Chapter Sixty-Four: First Encounter with Pang Yu

Ever since Liang Zan discovered that someone had made a small hole in the dung gate of Chen Ying’s large blue horse, he knew for certain that there was an informant hidden within the Second Merits Garrison. Liang Zan secretly investigated the personal guards who might have had access to Chen Ying’s warhorse. Before long, Liu San, White Dog, and Zhao Hu gradually came under his suspicion.

Although none of the three showed any obvious signs of guilt, their behavior was highly unusual. In this era’s Tang garrison, soldiers did not actually receive military pay; instead, they were allotted between fifteen and twenty acres of tax-free land. However, Liu San, White Dog, and Zhao Hu were different—they had long since sold off their tax-free land. They were still active-duty soldiers but now owned no military fields at all.

For men like them, the only way to rise in rank and wealth was through war. Those left behind in the Second Merits Garrison had almost no extra income. Yet these three, who had always been so poor that they barely scraped together their next meal, suddenly began living lavishly half a month ago—spending freely and indulging in food, drink, women, and gambling without restraint.

Once Liang Zan had uncovered these facts, he was almost certain the informants were Liu San, White Dog, and Zhao Hu. Yet Chen Ying had no concrete evidence and could only observe them in secret, waiting for them to make a mistake.

By chance, they discovered that Zhao Hu had deliberately flirted with Tang Liuniang, who was standing outside the gate. In truth, his aim was to distract her so he could eavesdrop on Chen Ying’s interrogation of Luo Song.

Chen Ying immediately realized that the spy feared Luo Song might confess something crucial and so devised a trap. He lured Zhao Hu, Liu San, and White Dog into exposing themselves. Liu San did not disappoint; ignorant of the truth, he fell for the ruse and was caught red-handed while attempting to assassinate Luo Song to silence him.

There was no need for torture—Liu San confessed everything in detail without resistance.

Anyone who could be bribed for money would naturally lack backbone.

Liu San, Zhao Hu, and White Dog were close companions in arms; in fact, Liu San was their squad leader. The three were as close as brothers, but White Dog was a compulsive gambler who owed eleven strings of cash in the Wangui District of Chang’an. This sum was astronomical for someone like him. When White Dog was captured by the debt collectors, who threatened to cripple him, Liu San and Zhao Hu discussed ways to raise the money to save him. At that crucial moment, someone approached them—not only paying off the debt but even giving them fifty strings of cash. Thus, the three agreed to act as informants and looked for an opportunity to eliminate Chen Ying.

“Please, Master Liang, let me go home. I won’t dare do anything like this again!” Liu San knelt on the ground, sobbing and pleading.

Liang Zan was silent for some time. Then Liu San raised his head, his face full of hope, and asked, “Master Liang, I’ve told you everything I know. Can I go now?”

“You bastard, you still want to go home!” Liang Zan kicked Liu San in the shoulder, sending him sprawling. “You damn fool, dreaming of going home after colluding with traitors and plotting against the Honorable General Ningyuan! You’re doomed—better to die quickly and be reborn, and maybe you’ll come back as a good man next time!”

Liu San collapsed in despair, his face a mess of tears and snot. “Master Liang, all I did was tamper with the horse—nothing more, I swear! Please, have mercy!”

“How dare you argue! Do you know that because of what you did, General Chen nearly died in the Western County? If anything had happened to him, all fifteen hundred of our brothers would have been slaughtered by the rebels! No matter how many times you die, it won’t atone for your crime!” Liang Zan’s voice grew louder as he roared, “You could die ten thousand times and still not pay for what you’ve done.”

Chen Ying’s face remained calm.

Pitiful as he was, he had only himself to blame—gambling was a destructive vice. Once someone fell prey to it, there was never a good ending.

As Liang Zan drew his sword to kill White Dog, White Dog suddenly cried out to Chen Ying, “Spare my life, General! I want to redeem myself! I have something to report!”

“Oh?” Chen Ying was caught off guard. “How many accomplices do you have?”

White Dog shook his head. “No more accomplices!”

“No more? Then you can die!” Liang Zan again raised his sword.

Liu San quickly said, “Back in Chang’an, Master Qiao told us to report everything the General did to—”

Chen Ying seized Liu San’s collar. “Report to whom?”

“To Mo Dake!”

At these words, Chen Ying was overcome with fury.

Although he had made many enemies, he had yet to identify who wished him dead.

What truly chilled Chen Ying to the bone was this: the one who wanted him dead not only sabotaged his horse but also planned to have the rebels kill him. Whether this was a personal feud or a family vendetta, what Chen Ying could not accept was that they would dare to collude with the rebels. If he were defeated, the rebels would surely massacre the surrounding villages, resulting in untold civilian casualties.

...

“It seems that young Chen Ying will not be coming,” Mo Dake sighed as he leaned against a massive boulder in White Dragon Valley.

Despite being adversaries, Mo Dake genuinely admired Chen Ying.

Caution and patience were rare qualities in a young general, and Chen Ying, having just won a great victory, had not let success go to his head. This was not merely uncommon—it was truly formidable. With such composure and clarity of mind, there was nothing ordinary about him—he was truly terrifying.

“Withdraw,” Mo Dake said, gazing at the night sky, now beginning to brighten.

“At your command—”

More than two thousand elite Qiang wolf-soldiers emerged dejectedly from their hiding spots among the shrubs and followed Mo Dake back to camp.

PS: This chapter is mostly just filler. I’ll revise it tomorrow morning. I was in meetings all day and my brain is a bit starved for oxygen—my apologies.