Chapter 14

When Lin Yifu received the order from Zuo Lixing, he knew the situation was urgent. He only took a few guards and galloped straight to Qin Feng's camp. As soon as he arrived at the gate, he was stunned by the scene before him.

Under the tall flagpole, a person was tied up, with their legs bound tightly around the pole. Their hands were raised high above their head in a pose resembling a child praying to Guanyin, and a flagpole was tied to their back. The flag of the Death Battalion was now flying high above this person's head.

"Is the person tied up there Young Master Yang?" Lin Yifu's voice trembled as he turned to ask one of the soldiers behind him.

The soldier squinted and examined for a while before shaking his head. "General, the person up there has been beaten to a pulp, it's impossible to recognize him. But it's definitely not Captain Zhang; Captain Zhang is much more muscular than this person."

Lin Yifu looked up again and confirmed from the clothing that this person must be Yang Zhi. This morning, when he entered General Zuo's tent, he was wearing this outfit. Although it was now covered in blood, the general shape was still recognizable. The key was the jade pendant hanging from his waist, which was swaying in the wind. No one in the camp wore a jade pendant on their waist.

He dismounted and strode into the camp.

"Call Qin Feng to see me." He roared angrily.

The one who greeted him was not Qin Feng, but a bald monk. "Greetings, General Lin." The monk bowed.

"Monk, where is Qin Feng? Tell him to come out."

The monk blinked a few times and said, "General, our leader Qin fainted and hasn't woken up yet!"

"What? Fainted? How did he faint? Was he beaten unconscious by that person?" Lin Yifu pointed to the person tied to the flagpole.

The monk grinned, looking very innocent and likable. "How could that be? How could this pretty boy beat our leader Qin? That's why he's up there, isn't it?"

"Then why did he faint? Did he faint from anger?" Lin Yifu was furious.

The monk looked shocked. "General, you are truly perceptive. Our leader Qin fainted because the camp flag was cut down by this pretty boy. After he beat this pretty boy, he fainted from anger and hasn't woken up yet!"

"What? This guy cut your camp flag?" Lin Yifu was surprised.

"Exactly!" The monk looked angry. "General, do you think he deserves to die?"

"Deserves to die!" Lin Yifu blurted out, but immediately realized his mistake. The monk's eyes turned dangerous. This damned monk, looking so innocent, was actually trying to trap him. There was no good person in the Death Battalion.

"Untie him first." He pointed to Yang Zhi on the flagpole.

The monk shook his head vigorously. "General, I dare not. I'm afraid Leader Qin will beat me and tie me up there too."

"An order from me, and he dares to do anything to you?" Lin Yifu shouted.

"Of course, Leader Qin wouldn't dare to do anything to me while you're here. But you won't always be in the Death Battalion. Once you leave, Leader Qin will deal with me, and I'll be the one tied up there." The monk looked distressed. "Why don't you transfer me to be your personal guard, then I'll dare to do it."

Lin Yifu glared at the monk. Transferring him to be his personal guard was a joke. Who didn't know what kind of person this monk was? If he really went, it wouldn't take three days for him to corrupt all his personal guards. Looking at Yang Zhi on the flagpole and the hundred or so angry, iron-knife-wielding men surrounding it, he couldn't do it himself. Besides, if he forced the issue, he would lose face. The monk was being uncooperative, and these soldiers would likely ignore him.

"Where did Qin Feng faint? Take me to see him."

"I don't know!"

"What did you say?" Lin Yifu's veins bulged, and a dangerous aura spread around him. The monk immediately took a step back. If Lin Yifu really attacked, he was no match.

"General, I really don't know. After Leader Qin fainted, Scissors dragged him to the back. Leader Qin told me to watch this guy and cut off anyone who tried to untie him. I've been standing here ever since." The monk said.

Seeing the monk's serious but obviously false words, Lin Yifu was so angry he almost fainted. He reached out and grabbed the monk. Despite the monk's full attention, he was still caught and thrown to the ground. "Where is Qin Feng?"

The monk, as soon as he hit the ground, didn't get up. He kicked off with his feet and shot into the formation of a hundred soldiers, disappearing instantly.

"General, I really don't know!" The monk's voice came from the formation.

