Chapter 1182: Chapter 645: Dream Gamble (Quadruple Bonus Chapter)_2
The shadow of the ancestral temple assassination case loomed over the entire Nanwei Prefecture, and whispers filled with fear and suspicion permeated the streets.
The lowered voices of a few Jianghu men at the neighboring table reached his ears.
"Have you heard? That harbinger of misfortune... West Factory Battalion Commander Chen Yi! Right here in Nanwei!"
"What?! Truly? That court-wanted Battalion Commander Chen?"
"Absolutely true, the news came from Chuannan’s Divine Sect! They say the Annan Royal Mansion is harboring this court-wanted criminal! That bunch from the Divine Sect... hey, they’re trying to push him into the prince’s fiery pit, forcing him onto a dead-end road!"
"Hiss... Is the Prince Mansion truly harboring a court criminal?! If the court finds out..."
"Who cares whether they know? Someone probably wants to stir things up, let people fight, and reap the benefits, even if a fight doesn’t break out, they can force him onto Mount Liangshan! That harbinger, he’s likely being used as a blade, caught between attacks, with not a chance of survival!"
Chen Yi held his wine cup steadily, his face calm and unperturbed, as if listening to someone else’s story. He even slowly picked up a morsel of food with his chopsticks and savored it.
That night,
"This notorious villain, known across the land, truly harms my Prince Mansion and the Prince’s Qin Family, undermining three hundred years of foundations.
I implore the Prince to spare no effort in capturing this infamous West Factory Battalion Commander Chen Yi!"
.........
In the western outskirts of Dragon Tail City, at the Annan Royal Mansion’s martial drill field.
Dust flew, and the roar of battle shook the heavens, as hundreds of elite armored soldiers of the prince’s mansion practiced combined array formations, blades gleaming like snow, shadows of spears like forests, moving in precise synchronization, emanating a murderous aura.
On the high platform, the Prince of Annan clad in heavy armor covered by a plain robe, stood tall like a javelin, watching the changes in formation with focused attention, occasionally whispering instructions to the officer responsible for drilling at his side.
Suddenly, urgent hoofbeats approached from afar, as a rider dressed as a royal mansion spy, disregarding protocol, galloped straight to the platform, kneeled and spoke with barely suppressed urgency:
"Report—! Prince! Urgent news!"
The Prince of Annan frowned slightly, raised a hand to stop his trusted aide from chastising, and said sternly, "Speak."
The spy looked up, his voice clear yet not loud:"Rumors are rife in Dragon Tail City! Saying... saying the court’s wanted West Factory Battalion Commander Chen Yi has appeared in Nanwei, and... and is harbored by the Prince Mansion!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the martial drill field seemed to pause for a moment, officers and aides who had stopped for a rest turned their heads, holding their breath and focusing, silence fell across the field, only interrupted by the uneasy snorting of warhorses.
"Good, a bold villain, dared to come to my Southern Border," the Prince of Annan raised his hand with undeniable authority, "Issue my command: Effective immediately, martial law across Nanwei, all states, counties, passes, and docks, careful inspection of all travelers, anyone suspicious shall be detained for questioning.
Draw up the court’s wanted notice for Chen Yi’s sea capture document, imprint the Prince Mansion’s seal, reward a thousand taels of gold for his head, a hundred taels of gold for providing his precise whereabouts. This reward stacks upon the court’s, announce it across the region, anyone harboring, aware but not reporting, or deliberately alerting shall be deemed as bandits, we swear to uproot this man from Nanwei."
That night.
Dragon Tail City seemed to suddenly choke.
Once noisy streets after nightfall now fell into dead silence.
All shops closed and locked their doors early, not a ray of light seeped through the window cracks, patrolling armored soldiers and government officials multiplied several times over compared to usual, heavy footsteps and the clash of armor echoed on the empty streets, strikingly sharp and clear, torchlight flickered on the bluestone roads, reflecting the cold, vigilant faces of the soldiers.
City gates shut tightly, massive bars slammed down, emitting a dull roar, lights illuminated the city walls where shadows moved, bows and crossbows strung, strict vigilance prevailed.
The ominous air of martial law not only covered Dragon Tail City, but swiftly spread to half the territory under Nanwei’s jurisdiction via fast horses and carrier pigeons.
The entire Dragon Tail City, and indeed half of Southern Border, found no rest.
.........
Southern Border’s edge, Forbidden Army’s great camp.
Within the Central Army Tent, Forbidden Army Assistant General Yang Chongwei fingered a sealed secret letter, stamped with several Tusi seals, a playful smile on his rugged face.
"These barbarians have suffered quite a bit lately," he marveled.
"General, Tusi joint request for aid? Previously heard of Annan Royal Mansion using the assassination case to relentlessly pursue refugees, each Tusi suffering bitterly, seems truth in rumors," his deputy said.
Yang Chongwei placed the letter in his deputy’s hand, "Tell me, help or not help?"
The deputy read it over, slowly replied, "The letter is indeed earnest, the seals genuine, but... likely wanting to use us as their tool, this is driving tigers to swallow wolves, seeking our Forbidden Army’s power, forcing the Prince Mansion to stop."
"Driving tigers to swallow wolves?" Yang Chongwei scoffed, snatched the secret letter and casually tossed it onto the table, "They sure underestimate me, Yang, wanting to use me as a pawn? Hehe..."
A steely glint flashed in his eyes, "Since they’ve delivered themselves to my door, don’t blame me for being ruthless! They wish to leverage a power struggle? Fine! I’ll go along with it and..."
He paused, as if choosing his words.
The deputy tentatively added, "Forcing him onto Mount Liangshan?"
"Yes! Forcing..." Yang Chongwei’s words caught, suddenly felt odd, waved his hand grandly, laughed heartily, "No! What forcing onto Mount Liangshan! I’m recruiting! Understand? Recruiting!"
The deputy’s lip twitched slightly, simply nodding, "Brilliant, General."
"Issue orders!" Yang Chongwei stood abruptly, face visibly excited, "Select two squadrons of elite cavalry, tonight get out there and be active, target several states, counties, and towns close to Tusi territories, away from Annan Royal Mansion’s influence... Remember, keep it clean, masquerade as bandits. Plunder! Get as much as you can! Cause a ruckus! Let those Tusi lords see!"
