Finest Servant

Chapter 548 Grievance

Lin Wanrong was momentarily stunned, then shook his head with a cold laugh. "If the Turkic Khan himself had said these words, I might have some faith in them. But for you, Miss Yujia—forgive my candor—do you really possess such influence?"

Yueya'er deeply looked into his eyes and spoke calmly, "You don't need to fish for information from me. How I persuade the Khan is my own business. But when Yujia gives her word, she keeps it. I assure you, from now on, wherever our Turkic cavalry goes, we will not indiscriminately massacre the women and children of Great Hua. I swear by the god of the grasslands."

Her expression was solemn and steadfast, her tone sincere. When she mentioned the god of the grasslands, she seemed utterly devout, a faint glow shimmering in her eyes. If she could swear by the grassland god, then she must be telling the truth. Lin Wanrong was slightly taken aback; Yujia's capabilities greatly exceeded his expectations. Just what was her true identity? She was becoming increasingly enigmatic.

Both remained silent, and the carriage fell quiet, except for the creaking of its wheels. After speaking, Yujia gently closed her eyes, her expression serene. Her long eyelashes quivered as the carriage moved, as if she had fallen asleep.

Distracted by their conversation, Lin Wanrong's drowsiness had vanished. Deciding to leave the carriage, he lifted the curtain and walked toward the Gao Qiu and Hu Bugui.

The plains were tranquil in the night, the sky so close to the ground it felt as if the heavens were resting overhead. A scattering of brilliant stars illuminated the vast night sky, casting a gentle light on the faces of the knights. Torches flickered intermittently as the 5,000-strong army marched through the night.

Gao Qiu held a candle aloft, illuminating the map in Hu Bugui's hands. "The Turkic tribes are far apart, and most of their able-bodied men have been sent to the front lines. Even if they hear about the attack on Dalanzha right away, assembling sufficient forces to come to its aid will not be easy. At the earliest, it will take them a day and two nights to reach Dalanzha, and even more time to assess the situation. With so much time on our side, and in this boundless grassland, even if they had incredible capabilities, finding us would be no easy feat. Ha, old Gao, we've got them now!"

That night, aside from women and children, they had annihilated as many as 4,000 Turkic soldiers while suffering only minimal losses themselves. What was more significant was that this marked the first battle that Great Hua's cavalry had fought deep in the grasslands, revealing their fangs and sending shockwaves across the region. Spirits among the troops were high; they couldn't wait to seize more Turkic camps.

Old Gao chuckled smugly, "Damn, these Turkic people look so big and strong but fall so easily. I only managed to kill about thirty tonight, and that's it. And those women and children, I just couldn't bring myself to harm them. Maybe in my next life, I should be a brute."

Hu Bugui laughed twice and turned his head just in time to see Lin Wanrong yawning as he approached.

"Ah, Brother Lin, overslept, have we?" Old Gao winked and leered mysteriously, his comment laced with double entendre.

Seeing the ever-irreverent Old Gao, Lin Wanrong's annoyance diminished considerably. He laughed, "Sleeping? Do you really think I'm such a mundane man? Brother Gao, you've only been virtuous for a few hours; have you already relapsed?— Brother Hu, what are you two examining?"

Hu Bugui nodded, pointing to the map as he smiled. "Brother Gao and I were just going over the map. Based on our estimates, the first to receive intelligence and come to aid should be two tribes near Yiwu. Look here, one is called Ha'er Helin, the other Ejina. Advisor Xu has marked them on the map."

Yiwu was located at the foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, right next to the Sea of Death, Lop Nur. It served as a natural boundary between the Alxa Plain and the Sea of Death. The two tribes Hu Bugui mentioned stretched from north to south, lying directly in line with Yiwu. Ha'er Helin was somewhat farther away, but the Ejina tribe was stationed near Yiwu. These two tribes and Dalanzha were in a tripartite balance of power, mutually checking each other.

Lin Wanrong was very familiar with the map, having studied it countless times. Even with his eyes closed, he could pinpoint the locations of these tribes. He nodded slightly.

Hu Bugui said excitedly, "Based on the situation in Dalanzha tonight, both Ha'er Helin and Ejina must be large tribes. Their numbers won't be small; fighting them will be even more exhilarating. General, where should we target next?"

Gao Qiu looked at him expectantly and said, "Exactly, Brother Lin, tell us, where should we strike next?"

Ever since following Lin Wanrong, Hu Bugui had come to slaughter their enemies as if slicing vegetables. This gave him an absolute trust and admiration for Lin Wanrong; with General Lin taking action, all difficulties seemed to vanish. Despite knowing that the two tribes near Yiwu were not weak, his confidence was undiminished.

Lin Wanrong gave a wry smile, "Both of you, do you think I'm some kind of god, able to point to any location and just go?"

Gao Qiu said solemnly, "Brother Lin, you're no god—what god could ever compare to you?"

Old Gao's flattery skills have improved quite a bit, thought Lin Wanrong, shaking his head and laughing. Then, becoming serious, he said, "To be honest with both of you, I haven't yet decided which of these tribes we should attack first. Apart from that, we don't even know their exact size and locations, so it would be unwise to act."

This was the truth. Even a god couldn't go into battle unprepared. Demanding a decision from General Lin before knowing the facts was indeed rash. Hu Bugui chuckled awkwardly, his face tinged with embarrassment. Old Gao, shameless as always, showed no sign of blushing.

"However," Lin Wanrong paused, "Brother Hu was right about one thing. The closest tribes to send aid to Dalanzha would be these. The choice isn't difficult; whoever sends troops to Dalanzha, we'll attack them."

Gao Qiu's eyes lit up, "Ah, I see! We'll ambush them when their base is empty."

