The area around Yokoyama is too complex and unsuitable for large-scale firefights, so he proposed to disperse the troops and use fog bombs as a signal to encircle and trap the remaining forces of Bailuhai, thus annihilating the rebels in one fell swoop.
However, despite sending signals one after another, there was no response for a long time.
Shen Pei'an's facial muscles twitched slightly, his teeth clenched like a trapped beast, and the rise and fall of his chest revealed his anger at this moment: someone wanted to use Bai Luhai to kill him!
If he were captured, Shen Pei'an's eyes darkened and his lips pressed tightly together.
The commander-in-chief will probably kill him with his own hands.
A captured young marshal not only brings shame to the Grand Marshal and the 13th Division, but also to the entire Zhili clique.
Time passed slowly, and the sound of gunfire outside was incessant, each sound filled with despair. It seemed like a dead end was ahead.
Shen Pei'an carefully wiped the gun in his hand. It was a gift from the warlord to him on his twentieth birthday. The warlord said that he was the son he was most proud of.
"Bang!"
A gunshot rang out.
Master Shen had already finished his official business and was chanting Buddhist prayers in the Buddhist hall as usual. As if sensing something, he slowly opened his eyes.
The fire beside him was burning brightly, with flames leaping high. He kept turning the blood dragon wood prayer beads in his hand, which became slightly warm from his body heat.
The scriptures on the beads had become illegible due to years of handling. Reluctantly, Master Shen turned them around a couple more times before throwing them directly into the fire. The flames crackled and popped as they burned the wood, and the firelight reflected on Master Shen's face, making him appear unusually lost in thought.
As the smooth prayer beads were gradually burned into dirty white ash, Master Chen Qi finally withdrew his gaze from the fire and bowed down with his hands clasped together in front of him.
The Buddha smiled, offering a flower, and bestowed salvation upon all beings. Seventh Master Shen knelt on the prayer mat, his eyes slightly closed, a faint smile playing on his lips, appearing utterly devout.
"Mother, your son will definitely send them to see you one by one."
Their mouths were chanting scriptures, while their hands were killing.
Xie Ruanyu is right, Master Shen has never been a Buddhist.
Master Shen spent the night alone in the small Buddhist hall.
In the middle of the night, chaos erupted at the Marshal's mansion. News of Shen Pei'an's death arrived in Baoning City along with the victory report of the annihilation of the rebels. Overwhelmed with grief and joy, Marshal Shen stared at the telegram for a long time, unable to process it. Madam Shen, on the other hand, fainted upstairs as soon as she received the news.
The lights in the Marshal's Mansion remained on all night.
With the death of Second Master Shen, Fifth Master Shen's heart sank into an icy abyss. The Commander-in-Chief harbored resentment towards him because of the Ninth Concubine's affair. He also knew why the Commander-in-Chief and his wife had asked him to accompany Shen Pei'an to suppress the rebels—it was simply so that if they succeeded, he could serve as a foil for Second Master Shen, and if things went wrong, he could take the blame for Second Master Shen.
But, to everyone's surprise, Shen Pei'an died, trapped in the county town, and committed suicide by shooting himself. Meanwhile, he returned with the glory of a great victory.
This is not a merit, it's a death warrant!
At that time, Bai Luhai was forced into a chaotic retreat and eventually fled to the western part of Suobei. Suobei was not Wei Zhengpin's territory, so his Jiang faction army could not openly enter Suobei and head west. They stopped at the border where the two provinces meet. They then split into several groups with Zhang Xun's troops, using fog bullets as signals, and divided into six routes to encircle and annihilate Bai Luhai.
However, things went wrong midway. Fog shells were frequently fired, and Shen Peidong fought two battles in a row, rescuing local troops from Suobei. Even though the 13th Division was incredibly brave, the constant running around took its toll. Finally, exhausted, he encountered Bailuhai's main force, and then he saw Gaosheng's fog shells. He was truly powerless and could only pray that Zhang Xun's reinforcements would arrive.
When Shen Peidong killed Bai Luhai and rushed over, Zhang Xun's troops were engaged in fierce fighting with the remnants of the rebel army, while Shen Pei'an and his small detachment had already been wiped out.
And so, Shen Pei'an died. He killed Bai Luhai, wiped out the rebels, and saved Zhang Xun.
