The emperor’s study, Martial Heaven City:
Long Shenwu sat at his desk and frowned at Six Fingers.
“As per Master’s request, I have been monitoring the entire city. There are discussions everywhere questioning Sima Changkong’s loyalty. After all, Sima Changkong has a deep friendship with Gu Hai. With full military authority, would he…” Six Fingers frowned.
Long Shenwu took a sip of tea and said, “Sima Changkong already sent a letter saying the Han Imperial Dynasty would target him and spread rumors in the city. Listen for who is spreading the rumors and capture them.”
“Yes!” Six Fingers nodded.
“However, Master, even if there are spies spreading the rumors, now that the rumors have spread, the people discussing them might not be the spies.” Six Fingers frowned.
“Huh?” Long Shenwu’s face turned sullen.
“On the other hand, something they discussed is beneficial to Master. Right now, Master occupies Long Shenwu’s physical body. Why don’t you turn Sima Changkong into a zombie progeny? This way, his life and death would be under your full control. There wouldn’t be a problem then,” Six Fingers said seriously.
“Turn him into a zombie?” Long Shenwu narrowed his eyes slightly.
Indeed, he would no longer need to doubt Sima Changkong with that.
“Sima Changkong once said he would do his best to help Long Shenwu and had only one request: not to turn him into a zombie. Back then, Long Shenwu agreed. Now…” Long Shenwu frowned.
“We don’t have to tell him first. Just summon him back to the capital,” Six Fingers suggested.
Long Shenwu narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking in silence for a moment.
“Sima Changkong is very smart. Now that this idea has spread in the city, he will know about it. If I summon him back to the capital, he will realize our intentions. Right now, the two nations are at war. We should not unsettle the commander’s mind.” Long Shenwu shook his head.
“Yes!” Six Fingers nodded helplessly.
“Sima Changkong won’t betray us as long as his family is in Martial Heaven City. Don’t worry!” Long Shenwu said.
“Yes!”
The emperor’s study, Borderless Heavenly Capital:
“Indeed, it went as Your Reverence said. Long Shenwu did not summon Sima Changkong back,” Chang Ming reported.
“It will happen soon.” Gu Hai smiled.
The next day, the emperor’s study, Martial Heaven City:
Long Shenwu and Six Fingers looked coldly at an official before them.
“Your Reverence, a Han Imperial Dynasty envoy sought an audience with Lord Sima in Silver Moon City yesterday evening,” that official reported, frowning.
“A Han Nation envy? Seeking an audience with Sima Changkong? Hah! Is he trying to recruit Sima Changkong? What did Sima Changkong say?” Long Shenwu asked coldly.
“Lord Sima did not meet with him,” that official replied.
“The Han Nation tried to bribe him, but he ignored them? That’s pretty good,” Long Shenwu sneered.
“Yes! Lord Sima is devoted to my Wu Nation. He cannot be bribed!” that official said respectfully.
“What about the Han Nation envoy?” Long Shenwu asked.
“Uh…I don’t know. He disappeared that night.”
“Disappeared?” Long Shenwu glared.
“Yes! I searched Silver Moon City but could not find him.” That official shook his head.
“You are dismissed.”
“Yes!”
Now, only Long Shenwu and Six Fingers remained in the study.
“Sima Changkong already reported everything through the zither puppet. He said this was Gu Hai’s plot and asked Your Reverence not to worry,” Six Fingers said.
However, Long Shenwu frowned heavily.
“Don’t worry? Haha! What if Sima Changkong defected? The Wu Nation has already lost fifty cities. Didn’t he say the Han Imperial Dynasty would slow down soon?” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“Your Reverence is worried about Sima Changkong?”
“Filter through the reports from everywhere. Sima Changkong told me that he had a will of the citizenry army and that the Han Vengeance Army would slow down. Check on it. See if it is true!” Long Shenwu said somewhat anxiously.
“Yes!”
City lord’s official residence, Silver Moon City:
Sima Changkong frowned heavily as he listened to the reports from the surroundings.
“Milord, we have already lost fifty cities. Will His Reverence blame us? Furthermore, rumors are flying everywhere in Martial Heaven City, saying you betrayed the Wu Nation,” an official said anxiously.
Sima Changkong shook his head. “His Reverence is highly skilled and excellent at strategizing. Would he be shaken by these rumors? I have already explained everything to His Reverence. His Reverence is not as short-sighted as the crown prince. Why would he suspect me? Furthermore, the opportunity we are waiting for will soon arrive.”
“Those elders?”
“That’s right. Those elders. They have already summoned the surrounding clan heads and started a discussion. Three days. Just wait three days, and internal conflict will break out in the fifty lost cities.” Sima Changkong smiled coldly.
“The citizens in fifty cities will riot simultaneously, resisting the Han Imperial Dynasty?” The eyes of the official at the side lit up.
“That’s right. The Han Imperial Dynasty captured many cities this time. The more it captures, the greater its problems will be. Hah! The Han Imperial Dynasty will stop in its tracks three days later!” Sima Changkong’s eyes flashed with determination.
Three days later, the emperor’s study, Martial Heaven City:
“How is it now?” Long Shenwu said while glaring.
“We have lost seventy cities already, but the Han Vengeance Army never stopped,” Six Fingers reported with an unsightly expression.
“Didn’t Sima Changkong say three days? He said that riots would break out in these cities after three days. Were there riots?” Long Shenwu glared.
