Section 5

Wait a moment

No matter how long the road is, there will always come a time when it reaches its end, especially since the inn they departed from is not far from Liaoyang City. Huang Shi heard the person beside him stop and, after taking a deep breath, said in a low voice: "Let us go in."

Upon seeing Huang Shi's robust physique, onlookers' eyes lit up. Huang Shi, who was bowing in greeting, felt the gaze circle around him a few times, and then he heard a loud exclamation: "What a man, truly a hero."

Recently, the envious Huangshi has been eagerly awaiting the news of the victory in Zhenjiang. In his original plan, he intended to seize as many benefits as possible from this triumph, but unfortunately, this beautiful dream can no longer come true

An official from the Later Jin hurried over, crouched down, and inserted his finger into the seam of the yellow stone shoe to grasp a corner of a piece of paper, then suddenly yanked it out.

After Huang Shi finished recounting his adventures, Lao Zhang and his three sons all displayed expressions of envy. The five taels of silver were unavoidably pressed into Lao Zhang's hands. In Huang Shi's words, it meant that he would no longer have to worry about lacking silver to spend; this small sum could be considered a modest repayment of deep gratitude. During the last dinner at Lao Zhang's home, Huang Shi sensed his strong desire to support his sons in the future.

A gentleman has given an order; how could I, as a subordinate, dare to disobey? Huang Shi, why are you not quickly expressing your gratitude for the gentleman's favor?

Old Zhang's wife took out a stack of newly made clothes from the inner room: "Shitou, I was wondering why you left without picking up your things. Yesterday, I had my younger brother deliver them to you, and he waited all night but didn't see you return."

This has already been arranged for you. The Tartars know that I am a merchant, with a wife and property in the city. Tomorrow I will handle the goods and return home. You are my manager, and the Tartars will not suspect anything.

When he returned to Guangning with Sun Degong, Huang Shi was already in a state of despair. He was not entirely clear about the character of the people he was now with, but he vaguely remembered that a year later, this great traitor would betray the Ming army, leading to the disastrous defeat at Shaling.

Can it be said that you have severed my wealth and glory? Huang Shi replied sincerely: "The kindness of the noble towards the humble is as vast as the sky and the sea."

Is this your first time bringing someone in

Sun Degong has just received a task; the Governor of Liaodong, Wang Huazhen, has asked him to find a way to persuade Li Yongfang to surrender. Sun Degong considers that going to Liaoyang for espionage is likely to be a one-way trip, and naturally, he is unwilling to risk his trusted subordinate. However, seeing a significant opportunity for merit that he does not want to let slip away, he decides to send Huang Shi on a trip. A newcomer is expendable; if he succeeds, it would be even better.

Yuan Zhi, you should no longer refer to yourself as a subordinate; now you are a subordinate of Mao Wenlong. If he finds out, it will not reflect well on me either

Rest assured, my subordinate will not be cowardly or fear for their life

When Mao Wenlong's personal guards are certainly stronger than those of Zhang Yuanzhi, Huang Shi restrained his joy at the promotion and replied loudly: "Thank you for your esteemed favor, my lord. I will certainly repay you with my utmost loyalty and dedication."

... ...

No merit, no reward; the subordinates will certainly fulfill the master's orders, and will seek the master's commendation at the appropriate time

Sun Degong, who caused Huangshi's dreams to be shattered, is naturally the object of his hatred. Sun Degong is unaware of Huangshi's opinion of him, as his chief bodyguard, Fei Liguo, has ordered Huangshi to immediately present himself, as Sun Degong has important orders to convey to him

The person in front forced a smile and said to Huang Shi, "How could one not feel a bit nervous with a knife held to their neck in this kind of deal?"

"Huang Shi, upon your return from completing the task, I shall certainly bestow generous rewards."

