The Road to Glory

Chapter 173

"You don't seem afraid this wine might contain..."

In an instant, armored soldiers and half of Wei's generals in the room rushed forward to capture Xiao Li.

Amidst this chaos, crossbow bolts risked injuring their own allies if handled carelessly, rendering them temporarily useless.

Xiao Li pressed down seven or eight spears thrust toward him with a single arm, forcing the armored soldiers gripping the shafts to retreat with contorted expressions. With another forceful twist, the spear shafts beneath his elbow snapped cleanly, sending the soldiers tumbling to the ground.

Behind him came the sharp screech of iron chains grinding. Xiao Li turned to find two chains already coiled around his legs, while several Wei generals charged at him with raised blades.

Yuan Fang shouted from beside Wei Qishan, "Do not harm Governor Xiao's life!"

Occupied with fending off the Wei generals, Xiao Li had no time to address the chains entangling his legs. He kicked up a steel blade from the ground, first dealing with the attacking generals.

Meanwhile, several armored soldiers opposite him strained to pull the chains wrapped around his legs, attempting to drag him down for capture.

While entangled with the Wei generals, Xiao Li found his movements restricted by the soldiers pulling the chains. He lifted his fierce gaze, glaring so intimidatingly that the opposing soldiers paled with fear. Planting his feet firmly, he stomped down, yanking the chains with such force that the soldiers gripping them stumbled forward and collapsed face-first.

The Wei generals surrounding Wei Qishan watched with gritted teeth.

They had previously only heard of Xiao Li's numerous military achievements and Liao Jiang's praises, assuming them exaggerated. Now, facing him in combat, they realized the title "Tyrant Reborn" was no empty boast.

As both armored soldiers and Wei generals failed to subdue Xiao Li, Wei Qishan's expression grew increasingly displeased. He coldly commanded, "Release the steel net."

Following his order, several armored soldiers rushed to the four pillars in the room and severed the thick ox-tendon ropes suspending the steel net overhead.

The heavy steel net crashed down, trapping Xiao Li along with many Wei generals and soldiers beneath it. Temporarily immobilized, the surrounding armored soldiers cautiously approached, thrusting their spears through the net's gaps to firmly pin down Xiao Li's limbs.

Even so, Xiao Li fiercely snapped several spears in his struggle.

Fearing they might injure Xiao Li, Yuan Fang stepped forward before Wei Qishan could issue another command. He cut Xiao Li's hand with a dagger soaked in anesthetic and, under Xiao Li's cold, furious glare, shamefully lowered his head, saying, "I do this for your own good, Benefactor."

The anesthetic quickly took effect. As Xiao Li's body gradually numbed, his struggles lost their previous ferocity, allowing the armored soldiers to finally restrain him successfully.

All the Wei generals collectively heaved a sigh of relief, wiping cold sweat from their brows.

This had been more perilous than hunting a ferocious beast.

A Wei general approached Wei Qishan to inquire about Xiao Li's fate. Wei Qishan icily ordered, "Take him to the dungeon."

After the soldiers escorted Xiao Li away, Yuan Fang knelt on one knee before Wei Qishan again, earnestly pleading, "Marquis, allow this humble general to persuade Governor Xiao further. If he bears resentment over the two thousand soldiers' needless deaths, I will explain your hardships to him."

Wei Qishan, however, seemed genuinely enraged. He slammed the table forcefully, his face stern. After a fit of coughing stirred by his agitation, he coldly declared, "I have indulged this youth too much, allowing his arrogance to flourish from his talent. Let him be confined for a while. We will revisit this matter later."Yuan Fang still wished to plead further, but Wei Qishan had already waved his hand with a cold, unyielding expression, signaling him to withdraw.

Seeing that Wei Qishan was still suppressing his coughs, Yuan Fang knew he was truly enraged today and this was not the right moment for persuasion. He could only clasp his fists and retreat.

