Chapter 678
Chapter 678
“Master!”
Lin Shang opened her eyes and said.
“Don’t call me that. I’m not blessed enough to be your master.”
“Master!”
Mulan called out again in a sweet voice. Lin Shang shuddered and said.
“Unsolicited flattery is the work of a fiend or a thief!”
“Master, I plan to lead my soldiers to attack the capital of Nangu.”
Lin Shang asked in surprise.
“What? Has this girl gone mad? Do you know how far the capital of Nangu is from here? Do you know how dangerous it is? It’s swarming with poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, and filled with miasma everywhere. Any army that enters the jungles of Nangu will... No, never mind. I almost forgot about your keen nose.
But that plan just might work. No one in the world would ever imagine you'd march such a ridiculously long and treacherous path with several thousand men to attack King Jun's stronghold. Besides, the heart of Nangu is likely empty right now.”
“However, I don’t want anyone to know I’ve left the Marquis of Xuanwu’s estate. So I need someone to disguise themselves as me, and within the estate, you have the best temperament, the best figure, and you’re the tallest, so...”
The moment Lin Shang heard that, she decided against it. Having failed to become a Grandmaster, her pride was far stronger than that of an ordinary person.
‘I, Lin Shang, will be myself. I am me. A flame that burns unlike any other. For someone like me to be a stand-in for another? Unthinkable! I became a traitor to the Demonic Rock Palace precisely because I refused to be Prajna's shadow.’
“No. Don’t even dream of it!”
Lin Shang refused point-blank. Mulan then knelt before her and said in a wheedling voice.
“Master!”
She widened her eyes, which seemed to hold stars within them.
“No amount of flattery will work.”
Lin Shang turned her head away. Mulan moved in front of her again and widened her eyes even more, looking as innocent as a newborn. She said in an even sweeter voice.
“Maaaster.”
Her cry was enough to give Lin Shang goosebumps.
“Master~ Please!”
“Alright, alright. I lose. I’ll do it. I’ll do it. The reputation of the Old Demon of the Snowy Mountains is ruined.”
To be honest, Lin Shang didn't really have much of a reputation to speak of. Her nickname was Old Demon Lin, the one who never won.
***
That night, behind closed doors, the reclusive Old Demon of the Snowy Mountains, Lin Shang, donned Mulan's armor, sprayed her perfume, and practiced her walk. Mulan's figure was so exceptional that even her ordinary walk was stunningly beautiful. In contrast, the Old Demon of the Snowy Mountains, Lin Shang, had a figure that was long and flat. To learn Mulan's walk, she had to cast aside a lifetime of principles just to manage a seductive sway. It was truly maddening, and she was filled with regret.
‘Why hadn't I been able to resist that girl's charm offensive? Why had my mind gone fuzzy, leading me to agree?’
***
Around midnight, Mulan led three thousand soldiers of the Second Nirvana Army out through the rear mountain of the Marquis of Xuanwu's estate. Yes, the rear mountain, a place mostly comprised of sheer cliffs. It was a mountain that not even Nangong Ao's grand army could traverse, nor the Jin Clan's own defensive forces could climb. After crossing several passes in the rear mountain, the three thousand soldiers still avoided the roads, instead following the mountain range and thickets toward the eastern sea. Eight hours later, they reached the coast. After another four hours, Mulan and the three thousand soldiers of the Second Nirvana Army boarded five large ships and secretly sailed south. Their destination was the southern coast of Nangu. She was about to lead the Second Nirvana Army on an epic expedition. A battle to strike directly at the enemy's heart!
***
Three days later.
In Nangu City, the temporary capital of the Great Southern Kingdom, King Jun stood before a map. Beside him were the one-armed Crown Prince Ning Yi and Zhu Rong of Tiannan Province. The two desperately tried to persuade King Jun, refusing to give up.
“King Jun, by now, Su Nan's army must have already swept through Tiannan Province and is likely marching on the capital of Yue. Do you truly intend to let the State of Yue fall? If you do, you will become a target for everyone. The states of Wu and Chu will never stand by and watch you occupy the capital of Yue.”
King Jun paid no heed to Zhu Rong's words.
“King Jun, there is still time to salvage this. My brother, Ning Han, has sent a letter agreeing to the deal. If you release me and cooperate in this play of me saving the State of Yue with all my might, he will use all his power to persuade the Great Yan Empire to enfeoff you as the King of the Great South, making you a part of the Great Yan Dynasty. Soon, you will stand alongside the kings of Chu and Wu. Wouldn't that be an achievement even your ancestors could not accomplish?”
King Jun laughed at Ning Yi's words and replied.
“Ning Yi, there's something I've never told you. I have no need for the Great Yan Empire's enfeoffment, and I certainly have no intention of begging for it. If I want something, I will take it myself. Things bestowed upon me out of charity by others cannot be trusted. Haven't you learned that lesson to your very bones?”
Ning Yi's face turned red, all the way to his ears. Governor Zhu Rong continued.
“King Jun, the fall of Yue is by no means to your advantage. A weak but prosperous State of Yue is what serves your interests. Only then can it continuously provide you with various resources, can it not? Behind us is the Hidden Yuan Society, with its immeasurable wealth and resources. We can help the Great Southern Kingdom develop by leaps and bounds.”
