"What are your orders, Master Cheng?" Li Jun asked with a smile. He knew that Cheng Tian's visit was bound to be a verbal battle, and he needed to remain calm and collected to ensure his victory. The verbal sparring was merely a formality; the real purpose of Cheng Tian's visit was to outwit and outmaneuver Cheng Tian.
However, Cheng Tian's expression was extremely serious. After staring at him for a long time, he said, "I wonder if Commander Li knows this person."
Li Jun followed his finger and saw a general beside him holding a box. When the general looked at him, he opened the box and found a human head inside!
"Ah!" Li Jun couldn't help but exclaim. The severed head glared angrily, and although it had been dead for several days, it still looked as if it had been in the final moments of its life. Li Jun's heart surged; this severed head was clearly that of Shang Huaiyi, who had gone to Yuzhou to transport grain!
"Who killed him?" Li Jun asked calmly.
"I killed him, in three rounds." The general holding the head sneered, glancing mockingly at the severed head in his hand, then at Li Jun, as if judging how many rounds it would take to cut off Li Jun's head.
"This is Shang Huaiyi, the grain transport officer under my command," Li Jun said slowly, beginning to understand. Shang Huaiyi must have encountered the Lianfa army attempting to seize Ningwang during the grain transport mission and was killed in battle. The pale-faced, long-bearded man before him, though arrogant in demeanor, Li Jun could clearly sense the ceaseless flow of spiritual energy emanating from him. This man was incredibly brave; perhaps only three or four men on his side could possibly fight him. No wonder Shang Huaiyi died at his hands.
"So it was you who killed him," Li Jun continued, then suddenly roared, "Lan Qiao!"
Lan Qiao perked up and straightened his back, saying, "Here I am!"
"Go and take down that scoundrel's head to appease Shang Huaiyi's spirit in heaven!"
Lan Qiao dismounted, gripping his long-handled greatsword in his right hand, and strode to the front of the two armies. He extended his left hand and beckoned to the general, saying, "You dog, come forward and behead me!"
The general brandished his spear and was about to charge out, but Cheng Tian stopped him, saying, "Dingguo, calm down. Commander Li, I am not here to fight you, but to deliver a message for Shang Huaiyi."
Li Jun recalled Lan Qiao and ordered him to fight. He had originally intended to demoralize his troops after witnessing Shang Huaiyi's initial victory, thus sending a brave general like Lan Qiao into battle. Since the enemy refused to engage, the two sides were essentially evenly matched.
"Please speak, Master Cheng." The message that Shang Huaiyi entrusted to someone to convey on his deathbed must have been extremely important, so important that he would not hesitate to let the enemy know. The fact that Cheng Tian actually conveyed the message meant that it was clearly not good news for Li Jun.
"The city lords of Yuzhou, including Jiang Runqun, have already rebelled. Commander Li, your rear is on fire; you're in a desperate situation, yet you're unaware of it?" Cheng Tian's news was both unexpected and expected by Li Jun. Unexpected because Jiang Runqun and his group chose such a opportune moment, when he couldn't return to quell the rebellion. Expected because he had originally intended to force Jiang Runqun to rebel, thus exposing and eliminating all the hidden opponents in Yuzhou. What Li Jun didn't anticipate was that Shang Huaiyi hadn't sent any message through the enemy when he died; Cheng Tian was merely using Shang Huaiyi's words to make this already true news seem even more credible.
Li Jun didn't turn around, but from the slight commotion behind him, he understood the shock brought by Cheng Tian's news. No matter how much he insisted on secrecy, the news would spread throughout the camp overnight. He furrowed his brow slightly, then relaxed, smiling, "Thank you for relaying the message, Commander Cheng. I owe you this favor. Next time, if I kill him..." He paused, pointing his halberd tip diagonally at Zheng Dingguo. Even from a distance, Zheng Dingguo felt a killing intent that could pierce through metal and stone, aimed directly at him. This intense killing intent, however, made the blood of Zheng Dingguo, a brave and fierce general, boil. But Li Jun ignored him, continuing, "If I kill him, I will give him time to deliver a message first."
Cheng Tian inwardly praised him. His reason for halting the attack for three days, only sending news of the internal strife in Yu Prefecture today, was to sow suspicion among the Peace Army in Huai'en City, thus increasing the devastating impact of the news. He used the supposedly deceased Shang Huaiyi's words for the same purpose. However, Li Jun seized upon the loophole that Cheng Tian couldn't possibly have had an opportunity to give Shang Huaiyi his final instructions on the battlefield. Although not explicitly stated, his words implied a lie. Since Shang Huaiyi wouldn't have asked him to deliver a message, its content must be false. Li Jun effortlessly neutralized Cheng Tian's carefully orchestrated psychological warfare; conversely, a vehement rebuttal from Li Jun would only deepen the soldiers' suspicions.
Sure enough, the slight commotion behind Li Jun subsided. Li Jun laughed and said, "Sect Leader Cheng, your elaborate psychological warfare tactics are nothing more than this. Now that I've finished speaking, I have something I'd like to say to Sect Leader Cheng in person. I wonder if Sect Leader Cheng would be willing to listen?"
