Finest Servant

Chapter 539 Catching Off Guard

"Let go of me!" Yueya'er sharply cried out, her voice crisp. She was speaking in the language of Great Hua, and although she wasn't as fluent as Lin Wanrong, who made a living with his eloquence, she was quite adept.

Lin Wanrong burst into laughter. "So you really can speak our Great Hua language, huh? Yueya'er, the divine healer, you're so beautiful; why do you like to deceive people? It's not a good habit. You see, I never lie."

‘As if you ever speak the truth!’ The Turkic girl held no fondness for this Great Hua rogue. She huffed angrily, "Say it again; my name is not Yueya'er, it's Yujia. Dare to bully me, and the god of the steppes will never forgive you."

‘This girl dares to threaten me?’ Lin Wanrong calmly responded, "Yujia and Yueya'er mean the same thing; one is in Turkic, the other in Great Hua. But I respect others' preferences. If you don't like me calling you Yueya'er, I'll call you Yujia from now on. What do you say, Miss Yueya'er?"

Having nothing more to say to this man, Yujia let out an irritated hum and turned her head away, ignoring him.

Noticing the Turkic girl's exquisite face and untamed spirit, all so rich with exotic allure, Lin Wanrong couldn't help but smile and sigh lightly, "A name is just a symbol; it doesn't matter what you're called. For example, in Great Hua, my bandit name was Lin San. But here in the Turkic lands, I've got a poetic Turkic name that everyone loves."

Yujia snorted through her nose, disdainful, "You? Even the wild wolves on the steppes are nobler than you. What kind of poetic Turkic name could you possibly have?"

Her Great Hua might not be perfect, a bit stiff with some words, but among the Turkic people, she was unparalleled in fluency—far surpassing even the Turkic National Tutor Lu Dongzan.

Hearing him seemingly forgetting that her name was Yujia, not Yueya'er, the girl felt her anger rise but felt helpless, left with no choice but to let him proceed.

Lin Wanrong handed the paper to Yueya'er. Yujia cast a casual glance and scoffed, "San Ge Shi—Wo Lao Gong. What kind of name is that? It sounds awful." [The literal meaning is “Three Cut Clan Nest Old Attack,” but it sounds similar to “Brother San is My Husband”]

Lin Wanrong burst into hearty laughter, "New names often sound awkward at first. Read it a few more times, and you'll get used to it. From now on, call me by this name; I like to hear it."

Yueya'er hummed coldly several times, her face full of disdain.

This girl really has a wild streak. Lin Wanrong chuckled and casually touched her small hand a few more times before finally letting go.

Yujia quickly withdrew her hand, only to see deep red marks clearly visible on her wrist, translucent as jade. It was evident how ruthless this rogue had been. She let out an indignant hum and glared at Lin Wanrong with fiery eyes, her hatred for him now etched deep into her bones.

"Ah, one more thing." The bandit took a few steps, then abruptly turned back with a mysterious smile. "I wonder when the divine healer, Yueya'er, will reveal her true identity to me. I'm quite looking forward to it."

Yujia's face flushed with anger, her voice fiery. "What nonsense are you spouting? My home is the great prairie; I am a daughter of the prairie. What 'true identity' are you talking about?"

"Is that so?" Lin Wanrong chuckled. "An exquisite carriage, the finest perfume from the Xiao Family in the Empire of Great Hua, guarded by the prairie's bravest warriors, proficient in the Great Hua language and medical skills. Even the silk used in your garments is top-quality Suzhou silk. It seems the prairie is so prosperous that even a 'common daughter of the prairie' can afford such luxuries. I'm envious. Perhaps I should consider moving there and becoming a son-in-law of the prairie."

"You—" Yueya'er looked shocked and horrified, apparently not expecting such keen observations from a bandit intruding upon her homeland.

Lin Wanrong nodded mockingly. "A daughter of the prairie, you say? Hmm, it must be an intriguing tale. I look forward to hearing the divine healer Yueya'er regale us with the most captivating version of it."