“There were none. Furthermore, the clans in the seventy cities all swore loyalty to the Han Imperial Dynasty. They helped the Han Imperial Dynasty to gain the citizens’ support.” Six Fingers frowned.
“Did Sima Changkong lie to me?” Long Shenwu glared.
“Master, the Han Vengeance Army is advancing relentlessly, capturing city after city. I suspect it has something to do with Sima Changkong.”
“Oh?!”
“Sima Changkong simply doesn’t want to resist the enemy, hiding from the Han Nation’s army. How is that fighting a war? What will of the citizenry army? That is just an excuse to delay!” Six Fingers frowned.
“You suspect Sima Changkong has betrayed the Wu Nation?” Long Shenwu said with an unsightly expression.
“I’m not sure. However, the current situation does not fit Sima Changkong’s description. To think there is not even a single resistance?” Six Fingers frowned.
Long Shenwu anxiously paced the study.
“Does Sima Changkong no longer care about his family?” Long Shenwu frowned.
Long Shenwu’s frown deepened into an unsightly expression. “Indeed. Those who achieve great things would not care about kinship.”
“What should we do now?” Six Fingers asked with misgivings.
“Since he is not sending the soldiers out, summon him back.” Long Shenwu’s eyes narrowed.
“We’ll turn him into a zombie progeny?” Six Fingers narrowed his eyes.
Long Shenwu remained silent for a while before eventually nodding.
In the end, Teacher Yinyue did not have the tolerance of a sovereign. The continuous setbacks at the front lines had disrupted his composure. The Han Imperial Dynasty’s attempt to recruit Sima Changkong provoked his distrust. Sima Changkong’s failure deepened his fear and panic.
He needed to do something. Sima Changkong will only be loyal to me after I turn him into a zombie.
A large hall in Silver Moon City:
Sima Changkong listened to the battle reports from the surroundings in shock.
“That’s impossible! That’s impossible! Why did those elders take the lead in swearing loyalty to the Han Imperial Dynasty? Didn’t we reach an agreement a few days ago?” Sima Changkong said with an unsightly expression.
“Milord, according to the spies’ reports, Han Nation envoys visited the elders a few days ago. Like Milord, those elders refused to meet them. However, those elders made arrangements the next day to help the Han Vengeance Army gain the support of the citizens,” an official reported.
“Han Nation envoys?” Sima Changkong’s face sank.
“Yes. This humble official guesses those elders met the envoys in secret after openly refusing to meet. Furthermore, they were convinced,” that official said with a frown.
The other officials in the hall looked at Sima Changkong.
Sima Changkong’s eyes suddenly narrowed. “What’s wrong? Do you all think I met the Han Nation envoy in secret after refusing that day?”
“This humble official does not dare!” The officials immediately shook their heads, but their eyes were clouded with doubt.
Sima Changkong showed an unsightly expression. He immediately understood this was Gu Hai’s sabotage. However, so what if he understood? He had no way to explain himself. Fortunately, the emperor was broad-minded and would not suspect him.
Just then, another guard stepped into the hall. “Reporting to Milord, Prime Ao Sheng seeks an audience!”
“Prime Ao Sheng? Invite him in!” Sima Changkong said with some confusion.
Ao Sheng soon stepped into the hall.
“Lord Sima!” Ao Sheng smiled.
“Prime Ao Sheng? Are you here to assist me?” Sima Changkong smiled.
Ao Sheng shook his head. “His Reverence sent me here to invite Milord to return to Martial Heaven City with me.”
“Oh? Return to Martial Heaven City?” Sima Changkong raised his eyebrows.
“That’s right. I move very quickly and can make a round trip in a few hours. You have not been sending out soldiers recently, so go back to the capital. His Reverence has some things to discuss.” Ao Sheng smiled.
“Some things to discuss? Why doesn’t His Reverence discuss it over the zither puppet?” Sima Changkong asked with an unsightly expression.
“There’s no way to explain it clearly through the zither puppet, so it is better to speak in person. Here is His Reverence’s Nine Dragon Golden Medallion. Lord Sima, please return with me,” Ao Sheng said gravely.
Sima Changkong’s face sank.
Summoning me back? Hah! This is too obvious. Does he no longer trust me? Why would His Reverence no longer trust me?
Is he calling me back to turn me into his zombie progeny?
Sima Changkong’s eyelids twitched wildly. Although he was loyal to Long Shenwu, that did not mean he was willing to become a zombie, something neither human nor ghost.
Some people would love to become a zombie, but Sima Changkong was not one of them. If he became a zombie, his life and death would not be under his control.
“Prime Ao Sheng, my army will march on the Han Vengeance Army soon. It is not convenient to return to the capital at the moment.” Sima Changkong shook his head.
“Lord Sima, you know that your wife and son are in the capital, right? There are also the many members of your Sima Clan. Are you really unwilling to return?” Ao Sheng said.
“Hah! Hahahaha! Right now, the officers and generals in the city are watching. We are loyal to the death to His Reverence. Surely His Reverence does not need to use our families to threaten us?” Sima Changkong said.
After Sima Changkong spoke, a few of the generals showed slightly unsightly expressions.
“Lord Sima!” Ao Sheng said coldly.
“When a field commander is deployed, the field commander must decide even against the sovereign’s orders. Battle is imminent, and I cannot afford a distraction. I will not return for now. I will return to plead guilty after this battle is over. If you want to bring me back now, you will have to bring back my corpse. Either you kill me or let me command my soldiers in battle!” Sima Changkong said coldly through gritted teeth.
