Chapter 199: Venturing Alone into the Enemy Camp
Translator: Fan Translation Studio
Xiao Baoshan nodded. âYes, I have no other choice.â
âBut even if the two armies meet, we wonât necessarily lose. You donât need to meet with him alone. Heâs so hostile to you. Iâm worriedâ¦â
Biao used to be a subordinate of the sixth prince. He knew everything about Xiao Baoshan including that had once saved the sixth prince and him from danger.
âBiao.â Xiao Baoshan watched him and spoke earnestly. âI donât want to see anyone else die. With any luck, I can save many lives. If I donât return, please help me to protect Baozhu and the sixth prince. By then, my battle plan will help you to reach a draw with Qian Qi or even defeat him.â
Biao stared at this tough man with furrowed brows.
Baoshan then raised his horsewhip and soon disappeared off into the slanting rain.
â¦
Qian Qiâs army was taking a rest at the foot of a mountain in Dinghe county. Although the rainstorm had turned to drizzle, he still did not continue on with the journey. That day, some soldiers saw the distant figure of a man riding in their direction on horseback. They took up their weapons, poised to fight.
Xiao Baoshan approached them and said immediately, âIâm Xiao Baoshan. Tell your general that I want to meet with him.â
His name was well-known throughout the barracks. Even the lowest-level soldiers knew of him. A soldier left immediately to report the news to Qian Qi.
At that moment, Qian Qi was reading a military book intently in a camp. He was slightly surprised to see Xiao Baoshan arrive there. But soon, he calmed himself down. He walked over to a rack of weapons and selected a broadsword. But then, he put it down and picked up a spear. After a moment of hesitation, he finally chose a rapier.
After a while, Xiao Baoshan was led into the barracks. A row of bows and arrows greeted him at once, but he looked calm and fearless as he walked across to the largest camp.
Separated by the archers, the two men stared at each other in the rain. There wasnât any trace of fear in Xiao Baoshanâs eyes. In contrast, strong fury and other complicated emotions were written across Qian Qi face.
âHow dare you come here!â Qian Qi shouted as he drew his rapier.
Xiao Baoshan replied, âI donât want to fight with you. I was hoping we could have a good talk. After that, you can kill me if you want.â
âHumph! I know this is just your stalling tactic. Traitor. It was you who caused the deaths of so many two years ago. Why did you bother to beat the enemies back this time? Did you want to try and prove that youâre innocent? I know youâre enlarging your army to prepare for a second betrayal.â
Xiao Baoshan stared at Qian Qi for a while before he burst into laughter. He raised his head back and laughed long and wildly.
Shocked at this, the archers around him couldnât help backing away slightly.
âXiao Baoshan, what are you laughing about?â Qian Qi asked.
Xiao Baoshan stretched out his hands and turned to Qian Qiâs deputy general. âYou can tie my hands. Now that Iâm here, Iâm at your disposal and wonât rebel against you.â
Astonished by his boldness, the deputy general obeyed and shackled him immediately.
Xiao Baoshan said, âCan you talk with me now?â
After a second of hesitation, Qian Qi pointed at his camp and let Xiao Baoshan in. The deputy general was still worried. He said, âGeneral, I can go in with you.â
But Qian Qi waved his hands in disapproval. âNo. Wait for me outside. Now that heâs been shackled, I should meet him alone. I donât want to be laughed at by others.â
â¦
Qian Qi gestured to Xiao Baoshan to sit down and poured him a cup of tea. Xiao Baoshan took the cup with his shackled hands.
âThank you,â he said.
Qian Qi asked, âWhat do you want to talk with me about? You want to stop me from attacking Baoning city? You should know I canât disobey the orders of the imperial court.â
But Xiao Baoshan laughed and responded by asking, âSo thatâs why youâre delaying the journey? You donât want to attack Baoning city.â
âThatâs not what I mean,â Qian Qi protested.
Xiao Baoshan gazed at him and said, âI know you hate my guts. You think Iâm a traitor and caused your brotherâs death. But I didnât betray anyone. Iâm just a survivor.â
Qian Qi was not convinced. âHumph! Then why did everyone else die and only you survived? Are you a superman blessed by G.o.d? Besides, why didnât you go back to the capital and report that? Why did you go home secretly instead? What are you afraid of?â
Xiao Baoshan replied, âIâm not afraid of anything. I could survive because my men protected me with their lives. It was they who dragged me back from the verge of death. When I woke up, I just wanted to die with my comrades. But I thought of my mother and decided to meet her one last time. After I went back, I fell in love with a girl who gave me new hope for life. She made me willing to live in obscurity. My life was so peaceful until I had to expose my ident.i.ty to save my love.â
Qian Qi said in disbelief, âBut everyone in the capital says you colluded with the government of Beiqing. Otherwise, the enemy wouldnât have known about our military secrets.â
âI know nothing about this. But I can swear on the lives of my entire family that Iâve never betrayed our country!â He was more than serious and sincere in saying this.