He proceeded step by step, with perfect reason and logic, taking full advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support. It was as if he was born a hero, so lucky that even Shen Peidong himself couldn't believe it.
Not only did he not believe it, but Marshal Shen also did not believe it.
Marshal Shen's most prized son died, right before the triumphant return, and even the troops that followed him were wiped out.
At the crack of dawn the next day, Seventh Master Shen received a message from Madam Shen and hurriedly went to the Marshal's Mansion. The mansion was even quieter than before, and the maids hurried along, not daring to breathe, for fear of angering their master.
He didn't go to see the warlord. He paused briefly and went straight to Madam Shen's courtyard, a two-story villa with a clean white carpet on the floor. A white phoenix painting adorned half a wall. From inside, he could faintly hear Madam Shen's furious curses, "You wretched hussy! I'll skin you alive to avenge my son!"
Upstairs, the fourth concubine knelt beside Madam Shen's bed, tears streaming down her face. A bloody gash appeared on her forehead from being hit, and drops of blood fell onto the carpet. She kept kowtowing, sobbing repeatedly, "Madam, it really wasn't Dong'er. Even if he had a hundred lives, he wouldn't dare to hurt the second master."
"Dare not? He even dares to sleep with the warlord's woman, what else wouldn't he dare to do?" Madam Shen was so angry that she spoke without thinking. She took off the bracelet on her wrist and threw it fiercely at the fourth concubine's face, hitting her cheekbone hard. The pain made the fourth concubine's body sway, but she quickly knelt back down.
"Madam." Master Shen turned his gaze to Madam Shen and spoke at the right moment, his eyes filled with sorrow, which made Madam Shen burst into tears again.
Madam Shen's face was now devoid of makeup, her hair disheveled, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were starkly exposed, making her appear as if she had aged ten years overnight. "My An'er, my An'er."
Heart-wrenching cries echoed through the Marshal's Mansion. Fourth Concubine lowered her head even further, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably with fear.
Shen Pei-an's death brought sorrow to some and joy to others.
In the west courtyard, the door was tightly shut. The fifth concubine dismissed the servants, grabbed the fourth young master's hand, and couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes. "Is he really dead?"
“Mother.” Shen Peihua shook her head, signaling her to restrain herself.
"Serves them right! They've gotten their just desserts for all their evil deeds!" Fifth Concubine was unusually pleased. People who are wicked will be punished by heaven. There were only the mother and son in the room at the moment, so she didn't care about what she should or shouldn't say. "Neither of them is any good. It's a good thing that Shen Er is dead. If he had really inherited the Marshal's Mansion, we mother and children would have no way to survive."
"Don't forget that Madam still has Chen Qi by her side."
“Speaking of Chen Qi, he’s really a pitiful guy.” The Fifth Concubine’s eyes darted around for a while before she covered her lips and laughed. “If I were an old hag, I would have killed him long ago. I wouldn’t dare keep him by my side.”
"Mother!" Shen Peihua slammed her hand on the table, rarely showing anger. She glanced quickly at the closed door. "There are some things I shouldn't say!"
"You child, you scared me to death!" Fifth Concubine was startled by him. She patted her chest and said with dissatisfaction, "There are no outsiders here. Don't let me be scared to death by you instead of being killed by that old hag."
No sooner had the Fifth Concubine finished speaking than the voice of a maid came from afar in the courtyard, “Grandma, Seventh Master has arrived. He says he has come to discuss the matter of receiving the coffin with Fourth Master.”
"Alright." Shen Peihua knew Fifth Concubine's temperament and said, "I'll go out with Shen Qi later. When the Second Prince's body returns to the manor in a few days, even if you're overjoyed, you'll have to put on a loving mother's face in front of the Marshal."
"Go ahead, I know what to do." Fifth Concubine agreed readily, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her face.
Chapter 92 Retribution for Good and Evil
"So, what exactly are you here for?"
"Our two countries have been through many trials and tribulations over the years, yet the Northern Han has grown stronger day by day. Naturally, I would like to discuss this matter with you." Meng Xizhi smiled, but his eyes were fixed on Song Yanji. "I would also like to see Yuan Yuan."
What if I say no?
“If it’s the former, I advise you to think it over. If it’s the latter…” Meng Xizhi chuckled, “It doesn’t really matter.”