Only after Yuan Fang had withdrawn into the distance did Wei Xian, Wei Qishan’s longtime attendant, gently pat his back and say, “Every fierce weapon needs to be honed gradually. Why must the Marquis work himself into such a fury?”

Wei Qishan coughed violently for a while, and when he removed the handkerchief from his lips, it was stained with blood. Wei Xian, flustered, was about to summon the physician when Wei Qishan stopped him: “It’s an old ailment. I won’t die from it.”

After coughing up that bloody phlegm, he finally stopped, though his expression remained grim. “He dares to be so insolent today because he’s certain I can’t move against him now. For now, let’s just dull his edge.”

Wei Xian said, “Since the Marquis already has a way to deal with him, why be so angry?”

Wei Qishan’s gaze fell on the scroll tucked away at the corner of the desk, and he said coldly, “What I’ve given him is, by my own reckoning, no less than what Liang Camp offered. It’s one thing for him to cherish his former master, but how dare he accuse me of unfairness! Has he forgotten how Liang Camp, merely suspecting him of being a spy, wounded him with a poison arrow and nearly took his life?”

Wei Xian thought for a moment and replied, “This Xiao Li rose from humble origins, and the Tong Prefecture Army under him was formed from righteous bandits and rebels he gathered from various counties in Tong Prefecture. Unlike those martial generals from aristocratic families, he likely places greater emphasis on loyalty toward his subordinates. Liang Camp harmed him alone, and with that Princess Han Yang’s talent for swaying hearts and minds, a few words might easily deceive him again. But the Marquis, wanting him to bow his head, held back the Wolf Cavalry and let only the righteous army bear the brunt of the defense at Yanle Mountain, resulting in so many deaths. This wasn’t a matter of his life alone. Given his stubborn nature, he couldn’t simply overlook it on behalf of his soldiers.”

Wei Qishan’s face turned icy: “Do you also think it was my fault?”

Wei Xian bowed his head: “This old servant does not mean that, only that it is a pity. The Marquis’s original intention was to discipline him slightly. Had Xiao Li straightforwardly admitted he couldn’t hold Yanle Mountain, the Marquis could have reprimanded him under some pretext—this would have temporarily subdued his arrogance, eased the resentment of the veteran generals over his rapid rise, and, moreover, restored some dignity for the young master. But who could have guessed he would be so unyielding, stubbornly holding on until this rift formed with the Marquis.”

He sighed and continued, “Yet, without even the warhorses allocated to the Wolf Cavalry, relying solely on that righteous army assembled from various places, he managed to withstand the barbarians’ tactics that even the Wolf Cavalry might not have handled. This proves his mastery in military strategy. Once the Marquis has cooled his anger, it would be wise to send someone to reason with him again. It would be a shame to kill such a man, and if we let him return to Liang Camp, it would truly be like adding wings to a tiger.”

As if understanding another reason for Wei Qishan’s fury toward Xiao Li, he added, “This old servant knows the Marquis was hurt by his words. But although the Marquis sees the shadow of the elder young master in him, you’ve never truly treated him as the elder young master, have you? Xiao Li was right about one thing: between the Marquis and him, it is ultimately a relationship of ruler and subject, not father and son. The Marquis should understand this better than anyone.”

Wei Qishan, however, looked profound and said, “It is precisely because I understand that I don’t know how to handle this man.”He said, "While I'm still alive, I can somewhat keep him in check. But once I'm gone, leaving him in the Wei camp—can that unfilial son control him?"

Wei Xian hurriedly replied, "The physician said your health will naturally improve once spring arrives and the weather warms up."

Another itch surged in Wei Qishan's throat. He cupped his hand over his mouth, suppressing two muffled coughs before changing the subject. "Summon Liao Jiang and the others. Han Yang has breached Purple Sun Pass, and Pei Song's days are numbered. Our Northern Wei cannot allow the events of thirty-five years ago to repeat themselves."

