Chapter 2106: Concealed Malice

Lu Qingbang stated firmly, “Ya State’s 200,000 troops won’t all be sent to Bailie; if they were, they would have done so already. Beijia’s offensive will also slow down. As long as we hold out until then, Mou State will be free to repel Ya State.”

“Do you still not understand?” Lu Zhensheng retorted, laughing instead of getting angry. “Mou State doesn’t want to fight anymore! General Lu has already issued an ultimatum for us to accept Ya State’s terms, or half of Mou’s army will withdraw within three days. If we still refuse to agree after three days...” He looked at Lu Qingbang, sighed, and swept out.

“What do you mean?” His gaze made Lu Zhenxian’s heart race with unease. He quickly stepped in front of him. “Brother, make it clear: what will happen if we still don’t agree after three days?”

Lu Zhensheng merely said, “You’d better agree.” With that, he forcefully pushed Lu Zhenxian aside and left the residence directly.

Cold sweat beaded on Lu Zhenxian’s forehead, and his legs momentarily buckled.

Lu Qingbang quickly went to support him. “Father...”

“Bailie is weak; there’s no great point in you and your siblings staying here.” Despite his profound reluctance, Lu Zhenxian prioritized his son’s life. “I’ll arrange for people; you must leave tonight!”

Lu Qingbang shook his head. “I’m not leaving!”

“Don’t you understand? Mou State doesn’t want to fight anymore. I suspect they regret sending troops this time and want to cut their losses quickly. Ya State is pressing forward, and the Patriarch wouldn’t dare defy Mou State.” Lu Zhenxian conveyed the gravity of the situation. “Qiang’er, it will be dangerous if you don’t leave soon!”

Since all the negotiation troubles centered around Lu Qingbang, then...

“Our own people want to take my life to please the enemy? What a ridiculous absurdity!” Lu Qingbang laughed three times, looking up at the sky. “I won’t leave! I want to see who dares to come for my head!” When his stubbornness flared up, he was far worse than Lu Feiyan.

Lu Zhenxian’s legs gave way, and he collapsed into a chair.

Three days later, Mou State indeed withdrew half its troops. Ya State swiftly advanced, filling the vacuum left by their departure.

Lu Qingbang wanted to lead troops out to battle, but his entire family desperately stopped him, fearing he would be ambushed on the battlefield. It’s easy to dodge an enemy’s open attack, but hard to guard against a betrayal from within. However headstrong Lu Qingbang was, his father threatened to take his own life, so he had no choice but to rein in his temper and stay. His maternal grandfather, Miao An, also a guardian of Bailie, had originally intended to stay and protect his grandson. However, Ya State’s relentless advance brought slaughter, burning, and looting, causing great suffering to the populace. After much deliberation, and persuaded by Lu Qingbang and his sister, Miao An could only sigh deeply and head to the front lines to lead troops against the enemy.

In Lu Zhenxian’s household, a cloud of despair hung heavy. Lu Zhenxian himself could neither sleep nor eat properly, sighing all day long. His once stout figure had significantly thinned in just a few days, and his mouth was covered in several painful blisters that hurt terribly with every touch. The more he thought, the angrier he became, until he grabbed a teacup nearby and smashed it. With a crash, fragments scattered, landing right at the feet of someone who had just walked in. This was Lu Zhenxian’s aide, Mo Shubai. He had taken leave a month ago to attend a funeral and had only just returned today.

“Master, you must take care of your health.”

Lu Zhenxian despondently replied, “Soon, I fear there will be no ‘master’ left.” He finally understood the bitter taste of ruin.

Mo Shubai, seeing him dressed neatly, couldn’t help but ask, “Master, have you just returned?”

“No, I’m just about to go to Lu Zhensheng’s place,” Lu Zhenxian replied offhandedly. “He called me for a discussion, most likely to threaten me again.”

Mo Shubai, however, said, “You’d best not go.”

“What do you mean?”

