Those correspondences soon appeared on Emperor Cheng Kangâs desk, documenting Yu Pin Yanâs conspiracy with the Second Prince of the Western Barbarians to exchange two cities for high-quality war horses and superior weapons, which would be used to force the Emperor to abdicate.
Yu Pin Yan lost two cities in this battle, namely Wulan Province and Feng Xing City, as agreed in the letter. Even if Yu Pin Yan had been hunted down by the Second Prince of Western Barbarians and his life and death was unknown, the correspondences would have been leaked to the public. Subsequently, those who had the intention could fabricate a story that he went to âstrip off the tigerâs skin,[1] but instead, fell in love with the tigerâ. In any case, he was no longer alive, and with no proof of his death, any kind of dirty water could be thrown on his head.
While the real traitor who was, in actual fact, collaborating with the enemy was hidden in the shadows and manipulating the entire situation. Not only had he infiltrated the Dragon Scale Guards, the Imperial Hospital, the Forbidden Palace, Marquis Yongle manor, but he also possessed contacts within the army. Otherwise, Yu Pin Yanâs galiantry would never have been easily defeated at the hands of the Second Prince, who was a novice in the battlefield.
After reading the secret correspondences, Emperor Cheng Kangâs face was surprisingly ugly, and the killing intent permeated from his body could clearly be seen. Ao Ping thought his plan was successful, thus he buried his head and waited for his next order.
After a long silence, Emperor Cheng Kang beckoned and said, âTake people to search the Crown Prince manor. Other than the Crown Prince and the young imperial grandsons, if the rest of the people resist, they will be killed!â
Ao Ping accepted the orders with a bow.
Emperor Cheng Kang had to admit that this person in the shadows was as capable as, if not more, the Crown Prince. But so what? The more exceptional he was, the more Emperor Cheng Kang would have to put him to death.
Regardless of how matters were changing rapidly and unpredictably in the capital, Yu Pin Yan was experiencing the greatest calamity in his life far away from the capital. He was hit in the back by an arrow, but the arrow struck in his bone and thankfully missed his heart. However, he had been immersed in the cold water for a long time, and after going ashore, he had been fleeing for his life for five days. If the arrow was not removed, his body would develop rust poisoning and he would die from high fever.
But the arrow was too close to his heart, and it could injure the heart if it was carelessly removed. He could die from too much blood lost, unless he could escape as soon as possible and find a doctor who was highly skilled in medicine.
Right now, Yu Pin Yan and his two lieutenants were hiding in a cave, taking a short rest. The lower stream of the Wu River was the barbarianâs territory, and getting to shore would definitely cause them to die. So Yu Pin Yan, with the help of his two lieutenants, swam desperately to the shore and headed upstream.
Along the way, it wasnât that they did not encounter the Han armyâs soldiers searching and rescuing, but they kept their distance. The battle should not have suffered such a major defeat. The central army led by Yu Pin Yan did not receive reinforcement from the right flank. Moreover, the left flank arrived in time, but united with the Western Barbarians to besiege the central army. They were all killed without leaving a single man behind. There were countless casualties.
At this juncture, how could Yu Pin Yan fail to have guessed that the army had defected to the enemy? Therefore, he did not trust anyone and only took the only two surviving subordinates to the dense forest to avoid the search and rescue party.
Zhang Meng, the Left General, said in a worried voice, âCommander, you are still running a fever.â
âIâll boil some boiling water for the Commander to drink. There is also leftover roasted rabbit from yesterday. Hold on, let me warm it up.â Lin Jie, the Right General, was drilling wood for the fire. The match sticks in their clothes were drenched with water and they had to use this ancient method.
âTake care of the wound on your leg. Itâs bleeding again.â Yu Pin Yanâs face was flushed and his voice was hoarse.
Lin Jie agreed, but he still stubbornly went to make a fire. Zhang Meng tore the hem of his battle robe and wrapped the wound on his leg. Not a single word was exchanged between them for a while.
They had been trekking through the Kuoshui Forest for five days and five nights. The deeper they ventured, the more lost they became. Now, they were at the mercy of the Heavens. As soldiers, the pain and hatred of being betrayed by a fellow soldier, who had not died at the hands of the enemy, was something that no ordinary people could understand.
The arrow in Yu Pin Yanâs back had been cut off, leaving only a small piece lodged in his shoulder blade. He could not lie flat or sit while leaning against something. Currently, he was leaning on a rock while looking intensely at a copper coin he had taken out of his pocket.
If he had died here, Shen Yuan Qi would definitely have taken Xiangâer away and found her a husband to marry in a few years. His little sweetheart and sapling would be kissed, embraced and even possessed by another man⊠Just thinking about the foreseeable future made his eyes flushed red and his mind in turmoil. He wanted to use his sword and strike at everything he saw.
He strongly realized that he must not die here!
âDonât start a fire. Weâll leave at once.â He carefully put away the bronze coin and said in a decisive manner.
âYou are running a fever for three days in a row, Commander. Itâs better to lie down and rest for a while.â Lin Jie tossed the wood and stepped forward to stop him.
âWhat we lack most now is time. The only way to have a chance of survival is to get out of the jungle as soon as possible. Letâs go, thereâs no time to lose.â He pushed Lin Jie away, picked up the bow and arrows on the ground and walked out in large strides.
[1] èè°çźäžæććèć(hÇ mĂłu pĂ bĂčchĂ©ng fÇn shĂČu hÇ shĂŹ)- strip off the tigerâs skin, but instead, fell in love with the tiger. It is a metaphor that it is absolutely impossible to discuss with the wicked to give up his own interest.