Chapter 8, Geothermal Energy

Cheng Duo said: "Just speak, what do you know?"

Chengduo emerged from the tent, and outside the central military tent stood a group of armored soldiers. He walked to the entrance of the camp and saw in the distance a procession of horsemen and banners approaching, numbering about several dozen. At the forefront was a man wearing a large purple marten hat, with a long bird feather inserted at the top, dressed in the attire of a noble from the Hu people. Chengduo signaled to Asihai, who gazed into the distance and nodded, saying: "It is indeed him."

Cheng Duo also restrained his expression and said: "Are you referring to that underground dark fire? I have a rough idea about this person in my heart."

Cheng Duo asked again: "Since this poison has no odor, how can it be distinguished?"

Cha Cha clearly did not expect him to ask that question, and hesitated while holding the pen. Cheng Duo leaned back in his chair, propped his feet up on the desk, and said: "Take your time to think, write only after you have made up your mind"

Moments later, King Gu Li entered the main camp accompanied by twenty attendants. The camp immediately fell into a solemn silence. Yang Youlin led him to the central command tent. King Gu Li, who was only about forty years old, wore a luxurious fox fur coat and paid no attention to the sidelong glances of the soldiers on either side, striding confidently into the tent. Cheng Duo sat arrogantly behind the long table, and as their eyes met, neither was willing to speak first

Everyone truly saw him and all laughed heartily

Chengduo rode on horseback, observing the soldiers vanquishing the enemy from a distance. The wind stirred joyfully, and the sound of the strings pointed like curling remnants of clouds. He felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart, yet lamented the absence of wine. As the music shifted, it transformed into the grand "Victory Return," a tune for the emperor, with its notes precise and solemn. The cavalry below, stirred by the fervor of the music, could no longer contain themselves and surged into the fray. Before the piece concluded, regardless of the battle's outcome, the Hu soldiers had been completely slaughtered. As the performance reached its climax, it truly became a victory return, a scene filled with joyous galloping and cheers. The cavalry below, stirred by the fervor of the music, could no longer contain themselves and surged into the fray. Before the piece concluded, regardless of the battle's outcome, the Hu soldiers had been completely slaughtered. As the performance reached its climax, it truly became a victory return, a scene filled with joyous galloping and cheers.

Zhao Sun chuckled, "I didn't fall into the toilet; I was just fainted by the stench of it."

This is it. The Eastern physician wrote the prescription and handed it to the doctor, saying, "You must have been poisoned, but I cannot be too certain. This poison is extremely rare. Moreover... it should not have originated from the latrine."

In a moment, the military music resounded, and everyone in the central military drill ground enjoyed a peaceful gathering, reveling in the festivities despite the language barrier. The drinking continued from the afternoon until dusk. Cheng Duo leaned at the head of the table, slightly intoxicated, holding a cup and watching the soldiers dance below, indifferent to the group of Hu people moving about in the camp.

The two deputy generals under Gu Li left their seats, strolled around, and squatted in a corner of the training ground, whispering and laughing, their faces displaying great joy. After chatting for a while, they felt that something was amiss. Looking around, they noticed a large tent not far away, with an eagle flag hanging from the top. At the entrance of the tent stood a slender woman in white, half-hidden behind the tent curtain, her face obscured, yet she seemed to be intently watching the two of them without blinking. The two exchanged a few more words, but the woman continued to gaze at them. After a moment of suspicion, they returned to their seats.

Cheng Duo frowned and said: "Since it is colorless and odorless, and diffuses in the air, how can we find this poison?"

Although Asihai is a Hu person, he has been traveling and doing business with his father since childhood, roaming from the southern to the northern regions and mastering various dialects. Due to his quick wit and agility, and in light of the turbulent times, he engaged in a different kind of business that was not passed down from his ancestors—trading in intelligence. Four years ago, he was captured by Chengdu while spying on military affairs for the Hu people. Chengdu, seeing his frankness and fearlessness in the face of death, decided to release him. Asihai, however, was not convinced of his luck and boldly declared that he would steal Chengdu's military token before leaving. After several encounters, he failed to steal the token and instead ended up losing himself and his maps.

Colorless and tasteless, it is fundamentally indistinguishable. Only after entering the human body can it be identified through the pulse. Hence, it is called 'Night Infiltration'

The medicinal materials are refined and placed in bottles or containers, stored in the corners of the vessels, allowing the toxic gas to gradually disperse

Cha Cha gazed at the golden thread patterns pricked into his boots, lost in thought for a moment, just as he was about to write again, Zhe Yi suddenly entered and reported: "My lord, the people from King Gu Li have arrived. King Gu Li and his entourage are about to reach the main camp."

