Chapter 115

CHAPTER 115: Protecting General Luo After Old General Luo finished reading the letter personally written by the Crown Prince, he fell into deep thought for a long while before saying warily, “This is indeed the Crown Prince’s handwriting, but the matters written here are simply too unbelievable. I never would have imagined it.” The secret-guard leader sent by the Crown Prince’s Residence also knew that Old General Luo would have difficulty accepting this for the time being, so he continued, “Old General Luo, when my men were confronting those people just now, they noticed that the attackers were wearing insignias identical to ours. Did you see them as well?” “I naturally saw them. I thought the Crown Prince could no longer tolerate me and was in such a hurry to get rid of me,” Old General Luo said. The secret-guard leader then took out an insignia, which had clearly been torn from one of the assassins just moments before. He handed it to Old General Luo and said, “Old General Luo, I tore this from one of those assassins just now. Please compare it carefully with the insignia worn by the Crown Prince’s Residence.” Old General Luo accepted the insignia and carefully compared it with the one on the secret-guard leader’s person. After a long while, he said, “These people were indeed using imitation insignias. They really are different from yours.” “Can Old General Luo believe us now?” the secret-guard leader asked. “What are you saying? If you had not come to my aid, this old man would have long since lost his life,” Old General Luo said seriously. After a pause, Old General Luo continued worriedly, “They failed to assassinate me this time, but I fear they will return again in the future. If there is another attempt, I may not escape death.” The secret-guard leader said to Old General Luo, “Please rest assured, Old General Luo. His Highness the Crown Prince sent us here precisely to protect your safety. We will continue protecting you until you finish training the troops. The Crown Prince said that at your advanced age, you are still working for the nation and its people. Naturally, you deserve our protection until the very end.” Old General Luo nodded, then said worriedly, “His Highness the Crown Prince has shown such consideration. This old man thanks His Highness here and now. It is just that my current lodgings are far too cramped. I am afraid there will not be room for all of you.” “Old General Luo, please rest assured. We absolutely will not disturb you at your residence. We will take care of our own lodgings. Our duty is to protect you, so there is no need for you to worry about anything else,” the secret-guard leader said. Old General Luo nodded and continued, “His Highness the Crown Prince’s concern for the nation and its people is truly moving. But that person is so audacious as to collude with the enemy and betray the nation. Why has the Crown Prince not dealt with him? Why allow him to stir up trouble in the imperial court?” The secret-guard leader replied, “There is still no solid evidence with which to apprehend that person, so even the Crown Prince cannot deal with him at will. For now, we can only cast a long line to catch a big fish. In any case, that person is in the open while we remain hidden. The situation is advantageous to us as well. The Crown Prince’s intention is to wait until the time is right, then wipe them all out in one stroke.” “That is reasonable. The Crown Prince’s considerations are sound. Only then can we eradicate the problem completely. Enough idle talk. Let us return to my residence first and get some rest before making further plans. Though my lodgings are crude, they are still good enough for us to rest our feet,” Old General Luo said to the group of secret guards. “In that case, thank you, Old General Luo.” The secret-guard leader led the secret guards after Old General Luo toward his residence. Old General Luo had been injured in the fight just now, and walking was quite difficult for him. When the secret-guard leader tried to support him, Old General Luo merely waved his hand, indicating that he could walk on his own. Old General Luo limped along in front while the secret guards followed behind. They all felt that he was truly hale and hearty despite his age—a true man of iron and steel. Even after suffering such serious injuries, he still insisted on walking back by himself. Thus, the group followed Old General Luo to his residence. Since Old General Luo was injured and had difficulty moving, the secret guards busied themselves with various tasks. Some went to fetch water, some prepared food, and others bandaged Old General Luo’s wounds. His usually quiet little courtyard suddenly became lively. And so, the night passed. The next morning, Old General Luo rose early. He intended to go to the military camp despite his injuries. It was not for any other reason than the fact that Dayi had recently been plagued by frequent warfare. As a general of Dayi, he had to contribute his strength to the nation in his own way. The secret-guard leader, however, advised him, “Old General Luo, you are injured. Why not rest for a while before going? This is very bad for your health. There is no need to hurry for these few days. You should rest before you go.” “I know my own injuries. They are nothing serious and will not hinder me. In the past, when I was on the battlefield, I would simply wrap a strip of cloth around an injury before continuing to fight. I have no reason to become so delicate now,” Old General Luo insisted on going to the military camp. Hearing this, the secret-guard leader stood solemnly and cupped his hands toward Old General Luo. “Old General Luo, you are truly a pillar of Dayi. It is Dayi’s good fortune to have you.” Old General Luo merely laughed and waved his hand. “What good fortune? Being born in Dayi is my good fortune. I am a general. Even if I cannot return wrapped in my armor, I should still contribute my strength to Dayi’s army. If we are speaking of good fortune, having General Ling and the Seventh Prince in the Northwest is Dayi’s true good fortune.” “Enough. I am going to the military camp first.” As he spoke, Old General Luo began walking toward the military camp. “I will accompany you and protect you,” the secret-guard leader said. Old General Luo straightened his clothes and set off for the military camp. The secret-guard leader followed him in secret, protecting him from the side. At the same time, the secret-guard leader sent one of the secret guards back to report what had happened to the Crown Prince and await his next instructions. By then, Ling Jiayue and Mu Yuheng had already reached the Northwest border frontier. Along the road, all they saw were refugees from the Northwest fleeing toward the capital. Ling Jiayue and Mu Yuheng simply could not bear to witness such a tragic scene, so they ordered the army to hurry toward the Northwest border frontier at full speed. At last, they arrived. When Ling Jiayue and Mu Yuheng hastily led the army there, the Northwest Fortress-City was already on the verge of falling. The Sheyu Kingdom’s army had surrounded the Northwest Fortress-City and cut off its food and water supplies for ten days. However, the general defending the Northwest Fortress-City was a talented commander. He had organized the troops inside the city into several units, allowing them to defend the Northwest Fortress-City effectively. But after going without food and water for so long, they were beginning to reach their limits. When Ling Jiayue and the others arrived, the area outside the Northwest Fortress-City was filled with soldiers of the Sheyu Kingdom. A full seventy thousand men had surrounded the city. Ling Jiayue and the others had only one hundred thousand soldiers. If they charged straight through, the result would likely be a thousand enemy casualties at the cost of eight hundred of their own. They needed to deliberate carefully—but the soldiers defending the Northwest Fortress-City could not hold out for much longer. For a time, Ling Jiayue and the others found themselves in a difficult dilemma.