Chapter 19 – The Plan

Whoosh! Arrows suddenly shot out from the bushes in a barrage!

Xiao Jing shouted, “Defend! Take cover!”

Everyone drew their weapons, slashing at the incoming arrows while retreating in search of nearby cover.

Cries of pain rang out as people were struck by arrows and collapsed one after another!

Qi Si deliberately drifted toward Xiao Jing amidst the chaos—he wanted to take advantage of the confusion to launch a surprise attack and kill him!

Fortunately, Xiao Jing was alert and perceptive, sensing Qi Si’s intent ahead of time.

After the third wave of arrows, there was a brief lull. Qi Si seized the opportunity, crept closer, and swung his sword—!

In one swift motion, Xiao Jing dodged and slit Qi Si’s throat. Not even a sound escaped before Qi Si met his end.

Rustling sounds soon came from the bushes as Ji Kingdom’s soldiers emerged one after another, advancing in waves!

Xiao Jing and his group, having been worn down by the three waves of arrows, could no longer maintain a proper defensive formation—they were completely overrun!

The soldiers of Ji Kingdom charged forward without fear of death, fierce and relentless!

“Attack! Kill them all!” The cries of battle shook the air!

Just the day before, Ji Kingdom had received word that a newly appointed Protector General, skilled in both civil and martial matters, was heading to Chaoyang City with three fierce warriors in support. Lin Xuyu took two thousand light cavalry ahead to set up an ambush, aiming to eliminate the threat in advance!

Leading the charge was none other than Lin Xuyu herself!

Xiao Jing quickly recognized that familiar figure!

“Damn, if I’m exposed, the whole plan could fall apart! I might even lose my life here in Liang Kingdom!” Xiao Jing thought to himself.

He shouted loudly, “Scatter! Regroup at Chaoyang City!”

After issuing the command, he feigned a retreat, ensuring Lin Xuyu would recognize him as the commander of this unit and chase after him.

Just as he expected, Lin Xuyu spotted the leader and, knowing the saying ‘capture the leader to defeat the bandits,’ immediately led her guards to pursue Xiao Jing!

Once he had run far enough and confirmed there were no other Liang soldiers nearby, Xiao Jing dramatically turned around and slowly removed his mask.

The moment she saw that familiar face she had longed for day and night, Lin Xuyu called off her men and dashed toward him, throwing herself into his arms. Her subordinates were stunned and quickly turned away—this wasn’t something they dared to witness! A dashing young man and a domineering general, entangled in love and enmity… better not to imagine!

Tears welled in Lin Xuyu’s eyes as she poured out her heart: “Why are you here? Weren’t you sent to Liang to gather intel? Do you know how much I’ve missed you, how worried I’ve been these past days? I feared that if something went wrong, I’d never see anything but your corpse!”

Xiao Jing gently patted her back and replied, “So many questions—which one should I answer first?”

Lin Xuyu gave him a light punch in mock anger. “Be serious!”

With a helpless shake of his head, Xiao Jing said, “Sigh… I did go to Liang for intel, but I accidentally ended up becoming their Protector General. Now, I’ve been sent by Xiao Zheng to lead the attack against our Ji Kingdom!”

Lin Xuyu looked both understanding and confused at the same time—there was a lot to unpack. So Xiao Jing went undercover, rose through the ranks to become their top commander, and is now leading troops back to attack them?

“This was part of your plan?” she asked, brows furrowing.

“This wasn’t in the original plan… but I’ve come up with a new plan,” Xiao Jing said with a smirk.

After a pause, he continued, “As Protector General, I command the three armies and have access to their defenses. I hold significant power. I’ll arrange for Liang’s forces to be drawn toward the capital. You take the tiger tally His Majesty gave me, and mobilize fifty thousand troops through Wang Kai. Set up an ambush outside Liang’s capital. I’ll lead my men to defeat Ji Kingdom’s forces and return triumphantly—then, in that moment of celebration, I’ll assassinate Xiao Zheng! The moment you see fireworks, lead your forces to attack the city and assist me from the outside. Together, we’ll crush Liang!”

“This plan is extremely risky! Even with troops drawn away, Liang’s capital is still protected by the imperial guard. Going in alone… you may not make it out alive,” Lin Xuyu said worriedly.

“I’ll secretly replace part of the imperial guard with our own men, but the numbers won’t be high. So you must act quickly! Otherwise, all you’ll see is my dead body,” Xiao Jing said with a shrug.

“I’ll be there in time! Trust me!” Lin Xuyu promised, eyes full of determination.

