Chapter 42

Once the decision was made, the subsequent operations were not difficult.

The species of frog Yan Ming mentioned are indeed common—they can be found in the fields and countryside of the southwest. The key, however, lies in the medicinal powder and the mixing method.

Yan Ming worked non-stop, mixing them into a kind of juice. Shao Qing had seen it before; the liquid was milky white with no hint of any unusual odor.

By that time, night had already fallen.

Qingzhai Guards shifted their operations to the Pingtao Salt Post. The salt boat from Gaoling was scheduled to leave Pingtao the next day. Taking advantage of the cover of darkness, a hold of poisoned salt was swapped out. As for the new salt, it could only be temporarily transferred from a nearby salt boat.

The poisoned salt was handed over to Yan Ming to dispose of by some means. Meanwhile, as the neighboring salt boat was now short on salt, they had no choice but to devise a method to immobilize it—then have Zhuang Yan quickly transport externally purchased salt to replenish the shortfall.

In a frantic day and night punctuated by the relentless clamor of gongs and drums, everyone’s nerves were on edge. Just before dawn, they had barely managed to get everything in order.

……

The first glimmers of pale light appeared along the dark horizon; as daylight gradually broke, the quiet city of Pingtao awoke. The food market opened, throngs of people filled the streets, and the new and old salt boats moored at the large pier of the salt post began setting sail one after another.

On a hillock by the riverbank in the western suburbs of Pingtao City, two people stood silently, watching the Gaoling salt boat sail in from the east. It rounded a wide bend along the river right before their eyes and headed off to the northwest.

Wei Jing, dressed entirely in black, stood with his hands behind his back. His dark, broad sleeves fluttered in the river breeze.

Shao Qing turned her head and looked at him.

Wei Jing had long since regained his usual composure. In the breeze, he remained utterly still—his profile, with a broad forehead and a pronounced nose, was as handsome as ever. Yet Shao Qing had the strange impression that he had grown gaunt overnight.

She murmured, “I’m sorry.”

Shao Qing did not feel the slightest regret for her actions. Had she actually committed a grave mistake, she feared that she would later be overwhelmed with remorse over the mutual salvation they had once shared. But at that moment, as she looked at him, a deep, bittersweet ache welled up in her heart. She felt guilty as well.

She knew better than anyone the depth of his inner torment; she knew that his hatred ran as deep as the sea. Even she, merely an observer, could hardly bear the pain—how much more so for him, who was living it.

Shao Qing did not regret what she had done yesterday, yet she couldn’t help feeling guilty for having stopped her partner—a partner already battered and scarred—and believed that she had truly wronged him.

“Ah Qing, what does that have to do with you?”

At her apology, Wei Jing furrowed his brows. He turned around and embraced her, shielding her from the river breeze.

He pressed his cool lips against her forehead and murmured, “I made all the decisions. What does that have to do with you?”

“Don’t say ‘I’m sorry’ anymore. There’s no need for it between us.”

The warm body pressed against him, its familiar heat soothing his icy heart. Wei Jing’s arms tightened around the embrace; he closed his eyes briefly, and a trace of vulnerability appeared on his face.

“Ah Qing, I feel I’ve let down my mother and elder brother, and I’ve failed my sister-in-law and nephew,” he murmured softly.

After making that agonizing decision—and witnessing the salt boat set sail with his own eyes—a weight seemed to lift from a hidden place in his heart. Yet what followed was a profound, lingering guilt that robbed him of even a moment’s peace. He had broken his vow by not doing everything he could to avenge his mother, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. He had failed his compassionate mother, brother, and pitiable sister-in-law and nephew. This flood of emotion washed over him like an overwhelming tide, pressing down until he could barely breathe. Only by his wife’s side could he allow himself to open up and unburden these feelings.

Wei Jing’s sharply defined brows furrowed deeply, and his once-valiant face now betrayed an expression of intense pain and inner conflict.

Shao Qing clutched him tightly and said, “We will succeed!”

Her heart began to ache uncontrollably, twisting with pain—she felt utterly miserable. In a hoarse voice, she said, “It will succeed. The spirits of your mother, imperial elder brother, sister-in-law, and nephew in heaven must surely be more pleased to see you do this.”

Shao Qing had never anticipated anything with such anxious yearning, not even with the desperate hope she once clung to while lost in the dense forest. That day, though she was still unwell from her illness and her chronic condition had flared up, causing her further discomfort, she completely suppressed and ignored her physical pain. Instead, she stared intently at the daily intelligence reports and prayed repeatedly. The waiting was always agonizing.

