After listening to Murong Xun, Jiang Yan rose to his feet and let out a hearty laugh. His gaze swept across everyone in the tent before finally returning to Murong Xun.
“This time, it seems Heaven has decided that this old man’s life is not yet meant to end. I was fortunate enough to keep it. But I am getting on in years, after all. Having gone through such an ordeal, I cannot say how many more years I will be able to hold on.”
Murong Xun’s heart gave a jolt, though he arranged his face into an expression of concern. He hurried forward a step and offered reassurance.
“Lord Jiang is blessed by fortune. Since you have escaped danger this time, the road ahead will surely be smooth, and your health will only grow stronger. Why speak of how long you can endure?”
“Then I thank Prince Yong for his auspicious words.” Jiang Yan’s expression remained unchanged as he sparred verbally with Prince Yong.
The atmosphere inside the tent was still stifling. Murong Xun’s heart pounded as he sought only to smooth things over. He quickly turned to the guards beside him.
“Quickly—bring another chair. Let Lord Jiang join us for a drink.”
“There is no need.” Jiang Yan raised a hand, his gaze passing over the generals, who stood frozen with their cups still raised. “This old man has only just recovered. I came to the camp today merely to take a casual look around. Who would have thought that, passing by here, I would hear such lively merriment within? So I came in only to offer my greetings.”
As he spoke, his eyes swept over the room again, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. “With this old man here, I imagine none of you can drink at ease. I shall not remain and make myself unwelcome.”
“What are you saying, my lord?” Murong Xun hastily reached out to stop him, a smile piled onto his face. “The military camp is your domain to begin with. Your presence at this banquet would be more than welcome. How could you possibly be unwelcome? Please, take a seat and share a few drinks with this prince and the generals.”
Jiang Yan declined several more times, his tone resolute. Seeing that he truly could not persuade him to stay, Murong Xun had no choice but to give up. He watched Jiang Yan turn and stride from the tent with more than a dozen veteran generals behind him.
The heavy tent flap fell shut, and the interior was instantly swallowed by silence. The music and revelry from moments before seemed as though they had never existed.
Murong Xun stood where he was, feeling the blood rush to his head. His clenched fingers had turned white.
The remaining generals exchanged uneasy looks. Those who had only moments earlier thumped their chests and pledged their loyalty now wore faces drained of color, their thoughts churning.
Jiang Yan had returned safe and sound, and had appeared alongside so many generals. Clearly, he had come prepared. If they stayed in this tent any longer, there would surely be no favorable outcome for them in the days ahead.
After a brief pause, a deputy general was the first to rise. He clasped his hands and bowed to Murong Xun, forcing a fawning smile onto his face.
“Your Highness, this subordinate has drunk too much today and can no longer hold his liquor. I will take my leave first.”
Once there was a first, there came a second, then a third. The generals in the tent began offering excuses one after another. Some claimed they could not handle any more wine; others said they still had military affairs to attend to. Each bowed and took his leave in haste, afraid of being even a moment too slow.
Murong Xun watched the scene unfold. He knew that, upon seeing Jiang Yan’s return, these men had begun to waver once more. Yet there was nothing he could do. He could hardly force them to remain. Gritting his teeth, he simply waved them away with a cold expression.
In no time at all, the vast tent had emptied by more than half, leaving only a scattered few behind.
These men had accepted Murong Xun’s olive branch long ago. During Jiang Yan’s recuperation in Jiangyan, they had done no small amount of slandering him within the army.
They claimed that he was at death’s door and that the Mo Yun Army would sooner or later change hands. Such rumors had already swept through the entire city, and they had thoroughly earned Jiang Yan’s enmity.
Even if they wished to leave now, there was no turning back. If they returned, they might face ostracism at best and lose their lives at worst. They might as well grit their teeth and follow Murong Xun to the end.
Besides, Murong Xun was an imperial prince. His status was naturally higher than Jiang Yan’s, and there might yet be a chance for him to turn things around. They had no choice but to follow this path into darkness.
