knife

Chapter 352 Leaving
Looking back at the magnificent city of Chang'an behind him, He Bing felt a touch of nostalgia in his eyes.

Once he leaves, he doesn't know when he'll be able to return.

Perhaps this departure will be forever, and I will never return.

Born and raised here, decades have passed in the blink of an eye. I don't usually think this place is so great, but when it's time to leave and I don't know when I'll return, that homesickness rises uncontrollably into my heart and lingers.

Without realizing it, my eyes started to redden.

But ultimately, one must first be alive before one can have such sentimental feelings.

Dead people have no emotions.

Hardening his heart, he turned the horse around, raised his whip, and with a long neigh, the horse spurred itself on and galloped away into the distance.

Goodbye, my Chang'an.
Or, goodbye to Chang'an forever.

Before He Bing left Chang'an, his younger brother He Yu had already left.

He Yu is a businessman; his comings and goings don't attract much attention from others.

A few days after He Yu left, He Bing arranged for his family to spend the winter in Lishan.

Mount Li has hot springs.

An official of He Bing's rank would naturally occupy a spring and build a manor there. During the coldest days of winter, his family would go there to spend the winter. This was the case every year, so even though it was a little earlier this year, it was still a normal phenomenon.

However, when Chang'an discovered that He Bing had disappeared, it was naturally impossible to find his family when they went to Lishan.

For someone like He Bing, such a simple trick as escaping unscathed is far too easy.

"I'm leaving, Minister Wei. Take care of yourself!" He Bing muttered to himself.

It's not that I didn't want to give you a heads-up, the problem is that once I told you, you would cling to me and insist that I share your joys and sorrows. How could that be possible?
Taking advantage of information asymmetry is the normal practice.

Wei used the target as cover to make a silent retreat in order to find a safe haven.

If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be punished by heaven and earth.
Therefore, the Wei family had no choice but to be sacrificed.

Linghu Ye thought he could use this to control himself; he was being far too naive.

Do you only consider things from the immediate perspective?

He who does not plan for the present cannot plan for the future; he who does not plan for a part of the world cannot plan for the whole.

Time changes many things. Perhaps if we can get through this most difficult time for us, we will see the light at the end of the tunnel!

The coldest days of winter have arrived.

Then spring and blooming flowers won't be far away!

Those who are trapped in a precarious situation, watching disaster befall them while only knowing how to cry and not how to find a solution, are never worthy of sympathy.

Even with a knife to his throat, someone like himself would still dart his eyes around, looking for any chance to fight back.

Unless someone's head is chopped off, then all will be over.

The wind blew up a light drizzle, which hit my face, but it was cold and biting.

This winter is going to be tough!
Not only is the weather cold, but the enemy will also launch large-scale invasions in Luoyang, Chang'an and other places during this window of opportunity.

If a decisive victory cannot be achieved this winter to consolidate the advantage or the overall situation, the war will inevitably drag on and become a stalemate by next spring.

Of course I want to go to Luoyang.

Thinking of the jade seal of the King of Lantian and the gold book and jade plate in his arms, a cold smile couldn't help but appear on his lips.

The ancients were right.

In chaotic times, it is true that whoever has soldiers is king.

Look at Zhang Quanyi; just a year ago, he was still my subordinate, following my orders.
Now, he is about to become a homeless dog, while Zhang Quanyi has first been granted the title of Marquis of Lantian, and now, as long as he nods, he will immediately become the King of Lantian.

In He Bing's opinion, why did Zhang Quanyi disagree?
They'll take the benefits first, but whether they're willing to launch a large-scale attack in Luoyang as Wei Zhengdao intended, thereby restraining Linghu Ye's forces, is another matter entirely.

Of course, He Bing also understood that Wei Zhengdao's plan was good.

However, Linghu Ye will inevitably have a response.

Linghu Ye's strength is insufficient to launch a large-scale attack on both sides simultaneously, so he will definitely collude with the Chen family of Qi County and the Qin family of Donghai to send troops to attack Luoyang together.

These prestigious families are natural allies.

That's why He Bing wouldn't go to Linghuye.

Zhang Quanyi, He Zudao, and I are truly on the same side.

However, since Zhang Quanyi could still travel with Wei Zhengdao, he couldn't choose to settle down with Zhang Quanyi. So, the only remaining option was He Zudao.

The group hurried along the official road. The raindrops first turned into sleet, pattering against their straw hats and raincoats with a loud patter, quickly turning the road white. As darkness fell, the sleet turned into snowflakes, falling in a flurry that completely obscured their vision. Judging by this, the snow seemed unlikely to stop anytime soon, and would only intensify.

We need to find a place to settle down, otherwise the temperature will drop sharply at night, and while people can bear it, the horses may not.

