"Well spoken by our eastern neighbor," Li Qing said.
Zhou Fugui, listening to Li Qing discuss the future of the White Tiger Camp, nodded and asked, "What do you think?"
"Flee..." Li Qing replied. "Of the thirty-six stratagems, escape is the best! In the martial world, when one's skills are inferior, they also temporarily avoid the sharp edge. Although our White Tiger Camp has won consecutively, it was only by exploiting the enemy's weakness. Once the Xiongnu army gathers, we will be no match for them. We might not be able to escape then."
"Not 'might not be able to,' but 'definitely,'" Zhou Fugui mused. "Where would we flee?"
"Alas, Fugui, our roots are in the south," Li Qing sighed.
Zhou Fugui nodded and glanced at Ye Guantíng.
Ye Guantíng's intention was to remain on the grasslands, using their vastness to find a base. Though it would still be difficult and perilous, it would be much better than a risky southern retreat. Furthermore, even if they were lucky enough to return to the Yan Kingdom, they would be under the control of the Yan imperial court, still enslaved, and still living under someone else's roof. Zhou Fugui certainly did not want to live such a life. However, following Ye Guantíng's suggestion of freedom on the great grasslands meant losing much, including family and loved ones.
Zhou Fugui could not abandon his family, so he had to find a way back to the Yan Kingdom, seek opportunities to establish himself, build his own forces, establish his own base, and find a chance to raise the banner of rebellion against Yan.
But this was still easier said than done.
How to respond, what strategy to adopt, and how to choose remained extremely difficult for Zhou Fugui.
With that glance from Zhou Fugui, Ye Guantíng understood his thoughts. He sighed inwardly and said, "Whether we fight or flee, we cannot stay here long. We must leave Bailang City immediately."
"Brother Ye speaks wisely," Li Qing readily agreed.
"I am truly reluctant to leave this Bailang City," Zhou Fugui said with a smile, then asked Ye Guantíng, "Where should we go?"
Clinging to a comfortable life was the cause of defeat. Zhou Fugui understood this all too well. Therefore, no matter how reluctant he was, he had to let go of it all.
"Lord, Brother Li..." Ye Guantíng replied. "The Great Xiongnu Chieftain Duo Yongjian will soon receive news and will inevitably lead his troops to their rescue. What do you think he will do?"
"He will surely assume we are fleeing south and will set up layers of obstruction and ambushes on our southern route," Zhou Fugui suddenly realized, prompted by Ye Guantíng.
"Brother Ye means... not going south?" Li Qing asked.
"Not so!" Ye Guantíng shook his head. "To go south, one must first go north. Concealment and deception will keep the Xiongnu guessing our intentions, and then we can choose our moment to go south."
Since Zhou Fugui had made up his mind, Ye Guantíng could only do his best to plan for him.
"Alas, Guantíng, just tell me where to go, and how to choose our moment to head south?" Zhou Fugui asked again.
"Xianmiao Mountain," Ye Guantíng replied.
"Xianmiao Mountain, Xianmiao Mountain..." Zhou Fugui seemed to have heard this place name before. After racking his brain, he couldn't recall it, so he asked, "Where is it?"
"A land of foreign customs, rarely trodden by humans," Ye Guantíng answered.
"A land of foreign customs, rarely trodden by humans?" Zhou Fugui frowned. "Is it like Nether Valley? How would we survive there?"
"Nether Valley? What is Nether Valley?" Ye Guantíng had not heard of this valley and asked.
"Oh, it's like this..." Zhou Fugui explained the matter of Nether Valley to Ye Guantíng, omitting the two years he had trained under Huo Qubing in his dreams.
Zhou Fugui was afraid that such fantastical things would frighten them.
"My Lord, you were able to escape death in Nether Valley. Why would you fear Xianmiao Mountain?" Ye Guantíng chuckled after listening. "A land of foreign customs, rarely trodden by humans, and with treacherous terrain. We can use it to contend with the Xiongnu and then choose our moment to head south."
Zhou Fugui nodded and looked at Li Qing.
Li Qing remained silent for a long time before nodding. "It's feasible."
First and foremost, they must survive to even consider returning south. Otherwise, it would all be in vain. Both advisors believed this, so Zhou Fugui nodded and smiled. "It seems we are to become mountain bandits. We need to prepare properly."
"Fugui, you had the chance to be a mountain king, but alas..." Li Qing teased Zhou Fugui.
Zhou Fugui glared at Li Qing, thinking to himself, *Why are you bringing up something so sensitive?*
Zhou Fugui did have the chance to be a mountain king, or rather, the favored son-in-law of a mountain king. But the result was that Zhou Fugui had fled...
*I wonder how Miss Yuan is doing now?* Zhou Fugui thought of the seemingly fierce and headstrong, yet kind-hearted Miss Yuan.
Ye Guantíng was bewildered, not knowing what the two of them were talking about.
...
"How is your... injury?" Zhou Fugui asked Qi Wu Han, the Xiongnu Left Great Chieftain, after Pi E brought him into the room.