The superior must have a complete strategy, and the subordinate only knows to obey and act accordingly

Such a valiant hero serving as a personal guard truly makes this general envious

When he arrived at Huangshi, he raised his hands high and allowed the soldiers of the Later Jin to pat him down, appearing relaxed and at ease. Although the Later Jin soldiers had not yet discovered the secret letter, Huangshi felt tense inside, yet there was not a trace of it visible on his face

This letter is addressed to General Li Yongfang, and you must personally deliver it into his hands

Huang Shi expressed his gratitude once more. As he stood up, the general had already taken a seat in the middle. Zhang Yuanzhi, with a smile, said: "Sir, you are busy with military affairs; what brings you to my humble place today"

The middle-aged man surveyed the surroundings of Huangshi for a long time: "Tonight, you and I will rest here. Tomorrow evening, when the Tartars are relaxed at the city gate, I will take you into the city."

As he walked through the city gate of Liaoyang, the merchant began to rub his hands together once more. He glanced back at the composed Huang Shi, smiled sheepishly, straightened his chest, and strode forward.

Alright, you may get up now

On the way to Liaoyang the next day, the merchant continuously pointed out various things to Huang. Occasionally, Huang would inquire about the historical anecdotes of certain place names, and the merchant patiently narrated them to him.

Yuan Zhi, who is this person

Sun Degong was clearly aware that the chances of survival were slim, so he casually assigned a newcomer to handle the task. Huang Shi's first thought was to escape, but he quickly dismissed this idea: "As a deserter, do I really intend to become a beggar?"

"Then Huang Shi, you may go and prepare for it." Sun Degong was extremely satisfied and signaled Huang Shi to leave.

Indeed. The merchant nodded and took another breath: "Is there any problem?"

Sun Degong clearly did not expect to hear such a straightforward response. After confirming that Huang Shi did not intend to ask any questions, he inquired, "Huang Shi, are you not going to ask whom I am going to send the letter to, nor why I am writing the letter?"

Yes

"Here is a letter that you need to deliver to Liaoyang." As soon as Sun Degong finished speaking, Fei Liguo walked over holding a box.

How could the shopkeeper possibly be illiterate? Huang Shi asked with a smile in response

The merchant rubbed his hands together and got up to return to his room

Well, however, when passing through the city gate, how should I respond if I encounter an inquiry

Huang Shi subsequently took leave to move back to Liuhe, and his appearance surprised the entire Lao Zhang family, as they had thought that Huang Shi had left with Mao Wenlong's army, which had already departed yesterday

This road has existed since my youth, when my father, a traveling merchant, would take me through here to gather books. This middle-aged man is quite talkative, "Look at that bridge; my childhood inscriptions are still there. In my younger days, I would come here to enjoy outings with my wife..."

Are you feeling nervous? During this period, Huangshi has noticed that merchants always have a habit of rubbing their hands.

He saw the ambiguous smile on Huang Shi's face and quickly clasped his hands together, saying, "I apologize for any offense, Your Excellency"

Zhang Yuanzhi bowed again and said, "The lord will always be the subordinate's lord"

Huang Shi quickly interrupted the merchant's narration: "Do you have paper and pen? Writing it down would be better, wouldn't it?"

The first year of the Apocalypse, June

"Yes." Yellowstone replied decisively.

"Not bad." The merchant appeared quite satisfied with Huangshi's response, as no one wishes to partner with a fool in the line of espionage: "I will tell you this, remember well, first and foremost, the matriarch's surname is ... ..."

The middle-aged merchant looked at Huang Shi in surprise and asked, "Can you read?"

Hello, very well. After crossing the Liao River, someone will come to meet you. Just follow the person. Now I will inform you of the meeting location and the contact code

What requirements are there for Yellowstone tonight before departing tomorrow evening

Huang Shi, with his head lowered, heard the admiring murmurs of the arriving guests. The general stepped aside to take another look, while Huang Shi remained motionless in his pose

The middle-aged man praised, "Although you may not have a photographic memory, you certainly qualify as a person of great intellect."

Sun Degong nodded in satisfaction and said, "Well then, I have a dangerous task to assign to you"

It is not too late now. I must not succumb; I should carefully consider how to take action. That night, Huangshi could not sleep, and a vague plan began to take shape in his mind

Yuan Zhi, I truly admire this person. Are you willing to part with them?

What are they collaborating for, to become traitors? Huang Shi responded with a bitter smile, thinking that being a traitor is better than dying. Now he and Sun Degong are like grasshoppers on the same string. At least they have escaped the shadow of death, which can be considered half of their goal achieved. He comforted himself by saying that with * maps * and * books *, this is not bad; at least it can protect those who care about him.

