In Zhang Shi’s camp, Lu Chaosheng offered the same opinion.
After all, Lu Chaosheng and Chen Song were both men directly involved in the situation. They had a fairly good understanding of what was happening inside Zhenjiang City. As generals, they were also capable of judging the appropriate strategy.
“General Zhang Shi, Zhenjiang City will certainly be difficult to take for the time being. This subordinate believes we can watch from the sidelines and wait for trouble to break out within the city.”
“Furthermore…”
“I can return to Zhenjiang City.”
“I’ll secretly gather intelligence and cultivate our forces there. Once something happens in Zhenjiang City, General Zhang Shi, you and I can attack from within and without. Then we’ll be able to take the city in one fell swoop.”
It was nearly the same plan that Wang Ming had readily approved.
But Zhang Shi shook his head.
“A man of your talent would be wasted gathering intelligence and cultivating forces. Besides, that isn’t where your strengths lie.”
As he spoke, Zhang Shi walked over to the sand table and pointed at it.
“Since Zhenjiang City can’t be taken for the time being…”
“Then we’ll first pull out its front teeth!”
“Wolfsmoke Fort, Suojiang Dock, Hengjiang Stockade, Linjiang Ferry… I’ll take these four strongholds first.”
“We’ll surround Zhenjiang City on all sides and intensify the conflicts within it. Then we can take the city in one fell swoop.”
Lu Chaosheng was shaken.
He had known that General Zhang Shi was bold and aggressive, but he had never expected him to be quite this bold and aggressive. He immediately dropped to his knees and said loudly, “General Zhang Shi is truly wise! I have made quite a few arrangements in those four strongholds, and I also have many old acquaintances there.”
“I’m willing to do everything in my power to lend General Zhang Shi a hand!”
Zhang Shi helped Lu Chaosheng to his feet.
“Good. Then let’s plan everything out carefully and strive to eliminate those four strongholds as soon as possible!”
…
Wang Ming and Zhang Shi were already watching the situation like tigers eyeing their prey.
Although Pei Wugou knew nothing of this, a soldier’s instincts kept him constantly tense. He repeatedly tightened military discipline, guarded against every possible threat, and sent men to spy on the enemy’s movements.
But no matter how busy or tense things became, Pei Wugou still made a point of visiting Wen He at regular intervals to chat, bare their hearts, and indulge in romance—as though time itself had stopped!
This time was no different. He put aside everything at hand, summoned Shadow, and was about to leave.
“My, my, my lord, you’re leaving again?”
Shadow could hardly take it anymore. Stammering, he said, “There’s, there’s too much, too much going on here. People are constantly looking for you. I—I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle them all.”
“It’s fine.” Pei Wugou washed himself thoroughly as he spoke, restoring himself to the elegant, handsome young gentleman he had been before. “If you can’t handle them, just don’t say anything.”
“All right, I’m off. I’ll leave everything here to you.”
Pei Wugou hurried out the door and nearly ran straight into his returning deputy, Chen Song. But his heart was set on seeing Wen He, and he completely failed to notice Chen Song’s travel-weary appearance.
He did not even have time to greet him before he went off in search of Wen He.
The moment Wen He saw him, she threw herself into his arms. He hugged her and first gave her a joyful spin, the magic of love sweeping them around. Then the two of them sat down side by side beside a little stream.
Wen He could hardly wait to ask, “Ah Wu, are we going to war soon? You seem so busy lately, and the whole military camp feels like it’s on edge.”
“So many people are nervous.”
“I heard the marquis gave orders to tighten military discipline. Even the smallest offense gets someone dragged out and beaten with a cane.”
“I’ve already seen several people punished.”
Pei Wugou naturally could not reveal his identity as the marquis in front of Wen He, so he said, “That’s true. As you know, I’m a personal guard under General Chen Song. I heard it from General Chen Song himself.”
“That scoundrel Ren Tianye is very good at deceiving people.”
“He’s already talked who knows how many people into joining him, which has destabilized the army. The marquis is simply using extraordinary measures in extraordinary times. Only by doing this can he intimidate all those with ulterior motives.”
Pei Wugou praised Marquis Jingyi in front of Wen He every day, so Wen He naturally had a very favorable impression of him. She nodded and said, “From the sound of it, the marquis is a good marquis.”
“Then I can stay in the military camp without worrying.”
Pei Wugou immediately said, “Of course. Our marquis is truly extraordinary…”
He was in the middle of praising himself when a squad of soldiers passed by in the distance, escorting a prisoner. The man’s clothes were ragged, his hair filthy, and shackles hung from his feet. He staggered along, looking utterly miserable.
Wen He turned her head and saw him.
Her heart ached at once. “That prisoner looks so miserable. Ah Wu, what crime did he commit to be treated like that?”
Pei Wugou followed her gaze and explained, “That man is called Song Shaoyi. He’s one of Ren Tianye’s men. We don’t know what orders he received from Ren Tianye, but he left Pukou City and tried to cross the strongholds north of the Yangtze. No one knows what he intended to do in Yunjing.”
“By coincidence, he ran into… ran into the marquis.”
“And the marquis captured him.”
“We interrogated him several times, but we still couldn’t get any information out of him. So we had to use a little force.”
The moment Wen He heard that he had been tortured, her bleeding-heart instincts kicked in.
“Torture? How much pain must he be in?”
“Ah Wu, he hasn’t killed anyone or set anything on fire. He’s only one of Ren Tianye’s subordinates. Isn’t treating him like this a little too harsh?”
“Why don’t you ask General Chen Song to show him mercy?”
“Have him released.”
“That way, I’ll have saved another person’s life!”
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
y came from. The chests contained supplies, currency, class-change scrolls, skills, talents… and even godhood! The laws of the world were completely rewritten. This became a world where everyone gambled with their fate! Some people, despite having nothing, opened a divine artifact and rose to the top, eventually ruling the world. Others went bankrupt, opened nothing but worthless junk, and leaped from skyscrapers in despair. Lin Ye arrived in this world from another reality, utterly bewildered. “What is going on? Why is everyone a gambling addict?!” “Opening chests? No way. I refuse to gamble. I’ll start with myself!” Until— On his first chest, he obtained a Mythic Talent: Void Incarnation! He could become completely intangible, pass through all things, and reduce everything to nothingness! … On his fiftieth chest, he obtained a Mythic Weapon: Blade of Karma! With a single slash, karma shattered, twisting the universe and overturning the myriad phenomena of creation! … On his ninety-ninth chest, he obtained a Mythic Divine Treasure: Primordial Purple Energy! It could split open the heavens and earth, create all things, and evolve countless worlds with a single thought! Lin Ye: “Now that I think about it… shouldn’t someone have told me that every chest is guaranteed to contain something Mythic?!”
