Chapter 1567 – Attack on Nie Liang and Yang Tao, Sword Pointing at the World (105)
“Shaoyang, about this matter…” Yang Tao tried to say something, but Yan Lin didn’t give him a chance. With a seemingly conciliatory yet somewhat coercive demeanor, he pressured Yang Tao into agreeing. Yang Tao glanced at his childhood friend, half-kneeling in plea, words stuck in his throat. “Fine, I agree.”
Qian Su, witnessing this, could only sigh that only Yan Lin could manage the Lord.
Of course, only the Lord, Yang Tao, could tolerate Yan Lin’s occasionally assertive attitude.
If it were a petty feudal lord, Yan Lin’s earlier slightly coercive actions would have been considered quite offensive and presumptuous.
After a while, Yang Tao said, “I’ve already sent people to escort the Lady and my younger sister away, so Shaoyang needn’t worry.”
One was his biological sister, the other was his original wife, the two most important women in Yan Lin’s life, so they couldn’t come to harm.
Yan Lin replied, “The Lord is thorough in his considerations, and the guilty minister thanks you on behalf of my wife.”
Yang Tao was amused and exasperated; it wasn’t necessary for Yan Lin to thank him at all! Even if he said nothing, Yang Tao would protect them.
Yan Lin continued, “It’s not suitable to linger here. The enemy might catch up at any moment. I implore the Lord to leave first.”
Yang Tao, with the remaining troops, retreated from the water stronghold, relying on his knowledge of the terrain to shake off the enemy, though this was not a long-term solution.
At this moment, the fog over the river had yet to clear, and Yan Lin planned to have Yang Tao hurry onto the boat and escape under the cover of the mist.
If they waited until dawn, they might be caught up by the enemy, and the danger would be too great.
Yang Tao nodded in agreement, and just as he stepped forward to mount his horse, he suddenly remembered something else.
“Shaoyang isn’t leaving?”
Yan Lin naturally said, “The enemy is fierce. The guilty minister will delay them for a moment. Only when the Lord is safe will I leave.”
“That’s not acceptable!” Yang Tao firmly rejected, “If something happens to you, how will I explain it to my wife?”
Yang Tao’s wife was Yan Lin’s own sister! How could Yan Lin say he wanted to stay behind and delay the enemy?
Did Shaoyang have any idea what the outcome of staying behind would be?
Yan Lin calmly responded, “If the Lord leaves first, then I can act without worry. If you stay, on the contrary—”
He nearly said that Yang Tao would only attract hatred. Not only would he be of no help, but he would also spur the enemy’s fighting spirit.
What fighting spirit?
Kill the enemy’s feudal lords; even if he didn’t leave a name for posterity, the reward for his feats would benefit him for a lifetime!
Yang Tao was left speechless, his eyes reddening slightly, clearly unwilling to agree to Yan Lin’s suggestion.
“Lord, don’t worry. The guilty minister will protect myself and catch up to you soon.” After saying this, Yan Lin turned to Qian Su, saying, “I’ll trouble you to look after the Lord later. If there are enemy troops blocking or pursuing us on the way, remember one thing—don’t get caught up in battle. Escape if you can!”
As long as they could reach Yang Tao’s territory in Nansheng, they would be basically safe. They couldn’t forget the mission for the sake of momentary glory.
Qian Su nodded in acknowledgment and immediately mounted his horse. Yang Tao didn’t want to leave, but he had no choice.
Yan Lin left most of the injured soldiers behind, while he let Yang Tao take the elite and the uninjured.
“I underestimated him; how could we suffer such a defeat?”
Yan Lin sighed, sending a portion of the injured soldiers to act as bait to mislead the enemy.
Fu Wang and the others were unfamiliar with the terrain in Zhangzhou, and it would take them some time to think that Yang Tao and his crew might escape from the banks of the Huan River. Yan Lin aimed to delay as much time as possible. If he could retreat safely, that would be great. If not, he at least had to ensure the Lord’s safety.
With this thought, Yan Lin’s headache deepened.