Jiang Yuan last saw Xie Jiayan in the gloomy Cold Palace.
Xie Jiayan has gone mad. This is the news sent by Zhang Xiangui. That high and mighty woman began to go insane after the Xie family's downfall, and she only mutters Xie's name viciously every day.
The Cold Palace was gloomy and quiet. Jiang Yuan shivered as soon as she stepped in. Suddenly, a dark shadow pounced on her, but before it could get close, it was kicked to the ground by a guard.
With a muffled groan, Jiang Yuan heard the sound of bones hitting the ground. The eunuch in charge was clearly frightened and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy, his forehead repeatedly hitting the ground, but his hatred for the woman only grew stronger.
"Why aren't you dead yet? Why aren't you dead yet?" The woman on the ground curled up in pain, her laughter trembling, carrying a hint of eeriness.
"Shut up!" The eunuch in charge got angry when he saw her talking recklessly and reached out to slap her twice, but before he could deliver the slap, he was stopped by someone.
Zhang Xiangui lowered his eyes and said, "Eunuch Liu, the Emperor and Empress have not yet given their orders."
As long as the Lady is not deposed, she is still the mistress. As the mistress, it is not up to a eunuch to act arrogantly over her. This is the rule of the harem, the rule of the royal family, and also the rule of Jiang Yuan.
People should always remember their identity.
"It was this servant who overstepped his bounds." The eunuch in charge slapped himself hard across the face, feeling even more that the woman in the cold palace was bad luck.
"Step down," Jiang Yuan said.
The eunuch in charge glanced quickly at Jiang Yuan, a hint of doubt in his eyes. "But..." This woman is a madwoman. Leaving the emperor and empress behind, especially with the imperial heir in her belly, he really wouldn't feel at ease unless he saw her with his own eyes.
Jiang Yuan glanced at the guard beside her. He was personally assigned by Song Yanji, so his skills must be excellent. Zhang Xiangui, seeing Jiang Yuan's expression, impatiently said to Eunuch Liu before she could speak, "How many times do I have to say it? Do you think I'm dead?"
"No, no." Seeing that Zhang Xiangui was annoyed, the eunuch in charge dared not stay any longer and simply bowed and withdrew.
The palace doors were closed, and a cold wind howled through the gaps. The people on the ground were still laughing, accompanied by coughs caused by pain.
"Why?" Jiang Yuan watched as Zhang Xiangui quickly stepped forward and tied Xie Jiayan's hands and feet before approaching her. "I have no grudge against you."
Jiang Yuan pondered her relationship with Xie Jiayan for a long time. If in her past life they fought to the death for Song Yanji's favor, what about in this life? There was no conflict of love between them, so why did she try to kill her again and again?
Is it solely for profit? Not necessarily.
"What a hypocritical woman." Xie Jiayan looked up at Jiang Yuan, whose hair was disheveled, her face covered in dust, and her eyes were like those of a demon from hell. "You're all just putting on an act. You're like that, Xie Shiqi is like that, and my eldest sister is like that too."
But ironically, they all received more favor than she did! Her father was biased to the core, and the old lady also favored Seventeen more. Finally, they all died, but then she met Jiang Yuan.
From childhood to adulthood, she worked so hard, so why did no one like her? And those women, with all their scheming hidden beneath that harmless exterior, easily grabbed what she wanted but couldn't have.
The love and pampering of parents, the affection of elders, and the lifelong devotion of a husband.
She was like a spectator, but she was clearly the chosen one. She wasn't a good person, so what were they? She was happy that her eldest sister died, and she felt joy at Xie Shiqi's passing. But why, why wasn't Jiang Yuan dead yet?
"You're insane."
"I'm not crazy!" The piercing scream tore through everyone's eardrums. Xie Jiayan struggled to get up. "I just did what you wanted to do but didn't dare to do. Just because I did it, am I wrong? Ask yourself, didn't you ever want to kill me?"
"Is thinking the same as doing it?" Jiang Yuan moved closer to her. He hadn't mentioned it in the past life, but when he learned that she wanted to poison Cheng Yu in this life, he wanted nothing more than to tear her to pieces. But she had to hold back. "If I think about many things, does that mean I have to do them all?"
