Chapter 82
Chapter 82
Pei Xianjing’s arms gradually tightened without his realizing it.
Only when the breathing of the woman in his embrace grew ragged did he realize with a start that he was crushing her.
He slowly straightened. A strand of white hair at his temple fell across Xing Shuwei’s porcelain-pale cheek.
He lowered his head and kissed her lips.
He was truly torn.
He should have been happy-she was alive! It was something he had not dared dream of even in his sleep.
But the moment he thought of how heartlessly she had left him, how she had deceived him like a fool, hatred consumed him.
He wanted to crush Xing Shuwei to pieces and embed her within his own body…
As his thoughts circled over and over, the carriage stopped before a residence near the western city gate.
Pei Xianjing carried Xing Shuwei down in his arms. The subordinate disguised as the herb merchant trotted ahead and opened the gate.
As Pei Xianjing entered the residence, he ordered, “Send the medicinal herbs to the Qizhou army camp in her name.”
“Yes. This subordinate will see to it at once,” the man replied.
Pei Xianjing had purchased this three-courtyard residence on an earlier visit to Qizhou to investigate a case.
He carried Xing Shuwei all the way to the bedchamber in the rearmost courtyard.
Lying beside her on the bed, with his arm serving as her pillow, he stroked her face.
Then he suddenly recalled what he had seen in Xujiakou Alley.
He wondered: If he were injured, would she wash and bind his wounds with the same care and patience?
“Eldest Young Master.” Chengde’s voice came from outside the door.
Pei Xianjing rose, drew the bed curtains closed, and went to the doorway. “Have those spies made their move?”
Chengde answered gravely, “More than a thousand people from the five surrounding counties suddenly announced that they intend to settle in Qizhou.
“Fortunately, our men had already compiled the spies’ household registrations and portraits.
“Even if they mix among the common people, we will still recognize them.”
Pei Xianjing strode toward the side chamber.
He changed into black military attire and instructed Chengde, “Tonight at four in the morning, the spies’ secret letter will reach Yelü Bao as scheduled.
“Take the Panzhou troops and find Zhang Mingan at the army camp.
“At first light tomorrow, Yelü Bao will certainly attack with everything he has.
“Have Zhang Mingan meet him head-on first and lure Yelü Bao to the front line in person. Then lead your troops out of the city to reinforce him.”
“I will take my personal guards and cut off Yelü Bao’s retreat. In this battle, I want Yelü Bao taken alive.”
Chengde cupped his hands. “This subordinate obeys.”
After answering, however, he could not help worrying. “Eldest Young Master, you brought only a hundred personal guards on this journey.
“Ten must remain behind to protect Miss Xing in secret, while there are fully twenty-three hundred spies. This subordinate cannot feel at ease about your safety.”
After fighting the spies, the Eldest Young Master still planned to circle behind the enemy army and intercept them.
Even if all ninety personal guards emerged unscathed from eliminating the spies, could they truly succeed in circling to the rear and stopping Yelü Bao’s main forces as they withdrew?
Chengde did not dare imagine it.
Could the Eldest Young Master be putting himself in such danger just so Miss Xing would care about him?
Pei Xianjing said, “Killing even one spy would alert the rest.
“If I bring too many men, they will certainly become wary.
“Only if they believe they can surround and destroy me will I have the chance to kill them all in one stroke.”
With that, he buckled on two swords and went outside the city to join the personal guards disguised as ordinary civilians.
Pei Xianjing’s personal guards were trained to the standards of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Even on foot, they were much faster than ordinary soldiers.
Huaishu County lay forty li beyond Qizhou’s western gate.
There he encountered the enemy spies.
The lanterns that had long since been hung upon an ancient locust tree were lit.
The eastern and western gates of the county town were shut.
Steel hissed from scabbards. Before the spies could even understand what had happened, several of their companions had already fallen.
“M-murder!” At the sight of blood, the civilians mixed among the spies fled in every direction.
Pei Xianjing had issued orders to Huaishu County’s magistrate well in advance.
The moment unrest began that night, they were to do everything in their power to protect any fleeing civilians they encountered.
Yamen runners had already lain in wait nearby.
As soon as the civilians began to flee, the runners rushed out and led them away in an orderly fashion.
Seeing that Pei Xianjing had brought so few men, the spies recovered from their panic.
Their leader drew a curved saber from within his robes and leveled the bone-white blade at Pei Xianjing. “A handful of vermin like you think you can ruin my great enterprise?
“If you have any sense, kill yourselves. Otherwise, I will hack you into mincemeat.”
“Yelü Han, I came today to take your head,” Pei Xianjing said, slowly lifting his eyes.
The man opposite him, Yelü Han, was Yelü Bao’s father.
After making out Pei Xianjing’s youthful face, Yelü Han threw back his head and laughed twice. “Where did a little bastard like you crawl out from? You still smell of your mother’s milk, yet you dare run wild before your Grandfather Yelü?
“Since you are so eager to die, I will oblige you!
“I will kill you first, then slaughter your men.
“When the iron hooves of Great Ji trample through Qizhou City, the people of your Great Yue will all be ground into pulp beneath our cavalry.”
“Die, you death-seeking vermin!”
Yelü Han dropped his body low, gathered his strength, and charged at Pei Xianjing.
Pei Xianjing stood where he was, as immovable as a great bell.
When the curved saber chopped toward his face, he leaned aside, then snapped his palm upward from below in a vicious, forceful strike.
Startled, Yelü Han reacted with extraordinary speed. He turned his wrist over and brought the hilt down toward Pei Xianjing’s palm.
But Pei Xianjing turned his wrist as well, abruptly changing direction and smashing toward Yelü Han’s chest.
Unable to evade, Yelü Han sucked in a deep breath and braced his solid chest to receive the blow.
Yet the instant Pei Xianjing’s fist touched his chest, it suddenly became a claw. His waist snapped straight, and five fingers clamped around Yelü Han’s throat.
With his vital point seized, Yelü Han’s eyes bulged in shock like bronze bells.
How was this possible?
He was the peerless warrior of Great Ji’s grasslands. How could a little bastard have seized his life in his hands after a single exchange?
Pei Xianjing’s cold, sinister voice sounded beside his ear. “More than thirty years have passed. It is time you went below and atoned for your crimes before General Xu.”
“Yelü Han, after I take your worthless life, I will go beyond the walls of Qizhou and take your son’s as well.
“You father and son have run free in Qizhou for more than thirty years. It is time you died.”
“Who… who are you?” Yelü Han tried to turn his head for another look at his face, but the hand around his neck tightened.
“Pei Xianjing, Great Yue’s Minister of War.” Even now, his voice remained calm and unhurried.
“No!” Yelü Han tried to shout for the spies to send the signal, but how could Pei Xianjing give him the chance to speak?
The sound Yelü Han made was thinner than a mosquito’s whine. Only Pei Xianjing could hear him clearly.
“Are you and Zhang Mingan not mortal enemies?
“How… how can you be helping him?”
“You and he should be like Qi Yusheng and Xu, more than thirty years ago…”
Pei Xianjing lifted his arm, tearing Yelü Han’s right arm from the shoulder.
His strength was astonishing. He wrenched Yelü Han around with him, forcing the man to face the enemy spies.
“If you want to save your general, come,” he said.