CHAPTER 55: 55. IF THE ADULT DOES NOT GIVE UP (SEEKING FURTHER READING)

A bold idea surfaced in King of Sorrow Yao Dang’s mind: Could it be... the Heavenly Order? Otherwise, in Sky Prison... it would have been certain death.

He couldn’t help but think that way.

Heavenly Kun King, his third brother, was inherently coarse, and though there was a certain astuteness to his roughness, he was ill-suited to manage things single-handedly. In Siming Mountain Stronghold, only he and King of Might could truly suppress Xu Xing. Now that King of Might had departed, he alone remained; it was inevitable that he would struggle to manage.

His original plan had been to let King of Might and Xu Xing oppose each other, while he, as the eldest brother, mediated. As for their third brother, he would dispatch him to aid whichever side was weaker.

He, too, understood the art of imperial intrigue.

Previously, when Xu Xing had just arrived at the mountain and had not yet sworn brotherhood, he had intentionally "hinted" at Heavenly Kun King. With a single sentence, "Big Brother trusts you," he shifted the potential "mishap" involving Xu Xing onto Heavenly Kun King.

Why did Second Brother leave? King of Sorrow couldn’t figure it out.

「Meanwhile, in Xu Xing’s barracks.」

The candlelight burned brightly.

A figure slipped in furtively. "Mr. Xu, how was your meeting with King of Sorrow today? Did anything unexpected happen? I noticed fewer banners in the stronghold..."

The visitor was none other than the turncoat general, Chang Ji.

"There’s no need for such caution when we meet in the future."

Xu Xing sat behind his desk. He didn’t address Chang Ji immediately, instead finishing some official affairs. Only then did he look up and speak to Chang Ji, who wore a Righteous Army red headscarf as a disguise.

"Soon, you will have the opportunity to command troops," he added.

It seems... a great change has occurred in the stronghold? Chang Ji was initially astonished, then overjoyed.

It was true that, thanks to Xu Xing, his treatment at Mount Siming was excellent: wine and meat daily, and even a beautiful maidservant.

But a true man cannot be without power for even a day. Without soldiers to command, he couldn’t sleep soundly.

Xu Xing didn’t rush his reply. He poured tea for Chang Ji and himself, then sipped the scalding liquid slowly. "Today, thanks to your timely reminder, Mount Siming retreated to Tiger Soul River. This prevented them from foolishly running into the encirclement of official soldiers, unlike the other rebel kings..."

He was not a god! How could his plans be flawless right after leaving the mountain?

In this, he couldn’t have managed without the aid of the veteran general Chang Ji.

"You’re too kind, Mr. Xu." Chang Ji cautiously accepted the tea cup, placed it on a nearby tea table, and then said, "I merely filled in the gaps and dare not claim undue credit... I have merely been fortunate enough to be a few years your senior, Mr. Xu, thus learning military strategy for a longer time and gaining some experience on the frontiers..."

"If you and I were the same age, Mr. Xu, I believe all wars under Heaven would cease, and peace would reign."

His words were partly genuine, partly flattery.

Over the past few days, Xu Xing had been learning military strategy from him. Eager to curry favor with Xu Xing and repay his life-saving kindness, Chang Ji held nothing back when teaching.

Learning military strategy doesn’t equate to mastering warfare. There’s no need to jealously guard what little one knows.

However—

In the recent series of battles, he had witnessed Xu Xing’s terrifying aptitude. Perhaps Xu Xing was still somewhat naive in practical battle matters. However, in terms of grand strategy, Xu Xing—despite being a novice in the art of war—was already a cut above him.

"General Chang."

"While in Sky Prison, you and I had already made our plans. I, Xu Xing, am merely a scholar from a common family. By a stroke of luck, I ascended the Dragon Gate and became an official in Taipu Temple. I can hardly claim to possess any world-altering talent."

Xu Xing rose and walked slowly to the center of the barracks.

With his left hand behind his back, he fixed his gaze on Chang Ji’s face and said, "So, you and I worked together to deceive Lu Xiaohou, Gui Yishou, Heavenly Kun King, and the entire Siming Mountain Stronghold. I have taken credit for your achievements, General Chang. I wonder... do you harbor any resentment?"

From escaping Sky Prison to cleverly maneuvering their way out of Shenjing...

While his intellect was sharp, it was largely because he had read more books and had served as an official in the Imperial Court. He understood the inner workings of its various departments, as well as the underlying corruption, which was why... he had been consistently successful.

But later, after joining Mount Siming, the three insidious plots he proposed, the grand strategy for Mount Siming’s future, the decision to retreat to Tiger Soul River, and more—none of these could have been conceived without Chang Ji’s shadow, without his counsel and planning.

In short, they planned everything together.

With an experienced veteran like General Chang present, Xu Xing would not dare to be presumptuous.

Even though he received the lion’s share of the credit for these schemes, by any measure... he felt he had unfairly taken credit for Chang Ji’s contributions.

"Mr. Xu..."

Chang Ji gave a wry smile. "We discussed all this in Sky Prison. I am a turncoat general; Mount Siming Stronghold would certainly not place much trust in me. Without your help, Mr. Xu, it’s uncertain if I could even have escaped Sky Prison. As for taking credit for my achievements later?"

He shook his head. "I did harbor resentment. But while skilled generals are easy to find, a worthy lord is rare. Without you, Mr. Xu, I’d likely still be in Sky Prison, awaiting death... I know my own strengths; I am proficient in warfare, but in matters of governance, I am far inferior to you."

He, too, had profoundly experienced Xu Xing’s reforms in Siming Mountain Stronghold, which the Three Great Kings had also witnessed.

Against a man who lacked neither finesse nor strategy, what could he possibly use to contend? Without Xu Xing, he probably wouldn’t have any achievements to speak of. And without achievements, how could there be any talk of taking credit?

As for Xu Xing "taking credit," it was part of their joint "deification" plan.

To create a god for Siming Mountain Stronghold! To seize power from the Three Great Kings.

"General Chang."

Xu Xing’s tone softened. "We both managed to escape Sky Prison. And just as I wish to forge a path and seek vengeance, so do you."

Hearing this, Chang Ji couldn’t help but curse aloud:

"That dog Emperor! I, Chang Ji, swear I will feast on his flesh and blood!"

"And defile the women of his imperial clan, his concubines!"

After his release from prison, he had inquired about his family’s fate.

Although that dog Emperor hadn’t annihilated his clan, the female relatives of convicted officials were routinely sent to the Bureau of Music, and the men exiled to the frontiers. This was a blood debt he would never forget in his life.

With their shared goals and blood feud established, Xu Xing nodded and addressed the matter at hand. "King of Might leading his forces away was likely due to us. Now, with one of the Three Great Kings gone, the stronghold also lacks brave generals. With King of Might departed, my say will carry considerably more weight. With my backing, I can initially let you command two banners of troops."

"Though two banners are few, I will allocate the finest armor and weapons to you..."

The two began to discuss further details.

After a moment, Chang Ji clasped his fist, half-knelt on the ground, his gaze resolute. "I, Chang Ji, have drifted for half my life, my only regret being that I never found a worthy lord. Mr. Xu, if you will not cast me aside, I am willing to pledge my allegiance to you as my lord and serve you alone henceforth!"

"If I break this vow, may I become like this hair!" He then drew out a lock of his long hair from the back of his head and severed it with his knife.

The strands of hair drifted slowly down, landing silently on the ground.

Xu Xing was momentarily stunned into silence.