Chapter 1326 – Taking Down Huang Song, Unifying Dongqing (Sixty-Seven)
Before the ambush, Huang Song had adequately prepared himself for the possibility of failure.
When reality truly presented itself, he found it hard to accept—
He had prepared his mind, but he never imagined he would lose so thoroughly!
He dispatched thousands of troops, yet only a mere two hundred managed to return, the rest either dead in battle or captured by the enemy.
Can this war even continue?
Huang Song felt he needed a moment of silence.
Gathering everyone to discuss the matter, the room fell into complete silence upon hearing this outcome. Each person bowed their heads, afraid to meet Huang Song’s gaze.
They had high hopes for this surprise attack, never anticipating that the enemy would be forewarned and fully prepared.
This was truly unexpected.
But Huang Song was not someone who easily conceded defeat. He asked, “Does anyone have any other brilliant strategies?”
A group of individuals debated until dawn, visibly exhausted, considering they were all dragged from their warm beds by Huang Song’s orders.
Cheng Jing appeared calm, though he felt a bit fatigued. After the meeting, he returned to his tent, barely having time to freshen up, when an announcement came from outside. His heart skipped a beat, mistakenly believing Lord Huang Song had summoned him. He called out, “Who’s out there?”
No sooner had he spoken, a strange male voice came from outside, his refined diction tinged with the Hujun dialect.
Cheng Jing guessed the person’s identity and said in a deep voice, “Come in.”
The newcomer was a man dressed in a deep brown scholar’s robe. To facilitate movement, he had tied back his wide sleeves with wrist guards.
He looked less ethereal and elegant, and more capable and spry.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Cheng Jing invited him to sit. The man, appearing somewhat cautious, awkwardly took a seat.
Smart as he was, Cheng Jing could easily guess the man’s intention. Sure enough, he awkwardly steered the conversation toward last night’s ambush.
At this point, few were aware of the battle’s outcome, and this person was among them, coming to gather inside information.
Cheng Jing calmly shared the results, causing the man’s eyes to widen in disbelief.
“How, how could this happen…”
He stammered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his eyes darting nervously.
Cheng Jing replied, “Victory and defeat are common in warfare. The enemy simply outplayed us, isn’t that normal?”
The man forced out a couple of dry laughs, trying to agree with Cheng Jing’s words but feeling a knot of anxiety tightening within.
He couldn’t help but be nervous; if Huang Song lost, Jiang Pengji would surely hold him accountable. From what he’d seen of Jiang Pengji over the years, she could be generous, but in some instances, she was exceptionally petty, even vengeful!
Cheng Jing’s eyes were as calm as a deep well, betraying no emotion as he saw through the man’s thoughts, coldly smirking inside.
“Are you worried that my Lord is no match for Liu Xi?”
Cheng Jing unexpectedly asked, startling the man so much that his heart nearly stopped, like a cat that had been startled into a puff.
“W-what? No way!” The man raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, awkwardly stating, “Liu Xi may have a great reputation, but my Lord is not weak either. The outcome between them is still undecided; it’s too early to judge now. How could I inflate someone else’s morale and dampen my Lord’s spirit?”
Cheng Jing snorted coldly, unimpressed.
He held a strong disdain for these duplicitous types, and this man was certainly one of them.
Originating from Zhonghe County, his family had held sway there for generations, employing various unscrupulous methods for profit. The good land of Zhonghe County had been seized by him and a few others, essentially turning the local commoners into their cheap tenant farmers, secretly engaging in illegal human trafficking. Before Liu Zhi arrived in Hujun, they had been the local overlords, leaving the common folk in dire straits with no hope in sight.
After Liu Zhi took over Hujun, these local tyrants were gradually subdued and beaten down, becoming somewhat compliant.
Earlier, when Jiang Pengji pretended to be ill, they caught wind of it, concluding that her days were numbered, and thus became eager to reposition themselves.
Just when Huang Song sent people to persuade and incite rebellion, these rascals couldn’t resist the temptation and sold Jiang Pengji out, resulting in the fall of Zhonghe County.
They waited for day after day through three incense sticks, hoping Jiang Pengji would kneel quickly. Little did they expect her to recover!
Not only did she recover, but the situation on the battlefield gradually tilted in her favor, pushing Huang Song out of Chenzhou and away from Zhonghe County!
Had they known Jiang Pengji’s resilience was so strong, they wouldn’t have rashly sided with Huang Song; they should have lingered a little longer.
Now, it was too late to say anything. They could only hope Huang Song could turn the tables.
However, that seemed like an unrealistic fantasy.
Cheng Jing said, “If there’s nothing else, then you may leave.”
It was clear he was trying to usher the man out.
The man, looking awkward, realized he was not welcome by Cheng Jing and could only bow and take his leave.
Indeed, Cheng Jing didn’t like him, not just because he was two-faced but also because this man lacked any self-awareness.
Can’t he see what kind of person he is?
To Huang Song, they were merely tools to be used until they could be tossed aside, yet they still held themselves in high regard, overly optimistic about their own worth.
Cheng Jing furrowed his brow and called for someone, instructing, “Send someone to keep a close eye on them. Report any movements immediately.”
For people like this, Cheng Jing had no expectation of their “loyalty.”
At this critical moment, they hadn’t forgotten to probe for information, revealing their true character. They allied with Huang Song because Liu Xi’s situation looked bleak; who knew if they would betray Huang Song for the same reason? When it comes to interest, everything else can be set aside.
“Yes, sir!”
Cheng Jing suspected correctly; the man truly had thoughts of switching sides.
Huang Song’s ship looked ready to sink, of course, they’d seek a way to save themselves.
How to save themselves?
They still needed to come up with a plan.
“This… this isn’t good, is it? We’ve already betrayed Liu Xi, and now we’re thinking of betraying Huang Song again. Will Liu Xi even accept us?”
“What’s wrong with that? Those who achieve great things don’t mind the details. As long as we can deliver great contributions to Liu Xi, even if she doesn’t place us in key positions, she wouldn’t feel it appropriate to settle old scores,” the man rolled his eyes, speaking dismissively. “Huang Song just lost thousands of troops and only has Haozhou left, how much chance do you think he has against Liu Xi? His defeat is evident, it’s hard to recover.”
In chaotic times, principles were cheaper than the muck in a dung pit.
At least, muck could nourish the soil, while principles serve no purpose!
While there are loyal and righteous people in the world, they are rare, few and far between; most are opportunists.
As long as what they offered was enticing enough, they had no fear of Liu Xi not being tempted.
His companion still hesitated, sighing, “Ah—what are we to do? Had I known it would come to this, I shouldn’t have ever entertained such thoughts.”
Going in circles only to end up back under Jiang Pengji’s command, they had wasted their great efforts.
“What use is there in saying this now? Finding a way out as soon as possible is the most sensible thing to do. If Huang Song loses, we won’t fare any better.”
To save their own necks and the lives of their families, some things must be done.
