Chapter 1212: Double-Line Rescue

As his silhouette disappeared into the night, Dong Rui asked He Lingchuan, "What did he mean by that last sentence?"

"Why did Bixia insist on taking Situ He to Ju City for execution, making such a public display, and choosing noon tomorrow?" Ju City was only about a dozen li of mountain road from here.

"To execute him specifically for General Situ to see?" Having partnered with He Lingchuan for a long time, Dong Rui was quick to react. "Oh, I get it. If the Situ family can't hold back and sends troops to attack, the Bixia people will likely kill Situ He prematurely, not waiting until noon tomorrow."

"If the Bixia people say they'll execute him tomorrow at noon, will the Situ family really wait until then to try and rescue him?" He Lingchuan shook his head. "That only happens in historical novels. So, if Situ wants to save his son, he'll most likely act sometime between tonight and tomorrow morning. If even I can figure this out, don't the Bixia people know it too?"

"It's probably a trap then."

He Lingchuan hummed in acknowledgment, then turned to Jiang Lishui. "Do you have any intelligence on the Bixia people?"

"Their clan originated from the Heavywater River. In their early years, they produced several powerful individuals, and their strength surged, so they expanded their territory, which naturally strained relations with their neighbors. However, with the support of Yao State behind them, other forces haven't been able to do much." As Jiang Lishui represented the Yangshan Merchant Association operating in this area, he naturally inquired about local affairs. "This Bixia lord has two very capable sons. The younger son became a general in Yao State and was reportedly conferred the title of a 'heavy general' or something similar."

Dong Rui instinctively asked, "General Chongwu?"

"Ah, yes, that's right, General Chongwu! I heard he's been a rising star among Yao State's generals in recent years, but that's just what I heard. The Bixia people might also be boasting."

Dong Rui clicked his tongue twice. "Oh, lately I keep hearing news about old acquaintances."

"His elder son is even more formidable. He studied in Lingxu City in his youth and later stayed in Beijia. He's reportedly even better at warfare. After gaining the support of these two powerful figures, Bixia became even more aggressive, completely disregarding its neighbors."

"I see."

"Half a year ago, Bixia conquered Gaopu State." Jiang Lishui couldn't help but sigh. "When we first arrived, we heard that the ruler of Gaopu State was gentle and benevolent, much beloved by his people. When Bixia invaded, the Gaopu army and civilians were united. Unfortunately, their state was small and weak, and the enemy had the upper hand, so despite months of resistance, they couldn't turn the tide. However, it's rumored that Bixia only achieved a Pyrrhic victory, losing several major generals and suffering a great blow to their own vitality."

"After Gaopu's fall, General Situ Yu refused to surrender and led his remaining forces in continued resistance." Jiang Lishui continued, "He also allied with surrounding tribes to counterattack Bixia, reportedly reclaiming a considerable amount of territory."

"What's the situation on the front lines recently?"

"Two months ago, the Situ family was consistently successful, winning more battles than they lost." Jiang Lishui swallowed. "The territory was peaceful, and prices weren't soaring, which is why I..." He had acquired the Rolling Rock Valley mine.

This was the judgment he had made at the time, based on the facts.

When investing in business, there's always a risk.

He Lingchuan waved his hand. "If they had no chance of winning at all, the Situ family wouldn't have held on for so long."

A desperate fight, fueled only by sheer resolve, was bound to be short-lived. Only if the Situ family saw hope of victory would they fight with increasing vigor.

From this perspective, He Lingchuan saw no issue with Jiang Lishui's judgment.

Jiang Lishui was pleased to receive his boss's affirmation, and continued, "But over the past month, the situation has somewhat reversed. The Situ family suffered two consecutive defeats with significant losses, their front line retracted to Yaopo, and since then they've focused on defense."

"Yaopo?"

"It's only about seven or eight li from here."

He Lingchuan grunted in acknowledgment. On their way from Ju City, they seemed to have spotted army shadows halfway, so they had bypassed them.

His eyes flickered. "How long has it been since the Situ family launched an offensive?"

"Oh, over half a month."

He Lingchuan nodded.

Jiang Lishui couldn't help but sigh softly. "It's such a pity that Young Master Situ was captured."

Dong Rui asked casually, "What, do you know him too?"

"I've never met him, but he has an excellent reputation. Miners and villagers all say that after Young Master Situ returned to the state, he helped the Situ family innovate many policies, earning widespread popular support, and he's not an arrogant, incompetent young master." Jiang Lishui added, "Oh, and the reason we were able to secure the mining rights for Rolling Rock Valley was also because Young Master Situ persuaded his father."

In these extraordinary times, the Situ family selling mining rights for money might slightly alleviate their urgent financial needs.

So that's why Bixia captured Situ He? To Bixia, the Situ family was indeed a leading rebel force. He Lingchuan thought for a moment, then beckoned Dong Rui closer and whispered, "I'm going out for a bit. Lend me your treasures."

"Wait, didn't you just say that the Bixia people set a trap in Ju City?" Dong Rui eyed him askance. "You know it's a trap, and you're still going?"

"There's no harm in taking a look." He Lingchuan smiled. "If Situ He is killed by Bixia, or if the Situ family's rash action leads to defeat and loss of territory, our newly acquired Rolling Rock Valley mining area will likely be taken by the Bixia people, and Yangshan's plans for development here could be severely hampered. Most importantly—"

He said seriously, "Situ He is an old friend of mine, a man of good character, and I don't want to see him die unjustly."

