Finest Servant

Chapter 556 The General is Shot

Hu Bugui paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Brilliant, truly brilliant. With Yujia's beauty and wisdom, she's bound to be a force to be reckoned with among the Turks. Sending messages through Heliye over such a long distance, coupled with the allure of a golden blade and Yujia's personal commitment—how could they not believe it? Anyone who gains Yujia's favor will surely risk their life to come to her rescue. General, this is a masterstroke."

Lin Wanrong gave a faint smile. "Now we'll see just how charming Yujia truly is." He waved his hand and continued, "Brother Hu, you'll handle this personally. Timing is of the essence; make sure there are no slip-ups that the Turks could notice."

"Rest assured, General. I'll take care of it," Hu Bugui replied, excitedly nodding his head before turning to leave. Seeing Old Hu walk away so effortlessly, Gao Qiu became anxious and grabbed Lin Wanrong's sleeve. "Brother Lin, what about me? What should I do?"

Lin Wanrong blinked. "Do I really need to spell it out? Of course, you're going to administer the poison. Who else could pull it off but you?"

Old Gao nodded with satisfaction. "What about after the poison? Can I go up front with Old Hu to take a look?"

"Absolutely not," Lin Wanrong shook his head emphatically. "There's something far more critical for you to do right now. If the Turks from Ejina and Ha'er Helin mobilize, we're likely to encounter them if we don't change course. To avoid unnecessary casualties, we need to alter our path."

Understanding the urgency, Gao Qiu hastily nodded. "How should we change it? Speak quickly, Brother Lin!"

Noticing a beautiful Turkic girl glancing over at them, Lin Wanrong waved and lowered his voice. "We will abandon Yiwu for now and advance northward into the heart of the grasslands!"

Gao Qiu was taken aback. "Abandon Yiwu and venture deep into the grasslands? Are we not going to the Turkic Khanate court? With our limited forces, attacking them head-on would be like an egg smashing against a rock—extremely risky."

Lin Wanrong shook his head. "You misunderstand, Brother Gao. I'm not suggesting we abandon Yiwu entirely; rather, we'll set it aside temporarily to mislead the Turks. The saying goes, 'To take something, you must first give something up.' They have no idea what our real objective is. If we venture deep into the grasslands, we'll divert their attention and create a false sense of security in Ejina and Ha'er Helin. Once they let their guard down, we'll circle back to Yiwu for a surprise attack."

With that explanation, Old Gao instantly understood. As Brother Lin had said, the most effective way to achieve complete success with minimal casualties was to attack when the Turks least expected it.

"Venturing deep into the grasslands means that we'll be surrounded by Turkic tribes. It'll be increasingly dangerous," Lin Wanrong grabbed Gao Qiu's hand solemnly and spoke slowly. "Brother Gao, you must personally lead the scouts to gather intelligence. If you encounter any unusual situations, report back immediately and don't linger. This concerns the life and death of our army, so you must be cautious in every action you take."

"Understood!" Gao Qiu nodded excitedly, fist-pumping in quick succession. "Rest assured, Brother Lin. I will fulfill your instructions to the letter. I'll set out immediately!"

With plans settled and both his generals dispatched, he found himself quite alone. He held Yujia in respectful distance, leaving him with no one to converse with, and felt more forlorn than he'd ever been. He took out the portraits of his wives, gazing at them intently for a long time. The more he looked, the more he missed them, wishing he could sprout wings to fly back to their side. Cut off from the events of Helan Mountain and the goings-on of the capital, his longing for his loved ones intensified.

The army shifted its course, pressing deeper into the heart of the grasslands. They set up camp as evening fell. Still, there was no news from Hu Bugui, leaving Lin Wanrong feeling lost and uncomfortable. He paced restlessly back and forth in his tent. Finally, fed up, he stepped outside.

A wisp of the setting sun lazily sank below the distant horizon. The land was covered in the thickening twilight, hundreds of tents looking like little white blossoms on the plain, stretching as far as the eye could see. Herds of warhorses idly grazed on the grasslands, punctuated by the occasional hearty laughter of soldiers. Looking at this peaceful scene, nobody could guess that these were people from the distant Great Hua Empire. Their lifestyle had become almost indistinguishable from that of the local tribes. The only unchanging features were their yellow skin and jet-black eyes.

A delicious aroma wafted through the camp as the cooks set up a large pot, stewing the wild rabbit caught by Hu Bugui into a potful of meat soup. Grass and a bit of salt were the only available seasonings.

"General, have a bowl!" Seeing their commander approach, the cooks hurriedly halted their chores and offered Lin Wanrong a bowl of the sumptuous soup. Holding the bowl with both hands, General Lin took a deep sniff. The rich meaty aroma filled his nostrils, causing him to salivate. After a moment of intoxicated shaking of his head, he poured the untouched soup back into the pot.

The cooks were immediately alarmed. "What's the matter, General? Does it not taste good? Please forgive our limitations. There's not much more than grass out here on the plains—"

Lin Wanrong patted him on the shoulder, smiling as he shook his head. "This is the most delicious meat soup in the world. However, there are others who need it more than I do. Don't forget, we still have Little Li and several dozen injured brothers. They are the ones who need the most care."

"General—" The soldiers were choked up, their eyes instantly welling up.

‘This wasn't what I wanted to see,’ Lin Wanrong thought, shaking his head in resignation. Just as he was about to step away, he heard a soft chuckle from not far off. Yueya'er's voice rose, "Mr. Wo Lao Gong, you do have some skills!"

Lin Wanrong looked up and saw Yujia sitting on a carriage not too far away, smiling at him. Her beautiful face bloomed like a flower. He chuckled and leisurely strolled over, "Ah, if it isn't Miss Yujia. What brings you here?"