Qian Qiâs deeply furrowed brows relaxed slightly.
âThen why donât you go to the capital and accept the imperial courtâs investigation?â he asked.
âSomeone is spreading the rumor and making trouble out of nothing on purpose. My comrades have all died. Who can defend me? I donât want to court death. Besides, the one who framed me might have something to do with party-related strife. The tragedy that year was not targeted at me, but at the fourth prince. Since I survived, Iâm their best scapegoat.â
Qian Qi looked at him with astonishment.
Xiao Baoshan continued, âWe beating back the enemies is supposed to be a goo deed, but why does the imperial court send you to kill the sixth prince? Isnât it obvious enough that someone is plotting against me and the six prince? The sixth prince has been merely an insignificant figure far in Baoning city, but things are different after he dispatched the troop. He may get involved in the political strife again. Qian Qi, I believe youâre a wise man, or you wouldnât delay the journey.â
Qian Qi fell into silence. What Xiao Baoshan had said was what he was worried about. He hated this man, but he wouldnât kill anyone without reason. Why did the imperial court want him to kill the sixth prince? When the south was overrun by enemy troops, the imperial court didnât offer help in time. It was the sixth prince and Xiao Baoshan who protected the country and the people. How could their good deeds be distorted into an act of betrayal? What would the southern people think about that?
He asked, âIf you donât mean to rebel against the imperial court, why are you growing your army?â
Xiao Baoshan said, âThe soldiers were recruited just to handle the emergency. Most of them are refugees. Now that the war is over, Iâll certainly let them go home. For one thing, Baoning city canât afford to feed so many mouths, and as well as this, itâs time for these people to reunite with their families. If youâre free, you can go to Qinghe county and Hexin county to see for yourself. Many people there have escaped or died, so the counties are now almost empty. If they donât go back to rebuild their homes, there will be two more empty ghost counties in our country.â
Qian Qi was still hesitant.
Xiao Baoshan urged, âIf you donât believe me, you can follow me back to our barracks. I can disband the army immediately!â
Suddenly, Qian Qi poured two cups of water and gulped them down.
âBut if I donât kill you and the sixth prince, how should I explain this?â he asked.
Xiao Baoshan replied, âYou can just report the facts to the imperial court. Tell them our forces have been dismissed and that the sixth prince and I have no intention to rebel. If the imperial court still wants you to kill us, thenâ¦â Suddenly, his gaze sharpened. âYou will know what kind of imperial court it has become.â
Qian Qi rose and turned his back to Xiao Baoshan in silence.
â¦
At this moment, Ye Xiaoxian had entered Daâan county. It was a small place, even more remote than Dinghe county. However, there were many inns and stalls selling various local specialties. It was just like a tourist spot in modern times with few local people. Visitors would crowd this small place during the peak season, while innkeepers had to wait at the doors idly during the off season. Most of the inhabitants here were businessmen from all over the country selling good such as tea and wool. Apart from them, some travel enthusiasts would also stay here temporarily.
âLongmen Innâ in the west was a legend in this county. It was said to be an auction site. Many people would go there to buy or sell priceless antiques or scrolls about martial arts. Besides, the innkeeper was an extremely coquettish and glamorous lady. Many men were dying to feast their eyes on this beauty.
None of Ye Xiaoxianâs group knew about this in advance. They went there just because it was big enough to accommodate all of them, and their dishes were relatively cheap and delicious. When they arrived there, they were surprised at its eye-catching signboard and the houseful of guests. Only then did Ye Xiaoxian realize that Longmen Inn didnât only exist in television series.
When they entered the inn, they didnât see the legendary coquettish lady. They were greeted by a waiter.
Busy in his job, the waiter wasnât friendly to them, and he hadnât bathed for quite some time. âYou want accommodation, right? A top-cla.s.sed room is⦠Oh yes, we donât provide woodsheds.â
He quoted them prices at once. Lots of refugees had arrived there recently, but some could not afford the accommodation prices. They just wanted to find shelters like woodsheds to protect them from the elements.