"Great Magistrate, there's an abandoned village ahead." The scout rode back excitedly and said, "The people in the village must have left not too far. Most of the houses are still in good condition, enough for all of us to live in."

"Let's camp here today and set off again tomorrow when the snow stops!" He Bing waved his hand. "Fang Xiewen, take a few men and go hunt some fresh game."

"Alright!" a soldier replied with a loud laugh.

"Brother Fang, let's raid a bear's den! The bears have just finished hibernating and are quite fat!" someone in the group shouted, drawing laughter from the crowd.

A moment later, the village came into view.

It wasn't a large place, probably only a few dozen households. Apart from a few slightly damaged buildings, the rest were still intact. Clearly, they left in a hurry, because in many houses, pots and pans were still there.

"It seems the war has already affected this place!" After looking at several houses, He Bing sighed, "I can't think of any other reason why the people here would abandon their homes."

"Perhaps it's a scout team or bandits?" one soldier said. "We haven't heard of any large-scale military forces appearing in this area."

"We haven't experienced war for hundreds of years. The slightest disturbance terrifies us!" a soldier said. "I've heard Vice Minister Wu talk about the people outside the Great Wall. Whenever bandits raid our villages, they grab their weapons and fight, regardless of age or gender. Even children join the fray! That's how the fierce spirit of the people outside the Great Wall was cultivated. Here, we've been at peace for too long. A fight and some bloodshed can make some people tremble with fear!"

"This land used to be known for producing tough guys!" He Bing chuckled. "Don't worry, it won't be long before this land produces batch after batch of tough guys!"

Everyone nodded.

Back when the Li family conquered the world, their core followers were the men raised on this yellow earth!

Smoke rose from the chimneys, and soon, the houses were filled with life and laughter. The group of one or two hundred people filled all the still intact houses in the village to the brim.

The subordinates originally wanted to dismantle the timber from the damaged houses for firewood, but He Bing forbade it. Although the houses were dilapidated, the main structure was intact. Perhaps the villagers would return soon, and with a little repair, they could move back in. If the beams and rafters were removed, the houses would probably collapse completely before the winter was over.

After dark, Fang Xiewen, who had gone out hunting, returned. He hadn't managed to raid the bear's den, but he had brought back a few deer, enough for everyone to share.

In the dead of night, apart from the soldiers on watch, everyone else had already gone to sleep. He Bing, with his Xuan Yuan Ninth Rank cultivation, could even hear the breathing and snoring of everyone in the entire village.

These people were his subordinates.
These people also considered themselves He Bing's confidants.

What they didn't know was that He Bing's true confidants never appeared in public.

The people who can truly put He Bing at ease are those loyal followers who would do anything for him without asking any questions.

These people in front of us can only be called loyal subordinates of the Black Ice Guard.

Their loyalty to He Bing stemmed solely from the fact that He Bing was now the Grand Chancellor of the Black Ice Bureau.

Once I reach Luoyang and disappear, these people will inevitably be arrested and brought to justice.

But what do these things have to do with me?
He Bing walked to the door, opened it, and a biting cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in. The piercing chill clashed with the warmth inside, instantly making the room somewhat dim.

The strong rule. Next, I must possess true power of my own, and of course, I must hone my martial arts skills.

I've wasted many years at the peak of the ninth rank of Xuan Yuan. If I could become a Xiantian, what would I have to fear?

Just as she was about to close the door, He Bing suddenly froze in place.

With both hands resting on the door panel, looking out into the small courtyard, a bone-chilling coldness spread from the depths of my heart throughout my body.

A young man dressed in black appeared in the courtyard.

There was nothing there just now except snow.

He Bing had never met Li Dachui.

There were also portraits of Li Dachui in the Black Ice Station, but what's funny is that there were more than a dozen of them, and each one was different.

Clearly, none of those were Li Dachui's real face.

As for what he looks like, perhaps only Wu De has ever seen him!

But now, as soon as He Bing saw this young man, three words immediately popped into his mind.

Li Dachui!
He's here!

Why did he come to me?

In the courtyard, Li Dachui walked slowly towards the outside, while He Bing slowly backed away.

Li Dachui entered the house, even turning around to close the door, shutting out the chill from outside, before turning back to look at He Bing.

"I thought you were going to attack me!" Li Dachui said.
“I can’t beat you, you’re a Xiantian!” He Bing said with some difficulty.

Li Dachui smiled, sat down, and said calmly, "When I was still at the eighth level of the Profound Origin Realm, I once went to kill some bandits. The highest level of their martial arts cultivation was only the sixth level of the Qi Control Realm. I blocked them, and then they launched a desperate attack on me. You didn't see that scene. One of the guys was slashed by me, and when he fell down, he actually opened his mouth to bite me. I still remember the sound of his two rows of teeth closing next to my ear!"

(End of this chapter)