"But our main target is Yiwu—" Hu Bugui frowned lightly.

Lin Wanrong nodded solemnly, "Indeed, our ultimate goal is Yiwu. However, only the three of us are privy to this secret. The nomads will never suspect it. In their eyes, we are but a lone army venturing deep into the grasslands, fighting to sustain ourselves. We strike and then retreat, aiming solely to demoralize the Turks. If we were to focus on Yiwu from the outset, it would arouse their suspicions and create unnecessary complications. Before entering Yiwu, we should win a few more impressive battles to put their minds at ease. We'll lead the Turks by the nose, keeping them guessing and infuriated. No one but us will know our true intentions."

Gao Qiu, brimming with enthusiasm, asked, "So, there are many more battles to be fought?"

"Essentially, yes," Lin Wanrong's eyes flashed menacingly as he swung his arm dramatically, chuckling, "If possible, I'd like to eradicate all these tribes. Let's see what the Turks can do about it."

Hearing this, everyone felt enlightened. Seeing General Lin's ambition, Hu Bugui excitedly nodded, "Excellent. I swear to follow you to the end."

Lin Wanrong patted him on the shoulder and sighed, "What I'm most concerned about now is not the tribes near Yiwu, but the twenty thousand Turkic cavalry we've lured to Wuyuan."

Hu Bugui was taken aback. "Are you worried that they'll realize our scheme and turn back to pursue us?"

Lin Wanrong nodded, "They came for me. Turning back is inevitable; it's just a matter of time. Fortunately, I've prepared a contingency."

Seeing Lin Wanrong's sly smile, Hu Bugui couldn't help but ask, "What contingency?"

"Have you forgotten, Brother Hu?" Lin Wanrong winked, "Tonight, we released three thousand women and children. They are headed toward Bayanhot."

Gao Qiu's eyes widened in realization, "Ah, I see! Those twenty thousand Turks have been marching for days, exhausted and famished. You plan to use these starving women and children to slow them down. Brilliant!"

Lin Wanrong raised his hand and laughed, "There are wise men among those twenty thousand cavalry. They nearly exposed our plan days ago. They might suspect the reason I released these people and overthink it. But even a small delay is better than none."

Everyone laughed and settled their plans. They traveled over thirty miles before setting up camp, close to midnight.

Lin Wanrong had already realized that Yujia was no ordinary person and had tightened security around her. Once the tent was set up, he unhesitatingly pulled her into his own tent.

Yujia's face changed color, and she shouted, "What are you doing? Don't touch me!"

"If I really wanted to touch you, what could you do?" Lin Wanrong looked her up and down, grinning, "Bite your tongue? Hang yourself? Or commit seppuku?"

Remembering the threats he had made, that even in death she wouldn't find peace, Yujia clenched her teeth, her face pale, and remained silent for a long time.

Lin Wanrong disdainfully raised his hand. "Do you think everyone is a beast in your eyes? I'm done talking to you! Now there's a camp bed and a spacious meadow. Where would you like to sleep?"

"I'll sleep nowhere. I have my own carriage," Yujia retorted angrily.

"Carriage?" Lin Wanrong snorted. He pulled a golden curved scimitar from his bosom—the very one he had taken from her when she was bound. Waving the shimmering blade near Yujia's face, he coldly declared, "I forgot to mention, Miss Yujia. Your carriage has been requisitioned by my injured brothers."

Seeing him brandish the golden scimitar before her and smiling so obscenely, Yujia's face turned pale. "Return my blade. You— you barbaric Great Hua person!"

"Barbaric? Am I more barbaric than the Turks?" Lin Wanrong chuckled. With a swift flick, he raised the golden scimitar, cutting off a single strand of hair next to Yujia's ear, demonstrating its fearsome sharpness. "While I'm in a good mood, let me ask again, Miss Yujia, will you sleep on the meadow or the bed? If you don’t answer, you'll sleep on horseback tonight!"

"Do you think Yujia would be afraid of you?" The Turkic girl glared at him and gritted her teeth. "I’ll sleep on the bed!"

"Aha! Good choice, knowing that I've slept on it. Alright then, let's share, let's share!" Lin Wanrong had barely finished speaking when Yujia looked horrified. "I won't sleep in a man's bed; I'll sleep on the meadow!"

Lin Wanrong burst into laughter. "How considerate of you, with the awareness of a prisoner. Fine, the meadow is yours. Seriously, I've never seen a girl voluntarily request to sleep on the ground. It would be hard to say no!"

Is this man a hero of Great Hua, or a scoundrel? Pushed to her limits by him, Yujia felt utterly bewildered. Over the past few days of their encounters, she had initially had the upper hand, then they fought to a draw, and finally, this dark-faced outlaw seemed to take the initiative. He was an enigma—never weak when he should be, and stronger when facing strength.

Lin Wanrong stretched and yawned several times before lying down comfortably on the camp bed, completely ignoring the Turkic girl beside him as if she were mere air.

The tent was good only for sheltering against wind and rain; the ground remained barren. Yujia clenched her teeth and lay on the meadow, a bone-chilling cold creeping in. Dew seeped through her thin silk skirt, making her shiver involuntarily. Anyone would find it hard to withstand sleeping on such ground for a night.

She couldn't help but glance at Lin Wanrong. The outlaw lay on the bed, still holding her golden scimitar, his eyes closed and his breathing even. He was already drifting off to sleep.

As long as this outlaw did nothing worse, it would be a blessing from the god of the plains. What more could she hope for? With moist eyes, Yujia suppressed the sorrow in her heart, clenched her fists tightly, gritted her teeth, and slowly closed her eyes.

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