“Everything must be done in secret. No one is to speak a word of this. Choose only people you absolutely trust, with clean backgrounds. If a spy gets in, the whole plan is ruined!” Xiao Jing added seriously.

Lin Xuyu nodded solemnly.

“Now I must go and resume my role as Protector General. These Liang soldiers are about to attack Ji Kingdom. If I can kill them, great. If not, I’ll find another way to eliminate them all. See you in Liang’s capital!”

“You better come back safe!” Lin Xuyu said, reluctant to part again so soon.

The two quickly split up. Xiao Jing headed to Chaoyang City, while Lin Xuyu moved to eliminate Ye Xiong, Song Yan, and the remaining soldiers.

Putting his mask back on, Xiao Jing arrived at Chaoyang and requested an audience with the city’s garrison commander, Li Qian.

“Subordinate greets the Protector General!” Li Qian saluted formally.

“No need for that!” Xiao Jing said with commanding presence.

“Keep an eye out for two men entering the city—one brawny, the other a cheeky rascal. They might look a bit roughed up.”

“Yes, General. Who are they?” Li Qian asked.

“They are my Left Deputy General and Cavalry Commander! We were ambushed outside the city and got separated,” Xiao Jing explained.

“Ambushed? Do we know who did it?” Li Qian asked.

“It was Ji Kingdom’s forces. Investigate thoroughly—find and root out their spies!” Xiao Jing ordered.

“Yes, sir!”

“What are you still doing here? Get to it!” Xiao Jing barked.

Li Qian quickly withdrew.

With no time to waste, Xiao Jing prepared documents to mobilize troops, dispatching orders at top speed to pull reinforcements from the capital and every nearby city along the way.

Under Song Yan’s name, he also arranged for agents to be planted in the palace, secretly eliminating unimportant guards and replacing them with Ji Kingdom’s operatives.

After all that, Xiao Jing finally let out a long sigh, just about to rest—when suddenly, rumbling noises echoed through the air!

“An earthquake?” he muttered. But soon, someone came running to clarify.

A scout came sprinting, shouting as he ran, “Report—Ji Kingdom is attacking the city! General, please come at once and command the defense!”

“No peace for even a second…” Xiao Jing sighed.

Despite the complaint, he sprang into action and climbed up the city wall—after all, the show had to go on!

From atop the wall, his view widened.

Ji Kingdom’s soldiers filled the battlefield. The front lines rammed the gates with massive logs, while the rear fired boulders via catapults. Archers at the flanks unleashed wave after wave of arrows.

Xiao Jing felt the city walls shaking—it was like they might collapse at any moment! He suddenly remembered he hadn’t told Lin Xuyu to have Wang Kai hold back for now. Oh well—nothing to do but push forward!

He immediately issued orders to gather all able-bodied defenders—excluding the elderly, women, and children—to hold the line!

Soldiers fell one after another on the wall, replaced swiftly by the next wave. The defenders returned fire with arrows, trying to hold off the enemy.

At the city gate, Xiao Jing rallied the troops and gave a quick speech: “Brothers, the enemy has reached our gates! Behind us are our wives, parents, and children—our homeland! If you want them to live, then fight with everything you have! Retreat, and they are in danger. Advance, and they are safe! Now give me everything you’ve got! Open the gate! Face the enemy!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!” The soldiers roared with high morale.

As the gates opened, Xiao Jing and his guards were immediately separated in the chaos. He used the chance to dive under a fallen soldier, playing dead.

A few unfortunate souls stepped on his hands and legs, but nothing serious.

The attack was intense. Ji Kingdom’s soldiers came wave after wave, fierce and ready to die if it meant taking down one more foe.

The horns on both sides blared without end. As soldiers fell, new ones took their place.

Though Liang’s soldiers were strong, they were outnumbered. Soon, casualties piled high and the city seemed ready to fall.

If the city fell now, it would actually help Xiao Jing implement his plan early. But fate had other ideas.

Ye Xiong and Song Yan arrived with reinforcements, striking Ji Kingdom’s flanks and forming a pincer attack with the city’s defenders—turning the tide!

As they neared the center, Xiao Jing sprang into action, “valiantly” killing “enemies”—actually, fake-killing them.

Seeing Xiao Jing, Song Yan shouted with joy and forced his way toward him.

“Brother, we’re not too late, are we?” Song Yan said, thrilled.

“Just in time. Let’s kill!” Xiao Jing responded.

But deep down, he was groaning. Why did they have to come mess things up?!

He fought with precision—never to kill, only to injure.

The two of them fought harder and harder.

Seeing their momentum, Ji Kingdom’s soldiers—realizing they were up against strong reinforcements—chose not to linger. They quickly began to retreat…