Chapter 1577 – Defeating Nie Liang and Attacking Yang Tao, Sword Pointing to the World (115)
“This matter is not something I can decide alone; I need to consult with others before giving a reply.”
Yang Si did not accept directly, but he didn’t completely reject it either, indicating there’s still room for negotiation.
Once he left, Yan Lin lifted his hand to cover his shoulder wound, furrowing his brow as if enduring something.
He loosened his clothing a bit and found that the wound hadn’t reopened. He couldn’t help but sigh. He knew his body well; during his time with Yang Tao as a ranger, he had carelessly gotten injured before, though not as severely as this time, and it had taken over two months to heal.
This time his injuries were serious, and yet he somehow returned from the brink of death; he had barely rested for twenty days, and the wound was healing quite well. During this period, the wound hadn’t festered or gone rotten, nor had he suffered from high fevers or comas, indicating the medical skills were crucial.
Previously he had heard that Jiang Pengji’s female physician treated people as if sewing fabric, and he found it terrifying.
Experiencing it firsthand, however, he thought the rumors weren’t entirely accurate. The methods for treating external wounds were indeed unique; not to mention, the effectiveness of stopping the bleeding was far superior to usual methods. Looking at his shoulder wound, Yan Lin imagined that once it healed, it would probably leave only a thin, long scar. Unlike Zheng Ze’s scars, which were not only long but also broad, resembling a centipede’s trail.
“I wonder how Roujia and the others are doing…”
Yan Lin muttered his wife’s maiden name, filled with concern.
Yang Tao had sent them away early to protect them, but who knew An Huan would be so ruthless? The Nan Sheng elite families were so vain and selfish, ready to betray at a moment’s notice. Not only was Yang Tao in crisis, but the women in the rear and the children were also implicated.
Even though Yan Lin had a thick layer of admiration for Yang Tao, he wasn’t blindly cheering for him.
Analyzing the current situation, Yang Tao had almost no chance of turning the tables. One misstep could even lead to him having no burial place.
An Huan was a petty person, and his subordinate Hua Yuan was a madman.
Even if Yang Tao was willing to surrender for his wife and children, they still wouldn’t let him off.
As long as Yang Tao held military power, there was a glimmer of hope. Once he surrendered and sided with An Huan, there would be no turning back.
Compared to that, Jiang Pengji was far more reliable than An Huan.
Not to mention, she had never mistreated the widows and orphans of Xu Pei and Xu Fei brothers, nor had she caused any troubles.
Even that Huang Song, who had been at odds with her, although he didn’t seem to exist much nowadays, was still healthy and lively!
According to the intelligence from scouts from before, it seemed someone had even seen the increasingly horizontal-growing Huang Song strolling and whistling while enjoying the tunes.
Yan Lin didn’t want Yang Tao to become as disheartened as Huang Song, but the most important thing now was to ensure Yang Tao and his family’s safety.
When the time came to the underworld, facing the previous master Yang Jian, Yan Lin could at least report back and wouldn’t have let him down before his death.
Of course, Yan Lin didn’t completely believe the information Yang Si provided; he was merely preparing for the worst case.
If it turned out that Yang Tao could still get back on his feet, Yan Lin wouldn’t submit easily.
On the other side, Yang Si relayed Yan Lin’s words exactly to Fu Wang and the others.
With the leader not present, such matters needed a collective decision before leaving it to Fu Wang to decide.
If something went awry, when the leader sought accountability later, none present could escape.
“The military adviser’s intention… is to help with this?” Fu Wang felt uncertain, considering just half a month ago the two sides were at odds, nearly killing each other. Now they were helping Yan Lin send a message to Yang Tao. It seemed strange, “Aren’t you afraid of Yan Lin’s schemes?”
Feng Zhen couldn’t quite grasp Yan Lin’s intentions but was sure Yan Lin was seeking self-preservation, not courting death. “Even if it’s a scheme, so what? Yan Lin is already a prisoner, and Yang Tao only has a remnant of his troops left, with the Nan Sheng elite families all turning against him. What could Yang Tao possibly use to turn the tide?”
“Sure, that’s how it is, but…” Fu Wang expressed his concerns, “I’m wary of you all scheming like this, twisting around at least eighteen corners! Who knows what thoughts are swimming in Yan Lin’s head? He might well plan to draw the water and find a roundabout way to rescue Yang Tao?”
Feng Zhen and Yang Si were left speechless.
They couldn’t recall Fu Wang ever being duped; his expression seemed to say, “I’ve been there, you can’t pull a fast one on me!”
Strategists are just human too, let’s not demonize them!
Li Yun, who had been silent for quite some time, spoke up, “No matter how clever Yan Lin is, he is still just a person; there are limits to human ability. How can he, while trapped, bring fresh air to Yang Tao’s deadlock? If he had that skill, he wouldn’t be one of our captives. Sending him a letter, what can Yang Tao stir up now? If Yan Lin is plotting something, then we will kill him as a sacrifice to the flag.”
It seems the psychological shadow from being deceived was quite deep; Fu Wang hesitated slightly but could not resist the opinion of the crowd.
Everyone could imagine how subtle Yang Tao would feel when he received this letter penned by his dear friend.
Yang Tao had been feeling incredibly constrained in these past twenty days; first, he suffered significant losses at the hands of Fu Wang and company. After barely sneaking home under his friend’s cover, he received news that his own soldiers had revolted. Leading another part of troops that hadn’t betrayed yet, he managed to carve out a path, but shortly after that, he learned his wife, younger sister, and nephew were captured by the Nan Sheng soldiers taking advantage of the chaos.
One sequence of hits left Yang Tao utterly exhausted; in just a few days, he had lost several pounds, his cheeks hollowed, and his eye sockets sunken, looking nothing like his once spirited self. He was torn between worrying for his loyal friend, who was stranded back in Zhangzhou, and his family who had fallen into the hands of the rebel army, possibly dreaming of their bloodied figures amid his turmoil.
“Lord, there’s a message.”
At that moment, Yang Tao led more than twenty thousand remnant soldiers defending a particular pass, using the terrain to keep the enemy at bay. The rebels were aware of Yang Tao and his troops’ dire situation and knew they lacked provisions, so they opted for a strategy of siege without attack to buy time.
Just as Yang Tao had awoken from his nightmares, he heard Qian Su’s voice.
“What message?”
Yang Tao was leaning against a large tree, holding his weapon in a wary posture, but relaxed slightly upon hearing Qian Su speak.
Qian Su hesitated slightly, “Look at this handwriting, it’s from Shaoyang.”
Yang Tao understood what Qian Su hesitated over.
Given Yan Lin’s circumstances at that time, it was either death, capture, or hiding,
Having the ability to send a letter in such a short time could only mean Yan Lin had been captured or had defected to the enemy.
What lord would want to hear that one of his key ministers had defected while he was still alive?
However, Qian Su underestimated the bond between Yang Tao and Yan Lin.
Upon hearing news related to Yan Lin, Yang Tao’s first reaction was joy that his friend was still alive; as long as he was alive, there was no resentment whatsoever.
He almost snatched the letter from Qian Su’s hand, unable to wait to open and examine it.
