Shipin Dalizheng

Chapter 274 Wherever the Long Sword Points

It wasn't until he set foot on the land of Jiangnan that Rong Tang felt a surge of pride in his heart. He was finally back after less than half a year.

After counting the items, except for the carriage that could not pass through, all the food and supplies were missing. Li Dequan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and could not believe that he had gotten through so easily.

"Oh my god, it's been twenty years, and I, Li Dequan, am finally back."

He cried loudly with tears and snot. Rong Tang asked a few questions and found out that Li Dequan was originally from Jiangnan. He was sold as a eunuch when he was young. Later, he gained some status and wanted to trace his roots. However, because of the division of the country by the river, he thought he would never have the chance.

Rong Tang patted his shoulder and said, "Eunuch Li, write the battle report! Today, under your wise leadership, our Rong family's new army successfully crossed the river without losing a single soldier."

Li Dequan's eyes widened and he forgot to cry. How could a battle report be written like this?

"Is this... okay?"

Why are you so embarrassed?

"Did we tell lies?"

"That's not true."

Li Dequan thought about it and decided it was true. So, while others were preparing meals and taking a break, he diligently wrote a battle report: On a certain day in a certain month, the entire Rong family's new army crossed the river without casualties. Naturally, he wasn't so shameless as to take all the credit for himself. Instead, he emphasized Wen Ruyu's crucial role in the crossing, and the unity and unstoppable momentum of the new army.

He knew clearly in his heart that his own strengths and weaknesses were known to His Majesty and He Daban. If he said that it was due to his wise leadership, no one would believe him. It was just the compliment from Young Master Rong that really made him feel relieved.

After lunch at noon, the army set out. Now without the burden of baggage, each horse carried half a bag of rice on its back, and the horses ran lightly and smoothly. They arrived at the mouth of the river when it was dark.

Yuzi came over with a message, "Young Master, this is really strange. This river used to have very little water. At most, there would be some shallow water when it rained occasionally. Now the river is half full and impassable. They are going along the river to find a passage."

Rong Tang certainly knew the reason, as it was he who opened up this river.

After crossing the river, there was no shortage of water. The cook boiled several large pots of water and asked the soldiers to fill their water bags. Then they set up camp and rested.

Before going to sleep, Lao Wen came to ask Rong Tang, "Did you take this road the last time you went north?"

Rong Tang: "Yes!"

"Then how did you cross the river?"

Rong Tang touched his chin and said, "Well... there was no water when we crossed the river. But not long after we crossed here, there was water."

Old Wen didn't believe it. "Don't lie to me! I've been here before. The area bordering the Mizhou Reservoir is blocked by low mountains. The local government doesn't have the ability to dig or open another channel, so this river has become a wasteland."

Rong Tang said nothing.

Lao Wen was a little disappointed. "Am I so untrustworthy in your eyes?"

"nor."

Rong Jia said gently, "From the moment I met you, Senior, I knew you were a principled knight with a clear conscience, compassionate to all. During my time dealing with Master Zheng, Xiaotang, you also relied heavily on your tact. But you also have a fatal weakness: you're too committed to your promises. Xiaotang has never understood why a martial arts expert recognized as one of the world's top masters would choose to serve as a servant to Master Zheng. After much thought, I figured that either you had leverage or you owed Master Zheng a favor."

Old Wen said sadly, "You guessed right. He did me a favor, and I promised to repay him for the rest of my life."

"That's it. Although I know in my heart that Master Zheng isn't a particularly bad person, his surname is Zheng, and he's always protecting the interests of his family. I can't guarantee that he'll remain indifferent after learning about certain things. If he sets his mind to it, you and I will become pawns in his hands."

Old Wen fell silent. He certainly knew Zheng Changzhi better than Rong Tang. Although he was not in the court, he had many followers in the court. Once many things were out of his control, he would immediately turn the situation around.

It would be good if the Rong family could become his friends, but if they were his enemies, it would only be a matter of time before they would turn against each other.

He suddenly understood the child's concerns. As a man with a similar compassion for the common people, he was making some efforts to make life better for the poor. However, the interests of the poor were inevitably in opposition to those of the aristocratic families. Rong Tang and Zheng Changzhi would never be on the same path.

"If you don't want to be a chess piece, you have to be the chess player."

Old Wen's voice was a little dry. He had followed Zheng Changzhi for many years. To be honest, Zheng Changzhi was nice to him, but he had never felt a sense of belonging. When Zheng Changzhi mentioned the possibility of setting him free, he knew how happy he would be.

But in front of this child, he suddenly felt a strong desire. Can I stand with him?

Equal, standing side by side, not a master-servant relationship!

Rong Tang's words shattered his fantasy, "Senior Wen, many things don't have to be crystal clear. Sometimes, a little confusion may be a way to protect yourself and others."

Old Wen understood. The sudden opening of the river was certainly related to Rong Tang, but what business was it to him? With the Mizhou Reservoir now open to floodwaters, the people of the area would be free from flooding forever. This had nothing to do with him and no harm to him. He could just remain unaware of everything.

With his hands clasped together, this was the first time Wen Ruyu saluted someone after he turned thirty.

Rong Tang did not dare to be arrogant and bowed.

After Old Wen left, Rong Zhan came in and asked, "Senior Wen, do you suspect anything?"

"It doesn't matter. He's a true knight, but unfortunately, he's burdened by his loyalty and trustworthiness, like an eagle with its wings bound. Money, fame, and fortune are all external to him. What he needs is freedom."

Trust and loyalty can be a double-edged sword: a person's greatest strength, yet also a vulnerable underbelly. Zheng Changzhi's assistance to Old Wen might have been a simple task, but it also trapped Old Wen and reduced him to a mere servant. While Zheng Changzhi's fault isn't entirely untrue, he was certainly extremely self-serving.

They set out at dawn and followed the secret signs left by the scouts. Within an hour, they arrived at the flood discharge outlet of Mizhou Reservoir. It had not rained for several months and the water in the reservoir was less than half full. The irregular sized stones left over from the blasted passage were scattered on the river beach and exposed on the water surface. If they were careful when passing, both men and horses could pass through.

Half an hour later, everyone crossed the river. This place was still a thousand miles away from the Southern Dynasty's capital, but the road was smooth.

Rong Tang drew the Tang sword from his back and pointed it towards the southeast, "Forward."

Hundreds of riders galloped on their horses, and the direction their long swords pointed was their final destination. At this moment, even Li Dequan, a eunuch, felt the passion to gallop across the battlefield, and he roared and whipped his horses' buttocks.

Their purpose on this trip wasn't to capture cities or territory; the less friction with the Jiangnan forces, the better. Therefore, the scouts' routes avoided villages and towns as much as possible. Occasionally, when they saw people hurrying by, they didn't disturb them, and the travelers, frightened and hurriedly avoiding them, knew from their frightened attitudes that the situation was already dire.

Sure enough, during the lunch break, Youzi brought back an old man for questioning. The old man was so frightened that he trembled and kept begging for mercy.

"Sir, our food has been requisitioned. We have nothing left. I, an old man, am out here looking for some grass roots and tree bark to eat. My wife at home is almost starving to death. Sir, please let me go."

Rong Tang thought the voice sounded familiar, and when he looked over, he saw it was the old man who had single-handedly tried to break through the mountain that blocked the river. He walked over and asked, "Old man, don't you remember me? We've met before."

The old man had been hypnotized by him and had his memory washed away, so he didn't really remember him. But when he reminded him, he felt familiar with him and became more alert. "General, I think you look kind to me, so please let me go."

Rong Tang said: "I won't hurt you, tell me what happened?"