Chapter 139: Questioning

Yang Guang furrowed his brow. He had been somewhat inclined to believe the Wolf-Head’s words, but now, they struck him as increasingly preposterous.

"What exactly is your goal in telling me all this?"

Faced with the mystery of his own lineage, Yang Guang could hardly be expected to take the Wolf-Head’s claims at face value. After all, the Prince of Changwu had raised him from childhood; the Wolf-Head’s casual remarks felt far too hyperbolic. A "dual-entity"? Yang Guang had never even heard of such a thing.

The Wolf-Head understood that it was unlikely for a few words alone to convince Yang Guang. Yet, the brief flicker of doubt he had glimpsed in the young man's eyes was enough for now.

"You don't have to believe me, but the changes in your body are real. Currently, I am the only one who can explain the abnormalities you're experiencing. Who else could truly clarify it? The Prince of Changwu?" The Wolf-Head offered a helpless smile, then shook his head slightly. A shadow of gloom crossed his eyes, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.

Detecting the derision in the Wolf-Head’s voice, Yang Guang let out a cold snort, drew his blade, and pointed it at him, reprimanding him sternly. "My foster father’s kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain. I will not allow you to sow discord between us!"

Nothing could persuade Yang Guang that Chen Sinian would conceal his true parentage. Having grown up in the Prince of Changwu’s mansion, he regarded Chen Sinian as his own father.

The Wolf-Head watched the cold-faced Yang Guang for a moment, then spoke: "I do not intend to sow discord; I merely wish for you to be on your guard. As for why I chose to tell you this, I naturally have my own plans."

Seeing that the Wolf-Head was about to state his demands, a look of contempt crossed Yang Guang’s face. He thought to himself that there was indeed an ulterior motive.

"Speak."

In truth, Yang Guang failed to notice that he was gradually changing; his once expressionless face had begun to betray a wealth of new emotions.

"You must know that the Langya Pavilion has been destroyed." When the Wolf-Head mentioned the destruction of the pavilion, his expression turned sorrowful. Those were the brothers who had fought alongside him all the way from the Northern Frontier, and now, he couldn't even recover their remains. What a tragedy.

Watching the Wolf-Head’s expression, Yang Guang—lacking any deep familiarity with the man—mistook his genuine grief for a facade. He nodded slightly, the look of contempt in his eyes slowly receding.

"I will not force you to do anything. I only hope that when you eventually learn the truth and come to believe my words, you will join me in rebuilding the Langya Pavilion."

The Wolf-Head raised his head earnestly, watching Yang Guang silently. A fervent light flickered in his heterochromatic eyes. Yang Guang frowned, sensing that the man had lost his mind. Anyone with eyes could see the current situation: the Prince of Pingyi was disgraced, and even if the Langya Pavilion were rebuilt, without the support of a major power, it would inevitably meet the same fate.

Unwilling to entangle himself further, Yang Guang said coldly, "We shall see."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving behind only a few withered leaves stirred by the breeze. The Wolf-Head watched him leave, his strangely colored eyes narrowing slightly. He whispered to the empty air, "We will meet again."

***

In the imperial court of the capital, Feng Yewu looked down at the kneeling officials, yet felt no joy. The Lu family case had been settled, but the Tidi tribe had breached the Northern Frontier. No sooner had one disaster been resolved than another arose.

In his memories of his previous life, while the Tidi tribe had often caused disturbances, they had never launched such a massive assault. Although he had suppressed the court officials with his iron-fisted methods, how many of them were actually capable of leading an army into battle?

"The war in the Northern Frontier is imminent. Do any of you have a sound strategy?" Feng Yewu asked, turning his gaze toward the military officials. Under his scrutiny, the generals exchanged glances, yet none dared to speak.

The Tidi tribe was encroaching primarily upon the fiefdoms of the Prince of Beichang and the Prince of Changwu. Leading an army there might look impressive, but once they arrived, dealing with the influence of the two powerful princes would be a nightmare. The Prince of Beichang was cunning, and the Prince of Changwu was the supreme leader of the Yü Dynasty's military.

The generals wore expressions of distress. If they won, they couldn't claim the glory for themselves; if they lost, and with the high status of Wei Siyuan and Chen Sinian involved, the commander would surely be the one to face the brunt of the punishment.

Seeing that no one answered and that Feng Yewu’s expression was darkening like a brewing storm, Lu Jue hurried forward to address the throne.

"Your Majesty, although I am merely the captain of the palace guards, the Tidi have gone too far. I am willing to lead the troops."

Though the other generals had remained silent, they were unwilling to let Lu Jue take the command. He was but a newcomer to the court; for him to step forward and seize the opportunity was a blatant disregard for the veteran officers. If word of this got out, would he not become a laughingstock among the millions of soldiers?

One official stepped out immediately and retorted loudly, "Your Majesty, I believe this is unwise. Lu Jue is but a minor palace guard captain. While his martial arts are superb, commanding an army is different from practicing combat. A single misstep could lead our million troops to total ruin."

As soon as he finished, several others stepped forward, echoing the sentiment that Lu Jue was unsuitable due to his lack of experience.

Feng Yewu looked at the man who had spoken, the general Li Dan, and let out a cold laugh. "I asked everyone just now, and none of you spoke. Now that Lu Jue has volunteered, you cite his lack of experience. Tell me, General Li, what is your plan for dealing with the Tidi?"

After scanning the group, Feng Yewu gestured for Lu Jue to step back and waited silently for Li Dan’s reply.

Li Dan felt a surge of regret. His objection had been impulsive. Lu Jue had no soldiers of his own; if he were truly appointed commander, he would have to be assigned troops from the other generals' camps. Fearing the division of his own forces, Li Dan had spoken out.

After a moment of thought, Li Dan said hesitantly, "The Tidi tribe took advantage of our lack of preparation to launch a surprise attack, but the Far North is currently experiencing bitter cold. I believe it will soon be frozen solid, making it impossible for them to receive reinforcements. Waiting until then to dispatch the army would be the superior strategy."

Feng Yewu listened, feigning a sudden realization, and offered Li Dan some insincere praise. "General Li is indeed wise. Once the earth is frozen, the Tidi will be unable to receive support, and when we strike, they will have nowhere to turn."

As he spoke, Feng Yewu clapped his hands lightly, seemingly convinced by Li Dan’s reasoning. Seeing this, Li Dan felt a wave of relief, congratulating himself on having navigated the crisis and letting out a long, quiet breath.