FID – Chapter 812

Chapter 812 — That Is a Bastard Child!

“Feng Qingbai has already arrived at Yigu City. He’s currently at the garrison office, and likely in the next couple of days, he’ll request an audience to negotiate with Your Majesty. Does Your Majesty have a plan?”

Inside the grand hall of the opulent imperial palace, silk curtains fluttered gently in the wind, and palace music echoed softly.

At a low table before the throne, two men sat facing each other.

One wore a bright yellow brocade robe, his features handsome and refined, but a dark and oppressive aura lingered in his brows, giving him a menacing, sinister air.

Opposite him sat a man dressed in black robes, with an ordinary face and a neatly trimmed beard. What drew the most attention was that he sat not on a chair but in a wooden wheelchair.

“I declared war on Nanling and demanded they hand over the person we seek. I didn’t expect the Prince to dare venture alone to the border to negotiate with me. Reckless bravery — one can’t help but admire it.” The Emperor of Dongyue chuckled softly, poured wine for the man opposite, and raised his cup. “My Lord, your strategies are remarkably accurate. I’m impressed. This cup is in your honor.”

“This subject merely offered Your Majesty a few reminders, hardly worthy of such praise. When it comes to flawless strategies, I dare not compare myself to the Prince. Even someone as shrewd as Prime Minister Zuo was defeated by him. Your Majesty must not underestimate him.”

“Zuo Rong? A stray dog — what ‘former glory’ is there to speak of? If it weren’t for the fact that he still has some use, I’d never have kept him around.” the Emperor sneered.

“Zuo Rong has fought against Feng Qingbai for over a decade and knows him very well. He is still of use.”

“He is nothing more than some use. He’s nowhere near as valuable as you, Sir. He doesn’t even have the qualifications to sit at the same table as me,” the Dongyue Emperor scoffed coldly. “The Prince has long stayed nestled in the capital. Now that we’ve managed to lure him out, I’ll make sure he never returns. Once he falls, Nanling will be nothing to fear.”

“I’ll offer my early congratulations here, wishing Your Majesty success in all you desire.”

The two cups clinked together, each man harboring thoughts hidden deep within.

By the time they left the palace, night had fallen.

The bright moon hung high, the surroundings silent. The wheels of the wheelchair rolled across the ground, producing a dull, heavy sound.

A figure appeared out of nowhere behind the wheelchair, placing both hands on the handles and pushing the man forward.

“Feng Qingbai has arrived, and he brought only one guard with him to the border. Should I say he’s bold, or merely reckless and ignorant?” The man in the wheelchair spoke, seemingly to the person behind him yet also as if talking to himself. He raised his head to gaze at the moon, his expression calm and indifferent.

The man behind him gave no reply.

“You’ve crossed swords with Feng Qingbai several times, yet never managed to take him down. This time, no matter what, you must succeed. Failure is not an option. I don’t want to see him striding proudly in Nanling ever again.”

“What Uncle wants is turmoil among the four kingdoms. Now that great chaos is about to erupt, no matter how brilliant Feng Qingbai’s strategies are, he alone cannot turn the tide,” the man behind replied in an even, almost emotionless voice. “Uncle, does he really have to die?”

“Feng Qingbai is the backbone of Nanling. If he doesn’t die, how can Nanling fall into chaos?”

“He is also Uncle’s nephew…”

“Silence!” the man in the wheelchair suddenly roared. Under the moonlit night, the air turned icy cold. Overcome with agitation, he gasped heavily for breath. “He is not! He bears royal blood, and he has nothing whatsoever to do with the Xue Clan! He is a bastard! Honglian, don’t you forget how Baicao Valley ended up in its current state!”

“I dare not forget.” 

“You’d better not!” The man clutched his chest, and it took a long while before his breathing finally steadied. When he spoke again, his voice was filled with desolation and bitterness.