Han Xi had ordered his men to trail the salt boat, and news arrived thrice daily. The salt boat sailed normally and reached Gao Ling Wharf on the fourth day, where the salt was unloaded, transported, and stored. The most critical step had finally arrived. With bated breath, she finally received the joyful news after twelve days: this batch of official salt had been dispatched from the warehouse.

Shao Qing was ecstatically overjoyed.

Immediately, Wei Jing gave the order to proceed according to plan.

……

Unlike the high mountains, dense forests, and narrow roads of the south, the northern part of Anyang County—though it, too, has mountains—is far flatter and more expansive, with abundant farmland and a densely populated landscape.

Gaoling City, the administrative seat of Anyang County, is ensconced by a moat that embraces its ancient, majestic city walls. Houses of varying heights stand in neat succession, and the clamor of human voices reveals a city of extraordinary prosperity.

In contrast, the western part of the city is much quieter, for it is an enclave reserved for noble residents, where ordinary commoners rarely tread—and dare not raise a clamor.

It is where the mansion of County Captain Bao Zhong is located. In any county, the captain ranks as the second highest official, just below the Governor. However, in Anyang County, Bao Zhong—who serves as the head of the faction of Second Master He—has always shared power evenly with Governor Dong Du. Neither can completely overpower the other, yet both are incessantly determined to subdue and ultimately crush their rival.

Not long ago, a recent illicit salt incident had completely inflamed the conflict between the two. Dong Du, who narrowly escaped unscathed, now harbored deep-seated hatred toward Bao Zhong, and the struggle between them raged fiercely.

That day, a special guest arrived at the Bao residence—none other than Han Xi.

Bao Zhong held Wei Jing in very high regard and immediately arranged to meet him in person. Initially, he assumed it was but an ordinary message—quietly admiring the sender’s refined character—until the letter that Han Xi presented left him utterly astounded.

“Do the Pu tribe bear a grudge against me and Zikuang? Do they intend to use Dong Du’s hand to kill two birds with one stone—completely dooming me to death?!”

Using intelligence ostensibly provided by foreign tribes, Wei Jing laid out the Pu tribe conspiracy in clear and unequivocal detail. After his shock, Bao Zhong broke into delighted laughter: “Excellent! What a diabolical salt scheme!”

With a sudden leap, he declared, “I will make the arrangements immediately. This time, we must capture traitor Dong in one fell swoop!”

Han Xi promptly clasped his hands in salutation and said, “I possess some martial prowess, and in obedience to my lord’s orders, I am here to serve under command.”

On this point, Wei Jing wrote in his letter that Han Xi was quite skilled; if Bao Zhong needed extra hands, Han Xi would be ready to serve.

The subordinates were enthusiastic, and Bao Zhong naturally did not refuse. He called for Han Xi and immediately dispatched his trusted aides to make urgent arrangements.

Wei Jing’s plan was grand indeed. To avoid exposing any flaws or loopholes, it was essential to counter with speed under these extremely urgent circumstances. Thus, at this very moment, the “poison salt” had already been released from storage and had entered the stage of sale.

The outbreak of the poison crisis was imminent.

Bao Zhong had at most one day to prepare. That very night, the County Captain’s residence was ablaze with activity as urgent arrangements were made throughout the night. Ambitiously, he intended to shift the blame for the Pu tribe’s grudge onto Dong Du—ensuring that thousands, if not tens of thousands, of commoners would fall victim to the poison, a severity that would justify immediate execution without prior reporting. It was crucial to seize this divinely granted opportunity to uproot the faction of the Third Master He entirely, thus achieving complete control over Anyang.

“Everything is arranged! Once the poison crisis erupts tomorrow, Zhou Qian and Fan Ya, you two are to immediately lead your troops to surround the Governor’s mansion and capture Dong and his band of traitors!”

Bao Zhong spent the entire night sleepless yet full of vigor. His two trusted generals, Zhou Qian and Fan Ya, received his orders firmly: “We will not disgrace our command!”

Standing at the rear, Han Xi’s lowered eyelids concealed a trace of dark light.

It was time to tip Dong Du off.

---

According to Wei Jing’s plan, when the snipe and the clam are at odds, the fisherman benefits. Once the snipe is secured, how could there be any shortage of clams?