"Thank you, General. My injuries are not serious," Qi Wu Han replied sincerely, with gratitude on his face.
Not only had Zhou Fugui ordered Qi Wu Han to be treated, but he had also restrained his men, forbidding them from harassing his family, thus protecting Qi Wu Han's entire family. In the chaos of war, the fate of his family, especially the women, could be imagined. For this, Qi Wu Han was naturally grateful. As for the loss of some property, compared to his family, it was nothing. Qi Wu Han considered it a token of gratitude.
"Someone, help the Chieftain onto the seat," Zhou Fugui ordered his attendants after nodding.
"You are a righteous person, General. Qi Wu Han thanks you..." Qi Wu Han said gratefully as he sat on the Hu chair. "You should not have done this. In our great Xiongnu empire, the victor can claim everything. If you take all of Qi Wu Han's possessions, I will not hate you; I can only blame myself for being defeated by you. You treated my family well, but I will not be grateful to you. Therefore, Qi Wu Han will still not surrender to you."
Qi Wu Han assumed Zhou Fugui was trying to persuade him to surrender again.
"Hahahahaha..." Zhou Fugui burst into hearty laughter. "Who is trying to persuade you to surrender? Today, not only will I not try to persuade you to surrender, but I will also return this 'palace' to you. I wish to befriend you. What do you say?"
Qi Wu Han was stunned, staring blankly at Zhou Fugui, unsure if he was telling the truth or deceiving him.
*Return the residence and its belongings, and also make friends?* Qi Wu Han thought in confusion.
Making friends, Qi Wu Han was certainly willing. People of the grasslands were forthright and loved making friends, especially with those who came from afar, and even more so with those who were stronger than oneself.
"What? You don't believe me?" Zhou Fugui smiled at Qi Wu Han. "There's an old saying: 'Within the four seas, all are brothers.' You are the Xiongnu Left Great Chieftain, yet unlike other noble lords, you are not afraid of death. You would rather die with integrity and lose everything than betray. For this, I am not angry, but rather admire you. Had you knelt and begged for surrender upon arrival, perhaps I would not have spared you and your family. Therefore, today, if you do not find it beneath you, I am willing to befriend you and return your property and retainers to you. Furthermore, true friends do not ask anything of each other; they only consider the other's well-being. So you need not worry. Do you, Great Chieftain, deign to accept?"
Just as Zhou Fugui had told Agudamu, sometimes killing was not as good as not killing. Zhou Fugui and his men would soon flee. What was the use of killing Qi Wu Han? What was the use of plundering his wealth? What was the use of defiling his family?
It might be useful someday to build a good relationship.
"General..." Qi Wu Han was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes. He was too choked with emotion to speak.
Qi Wu Han had believed he was destined to die, and that his family would suffer a terrible fate. To escape death now, how could he not be overwhelmed with emotion? As for being moved, that was due to Zhou Fugui's acting talent. With such an eloquent and impassioned speech, who wouldn't be moved?
Moreover, Zhou Fugui had moved Qi Wu Han with his actions: returning his property and retainers without asking for anything in return, merely seeking friendship.
This way, Qi Wu Han would not fear Duo Yongjian's retaliation, and his losses would be minimized. Why would Qi Wu Han not be willing?
So Qi Wu Han stood up, placed one hand on his chest, bowed, and said to Zhou Fugui, "How could Qi Wu Han dare to be disrespectful of such righteousness, General? Qi Wu Han is willing to become Anda with you, and will never betray you in this life and this world."
"Anda?" Zhou Fugui, of course, understood what Anda meant. He was overjoyed. "That would be excellent! My brother is younger, so I shall call you elder brother. Someone, bring wine! Today, my brother and I shall drink to our heart's content!"
Qi Wu Han grinned, not knowing what to say.
The two then exchanged precious tokens and became Anda. And within a few days, Qi Wu Han "escaped" his confinement, gathered his old troops, "drove out" the White Tiger Camp, "recaptured" Bailang City, and was thus rewarded by the Great Xiongnu Chieftain Duo Yongjian.
Of course, that is a story for another time.
...
"Yao created Go to teach his son Dan Zhu. As for Bai, Shun, considering his son Shang Jun foolish, made Go to teach him," Ye Guantíng sighed after Qi Wu Han left.
"What do you mean?" Zhou Fugui asked, surprised.
"Your strategy of planting a secret pawn is brilliant, truly brilliant!" Ye Guantíng replied.
Zhou Fugui glared at Ye Guantíng and said, "It's not entirely so."
"Why? By keeping this person and having him become Anda with you, isn't he a mole for the future?" Ye Guantíng asked.
Zhou Fugui glanced at Ye Guantíng and shook his head, remaining silent.
*My own mother is Xiongnu, from the Tu Ge tribe. I am half Han, half Xiongnu. How could you know these things? How could I let you know?* Zhou Fugui thought to himself.
"If the Lord is strong, this secret pawn will be useful. If the Lord is weak, this secret pawn will be a disposable piece," Ye Guantíng added.