies but also betray the trust that the Emperor and the Lord had in them across two lifetimes.
