Chapter 122
Without a word, Lu Xuzhi and Yuwen Min abandoned their table, grabbed their swords, and rushed out.
Lu Hanzhi frowned. On the border battlefield, enemy attacks could happen at any second.
And once an attack came, all tasks at hand had to be dropped to meet the threat.
Before stepping out, Yuwen Min reminded him, “Stay in the commander’s camp. Don’t go anywhere.”
Lu Hanzhi said, “Alright, I understand. You two go!”
The two of them went out, one after the other, and the sounds of battle reached his ears.
But Lu Hanzhi didn’t obediently follow Yuwen Min’s instructions. Staying in the main camp? That wasn’t his style.
The guard outside, Shadow Guard No. 1, followed closely. He probably knew Hanzhi wouldn’t behave, so he never left his side.
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Do you know where the lookout post is?”
Shadow Guard No. 1 nodded and led the way.
The lookout post was similar to what Lu Hanzhi had seen on TV: a tall wooden tower from which distant terrain could be observed.
Lu Hanzhi climbed the platform with Shadow Guard No. 1. The sentinel saluted him. Lu Hanzhi looked out toward the battlefield.
The sentinel carried a bow and arrows, but the enemy was too far; the range of a bow wouldn’t reach them.
Lu Hanzhi built a small sighting tool before him, but it was night. His vision wasn’t enough to see the distant battlefield clearly.
This reminded him of how primitive ancient warfare equipment was. If only they had binoculars—it would have been so much easier.
“Hmm? Binoculars?”
Lu Hanzhi thought for a moment. He looked at Shadow Guard No. 1 “Yin Yi, can you help me get two high-clarity crystals?”
Shadow Guard No. 1 responded mechanically, “Wang Ye ordered: you must not leave Wang Fei’s side.”
Lu Hanzhi leaned on Shadow Guard No. 1’s shoulder. “Wang Ye is off fighting. When would he have time to watch over us? Besides, we’re in the main camp—nothing can happen. Who else has legs like yours? With your stamina, it wouldn’t even take two hours round trip; their battle won’t last that long.”
He pulled out a stack of silver notes and shoved them into Shadow Guard No. 1’s chest. “Go, go! Hurry and come back!”
Shadow Guard No. 1 didn’t say a word. He leapt down from the lookout tower and disappeared into the night.
Lu Hanzhi, however, miscalculated. Yuwen Min and Lu Xuzhi finished the battle in less than an hour, even capturing the enemy’s general alive.
The captured general was bound and brought into the commander’s camp, kneeling before Lu Hanzhi.
Lu Hanzhi felt a bit awkward. “Who is this?”
The man looked up, ready to spit angrily, but froze when he met Lu Hanzhi’s face—a face of breathtaking beauty.
He swallowed his spit, a trace of confusion in his eyes. “Are you a Great Zhao commander?”
Lu Hanzhi, nibbling a grape like a dangerously alluring beauty, stepped forward. “No, I’m the commander’s family.”
The enemy general blinked. “What… uncle? You’re so young, yet your rank seems high.”
Note: wordplay again but he just confused the Shu in ‘family’ turned into Shu in ‘uncle’.
Hanzhi thought: No wonder the battle ended so quickly. Turns out this Western Fan Kingdom general was a fool.
Yuwen Min entered the commander’s camp, emanating a strong scent of blood.
He tossed his heavy sword to a soldier, who immediately went to clean it.
Yuwen Min glanced at Lu Hanzhi. Lu Hanzhi felt a twinge of guilt and swallowed a grape in one gulp.
Lu Xuzhi also lifted the tent flap and entered, wiping his hands, which were still cold from the fight.
As he walked in, he said, “Western Fan Kingdom, what were you thinking? Sending a few thousand troops to breach the defenses? Have you lost your mind?”
Lu Hanzhi: …Hey, if you’re copying people’s lines, you should pay copyright fees!
The kneeling enemy general’s face was full of defiance. “Even if we die, we won’t be slaves to another country!”
Yuwen Min, armored, stepped forward. “Slaves to another country? General Zack, what are you saying?”
The general called Zack replied, “Don’t think I don’t know! Great Zhao secretly made terms with the allied states to hand over our Western Fan Kingdom for peace! Our soldiers refuse to comply, even unto death!”
“Oh?” Lu Xuzhi spoke up. “From what I know, the Western Fan Kingdom brought 30,000 troops to this battle. Even if Great Zhao wiped out many, at least 20,000 remain, right? Why, then, does your ‘refusal unto death’ only bring a few thousand soldiers? You, a general, lead a few thousand to breach the defenses? Tsk tsk, the story will be laughed at far and wide.”
Hanzhi: …Second Brother, you’re getting addicted to copying others’ lines, aren’t you?
The enemy general’s face flushed red. “That’s because… that’s because…”
Lu Hanzhi popped another grape into his mouth. Even without knowing the full story, he knew exactly why.
He calmly shook his legs and said, “Hey, I’ll say it for you. This ‘refusal unto death’ was just an act! You brought a few thousand troops as a sacrifice to make Great Zhao believe you agreed with the peace envoy, handing over your kingdom. They think you’ve broken ties with the other five allied states, so they can negotiate confidently. Of course, the negotiation would include a trap—a feast where our generals come back with none. That’s why only a few thousand went, to set up this illusion.”
The people in the arena: …
Yuwen Min couldn’t help but want to laugh. He thought to himself, “Han’er is perfect in every way… except for being a little mischievous.”
