Chapter 1595 – Conquering South Sheng, Killing An Huan (Part 9)
Wei Ci was a careful and thorough individual, and he had long prepared for Jiang Pengji’s question.
“They? Part of them are the private soldiers of various noble families, and the remaining seventy percent are temporarily recruited militias,” Wei Ci gently wiped her damp hair while speaking. “The noble families of Nan Sheng allocated some military force to Yang Tao to show their support. This betrayal has gone so smoothly for the Nan Sheng nobles, and it played an important role in Yang Tao’s defeat and confinement.”
Fortunately, there were only a little over three thousand elite troops left; most were hastily assembled militias to bolster the numbers.
Otherwise, even with Yan Lin’s backing, Yang Tao would have a tough time holding the city.
“Is this true?” Jiang Pengji raised her brow slightly, the corners of her lips curling up, “If that’s the case, Yang Tao’s loss isn’t entirely unjust.”
Wei Ci replied, “Indeed, it’s not unjust.”
Jiang Pengji remarked, “To rely on mountains and watch them fall, to depend on people and see them run—does he not understand this principle? When the Nan Sheng nobles were united with him and willing to support him, the sword they loaned him was his. Once they turned against him, that borrowed sword would no longer heed his call.”
Precisely because part of the troops under Yang Tao were lent by the Nan Sheng nobles, that’s why his foundation crumbled so completely when they betrayed him. Without this incident, even if the Nan Sheng nobles wished to use their people to incite a rebellion against Yang Tao, it would not be accomplished overnight, and he might even manage to counterattack, rather than reluctantly choosing to surrender to Jiang Pengji—
History teaches that when it comes to life and death, never let others grasp your fate.
If Jiang Pengji were in Yang Tao’s position, even if she accepted support from the noble families and owed them a favor, once she made her mark, she would secretly swap out that batch of soldiers. Such troops, raised by others, would always be a layer removed; who knows if their previous master would pull any tricks behind the scenes?
This highlighted the difference between Jiang Pengji and Yang Tao.
Wei Ci coldly stated, “Though Yang Tao made mistakes, An Huan is even more capable; otherwise, how could he persuade so many Nan Sheng nobles to turn against him?”
“What ability does he have? It’s just good luck, picking up the scraps. So what if he was born into a noble family? In the end, the Nan Sheng noble families view Yang Tao, the outsider, more favorably. If Yang Tao hadn’t suffered such a great loss at my hands, which affected his perceived value with the nobility, would a mere An Huan have a chance to step in? He sent over ten thousand troops to test our strength and defenses; just that alone shows his disdain…”
Where did those ten thousand troops come from?
Thirty percent were originally the forces the noble families lent to Yang Tao, while the remaining seventy percent were hastily gathered militias, meaning An Huan didn’t bear any costs.
Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but mock, clearly conveying to Wei Ci the message that she didn’t hold An Huan in high regard.
Not just because of his character and behavior, but also because he was once Wei Ci’s former master in his past life.
Every time she thought of this, it made her feel uncomfortable—how could someone like him push around her Zixiao?
Wei Ci advised, “What the Master says makes sense, but our troop losses are significant; we can’t afford to be careless against An Huan.”
Jiang Pengji had already clashed with both the Nie Clan and Yang Tao; even though she came out victorious, the losses in troops and resources were astronomical.
She hadn’t even recuperated when facing off against An Huan, and even though An Huan was also severely weakened, she couldn’t take it lightly.
It would be a disaster if things went awry.
Jiang Pengji firmly said, “I understand this principle—caution paves the way for a long journey.”
With that, she sighed comfortably, leaned her head on Wei Ci’s shoulder, and closed her eyes for a brief rest, inhaling the unique scent that belonged to him. She didn’t know what he used to wash his clothes, but Wei Ci’s garments always carried a faint sandalwood fragrance; if she sniffed closely, there was even a hint of an indescribable coolness that had a calming effect. Jiang Pengji really liked it; after smelling it for a while, her mood would settle.
Wei Ci gently brushed her long hair; perhaps it was too comfortable, and his eyelids grew heavier, inducing drowsiness.
By the time Jiang Pengji had enough of her rest, her initially damp hair was almost dry.
Taking the opportunity, Jiang Pengji started pouring on affectionate words without reserve.
Wei Ci had grown accustomed to her antics; even though she clung to him like an octopus, he could still free his hands to tie her long hair neatly.
“Our Master is becoming more and more childlike!”
Jiang Pengji quipped, “That’s because Zixiao is exuding more of that caring father energy; he’ll surely be skilled at raising children in the future.”
Wei Ci: “…”
How was he supposed to respond to that?
Due to their busy schedules, Jiang Pengji didn’t meet with Yang Tao that day but instead opted for the next day.
That night, many were restless for various reasons.
Yang Tao needed not be mentioned; Yan Shuyao, as his spouse, knew full well of her husband’s predicament, but she could only offer silent comfort.
“…I wonder what tomorrow’s circumstances will be like…”
Yang Tao’s voice carried rare confusion, much like a child standing at a crossroads, glancing around, sounding slightly fragile.
Yan Shuyao turned to look at him, “No matter the outcome, I will be with you; wherever you go, I will follow.”
Yang Tao grimaced and frightened her, “What if I meet the King of Hell?”
Yan Shuyao replied, “Then I will wait until I raise our child before coming to seek you out.”
Yang Tao was momentarily stunned and tightened his embrace around her, and the couple shared a night of silence.
On Yan Lin’s side, it wasn’t calm either; Yang Roujia had lulled their child to sleep and found her husband sketching something on brocade.
“What is this…?”
Yan Lin responded, “This is a map of the terrain of some regions in South Sheng. Our army evacuated in a hurry, leaving behind many things.”
Smart people tend to have good memories, and Yan Lin was one of them. Though he didn’t have the photographic memory of someone like Yang Si or Shi Zhong, he was still far ahead of the average person. Many confidential documents were thoroughly examined, memorized, and then destroyed.
What is kept in the mind is the hardest to be stolen and spied upon. Yang Tao’s surrender was a fixed outcome; in order to prevent Jiang Pengji from underestimating him, Yan Lin set up a strategy first, then presented these maps to help her smoothly take over South Sheng, improving Yang Tao’s situation.
Yang Roujia sighed, “My husband devises so many plans for his brother…”
Yan Lin replied, “In this world, you are my only family. If I can’t even protect you, life would be unbearably dull.”
That night, aside from the few of them, An Huan and others were also troubled.
News of Jiang Pengji leading her troops to Zhangzhou had already reached their ears; An Huan appeared calm on the surface but was restless inside.
He had known Jiang Pengji since before she rose to prominence, having witnessed her transformation from a mere county magistrate to a warlord ruling over a nation.
Now, she was wielding a blade aimed directly at his vitals; it was impossible for An Huan to feel no pressure, but he couldn’t show any signs of fear.
Feeling unsettled, he sought out his confidants for strategies, hoping to gain some comfort.
Hua Yuan talked with him all night, meticulously analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of both sides; the candle burned throughout the night.
Before dawn, someone came to report that Chief Strategist Lü Zheng was looking for An Huan regarding urgent matters.
An Huan left Hua Yuan’s tent, who rose to see him off.
Outside the tent, Lü Zheng was glaring intently at Hua Yuan, secretly gripping the sword at his waist.
