Chapter 199 - Venturing Alone into the Enemy Camp

Chapter 199: Venturing Alone into the Enemy Camp

Xiao Baoshan nodded. “Yes, I have no other choice.”

“But even if the two armies meet, we won’t necessarily lose. You don’t need to meet with him alone. He’s so hostile to you. I’m worried…”

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.

“Biao.” Xiao Baoshan watched him and spoke earnestly. “I don’t want to see anyone else die. With any luck, I can save many lives. If I don’t 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.”

Biao stared at this tough man with furrowed brows.

Baoshan then raised his horsewhip and soon disappeared off into the slanting rain.

…

Qian Qi’s 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, “I’m Xiao Baoshan. Tell your general that I want to meet with him.”

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 wasn’t any trace of fear in Xiao Baoshan’s eyes. In contrast, strong fury and other complicated emotions were written across Qian Qi face.

“How dare you come here!” Qian Qi shouted as he drew his rapier.

Xiao Baoshan replied, “I don’t want to fight with you. I was hoping we could have a good talk. After that, you can kill me if you want.”

“Humph! 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 you’re innocent? I know you’re enlarging your army to prepare for a second betrayal.”

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 couldn’t help backing away slightly.

“Xiao Baoshan, what are you laughing about?” Qian Qi asked.

Xiao Baoshan stretched out his hands and turned to Qian Qi’s deputy general. “You can tie my hands. Now that I’m here, I’m at your disposal and won’t rebel against you.”

Astonished by his boldness, the deputy general obeyed and shackled him immediately.

Xiao Baoshan said, “Can you talk with me now?”

After a second of hesitation, Qian Qi pointed at his camp and let Xiao Baoshan in. The deputy general was still worried. He said, “General, I can go in with you.”

But Qian Qi waved his hands in disapproval. “No. Wait for me outside. Now that he’s been shackled, I should meet him alone. I don’t want to be laughed at by others.”

…

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.

“Thank you,” he said.

Qian Qi asked, “What do you want to talk with me about? You want to stop me from attacking Baoning city? You should know I can’t disobey the orders of the imperial court.”

But Xiao Baoshan laughed and responded by asking, “So that’s why you’re delaying the journey? You don’t want to attack Baoning city.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Qian Qi protested.

Xiao Baoshan gazed at him and said, “I know you hate my guts. You think I’m a traitor and caused your brother’s death. But I didn’t betray anyone. I’m just a survivor.”

Qian Qi was not convinced. “Humph! Then why did everyone else die and only you survived? Are you a superman blessed by God? Besides, why didn’t you go back to the capital and report that? Why did you go home secretly instead? What are you afraid of?”

Xiao Baoshan replied, “I’m 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 identity to save my love.”

Qian Qi said in disbelief, “But everyone in the capital says you colluded with the government of Beiqing. Otherwise, the enemy wouldn’t have known about our military secrets.”

“I know nothing about this. But I can swear on the lives of my entire family that I’ve never betrayed our country!” He was more than serious and sincere in saying this.

Qian Qi’s deeply furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

“Then why don’t you go to the capital and accept the imperial court’s investigation?” he asked.

“Someone is spreading the rumor and making trouble out of nothing on purpose. My comrades have all died. Who can defend me? I don’t 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, I’m their best scapegoat.”

Qian Qi looked at him with astonishment.

Xiao Baoshan continued, “We beating back the enemies is supposed to be a goo deed, but why does the imperial court send you to kill the sixth prince? Isn’t 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 you’re a wise man, or you wouldn’t delay the journey.”

Qian Qi fell into silence. What Xiao Baoshan had said was what he was worried about. He hated this man, but he wouldn’t 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 didn’t 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, “If you don’t mean to rebel against the imperial court, why are you growing your army?”

Xiao Baoshan said, “The soldiers were recruited just to handle the emergency. Most of them are refugees. Now that the war is over, I’ll certainly let them go home. For one thing, Baoning city can’t afford to feed so many mouths, and as well as this, it’s time for these people to reunite with their families. If you’re 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 don’t go back to rebuild their homes, there will be two more empty ghost counties in our country.”

Qian Qi was still hesitant.

Xiao Baoshan urged, “If you don’t believe me, you can follow me back to our barracks. I can disband the army immediately!”

Suddenly, Qian Qi poured two cups of water and gulped them down.

“But if I don’t kill you and the sixth prince, how should I explain this?” he asked.

Xiao Baoshan replied, “You 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, then…” Suddenly, his gaze sharpened. “You will know what kind of imperial court it has become.”

Qian Qi rose and turned his back to Xiao Baoshan in silence.

…

At this moment, Ye Xiaoxian had entered Da’an 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.

“Longmen Inn” 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 Xiaoxian’s 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 didn’t only exist in television series.

When they entered the inn, they didn’t see the legendary coquettish lady. They were greeted by a waiter.

Busy in his job, the waiter wasn’t friendly to them, and he hadn’t bathed for quite some time. “You want accommodation, right? A top-classed room is… Oh yes, we don’t provide woodsheds.”

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.