Chapter 79
Chapter 79
[The Male Chauvinist’s Victory – 20]
Li Dongshan remained frozen, his expression vacant. His captors did not. In a few quick movements, they dragged him from the carriage, threw him directly across a horse, tied him up with his arms behind him, and galloped away.
Li Dongshan had received thirty strokes with a military rod only days before. Even lying on his stomach in a moving carriage had hurt, much less being brutally dragged out and thrown over a horse. As he grimaced and cried out in pain, his blurred gaze met Li Jiangxue’s. She had been tossed across another horse like a sack.
Their eyes met, and Li Dongshan instantly understood the identity of these men. It was a bolt from the blue, a thunderclap striking his head. His face turned first green, then white, while countless emotions churned in his heart.
If they had been ordinary bandits, he might have invoked his status and promised them benefits. Since they sought only wealth and wished to avoid trouble, they might have released him. But these were Chen Xian’s men…
He was the head of the Li Family of Lingnan, a high-ranking civil official on the enemy side, and Yan Hongguang’s father-in-law. This enormous fish was far more valuable than Yan Hongguang’s so-called beloved concubine. Why would they release him?
They would be eager to bring him back and claim their reward!
Li Dongshan recalled his smug confidence several days before when he had proactively sent a man to contact Chen Xian and arrange Li Jiangxue’s abduction to threaten Yan Hongguang. Merely imagining Yan Hongguang forced into a dilemma over that vile creature had made him want to laugh aloud. Looking back now, he wished he could travel through time and slap his former self twice!
Opening the door to thieves, inviting a wolf into the house, outsmarting oneself, reaping what one sowed, swallowing one’s own bitter fruit, asking for trouble, regretting too late, becoming a public joke…
He was an outstanding talent educated by an aristocratic clan, after all. Four-character idioms surged through his mind one after another without pause.
Li Jiangxue had arranged to meet the women of Kuaiji’s local magnate families that day. Unexpectedly, a group of fierce men appeared from nowhere and abducted her. Without a word, they gagged her, threw her onto a horse, and raced out of the city.
When had Li Jiangxue ever encountered such a scene?
She was terrified, but instead of departing immediately, the men circled to a small road outside the city and lay in ambush, as though they had another target to seize.
Li Jiangxue’s hands and feet were tied, and her mouth tightly gagged. Amid her unease, she could not help wondering who the unlucky victim of the ambush would be. Never had she imagined it would be her own father. People spoke of brothers in adversity; now they were father and daughter in adversity.
The squad Chen Xian had dispatched had captured Yan Hongguang’s beloved concubine, Lady Li, and caught Li Dongshan along with her. Returning laden with prizes, they hesitated no longer. Afraid that Yan Hongguang would detect something and intercept them, they urged their horses straight toward Kuaiji.
Only after they had gone did the rescue force Liu Che had dispatched arrive belatedly.
Kuaiji was about a day’s journey from where the Li father and daughter had been captured. Fearing complications along the road, the abductors did not stop to rest. They neither ate nor drank and pressed onward in one stretch until they entered Kuaiji.
They were young and strong and suffered no harm. Unfortunately, Li Jiangxue was a frail woman, while Li Dongshan was badly injured. A day of jolting on horseback had cost them nearly half their lives.
When they were set down and untied, Li Jiangxue bent over and vomited violently, but only sour fluid came up. Li Dongshan could not even vomit. The wounds across his waist and buttocks had split open, and blood soaked his clothing.
Chen Xian was overjoyed to hear that these two enormous fish had been caught and personally came to see them. Finding both pale and in agony, he immediately darkened his face and rebuked his men. “Wretched fools! I repeatedly ordered you to treat them courteously. How did you allow Lord Li and Madam to end up like this? Go and receive your punishment!”
Li Jiangxue could read. The moment she saw the characters Kuaiji upon the city walls, she knew the situation was dire. Now that she met Chen Xian, his courteous words did nothing to relieve her.
At this moment, she finally remembered that Li Dongshan was her father. Pushing aside the two maids Chen Xian had assigned, she stepped forward and helped him rise. “Father.”
Li Dongshan also felt that any helper was better than none. He barely managed to move his lips into a mild expression and called, “Jiangxue.”
Chen Xian laughed heartily. “I deeply admire Madam’s wish to fulfill her filial duty. In that case, father and daughter may live together and look after each other.”
With a wave of his hand, servants escorted the Li father and daughter to their quarters in the city. Others followed carefully to guard them against escape or rescue by Yan Hongguang.
Several subordinates watched the pair leave, unable to conceal their smiles. Triumph also filled Chen Xian’s face. He snorted. “Yan Hongguang’s father-in-law and beloved concubine are now both in my hands. With such restraints upon him, how could he dare make a move? These two are worth far more than an army of thousands!”
Everyone agreed, their expressions cheerful and the atmosphere relaxed.