“It is impolite not to reciprocate. Since that’s the case, I’ve spoken to Commander Li first, so I have no choice but to listen to what Commander Li has to say.” Cheng Tian made no attempt to defend his words. After Li Jun’s remarks, he simply smiled faintly. The two laughed and joked, appearing to outsiders as old friends exchanging pleasantries, unaware that behind those smiles lay sharp daggers capable of killing each other.
"With Commander Cheng's wisdom, he should know that Huai'en City is strategically located and well-supplied. If this drags on for too long, it will be extremely disadvantageous for the Lianfa Army. I have divided my forces into three cities, and Commander Cheng has also divided his forces to confront them. Are you perhaps waiting for our supplies to run out so that we can hunt them down like a tiger chasing sheep?" Li Jun briefly analyzed the current situation of the two armies, and then shouted, "If Commander Cheng has the guts, why not fight me to the death here under Huai'en City? If he doesn't have the guts, why not retreat quickly?"
He had spoken in a gentle voice earlier, but now his voice suddenly rose to a high pitch, making the ears of the front-line soldiers of the Lianfa Army ring. Some of the more timid soldiers even took several steps back, as if the Peace Army was about to charge out with his shout. This sudden change in the situation turned into Li Jun using psychological warfare to shake the morale of the Lianfa Army.
Cheng Tian narrowed his eyes. Li Jun's intelligence surpassed his expectations. Such a talent, even in dire straits, could still counterattack with psychological warfare; it was truly remarkable. In fact, he understood just as well as Li Jun that Li Jun believed his story of internal strife in Yu Prefecture. If he wanted to deceive the Peace Army, he would at least have to come up with a more plausible story.
"Someone as resourceful and wise as Li Tong, who has maintained the integrity of his territory, still wishes to act rashly?" Cheng Tian's words were merely a casual remark, yet they dissipated much of the momentum brought by Li Jun's shout. Cheng Tian was right; a commander like Li Jun, who could lead thousands of troops, should not have placed himself in the line of fire to act rashly.
Both men felt somewhat helpless. If this continued, who knew when the outcome would be decided? They exchanged a glance and noticed a hint of resignation in each other's eyes. Cheng Tian spoke first: "Commander Li, whether you believe it or not, I have conveyed Shang Huaiyi's dying words. His first achievement is useless to me. Dingguo, send the first achievement over."
Zheng Dingguo, carrying the box containing the first victory in one hand and a spear in the other, slowly walked towards Li Jun's ranks. Li Jun gestured for Lan Qiao to take it, and Lan Qiao, sword in one hand, strode forward. The two valiant generals, one on horseback and one on foot, gradually approached. Suddenly, Zheng Dingguo spurred his horse, and it bolted like an arrow, rushing towards Lan Qiao like the wind. Lan Qiao stood tall, his greatsword held high, waiting for Zheng Dingguo to attack.
Zheng Dingguo's original intention was to intimidate Lan Qiao and establish his authority, but unexpectedly, Lan Qiao stood tall and imposing, exuding the air of a master, clearly a first-rate expert. Zheng Dingguo couldn't resist the urge to thrust his spear forward. Lan Qiao, not to be outdone, ducked to avoid the spear tip, then swiftly moved, his greatsword sweeping along the spear shaft, aiming straight for Zheng Dingguo's fingers. The spiritual energy within both men naturally transformed into protective qi with the clash of their weapons, emitting a whooshing sound as it cut through the air.
Cheng Tian and Li Jun cried out simultaneously. Zheng Dingguo blocked Lan Qiao's sword with the hilt of his spear. They glared at each other, both knowing that the other was a formidable opponent, and that a real fight would likely last for hundreds of rounds. They had no choice but to stop. Zheng Dingguo threw down the box containing the head. Lan Qiao reached out and caught the box, which shattered in his hands, revealing the human head inside.
"Boy, what's your name?" Lan Qiao hadn't expected Zheng Dingguo to imbue the box with spiritual power, which caused him to lose half a move. He was extremely angry, and moreover, Zheng Dingguo's actions were disrespectful to the dead. Therefore, Lan Qiao asked him his name.
“Yong Guang Zheng Dingguo, have you remembered this?” Zheng Dingguo answered proudly.
"I'll remember that, and you remember that too. I've decided to take your head. Before I kill you, you better not die at the hands of anyone else. I am Lan Qiao!" Lan Qiao said through gritted teeth.
“A nobody, I’ve already forgotten.” Zheng Dingguo’s words only made Lan Qiao want to fight him immediately, but Li Jun’s shout came over at this moment.
"Lanqiao, come back. We need to arrange a proper funeral for General Shang first. As for this kid, I guarantee his head is yours."
"Commander Li, if you feel you have nowhere else to go, please come and serve in my army. With your talent and wisdom, Emperor Shenzong will certainly not treat you unfairly." Just as Li Jun was about to turn his horse back into the city, Cheng Tian suddenly shouted loudly, and then burst into laughter.