Without waiting for the ancient Li Wang's response, troops from all directions had already charged in. Yang Youlin led the way into the core, bending down to slash, wielding a sabre with remarkable flair. His cavalry followed closely behind, their waist sabres rising and falling incessantly. Cheng Duo, standing at a high vantage point, felt a surge of excitement and did not send reinforcements, instructing his subordinates: "Play the music"

At this moment, the eastern sky was already a dark red, about to dawn. Cheng Duo gazed into the dark night to the northwest, where it seemed there was a firelight rising. Cheng Duo rushed into the main camp and saw the head of King Gu Li being held under the arm of Yang Youlin, so he waved his hand and said: "Bring it here. You stay in the camp, I will sneak around to the right to deal with Zhao Sun. Before I return, make sure to clean this place up."

Cheng Duo stared at Cha Cha for a moment without expressing his opinion. Cha Cha felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze, sensing something strange in his eyes today, a mix of suspicion and something else. Cheng Duo did not speak again; he stood up, took off his casual clothes, and put on his armor before leaving. Cha Cha finally exhaled, turned to look at him, then glanced inside the large tent, and finally walked to the entrance to pull open all the tent flaps.

Cheng Duo immediately said: "Zhao Sun, take a few people to the restroom and look for any foreign objects. Be careful yourself." Zhao Sun complied and left.

Cheng Duo sneered: "Someone has managed to identify this medicine from my tent."

Zhao Sun, however, asked: "Who is it? Could it be that this medicine bottle is truly in your tent?"

Cheng Duoqu tapped the edge of the large table with his fingers and casually asked, "So why are you running?"

Hu Di has already escaped back to Zheye City. Gu Li Wang's thirty thousand troops are divided into three camps, stationed twenty miles to the northwest. He himself has brought two thousand men to camp two miles outside Yanzhou, and in the afternoon, he personally came to surrender. As far as I know, Gu Li and Hu Di have had some discord. Although he has held a high position under Hu Di over the years, he has not been given much responsibility. Now that Hu Di has suffered a great defeat, and a portion of Gu Li's troops have been left on the front lines, he knows he cannot withstand the pressure, so his surrender is understandable. I did not see any other troops, but the Grand General has two detachments that have flanked to the sides, and the troops in the main camp have also been divided and dispatched, surrounding them quite effectively.

The eastern brow was not furrowed, yet the expression had darkened considerably. Shaking his head, he said, "I am thinking that something is amiss."

... ... , ... ...

General Yang should be fine, as the potency of this poison is already quite weak. It is likely that he was accidentally poisoned due to recent fatigue

Ming Ji was pleased and said: "This metaphysical numerology, whether true or false, is effective as long as someone believes in it"

Cheng Duo's gaze suddenly deepened upon hearing this question

The drinking continued until nightfall, at which point King Gu Li took his leave to return to his camp, located two li away.

As he was speaking, Zhao Sun returned

When Cheng Duo saw her from a distance, he couldn't help but stop. She walked leisurely with her arms crossed, as if she were not a slave, but rather a refined young lady enjoying a spring outing. Although her expression was indifferent, it was difficult to detect a trace of sorrow, to the point that Cheng Duo found it hard to believe what Asihai had just told him. She clearly wanted to live, yet she also seemed unafraid of death. Cheng Duo had seen many people who fought desperately to die; sometimes, death was far easier than living.

Cha Cha did not expect him to speak to her, and for a moment she did not know how to respond; remaining silent also seemed inappropriate. She walked over to his desk, placing her hand on the pen. Cheng Duo then tossed the paper in front of her, and she slowly and neatly wrote down the two characters "如厕" (meaning "to use the restroom")

The Yan Prefecture camp was meticulously constructed by Chengduo two years ago, situated on a high ridge and divided into eastern and western camps by the water. Another stockade was built atop the ridge, corresponding with the upper and lower positions, creating a mutual defense with the eastern and western camps, allowing for both offensive and defensive strategies. Since the troops were stationed at the main camp, the Hu people have not been able to advance southward into Yan Prefecture's southern town. This Gu Li's audacity is rather excessive; let alone a mere two thousand men, even if thirty thousand troops were to come from twenty miles away, they would hardly be able to capture this encampment.

