Volume Two: Bandits in These Parts Chapter 104: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, While the Oriole Sings

"If we were to dispatch a force to follow on the heels of those fellows..." Lin Changtian licked his lips. He could feel the fighting spirit gradually igniting within the grand tent.

The generals looked at him like a pack of wolves awaiting the command of their king.

However, someone soon stood up to pour cold water on the increasingly heated atmosphere.

"It is a pity that everyone here was so eager to charge into battle today that they let themselves be seen by everyone. Chu Ji is no fool. Even if we were to send a force, I am afraid none of the men present would be capable of leading it. Furthermore, would they really send Chu Ji, the bravest warrior under the heavens, just to act as a mere decoy?" Xu Yong stared at Lin Changtian with clear eyes, seemingly uninterested in this game of the mantis stalking the cicada.

The momentum of the fire was successfully dampened, and a group of rugged men looked at one another, none of them able to come up with a plan.

"No matter. Lin Zhao is standing behind me. The boy is short and has no reputation to speak of; if we send him, I doubt Chu Ji will grow suspicious." Lin Changtian winked at Xu Yong, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Lin Zhao?" Kuisheng suddenly widened his eyes, pointing at the youth and blurting out an argument that was as absurd as it was distorted: "This isn't just about picking up scraps; it’s a brutal, head-on collision! Sending a bunch of inferior horses against the enemy’s elite—aren't you just sending him to his death? Besides, how old is he? He hasn't been leading men for long; I doubt he has even managed to tame the rabble under his own command. If you don't believe me, let every general present speak up—who among us is willing to submit to this boy, Lin Zhao?"

The others remained silent, looking at Lin Changtian with expectant eyes; they had already given their answer.

Lin Changtian’s eyelids drooped, and he didn't even bother to turn his neck. He walked straight up to Kuisheng and tapped on his head as if striking a wooden fish, scolding him: "How long have you been commanding troops? Has it only been a few years since you awakened that you've forgotten your own weight? Listen well, all of you: whatever foolishness you engage in during your own time is none of my concern, but in this place of deliberation, do not display a face that cares only about seniority. What, in a life-or-death situation, do I need to see your credentials? You all say that you were born a few years too late, otherwise, how would it be the turn of a bunch of brutes and thieves to make a name for themselves in the Northern Territory? Since you dare to make such claims, then don't put on airs before your juniors!"

"That is not the same thing!" Kuisheng stiffened his neck, his face flushed red; he was clearly genuinely agitated.

Lin Changtian ignored Kuisheng. He looked at the stunned youth and asked only one question: "Can the villagers under your command become soldiers who kill?"

Lin Zhao gritted his teeth and straightened his back. Ignoring the countless hostile and kind gazes converging upon him in the tent, he struck his chest and said, "A lone army is hard-pressed to succeed, but as bandits raiding a city, we are more than sufficient!"

"Since that is so, my heart is not a stone; it cannot be turned."

Lin Changtian turned around, dropped these resolute words on the crowd, and dragged Lin Zhao out, leaving the "self-important" fierce men to mutter among themselves.

The one who had first doused the spirits with cold water was now laughing incessantly, as if he had just witnessed a brilliant piece of trickery.

...

Time passed, and both sides became immersed in a unique, silent understanding... one that was peculiar to the battlefield.

When someone came to challenge from outside the pass, a general would descend from the ramparts to meet them. It was not Chen Ziliang at the Weinan Mountain Pass, and it was not Chu Ji seeking trouble in Anma City.

It was as if they were all stalling for something, and no unfortunate soul was seen falling from their horse during these duels.

"Since the back-and-forth is quite entertaining, let's just treat it as watching a play."

Chu Ji examined the men with interest. He casually fobbed off his deputy, not taking the small calculations in the other's heart to heart.

"Big Brother, are you still not awake yet?" the deputy teased, looking at the half-squinting Chu Ji. Having served with this man for a long time, he knew the temperament of the Northern Territory's premier fierce general better than anyone.

Hmm, from afar, he looked like a docile donkey; up close, one might think he was a sheep, but only when you reached him did you realize he was actually a Shiba Inu squinting in the sun.

