Volume One: The Wild Boy Chapter Twenty-One: New Words of War

More than a month had quietly passed since the day the Lin clan conquered Zhongzhou City. With the gates to the northern heartlands of the Central Plains thrown wide open, the inevitable confrontation between the Lin and Zhou clans was poised to erupt. At last, on a radiant morning, the burgeoning Beacon Fire faction unfurled the banner of war against the entrenched overlords of the north.

At the war front, within the Lin clan’s encampment

“The Zhou clan is a colossus. It has been rooted here for too many years. If we wish to truly break their hold over the north, we must dismantle the foundation upon which they were built and dissolve every local force loyal to them,” Marshal Lin Su of the Gonggong Legion spoke slowly. This Lin clan general, acclaimed for his echoes of Lord Yafu’s legacy, surveyed the assembled officers, his brows tightly knit. “To proceed in this manner, we must combine military might with strategies of persuasion. Yet, we lack a decisive advantage, and our intelligence division has no channels to communicate with the decision-makers of Zhou’s major vassals. If we wait for them to infiltrate, this conflict will drag on, severely undermining our expansion plans. So, gentlemen, what solutions do you propose?”

For a while, whispers filled the tent as the officers conferred. One stepped forward, saying, “All of this hinges on the momentum of our offensive. I suggest we divide our forces, launching attacks across the extended front lines held by Zhou. After an all-out assault, we shift focus to surprise attacks on Zhou’s core defenses. Minor powers will be intimidated and, at worst, withdraw to recuperate, so their lack of allegiance will not harm us. Major powers will be mobilized by Zhou to fill defensive gaps. Our troops could then strike at their rear, creating internal conflict over reinforcement and garrison duties. Given Zhou’s longstanding leadership style, they’ll surely resort to ruthless measures to restore order. That would be our opportunity.”

Lin Su cast an approving glance at the young officer. “Xie Daoyun’s plan is quite feasible, especially for the second or closing phase of our campaign. Yet, with our corps currently fighting separately, it’s naïve to think my legion alone could open this front. Any other ideas?”

His strategy dismissed, Xie Daoyun grew anxious. “Marshal, our troops are fierce enough to sustain a series of raids. If allied units provide even minimal distraction, our superior mobility makes this entirely possible.”

The mood in the tent grew tense. Lin Su’s reputation as “Yafu’s Heir” meant that once he made a decision, no one dared object—an aura cultivated and widely publicized by the higher-ups, establishing the image of “Lin’s Lord Yafu” throughout the army.

Feeling slighted, Lin Su glanced coldly at Xie Daoyun and said, “The lives of Gonggong’s soldiers are not chips for you to gamble your fame upon.”

“But—”

“Silence!” Lin Su’s glare was fierce. “War admits no delay. I will not tolerate insolence from a weakling who only stands here by virtue of marriage alliance. Remove him!”

Xie Daoyun sighed, bowed to Lin Su, and quietly walked out. Before he had fully exited, he overheard his colleagues comforting the marshal: “You’re a renowned general of the Lin clan; don’t waste your temper on that coward, who can’t even control his wife and gets bullied daily by Miss Lin Ningzhi. We have serious military affairs at hand.”

Unfazed even by Lin Su’s wrath, Xie Daoyun found himself crushed by these words, his back hunched and his face flushed as he shuffled out the door.

Inside, the officers resumed their “harmonious” discussions, yet none could offer a decisive plan, and Lin Su’s patience wore thin. His glare silenced the entire tent.

Lin Zhengqing found amusement in the situation, his smiling lips meeting Lin Su’s gaze in awkwardness. Lin Su was about to lash out, but mindful of the other’s stature, he chose to challenge him instead: “Zhengqing, so relaxed—surely you have an idea. Speak.”

Lin Zhengqing yawned. “If you’re worried about insufficient manpower to deal with Zhou’s minions, I’ll just assassinate a few leaders of the major factions. That should stir up enough chaos to buy us some time. What do you think?”

Lin Su snorted. “We’ll do as you suggest. But for such a task, you must sign a military oath. And for secrecy, you’re not allowed to bring a single soldier.”

“As you command.”

...

Since the massacre at Zhongzhou, more than a month had passed. Lin Changtian had not returned to the Northern Territory, but followed the L