Chapter 576.1: The True Death Match
This place also didn’t require cleaning up. In any case, this area also don’t need to worry about a plague appearing and whatnot. Besides, once the matter was over with, there will eventually be people coming to take care of it. Even if Li Hong Yuan was extremely unlucky, in the end having his life thrown in, the people of Zhang would certainly still come to clean up the mess. After all, if their activity in Qi Yuan is too obvious, and if they don’t clean up after themselves, angering Qi Yuan, then for them, it will just be a calamity.
But, it was obvious, if Li Hong Yuan were to this easily get thrown in, then he won’t be Li Hong Yuan.
As for whether or not there were more hunting hounds, this was just very hard to say, but even if there is, it was also nothing to be scared of.
The people that came from Zhang were just that many. Previously, outside the mountain cavity, at least half have been eliminated. In this way, the manpower that can be divided out to send into the mountains to search for them was just very limited. Fifty to sixty have already been thrown in here, so how many can there be left? That’s why, Li Hong Yuan had thought very thoroughly. As long as they were careful, then the final outcome, aside from him winning, there won’t be a second option, merely a matter of time.
If Jing Wan wasn’t by his side, then her perhaps would’ve already reversed the roles, directly going to look for the other party.
He must first ensure Jing Wan’s absolute safety. That’s why, there was the current plan of retreat.
However, all the way until an hour later, they all didn’t discover anyone appearing, so there probably won’t be anymore people coming.
Li Hong Yuan slightly narrowed his eyes, looking towards the bottom of the mountain. Under normal circ.u.mstances, even if no ones goes back to report, it was still several dozen people. To have suddenly disappeared, as the person in charge, it was impossible to be indifferent, and at the same time, should’ve realized that it was very likely that they ran into Qi Yuan’s Jin Qinw.a.n.g.
Li Hong Yuan rough position right now was practically just blatantly written there, so there was no reason to ignore.
“Could it be that because of knowing it’s impossible to accomplish, thus already gave up?” Jing Wan guessed.
“The possibility is very low. After coming out of that mountain cavity, as long as a single one of my men escape, then it will just mean that the Kingdom of Zhang’s matter has already gotten exposed. Even if a shadow guard’s ident.i.ty is sensitive, temporarily not going to the local garrison, they sooner or later will still look for those that are loyal to me in the imperial court. If they want to give up, then they should’ve just given up in the first moment. Besides, the one that actually wants me dead is Southern Qi. Zhang at most is just a lackey. With the matter getting exposed, and Zhang not being able to complete the mission, when time comes, without waiting for Qi Yuan to do anything, Southern Qi will have already sorted Zhang out first. On the contrary, if Zhang completes the mission, then even if encountering Qi Yuan’s retaliation, they at least can still turn to Southern Qi for help. That’s why, killing me, Zhang will still have a chance of survival. If they don’t kill, then it really will just be waiting to get crushed.”
For someone as dangerous as Li Hong Yuan, if unable to be used by Southern Qi, then it was just thinking of every way possible to destroy. In any case, Southern Qi’s national power isn’t worse than Qi Yuan’s. Even if they kill a qinw.a.n.g of Qi Yuan, they will still be completely fearless, and eliminating a Li Hong Yuan will instead reduce a threat. That’s why, one can actually imagine Southern Qi’s threat towards the Kingdom of Zhang.
So, they not only won’t give up, at times like this, they would just be even more frantic.
However, when the actual circ.u.mstances completely didn’t match the expectations, one had no choice but to guess whether or not there was something fishy going on.
Something uncontrollable was what one hated the most.
Li Hong Yuan sent someone out to investigate the specific situation. Although they will temporarily bide their time, they won’t just stay waiting in the same place.
That shadow guard went out for almost four hours, much longer than expected.
TN: All
However, what was brought back was nevertheless good news.
Turns out, that person in charge for Zhang knew that the matter most likely was impossible to complete, but he didn’t want to die. Thus, on one side, arranged for the people below to continue searching for Li Hong Yuan’s whereabouts, while on the other hand, secretly slipped away, preparing to soundlessly sneak back to Zhang, and taking advantage of the fact that the news of failure still haven’t pa.s.sed back, have his family taken away, leaving Zhang. There will eventually be a place for their family to settle down in. That’s why, previously, Li Hong Yuan had calculated everything, yet still overlooked the human heart. He probably never thought that the person meticulously selected by Zhang to carry out the mission, when encountering a situation, was a useless one, completely not having any patriotism.
Just, this person’s luck wasn’t too good. Because he was in a rush to return to Zhang, he didn’t go back along the originally planned path that they’d used to sneak over, instead directly taking the official road. One must bear in mind that places along the border have stationed troops. And just that unluckily, for some unknown reason, he just attracted suspicion. After slightly interrogating, he just exposed himself. As such, how could he still go back.
The garrison’s numbers although weren’t many, but after learning that Jin Qinw.a.n.g nearly met with danger in their vicinity, how could they still ignore. Thus, they immediately dispatched people to purge the people of Zhang.
That person in charge for Zhang had just ran away on his own. Those that were left behind weren’t aware in the slightest. As a result, while completely unaware of the situation, they all got captured.
Things actually just turned around like this. Truthfully speaking, having an idiot opponent appearing, probably no matter who, all will very much like.
Even Li Hong Yuan’s expression all slightly relaxed. He looked to Jing Wan. It didn’t matter for him, mainly still because of Jing Wan. The earlier this matter ended, the earlier Jing Wan can relax. This kind of environment ultimately was detrimental towards her.