On the third day of Xiao Li's imprisonment, coinciding with Wei Pingjin's wedding, news of his capture under the accusation of being a spy somehow spread, causing unrest throughout the army.

The righteous army soldiers were particularly outraged. Their forces advanced directly to the outskirts of Weizhou City, where commanders Song Qin and Zheng Hu led other officers in creating a banner from white silk inscribed with the handwritten names of all righteous army soldiers. They erected it outside the city gates, shouting insults and demanding Weizhou release Xiao Li.

Many soldiers were illiterate and unable to write their own names, so the white banner became densely covered with bloody fingerprints. From a distance, the sight was startling.

That day, with numerous guests attending the banquet, the incident had grown too large to suppress.

The city sent several parties to disperse the crowd, but nearly thirty thousand soldiers surrounded the walls. If conflict erupted, even with the Wolf Cavalry as their trump card, Northern Wei would suffer devastating losses from internal strife at this critical juncture.

The righteous army refused to yield, instead growing increasingly vehement in their protests. Zheng Hu nearly pointed at the Wei soldiers on the battlements and called them heartless ingrates.

The Wei troops sent to disperse them had no choice but to relay the situation back to the Wei residence.

Outwardly, the Wei residence was adorned with festive lanterns and red silks, brimming with joyous atmosphere. However, all the wedding guests were aware of Xiao Li's capture and the righteous army's siege demanding his release. They merely feigned ignorance in Wei Qishan's presence, maintaining the facade of celebration.

After the bride and groom completed their vows to heaven and earth, Wei Qishan congratulated the guests with a composed expression before turning away. Only when listening to his guard's report while walking back did his demeanor darken.

Wei Qishan summoned his trusted aides, including Yuan Fang and Liao Jiang.

One Wei general declared, "Those righteous army rebels wouldn't dare act so arrogantly without instigation from their commanders. I say we make an example by executing their officers—those peasants will learn obedience then!"

Yuan Fang retorted coldly, "Are you suggesting we directly engage thirty thousand righteous army troops outside the city? The barbarians beyond the Yanle Mountain defense line only quieted down after Xiao Li annihilated one of their divisions—they're already seeking new opportunities to attack. With Han Yang breaching Purple Sun Pass and the Marquis having just convened generals to plan a southern pincer attack against Pei Song two days ago, why would you advocate civil war now? What are your intentions?"

The other snapped back, "Those rabble besieging the city have trampled the Marquis' dignity into the mud! Should we tolerate such insolence?"

Frustrated by the deteriorating situation, Yuan Fang shouted, "I've repeatedly advised diplomatic resolution!"

His opponent sneered, "If General Yuan believes he can persuade them, he's welcome to try outside the gates!"

Liao Jiang interjected sharply, "Enough quarreling! Our priority is persuading the righteous army to withdraw. With the imminent campaign against the Pei Army, we cannot afford internal conflict that would devastate morale."That Wei general declared, "It was clearly Xiao Li who harbored Han Yang and betrayed the Marquis first! Such disloyal and faithless scum deserves public execution to set an example. Anyone in the righteous army who causes trouble again shall be charged with treason!"

Yuan Fang retorted angrily, "It's true Xiao Li remained loyal to his former master, but that precisely proves he's a man who values sentiment and righteousness! He didn't directly release Han Yang either—instead, he allowed the Marquis to order me to take her away. Doesn't this demonstrate his loyalty to the Marquis as well? If we're truly weighing merits and faults, the achievements he's made long ago outweigh this single mistake!"

The Wei general shouted, "General Yuan! You repeatedly shield that Xiao—are you so fixated on a life-saving favor that you've cast aside your loyalty to the Marquis?"

Yuan Fang glanced at Wei Qishan, who stood with his hands behind his back facing away from them, and replied with a troubled expression, "If I were shielding Xiao Zhoujun, I wouldn't have truthfully identified him when the Marquis showed me Princess Han Yang's portrait and asked."