With that, he burst into laughter and turned to leave. Yujia's eyes narrowed anxiously. She gritted her teeth and whispered, "San Ge Shi—Wo Lao Gong, wait a moment."

The bandit halted, his face breaking into a broad smile. "Very well, very well. You've called me aptly. Now, divine healer, what do you wish?"

Yujia hesitated for a long moment before lowering her head. "Nothing much. Just remember to keep your promise and release my people in due time."

Lin Wanrong gave a nonchalant "Oh," waved his hand dismissively, and turned to rejoin his caravan.

Yujia lifted her head to watch his retreating figure. Her eyes glinted with a mysterious cold smile; her lovely lips curved slightly, resembling the most beautiful crescent moon.

...

"General, did you find out anything?" Watching General Lin gallop on his horse in silence, Hu Bugui cautiously approached and asked in a low voice.

Lin Wanrong slowly reined in his horse, his face stern as he shook his head. "She's not falling for my charms. My unmatched allure seems to have no effect on her. This young lady may just be indifferent in some aspects. What a pity, what a pity."

Hu Bugui shuddered at hearing two consecutive 'pities.'

"This Yueya'er is too mysterious," said Gao Qiu who was riding beside them. "In my opinion, we should simply finish it once and for all—kill all her people and just keep her to heal Little Li. Let's see what waves she can make then."

"That won't do," Hu Bugui quickly shook his head. "Brother Gao, you don't understand the Turkic people. Their sense of clan loyalty is extremely strong. If we kill Yueya'er's clan, she'll surely follow them in death. What will we do about Little Li then?"

Gao Qiu remained silent. Lin Wanrong let out a long sigh and shook his head. "Brother Gao, Brother Hu, I feel we are perhaps underestimating this Yueya'er. Forget about everything else, just consider the fact that she, such a beautiful woman, dares to travel alone between the territories inside and outside Xingqing Prefecture, remains calm even when captured by us, and even dares to perform surgery on Little Li without absolute assurance. How many women in the world have such courage?"

Old Gao and his companion couldn't help but nod their heads. Indeed, as Lin Wanrong had said, a woman with such valor and spirit was rare in this world. Hu Bugui fell silent for a moment before suddenly saying, "Considering Yueya'er's poise and aura, she's no ordinary woman. It reminds me of something. When the Turks wiped out the Tiele and unified the grasslands, the Tiele Khanate's royal family was annihilated. There were rumors that a princess—in Tiele they call a princess 'Dada'—was rescued by loyal tribespeople and has since been lost in the vast grasslands. Could Yueya'er be that missing Tiele Dada?"

Lin Wanrong patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "Brother Hu, you've been reading too many historical novels. This business about a princess being rescued by her people is mostly just sensational storytelling. If Yueya'er really was some Tiele Dada, she would have a deep grudge against the Turks. But look at her carefully. Does she look like she hates the Turks? Besides, a beautiful Tiele princess wandering aimlessly in the grasslands, as if hoping to be seen—is Yueya'er foolish, or are the Turks?"

"Could she be a Turkish princess then?" Gao Qiu exclaimed, his eyes widening. "If so, we're in luck. We could capture her and have her warm Brother Lin's bed; we would immediately become heroes of the empire!"

Old Gao couldn't let go of the idea of 'warming the bed,' causing everyone to chuckle.

"Brother Gao, let's not talk about that anymore," Lin Wanrong cautioned. "If irrelevant people hear about it, they'll think I'm kidnapping young women. I always use words, not force; everyone knows that."

"What a kind-hearted man Brother Lin is!" Gao Qiu exclaimed, his voice tinged with both admiration and respect.

The three men went to visit Li Wuling again. Whatever elixir Yueya'er had used, Li Wuling's forehead was still hot, but the burning sensation had lessened. When they touched his nose, they even sensed faint breathing.

This discovery brought tears to everyone's eyes, and their attitude toward the Turkish girl changed significantly. Even Lin Wanrong became bashful, no longer daring to flirt with the young healer.

