Chapter 1548: A Trap! This Must Be a Trap!

Outside Xiping Pass, at the forward lines of the Yan army, Guan Fangyi came looking left and right as she approached the central command tent. The guards at the entrance did not stop her and let her pass.

Shang Chaozong had personally granted her this privilege. Guan Fangyi could enter and leave the central command tent without being announced. One of the guards merely called inside, "Manager Guan is here."

Inside, Shang Chaozong was standing before a map discussing military affairs with his generals. Over these past days, they had repeatedly run through every likely development in the coming war, preparing responses and coordinating contingencies.

At the guard's call, Shang Chaozong and the others turned. Seeing her, he smiled and nodded. They had been together long enough that there was no need for formal bows every time they met.

Guan Fangyi swept her gaze over the generals present, then inclined her head to Shang Chaozong, signaling that she needed a private word.

Shang Chaozong looked puzzled but still walked over from the map.

Guan Fangyi raised her round fan to cover her mouth and murmured into his ear for a while. Then she resumed fanning herself with perfect composure.

Still puzzled, Shang Chaozong looked at her, but he complied. He waved to everyone. "All of you, go outside first. Pass down my order: without my permission, no one is to come within ten zhang of the command tent."

"Yes." The generals accepted the order and withdrew.

Shang Chaozong then waved to Luo Da'an, who stood behind Meng Shanming's wheelchair, telling him to leave as well.

In the end, only Shang Chaozong, Meng Shanming, and Guan Fangyi remained inside.

Once the space within ten zhang of the tent had been cleared, Shang Chaozong poked his head outside to check, then returned and asked suspiciously, "Hongniang, what matter is so secret?"

Guan Fangyi said, "I bring Master Dao's command. His Highness and Marshal Meng are to withdraw in secret immediately."

"Withdraw in secret?" Shang Chaozong was stunned. He turned and exchanged looks with Meng Shanming.

Meng Shanming pondered. "The army is enormous. If it withdraws, there will be no secrecy to speak of."

Guan Fangyi said, "Marshal Meng is overthinking it. Master Dao means His Highness and Marshal Meng. The two of you are to withdraw in secret."

Shang Chaozong was astonished. "Why? A great battle is imminent. If the supreme commanders withdraw at a time like this, I'm afraid the army will fall into chaos."

Guan Fangyi paced between them and sighed. "If you don't leave, that's when real chaos may erupt. I'm afraid both His Highness and Marshal Meng could lose your lives. Master Dao is pretending to join forces with Wu Chang against Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu. Right now, Master Dao should already have taken his people into Qiyun Sect to kill them. I don't know whether he'll succeed, but Wu Chang should realize very quickly that he has fallen into Master Dao's scheme. Once he wakes up to it, I'm afraid he'll personally rush here and destroy the Yan army's command center. Tell me, who here could stop Wu Chang?"

Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming were shocked.

Master Dao had actually dared join forces with Wu Chang? Was that not bargaining with a tiger for its skin? And Master Dao had actually taken men into Qiyun Sect to kill the other two? Would the exalted Sacred Venerable Tianmo truly lower himself enough to come personally for the two of them?

It was almost impossible to believe.

Meng Shanming said heavily, "Hongniang, this is no small matter. Can you tell us exactly what is happening? We also need to make arrangements for the army. There are so many soldiers and brothers here. We cannot simply abandon them."

Guan Fangyi said, "Master Dao said the army may withdraw openly. As for how to respond if Wu Chang comes and cannot find you, and how to arrange the withdrawal so the army suffers as little loss as possible, Master Dao trusts the two of you to handle it. He has no need to interfere in troop movements."

"As for the details, Marshal Meng, don't ask me. Master Dao's methods are unfathomable. I know only the broad outline, not the specifics. But this is his order. Whether he succeeds at Qiyun Sect or not, the two of you must go into hiding first."

"His Highness and Marshal Meng only need to hide and wait. Later, Master Dao will bring people here to rendezvous with His Highness. At that point, Master Dao will have his own way of dealing with Wu Chang. As for anything else, don't ask. In short, Master Dao and Wu Chang have now entered a direct life-or-death struggle. It's already reached the point where blades go in white and come out red. One side has to fall before the other will stop. So carry out the order as quickly as possible. There is no time to lose. I've already prepared a hiding place for both of you."

These truly were Niu Youdao's instructions. They were preparations he had no choice but to make in advance.

From the moment Niu Youdao set out for Qiyun Sect with his people, he had understood clearly that whether the operation succeeded or failed, Wu Chang would take further measures afterward. That meant certain important figures, as well as anyone whose identity had already been exposed, had to withdraw temporarily and avoid his edge.

With things explained this far, what else could Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming say?

Shang Chaozong quickly walked to the map and pointed out several locations. After a brief discussion with Meng Shanming, he immediately summoned the generals back for another council.

It was called a council, but in reality it was the issuing of an army-wide withdrawal order.

Withdraw?

The generals erupted in confusion. None understood why they were retreating. Shang Chaozong told them not to waste words and simply carry out the command.

The withdrawal would also be executed by breaking the whole into smaller parts. With an army this large, however, even its "small parts" were far from small, often numbering in the tens of thousands. The commanding generals of each contingent were also ordered to find ways to conceal their identities. Once dispersed, the various forces were to proceed separately toward several designated assembly points.

In short, Shang Chaozong would temporarily break contact with them. Those locations would be where he reestablished contact later.

Even their identities had to be hidden?

The generals realized this was no ordinary situation.