"To the mundane world! Seeing the people I hate die or get hurt makes me feel at ease." Why should one wrong oneself in this life? Xie Jiayan suddenly thought of her first meeting with Song Yansi. He was so bright, untouched by scheming under the sunlight, which indeed moved her heart. But soon she discovered that he was the same, so hypocritical that he disgusted her. And her first meeting with him was just because of the bright sunshine that day, which dazzled her.
The woman before me was obsessive and insane, living in darkness, her heart so dark that not a ray of light could penetrate, as if everyone in the world had wronged her.
"What do you have to complain about? Xie Shengping went to great lengths to pave the way for you and clean up the mess. He found the best man for you in Yanzhou. You missed out, so who can you blame?" It's natural for people to have biases. Xie Jiayan has been unwilling to be inferior to others since she was a child. She is impulsive and ruthless. If she were Xie Shengping, she would also favor her weak eldest daughter. They are all her own flesh and blood. Even if there is a difference in kinship, how much favoritism can there be?
Time has only worn down Xie Jiayan's impulsiveness, allowing the ruthlessness in her bones to reach its extreme. How many women in the world would dare to be like her, plotting to ruin her cousin's innocence at a young age, forcing the old lady to personally sacrifice her own granddaughter, and then killing and poisoning without batting an eye when she got older, as if those were not human lives to her.
Jiang Yuan never considered herself a good person. She was scheming and adept at disguise, and many lives had been lost at her hands. Yet, even in her past life, no matter how fiercely she quarreled with Jiang Zhi, she never considered harming her half-sister. Even if Jiang Zhi was Song Yanji's concubine, if she hadn't wanted to climb over her to the top, why would she have ended up losing her own flesh and blood to Jiang Yuan?
If you are unkind, I will be unjust; if you treat me as nothing, I will treat you as dust. She hated Rong'an and her children to the core in her past life, and she didn't even move after she jumped into Guanyun Pavilion.
“No one has ever truly wronged you. Every single thing you've done is one you've wronged others.” Jiang Yuan slowly squatted down to meet Xie Jiayan's gaze. “Good and evil will both be rewarded, and fortune and misfortune will naturally follow the laws of nature.”
"Retribution? Justice?" Xie Jiayan laughed heartily through his tears. "I've never believed in these things. I'm just not as good as you guys, so I lost."
Jiang Yuan extended her slender, white fingertip and gently pointed to her eyes, "All you see is darkness. Though your eyes are still there, you can no longer see."
"All my hopes have been in vain, all I've waited for have been dreams." Xie Jiayan stopped smiling, narrowed his eyes, and his expression became somewhat distorted. "I just want everyone to be like me, what's wrong with that?"
Jiang Yuan shook her head helplessly, and Zhang Xiangui quickly reached out to help her up. One was higher than the other, and the other was up and down. Jiang Yuan looked at Xie Jiayan, and the disheveled woman on the ground looked back at her. "No matter when we meet, we can't get along."
"The victor is king, the loser is villain." Xie Jiayan bent down, his eyes flashing with a dark light as he looked at Jiang Yuan, his face contorted with rage. "If it weren't for Song Yanji, you would never have been able to defeat me."
Jiang Yuan was intelligent, but not as ruthless as her. She could risk everything to become the center of attention, but Jiang Yuan could not. With attachments came weaknesses. For some reason, Ninth Sister's words came to mind again: "If you are not a pearl among ten thousand people, then you must be a fallen petal in the mud."
She is the daughter of the Xie family, and should be the center of attention. She is a pearl, how could she be a withered flower?
Jiang Yuan looked at Xie Jiayan, who was muttering to herself. She seemed to be crying but was not, and then she burst into laughter, her voice sharp.
Zhang Xianggui was horrified by Xie Jiayan's appearance and couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, Madam Xie has truly gone mad. Let's go back."
The palace doors slowly closed, cutting off Xie Jiayan's shrill cries and laughter from inside. Jiang Yuan turned to look at the tightly closed doors. "Love is the source of hate, but she doesn't even have love. What is she hating?"
"I just hate myself for being so useless." A familiar yet unfamiliar voice entered her ears, and Jiang Yuan froze. After a moment, she turned around and saw a familiar smile. Her eyes widened slightly as she heard Meng Xizhi say, "Yuan Yuan, it's been a long time."