Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 254: Adding Fuel To The Fire

Chapter 245: Chapter 254: Adding Fuel To The Fire

“Master, shall we send someone down the mountain to scout? The intelligence from that side has always been accurate; it shouldn’t be wrong! Moreover, this time it’s different from before. They want to get rid of Mr. Han, so it’s impossible for them to send us false information. Otherwise, they’d be the ones at a loss.”

“Then let’s go down the mountain to scout. Be careful, I’ve heard that Mr. Han is not an easy one; he’s very cunning. Don’t fall into a trap he might have set.” Even with the precautions given, the Master couldn’t shake off a sense of unease, fearing something might go wrong.

Han Yu deliberately set up camp outside the mountain to make it visible to the bandits in the stronghold. Furthermore, the defenses were relaxed, seeming as if they were negligently dealing with tasks.

The spy sent by the bandits saw this and felt certain he wouldn’t be discovered. He even approached closer and overheard a conversation between two soldiers.

“Is this really okay, Lord Han?” one soldier said. “This negligence, how will we explain ourselves to our superiors later? And with just a few of us watching over the camp while he himself goes off to enjoy life – it’s just not fair!”

“What’s there to be unfair about? We’re not among Lord Han’s confidants, so we’re stuck doing the dirty work. Besides, explaining to our superiors is Lord Han’s concern, not ours. It’s good enough we don’t have to fight the bandits; who in their right mind would want to risk their life against bandits in winter with no benefit to us? Our master is thinking this through – even if the superiors punish him, it would be at most a scolding or a demotion, and with Lord Han’s ability to ‘pat the right back,’ he’d be promoted back up in no time. It’s not worth risking our lives since if we lose them, we lose everything!”

“You’re right; in such cold weather, I doubt the bandits would even come down. Let’s go sleep in the tents; they won’t be back so soon, and nobody will know what we’ve done.” The soldier, rubbing his hands for warmth, returned to the tent with his comrade.

Hearing this, the spy couldn’t help but laugh. No wonder there had been no signs of an attack from the government soldiers sent to eradicate the bandits; they had encountered a corrupt official afraid of death and trying to deceive both his superiors and subordinates. Such a man would be cowardly on the battlefield – it would not be unjust if their Master killed him.

“Well, did you find out anything?” The Master felt unsettled and immediately summoned the returned scout to inquire.

The scout reported everything he had seen at the base of the mountain. Upon hearing this, the Master’s expression relaxed somewhat, but he still did not feel completely at ease, sharing the same concern as the strategist.

“Could it be a ploy by Mr. Han, designed to confuse us?”

“Well, it shouldn’t be the case. Your subordinate was very cautious and didn’t let them detect me. There were very few people around the tents, and I didn’t see Lord Han. To be safe, I even staked out the area for a considerable time. When they cooked at noon, they only made one pot, enough for just over ten people. Even if they hid in the tents and didn’t come out, they still have to eat.”

“You make sense, but we were told Mr. Han is very cunning; we still need to proceed with caution. If it really is a faint-hearted, cowardly official, it will save us trouble. Let them fight among themselves like dogs.” The Master spoke with clear disdain, evidently not having a high opinion of whoever was collaborating with their stronghold; it was just a necessary partnership for survival.

“The Master makes a good point. Let them fight like dogs; after all, there are few good men among those in power. Initially, I thought Mr. Han coming here to suppress the bandits showed some spunk. Killing him would have been somewhat regrettable, but now it seems they’re all cut from the same cloth, not one of them worth a damn.”

“We shouldn’t jump to conclusions; let’s wait and see,” the strategist advised, still not completely reassured, so he went and made further arrangements in the stronghold.

When Han Yu’s side quickly received word that the bandits had sent a spy, things were progressing as planned. Han Yu was equally cautious, knowing both the Master and the strategist of the stronghold were smart and careful. Dealing with such people demanded full attention.

“What’s going on inside the stronghold?”

“Master, as expected, the Master and the strategist aren’t entirely convinced and remain skeptical. They’ve increased their vigilance, making it difficult to send messages out.” Liu Cong showed a trace of worry, a departure from his usual careless demeanor.

“This was to be expected. All we can do now is wait for the right moment. We have to keep our composure.” Han Yu had anticipated that things wouldn’t be so simple.

Days passed, and seeing that Han Yu still remained encamped without showing any intention of attacking, the bandits began to let down their guard.

Su Wenyue, however, grew more worried as days went by without news from Han Yu, leaving her uncertain about the progress of his plans.

The children, as if sensing Su Wenyue’s state of mind, clung to her even more tightly, especially the oldest, Brother Xing. Ever since Su Wenyue’s return from the Li Mansion, he had departed from his usual ‘detached coolness’ and occasionally touched Su Wenyue with his little hand, providing her an inexplicable sense of comfort. Su Wenyue no longer deliberately pondered whether Brother Xing was the same Brother Xing from her previous life. Whether he was or wasn’t no longer seemed crucial; they were all her children.

“Brother Xing is such a thoughtful child,” Su Wenyue remarked as she caressed his little face. Brother Xing grinned at her, his happiness evident at the sight. Seeing her three children soothed the turmoil in Su Wenyue’s mind, bringing her a sense of peace.

In the middle of the night, Su Wenyue was jolted awake by a thunderclap. Fearing it might frighten the children, she hurriedly donned a coat and went to check on them. The nanny was also up, tending to the children.

Relieved not to hear any crying, Su Wenyue knew the children were resilient. As long as they weren’t crying, they likely hadn’t been scared.

With no desire to sleep further amidst the ongoing thunder, Su Wenyue stayed by her children’s side. As she was checking their blankets, she saw Brother Xing’s wide, round eyes staring at her. Seeing her look his way, Brother Xing smiled joyfully, clearly pleased to have her near.

“Our Brother Xing is awake too, such a good child. Were you startled by the thunder? Don’t be afraid. Mother is here with you,” Su Wenyue said, touching his forehead, and Brother Xing laughed even more joyously.

Inside the room, the mother and child shared a warm moment, while outside, thunder and lightning raged, quickly followed by torrential rain. It poured all night without stopping, and by the second day, ditches were overflowing with water. Su Wenyue’s expression grew increasingly anxious, knowing such weather would only compound the difficulties for Han Yu and his men.