With the matter settled, they won’t need to hide anymore, and can openly descend the mountain.
During this time, they learned from the shadow guard’s mouth that because the border troops had purged the people of Zhang, the people under Li Hong Yuan that had separated, a portion of them have gathered together. Also included among them were Hei Mei and Fu Rong. The two of them had both gotten injured, Fu Rong’s injuries being a bit heavier, because that night during the break out, she’d pretended to be Jing Wan. In reality, the plan of attracting the enemy was also her idea.
Fortunately, their injuries weren’t fatal, and also didn’t miss an arm or leg. If they slowly recuperate, they will eventually be able to recover fully.
Jing Wan inwardly sighed. Fu Rong actually was a hard to come by honorable type. If she’d grown up in a normal environment, then she would’ve also been a woman of peerless talent.
Qi Yuan’s army was already within sight. At least three hundred people had came. However, this number would just make one feel at ease.
“What is the garrison general called?” Li Hong Yuan randomly asked.
Although the number of troops stationed here were just in the thousands, but the highest commanding officer was still of the general rank, a high fourth rank official.
That shadow guard said a name.
But, it was precisely this name that made Li Hong Yuan halt in his step, his expression slightly congealing.
And once he stopped, the others just stopped as well.
“What’s wrong, could it be that there’s something wrong with this person?” The person was already close in front. If there really is a problem…….Jing Wan’s nerves just instantly tensed up again.
Li Hong Yuan grasped her hand, momentarily falling silent. He rather wanted to brush over it, but for some things, it was better to be mentally prepared in advance. Moreover, perhaps it was just him thinking too much.
“Did you see Sun Yi Lin previously?” Li Hong Yuan asked.
“Replying to master, saw him. He was also injured, his entire person not too conscious.”
Mentioning Sun Yi Lin, Jing Wan suddenly understood why her husband asked this, because this garrison general’s surname was also Sun. That character in his name seemingly was the same as the current Ding Duke[1]. Although it’s not that there weren’t coincidences, but it was extremely likely for him to be someone of the Sun clan, and the Sun clan was headed by the Ding Duke Manor. This standing was just too profound. Moreover, Sun Yi Lin had also wanted Li Hong Yuan dead as well. “Ah Yuan, towards the Sun clan, you should’ve long looked into, especially those in the imperial court.” This General Sun, he may have temporarily forgotten about, but the shadow guards by his side shouldn’t have forgotten.
“I’ve indeed looked into before, but this person doesn’t exist.”
Jing Wan exhaled a breath. Thank goodness, should just be a coincidence. However, seeing Li Hong Yuan’s expression, half of that breath just got swallowed back down. “What’s wrong?”
“The Head Minister of Rites even has the Su surname.” Based on the underlying meaning, Li Hong Yuan actually has already produced suspicions inside.
Like having a fish bone stuck in the throat, “Sun Yi Lin, should’ve directly killed him, should’ve directly killed……..” Jing Wan really regretted very much, and also very much blamed herself. She shouldn’t have produced compa.s.sion just because he’d seemingly been completely reduced to a prisoner, unable to cause trouble anymore, unable to become a threat to her husband, and also because of Sun Yi Jia, thus just thought that no matter how he’s punished, at least spare his life.
Li Hong Yuan was the one that hated Sun Yi Lin the most, but seeing Jing Wan like this right now, Sun Yi Lin and whatnot, completely got tossed aside, especially upon seeing Jing Wan’s lips faintly having a trace of blood, not knowing where she’d bit herself.
Li Hong Yuan’s thumb wiped across her lips, “Wan Wan, everything is all just a guess.”
But if this guess is true……..They already don’t have an escape route. The various matters previously, at this time, actually were all just mere trifles. The several hundred people that originally made one at ease, this while, became their cage instead, making them be unable to fly away.
“Wan Wan, you don’t need to blame yourself.” Li Hong Yuan softly spoke, instantly just organizing all the threads clearly.
As someone of the Sun clan, the one they supported certainly would just be Kang Qinw.a.n.g. As long as they’re aware of Li Hong Yuan’s threat, then when given the opportunity, they will just think of a way to eliminate him. This thought was even more intense than that of Southern Qi’s. Sun Yi Lin, in fact, don’t even need to do anything, or expose his own ident.i.ty. As long as he lets this garrison general know about just the tip of Li Hong Yuan’s iceberg, then it was enough. In fact, he doesn’t even need to provide any evidence. The people of Zhang wanting to kill him was just the best evidence.
Li Hong Yuan carefully explained, “That’s why, whether or not Sun Yi Lin is still alive now isn’t important at all.” Speaking to here, he suddenly chuckled. Previously, he’d even felt that he’d seemingly overestimated Sun Yi Lin. In this matter, he really didn’t have any effect, perhaps merely just advising Southern Qi slightly in the beginning. Yet turns out, his true killing move simply wasn’t with Southern Qi. Rather than say that he’d turned to Southern Qi, it was better to say that he’d used Southern Qi. This setup was actually very simple. Regardless what the process was like, coming to this step all wasn’t anything difficult. Everything perhaps was all within Sun Yi Lin’s calculations. “As long as I leave the capital and come here, whether or not he partic.i.p.ates all isn’t important. Even if he dies, the plan similarly can carry out.”
[1] Majority of large clans all have naming conventions to show which generation a person belonged to, such as how Sun Yi Jia and Sun Yi Lin both have ‘Yi’ in their name, so this person may be in the same generation as the current Ding Duke, meaning he is from the same clan.