Revealing someone else’s trap on the spot—was that really appropriate?
But Lu Hanzhi had become addicted to it and continued, “Actually, it doesn’t matter. We believe you. Go back and tell your kings that we are willing to take over the Western Fan Kingdom. Not only are we willing to take it over, even if they all wish to throw themselves into Great Zhao’s embrace, we will still accept everything. Our Great Zhao is a vast nation with the heart to accommodate all. Don’t just talk about the six Western Kingdoms; even if ten or eight more nations come, we will welcome them too. The only fear is that you won’t let go, clinging to your tiny land, watching your people starve while refusing to let them eat well under Great Zhao.”
The Western Fan Kingdom general’s face turned beet-red. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
Lu Xuzhi stepped forward to stop him. “If you go on, we’ll reveal all our cards.”
Lu Hanzhi looked up at his Second Brother and said, “Afraid of what? Are we supposed to let him go? Shouldn’t he have been killed already?”
The enemy general became flustered. “You… you have the appearance of a celestial being, yet your methods are so cruel?”
Lu Hanzhi touched his face, a little proud, and said, “Are you complimenting me on my looks? This is the first time anyone’s called this Highness a celestial beauty.”
“This Highness?” the enemy general asked. “Which prince of Great Zhao are you? Could it be the Sixth Prince?”
Lu Hanzhi clicked his tongue. “You know Great Zhao’s princes well. The Sixth Prince is only sixteen—do I look sixteen? I call myself ‘this Highness,’ but I am not a prince. I learned this from Wang Ye—he always says things like ‘this king’ this and ‘this king’ that. As his wife, of course, I must follow local custom.”
Yuwen Min: …Hey, I’m still here!
The enemy general’s lips twitched. The customs in Great Zhao were really liberal; even the Wang Fei could ride on the Wang Ye’s neck?
Still, he now understood the beauty in front of him. He was the legitimate wife of the Fourth Prince of Great Zhao, Lu Hanzhi.
Apparently, Lu Hanzhi had some fame in Great Zhao, known as “Little Lu, God of Wealth.”
His new gadgets were often seen for sale even in the Western regions.
Lu Hanzhi lost interest in the general and looked up. “Second Brother, Wang Ye, what are you planning to do with this Zack?”
Yuwen Min said, “If Han’er wants him dead, then kill him.”
Zack panicked. “I am the general of the Western Fan Kingdom! You can’t treat me like this!”
Yuwen Min said, “Do you really think they consider the Western Fan Kingdom an ally? I assure you, killing you won’t make a single country avenge you.”
Broad-shouldered Zack snorted. “So what? For the people of the Western Fan Kingdom, Zack dies with no regrets.”
Lu Hanzhi said, “A real man. How about we skin him and soak his body in brine? That should be a pretty… tangy experience, right?”
Zack: “…You! Vicious Wang Fei!”
Lu Hanzhi laughed uproariously. “Why be afraid? This is only a small punishment. When I use the ten great tortures of the Qing Dynasty on you, then you can say such things. But I have to be honest first: your five allied nations are determined to sell out the Western Fan Kingdom. Whether you live or die, your kingdom is lost. Better cooperate with us, save your life. As the saying goes, ‘as long as the green hills remain, one need not fear running out of firewood.’ You dying is not the tragedy—think of those who don’t want you dead!”
Zack didn’t seem particularly stubborn; probably he had been misled by others.
Zack thought for a moment. “How do you want to cooperate?”
Lu Hanzhi said, “Simple. How about I do business with the people of the Western Fan Kingdom, help you grow rich, reach prosperity? You know I can do this. In three years, I can finish the Western Fan Kingdom Poverty Relief Campaign without any issue.”
Zack knew he had the ability, but his eyes were filled with distrust.
He curled his lips. “How do I trust you?”
Lu Hanzhi said, “Easy. We sign a contract. Everyone who does business with ‘Han Ji’ has a contract as proof—never falsified.”
All of Lu Hanzhi’s contracts were bilingual—Chinese and English—and each had him personally written English code.
The general was still thinking. Lu Hanzhi added, “Uncle, think carefully. Is cooperating with Great Zhao more reliable, or with those few unscrupulous small countries? They’ve already sold you out. Do you expect to benefit from them? I know you have patriotism. But compared to everyone being fed and clothed, does the family name matter? Better to live as a wealthy man than die as a so-called loyal soul. Think about it.”
Zack fell into deep thought.
Lu Xuzhi and Yuwen Min whispered to each other nearby. They clearly hadn’t expected Hanzhi’s mouth to be so formidable.
While the tent was silent, Shadow Guard No. 1 lifted the flap and entered.
He saluted Yuwen Min and tossed a large bag to Lu Hanzhi. “The crystals, carving knives, sandpaper, as instructed by Wang Fei…”
Yuwen Min glanced at him, frowning slightly.
Lu Hanzhi, feeling guilty, put the items away. “Um… Wang Ye, let me explain. I only asked Yin Yi to get some things. Your tent is so secure, nothing would have happened.”
Yuwen Min raised an eyebrow. “So, what are you making with the crystals?”
Lu Hanzhi winked at him. “A thousand-mile eyes for Wang Ye, so we can monitor the enemy camp anytime, anywhere.”
A thousand-mile eyes? This one was up to something again.
Your favorite BL chaos wouldn’t be possible without coffee… lots of coffee….
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