"Yes," Yueya'er smiled faintly, revealing her perfectly white teeth, "I came to see how Mr. Wo Lao Gong manages to bond so well with his soldiers. I never imagined that they could be so foolish, showering you with gratitude over a mere bowl of meat soup."

"Shut your mouth," Lin Wanrong's face darkened instantly, casting her a cold glance. "You're not from Great Hua. You can never truly grasp our emotions. The people of Great Hua are the most intelligent, hardworking, simple, and kind-hearted in the world. A seemingly insignificant yet rightful act can make them feel grateful for a lifetime, looking up with admiration and gratitude. It's their innate, purest sentiment, something you ruthless Turkic people could never learn or emulate in a thousand, ten thousand years. You might not like it, but never think you're so detached or superior that you can criticize others. Look at the history, see the civilization and wealth silently created by my compatriots, and you'll understand. Do you know what 'great wisdom appears foolish' means? Calling them foolish? Let me be blunt, Miss Yujia, you're not qualified. You're merely blessed with good looks, but you're miles away from true wisdom."

Yueya’er's words genuinely ignited his anger. He scolded her relentlessly, and in the end, spat out in extreme contempt.

Yujia clearly hadn't expected such a strong reaction from him. Facing Lin Wanrong's icy gaze, she felt that this time, the bandit wasn't acting. She must have truly touched a nerve. She stared blankly at Lin Wanrong, her face alternating between shades of red and white, wanting to speak but ultimately lowering her head.

Lin Wanrong waved dismissively, "It's getting late. Miss Yujia, you should rest."

"How can I rest like this?!" The Turkic girl snorted, slowly lifting her head. Her pale blue eyes misted over. She forcefully raised her bound hands, a faint blush appearing on her face. She gritted her teeth, "— Tied up like this, how can I rest? Do you expect me to lie in your arms again?"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but lower her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. Her long hair gently brushed against her full chest, her slender, white neck as graceful as a swan's. A shy light flickered in her pale blue eyes, hesitating to speak further.

Seeing her like this, she was no longer the flirtatious Yujia but rather the innocent and shy girl Yueya’er he had first met. Lin Wanrong was dumbfounded. This girl's ability to change her demeanor was truly astounding. Being with her, it was hard to discern what was real and what was an act. It was dangerous, too dangerous.

He felt his mouth go dry and simply closed his eyes, grunting, "Miss Yujia, please stop acting. And don't delude yourself into thinking you can seduce me. My biggest flaw is loyalty — extreme loyalty! Having affairs is not in my nature — I'm inherently a faithful man."

"What a loyal man," Yueya’er glanced at him, her expression a mix of amusement and mockery, "Being loyal to a dozen wives, Lord Wo Lao Gong, you're truly a rare talent in Great Hua's history."

The Turkic girl's face was as if painted with rouge, a faint blush covering her cheeks. She sneakily looked up at him from time to time, her eyes flirtatious.

‘Trying to seduce me?’ Lin Wanrong burst into laughter, unabashedly ogling her stunning figure. He swallowed hard, "I am loyal, and you, Miss Yujia, are not so bad yourself. Offering a golden blade as a token of love? The whole steppe will soon know that you're in search of a lover. I bet your admirers will come rolling in like snowballs in no time!"

"Nonsense! What rolling in?" Yujia's face flushed, appearing genuinely angry. However, her annoyance only made her more captivating. "What do you think we Turkic women are? Do you think we're as fickle as you? I've sworn before the God of the Steppes that once the golden blade is given, Yujia will remain committed and never go back on her word. This is my promise to the god."

"Understood, understood." Lin Wanrong waved his hand dismissively, chuckling, "You're as loyal as I am!"

"If I had to compare myself to you, I'd rather die," muttered the Turkic maiden, frustrated and angry. She huffed, her bosom rising and falling rapidly, her emotions fluctuating visibly. Her face subtly changed, as if she didn't expect to be so emotionally affected by him.

"Someone, escort Miss Yujia to her quarters to rest!" Lin Wanrong noticed her silence and the flickering expression in her eyes. Growing tired of the conversation, he loudly ordered.

Two soldiers quickly stepped forward, reaching for Yujia's arm. She twisted her body away, annoyed, "Don't touch me. I can walk myself."

She leaped off the carriage, and Lin Wanrong untied the rope binding her legs, grinning, "Fine, go on. Ah, it's hard to find someone as generous to prisoners as myself in this world."

Looking at her tightly bound hands, Yujia could barely contain the urge to kick him. Once the ropes were undone, she remained silent, walking towards the central tent under the watchful eyes of a few soldiers.

She hadn't gone far when she suddenly turned back, looking intently at Lin Wanrong, and smiling softly, "Bandit, I forgot to tell you something."

"What? What is it?" Lin Wanrong was startled by her abrupt turn. He had been admiring her beautiful figure and hastily straightened up.

Her face blushed as she whispered, "Bandit, your speech just now was mighty and grand, something I've never heard or seen before. You looked like a real warrior. Yujia is very impressed!"

She looked up at him, a genuine smile on her face, before swiftly turning and scampering towards the tent, her melodious laughter trailing behind her.

‘Keep acting, then!’ Lin Wanrong snorted coldly. Just as he turned around to leave, a barely detectable whistling sound pierced the air, rushing towards him.

"Ouch!" Lin Wanrong groaned, feeling a sharp pain followed by a tingling numbness in his buttocks. Reaching down, he touched something thin and icy cold!

Seeing this, the nearby soldiers were alarmed and quickly gathered around him, shouting, "This is bad, get some help! The General's been pricked in the buttocks!"

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