{"id":7979,"date":"2026-05-19T08:30:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T06:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/?p=7979"},"modified":"2026-05-19T08:30:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T06:30:50","slug":"your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-119-death-is-inevitable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/2026\/05\/19\/your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-119-death-is-inevitable\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Majesty, you mustn&#8217;t! &#8211; Chapter 119 Death is Inevitable"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hanzhong, north of the Han River, was a typical city. It had a sizable population but very few soldiers. The local officials did nothing and colluded with local strongmen to oppress the people. They were tyrannical within their own ranks, but if they faced outside enemies, they couldn\u2019t hold out for even three days.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In such a place, one couldn\u2019t expect much in terms of city defenses. The city gates of Hanzhong were peeling, and the gate towers were already weathered. If one pinched the wood, it would crumble and fall.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, even if broken, the city gates formed a line of defense. They were better than ordinary houses, and even the residences of nobles could not withstand a small squad of well-trained soldiers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, Qu Yunmie left eight thousand soldiers. Xiao Rong arranged one thousand to guard nearby, three hundred of them inside, surrounding Gao Xunzhi\u2019s residence. The remaining seven thousand were stationed at several city gates. At the western gate closest to Zitong County, he stationed nine thousand soldiers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Four thousand were Northern soldiers, five thousand were local guards.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If anyone actually tried to break through the city gates, these local guards would probably fall to their knees immediately and surrender without hesitation. Xiao Rong didn\u2019t expect them to be particularly loyal, they only needed to form a sufficient number to deter outsiders.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu wasn\u2019t there to attack the city\u2014he was there to abduct someone. He didn\u2019t need to go through the city gate, someone would tell him where to enter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu brought two hundred men, including a seven-man squad assigned by Shen Yangrui. These men were the soldiers who had inspected houses individually and had stayed in Hanzhong longer, so they knew which routes could be used without alerting the guards.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After this point, their usefulness ended. What happened next depended entirely on Yuan Baifu.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In full view, Yuan Baifu waved and summoned two loyal guards. These men were extremely devoted to him but had only been promoted by him that year, so unless one had served in the Left Army, few would recognize them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At that moment, they wore Northern armor and looked at Yuan Baifu with righteous resolve. He merely nodded to them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the next second, the two ran quickly, pretending to be out of breath. They deliberately did not speak, their footsteps echoing loudly in the alley. Soon, the nearby Northern soldiers became alert and shouted, &#8220;Who\u2019s there?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When blades and spears reached them, they quickly shouted, &#8220;We are from Rear Army Deputy General Yu\u2019s forces! Deputy General Yu sent us with urgent military intelligence for Mr. Xiao!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the nearby guards were distracted, Yuan Baifu climbed over a low wall, along with several of his subordinates. The two disguised Rear Army guards couldn\u2019t hold out long. They had not even finished their lines before a Northern soldier at the gate recognized them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He looked at them suspiciously. &#8220;How did you get in? Why only the two of you? How could the gate guards allow you to enter alone? If you are truly Rear Army, how would you know Mr. Xiao was here? Weren\u2019t you locked up this whole time?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two men opened their mouths but didn\u2019t know how to answer. The atmosphere became tense and heavy. Then someone realized what was happening and shouted, &#8220;No!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong had already fallen asleep. He was awakened by distant shouting and heard someone say, &#8220;Protect Mr. Xiao.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The moment he opened his eyes, a shadow leapt at him. The attacker struck him on the head with a measuring ruler from the table, the sharp corner dealing a heavy blow. Xiao Rong instantly fainted, blood trickling from the injury.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu acted as if he had seen nothing. He dropped the ruler, lifted Xiao Rong himself, and quickly moved outside.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several bodies lay at the gate\u2014guards he had just killed. He didn\u2019t immediately look for an exit but first went to the stables and seized a horse.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strangely, though this was an unfamiliar place he had never visited, he knew the layout immediately because it was a Northern garrison. He knew where the good horses were kept.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone was alerted, but Yuan Baifu ignored the commotion. He placed Xiao Rong on the horse, then mounted himself. Within the small compound, he spurred the horse to run. His subordinates followed if they could keep up; those who couldn\u2019t were abandoned. Yuan Baifu didn\u2019t care about their lives, but they cared about his. They were loyal, willing to risk their lives for him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instinct drove them to fight desperately after being abandoned, to buy Yuan Baifu time to escape. The roughly one hundred men outside were the same. Yuan Baifu had brought so many because a few could not cover his rear.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many devoted soldiers could a general have? The exact number was unclear, but everyone knew these soldiers were a general\u2019s most precious asset. Losing even one caused deep pain.