Chapter 91

Zhao Mo summoned another soldier, who was Xu Jing'an's personal attendant, usually following Xu Jing'an to handle affairs.

"Where has General Xu been these past few days?"

"Reporting to the general, General Xu has been going to the Dragon Tiger Gate these past few days."

"Hmm." A sense of unease rose in Zhao Mo's heart: "With Qingzhou City in such a precarious situation, he still has the heart to go to the Dragon Tiger Gate?"

Zhao Mo dismissed the soldier, but now he felt restless, unable to sit or stand still.

"Someone, get me changed. I need to go out."

Zhao Mo quickly changed into casual clothes and left the city guard camp, riding fast toward the Dragon Tiger Gate.

However, when he arrived at the Dragon Tiger Gate, a disciple there told Zhao Mo that Xu Jing'an had indeed come, but had left again.

Zhao Mo thought for a moment and asked a few more questions, only to learn that Xu Jing'an had left with Fang Ziyuan.

Zhao Mo, already feeling irritable, felt as if a pot of hot oil had been poured over him.

Upon learning that Xu Jing'an had taken Fang Ziyuan to a medical clinic in the city for a follow-up examination, and seeing the disciple sighing deeply, Zhao Mo became even more anxious.

From the disciple, he heard that Fang Ziyuan had suffered a serious fall.

Zhao Mo, without a moment's delay, rushed to the medical clinic. When Ouyang Lianyi saw Zhao Mo arrive, she looked at him with a strange expression and said indifferently that the two had already left.

When Zhao Mo ran back to the Dragon Tiger Gate, the same disciple told him that the two had not returned yet.

Zhao Mo was burning with anger, but he had no one to vent it on, so he returned to the camp in frustration.

Just then, he saw Xu Jing'an with a bright smile, while Zhao Mo's face was dark.

"Where have you been? Out for so long? Don't you know that the military situation is urgent and cannot afford any slack?"

"Reporting to the general, didn't you ask me to reply to Miss Fang? I have followed your orders and informed Miss Fang of your intentions."

Zhao Mo's heart tightened: "What did you say to her?"

"I told Miss Fang straightforwardly that the general has no interest in her and that she should not have any illusions."

Zhao Mo's face turned black: "When did I tell you to say that?"

"But that was your intention, wasn't it? I was afraid that Miss Fang would waste her life. As Brother Bai said, flowers can bloom again, but people cannot be young forever. Miss Fang is in her prime, and it's a pity that no one appreciates her. So, I thought it was best to tell her the general's true intentions, which would be good for both the general and Miss Fang."

"Then... what was her reaction?"

"She cried, very sadly." Xu Jing'an said calmly, with a gleam in his eyes.

Zhao Mo fell silent, feeling a mix of sorrow and frustration.

"General, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Where are you going?"

Zhao Mo asked without any reason, and Xu Jing'an replied seriously: "Right, I promised Miss Fang that I would go with her to release a Kongming lantern."

"What's a Kongming lantern?"

"Brother Bai taught me. It's a paper lantern with a candle inside, and it will fly up into the sky. Brother Bai's master used this method to court his wife."

Zhao Mo felt as if he had swallowed a dead rat, and Xu Jing'an looked as if he was enjoying it.

"General, since you don't like Miss Fang, you shouldn't mind if I pursue her, right?"

Xu Jing'an's question was as despicable as it could be.

I mind, I fucking mind!

Zhao Mo raged in his heart, but he could never say it out loud.

No wonder he had been praising Fang Ziyuan recently; he must have had his eye on her for a while.

Now that Zhao Mo had said those words, Xu Jing'an had an opportunity.

Zhao Mo's jealousy burned, but he couldn't bring himself to show it.

"Brother Bai is fighting for us at the front. It's best not to indulge in romantic affairs now, as it might affect our mission."

"General, you're right. I also told Miss Fang that. Since you've pointed it out, I'll go and refuse her."

Zhao Mo felt uncomfortable and dismissed Xu Jing'an, then became restless again.

