Song Jingze.
Protector Song of the Northern Protectorate of Great Yu, he was also the current Great Yu General of Conquest in the North, holding command over a hundred thousand troops in the north.
And outwardly he looked nothing more than a fifty-something, graying-haired, portly man, nothing more.
At this moment, Song Jingze sat in a hard wooden chair, a square table of the same material set before him.
On the wall behind him hung several calligraphy scrolls of poetic lines, most expressing loyalty and bravery in service to the nation.
On the table sat a small charcoal brazier, warming a pot of hot tea.
He heard the clinking of armor from a distance, then lifted his head and looked toward the personal guard who slowly appeared at the head of the corridor.
"Protector!"
The guard bowed and cupped his hands:
Hearing this, Song Jingze slightly raised an eyebrow.
This really was troublesome.
Since Li Chong came to Sandwind Pass three years ago, Song Jingze and Li Chong had never gotten along well.
Aside from the first meetings, when Song Jingze had exchanged several glances with Li Chong, there had been no further contact.
But however poor their relationship, it would not lead Protector Song to do nothing and watch someone die under the current circumstances.
Refusing to send reinforcement was not Song Jingze's idea.
There was someone else at play.
Thirty years ago, Li Chengyuan led troops to the capital to quell rebellion, was granted the title Lord Jing'an, appointed Grand Commander, and took command of the troops in Weizhou, Hezhou, and Dongzhou.
Later, in several campaigns pacifying southwestern tribes, he won brilliant military achievements.
This made Li Chengyuan’s prestige and military power in the Great Yu court extremely strong.
So strong that his achievements threatened the throne.
Li Chengyuan himself was untouchable by the current Great Yu emperor.
Because if Li Chengyuan had not led the troops to the capital to suppress the rebellion back then, the emperor’s head would have already been tossed into the imperial privy.
Moreover, to this day, the troops under Lord Jing'an still account for half of Yu Kingdom’s military power.
Even among the Forbidden Army commanders in the capital Ningjing, half had once served under Li Chengyuan.
But this did not mean the emperor would not trip up Li Chengyuan.
If Sandwind Pass fell, Lord Jing'an’s prestige in court, the very reason he pushed for Li Chong to take the captaincy of Sandwind Pass, would suffer a severe blow.
As for how to deal with the Shanrong after they breached the pass…
At worst they would pillage a bit, then be paid off with grain and livestock.
What’s the big deal?
It would be far better than having a Lord Jing'an with military command standing by your side while you sleep.
Although until now Li Chengyuan had never done anything outrageous,
who could say for sure whether he harbored secret ambitions?
This was the emperor’s worry.
He hoped the Shanrong offensive would be fierce enough; otherwise, if he still didn’t dispatch reinforcements in a couple of days, it would be hard to explain.
Song Jingze thought.
But the most important thing now was how to handle the envoy Li Chong had sent.
"Bring him in."
Protector Song said.
"Yes!"
The guard bowed toward Song Jingze again, then turned and left.
Shortly after, Captain Li's envoy stepped into the main hall of the Protectorate.
Seeing the handsome face of the youth, but one who looked only fifteen or sixteen, Song Jingze frowned, then said:
"Why did you send a child?"
"Protector."
Chen Yan smiled and bowed, ignoring Protector Song's sarcasm, then produced a sealed letter from his bosom:
"Captain Li ordered me to deliver this letter to you."
Song Jingze’s eyelids drooped slightly, and he tapped twice on the square table before him.
A guard standing beside Chen Yan took the letter from his hand, walked up, and presented it to Song Jingze.
Protector Song tore the letter open and began to read.
After a dozen breaths, the corner of the Northern Protectorate governor’s mouth revealed a cold sneer:
"Hmph, when did I ever say I wouldn’t send reinforcements? And you dare use Lord Jing'an to pressure me? Does Li Chong only know how to rely on his father?"
Then he tossed the letter into the charcoal brazier burning at the side of the table.
Chen Yan watched all this calmly, then chuckled softly:
"May I ask, Protector Song, when will your reinforcements arrive at Sandwind Pass?"
"I will of course send reinforcements to support Sandwind Pass, but when they arrive is none of your concern!"
Song Jingze said.
"I understand."
Chen Yan nodded:
"If Protector Song has nothing to tell Captain Li through me, then I will take my leave."
Seeing that Song Jingze said nothing, Chen Yan turned and walked toward the gate of the Protectorate.
"Wait."
Song Jingze lifted his eyes and said:
"Who told you to leave?"
Chen Yan stopped in his tracks.
Li Chong had told him that none of the envoys he had dispatched to Northern City had returned.
Combined with Protector Song’s attitude, Chen Yan quickly understood what was going on.
All just some boring tricks.
"What does Protector Song mean?"
Chen Yan turned and fixed his gaze back on Song Jingze.
"Until I give permission, you are not to leave the Protectorate," Song Jingze said.
"Why?"
Chen Yan asked again.
"What I intend to do need not be explained to you, you green boy…"
As he spoke, Song Jingze sent a look to the guard standing beside Chen Yan.
But Chen Yan reacted faster than that guard.
He swiftly drew the guard’s sword from his waist, then in a single motion reversed and thrust the blade through the throat of the well-armored guard, exposing the windpipe.
"Assassin!"
Song Jingze’s face changed drastically. He did not expect his guard to be killed by a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy in such a counterattack.
At his roar, about twenty Protectorate guards quickly poured into the main hall and surged at the youth from Sandwind Pass.
But the youth’s agility and ruthless speed far exceeded what these battle-hardened guards had imagined.
Every thrust and swing of his blade found the exact weakness in the guard before him.
In just a few breaths, Chen Yan had cut a bloody path through the crowd and reached the square table before Song Jingze.
Song Jingze’s hands were trembling; he shakily reached under the table for his sword, but before he could fully draw it, Chen Yan’s blade was already at his throat.
He could even feel the warmth of blood dripping from the blade.
"Spare me, spare, spare my life… reinforcements — I’ll send reinforcements to Sandwind Pass right now."
Song Jingze’s face drained of color.
Hearing this, Chen Yan once again displayed a gentle smile toward Song Jingze, then slowly said:
"What does that have to do with me?"
In the next instant, Chen Yan’s sword sliced through Song Jingze’s throat.
Blood splattered three chi.