“Honglian, I am already a cripple. Only through you can Baicao Valley continue to survive. Only through you can we avenge the hatred of that year! If even you forget our vengeance, then Baicao Valley, along with the more than three hundred lives lost in the valley, will have died in vain!”

Xue Honglian stared blankly into the dark night ahead, his eyes empty. “I have always kept my mission in mind.”

Vengeance.

To avenge the clansmen slaughtered in that massacre.

The cold moonlit night stretched long ahead, with only the sound of the wheelchair wheels echoing along the road.

At the garrison yamen, three days had passed, and in that time Feng Qingbai had not stepped out of his room.

Cheng Sheng had men keeping watch in secret. Other than during mealtime and bathing, the door to that wing room had barely opened.

“I thought he might be different from the typical pampered noble sons — turns out I overestimated him. Doing nothing at all, does he really think that by relying on nothing but clever words, he can negotiate with the Dongyue emperor, subdue the enemy without fighting, and single-handedly save Nanling from disaster? Scholars are all the same — sitting high in their courtly halls, enjoying the peace and safety we military men buy with our blood and lives, and yet they’re always the ones barking orders and passing judgment afterward!”

“General, should we still follow the orders he gave earlier?”

Cheng Sheng’s face darkened as he glared at the soldier who asked the question. “Of course we follow them! Even though I look down on those who chase fame and reputation, when it comes to matters concerning Nanling, I will not be negligent! Keep watching that side closely—any news must be reported immediately!”

As much as he despised a hypocrite, Cheng Sheng was not so short-sighted as to disregard the affairs of Nanling.

When Wei Zi reported this minor incident to Feng Qingbai, the man smiled lightly, rolled up the border map in his hand, and opened the door to step outside.

“Master, where are you going?”

“To see Cheng Sheng. It’s been three days—it’s time to get to work.”

At that moment, Cheng Sheng was meeting with several deputy generals in a side hall, discussing military matters and conducting a sand table simulation.

Feng Qingbai’s arrival interrupted their conversation.

“Your Highness, what brings you here? Is there something you wish to instruct us on?” Cheng Sheng quickly stepped forward, showing full respect.

Waving off the formalities, Feng Qingbai walked over to the sand table and looked over the layout. “Nothing too urgent. I just came to discuss a few small matters with the General. I’m not in a hurry. You all continue.I’ll just observe for a bit.”

“That won’t do. Your Highness’s matters must naturally take precedence. If Your Highness has anything to say, please speak directly. We will give our full support!”

Cheng Sheng pounded his chest with a loud thump, but he couldn’t quite hide the trace of disdain in his eyes.

Feng Qingbai smiled, his gaze falling on the sand table as he slowly walked a circle around it. His actions made the surrounding officers exchange confused glances — none of them could figure out what the King was trying to do.

“This spot here is Feng Canyon in the northwest of the border, correct? A strategic location, easy to defend and hard to attack. I’ve heard that both armies have been trying to seize it first, but so far neither side has succeeded in landing there. If we manage to take this place, our border will gain yet another layer of defense.”

He pointed to a mound of sand in the center and then gestured toward another location.

“This is the Dongyue army’s base, backed by mountains and facing water — its defenses are as solid as iron. Our camp is here. Separated from Dongyue’s by only a marshland, we hold a strategic position, and with the marsh acting as cover, the Dongyue forces can’t launch a direct assault… Was this General Cheng’s arrangement?”

From the moment Feng Qingbai casually identified Feng Canyon, Cheng Sheng’s eyes widened. Perhaps this supposed pampered noble did have some skill after all.

Hearing his question, Cheng Sheng quickly responded, “Indeed, Your Highness, it was my arrangement. The camp is the base of operations for the soldiers and naturally needs tight defenses; ideally, we must secure both favorable terrain and morale. I just hadn’t expected Your Highness to be so well-versed in the geography of the border.”

Raising the map in his hand, Feng Qingbai smiled. “While waiting these past few days for news from you, I had some idle time, so I studied the map — and just happened to memorize it.”

“……”