Tragic Strategist Offers Another Poisonous Scheme

The mountain forest was deep and the slopes steep, overgrown with thorns, with no path in most places.

The Straw Bag Strategist limped out of the woods, covered in wounds and with his clothes in tatters.

He was also worried that Ning Chuan would catch up, so he only dared to catch his breath for a moment before frantically fleeing towards the county town.

He had fled in such a hurry this time that he hadn't found the horse he had prepared beforehand, and had to rely on his own two old legs to cover the distance.

He had even lost his shoes, and his large feet were raw and bleeding, the wounds curling outwards, looking utterly miserable.

Fortunately, Eagle Sorrow Gorge was not far from Qingshan County town. By the afternoon of the next day, the Straw Bag Strategist had arrived at the gates of Qingshan County town.

The Straw Bag Strategist leaned on a dead branch as a crutch, his attire of rags particularly conspicuous!

"Halt! Where did you come from, old beggar? Don't you see the sign!"

A young City Guard pointed to a sign nearby.

The Straw Bag Strategist followed the direction the young guard pointed, and his face turned green.

"Beggars and dogs are not allowed in the city!"

Didn't he erect this sign himself? He never imagined he would fall into his own trap one day?

The Straw Bag Strategist was furious. "Are you blind? Take a good look at who I am!"

Then he looked at his own appearance and immediately backed down.

Forget it, a tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs!

"Well, aren't you just an old beggar? These days, even beggars are so arrogant?"

The young City Guard circled the Straw Bag Strategist, plucked a dry yellow leaf from his hair, blew on it, and the leaf fluttered away in the wind.

"If you have no money, scram, old beggar! Hahahaha..."

The young guard kicked the Straw Bag Strategist in the backside. He stood with his hands on his hips, cackling.

The Straw Bag Strategist was sent sprawling to the ground and couldn't get up for a long time. He trembled with anger on the ground.

"You, you all, deserve to die!"

As a Strategist of the County Yamen, he was treated with utmost respect wherever he went. He had never suffered such a humiliating insult.

At this moment, his hatred for Ning Chuan was so profound that even if all the waters of the five lakes and four seas were poured out, it would not be enough to describe even a fraction of it.

"Ning Chuan, you little bastard, this is all your fault!"

Despite his anger, as a strategist, he still had a basic level of intelligence. He understood his current predicament and could only endure it for the time being.

He shakily got up from the ground and took off a silver bracelet from his wrist. It was the only valuable item he could find on his person.

"This will be my entrance fee!"

The Straw Bag Strategist handed the silver bracelet to the young City Guard, forcing a smile onto his face.

He gritted his teeth inwardly, a flash of malice in his eyes.

"Kid, how dare you take something from this strategist! One day, I'll make you pay it all back with interest!"

The young City Guard suspiciously took the bracelet, turned it over and over, then put it in his mouth to bite it. He held it up to the sunlight and then rejoiced.

"Old man, you're sensible. Now scram!"

The young City Guard stuffed the silver bracelet into his pocket. He watched the Straw Bag Strategist's retreating figure, a sinister glint in his eyes.

After entering Qingshan City, the Straw Bag Strategist went straight to the County Yamen, grabbed the hammer for the Grievance Drum, and began to beat it.

"Who is outside beating the drum of grievance? Bring them here for questioning at once!"

County Magistrate Han Zhang, who had been dozing in the hall, was awakened by the drumming and became furious, annoyed that someone had disturbed his dream.

"Yes!"

Several yamen runners shouted loudly and rushed out like hungry wolves.

Before long, they dragged in an old beggar, dressed in rags and with a dirty face.

"Let go of me, let go of me! Your Excellency, I am Cao Bao, I am Cao Bao!"

The Straw Bag Strategist flailed his hands and kicked his legs, like a duck being held by the neck.

County Magistrate Han Zhang straightened his robes, cleared his throat, and slammed the gavel.

"Who is below? Why are you beating the drum? Speak quickly."

"If you cannot give a satisfactory explanation, do not blame this magistrate for resorting to torture!"

Han Zhang's face showed a sinister expression.

"Your Excellency, I am Cao Bao! I am Cao Bao!"

Seeing the County Magistrate, the Straw Bag Strategist burst into tears, weeping heartbrokenly.