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu clearly did not think that way. He discarded their lives as if their loyalty meant nothing. While escaping Hanzhong, something unexpected happened. Yuan Baifu, carrying an unconscious man, broke through the encirclement and cut through a red-tasseled spear aimed at him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Northern soldiers were shocked. They had never known Yuan Baifu was so formidable, almost like a king.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was no illusion. Yuan Baifu was exceptionally fierce today, as if his newfound mindset had amplified his strength. He was doing what he most desired. This motivation made him invincible. Over the past few days, he laughed whenever something good happened. In the past twenty years, he had never laughed heartily.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By nature, he liked being praised and admired. Influenced by the times, he consciously made himself polite, steady, virtuous, and noble, never realizing he wanted to be respected by all.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A true gentleman did not laugh heartily. After so many years of influence, Yuan Baifu never did.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He acted this way because he felt he should. A general should be bold, speak plainly, and never tolerate an insult. If imitating a gentleman was due to his environment, believing he should become a bold hero after rebellion came from observing Qu Yunmie.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was Yuan Baifu\u2014a man in his twenties who had never truly been himself. Now he had awakened, but the intense rupture threw him completely off balance. He was no longer a gentleman, a hero, or himself.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had become twisted.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The horse carried Yuan Baifu into the distance. He had started with two hundred men, now only a dozen remained, three of them from Southern Yong. These men didn\u2019t trust or care about Yuan Baifu, so their chances of escape were greater.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu had already planned the escape route. He was familiar with Yizhou and Ningzhou. Entering a small forest path, they quickly lost the pursuing Northern soldiers. Though the life-threatening danger was gone, the dozen men remained fearful, daring not to pause, their hearts still pounding.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this moment, someone heard a broken laugh carried by the wind. Surprised, they looked toward it and saw Yuan Baifu.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He laughed lightly, nervously, staring forward. The laugh was not a joyous victory laugh, but like he had heard some joke.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The more he laughed, the harder it became for him to stop. Yuan Baifu held the reins in one hand, bent over, shoulders trembling. His face was wrinkled from laughter, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. After a while, he straightened, wiped his eyes, and smiled at the darkness ahead. From his face, people could even see a sense of calm.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nearby observers were horrified. No one dared speak. They could only hope the night would pass quickly and they could return to Zitong.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">*<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu unleashed strength comparable to Qu Yunmie, abducting Xiao Rong to somewhere unknown. Such an absurd event happened right under Gao Xunzhi\u2019s eyes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi couldn\u2019t even feel self-blame or regret. In the middle of the night, he rode out to pursue, only to find that losing them didn\u2019t make them return. He wandered the forest for an hour like a headless fly. By dawn, he had no idea where he was. Those with him tried to advise him to stop and return. Others had already been sent out, but Yuan Baifu and his men were already far away.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi sat on his horse as if he had heard nothing, repeating, &#8220;Abducted\u2026 abducted but still needs Rong. Yuan Baifu wants to use Little Rong. He won\u2019t kill him, so there is still time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This sentence seemed like a lifeline. He repeated it frequently. People nearby frowned, but still advised him, \u201cMr. Gao, Mr. Xiao is protected by fate. He will be fine. Hanzhong still needs you. Return first!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi suddenly shouted at the advisor, \u201cYou know nothing!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Little Rong is not favored by fate!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He has always been unlucky! That is why he repeatedly fell ill and into danger. Never say such words again!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How unlucky must one be to have a family reduced to three?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How unlucky to have innate talent yet only serve the despised Northern Army?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How unlucky to be chosen by heaven, possessing everything yet always at risk of losing it all?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi couldn\u2019t bear to hear such words. Luck had never favored Xiao Rong. It gave the Northern Army and Qu Yunmie good fortune but refused him even a little. If he had to rely on prayer and luck to protect Xiao Rong, Gao Xunzhi had no hope at all.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Northern soldiers left behind all pursued Yuan Baifu. Two thousand charged toward Zitong County. If they failed, they would deliver news to Qu Yunmie.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone gave their all, but Gao Xunzhi knew from the moment they lost sight of him, they could never catch up.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He felt more helpless than on the day he learned of Yuan Baifu\u2019s rebellion. His mind raced with possibilities, including that Yuan Baifu had abducted Xiao Rong to threaten Qu Yunmie.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If that were true, Gao Xunzhi would actually feel reassured. It would mean Yuan Baifu wouldn\u2019t kill Xiao Rong, and Qu Yunmie would compromise for Xiao Rong\u2019s sake. Even so, it didn\u2019t matter\u2014they could retreat and regroup. As long as the person lived, they could fight again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He feared that Yuan Baifu might want more.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The thought that Yuan Baifu might suddenly change his mind and kill Xiao Rong like he killed Wang Xinyong, made his hands tremble.