Perhaps it was because he had been a caretaker for over twenty years, he instinctively worried for Yang Tao, fretting that without him, no one could counsel Yang Tao.
“Sigh, perhaps this is better for him.”
While Yang Jian was alive, Yang Tao had been protected too well; after Yang Jian’s death, Yan Lin had taken on the role of a father.
Yan Lin was acting both as father and mother, busy on all fronts. Though he had protected Yang Tao’s temperament, this disposition was truly unsuitable for chaotic times.
For some unknown reason, his current mood was somewhat similar to that of Nie Liang before his death; both men were concerned about their reckless “children.”
Nie Qing was too innocent, while Yang Tao was overly sincere and passionate.
Lost in random thoughts, Yan Lin pulled out a napkin to wipe the blood off his sword, carelessly stuffing the plain napkin back into his sleeve.
“Report! Enemy traces discovered!”
Yan Lin asked, “How many are there?”
The soldier replied, “About a thousand!”
A thousand?
That was manageable. Most likely sent by Fu Wang to search for the remnants of the army.
“All troops, listen up! Form ranks to meet the enemy! Even if we die, we cannot allow the enemy to win easily!”
Yan Lin vowed that he had killed more people in this life than he had in his previous one; counting it roughly, it was over a hundred.
For a strategist who often held civil roles, this was quite a commendable military record.
Even if he were to head to the Yellow Springs, he would have a hundred or so accomplices in crime—not too bad!
Thanks to Yan Lin’s maneuvering and obstruction, Fu Wang not only failed to find Yang Tao but was also misled in the opposite direction.
When the soldiers learned from the remnants of the enemy that Yang Tao and the others had gone in the opposite direction of the Huan River, their expressions were as colorful as a spilled palette.
At this moment, the sky gradually turned gray-white, and the thick fog over the river dissipated by half.
Yang Si and the others were the first to arrive. They had intended to congratulate Fu Wang, but unexpectedly, the latter looked furious.
“General Fu, what happened?”
Fu Wang was easy to heat up when angry; loosening his clothes, he said, “We’ve been played. Yang Tao escaped.”
A cooked duck flew away; the military merits were lost!
Upon hearing this, Yang Si not only fell silent but instead laughed, spreading his hands, “What a coincidence! I also let Yan Lin get away. Are these two bunnies?”
Fu Wang roared, “What! Have you ever seen a rabbit that can run so fast on the river?”
At a time like this, there was still room for tongue-in-cheek remarks?
Yang Si had that naturally sarcastic face; even the most pleasant words that came from his mouth carried a hint of mockery.
If it weren’t for the fact that Fu Wang knew this was just Yang Si’s nature, he might have exploded with rage.
Seeing that Fu Wang was genuinely angry, Yang Si didn’t dare to test the waters but simply summoned Fu Wang’s Deputy General to ask for the details.
This Deputy General had come with Fu Wang when he surrendered; he was honest and loyal, so Yang Si didn’t worry about him lying.
The Deputy General recounted the details, and Yang Si listened intently.
After a moment, he smacked his fist into his palm and laughed, “What luck! We still have some fish that slipped through the net!”
Fish that slipped through the net?
“What fish?” Fu Wang asked.
Yang Si replied, “Yan Shaoyang! I suspect that the one leading the cavalry to toy with you and misleading you here was none other than Yan Lin under Yang Tao!”
Fu Wang frowned in confusion, “Why are you so sure it’s him? There might be others.”
“There might be others, but Yan Lin is the most probable,” Yang Si analyzed. “Years ago, Yang Tao opposed the false emperor, Changshou Wang, and made a significant comeback. Later, to seek a way out and avoid the conflicts among the lords within Dongqing, he brought his limited two to three thousand troops to Nansheng. Yang Tao’s current wealth is considerable, most of which was built up in Nansheng. His troops are primarily composed of Nansheng locals, familiar with the various water routes and terrain of Zhangzhou. They know human nature and military tactics, so they have repeatedly managed to slip past your pursuit, General Fu. It’s clear that this man must be Yan Lin!”