Outside the tent, he overheard two soldiers chatting nearby.

"Miss Fang is a good girl."

"Unfortunately, our General Zhao doesn't like her."

"Actually, I think she and General Zhao are not a good match. General Zhao has never liked people from the martial world, and Miss Fang is a Tang Sect disciple. They are destined not to be together."

"But I think General Xu is interested."

"Yes, I also think General Xu is a good match. He's young and has many military achievements, and he would be a good match for Miss Fang."

"Indeed, and General Xu is smart. He knows how to seek advice from Brother Bai. Brother Bai said that a woman is most likely to be moved when she is hurt. If there's a gentle and considerate man at that time, it's almost certain to succeed."

"Brother Bai calls this 'taking advantage of a weakness.'"

"Yes, Brother Bai said that if it's just a physical injury, it's not the main issue. Only when the mind and body are hurt is it the key. That's the best opportunity."

"I know, I know. This is like a strategy book written by Brother Bai's master, called 'Thirty-Six Stratagems of Love.' One of the strategies is called 'waiting for the right moment, attacking when the enemy is unprepared, striking at their weakness, and using your strengths to defend and attack.'"

"What a ridiculous theory. That bastard Bai Chen, why didn't he just leave? This 'Thirty-Six Stratagems of Love' is just a waste of time."

Zhao Mo cursed in his heart and returned to his tent.

Unbeknownst to Zhao Mo, after he left, the two soldiers were followed by Xu Jing'an.

"General Zhao has left?"

"He's gone."

"Ha ha... waiting for the right moment, this is the true 'waiting for the right moment.'"

The two soldiers looked excited. They had never played such an interesting game.

It must be said that the task Bai Chen had given them had them all very excited.

They were having so much fun, especially when they saw Zhao Mo step into the 'trap' they had set, feeling both excited and satisfied.

"General Xu, what's the next step?"

"Exhausting the enemy's strength, weakening their morale, and disrupting their minds. Unity from top to bottom, using weakness to defeat the enemy."

"How do we do that?"

"Brother Bai said your part is over. You can go now."

"No, no, this is too much fun. How can it end here? General Xu, please, give us more to do. I remember there are a few more important 'roles' in this whole play. Please, we promise not to mess up."

Zhao Mo, of course, had no idea how his own soldiers were plotting against him.

He was just thinking about what the two soldiers had said: 'waiting for the right moment...'

'Waiting for the right moment, attacking when the enemy is unprepared, striking at their weakness, and using your strengths to defend and attack, winning by subduing the enemy.'

"Right! If applied to the current situation in Qingzhou City, it might work."

Zhao Mo stood up suddenly, his face a mix of surprise and shock: "I've heard many legends about Brother Bai's master. He is highly skilled in martial arts, literature, and alchemy. Now, it seems his strategic thinking is also divine. If Brother Bai hadn't hidden his master's whereabouts, I would really like to meet this remarkable person."

If Bai Chen knew that the elaborate plan he had set up for Fang Ziyuan was being used by Zhao Mo in the war, he would be quite surprised.

...

Speaking of Bai Chen and Mu Wan'er, they had already entered Cangzhou. Cangzhou was larger than Qingzhou City and, due to its strategic location, was a key city in the Shu region, with more troops stationed there.

The Divine Strategy Army, except for a small force, was roaming outside Cangzhou City, disguised as bandits, harassing the local towns and villages, but they did not dare to invade Cangzhou.

Since entering Cangzhou, Mu Wan'er had become much more relaxed, and her mood was no longer as bad as before.

"Now that we are in Cangzhou City, with its many routes to Liangzhou, the Divine Strategy Army can no longer stop us. We only need to deal with people from the martial world. Moreover, there is a Tang Sect branch in Cangzhou City. I have already sent the message, and I believe the Tang Sect will receive it soon. Our plan is halfway complete."

Bai Chen leaned back at the table, his legs crossed in a very unrefined manner, looking like a typical thug.