Murong Xun looked at the few men still standing before him, then thought of the many officers he had painstakingly won over. Yet the moment Jiang Yan appeared, more than half of them had left.
His face turned livid, rage churning in his eyes. He came within a hair’s breadth of swearing aloud, but in the end merely gave a heavy snort and slammed the wine cup in his hand onto the table. Wine splashed across the tabletop, and the cup rolled to the floor, breaking with a crisp crack.
………………
Meanwhile, Jiang Yan led the veteran generals behind him at an unhurried pace toward the central command tent, where he rested within the military camp.
Along the way, the generals saw that Jiang Yan’s steps were steady and his back straight. He showed not the slightest sign of being gravely ill, and they were all greatly relieved. One after another, they voiced their concern for his health.
“General, you truly look fully recovered. What a blessing!”
“Exactly! We heard that you had been poisoned with Qianji Poison, and we were all beside ourselves with worry. Seeing you like this at last puts our minds at ease.”
Jiang Yan answered them now and then, assuring them that he was well. Chatting as they walked, the group soon reached the central command tent.
Once they had entered the tent and taken their seats, the generals began talking over one another again, discussing the various incidents in the camp over recent days, as well as Prince Yong’s many underhanded moves within the army.
Just then, a guard hurried into the tent to report, “General, several officers are waiting outside. They say they have urgent matters to report.”
Jiang Yan raised his eyes slightly and said calmly, “Let them in.”
Not long afterward, several officers entered the tent with bowed heads. The moment they stepped inside, they dropped to their knees with a thud and repeatedly kowtowed to Jiang Yan, their faces full of shame.
“This subordinate deserves death! We beg the General for mercy!”
They were the very officers who had made excuses to leave Prince Yong’s banquet earlier.
In their hearts, they had ultimately remained loyal to Jiang Yan. The moment they saw that he had returned safely, they hurried over to beg forgiveness.
The leading officer knelt on one knee, his voice earnest.
“General, we never intended to side with Prince Yong. In recent days, we heard that you were gravely ill and near death, that the Mo Yun Army had been left leaderless. We all have elderly parents above us and children below us; we merely wished to leave some means of survival for our families.
“Fearing that Prince Yong would purge us, we spoke some foolish words in a moment of confusion. But never, not once, did we intend to betray you, General, or betray the Mo Yun Army!”
The others quickly echoed him, repeatedly professing their loyalty and recounting their helpless circumstances.
Jiang Yan studied them in silence for a moment, his gaze dark and profound, yet he did not lose his temper.
Jiang Yan had always known the character of these men. They were all dutiful commanders, not the sort to covet wealth or rank. What they had done this time was merely to seek advantage and avoid disaster—for the sake of their families. It could not truly be called an unforgivable offense.
After a long silence, Jiang Yan finally spoke. “Rise.”
The men froze at his words. They raised their heads to look at Jiang Yan, their eyes full of disbelief.
“I can let this matter pass without holding it against you. But military discipline is as firm as a mountain; there can be no punishment at all.”
Jiang Yan’s gaze swept over them. “We have known one another for years, and I understand the kind of men you are. All of you will be demoted by one rank, and this matter will be considered settled.
“From now on, if you serve diligently in the army, conduct yourselves well, and atone through meritorious deeds, you can still earn back your former ranks. I have always been fair in reward and punishment.”
Overjoyed, the men immediately bowed their heads to the ground once more. “Thank you for your mercy, General! From this day forward, we will serve you with all our hearts and without reservation. We will never harbor another thought!”
Jiang Yan waved a hand, telling them to rise. He chatted with the generals in the tent for a while longer, discussing several military deployments, before dismissing them all.
The vast command tent fell silent in an instant. Only Jiang Yan’s three disciples—Liang Chao, Chen Chong, and Zhang Hu—remained, along with Zhou Heng and Ma Guangzhi, two brothers-in-arms who had fought alongside him through life and death.