King Jun, who had been staring at the map, let his gaze fall upon two points: Yangguo City and the Marquis of Xuanwu's estate. Finally, as if still paying no mind to Zhu Rong's words, he spoke.
“Lord Zhu Rong, you are quite loyal, still not having given up on Ning Yi. However, your family might be preparing to switch sides.”
Hearing this, Crown Prince Ning Yi's expression changed.
“King Jun, what do you mean by that?”
“In this little play of yours, you overlooked two people. Shen Lang and Ning Qi.”
At King Jun’s words, Ning Yi asked in a trembling voice.
“Are you saying my grandfather will support Ning Qi? That's impossible, it's absurd!”
The grandfather Ning Yi spoke of was Zhu Hongzhu. King Jun said no more and gestured for them to be taken away. Shaman masters approached and dragged Ning Yi and Zhu Rong out.
***
King Jun's wife was named Shaman. Unlike other women of the Shaman Tribe, she was gentle, beautiful, fair-skinned, and wise. She was like King Jun's lucky star, and her contributions to his great achievements were immense. At this moment, King Jun was painting with her. The subject of their painting was mysterious, not of this world, but like a depiction from ancient times. After painting, the two embraced and began to kiss.
“I really miss that time. After we fell into those ruins, you slept with me.”
At Shaman’s words, King Jun countered.
“You were the one who started it.”
“No, you did.”
It seems humans have a talent for endless repetition.
“Man Man,” (Shaman's pet name) “this is a fundamental issue that must be addressed accurately. I remember it clearly. You kissed me first.”
“You rogue, remember it properly. You were the one who willingly put your hand under my skirt.”
“Fine. Let's call that a draw. But you willingly climbed on top of me. That's true, isn't it?”
“Would I have climbed on top if you hadn't stripped me naked?”
Could this truly be the King Jun known for his outstanding talent and grand strategies? Their conversation was incredibly childish. They argued ceaselessly, but in the end, neither could convince the other. Eventually, they took their battle to the bed, but even there, it was a stalemate, with neither able to force the other into submission.
“My husband, do you love Ning Luo?”
To Shaman’s question, King Jun replied.
“There is only one woman in this world whom I truly love.”
“Seeing her again, didn't you want to sleep with her? She seems to be brimming with desire, wanting to sleep with you.”
“Of course, the thought of sleeping with her crossed my mind, but I cannot. If I sleep with her even once, the nature of things will change.”
“How nice. Even when you're with me, you think about sleeping with other women.”
“Man Man, Shen Lang once said something very good. A wandering body is not true infidelity.”
***
In the evening, King Jun received a secret letter. It was written in Nangong Ao's own hand.
There was also a secret letter from Shayan. It contained a more detailed account of the battle. The next morning, King Jun received another secret letter. It was not delivered by a person, but by a crow. In this world, they didn't use pigeons to carry messages, but they did use crows. It was a secret technique of the Shaman Tribe. Yangguo City was too far away; sending a messenger by person would mean the news arrived too late. The contents of Su Nan's secret letter were even more shocking.
Both secret letters were written in a special code that only King Jun could read. After reading the two secret letters, King Jun closed his eyes.
‘What a shocking and terrible nightmare. Shen Lang, you truly are remarkable! To have dealt me such a crushing defeat on two fronts. Now, it is time for the two of us to face each other. I have been looking forward to this for a very long time. This moment, when we play our game on the chessboard of the world to decide the fate of Yue.’
***
The next day.
King Jun led an army of eight thousand north from the capital of Nangu to support the war. This was likely the last powerful force at his command. Within that army was the most elite force of the Shaman Tribe, which King Jun had never before deployed. They all wielded top-grade powerful composite bows. At the same time, the three thousand soldiers of the Second Nirvana Army, led by Jin Mulan, approached a remote beach and officially landed on the soil of Nangu. Their intention was to penetrate deep into the heart of Nangu and strike a fatal blow!
***
Inside a secret chamber in the capital of the State of Yue.
“Greetings, Prime Minister Zhu!”
“Commissioner Zhong, have you been well?”
There were only three people in the secret chamber, but all were powerful leaders. Zhu Hongzhu, Prime Minister of the State of Yue's Grand Secretariat; Zhong Yue, Vice Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs; and Elder Xu Baidao of the Hidden Yuan Society.
Zhu Hongzhu said with a smile, “Commissioner Zhong, I had intended for us to never cross paths again until our dying day. Why have you arranged such a meeting today? The affairs of state are pressing; it is not good for us to be away from our posts like this.”
Zhong Yue replied, “This subordinate returns home to bathe once every three days, as I'm sure you do, Prime Minister. Ning Jiang, Ning Ji, and the others do the same. It is currently time for both of us to be home for our baths, so we will not arouse any suspicion.”
Zhu Hongzhu said, “Commissioner Zhong, you truly have thought of everything. Time is short, so if you have something to say, say it now.”
“Prime Minister Zhu, do you still hold out hope for His Highness Ning Yi? That man is useless now. Would it not be better to step back and consider the next in line?”