Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 154: The End of the Road
Yang Jishan stepped forward and grasped his brother's arm, saying, "I miss Father too. Brother, let's go together to see Father."
Yang Xuangan wiped the blood, tears, and mucus from his younger brother's face and replied, "Have you forgotten what I said before? There is no way for me to survive, but must you sever the legacy of our father’s bloodline and the prestige of the Yang Clan?"
"Go on, live cautiously. It will be harder for you; I pity you."
Li Zixiong snorted coldly and was about to leave when Yang Xuangan suddenly drew his sword and thrust it into Li Zixiong's chest in an instant. He fell from his horse, pointing at Yang Xuangan as he died.
The guards jumped off their horses and beheaded him, wrapping his head in his clothing. Yang Xuangan laughed and said, "Who comes empty-handed to seek refuge? My brother still has the foundation of the Yang Family. The Law Master has accompanied me for this journey; Li Zixiong's head is my final gift.
Do not blame me; I have the will but lack the power. In the end, I could not fulfill our grand ambitions."
Li Mi's expression softened a bit at this point: "You are indeed not a talent for leadership."
Having known each other for many years, there was no longer any distinction of rank between them. Yang Xuangan also smiled bitterly and said, "Law Master, some things may seem simple to you; I have hesitated and missed opportunities. But when you reach that position, you will understand how difficult it truly is.
Well then, let us not delay any longer. We shall meet again in the next life!"
Yang Xuangan rallied his spirits and mounted his horse: "Brothers, follow me into Hongnong! Let’s go home!"
"Victory! Victory!"
This army from Liang, seasoned by slaughter, seemed to finally understand its destination. They surged forward with a fierce determination and an indomitable spirit.
Although the Prefect of Hongnong would undoubtedly obstruct them and the forces of Hongnong far outnumbered these remnants, there was no doubt that they would escort their lord back to where he wished to die.
Yang Jishan was already on the verge of collapse, while Li Mi pulled him aside, carefully hiding them both.
Their military uniforms were identical to those of the Sui Army, so they simply removed anything that distinguished them and pretended to be returning messengers. They quickly found the main army of Li Jian Cheng.
The two dared not reveal their identities, knowing that ordinary soldiers were not qualified to approach Li Jian Cheng, and those of higher rank could easily recognize them.
Thus, they could only stay outside the camp and found a common sentry. They handed over the head of Li Zixiong to him and informed him of its identity, instructing him to relay the message to the general.
Upon hearing this, the sentry saw one of them was a weakling and the other injured. He immediately drew his sword, intending to kill them both to claim the credit for himself. It was easy to guess that these two were likely rebels, possibly even personal guards of Li Zixiong; in any case, no one would come to their defense if he killed them.
However, Yang Jishan and Li Mi were skilled horsemen and archers; a mere sentry who had just put down his plow was no match for them.
Li Mi tightened his grip around the sentry's throat. "Go over there and shout that someone has brought the head of Li Zixiong to the general. I have my bow drawn here; if you dare say anything else, I will shoot you first!"
The prospect of losing his life over such a small achievement made the sentry reconsider. Once subdued, his greed faded away considerably, and he nodded vigorously.
Even after being released, his legs felt weak. Hearing the sound of the bowstring being drawn behind him made him so frightened that tears nearly streamed down his face.
"Someone has brought the head of Li Zixiong to the general! Someone has brought..."
Both men had mud on their faces. Li Mi turned to Yang Jishan and said, "Lie down and don't look up!"
As expected, the shout quickly attracted a crowd. Li Mi lowered his bow and hurriedly lay down as well, still holding up the severed head.
Seeing that he was safe now, the sentry pointed at them and shouted, "These two are rebels! They are personal guards of the traitor Li Zixiong!"
Li Mi shouted back in a rough voice, "We killed Li Zixiong and came to present our achievement to the general! We have old ties with Right Guard General; please relay our message!"
The arriving officers were also tempted by greed, but after listening, they dared not act. First of all, they could not guarantee that their subordinates would keep quiet; if the news got out, it would be a minor issue to claim credit, but killing a general with old ties was a major problem.
He waved his hand to send someone to relay the message and then ordered his men to capture the two and search them. There was no way they could say anything or believe anything.
However, seeing that the two still had no intention of looking up, he suddenly felt something was off. If something felt wrong, it was best to think twice, so he decided not to act further. Inaction would prevent mistakes.
Li Jian Cheng was quite surprised when he received the news. After asking a couple of questions, he commanded his personal guards to bring the people over.
Li Mi knew that the visitor must be Li Jian Cheng's trusted confidant, so as he approached, he whispered, "We cannot let our faces be seen."
The captain of the guards did not respond but also did not wipe away the dirt from their faces. He merely searched them for weapons and then allowed them to keep their heads bowed. At this moment, with the darkness of night and a dim moon, it was relatively safe.
Soon they arrived at the Central Army Tent. Li Jian Cheng was currently writing an apology letter to the emperor for failing to capture Yang Xuangan. This was a crime; regardless of whether the emperor cared or not, he had to take responsibility.
In front of Li Jian Cheng, the two had no need for concealment, but they couldn't help feeling ashamed. The three of them had once held similar statuses, and now their lives depended on each other's thoughts.
Li Jian Cheng recognized the two at a glance and said to the captain of the guards, "Choose two trustworthy ones to take credit."
"Understood."
Upon hearing this, Li Mi realized that Li Jian Cheng did not intend to hand them over to the emperor. Reflecting on their recent experiences made him feel a deep sorrow; tears silently fell down his face, even more so for Yang Jishan.
Seeing this, Li Jian Cheng did not look at them anymore and continued writing. He added at the end of his letter that under His Majesty's great virtue and might, the hearts of the rebel forces had scattered. Now there were those who had abandoned darkness for light and offered Li Zixiong's head before the tent.
Before long, the captain of the guards led in another young man who wore similar clothing and bore a resemblance to Yang and Li, his face also covered in dirt.
Li Jian Cheng put down his pen and said, "Everything that needs to be explained has been clarified; do not leave any mistakes."
Li Mi immediately revealed his prepared identity and detailed the events that had just occurred outside the camp.
The two of them asked many more questions before kneeling before Li Jian Cheng, waiting for his orders. Li Jian Cheng said, "With this merit, the emperor will surely grant you an official position of the sixth or seventh rank. Once you take office, be sure to exercise caution!"
"Understood!"
Then the two of them left. Yang Li changed into a different set of armor and simply washed the dirt off his face.
"I cannot keep both of you here. Ji Shan, I will arrange for someone to send you to Liaodong. Fa Master, I..."
Li Mi waved his hand. "I am only here to fulfill Yang Xuangan's final request. Just see me out of the pass; I will find my own way."
Li Jian Cheng was not surprised. "It seems that following Yang Xuangan has given you new thoughts."
"Serving others is never as good as being your own master. If you still think of old friendships, there is no need to persuade me further."
...
(End of Chapter)
Comment 0 Comment Count