Zhuang Yan’s brother, Zhuang Wei, had long since cooperated with the envoys from Pingtao and had already set his sights on a strategist named Qiu Ling from the Governor’s Office—successfully establishing connections with him. Thus, early one morning, Dong Du received two pieces of news that left him utterly astounded.

An epidemic had broken out in both South City and North City. The afflicted were covered with ghastly red rashes—an extremely alarming sight. The subordinate official dispatched to investigate returned so frantic that he could only crawl and roll back, reporting a suspected smallpox outbreak.

Everyone present was thrown into panic. Before Dong Du could even have the subordinate removed from the scene, another major piece of news arrived.

It turned out that the smallpox was a sham—it was, in fact, a secret toxin of the Yi tribes. Even worse, Bao Zhong had known about this matter long beforehand; not only did he meticulously arrange to frame someone for it, but he also chose to act on it without seeking approval—executing his plan first and reporting later. In fact, this very morning he had led his troops to capture the target.

Furious, Dong Du roared, “What an insidiously treacherous and venomous scoundrel Bao is!”

Without hesitation, Dong Du immediately commanded: “Take my seal and head to the large encampment in the western suburbs at once. Order Zhang Desun to lead the army immediately to counter-capture and completely annihilate all of Bao’s faction!”

Both factions’ soldiers, sent by order, unsurprisingly clashed on the battlefield, and the fight quickly escalated. In no time, what had begun as a few thousand combatants rapidly evolved into an internal war between the two vast camps—one to the east and one to the west of Gaoling.

At this stage, neither side could back down; the only option was to defeat the enemy completely and slay them, pinning all the blame on them, and withdraw unscathed. There would be no quarter given.

Bao Zhong, a county officer and warrior by nature, and Dong Du—who was far from merely a scholar—personally donned their armor, took command, and charged into battle.

Han Xi’s bravery greatly impressed Bao Zhong, earning him quick access to the inner circle. However, it wasn’t long before Bao Zhong was struck by an enemy arrow; the projectile pierced his upper abdomen, inflicting severe injury and causing him to fall from his horse. It was Han Xi who, risking his own life without hesitation, caught him.

Morale plummeted, and the enemy soon gained the upper hand. Dong Du pressed on with a counterattack, and as Bao Zhong’s forces could not hold their ground, he was forced to retreat to the large camp in the eastern suburb. At the same time, he sent a message to Second Master He while secretly ordering his trusted subordinates from the surrounding counties to come to his aid.

Thus, Wei Jing’s plan had finally come to fruition. Glancing over the urgent orders that had been delivered day and night, he spoke gravely: “Distribute the orders: immediately muster the troops and dispatch reinforcements throughout the night.”

Everything that needed to be arranged was already in place. Chen Qi and Deng Guang were tasked with leaving a thousand county soldiers behind to hold the position while he led four thousand soldiers as reinforcements; additionally, three thousand Qingzhai Guards troops had already been split up and sent off to Gaoling, available for covert reassignment or merging if necessary.

Once Wei Jing’s command had been issued, the order was promptly transmitted to the county troop encampments. Everyone hurriedly prepared, and then he stood up and said, “Ah Qing, let’s change our clothes and set out immediately.”

Pingtao nearly sent out his entire force, yet a cunning and venomous Pu tribe—harboring deep grudges—watched him like a tiger at his side. Under no circumstances would he feel at ease leaving his wife behind alone.

It was imperative to escort Shao Qing to Gaoling for her initial settlement. Wei Jing hesitated only over one matter: should she travel with the army, or should he order someone to accompany her slowly on the journey?

As they raced to reinforce Gaoling, every second counted. He abandoned the heavy baggage and pressed on with a forced march, fearing that his wife might be overexerted. But Shao Qing made no hesitation in choosing to travel with the army. With all available troops needed at the critical juncture, how could any be spared to escort her? Moreover, Pingtao’s detachment consisted of a mixed force of cavalry and infantry, and the forced march pace was well within her limits. For the past few months, she had been diligently training in horsemanship—riding a horse surely couldn’t be as grueling as marching with the infantry, could it?

Thus, it was settled. Wei Jing had new armor custom-made for Shao Qing, which turned out to be just in time. Clad in soft armor and exuding a dashing demeanor, she stayed closely by Wei Jing’s side.

Wei Jing himself was clad in red armor and wielded a dazzling golden horse-slaying saber. Pulling firmly on his reins, he gazed toward the northwest, his keen eyes flashing an expression of determined resolve.

“Dispatch the order: Advance at full speed!”