"So what?" Ghost Tiger asked in confusion.
Even if they were high-ranking officials of the Crane Control Army, what did that have to do with the Song Emperor knowing the miraculous use of heart blood? It was truly baffling.
Wei Yuzhi didn’t explain either and instead said, "These people are all extraordinary, and the island’s defenses are tight. If we attack to seize it, we only have a twenty percent chance of success. The art of war states: surround them with tenfold forces, attack with fivefold, and divide them with double."
When he said "attack with fivefold," Wei Yuzhi emphasized his tone.
If their forces were double the enemy’s, they should maneuver to split the enemy’s strength, allowing them to concentrate superior forces to eliminate them.
"We only need to seize the heart blood. There’s no need to provoke the others," Wei Yuzhi said expressionlessly. "The heart blood is most likely in the hands of Mei Shisi and Mo Sigui. We just need to lure those two out and ambush them."
"How do we lure them out?" Ghost Tiger asked.
The shimmering reflections of the lake danced in Wei Yuzhi’s eyes, masking the gloom in his heart.
As the mastermind behind the scenes in the Song territory, Wei Yuzhi had always held the reins of strategy, never once suffering defeat. But ever since the "Bright Villa" of Misty Villa was breached by the Crane Control Army, the newly enthroned emperor of Liao had withdrawn the forces of the "Hidden Villa."
Was he really in such a hurry to discard the bow once the birds were gone?
Wei Yuzhi understood the new emperor’s temperament—he wasn’t shortsighted, and it wasn’t yet time to cast aside his tools. But no matter how hard Wei Yuzhi fought, how much he sacrificed, he could never compare to a woman bound by blood ties. This realization was difficult for him to accept.
Wei Yuzhi gritted his teeth. A breeze swept across the lake, making his body sway slightly.
The Ghost Tiger nearest to him swiftly stepped forward and steadied his back. "Are you alright, sir?"
"Mn." Wei Yuzhi forced himself to steady his mind. "Lie in wait in the plum grove nearby. Mo Sigui will surely leave the island to gather medicine. According to our spies in the city, Mei Shisi was recently spotted near Panlou Street. I predict she’ll emerge again soon. Mei Shisi’s mental strength has reached the Transformation Realm. Stay within the formation—do not pursue her on your own, or you’ll bear the consequences."
"Yes."
All the Ghost Tigers responded in unison.
These Ghost Tigers were Yelü Huangwu’s right-hand men, sent to assist Wei Yuzhi in seizing the heart blood. However, they did not unconditionally obey his orders, which greatly constrained him.
Wei Yuzhi had always been frail, and after being severely injured by An Jiu during her kidnapping, his health had worsened. It took him a long time to recover enough to barely handle affairs.
Victory and defeat were common in warfare, and strategists inevitably faced setbacks. Wei Yuzhi had poured his heart and soul into serving Liao, all for the sake of reaching the pinnacle of power and leaving his name in history. Yet, since the new emperor’s ascension, his situation had not improved—instead, it had become even more precarious. In a fleeting moment, he suddenly felt exhausted.
Wei Yuzhi had repeatedly stumbled at An Jiu’s hands, not entirely because of her overwhelming strength, but because he had never truly schemed against her in earnest.
He found it rather amusing to play with her like this.
It wasn’t until he received the emperor’s personal letter, reprimanding him for being distracted by personal feelings and neglecting matters of state, that he abruptly realized he had fallen into such a dangerous game.
As intelligent as he was, he had long known that his feelings for her would bear no fruit—or if they did, it would be bitter. He had told An Jiu that he "once liked her," but truly forgetting and letting go was never so easy.In the stillness of midnight, he often dreamed of finding that beauty amidst a pile of withered leaves... as if she were a gift bestowed by the heavens.
It was the first time in his life he had felt his heart stir so profoundly for a woman.
Now, if he wanted to be with Mei Shisi, the only way was to bind her and take her back, imprisoning her in a secluded chamber. Yet, for a strategist skilled in manipulating hearts, merely possessing an empty shell was utterly dull.
Wei Yuzhi sighed—that Mei Shisi, her temper was as unyielding as steel... she would rather break than bend.
"You all stay on guard. I’ll go back and rest first," Wei Yuzhi tossed out the words before turning to leave.
Several Ghost Tigers watched his retreating figure. In the night, his sleeves fluttered with the wind, outlining a slender, bamboo-like frame—somewhat untamed, somewhat desolate.
"Do you think Master Wei intends to have us perish here?" one of the Ghost Tigers suddenly spoke.
After all, one mountain could not hold two tigers. Both Wei Yuzhi and Yelü Huangwu were master tacticians, and the position of second only to the emperor would inevitably belong to one of them. Comparatively, Yelü Huangwu held greater power than Wei Yuzhi, so it was only natural he would want to weaken his rival. Especially since Wei Yuzhi had never concealed his disdain for them.
"No," said the one who had been conversing with Wei Yuzhi earlier. "This matter concerns His Majesty. If anything were to happen to the Emperor, our Prince’s position would be precarious—and he would fare no better."
The Ghost Tigers fell into silence, acknowledging the logic in his words.
They had lain dormant for so many years, enduring until Yelü Huangwu’s resurgence. Now was the time to charge forward unrestrained, and the excitement in their hearts had yet to settle.
There was a kind of person in this world who rushed headlong toward death, yet refused to die too lightly—a fervor ordinary people could never comprehend.
Such were the Ghost Tigers. Under Yelü Huangwu’s command, their hearts held but two words—loyalty! (To be continued...)
PS: Somehow, I still can’t log into the backend.
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