…
Elsewhere, Liu Che learned that Li Dongshan and his beloved concubine Lady Li had both been seized by Chen Xian. With a cry of shock, he collapsed into his chair, his face ashen and his worry impossible to hide.
Mr. Ji frowned deeply. “Lord Li’s name is known throughout the realm, and he has always enjoyed a fine reputation. Now that he has fallen into enemy hands, no one knows how the rebel Chen will humiliate him. Governor-General, you must make a decision soon!”
Liu Che rose, swayed slightly, then quickly steadied himself. “Send men to Kuaiji. At any cost, Lord Li and Jiangxue must be rescued!”
Liu Che sent men several times to rescue the Li father and daughter, but every attempt failed. In possessing those two, Chen Xian possessed two protective talismans. How could he possibly relax their guard?
Half a month passed without progress. When the generals assembled for another meeting, someone quietly raised an objection.
“The deadline given by the court is nearly upon us. Further delay may be inappropriate.”
“Kuaiji remains in enemy hands, and its people suffer. Lord Li cares for the realm and must feel great anguish as well.”
“In years past, Lord Li praised the spirit of Tian Heng’s five hundred warriors and lauded their heroic resolve. Surely he would not wish us restrained by the rebels and unable to advance west.”
Liu Che’s expression was solemn. After a long silence, he shed crocodile tears. “Lord Li is devoted to the state and willing to sacrifice himself. How, then, could I cling to my beloved concubine and refuse to attack the city? In that case, I will immediately memorialize the court and request additional favor for the Li clan. Assemble the troops. We fight tomorrow!”
The generals rose and saluted in admiration. “The Governor-General understands the greater cause. We will naturally obey!”
Once Liu Che made his decision, he no longer hesitated. The next day, battering rams, scaling ladders, and catapults entered action one after another. He vowed to capture Kuaiji in a single stroke.
After watching Yan Hongguang remain quiet for half a month, Chen Xian had already begun dreaming of dividing the realm along the river and becoming a regional hegemon. He had never imagined that his opponent would suddenly lose his mind and charge in seeking a decisive battle.
Unable to fathom Yan Hongguang’s methods, he frowned and considered for a moment. Then he personally donned armor, climbed the city wall, and ordered a subordinate to shout, “Yan Hongguang! Do you no longer care whether your father-in-law and beloved concubine live or die?!”
The answer was a thunderous crash. A catapult released, striking the wall beneath him and making it shake violently.
Chen Xian swallowed a mouthful of dust and spat repeatedly. With a dark face, he ordered, “Bring me the Li father and daughter!”
The assault below grew ever fiercer, and Chen Xian’s expression worsened. As he watched his soldiers lose the will to fight and retreat one after another, the darkness between his brows deepened.
Attendants shoved Li Dongshan and Li Jiangxue forward. Their hands were bound behind them, and terror filled their faces as they were pushed onto the battlements.
Li Dongshan’s voice trembled. “Chen Xian, what are you doing?!”
“What am I doing?” Chen Xian looked sinister. “That depends upon how much weight the two of you carry in Yan Hongguang’s heart!”
The moment Li Dongshan heard this, he felt he was doomed.
Li Jiangxue’s face flushed red. She shouted, “Cousin will certainly save me! If a rebel like you dares harm me, Cousin will have your corpse hacked into ten thousand pieces!”
Reading her expression, Chen Xian decided that such confidence must have a basis. Perhaps Yan Hongguang truly valued her above his realm and cared for her exceptionally deeply?
It made sense. When Yan Hongguang came south to take up office, he had not brought even his principal wife, only Li Jiangxue. The magnitude of her favor was obvious.
Yan Hongguang had remained quiet for so long, only to suddenly exert all his strength in a fight to the death. He had probably been provoked past endurance. In that case, perhaps Chen Xian should first offer him a small benefit to settle his mind, then plan further at leisure.
The fighting below the city was fierce. Wielding a long saber, Liu Che cut through the enemy and sent them falling in all directions as their forces steadily retreated. At that moment, a loud shout came from atop the gate. “Yan Hongguang!”
Liu Che raised his head. Chen Xian stood behind the battlements with a long saber pressed against Li Jiangxue’s neck. “Yan Hongguang, shall we make a bargain? Retreat fifty li, and I will spare your beloved concubine. Retreat a hundred, and I will spare your father-in-law as well. What do you say?!”
“Or perhaps I should reverse their positions?”
He smiled savagely. “Order your entire army to retreat fifty li, and I will spare one of them. Whom do you choose?!”
Though he knew there was little hope, Li Dongshan looked over with desperate expectation.
Li Jiangxue trembled from head to foot and screamed at the top of her lungs, “Cousin, save me!”
Chen Xian’s smile deepened. He pressed the blade closer to Li Jiangxue’s neck and roared, “Yan Hongguang, whom do you choose?!”
Liu Che threw back his head and laughed. When the laughter ended, his face turned cold, and he thundered, “Neither! Attack, damn you!”