Heh, look—the Shiba Inu was smiling quite happily.

Chu Ji looked at the deputy, who was suppressing his laughter, and said grumpily, "Qi Liao, what bad things are you making up about me again?"

"Not at all. This subordinate was just thinking of something happy," the deputy called Qi Liao said with a straight face, pointing at his colleagues who were watching the show. "I heard that Qiu Shaoan’s wet nurse is about to give birth to her thirteenth child, so I found it funny."

"Oh? Shaoan’s wet nurse... is she that fertile?" Chu Ji covered his mouth, trying his best to make his exclamation sound polite.

Qiu Shaoan’s face darkened; he seemed to already know what kind of filth was about to spill from his comrade’s mouth.

"That is a secret the General doesn't know. Shaoan’s wet nurse is no ordinary character. There is a huge pig at the west city gate. One morning, the weather was quite nice, and perhaps Shaoan’s mother was careless and left him there. When his family finally found him after a full day and night, they discovered this fellow had actually survived by drinking the milk of that beast! Although this is merely a rumor in the army, one can see the origins of it. No wonder the way our General Qiu eats..."

Chu Ji could no longer hold it in. He patted Qiu Shaoan on the shoulder and laughed, "No wonder you have such a sturdy frame! Tsk, tsk, Shaoan, you had a head start on everyone else from the very beginning of your childhood!"

Qiu Shaoan remained silent, his face flushed red. He pushed away Chu Ji’s hand from his shoulder and said aggrievedly, "General, please do not mock me. Are you going to believe this fool's words too? We should talk about serious matters. Are you truly not worried that someone with sharp eyes on Sishan might see through our plan?"

"What does that have to do with us?" Before Chu Ji could speak, Qi Liao rolled his eyes at Qiu Shaoan and said testily, "You mark my words: that was a decision made by Du Zhaolin alone. Don't go pinning the blame on the General!"

"Silence! There are spies in the army." A cold light flashed in Chu Ji’s eyes as he cut off Qi Liao’s words. In an instant, however, he returned to his languid state. He spoke in a calm tone, as if discussing something unrelated to himself: "The relationship between Anma City and the vanguard can be said to be one of shared honor and disgrace. The Commander originally forbade me from leaving the city; it is only by the grace of Master Du that I can continue to gallop on the battlefield and experience the joy of this iron-clad life. Even if Master Du has miscalculated, we... must not say too much."

Chu Ji spoke quickly, but he paused only at the final sentence. There was an unspoken weight in it, as if out of all the long-winded remarks, this was the only one he truly wanted to say.

The deputies around him stopped smiling. Qi Liao pursed his lips, but couldn't help asking, "Then, General, if... if Master Du’s plan is truly seen through, what should we do? Must our army continue to play the fool here?"

"A clown can make everyone laugh, but nothing more."

Chu Ji said vaguely, looking toward the direction of Anma City with profound meaning.

Qiu Shaoan curled his lip, his face full of resentment, though not directed at Chu Ji.

"The General has been too wronged. In the Battle of Luoyou Mountain, you turned the entire situation around, yet you were only given a nominal title for your primary contribution. Furthermore, in the battle at the Beidang River, you crushed the momentum of Cheng Yulian, who had broken through seventy-four cities! After it was over, you even took the blame for Commander Ma Hui’s slaughter of the surrendered troops. The way he treats you is truly chilling!"

Qi Liao nodded vigorously at his side, rubbing Qiu Shaoan’s backside as he added, "That is well said. Seeing you today, it is fortunate that your head didn't follow the wet nurse's..."

"I know nothing good comes out of your dog mouth, but praise is praise—why are you rubbing my backside?"

Qiu Shaoan bared his teeth and, catching Qi Liao off guard, tripped him and bore down upon him with all his might.

In truth, from the perspective of their "pedigree"... Qi Liao was not wrong at all.

The two continued to play, making Chu Ji’s head spin. He was not in a hurry, instead rambling to himself about old times.

The reason he didn't use new names was probably because he was tired of hearing them himself.