"From now on, it's none of your business, Miss Mu. We'll part ways here."

Mu Wan'er was immediately upset when she heard Bai Chen's words: "What do you mean, Bai Chen?"

"What do I mean? Nothing much. Although we've traveled together, your goal was to deliver the message to the Tang Sect, and mine was to deliver the message to the Liangzhou Divine Strategy Army. We were never on the same path. From now on, it's my fight alone."

"Bai Chen, don't do anything reckless." Mu Wan'er knew that Bai Chen was still bitter about Aguduo's death.

Originally, she could barely restrain Bai Chen while she was with him.

Now, he was clearly trying to get rid of her, and his intentions were obvious.

However, Bai Chen ignored Mu Wan'er's warning: "How could I? I value my life."

"Sure, you do."

Two days ago, on the day Aguduo died, Bai Chen found a Divine Strategy Army camp and went on a killing spree without any regard for his own safety.

Mu Wan'er knew Bai Chen was angry and did not stop him, thinking it would help him vent.

Who knew that the same night, Bai Chen found a group of dozens of martial artists, investigated them, and then went on another killing spree.

If the Divine Strategy Army had not been so secretive, Bai Chen would have caused chaos long ago.

"Alright, I'll be honest. I think you're too weak and a burden to me."

Only Bai Chen would dare say such things to Mu Wan'er, who was so angry she was fuming.

"Bai Chen, don't act tough in front of me. Your life is still in my hands. I can't defeat you now, but my sect can kill you as easily as an ant."

"Fine, follow me. I don't believe you can follow me to the ends of the earth."

"Fine, I'll follow you. Through fire and water, I'll follow you."

"Why are you being so ambiguous? Others might think we're eloping."

"If you dare to leave me, I'll go back to Qingzhou City and tell Qin Kelan that you molested me on the way and secretly married a Miao girl."

"Alright, after this, we'll go to the Tang Sect together, and I'll ask your master for your hand in marriage."

"If you want to propose, it should be your master proposing to my master. Do you understand the concept of 'parents' consent and matchmaker's words'? I'll wait for your master at the Tang Sect."

The two stubborn people started arguing again.

After spending time with Bai Chen, Mu Wan'er's tongue had become sharper.

And when a woman loses her dignity, she can be quite terrifying.

After several rounds of arguments, Bai Chen didn't gain any advantage.

Bai Chen, angry and embarrassed, slammed his wine cup on the ground, ignoring the shocked looks in the tavern, and walked out.

"Where are you going?"

"***, I'm going to a brothel. Do you dare to come?"

Bai Chen saw Mu Wan'er's face turn red and green and laughed.

Finally, I've found your weakness, little girl. Let's see if you don't submit.

"I'll go! Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Mu Wan'er gritted her teeth, determined.

She should have known Bai Chen was despicable and shouldn't have made such a bold statement. Now, she was in a difficult position and had to follow him.

"Embroidery House, this one has style. Let's go here." Bai Chen looked up at the brothel.

The Embroidery House was a three-story building, with pink flowers planted in front. The door frame had a beautiful red flower carving, and the sound of pleasant music could be heard inside, inviting people to stop.

What was strange was that there were no women soliciting customers or servants pulling in customers at the door.

Bai Chen was about to enter when Mu Wan'er stopped him, looking at him in shock: "You're going to this one?"

Seeing Mu Wan'er's shocked and angry expression, Bai Chen felt a sense of satisfaction: "What? Afraid?"

Ha ha—

Without looking at Mu Wan'er's trembling face, Bai Chen laughed and entered the Embroidery House.

Inside, there were not many customers in the hall. Bai Chen thought it was probably because it was daytime.

Women in pink clothes were moving between the floors, but their attire was similar, all with elaborate hairstyles, and there was a sense of elegance and refinement.

This was actually Bai Chen's first time at a brothel, but he had seen many in movies and TV shows, so he immediately found a large table and sat down.

"***, get me two girls. They should be pretty and keep me company. I have plenty of money."