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He ordered that they return, but he wasn\u2019t returning to continue overseeing Hanzhong. He was going to arrange matters there first, then personally hurry to Zitong.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If things really reached the worst possible situation, even though Gao Xunzhi knew his strength was small, he had to try. He couldn\u2019t watch Qu Yunmie destroy the work he and Xiao Rong had built together.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi didn\u2019t even remember how he returned to Hanzhong. Now he could only deal with the matters in front of him. Time seemed unable to enter his mind. Upon arriving in the city, he immediately dismounted and staggered forward in a way he did not even realize.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At that moment, trouble appeared again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Northern soldiers at the city gate hurriedly reported to him, \u201cChancellor, troops are attacking the north gate!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">*<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Xiao Rong woke up, he found himself locked in the Zitong County prison.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The prison was heavily guarded by Yuan Baifu\u2019s loyal men. Yuan Baifu brought him back but didn\u2019t allow Shen Yangrui\u2019s men to interfere at all. Even when Shen Yangrui scolded him, Yuan Baifu didn\u2019t react. He wouldn\u2019t let outsiders approach Xiao Rong.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shen Yangrui sensed something was wrong. This time Yuan Baifu\u2019s stubbornness didn\u2019t seem fake. His expression was different from before. Shen Yangrui had a gut feeling.<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If he insisted on confronting Yuan Baifu, Yuan Baifu might really tear up their relationship.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was unacceptable. Now was the crucial moment to repel Qu Yunmie. If Yuan Baifu betrayed them, Shen Yangrui had no chance of success, so he backed down.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu no longer displayed the look of a petty man reveling in success. He looked calm, only giving a short \u201chmm,\u201d and then asked Shen Yangrui about the battle outside.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie had already arrived outside Zitong. He didn\u2019t know Xiao Rong was only a few miles away, and Xiao Rong didn\u2019t know exactly where he was.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clutching his aching head, Xiao Rong looked dazedly at the guards outside. He was still slowly processing when someone called out to him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lord Xiao, are you alright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong\u2019s promotion to Minister of Education was known only by a few. Since the official document hadn\u2019t been issued, he hadn\u2019t made Qu Yunmie widely aware. Only He Tingzhi, who had been boastfully shown, and his close associates knew.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He stared blankly toward the voice. Perhaps due to a concussion, he reacted slowly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a while, he recognized the bruised, homeless-looking man. \u201cYao\u2026 Yao Xian?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Separated by a cell, Yao Xian exhaled in relief. &#8220;I\u2019m glad you\u2019re okay. When that bastard Yuan Baifu threw you in, I thought you were about to die.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong then remembered what had happened the previous night. He had fainted without seeing who it was. Learning it was Yuan Baifu, and as the aftereffects of the concussion wore off, he quickly understood the situation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His expression changed immediately.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike Gao Xunzhi, he wasn\u2019t afraid that Yuan Baifu would kill him, but he feared Yuan Baifu might use him to threaten Qu Yunmie. He opened his mouth to ask Yao Xian more, but a guard suddenly approached the cells and struck the prison bars with the hilt of his sword. \u201cShut up! If you\u2019re not quiet, we\u2019ll beat you again!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">*<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie hadn\u2019t been there long. As his soldiers set up camp, he glared darkly at the city gates of Zitong. After a while, he called Dongfang Jin over to report something.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Qu Yunmie led his troops to the front, he didn\u2019t immediately charge. Instead, he ordered a loud-voiced soldier to shout toward Zitong.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surrendering soldiers will not be killed!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The King of North only punishes the principal traitors. Hand over the rebels, and receive official posts and a thousand gold pieces!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone will benefit!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After repeating it once, he repeated it again. The soldier\u2019s voice echoed across the open field. The Southern Yong soldiers on the Zitong city walls couldn\u2019t help but grip their spears.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone will benefit\u201d meant the Southern Yong soldiers would benefit too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Faced with such temptation, it was hard for anyone not to be tempted, but few had the courage to surrender immediately while still in the city. Once the King of the North broke in and their leaders could no longer watch, what they would do was uncertain.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After shouting ten times to ensure every defender heard, Qu Yunmie raised his Snow-Drink Vengeance Spear high.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All the Northern soldiers saw the signal. Even those who could not hear his words roared in response.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Charge! Kill all these traitors!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The King of the North personally led the attack. Morale soared. Within half an hour, the battle was decided. Shen Yangrui had sent five thousand men: three thousand died, fifteen hundred surrendered, and only five hundred fled in panic.