"Commander, who in the Northern Territory dares to betray you? I was picked up by you from a wolf's den, but even if I was trained like a dog, I still long to be a proper human being for once."

Chu Ji muttered to himself, his back straight only when he spoke these old words today.

"Boss Chu, the one who just came down to the formation looks like a formidable character!"

Qiu Shaoan stood up, letting go of the half-dead Qi Liao, and pointed to a general in front of the formation, interrupting Chu Ji’s deep thoughts. Chu Ji looked in the direction his hand pointed, first in astonishment, then with a hint of playfulness on his face.

That general was acting composed, or rather... he thought himself a master.

"Tsk, tsk, do you know who that is?" Chu Ji grew interested and patted Qiu Shaoan on the head.

Qiu Shaoan squinted for a long time before daring to respond: "Perhaps... a formidable character from the enemy camp. He looks distinguished, but there is a hint of a novice about him. He should be a beginner who is fighting in a formation for the first time."

"He cannot be described as merely a formidable character; that is a bona fide titan of Sishan!" Chu Ji pressed his hand on his blade, seemingly wanting to personally test this fellow with the notorious "bad reputation."

The general did not use a spear; he leaned on a broken blade. The blade was not long enough, and it looked as if he were groping for solid ground in the air.

"This fool... he doesn't look like much." Qiu Shaoan swallowed hard. After imagining countless forms of a powerhouse, he decisively drew a line between the person before him and the "hidden master" in the eyes of the public.

If he is someone who can fight, then my wet nurse really is that black wild boar from the west of the city!

Chu Ji seemed to see through Qiu Shaoan’s thoughts. He said nothing, just smiled and spurred his horse out of the front line.

"I recognize you." Chu Ji said this before he had even reined in his horse. "The Lord of Sishan, Lin Changtian, is it not?"

The formidable character who had been looking around finally refocused. He smiled somewhat bashfully: "Be low-key; I don't want to make a scene."

"The Commander-in-Chief enters the formation himself—is this confidence? Or recklessness?" Chu Ji shook his head and pulled out some literary phrases, as if intending to engage in a verbal battle of wits with Lin Changtian.

Lin Changtian stopped playing the master. He threw the broken blade on the ground and crooked a finger at Chu Ji: "I came to talk to you about serious matters today. If you trust me, please lean in closer to talk."

Chu Ji glanced at the broken blade on the ground, squinted slightly, and casually dropped his long spear as well. He rode forward a few steps and truly leaned in closer.

"Are you here to steal my soul? If so, you should have sent a woman; I have no taste for men." Chu Ji whispered into Lin Changtian’s ear, teasing him.

Lin Changtian maintained that grinning expression. He was not annoyed and said very seriously: "Aren't you the one responsible for stalling us at Weinan Mountain? Your tricks have long since been seen through, but I feel sorry for you. I don't know if I'm guessing correctly, but you... your merits are so high they overshadow your master, leading Ma Hui to grow suspicious of you? Heh, looking at your complexion, could it be that you were also schemed against by villains and exiled to such a dull and bitter task?"

The smile on Chu Ji’s face froze. Even he could not guess what kind of game this fellow was playing.

"What... exactly do you want to say?" Chu Ji asked, biting the bullet. He felt a secret sense of misery, realizing that the rhythm of the conversation was no longer in his control.

Suddenly, Lin Changtian raised his body and shouted loudly: "Since the General knows that there is a master on my Sishan who has seen through your strategy of secretly crossing the Mangyang Mountain to conduct a surprise raid on the three western towns, why don't you lead your army to reinforce them!"

As soon as he finished speaking, this Sishan Lord, who had been pretending to be a fool, hurriedly covered his mouth, stifling the rest of his clumsy performance, and turned his horse back toward the pass...

Chu Ji squinted, his face looking very ugly. He seemed to understand the viciousness of this fellow’s intentions.

The spies in the army would surely pass the news to Master Du soon. That man would naturally not believe such a simple incitement, but in his heart, Chu Ji still felt it would be better if he were to act foolishly for once.

At the very least, he might replace the generals before the battle, otherwise, he would have to be dragged down when Du Zhaolin was being clever in matters of war, would he not?