Chapter 726 – At the Gates of Jiamen (Six)
The mountain road was treacherous and hard to navigate, making it easy to get lost.
Yet, under Jiang Pengji’s command, these issues barely registered as problems. The difficulties faced turned out to be far less daunting than expected.
On the other side, Yang Jian’s troops were also well-prepared.
Having endured even more perilous currents, this river posed little challenge for a group of strong swimmers.
“Shaoyang, can you still hold on?”
Yang Tao gasped, his youthful face starting to show the determination and vigor typical of young men.
Compared to Yang Tao’s casual and rugged demeanor, Yan Lin maintained his composure and poised manner.
“No worries. Zheng Ze, you go ahead and keep an eye on the Lord. His previous arrow wound hasn’t healed; we need to be cautious.”
Yan Lin did not agree with Yang Jian’s decision to come, but Yang Jian was worried about his foolish son and didn’t dare let him lead troops independently.
Yang Tao nodded solemnly, “Shaoyang, you should be careful too.”
Though the river rushed fiercely, it was the depth of winter, and the water level was lower than usual, exposing the gentle slopes on both sides.
The moderate incline could be utilized to reduce the challenges faced.
This was one of the key reasons why Yan Lin managed to arrive at their destination ahead of Jiang Pengji.
One force traveled by water, while the other moved along the mountains, both silently pressing forward.
The allied camp before Jiamen Gate remained lively and boisterous until the dark curtain of night was lifted by a streak of white light.
The sky transitioned from deep darkness to gray, and then to brightness.
Each noble faction had its schemes, and thanks to Liu Zhi’s help in covering things up, no one had noticed the absence of twenty-five thousand troops from the allied forces.
However, one could only hide things for so long.
With a total of twenty-five thousand missing soldiers, even the most oblivious would catch on.
Ironically, by the time they discovered it, it was already the next afternoon at dusk.
Upon receiving this news, everyone was astonished.
An Huan had secretly allied with Wu Ma Shang, the governor of Hu County, to reap some benefits.
Seeing that news, An Huan noticed a hint of a sinister smile on Wu Ma Shang’s face.
“This Liu Xi is nothing but a coward who fled the scene. Liu Zhongqing must be crying his eyes out having raised such a son.”
Wu Ma Shang sneered. Even though he hadn’t clashed with Jiang Pengji, he held a grudge against the Liu father and son.
Chongzhou, Wanzhou, and Hujun were all in the hands of the Liu family, and as a royal relative, how could he stand for that?
Whose world was this anyway, the Wu family’s or the Liu family’s?
An Huan whispered from the side, “Liu Xi is not that kind of cowardly person and certainly wouldn’t flee at the last moment. Leaving in haste last night definitely means there’s something we don’t know. Xu Pei, the master of the alliance, should be informed. The governor can go and inquire.”
Wu Ma Shang scoffed dismissively, but deep down, he was quite apprehensive.
“Fine, go ask.”
Meanwhile, Huang Song received the same news at the same time.
He didn’t have much of a relationship with Yang Jian to make judgments, but he knew Jiang Pengji well enough to understand her temperament. Even if there were rumors that the two had fled, Huang Song didn’t believe it. The two forces leaving overnight had to have some hidden context.
He couldn’t think of a reason alone, so he called in several strategists.
Feng Jue and Cheng Jing exchanged glances, quickly piecing together the situation, silently thinking it was bad news.
“Lord, we need to hurry to the alliance’s main tent,” Cheng Jing urged.
By the time Huang Song and the others arrived, several lords from different factions had already gathered, drawn by the news.
They weren’t there to inquire about the whereabouts of Yang Jian and Jiang Pengji’s troops; they were just there to see the commotion regarding Xu Pei.
The main figure in the crowd was Xu Pei’s younger brother—Xu Fei.
Xu Fei laughed, “Big brother, you don’t seem fit for this alliance leader role. People come and go at will…”
Xu Pei shot him a glance, his face showing no signs of panic or annoyance; instead, he remained calm and collected, “Who gave you this information? Lan Ting and Yang Duwei were acting on my brother’s orders. As for what they went to do, it’s a confidential matter and cannot be disclosed at this time.”
Xu Fei scoffed, not buying that excuse, thinking Xu Pei was just feeling guilty.
Xu Pei’s expression hardened, his eyes filled with disdain, “Your priority is to break through Jiamen Gate; the rest is inconsequential. Lan Ting and Yang Duwei’s forces total no more than twenty-five thousand, which is less than ten percent of the alliance’s strength. Do you think the absence of those troops will make it impossible to break Jiamen Gate?”
“That’s a misunderstanding, Lord,” Xu Fei retorted with a taunting tone, his gaze provocative, “Without them, the alliance can indeed still capture Jiamen Gate. But as a member of the alliance, shouldn’t they have some regard for you, the leader? Such actions only weaken the unity of the alliance. Likewise, as the leader, you have failed in your duty to manage your forces!”
Tension filled the tent.
Xu Pei claimed Jiang Pengji’s group was under secret deployment and that further details should remain confidential. Xu Fei insisted that was just an excuse.
“Enough!”
Suddenly, a voice as clear as jade echoed from outside the tent.
Dressed in elegant robes and a heavy cloak, Liu Zhi strode in, his eyes icy and his expression stern, causing everyone to hold their breath.
“If you’re all curious, wait half a month. There will be good news.”
Xu Fei felt a bit intimidated by Liu Zhi’s presence but still foolishly retaliated.
“Hah, of course, you must handle your son’s aftermath. What if there’s no good news after half a month?”
If there were no good news after half a month, it would mean Liu Xi had failed in his ambush, attained none of the expected results, and could even be counterattacked by Changshou Wang’s forces, jeopardizing his life. Xu Pei quietly gestured for Xu Fei to be quiet, but the kid just kept poking the bear.
“If there’s no good news, I’ll handle the breach of Jiamen Gate myself!” Liu Zhi said flatly.
A son’s arrogance? His father wouldn’t hold back either.
Initially, everyone was stunned, but as they processed the implications, they shot angry glares at each other.
“Liu Zhongqing, are you implying we won’t be able to breach Jiamen Gate within half a month?”
Liu Zhi smirked, his disdain palpable, “At least you have some self-awareness.”
“You—”
Xu Fei slammed his palm on the table, his hand shaking in anger.
Liu Zhi ignored him and simply turned to leave.
In the end, Xu Pei also didn’t relent or disclose the whereabouts of Liu Xi and Yang Jian’s forces.
After all, the internal dynamics of the alliance were too mixed; who knew if Changshou Wang had spies among them?
In short, when it came to significant military secrets, Xu Pei wouldn’t easily leak any information.
However, even if he remained silent, there were others who could piece everything together and reveal the truth.
“Going for an unconventional approach? That’s quite bold,” Cheng Jing murmured, “But this person relies too much on tricks…”
Feng Jue was already mentally prepared for this; after all, he and Jiang Pengji could be considered old friends.
“Why not take a guess where they are right now?”
