Count me in!
"..."
The surrounding mid-level and lower-level leaders all expressed their opinions.
If Lu Yulin can successfully become Grandmaster, everyone's future will be bright.
So they're willing to take the gamble!
Zhigang also chimed in, "Alright, I'll take the gamble with you, monk!"
Of the bigwigs present, only Lin Qian had not yet expressed his opinion, and his expression was somewhat complicated.
Lu Yulin looked at Lin Qian: "Instructor Lin, do you still have any doubts?"
Lin Qian pursed his lips, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded. "In that case, I'll accompany you back."
Lu Yulin smiled, stood up, and bowed to the crowd:
"I, Lu, thank you all for your trust."
"This time, I will never lose again!"
P. S.: Less work on weekends, take a break.
181 Turning around to kill the traitor, how much selfishness was hidden within?
Under the same night sky.
Xu Rong's Shannan Army had also set up camp to rest.
Inside the camp, Xu Rong summoned a group of generals.
"Tomorrow we won't go any further; we'll turn back to Rong Province City!"
Xu Rong got straight to the point, stating his decision directly.
The generals were all somewhat puzzled.
"General, shall we give up the pursuit?"
"I'm not going to pursue it anymore."
Why is that?
"We only took half of what was in Rong Province City; the other half is still inside the city."
Xu Rong said calmly.
Guo Jiwang stayed behind in Rong Province City with a group of new recruits, so Wu Shuangren had not yet taken away the spoils of war captured in Rong Province City.
The generals suddenly realized.
"Haha, General, you are truly wise!"
"That guy surnamed Wu took all the elite troops to chase after the Mount Liang rebels. Rong Province City is now poorly defended. If we suddenly attack back, we'll definitely take it!"
"Yes, yes, yes, we should go back and fight!"
"..."
The generals started talking all at once, getting excited.
Only Zhang Liao didn't laugh. He frowned and looked at Xu Rong: "General Xu, the Yi Province Militia are helping us kill the rebels, and we're going to stab them in the back? Isn't that inappropriate?"
Xu Rong's gaze was icy. "Do you think I did this just to rob things from Rong Province City?"
"What else does General Xu intend?"
"You, surnamed Zhang, what right do you have to question the general?!"
Before Xu Rong could answer, a Shannan Army general stood up in dissatisfaction, pointed at Zhang Liao's nose, and cursed, "What right do you, an outsider, have to interfere in the affairs of our Shannan Army?"
"Enough!"
Xu Rong stopped the man and gestured for the others to shut up as well.
He looked at Zhang Liao, whose face had turned ugly. "Zhang Liao, let me ask you, do you think it's appropriate for a local militia to have tens of thousands of soldiers?"
"..."
Zhang Liao was taken aback, not expecting Xu Rong to ask that question.
"Wu Shuangren, taking advantage of the threat from the Mount Liang rebels, established the Yi Province Militia in Yi Province. Why do you think he's so kind as to send troops to help us this time, without asking for any military merit? He's just trying to take this opportunity to extend his reach into Rong Province!"
Xu Rong snorted coldly, "Do you know what he said to me in Rong Province City? He wanted to buy border army armor from me in the future!"
Only Wu Shuangren and Xu Rong knew the details of their private deal.
Xu Rong's public revelation of this matter did not surprise the assembled generals of the Shannan Army. However, Zhang Liao was astonished to have never heard of border army armor being traded privately.
"He established a local militia in Yi Province, commanding tens of thousands of troops, and has even extended his reach to Rong Province. Now he's secretly purchasing armor for the border troops. What do you think Wu Shuangren is up to?"
Xu Rong looked around and asked in a deep voice.
"Wild ambition!"
"If this kid isn't dealt with, he'll definitely become another Mount Liang in a few years!"
"The general is right, I've long disliked that damn Yi Province Militia, let's get them!"
"..."
The generals were filled with righteous indignation.
Zhang Liao remained silent, his gaze sweeping over the expressions of greed, envy, and schadenfreude on these people's faces.
More than eliminating a scourge for the country, Zhang Liao felt that these people were simply venting their frustration at the Yi Province Militia!
Wu Shuangren thought that I was just like those corrupt border troops, only interested in money.
Xu Rong sneered, "I'm going to teach him a lesson—I want the money! And I want his life too!"
Zhang Liao pursed his lips and remained silent.
Xu Rong glanced at him and ordered, "Rest tonight, then head back to Rong Province City first thing tomorrow morning!"
The generals dispersed, leaving only Zhang Liao and Xu Rong inside the tent.
Xu Rong looked at Zhang Liao: "Brother Zhang, is there anything else?"
Zhang Liao pondered for a moment, then said, "General, I still think it's inappropriate for us to deal with the Yi Province Militia at this time!"
Xu Rong's face darkened. "You think someone like Wu Shuangren isn't a traitor? What's wrong with killing a traitor for the country?!"
Zhang Liao shook his head. "Judging by actions rather than intentions, at least in dealing with the Mount Liang rebels, Wu Shuangren and the Yi Province Militia have done nothing wrong."