Even if Cha Cha leaves the tent, she will never go far. She understands very well where she should go and where she should not. Cheng Duo clearly saw her bypass the main tent, so she must have returned. Cheng Duo turned his head and pulled open the tent curtain; everything outside was as usual. After a moment, Cha Cha came around from the other side of the main tent, her steps a bit more hurried than usual. She was unaware that Cheng Duo was standing inside the tent and nearly bumped into him when she turned around. She suddenly looked up, startled, and quickly lowered her head again. Cheng Duo immediately noticed that her face was slightly flushed, unlike her usual pallor.

Asihai's expression turned bitter as he said, "That woman, she could run me to death"

He was momentarily distracted, and by the time he regained his focus, Cha Cha had already circled around the tent and was walking back. Cheng Duo no longer sought to evaluate Cha Cha's true nature, as that was not his intention. Cheng Duo was a decisive person who would not complicate matters unnecessarily. He returned to the main tent, where the curtain was drawn down and still swaying slightly. When he lifted it, he was somewhat surprised to find it completely empty.

Before Ming Ji finished speaking, Cheng Duo interrupted, asking: "Is this poison serious or not?"

After a moment of confrontation, Gu Li first placed his right hand on his left chest and bowed to Cheng Duo, mumbling a string of words. Cheng Duo understood only a few fragments, which were likely greetings and an indication that he had come to surrender. Cheng Duo said to Asihai: "Be polite to him for a moment, just say that I appreciate his sincerity, and let him take a seat."

Inside the medical chamber, Dongfang examined his pulse for a long time, then used a silver needle to puncture several major acupoints on Yang Youlin. Yang Youlin gradually regained consciousness, looking around in confusion and shaking his head twice.

Hehe. "Ming Ji suddenly smiled and said, 'This poison can be inhaled casually without any issue; I believe it won't take effect for a while yet.'"

A rocket was launched from the mountainside, and immediately, military flags unfurled in all directions, torches were lit, and the ancient Li had been surrounded within.

Dong lightly tapped Mingji's head and said to Yang Youlin, "Don't believe her; how could she draw any talismans? There are no talismans that can make one invulnerable to blades and bullets."

Yang Youlin stared at her for a while, then suddenly said: "I... I didn't bring any silver."

*

What kind of poison is it

Cheng Duo had just taken his seat in the central army when, from the shadows of the flag outside the gate, a swift horse came galloping in. The guarding soldiers were about to step forward when the newcomer raised his hand and brandished a token. The soldiers recognized that this Hu man was Asihai, one of Cheng Duo's subordinates. They stepped aside to make way, and the horse continued to gallop until it stopped fifty paces in front of the central army.

The battle raged like a whirlwind sweeping away the clouds. Of the thirty thousand troops stationed twenty miles away from the ancient Li King, only over ten thousand managed to escape, while the rest were besieged by Cheng Duo, Zhao Sun, and others from multiple sides. Upon further inspection, the heads of the king's men had already fallen into the hands of the enemy, leading to a chaotic stampede among them. Some attempted to surrender, but Cheng Duo refused to accept them, instead ordering his troops to kill them all and burn the bodies before returning. Twenty miles northwest of Yanzhou, the ground was littered with corpses, and thick smoke billowed into the sky.

Asihai adjusted the waist knife on his body and strode into the central military tent. Due to the wind and sun, his face was dark, and when he smiled, his white teeth shone brightly. He exclaimed, "General, is there any water? I'm dying of thirst." Zheyi poured him a bowl of plain water, and Asihai took it and gulped it down.

Cheng Duo answered simply: "Those who are not of my kind cannot be trusted; what use is it to accept their surrender? If we release them back to their homeland, they will come to attack us again in the future. How can we not kill them? The weather is warming, and with so many corpses rotting on the spot, will my Yan and Yun provinces not be plagued by epidemics? What else should we do?" This statement left the Easterners speechless.

Chacha sat in the large tent, suddenly feeling a wave of anxiety. She stood up and looked outside the tent, sensing goosebumps rising on her arms. Deciding to step outside, she was greeted by the warmth of the sunlight on her body. In the distance, she saw Yang Youlin patrolling the camp, followed by an officer, and the two were occasionally engaged in conversation. Chacha stood still, intently watching the two of them. After a while, she began to walk towards the side of the tent. In early spring this year, as soon as the season changed, the sun often shone warmly upon her. She had already changed out of her thin clothing and was now wearing a light cotton robe made of white fabric, cinched at the waist with a red belt. Her hair was simply braided into two plaits, the ends reaching down to her waist, swaying gently with her steps.

While Zhao Sun was eating, he raised his head in confusion but had no intention of speaking up

Dongfang Jia Cai casually asked, "Did you see Cha Cha when the camp was attacked last night?"