The Wei general snorted coldly and yelled, "In my opinion! That Xiao is arrogant because of his achievements—he should be executed!"

Yuan Fang warned, "The moment you kill him, those thirty thousand righteous troops will revolt immediately!"

"Isn't this exactly proof that Xiao Li long harbored rebellious intentions? Thirty thousand righteous troops obeying him instead of their commander-in-chief, the Marquis—if we don't eliminate this man, are we nurturing a future catastrophe?"

"You!" Yuan Fang was furious, his jaw clenched tight. Finally, he knelt before Wei Qishan and said, "If the Marquis truly intends to execute Xiao Zhoujun, then cut off this humble general's head along with his. This life of mine was saved by Xiao Zhoujun, and it was I who invited him to the Northern Border. All blame rests with me."

Wei Qishan turned to look at Yuan Fang, his meticulously groomed temples streaked with silver threads.

He stared at his most cherished general and asked, "Are you threatening me?"

Yuan Fang kowtowed, his eyes burning red: "This humble general only wishes to uphold both loyalty and righteousness."

The guard respectfully opened the iron cell door. Liao Jiang entered the dungeon carrying two jars of wine. By the faint light streaming through the skylight, he saw the man sitting motionless with heavy iron shackles on his hands and feet, appearing as if in meditation. Liao Jiang laughed: "They're really treating you like some ferocious beast here."

In weather cold enough to freeze water, Xiao Li's clothes remained unchanged since he was imprisoned. He lifted his cold, profound eyes and looked at Liao Jiang standing outside the iron bars, saying only: "General Liao's personal visit is quite an honor."

Liao Jiang picked up a dry straw from the ground and smiled: "Not bad. The straw bedding has been replaced—not that moldy rot from before."

Below the cell door was a modest square opening used for delivering meals.

Liao Jiang passed one jar of wine through the opening, then removed the oil-paper seal from his own jar, saying: "Old Yuan asked me to bring this. He said since he invited you to drink at the Young Master's wedding celebration, you should at least have this wine."

Xiao Li remained silent, tearing open the seal, grabbing the jar's rim, and tilting his head back to take a fierce gulp.

Liao Jiang laughed: "You're not afraid there might be poison in this wine."

Xiao Li only said: "If Marquis Wei wants me dead, he wouldn't resort to such tricks."

Liao Jiang chuckled, lifted his wine jar for a couple of swallows, then hissed appreciatively about the fine liquor.

The wine flowed down his throat like blazing fire, burning from his throat straight into his heart, warming his entire body.

Some words seemed easier to speak now.He said, "Don't blame Old Yuan. He has served by the Marquis's side for nearly as long as I have. Whatever loyalty he owes the Marquis, he must fulfill. But to plead for you, he has now angered the Marquis and ended up implicating himself."

Xiao Li seemed to frown slightly and said, "Tell General Yuan there's no need to plead on my behalf."

He lowered his gaze to the wine jar in his hand, his voice cold and deep: "He has his own loyalty and righteousness. I've never blamed him."

From the moment he decided to protect Wen Yu, he knew this day of exposure would come.

Liao Jiang sighed and said, "But his loyalty and righteousness require you to complete them."

Xiao Li remained silent.

Liao Jiang continued, "Admit your mistake to the Marquis. You should know how highly the Marquis regards you. But he is still the Marquis after all. Some things, even if he's wrong, he cannot lower his head. Do you understand?"

"The matter of you concealing Han Yang's identity—the Marquis can let it pass. The deaths of so many soldiers under your command were never the Marquis's intention either. The Marquis's original purpose in sending the righteous army to support Yanle Mountain was simply because your rising prominence and disrespect toward the young master had displeased many old generals who support the Wei family. To quell their discontent and help you integrate better into the Wei camp, the Marquis wanted to use this opportunity to discipline you. Many things in this world are not simply black and white. The Marquis holds authority over the entire Northern Border—he too faces many unavoidable circumstances."