By the time they spotted the Turkish cavalry, it was already approaching dusk. Scouts reported back that around twenty thousand Turkish cavalrymen were racing toward Bayanhot; clearly, they had received news of the fortress being attacked.

Lin Wanrong heaved a sigh of relief. They had left Bayanhot twelve hours ago; the news should have reached the Turks by now. However, there had been no movement, which had made him uneasy. Now, although these twenty thousand Turkish cavalry were late, they finally put his mind at ease.

"Brother Hu, are you sure these twenty thousand Turks are coming from deep within the grasslands?" Lin Wanrong hummed, staring at the map before him.

Hu Bugui nodded solemnly, "Indeed, they are. I didn't expect that the first to come to Bayanhot's aid would not be Batur's massive army located just a few hundred li away, but these cavalrymen from deep within the grasslands. They're coming from far away, bypassing the nearer forces. There must be more to this than meets the eye."

Lin Wanrong stared intently at the map, saying nothing. His isolated army, deep within the grasslands, had already ventured hundreds of miles southeast from Bayanhot. They were less than one hundred and fifty miles from the transitional area where the grasslands met the vast desert. Crossing this boundary would bring them to Wuyuan, where the first shots in resistance against the nomadic tribes had been fired.

The land stretching from Wuyuan to the Helan Mountain Gorge, some one hundred miles, had already fallen into the hands of these tribes. That meant a daunting journey of nearly three hundred miles awaited them if they were to rejoin Xu Zhiqing at the gorge. And lurking there were also three hundred thousand Turkic cavalry.

He sighed deeply, his previously jovial mood long gone, replaced by sheer gravity. "Brother Hu, tell me what you think. Why would these Turks go to such lengths?"

"Considering they're not making use of Batur's nearby army of three hundred thousand," Hu Bugui replied, "there could only be two possibilities. First, our staunch resistance at the Helan Mountain Gorge has put them in a tight spot. Even if Batur and Lu Dongzan want to rush to Bayanhot's aid, they have no soldiers to spare."

Lin Wanrong shook his head adamantly. "Impossible. With the cunning of the Turkic National Tutor Lu Dongzan, he would never play all his cards at once. Moreover, they control the initiative at the Helan Mountain Gorge. They have at least forty thousand troops in Wuyuan alone. They are far from being out of options."

Hu Bugui nodded, thoroughly convinced. "You make a valid point, General. If it's not a matter of insufficient forces, then only the second scenario remains."

He paused, not speaking further. Gao Qiu inquired, "Old Hu, what's the second scenario?"

Lin Wanrong sighed lightly, "Brother Hu means there's a trick at play here."

"A trick? What kind of trick?" Gao Qiu was genuinely puzzled.

Lin Wanrong said thoughtfully, "Brother Gao, if you were Lu Dongzan, wouldn't you anticipate our route of withdrawal?"

Gao Qiu pondered for a moment and nodded. "Our surprise attack on Bayanhot would be unexpected, but if we're to rendezvous with Miss Xu in Helan Mountains, given its impassable terrain, the only remaining route would naturally be through Wuyuan."

"Exactly," said Lin Wanrong. "The value of a deep-penetration raid is in its surprise. But once achieved, the element of surprise is lost, and the danger increases exponentially. In this context, retreating and regrouping with the main forces would be instinctual, something Lu Dongzan would definitely anticipate. Look here—"

Lin Wanrong crumpled two pieces of paper into small balls and placed them on either side. "This is Wuyuan, and the other side is Bayanhot. Our current location is right in the middle of these two. When their twenty thousand cavalry reach Bayanhot—"

He stopped speaking, picked up both paper balls, and then pressed them toward each other, symbolizing a pincer movement.

Gao Qiu suddenly looked intrigued. "Ah, this trick. I've used it on some women in the Eighth Great Alley, quite invigorating. I never thought you, Brother Lin, would be so skilled in this as well."