This poison is not recorded in any texts; it has been passed down orally. My master... I once heard someone say... The person who told me named it "Night Infiltration." It is a type of poison from foreign lands, colorless and odorless, and one would be poisoned without realizing it. If inhaled for only a short time, a person would not notice; however, if inhaled for an extended period, exceeding one hour, death is certain. Moreover, it is very difficult for others to determine the cause of death. This poison can be gradually neutralized if it encounters human waste, which is why I cannot understand why poisoning would occur in a latrine.

Dongfang shook his head and said, "Why not?" He sat down to write the prescription, and while writing, he asked, "Did General Yang faint in the restroom?"

Chengduo could not help but ask, "Is it not a problem?"

Returning to the main camp, it was already past noon. Cheng Duo invited Zhao Sun and Dong Fang to dine together in the central tent. The soldiers left behind brought in the meals that had been prepared earlier. Zhao Sun took the lead in picking up the bowls and chopsticks, serving rice for the three of them. Cheng Duo picked up his chopsticks and, noticing that Dong Fang was silent, asked: "Are you still thinking about having killed so many people today?"

As soon as these words were spoken by the East, everyone’s expression turned solemn.

Asihai is indeed a Hu person, and when at a loss for words, he often uses the same expression in various contexts, such as the term "good-looking," which he frequently employs.

Cheng Duo waved his hand, signaling Zhe Yi to go down, and then asked: "How is it?"

Dongfang asked: "You haven't eaten something spoiled, have you..."

Yang Youlin came to his senses: "I was originally in the restroom, but gradually felt my head becoming dizzy and swollen, so I hurried out, and as soon as I stepped outside, I fainted"

Thus, everyone looked at Yang Youlin with an expression that seemed to say "You are constipated." Yang Youlin's originally gloomy face resembled that of a boiled crab shell, barely able to lift his head.

She thought for a moment and then wrote: "Urgent need."

Amidst the rolling shadows of the military banner, a swift horse galloped into the camp gate of Yanzhou. The guarding soldiers were about to step forward when the newcomer raised a hand and brandished a token. The soldiers recognized that this Hu man was Asihai, a subordinate of Chengduo, and they stepped aside. The swift horse continued its gallop until it came to a halt fifty paces in front of the central army.

On this dark and windy night, two thousand Hu people in the camp, with grass in their mouths and their horses' hooves wrapped, stealthily approached the outpost of the Yan Prefecture camp. Four Hu soldiers quietly crept up, drawing their curved sabers to make a swift cut at the neck. Huh? The sensation felt wrong. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be two scarecrows dressed in military uniforms. The ambushing Hu soldiers shouted something in their language, and Gu Li hurriedly turned his horse, but it was already too late

Ashi Hai recounted the situation in Hu language, and both Chengduo and Guli displayed an utmost sincerity. After Guli took a seat, the two began discussing matters of surrender, including how to arrange their forces and how to issue proclamations, among other things. Chengduo appeared quite cheerful, and in the end, he even insisted on hosting a banquet to honor Guli

Ah? The three of them dropped their jaws, simultaneously putting down their bowls to follow the soldier to see. They found Yang Youlin collapsed on the ground outside the toilet, surrounded by several of his personal guards. Dongfang Yue stepped forward and checked his pulse. After a moment, he frowned and said, "First, let's carry him to the medical tent."

At that moment, a gust of wind blew in from the north, causing the flag to flutter southward, and the sound of the hoofbeats of the Hu cavalry could be heard approaching from afar. In the east, facing the wind, a divination was performed, revealing the image of "Earth Fire Brightening" with all six lines in motion. The figure in the east furrowed his brow, calculated the time with a curved finger, and suddenly said: "This is not good. There is both misfortune and fortune in this matter; their arrival is deceitful; the fire is underground, indicating a hidden surge of magma, and there may be internal support within the army."

Oh? He ... ...

Cheng Duo watched him speak with great seriousness, but then smiled: "It doesn't matter, what is meant to come will come. I don't care whether the fire is underground or above ground; this time, there will be no return. Yang Youlin, take people to receive them." After Cheng Duo finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the central military tent, the wind lifting the corners of his clothing beneath his armor.

Where is it wrong

Just strolled around for half a day and not in a hurry

Eastern Path: "It should be that. This poison is not something an ordinary person can possess, nor should it appear in this large camp; even placing it in the latrine would be ineffective. The person who poisoned it is indeed perplexing."

In recent days, Yang Youlin has indeed become impervious to criticism, remaining unfazed no matter how much he is scrutinized. However, this time he has made a significant blunder; upon being questioned by Ming Ji, his expression immediately darkened.

