Open Provocation

The Northern Liang spy's corpse was soon hung outside Yan Pass as Chen Lin had ordered, at the point closest to the Northern Liang garrison.

It was so close that the Northern Liang soldiers needed only to raise their heads to see the bloodless, gaunt, pallid corpse in the distance.

This thoroughly enraged Northern Liang's defending general, Wan Li. He immediately mustered nearly three thousand troops and marched to Yan Pass to challenge them.

"Chen Lin, you old bastard! Come out and meet your death!"

Clad in armor, Chen Lin stood imposingly atop the gate tower of Yan Pass. "Wan Li, you little brat, why are you calling for your Grandpa Chen? Did you hear that today was my birthday and bring all these men to wish me well?"

Wan Li sat astride his horse, held his long saber across his body, and spat. "Old bastard, you want me to wish you a happy birthday? Fine! On this day next year, I'll come burn a stick of incense at your grave!"

As he spoke, Wan Li caught sight of the corpse bound high on a post diagonally ahead of him. He pointed his saber at it and said to Chen Lin, "Your Western Chu used despicable means to disgrace a subject of Northern Liang. Today, I'm here to settle that account with you!"

"If you don't give me a satisfactory answer, watch how our Northern Liang soldiers flatten your tiny Yan Pass and march straight on your capital!"

Chen Lin's gaze turned cold. "Wan Li, this was a spy we caught in Western Chu. You want an answer from me? Then tell me why this man infiltrated Yan Prefecture City and secretly colluded with bandits."

"What exactly was he plotting?"

"Chen Lin, don't forget that our sovereign and your Western Chu emperor are considering an alliance. Yet you chose this moment to do something like this. Aren't you afraid of bringing Northern Liang's wrath down on yourselves?"

Watching the man rant below, Chen Lin gave a cold laugh. "An alliance? Why haven't I seen even the slightest shred of sincerity from you?"

"You're merely using an alliance as a cover for foul deeds! This spy is the finest proof!"

Seeing that Chen Lin would yield to neither oil nor salt, Wan Li lost his temper and ordered a guard beside him, "Bring me my bow and arrows!"

With that, he took the bow and arrows in one hand, drew the bow, and loosed a shot.

The arrow hurtled straight toward Chen Lin's chest with a sharp whistle.

"General, look out!"

The guards beside him all lunged toward Chen Lin, but they were a moment too late.

Chen Lin hastily raised his saber to block it. Though he knocked the arrow aside, the web between his thumb and forefinger throbbed with numbness.

Looking down, he saw thin trickles of blood seeping out.

In that frantic instant, the arrowhead had still sliced the flesh of his wrist.

Chen Lin glanced at the fallen arrow. Its head shimmered faintly blue.

Despicable wretch! He dared to use poison!

Cursing inwardly, Chen Lin reversed his saber and cut across the outside of his injured wrist. Black blood immediately flowed out.

Wan Li watched smugly as Chen Lin remained standing on the gate tower, his body already beginning to sway noticeably, and let out three loud laughs.

"Old bastard, this is what you get for openly provoking Northern Liang!"

"When you depart for the Western Paradise, I'll be sure to come burn a stick of incense!"

His laughter over, he spurred his horse and rode away.

Watching that outrageously arrogant retreating figure, the soldiers of Yan Pass prepared to leave the gate tower and fight him, but Chen Lin stopped them.

"Wan Li has always been sly and treacherous. We must not fall into his trap."

"But General, are we just going to let him wound you like this and ride away so easily?"

No matter what, they could not swallow this insult.

Chen Lin shook his head. "It's all right. We must not contend over a moment's victory or defeat."

Seeing Chen Lin's complexion grow steadily worse, the other deputy general beside him, Zou Donghai, hurriedly carried him down on his back.

Yan Pass, the command tent.

Chen Lin lay in the command tent, allowing the army physician to tend to the wound on his wrist.

"General, the poison on this arrowhead is called Hundred-Day Drunk. Anyone poisoned by it will gradually lose their bodily functions over the course of a hundred days, until they seem to fall asleep and never wake again."

Despite saying this, the army physician showed not the slightest anxiety. The deputy general waiting beside him grew so frantic that he shouted, "Physician Yan, how can you still be in the mood to joke at a time like this? The general has been poisoned! What matters most is finding a way to cure him!"

Yan Ming shook his head. "There is no cure for this poison."

Zou Donghai's eyes widened. "What? No cure?"

Chen Lin reached out and patted Zou Donghai's shoulder. "Eastern Sea, life and death are ordained by fate; wealth and honor rest with Heaven. I have no fear of death. My only regret is that I won't see true peace come to Yan Pass."

"General..."

Zou Donghai, a hardened man who had fought through countless wounds on the battlefield, now listened to Chen Lin with reddening eyes.

"An army cannot go even a day without a commander. While I still have the strength, I must put all the affairs of Yan Pass in order."

Chen Lin raised his hand to pat Zou Donghai's shoulder again. "Go fetch Deputy General Wei. Tell him I have important matters to discuss."

At the mention of Wei Li, Zou Donghai's eyes widened once more. "General, please concentrate on recovering. If that man Wei learns of your condition, how could he possibly restrain himself?"

Chen Lin shook his head. "Yan Pass really will have to rely on him to survive from now on. Relay my order!"

Zou Donghai looked at Chen Lin, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

He turned and left the command tent, his steps slightly unsteady.

As soon as his figure disappeared, Chen Lin lowered his voice and said to Yan Ming, "Make a trip to Yan Prefecture in the next few days. Go see that Lord Yang."

Yan Ming also spoke quietly. "Old General, did you put yourself in danger because you intend to move against that man?"

"He has never stopped his secret scheming. Since that is the case, I'll give him this opportunity."

Yan Ming nodded and placed a pill in Chen Lin's hand.

"Although you took an antidote pill beforehand, Hundred-Day Drunk is different from other poisons. The antidote pill alone cannot purge it completely. Take this pill tomorrow, and it will ensure that you come to no harm."

At this point, Yan Ming sighed. "Although this pill can keep you safe, Hundred-Day Drunk is a fierce poison. I fear you will still suffer a great deal in the days to come."

Chen Lin shook his head. "Even if I cannot return from battle wrapped in horsehide, I must still die a worthy death. The situation at Yan Pass remains uncertain. You and I must take greater pains over it."

Yan Ming bowed to Chen Lin. "I am at your command, General."

While the two were discussing matters, an announcement came from outside. "Deputy General Wei has arrived!"

Yan Ming and Chen Lin exchanged a glance, then resumed their grave expressions.

Meanwhile, Wei Li had already lifted the flap of the command tent and strode inside.