"Yes," Lin Wanrong gritted his teeth. "All learned from my intensive study of Dongxuanzi's Thirty-Six Stratagems. I didn't expect you, Brother Gao, to be self-taught and equally proficient."

The atmosphere was heavy, but the gravity of their situation left no room for levity. They were between a rock and a hard place, and the choices ahead were dire.

Hu Bugui laughed so hard he nearly lost his breath. Finally composing himself, he said, "Brother Gao, let's focus on military matters for now. We can discuss other things when we get home."

Gao Qiu finally seemed to understand. "Brother Lin, are you saying that the Turks will launch a pincer attack on us from Wuyuan and Bayanhot?"

The shock was evident in his eyes. Forty thousand Turks garrisoned in Wuyuan City and another twenty thousand cavalry in Bayanhot. Sixty thousand in total, closing in on the five thousand isolated Great Hua soldiers. Was there even a point in fighting this battle?

"As it stands now, it seems Lu Dongzan wants to encircle us completely," Lin Wanrong said solemnly.

"Good grief, has this Lu guy gone mad?" Gao Qiu grumbled, clearly agitated. "So we burned some of his provisions; does he really need sixty thousand men to deal with just five thousand of us? It's just unreasonable!"

Hu Bugui shook his head. "Brother Gao, you misunderstand. Our five thousand men are likely insignificant in the eyes of the Turks. These sixty thousand troops have been mobilized for one person alone."

Gao Qiu's eyes fell on Lin Wanrong, his face a mask of horror. "You're saying that Lu Dongzan wants to capture my brother Lin?!"

"Exactly," Hu Bugui nodded with a smile. "I heard that Lu Dongzan was defeated by General Lin when he proposed marriage to Princess Nishang of our Great Hua. If it weren't for the Emperor's soft-heartedness, he'd still be rotting in our dungeons. Setting personal grudges aside, capturing General Lin, who now commands the Great Hua forces fighting against the Turks, would be a massive victory for them, even if they fail in everything else."

Hu Bugui's words struck at the heart of the matter, illuminating aspects even Lin Wanrong hadn't considered. His status had indeed changed. Protected by the Emperor and connected to two princesses, he was far more significant than before, yet he had failed to realize it himself. And a shrewd man like Lu Dongzan wouldn't overlook such an opportunity.

"In that case, it's my fault that everyone is in danger," Lin Wanrong sighed. "Brothers, as you both know, I am truly innocent in all this. Nepotism is something I've always detested, so why are these Turks so vulgar as well?"

Everyone burst into laughter, lightening the mood significantly.

"Brother Hu, what do you think our next move should be?" Lin Wanrong asked, squinting his eyes at Hu Bugui.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Heh heh," Hu Bugui chuckled. "What we should do is something Lu Dongzan would never expect. General, you must already have a clever plan in mind, do you need me to make any suggestions?"

Lin Wanrong gave him a thumbs-up. "Well said, Brother Hu. We'll do what Lu Dongzan can't anticipate. Only by catching them off guard can we achieve victory. If the Turks intend to trap us between Bayanhot and Wuyuan, then we'll do the opposite—" He slammed his finger down on the map. "We'll move in this direction."

Gao Qiu glanced over and was immediately startled. "Brother Lin, are we really going to charge into the grasslands?"

"What's the matter, Brother Gao, getting cold feet?" Old Hu grinned at him.

"Scared? Not at all. Actually, I'm concerned for the women of the Turkic tribes—" Old Gao gestured towards Lin Wanrong and chuckled suggestively, "As the saying goes, 'When Brother Lin steps out, who can rival him?'"

Lin Wanrong burst into hearty laughter. "Look at what you're saying, Brother Gao. I'm not that kind of man."

"Very well," Hu Bugui roared with laughter and extended his palm. "In that case, let's plunge into the heart of the nomadic lands and give them a few good stabs. Even if we die, we'll die gloriously."

"Die gloriously!" All three men clasped their six hands together tightly. Their boisterous laughter echoed far into the distance...

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