He already had the means to act impulsively, so why couldn't he indulge himself for once?

Dong Rui grunted. "He must have done something good in a past life to have a friend like you."

"No need for ancestors; a person like him can accumulate virtue on his own." He Lingchuan took the backpack.

"You're going alone?" Dong Rui asked, surprised. "Why aren't you going with Fu Liushan and the others?"

"Fu Liushan isn't heading to Ju City immediately; he still has to go back to gather his men and deliberate, which would waste too much time. Besides, I have some methods that aren't convenient to display in public."

Dong Rui recalled the inexplicable elemental power that had appeared in He Lingchuan and nodded.

This was indeed He Lingchuan's unspeakable secret.

He Lingchuan instructed him, "You stay here and look after the mining area. Be vigilant in case Ghost King Xuanlu strikes again. I'll be quick."

"Don't worry," Dong Rui said with a smile. "As soon as you leave, that fiend might just give up."

He could easily handle other minor spirits.

He Lingchuan then gave a few instructions to Jiang Lishui and, under the cover of night, left Rolling Rock Valley.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror in his embrace said, "Situ He is an ambitious man; it would be a pity if he died."

"His identity is also very important," He Lingchuan said. "Important for this place, and also very important for my endeavor."

The mirror asked curiously, "What endeavor?"

He Lingchuan touched the divine bone necklace on his chest. "Do you remember why I came to the Glimmering Gold Plains?"

"Huh?" The mirror pondered for a long time. "Ah, I understand."

***

East Front, Situ's Main Camp.

When Fu Liushan arrived, he saw the camp brightly lit, soldiers in neat uniforms, and horses fully saddled and bridled, exuding a grim, martial atmosphere.

Oh no, this wasn't good.

A soldier led him into the main tent. Inside, he saw General Situ seated behind a table, with several advisors and generals in front of him, discussing matters.

"Master Fu," General Situ said, spotting him as soon as he looked up, and immediately rose to greet him. "I'm ashamed to have called you here in the middle of the night."

"Please speak, General. If I can help, I will do my utmost." Fu Liushan subconsciously glanced outside the tent. "Your men and horses are all prepared. Are you planning to attack Ju City?"

General Situ's eyes were bloodshot. "It's a last resort."

"There's an eighty percent chance of an ambush there." For some reason, Fu Liushan remembered He Lingchuan's earlier words and blurted out, "If you lead your army to attack the city, Bixia might preemptively..."

The rest of the sentence was unpleasant, and he found it difficult to say. General Situ completed it for him. "They might execute my son right before my eyes, outside the city walls, correct?"

General Situ was also very clear in his mind. "If I attack Ju City, they might take advantage of the vulnerability to attack here."

The defensive line, painstakingly maintained for over a month, could be completely shattered.

Kill his son, seize his front line, conquer his territory.

Several generals beside him said, "General, please stay here to command. We shall lead the troops forward!"

"And there won't be an ambush outside Ju City?" General Situ said in a deep voice. "They went through all that trouble to capture A-He specifically to force us to attack."

Fu Liushan asked him, "What do you plan to do?"

"The Bixia people are holding A-He hostage, and I've already refused their demands. But how can I do nothing and just watch my son be executed?"

He understood all the logic, but a father's heart was tied to his son's.

"Master Fu has countless methods, whether dealing with people or spirits. I wish to send a team of elites to infiltrate the city, led by Master Fu, to rescue my son." Having said this, General Situ stood up and bowed deeply to Fu Liushan. "This is an extraordinary request, but I hope for your assistance, Master. From this day forward, Master Fu will be a benefactor of the Situ family. Whatever you ask, we will go through fire and water for you!"

"Ah, what a bother." With the family head begging to this extent, Fu Liushan could only scratch his head. "Alright, I'll go for you."

"If the rescue fails—" General Situ's gaze pierced through the tent entrance, looking out at the eastern night sky. "My army will attack at dawn tomorrow!"

***

Ju City had a population of 120,000 and was now Bixia territory.

It was now late into the night; the entire city was dark, with almost no households showing lights.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror said, "You started later but arrived earlier. You're probably here before Fu Liushan."

In the woods outside the city, He Lingchuan donned the skin of Lord Boshan and quietly made his way towards the city gate.

After confirming that the city guards couldn't see through his disguise, he circled around, scaled the city wall, and illegally entered Ju City.

Fortunately, Ju City's walls weren't very high.

"The Bixia people really don't have elemental power," the Soul-Capturing Mirror's voice chirped gleefully. "Oh, and there's a talisman array behind the city gate, seems to be a spell for disabling escape techniques, but it's not active right now."

Impoverished forces cannot afford such extravagant measures.

Bixia wasn't as wealthy as Yao State; they wouldn't activate such expensive arrays unless absolutely necessary.

"Once you make a commotion, it'll be hard to get out using stealth," the mirror suddenly exclaimed. "Hold on, don't jump, there are illumination lamps here!"

Small, bluish lamps hung every six or seven zhang along the city walls and ramparts. They didn't look very bright but had a wide radius. With such an array of lamps, there were almost no blind spots or dark corners.

From He Lingchuan's vantage point, the inner side of the city wall and the open ground below were densely covered with these bluish lamps, leaving almost nowhere to land unseen.

"The Bixia people really went all out to set up such a large illumination lamp array!"