After they dispersed to make preparations, the accompanying cultivators from Zijin Cave, Lingjian Mountain, and Xiaoyao Palace were all alarmed. Withdraw now? One after another, they came looking for Shang Chaozong to demand an explanation.

The Zijin Cave personnel with the army had not yet received any message from their sect and knew nothing. Some things simply could not be leaked in advance.

But Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming were already gone from the central command tent. Guan Fangyi, who had prepared everything beforehand, had secretly transferred them away.

The supreme commanders had withdrawn and left military orders behind. What else could anyone do but obey?

...

A cavalry group came thundering over. Jin Jue, commander of the allied Han forces, had rushed over with his men. Before him stood only the abandoned traces of the Yan army: fence rails, wooden stakes, and similar remnants. Not a single person remained.

When Jin Jue first heard the Yan army had fled, he thought it impossible. He would not have believed it if beaten to death.

The Yan army flee under circumstances like these? Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming would have to be sick in the head. There had not even been the slightest warning beforehand. Jin Jue concluded the intelligence network below had suffered a serious failure. Could Blackwater Terrace have infiltrated them again, as it once infiltrated Qi?

He had cursed the men below him until their heads were covered in dog blood, leaving them aggrieved beyond words.

Yet the reality before his eyes told him it was all true.

The Yan army really had fled.

Jin Jue felt as though he were dreaming. Seated on horseback, he looked around and muttered, "What the hell are Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming doing?"

One of the accompanying generals said heavily, "Grand Marshal, could the Yan army be planning to let us fight Jin to mutual destruction first?"

"Bullshit!" Jin Jue turned and spat out the curse. "Has a dog chewed your brains? Even if you're a pig, do you think Meng Shanming is one too? With the terrain here, Jin's army can drive straight through and seize Yan territory. Countless troops from the rear can enter Yan and deploy freely, while Xiping Pass remains in Jin hands, giving them a position they can attack from or retreat into. Why would they need to fight us to the death? Jin is already stronger than us. That's exactly why Yan joined forces with us. Shang Chaozong isn't a pig. Would he sit and watch Jin defeat us one by one?"

He turned back toward the traces of the abandoned camp, his expression growing fierce. "There's a problem. There has to be a problem. Send men to investigate immediately. Find a way to get to the bottom of this!"

"Yes!" One general accepted the order and galloped away.

Jin Jue himself remained where he was for a long time, staring in the direction the Yan army had withdrawn. He seemed to mutter to himself, "Meng Shanming, you old bastard. We're allied armies. Playing a trick like this without even giving me a warning is going a little too far."

...

At Xiping Pass, Gao Pin shot to his feet, eyes wide. "What? The Yan army withdrew?"

Yin Chu nodded. "Yes. They withdrew. According to our scouts, they left in quite a hurry too."

Gao Pin swept one large hand. "Impossible."

Yin Chu said, "Marshal, it's absolutely true. This general just went to the forward line and saw it myself!"

Gao Pin strode around the long table and hurried away, almost breaking into a run as he headed straight for the high observation point of the pass.

He climbed up and looked out.

Within the range of his vision, the Yan army was indeed gone.

"What the hell is Meng Shanming doing?" Gao Pin muttered, nearly snapping his own beard between his fingers.

His side had been on the verge of launching an attack, and now the Yan army had suddenly pulled something like this. It almost made him doubt reality.

Yin Chu ventured, "Marshal, do we continue the attack?"

Gao Pin turned and berated him. "Do you have a pig's brain? Even if you're a pig, is Meng Shanming one? What sort of man is Meng Shanming? Do you think it's this easy to take advantage of him? There's a trap. This must be a trap! Pass down my order: suspend preparations for the attack. First have the scouts find out what the hell is happening!"

...

By the time Niu Youdao's group hurried into Canglu County, it was already deep into the night.

The guards at the villa entrance stopped them. Niu Youdao gave the agreed code phrase. The steward, who had been waiting, finally relaxed. They had arrived at last. He hurriedly welcomed them inside.

"Is everything ready?" Niu Youdao asked as he walked.

The steward had no idea who these visitors were, but he knew some secret operation was underway. Walking beside them, he repeatedly nodded. "Everything is ready."

He led the group into a courtyard.

Five hundred chests stood there in neat rows, some still smelling faintly of fresh paint. A single glance was enough to count them clearly.

The steward explained, "The horses and men for the transport are waiting inside the county city under the pretext of moving military supplies."

Niu Youdao asked, "Is everyone belonging to the villa here?"

The steward nodded. "At this hour, yes. Everyone is here."

"Take them with you." Niu Youdao gestured toward Yuan Cong and the others, then told them, "Follow the steward. Gather everyone guarding this place here and keep them under watch. Spread all the chests out and open every lid. Until I return, not a word of this is to leak."

Then he pointed to Yuan Gang and Yun Ji. "You two come with me."

Yuan Cong and the others had no idea what he was doing, but they obeyed and followed the steward away.

Niu Youdao left with three others, Yin'er included.

Yin'er had run out of food. She had eaten everything she carried and was beginning to fuss. Niu Youdao simply held her by the arm and dragged her along whether she liked it or not.

They entered the mountains. Once they reached the proper location, Niu Youdao signaled to Yun Ji.

Yun Ji immediately took the others down into the earth.

While they were descending, Yuan Gang asked, "What does this mean? That underground river?"

He could roughly guess where they were going.

Niu Youdao said, "I'm taking you to broaden your horizons."

[End of Chapter 1548]