Mo Shubai first stepped outside the door, looked left and right, then closed the door. Seeing his actions, Lu Zhenxian grew tense.

“The negotiations between Mou State and Ya State have been stalled because of the young master, with no progress,” Mo Shubai explained. “The Patriarch must find a way to resolve this. There is only one way to make the young master agree.” After saying this, he stared intently at Lu Zhenxian.

Lu Zhenxian felt a chill from his gaze and instinctively pointed to himself. “Me? Does Patriarch Lu dare to deal with me?”

“Think carefully if such a possibility exists,” Mo Shubai said softly. “If gentle persuasion doesn’t work, they’ll resort to force. As long as they have a hold on you, the Patriarch will have a hold on the young master.”

Lu Zhenxian’s teeth ground together audibly. “Patriarch Lu wants to drive my son away so his entire family can be safe!” Yes, if he went now, what else could be discussed? Most likely, just as Mo Shubai said, they would hold him hostage as Lu Qingbang’s weakness, forcing A-Qiang to leave the country.

“Master, Master, you are...” Mo Shubai shook his head repeatedly. “You’re thinking too simply about what kind of person Patriarch Lu is!”

“Huh?” This was simple?

“It’s fortunate that Young Master Qiang’s straightforwardness kept him from yielding, allowing him to hold out until my return,” Mo Shubai said, lowering his voice further. “Look at the plan Patriarch Lu proposed: for Young Master Qiang to secretly flee, while he finds a substitute to be beheaded, then declare that Young Master Qiang voluntarily sacrificed himself for Bailie’s peace, right?”

“Yes.” Honestly, Lu Zhenxian had initially refused when he first heard it, but the pressure over the past few days had been immense, and he had repeatedly considered it, thinking it might not be impossible. At least his son’s life could be saved.

Mo Shubai let out a cynical laugh. “If Young Master Qiang publicly declares his willingness to sacrifice himself but secretly leaves the country, what reservations would Patriarch Lu still have? If he can offer a real head to Ya State, why would he offer a fake one?”

“You—you—you mean...” Hearing the words “real head,” Lu Zhenxian’s blood rushed to his head, and he stammered. “You’re saying Patriarch Lu harbors malicious intent and has wanted A-Qiang’s life all along?!”

“I’m eighty percent certain that once Young Master Qiang flees, Patriarch Lu will pursue and kill him!” Mo Shubai said in one breath. “At that point, Young Master Qiang would have no troops or power; how could he escape such a deadly calamity? Even if Young Master Qiang miraculously survived, could he openly appear in Bailie? Could he accuse Patriarch Lu of trying to harm him? Don’t forget, Young Master Qiang would have already publicly stated his willingness to sacrifice himself for Bailie’s peace!”

Lu Zhenxian broke out in a cold sweat.

“Good, good thing A-Qiang is so unyielding; he escaped a disaster!” He then gritted his teeth, his expression changing instantly. “Patriarch Lu has such a vicious heart! My son has been wholeheartedly fighting and repelling the enemy for Bailie, yet Patriarch Lu schemes against my family like this, wishing for my lineage to end! Fine, fine!” In that instant, all the memories of how Lu Zhensheng had previously suppressed his family rushed into his mind, making him so angry he almost couldn’t catch his breath.

Mo Shubai quickly supported him. “Master, please calm your anger. For Young Master Qiang’s sake, you absolutely cannot afford to fall ill now!” A man must bear responsibilities. His family needed his care; what sense would it make for him to simply collapse with his hands thrown up?

Lu Zhenxian quickly took a few heart-calming pills and took deep breaths for a while until his heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

Mo Shubai offered a suggestion: “Why not politely decline? Say that in the past few days, you’ve been overcome with anxiety and unbearable worry, and have suddenly fallen ill, making you unable to go.”

Lu Zhenxian murmured in agreement, but his face remained clouded with worry. Ultimately, the immediate difficulty remained insurmountable. Now, the problem was back to square one: Ya State would not give up easily. What was his son to do, and what was to become of Bailie?