These five were Jiang Yan’s most trusted confidants. Faced with Prince Yong’s attempts to recruit them, they had never wavered in the slightest.
The five exchanged glances. Zhou Heng was the first to speak, voicing the question in everyone’s mind. “Big Brother, what has become of that traitor?”
Jiang Yan lifted the tea on the table and took a sip. As he set down the cup, a glint of coldness flashed in his eyes. “He has already been brought here. He will be dealt with according to military law tomorrow.”
Then he looked at the others and continued, “He has confessed to everything. From beginning to end, this was all orchestrated by Murong Xun. Everyone here has shared life-and-death bonds with me, and I trust you. There is no need for me to hide it from you.”
Jiang Yan’s voice grew heavier as he spoke each word distinctly. “Murong Xun kidnapped that deputy general’s family and promised him high office and generous rewards, making him secretly intercept messages and delay the reinforcements. As a result, my son-in-law died while trying to save me.
“Afterward, he sent assassins into the city lord’s residence, intending to kill Xiao'er, Yanyan, and even the rest of the Jiang family. Once there was no one left in the Jiang family, he would be able to seize power as a matter of course and take control of the Mo Yun Army.”
When he finished, Jiang Yan let out a soft sigh, his eyes filled with exhaustion. “I am old now. I do not have many years left to live. After I am gone, the Mo Yun Army was meant to pass naturally to my son-in-law.
“If Murong Xun had not gone to such lengths to scheme against us, then after the marriage, so long as he treated Yanyan well, our Mo Yun Army would naturally have stood behind him. Why did he have to plot things to this extent?
“My son-in-law... he was still so young. His death was unjust. It was all because I dragged him into this.”
Before he had finished speaking, tears were already streaming down Jiang Yan’s face, and he was sobbing too hard to continue. “If I do not avenge this wrong, I will never let him go.”
As his words fell, Jiang Yan’s gaze drifted into the distance, as though he had been carried back to years long past. His voice held a trace of longing.
“Back then, I first met the late Emperor when we were both still unknown. We fought side by side through campaign after campaign, winning this kingdom of Qi and guarding this northwestern frontier...”
“The late emperor treated the Jiang family well, and I personally built the Black Cloud Army from the ground up. It is the blood, sweat, and devotion of several generations of the Jiang family. Yet now it has become a pawn in the imperial family’s struggle for power. Times have changed. In the end, things are no longer what they used to be.”
After hearing this, the men were all consumed by fury. They slammed their hands on the table and rose to their feet, their faces filled with indignation.
Liang Chao said angrily, “When the late emperor was alive, he treated everyone in the army with genuine affection, and the imperial court was upright and clear-sighted. How could it have become like this today?
“After Emperor Changping ascended the throne, he showed none of the qualities of a wise ruler. Murong Xun is even more twisted and unscrupulous, resorting to despicable means. To seize power, he actually went so far as to commit such a heinous act. It’s utterly infuriating!”
“Exactly! Keeping Murong Xun alive will only bring disaster. Why not seize him at once and punish him according to military law? That would at least give the general—and the Jiang family—an explanation!”
As another disciple spoke, he rose and made to leave, looking as though he intended to capture Murong Xun immediately.
“Stop!” Jiang Yan shouted sternly, fixing him with a grave gaze. “Don’t be so impulsive! Murong Xun is, after all, the emperor’s own son and the current Prince Yong. Without conclusive evidence or an imperial decree, how can we deal with him as we please? This matter must be considered carefully and handled in due time.”
The man halted, his face full of resentment. Yet he did not dare disobey Jiang Yan’s order and could only stand where he was, fuming.
Afterward, Jiang Yan sat down with his five trusted aides, and they began discussing matters in low voices. From how to deal with Murong Xun, to reforms within the army, to the deployment of troops along the border, they planned every detail with care. The candlelight flickered inside the tent, and the men’s quiet discussion continued until well into the night before finally falling silent.
Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the soldiers of the Black Cloud Army began their daily drills. Their battle cries shook the heavens and echoed throughout the entire military camp.
After the drills, all the commanders gathered in the central command tent to discuss military affairs along the border. They had only just begun speaking when a soldier hurried inside to deliver a report, his voice tense and urgent:
“General! The Jing Kingdom has sent someone to challenge us at the front lines. They specifically demanded that you meet them in battle!”
Jiang Yan looked up at the soldier, narrowing his eyes. It seemed that the previous purge had still left some survivors, allowing word of what had happened to reach the enemy so quickly.
Jiang Yan rose and said in a deep voice, “Come. Let’s go take a look.”
The commanders followed closely behind as Jiang Yan strode toward the front line where the two armies faced each other.
In the distance, the army of the Jing Kingdom stood in orderly formation, banners snapping in the wind. Several generals were stationed at the front. The man leading them was none other than Huo Qiu, the Jing Kingdom’s great general. Behind him stood a number of the kingdom’s most capable commanders. With their overwhelming numbers and aggressive advance, they looked extremely threatening.
When Huo Qiu saw Jiang Yan appear, he immediately threw back his head and laughed. His tone was filled with mockery.
“Jiang Yan, who would have thought you’d recover so quickly? You certainly are lucky. This time, you managed to escape by the skin of your teeth!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Jing Kingdom’s generals beside him chimed in one after another, showering Jiang Yan with taunts. Their words amounted to nothing more than accusations that Jiang Yan had pretended to be ill and used underhanded tricks to avoid facing them directly, and that with the Black Cloud Army now leaderless, it was nothing more than a paper tiger.
Huo Qiu stepped forward and pointed his saber straight at Jiang Yan. Raising his voice, he called out, “Jiang Yan, my army is here today. Do you dare come forward and fight me? Let us settle this once and for all?”
“If you win, the armies of Jing State will withdraw ten li today. But if you lose, you will open the gates of Moyun City and surrender to Jing State!”
Jiang Yan had commanded armies for decades. How could he be swayed by such a transparent provocation? He recalled Yanyan’s warning from the day before: although he had recovered from his injuries, he had not yet returned to peak condition. For the time being, he must not take the field, lest his old wounds flare up again.
Suppressing the fighting spirit rising within him, Jiang Yan called out, “This old man’s grievous injuries have yet to fully heal. I am still weak and in no condition to compete.
“Besides, even if you were to win, people would inevitably say that you had won unfairly.”
The moment he finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted from the Jing State side. Huo Qiu let out a derisive snort and shouted, “Jiang Yan, are you afraid? The mighty commander of the Moyun Army has become a turtle hiding in its shell—too scared even to step onto the field?”
The other Jing State generals joined in, hurling one crude insult after another. Their jeers were unbearable, all mocking Jiang Yan as timid, cowardly, old, and useless.
Jiang Yan’s expression did not change. Only after their shouting had died down somewhat did he slowly say, “Alas, there’s nothing to be done. I’m old now—not much use anymore. But if Jing State truly wishes to compete, this old man does have someone in mind. Why not let him exchange a few moves with you?”
Heh. Am I the one who’s lost my mind, or are you? You tell me to take the field, and I’m supposed to obey?
That face of yours is as broad as a millstone—ptui!
As his words fell, a man strode out from the crowd behind Jiang Yan. It was none other than his eldest disciple, Liang Chao.
Liang Chao was a little over forty, powerfully built with the broad shoulders and sturdy frame of a tiger. He gripped a long spear whose shaft gleamed with a cold light, and he carried himself with imposing force.
He had trained under Jiang Yan for decades and possessed formidable martial skill. He was particularly accomplished with the spear; in his hands, it swept and whirled with fierce momentum. On the border battlefields, he was a man whose name alone struck fear into the soldiers of Jing State.