Han Zhang frowned and looked closely at the old beggar's face.

"You, you are really Cao Bao? Why have you become like this? Where is your ear? Which one is missing?"

Han Zhang was so shocked that he stood up from his seat.

"Quick, let go of Strategist Cao!"

The yamen runner hurriedly released the Straw Bag Strategist.

The Straw Bag Strategist stepped forward and hugged Han Zhang's thigh.

"My Lord!..."

"This humble one, as per your instructions, County Magistrate, I tried my best to win over Ning Chuan."

"But Ning Chuan, that brat, doesn't know what's good for him. He completely disregards your Lordship, even calling you no different from a bandit!"

"He also toyed with me endlessly, even cutting off one of my ears."

"If I hadn't run fast, I wouldn't be able to see your Lordship."

"My Lord, you must seek justice for this humble one!"

The Straw Bag Strategist choked back sobs, tears and snot streaming down his face as he recounted his recent experiences with embellishments.

Han Zhang's old face was cold, as if a storm was brewing.

When he heard that Ning Chuan had easily annihilated the 500 cavalry led by Long Da of Second Dragon Mountain, Han Zhang's expression turned even colder, terrifyingly so.

"This child, is he truly that powerful?"

Han Zhang was half-believing, half-doubting. But seeing the Straw Bag Strategist's miserable state, he couldn't reprimand him too harshly.

When the Straw Bag Strategist spoke of how at Eagle Sorrow Gorge, the six Second Bosses, arrogant and overconfident, ignored orders and were easily slaughtered by Ning Chuan, Han Zhang gritted his teeth. The Seventh Rank experts he had painstakingly cultivated were gone in an instant, six of them. He felt a pang of pain.

"These good-for-nothings are too accustomed to the wild life in the mountain stronghold. They're useless and only cause trouble!"

"This scoundrel Ning Chuan, he even dares to come to the county town? He truly doesn't take me seriously!"

"Guards! Summon County Lieutenant Han Pin. Gather the troops and arrest Ning Chuan!"

"My Lord, wait!"

The Straw Bag Strategist quickly stopped him.

"Oh? Strategist, what brilliant plan do you have?" Han Zhang frowned slightly.

"Ning Chuan's strength is terrifying. The City Guard probably won't be able to handle him. If we suffer too many losses, it might affect your Lordship's career!"

"I have a plan to kill Ning Chuan!"

The Straw Bag Strategist leaned closer to Han Zhang and whispered a plan.

Han Zhang's expression flickered between approval and displeasure.

"Good, then I shall entrust this matter to you, Strategist!"

"I don't care about the process, only the result!"

Han Zhang looked at the Straw Bag Strategist with sharp eyes, as if filled with warning and distrust.

"Yes!"

The Straw Bag Strategist felt a chill down his neck, trembling.

Not long after the Straw Bag Strategist entered the city, Ning Chuan's merchant caravan also arrived.

"So magnificent, so imposing, so majestic!"

Ning Chuan stood beneath the city walls, gazing up at them.

His mouth hung open, wide enough to fit a duck egg, like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

The city walls were dozens of feet high. Looking up from below, the battlements seemed to be in the clouds.

The row of guards on the city wall looked like tiny black dots.

Such spectacular city walls made even the Great Wall and the pyramids of his previous life seem like child's play.

The High Martial World, indeed, was extraordinary!

"Lord Ning!"

"Lord Ning!"

Shopkeeper Li called out a few times before Ning Chuan snapped back to reality.

"Oh, what is it?"

"Lord Ning, our Qingshi Town merchant caravan has a temporary lodging in the county town, at the Qingshi Chamber of Commerce in the north of the city. Would you like to accompany us?"

Shopkeeper Li looked at Ning Chuan with anticipation.

"Oh, I need to go to the Imperial Guard yamen. You all go ahead. I'll find you after I'm done with my business."

"As for selling the warhorses and equipment, Shopkeeper, you have full authority to decide!"

Shopkeeper Li was flattered and patted his chest in agreement.

"Please rest assured, my Lord. I will handle this matter properly!"

After parting ways with Shopkeeper Li and his group, Ning Chuan, with his younger siblings, headed to the south of the city.

He found an inn, checked into a room, and it was time to sign in and improve his strength.