After memorizing the location and the code, Huang Shi bid farewell to Sun Degong and stepped out. The first thought that crossed his mind after leaving the study was to curse loudly, feeling that it was absurd to assign such a life-and-death task to him, as if Sun Degong had spoken of it as if it were a tremendous honor given for free.

Rest assured, everything is well here under my command

After reciting a large number of names, ages, and appearances in one breath, Huang Shi picked up the note and looked at it again, smiling and asking, "How is it?"

In the study, there were only three individuals: Huang Shi, Fei Liguo, and Sun Degong. Amidst the solemn atmosphere, Sun Degong spoke up and asked, "Huang Shi, how do you intend to treat me?"

I am willing to go through fire and water for you

"This is a newly recruited personal guard under my command, named Huang Shi." The respectful voice of Zhang Yuanzhi reached my ears

Destroying the letter is also a necessary measure, as it is hoped that there will be no evidence left behind.

Huang Shi politely took a look at the calligraphy left by the merchant, but it was merely the childish scrawl of someone saying they had visited. The merchant rubbed his hands together and laughed heartily with pride, while Huang Shi also politely chuckled a few times in response.

The merchant took a deep breath again to steady himself: "Alright"

Huang Shi stretched out his arms and yawned: "Everything is ready, Your Excellency, you should rest early as well"

Historical records of this massacre indicate that the bones were piled up like mountains, and it took decades to collect them all.

The next day, Huang Shi shaved the hair from his forehead. Sun Degong praised him repeatedly upon seeing it. Huang Shi secretly laughed to himself, realizing that after watching so many years of braid performances, he had finally put his learning to practical use

"Everything is for the great Ming, for His Majesty." As he said this, Huang Shi extended his hand

On the second day, Huang Shi was ordered to interrogate a spy from the Later Jin dynasty. However, this individual could not withstand the torture and died in prison before revealing anything. Sun Degong did not blame him; he merely advised him to be more cautious in the future

The middle-aged man stepped forward, grasping Huang Shi's hands, and the tension on his face vanished without a trace: "For the Emperor, for the Great Ming!"

After nightfall, he rode straight to the Liao River. After crossing the Sancha River, Huang Shi found the Guangning informant at the meeting point. The informant, who operated during the day and moved at night, introduced Huang Shi to a middle-aged man near Liaoyang City before leaving. During this time, no one uttered a single unnecessary word

After a night of contemplation, Huang Shi recalled that Sun Degong had seemingly been bought off by Li Yongfang. Therefore, he felt that this time he should not be in any life-threatening danger. As long as he could survive, it was sufficient; escaping would only lead him back to being a beggar.

I would like to express my gratitude to you, my lord

Sun Degong treated Huang Shi quite well; not only did he immediately reward him with five taels of silver, but he also arranged a temporary residence for him in Guangning City. Although it was small, it was fully furnished. Upon learning that Huang Shi had no family, Sun Degong further assured him that as long as he worked diligently, there was no need to worry about any of these matters.

Yes

Let us go in

I am returning to Guangning today and have heard that Lord Wang intends to dispatch you all to battle. Therefore, I have come to see you and check if there are any issues.

"No, don't be too nervous; nothing will go wrong." Huang Shi did not want the merchant's expression to reveal any flaws.

The middle-aged man's complexion slightly paled, yet he did not move forward: "Several people have already died for delivering messages for the Ming, their entire families exterminated by the invading barbarians..."

I thought that coming to this era would allow me to achieve something, but unexpectedly, I have taken a completely opposite path; it is truly the whims of fate. The next morning, Huang Shi woke up still feeling a dull ache in his head, the last remnants of his hangover not yet fully gone. Seeing that it was getting late, he hurriedly got up to bid farewell to Old Zhang's family, returned the small room to them, and then swiftly mounted his horse to rush back to Guangning

Huangshi, right? Listen carefully, I am the guerrilla Sun De Gong from Guangning

I know your name, but what if I inquire about other specific names?" Huang Shi asked.

The general smiled upon hearing this, and his gaze shifted back to Huang Shi. By this point, he had already sensed that something was amiss. Indeed, he soon heard the general say