"What a fine example of judging actions over intentions!"
Xu Rong was furious. "He's amassing a private army, hoarding armor! He even dared to bribe government troops in an attempt to smuggle armor! After all this, you dare say he's innocent?!"
Zhang Liao raised an eyebrow, his temper flaring, and retorted without backing down, "General Xu, if it weren't for Wu Shuangren leading the Yi Province Militia to hold off the Mount Liang rebels, Yi Province would surely be in Mount Liang's hands by now! We might be the ones being hunted down right now!"
"Presumptuous!"
"If it weren't for the help of the Yi Province Militia, we wouldn't have been able to take Rong Province City without bloodshed. Wu Shuangren and the Yi Province Militia contributed both manpower and resources, which created this favorable situation. Yet we stab them in the back. Such behavior is not that of a soldier!"
What Zhang Liao hated most in his life was those who stabbed their comrades in the back on the battlefield!
He looked directly into Xu Rong's eyes and said, word by word:
"Even if Wu Shuangren is guilty, we have no right to punish him. This matter should be reported to the imperial court, and the central government should issue an edict to determine his guilt!"
Hearing his words, Xu Rong calmed down instead.
How much of his sudden decision to turn against the Yi Province Militia was motivated by the desire to recover the money he left in the city? How much was it due to the humiliation he suffered at Wu Shuangren's hands? And how much of it was truly out of a genuine desire to rid the court of a traitor?
Xu Rong himself couldn't explain the complex emotions he felt.
He wasn't entirely convinced of his position on this matter, so he stopped arguing with Zhang Liao.
"That day I spoke frankly with you, telling you that the military governor greatly admires you and wants to recruit you into my Shannan Army. Now it seems, are you unwilling to join my Shannan Army?"
Xu Rong did not answer Zhang Liao's question, but instead asked a question in return.
Zhang Liao stated bluntly, "If the Shannan Army is constantly engaging in backstabbing against their colleagues, I truly have no desire to join them!"
"A local militia member is nothing but a nobody among my colleagues!"
Xu Rong angrily shouted, "Zhang Liao, just how much did that Wu guy give you to make you protect him like this?"
Zhang Liao was taken aback, then sneered and pulled out a stack of banknotes that Wu Shuangren had given him, slamming them to the ground with a thud.
"Wu Shuangren did indeed give me benefits, and they're all here!"
Xu Rong glanced down at the paper money; each of the paper money was worth fifty strings of cash, adding up to no more than five hundred strings of cash.
The amount of money is indeed not small.
Xu Rong didn't believe that such a sum of money would make Zhang Liao willing to abandon the Shannan Army for Wu Shuangren, disregarding the Jiedushi's appreciation.
Therefore, the other party must genuinely admire Wu Shuangren, while also genuinely despising their own choice at this moment!
Having figured this out, Xu Rong's gaze towards Zhang Liao turned completely cold.
As the saying goes, those who walk different paths cannot make plans together!
"My mind is made up. You may go back."
Xu Rong said coldly.
Zhang Liao stopped trying to persuade him and turned to leave the tent decisively.
After Zhang Liao left, Xu Rong immediately summoned his personal guards and gave the order:
"Send someone to keep an eye on Zhang Liao. If he tries to sneak away, stop him immediately!"
After returning to his tent, Zhang Liao looked at the spear placed inside and fell into deep thought.
I've completely offended Xu Rong tonight!
The opposing general was one of the top five in the Shannan Army, and was a trusted and beloved general of that Military Governor Dong.
Therefore, having offended Xu Rong, there's almost no need to consider joining the Shannan Army anymore.
Zhang Liao's mind raced as he calculated the gains and losses.
He is brave and resourceful, and although he is upright, he also has a shrewd side.
He had already offended the Shannan Army because of Wu Shuangren, so it would be a huge loss to just give up and do nothing!
With this in mind, Zhang Liao quickly made up his mind.
He quickly packed his things inside the tent. After finishing, he extinguished the lights in the tent, took his spear, sat cross-legged, and waited quietly.
Time passed little by little.
In the dead of night, the surrounding darkness was so profound that one could not see their own hand in front of their face.
The only sounds in the military camp were the crackling of the campfire and the footsteps of the patrolling soldiers.
Zhang Liao, carrying a bundle and holding a long spear, quietly left the camp.
He wore iron armor, carried an iron spear, and had a heavy bundle on his back, but his footsteps were so quiet they were almost imperceptible.
He hadn't gone far when several figures suddenly appeared from the side and blocked his way.
"General Zhang, where are you going?"
"A soldier of Xu Rong asked."
Zhang Liao squinted at the group of people in front of him, but didn't answer. Suddenly, he pushed off with his feet.
Whoosh!
How astonishing is the explosive power of First Rank expert?
With just one step, Zhang Liao increased his speed, becoming so fast in the darkness that he was just a blurry shadow!
The two guards only saw a blur before their eyes, followed by a tremendous force that sent them both flying backward.
Zhang Liao held back, using a gentler approach; otherwise, these two guards would already be broken and their bones snapped!