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shen Yangrui: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though he hadn\u2019t sent his elite troops, losing so thoroughly was humiliating. These five thousand were only partly his soldiers, most were the original Zitong defenders. He had sent them as a show and to gauge the Northern Army\u2019s strength. Now, the last hope was gone.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a stern expression, he immediately summoned Yuan Baifu and ordered him to bring Xiao Rong as well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He approved of Yuan Baifu abducting Xiao Rong. The plan was not to force Qu Yunmie to retreat but to buy time for negotiations. He didn\u2019t intend to completely anger Qu Yunmie. He also wanted to impress on Xiao Rong that this was done out of necessity and that the plan came from Yuan Baifu\u2014the Northern traitor\u2014not from them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was the real reason Shen Yangrui wanted to keep Xiao Rong with him: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To retain multiple contingencies.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He felt that previously Yuan Baifu had refused because time wasn\u2019t urgent, but now the situation was critical. Last night, Yuan Baifu had taken a shortcut back. Even if his pursuers were slow, they should\u2019ve arrived by this afternoon. Yuan Baifu still held Xiao Rong, which was excessive.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He thought Yuan Baifu would be sensible, but he was proven wrong again. Yuan Baifu neither handed over Xiao Rong nor went to meet Shen Yangrui.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After closing the door, Qu Jin looked at Yuan Baifu\u2019s calm demeanor and grew increasingly uneasy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He couldn\u2019t help saying, &#8220;If you don\u2019t hand over Xiao Rong, they might think you have ulterior motives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu sipped tea and calmly replied, &#8220;Then they are right. I do have ulterior motives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Jin froze, then quickly asked, &#8220;Have you changed your mind? You will not be the King of Jiangyang?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu smiled faintly. &#8220;I will not. What\u2019s good about being the King of Jiangyang? I want to be King of the North.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Jin: \u201c&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He stared at him in shock, but Yuan Baifu didn\u2019t notice. He continued, \u201cWhen Qu Yunmie finds out Xiao Rong is in Zitong, he will charge, but he won\u2019t dare attack the city gates for fear that Xiao Rong will be harmed. When that happens, I will take Xiao Rong onto the walls. I will make Qu Yunmie watch me kill his precious strategist. When he goes mad, you open the gates below. Even if we use lives as stakes, I will stop Qu Yunmie\u2019s life here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He smiled again. &#8220;After Qu Yunmie dies, his twenty thousand men won\u2019t be a threat. Once they are killed, next is Shen Yangrui. The Southern Yong people are useless, their men have no backbone. Many will surrender, and then Ningzhou will be mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without Qu Yunmie, the Northern Army is gone. Without Shen Yangrui, Southern Yong is gone. Then I can be any king I want, right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He looked at Qu Jin. Seeing no approval, Yuan Baifu asked calmly, &#8220;Do you think this plan is bad?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Jin tried to smile to reassure him. Yuan Baifu\u2019s expression was terrifying and frozen. Qu Jin shouted, \u201cGood! Excellent! Then Qu Yunmie must die!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuan Baifu\u2019s expression did not change. He looked at him, then turned away.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Jin had no idea what Yuan Baifu was thinking or if he believed him. Meanwhile, Shen Yangrui\u2019s men came to urge Yuan Baifu. Yuan Baifu frowned, but set down his tea and left.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Jin stayed put until Yuan Baifu had been gone a long while, then he suddenly stood up.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He thought, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crazy! Yuan Baifu had gone mad. Could that be called a plan? That was his delusion!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Rear Army wouldn\u2019t follow them. Shen Yangrui wasn\u2019t helpless. Also, with a furious Qu Yunmie, even a few thousand soldiers might not stop him. The Xianbei succeeded in the past because they had divine archers. Zitong had nothing!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Jin didn\u2019t want to die here, much less be dragged down by a madman. Clenching his fists, he made up his mind.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Jin quickly walked toward the prison, repeating in his mind: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I must stay alive. Yes, I must survive!!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Edited by: Antiope<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Support translation:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/bePatron?u=25191841\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"217\" height=\"51\" class=\"wp-image-338 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/become_a_patron_button.png?resize=217%2C51\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 217px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 217\/51;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/lajnaa\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/kofi3-3.png?resize=185%2C47\" alt=\"This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is kofi3-3.png\" width=\"185\" height=\"47\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 185px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 185\/47;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hanzhong, north of the Han River, was a typical city. It had a sizable population but very few soldiers. The local officials did nothing and colluded with local strongmen to oppress the people. They were tyrannical within their own ranks, but if they faced outside enemies, they couldn\u2019t hold out for even three days. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-your-majesty","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240106180053_200_280-1.jpg?fit=199%2C280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7979"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7980,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7979\/revisions\/7980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}