Lin Yifu felt dizzy, looking at the unfriendly gazes of the soldiers. He didn't know what to do. If he had known, he should have brought a whole battalion. Now, Qin Feng wouldn't dare to hide from him.

Unless he fought and beat a hundred soldiers to untie Yang Zhi, which would mean going against the entire Death Battalion. Lin Yifu knew he was just a deputy general, a deputy to General Zuo, with no real command. Offending a powerful captain like Qin Feng was not a wise move. Moreover, Qin Feng was someone he needed to win over. After this battle, General Zuo would surely be promoted, and he might have a chance to command the western border army. Most of the achievements of the western border army in recent years were due to Qin Feng. If he offended him, it would be difficult in the future. But Qin Feng hiding from him put him in a difficult position. He was furious but had no choice.

The situation was at an impasse. Looking at the dense tents, Lin Yifu had no way to search room by room, which would be too humiliating.

After a moment's thought, he decided to leave. He turned, mounted his horse, and rode away. After all, General Zuo had sent him to ensure Young Master Yang's safety. Since he was still alive, he had completed his mission.

While the monk was lying to Lin Yifu, Qin Feng was drinking with Zhang Xiaomao. Zhang Xiaomao was in a sorry state, with bandages on his head, bloodstains, and two cotton balls in his nose. His eyes were black and blue, and one arm was in a sling. His clothes were half-torn. Scissors, sitting on the other side, also had bruises on his face, a crooked mouth, and a twisted eye, but compared to Zhang Xiaomao, it was nothing.

Qin Feng sat opposite Shuchang, who was drinking and sighing. Wild Dog, lying in the corner of the tent, kept shouting for more wine, and a soldier would pour it into his mouth.

"Xiaomao, you've really lost out this time. With your injuries, you won't be able to fight in this battle. You'll need at least a month to recover."

"There's no choice. Glory can always be pursued, but if you lose your head, it can't be replaced." Zhang Xiaomao smiled. "Leader Qin, General Lin is a deputy general. Once General Zuo is promoted, General Lin will likely take his place. You should be careful; he might make things difficult for you."

"I'm already wearing small shoes." Qin Feng said nonchalantly. "Old Lin is a smart man. Even if he takes over, he won't do anything to me. He knows my predicament. That bastard cut our flag. If I didn't deal with him harshly, how would the soldiers in the camp see me? How would I establish my authority? He'll just make a fuss and then leave. Such a troublesome matter will naturally be left for General Zuo to handle. Hahaha!"

"If General Zuo comes, will you untie him?"

"If General Zuo comes, he'll have his face, and I'll untie him!" Qin Feng put down his wine cup and suddenly said fiercely, "Damn, in this world, if it were anyone else, I'd have cut him down. People are really different."

"This person can't be cut down." Zhang Xiaomao said. "His father is the Left Chancellor. The Crown Prince and the Second Prince are fighting like roosters, and the Left Chancellor is silent. Both sides are trying to win his support. Our western border army has always supported the Second Prince. This time, you beating Young Master Yang will make things difficult. Leader Qin, if this angers Chancellor Yang and he supports the Crown Prince, the Second Prince will blame you."

"I'm not afraid. At worst, I'll just leave. I have no ties, and one person's full stomach means the whole family is not hungry."

"Right, what to fear? Leader Qin, when the time comes, I'll follow you. We can join the Western Qin. With your reputation, you'll surely become a general."

With a slap, a chicken leg flew into Wild Dog's mouth. Zhang Xiaomao glared. "Wild Dog, if you ever dare to join the Western Qin, I'll cut you into pieces and eat you."

"Am I afraid of you?" Wild Dog was furious, instinctively trying to jump up, but the pain made him lie back down, able only to glare.

"If I really join the Western Qin, they'll probably cut me into pieces and eat me. I've killed too many of their people!" Qin Feng laughed. "But the world is vast; where can't I go? Come, Xiaomao, drink, drink. You haven't been back to the Death Battalion for two years."

"White-eyed wolf!" Scissors cursed from the side.

"Not that I didn't want to come back, but I was afraid of being beaten!" Xiaomao looked at Scissors, a bit depressed.