At that moment, a soldier rushed over in a hurry and reported, "Not good, General Yang has collapsed in the latrine"

Thus, the band that had played during the day began to play again in the dark of night, performing the stirring "Breaking the Formation". The horns sounded deep, and the bells rang far and wide, resonating perfectly with the occasion. Yang Youlin was undaunted, and as he accompanied the music, he charged through the Hu people, as if entering a no-man's land. Wherever he passed, blood surged forth, and men and horses fell to the ground. After a long piece concluded, only half of the Hu soldiers remained in the camp.

Cheng Duo furrowed his brows and said, "I have indeed heard of this. What kind of madness is it?"

Dongfang set down the bowl and lightly placed the chopsticks on the rim of the bowl, leaning towards Chengduo and said: "It is unjust for the ancient Li Wang to kill tens of thousands of your elite troops merely based on such a lowly act of feigned surrender."

Asihai, with a pained expression, said: "For the past two months, I have run all the way from Ge Ye City to Gaochang. An old servant woman from the Xiu Tu King's court said that she was captured two years ago when the Xiu Tu King led the Hu Di vanguard on the western expedition to plunder Suo Luo Er Han. The Xiu Tu King's great sorcerer claimed she was an ominous being; whoever possessed her would be cursed. I ran westward to the area where Suo Luo Er Han used to be, and after mingling for a month, I finally found a former palace guard. As soon as I mentioned her, he recognized her." Asihai suddenly stopped speaking.

"Brother Ran," Cheng Duo suddenly spoke, "If you possess this poison and you stand against my army, how would you use it?"

The East does not speak

Then I can say this. This woman was once very... very... Asahi thought for a long time and felt that it certainly could not be described as "good-looking"; after a long while, he managed to come up with "not good". "Very not good... No one knows her exact background, but she is indeed a mute, having been in the palace of Solor since she was about eleven or twelve years old. Solor hates her very much and has tried every means to torment her, yet no one has ever heard her utter a sound. If she were pretending to be mute, she wouldn't be able to do it so convincingly at such a young age." After finishing, Asahi even said with some indignation: "Solor is a well-known madman!" Solor hates her very much and has tried every means to torment her, yet no one has ever heard her utter a sound. If she were pretending to be mute, she wouldn't be able to do it so convincingly at such a young age." After finishing, Asahi even said with some indignation: "Solor is a well-known madman!"

"One will know upon review." Cheng Duo spoke this phrase in a manner that seemed both questioning and answering.

Dongfang said: "This is just right to deal with you. If it were me, I would place it in your main tent, and you would unknowingly inhale the poison. By the time you launch a night attack, you would be poisoned and die. The three armies would first lose their commander, causing chaos in the ranks, and the thirty thousand men from Gu Li, twenty miles away, would rush over to attack, leading to a great defeat for our army."

Ming Ji generously said, "You can pay me back the silver later; I will lend it to you for now"

Ming Ji became even happier: "Brother Yang, you are a person who rolls on the edge of a knife, and falling in this toilet is not a good omen. You must have offended the Tai Sui this year, and you have encountered the Five Yellow and Two Black calamities. I will draw a talisman for you to attract good fortune and ward off evil, take it with you into battle, and it will ensure that you are impervious to blades and bullets." Saying this, she took out a piece of yellow paper with written characters, mixed with vermilion, and hastily drew a talisman, folded it into a square shape, and handed it to Yang Youlin, saying: "Ten taels of silver. It won't work if given for free."

Before she could finish her words, Ming Ji rushed in energetically. Upon entering, she saw everyone present and immediately approached Yang Youlin, asking in a low voice: "General Yang, I heard that you fell into... fell into..." Amid her concern, there seemed to be a hint of joy and excitement.

General, I found it. There is a white round porcelain bottle in the cesspool, and I had them..." He glanced at Ming Ji and said ambiguously, "I had them neutralize the poison.

Chengduo turned and walked to the main tent to sit down. Chacha silently walked from the side to the cushion in the corner, also sitting sideways to him, still with her head lowered. Chengduo casually asked, "Where did you just go?"

Chengduo smiled and asked, "What about that matter?"

Yang Youlin shook his head and said decisively: "No. If it were not for poisoning, I would not have fallen. There is something strange in that toilet."

What Zhao Sun referred to as detoxification was simply finding a large basin for the soldiers to urinate into, and then soaking the bottle in that. However, he felt that discussing such matters in front of girls was inappropriate

In this situation, even if seen from the East, one would feel a sense of shock, questioning why Zhe Chengduo has resorted to such indiscriminate killing

Yang Youlin reached out and took it, folding it into his sleeve