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墨書 Inktalez
Sun Thirteen and Li Xin have not returned yet, but Ji Xi, who secretly went to carry out a mission at Dan Shui River, has come back. However, it was not during the day, but rather late at night. As soon as he jumped into the courtyard, he heard Lu Ziran speaking inside while reading.
Martial Arts Masters do not enter through the front door; wouldn’t that be a laughingstock if it got out!?
As soon as Ji Xi stepped into the room, he heard Luzi's inquiry. He hurriedly took two steps forward, knelt down, and expressed his serious acknowledgment of the situation. There are too many capable people around the Grand General; if he did not act this way, he might be ridiculed.
Upon hearing this, Luzi quickly suppressed a laugh. "Get up! How did you sneak back? How did the task go?"
Ji Xi grabbed the large teapot and drank deeply, then wiped his mouth to indicate that the defenses of the Grand General's residence were too lax. If an assassin were to come in, it would unwittingly cost Great Qin a valuable talent.
Luzi has always believed that there are plenty of talents in Qin State, and he has never considered himself indispensable. Even if an assassin were to be bored and looking for something to do, they would not target someone of no value.
Listening to this twisted reasoning from Ji Xi, he could only admit that he had been a bit delusional again. Thinking of himself as a hero made him view his leader as one too. It seems pride was at play once more.
The light-hearted opening remarks immediately dissipated the tense atmosphere, and Ji Xi finally got to the point. “General Lu! I have followed orders to go to Dan River, and for these past few days, I have been searching for bridges worth destroying. To my surprise, it seems that the Zhao Army has no intention of returning at all. Not only is there not a single bridge along the coast, but I haven’t even seen any ferries. Moreover, the camp of the Zhao Army on the East Bank of Dan River is gradually being abandoned. According to Zhao Kuo’s orders, they will be moving north along the river shortly.”
After hearing Ji Xi’s explanation, Luzi finally understood. It turns out he had underestimated Zhao Kuo. They had no intention of building a rescue bridge at all. If that is indeed the case, then the Qin Army Defensive Formation stationed at Great King Village should be moved forward to the boundary of Dan Shui River.
In fact, this matter could have been discussed with Meng Ao and others; perhaps due to a generational gap, Luzi had not consulted with the old generals about battle plans recently. The contradictions in recording Merit may also play a part in this.
“General Ji! Can you confirm that the main force of the Zhao Army is moving north?”
Ji Xi quickly affirmed this matter was true. To prevent any misunderstanding that the Zhao Army was merely changing garrisons, he followed them for two more days to confirm. The final reconnaissance results showed no discrepancies; indeed, the Zhao Army was preparing to move north across the Dan River.
Luzi listened to the reconnaissance report while examining the Military Map laid out on the table. Suddenly, a bold plan appeared on the map: to directly block the Zhao Army from crossing the Dan Shui River at the shallow ford near Great King Village. If this plan succeeded, it was likely that no one from the Zhao Army would survive to return to the west bank of the Dan River.
Ji Xi recognized that the item on the table was indeed a Military Map. Seeing the general slam his hand down on the shallow ford where the Zhao Army was attempting to cross indicated that there was a new operation in motion. Stealing a glance at Luzi, whose eyes sparkled with intensity, he couldn't help but gasp. Although he had not been with General Lu for long, he had participated in the defense of Wild King City.
Ji Xi recalled how fierce the battle had been in the Chu Region, yet he had never seen the general with such a look in his eyes. It had only been a few days since they parted; how could he seem like a completely different person? That gaze felt familiar, almost as if... yes! It was like a hungry wolf spotting its prey!
“General! Are you alright!?”
The concerned words suddenly interrupted his strategic thoughts. When Luzi turned to look at Ji Xi, he instinctively took two steps back. The killing intent was overwhelming, crashing over him like a tidal wave...
“Ah!”
With a sound as pleasant as a bronze bell, the oppressive atmosphere in the room dissipated. Ji Xi quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to see Xiao Yu'er entering with a bowl of medicinal soup.
People often say that individuals change with their environment, and it seemed true at this moment. The once benevolent and righteous Luzi had not escaped this curse; his continuous life-and-death struggles had begun to make him bloodthirsty as he became accustomed to bloodshed. If this continued unchecked, Luzi might become completely lost in this hell created by humanity.
Xiao Yu'er gestured for Ji Xi to take a break before placing the bowl of medicinal soup into the general's hands. Watching Luzi slowly drink it down, she felt no excitement rising within her. Heart ailments have always been treated by heart remedies; even if one gathered all medicines in the world, they could only address symptoms, not root causes.
What left the divine healer helpless was that there was indeed an antidote in this world. However, that sole antidote resided within Luzi. It must be acknowledged that medicine is merely an aid; what truly heals and restores patients is their own heart.
After finishing, Luzi returned the empty bowl to Xiao Yu'er, turning back to continue examining the Military Map. Just as he prepared to resume his analysis, he suddenly felt his body enveloped by a gentle embrace.
With a sigh, Luzi gently pried apart her soft little hands. He intended to tell Xiao Yu'er to go rest but was met with her glistening tears. A tender thought stirred within him but was quickly crushed under a heavy weight.
“Xiao Yu'er! Sigh! It's getting late outside, you should go rest!”
“My lord! If the heart drifts away with the wind and rain, it will be difficult to return...”
Luzi took a deep breath, using his warm hands to grasp her cold ones, sharing warmth. “I am the Qin General! The lives of tens of thousands of Qin Soldiers are in my hands! They are all waiting for this battle to end so they can return home and reunite with their families. I am no longer the Lu Ziquan you once knew, I’m sorry!”
Xiao Yu'er looked up at his determined gaze and silently nodded. As a healer, the last thing she wanted to see was this scene unfold before her eyes. She knew that continuing down this path would lead to complete ruin, yet she could only watch helplessly.
“Have you already decided to give up on yourself, my lord?”
Luzi reluctantly released her small hands and laughed heartily. All day long, people only talked about self-cultivation, family harmony, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world. Do they think that merely sitting indoors and talking can bring peace to this world!? These are just theories and represent the highest ideals pursued by humanity.
But when faced with conflicts of faith and the need to protect Wei State, who can be persuaded by mere words!? When faith collides and beliefs clash, the only solution ultimately leads to war! What is war!? Isn’t it about sacrificing countless lives to pave the way for the realization of ideals?
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