Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 195: Witch Doctor? How Could You Think of That?
South of the Southwest, in Yu State.
Two days ago, a heavy rain fell from a cloudless sky.
For those on the battlefield, this was not an auspicious sign. Rain from a clear sky was seen as the blood of warriors—a terrible omen. Even a fierce and warlike man like Prince Yongdong had to bow to the will of the heavens and temporarily halt all military action.
The Da Cheng Army was camped at the edge of a dense forest. After days of forced marches and continuous battle, the soldiers were already exhausted.
So, in a way, this cloudless rain had come at the right time.
A Shadow Guard lifted the curtain flap and entered the command tent. He removed his bamboo hat and rain cloak, then walked inside.
A brazier burned within the tent, driving out the dampness. At the center stood a man in a simple black robe, his hair bound by a jade coronet, studying a military sand table.
The Shadow Guard stepped forward and presented a secret letter with both hands. "My lord."
Zhou Cangyan took the letter, returned to his desk, and sat down before opening it.
"A Witch Doctor?"
He set the letter down, idly turning the Bone Ring on his left index finger. He let out a derisive snort. "To think she’s thriving even in Sui Bei."
He lifted his amber eyes, his gaze abruptly changing, now emitting a cold, mysterious light.
"Daring to set a snake on her... they must have a death wish."
The Shadow Guard reported, "My lord, the Princess Consort has already punished Xidian."
Zhou Cangyan sneered. "So, is she dead?"
Cold sweat broke out on the Shadow Guard’s forehead. "Er... no."
"Crippled?"
"N-no, not that either."
The man’s tone turned icy. "Then you tell me, what kind of punishment is that?"
The Shadow Guard’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately dropped to one knee. "My lord, you were the one who saved Xidian. She has been by your side ever since. Although what she did was utterly wrong, I beg you to spare her this once, for the sake of all the times she has faced life and death with us."
Zhou Cangyan gave him a faint glance, then slowly retracted his gaze.
After a long moment, he spoke. "Strip her of her rank as Thousand Commander."
The Shadow Guard hurriedly said, "This subordinate thanks you on Xidian’s behalf, my lord."
’He knew his lord all too well. For Cheng Xidian to keep her life was a blessing of immense proportions!’
’Though the Shadow Guard also had his own reservations about Cheng Xidian’s actions this time, she was still a sister-in-arms who had been through life and death with them. He couldn’t just stand by and watch her be put to death.’
’Most importantly, he feared that his lord’s actions would demoralize their comrades, which was why he had tried so hard to save her.’
’How could Zhou Cangyan not understand the Shadow Guard’s intentions?’
’To him, if the loyalty of his subordinates had to be bought by sacrificing his own woman, then he’d rather not have such loyalty at all.’
’But the Shadow Guard was right about one thing. He was the one who had saved Cheng Xidian. According to the rules of the battlefield, he was to be held jointly responsible for any of her transgressions.’
’Therefore, he would repay the debt he owed Song Lianhe in full.’
Just then, an attendant outside announced General Song’s arrival.
As the words fell, the tent flap was thrown open, and Song Xingfeng strode in, clad in golden armor.
"Prince Qing! This general has a question and has come for your counsel!" He held his head high, questioning loudly, "That old fiend Prince Yongdong is constrained by the heavens. This is the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack! Why have you yet to move your troops? Is there some deeper meaning, or could it be... that you fear battle?"
At these words, the Shadow Guard’s expression shifted. "General Song, that is slander!"
Song Xingfeng suddenly raised his voice. "Then what is the reason?!" His gaze bored into Zhou Cangyan. "Prince Qing, you are the commander-in-chief. If you cannot provide a reasonable explanation, this general will immediately report this to the Court and ask the Holy Emperor to decide!"
Song Xingfeng’s fury was so plain he couldn’t have hidden it even if he’d left the tent. Paying no mind to how a conflict between commanders might shake the army’s morale, he bellowed, "Hah, the Heavenly Kill Slash? This general has now truly witnessed it! What a magnificent Heavenly Kill Slash indeed!!"
The Shadow Guard gritted his teeth in anger.
’The man is a petty villain!’
’All he knows is how to tattle behind people’s backs!’
Zhou Cangyan remained seated behind his desk, not even lifting an eyelid. With his eyes half-closed, he said slowly, "So General Song does remember that I am the commander-in-chief. If that’s the case, what gives you the right to shout and scream in here?" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
The Shadow Guard immediately stepped forward. "General Song, please leave."
"Prince Qing! If you cause us to miss our window of opportunity, can you bear that responsibility?!"
"Hah. If I miss it, I miss it. What makes you think you’re in any position to criticize me here?"
"Fine! Very, very good!" Song Xingfeng gritted his teeth and sneered. "Then don’t blame this general for disregarding the bonds of kinship."
He turned angrily, threw open the curtain flap, and stormed out.
"My lord." The Shadow Guard frowned, unable to hide his worry. "This Song Xingfeng is one of Prince Ling’s men. If he really does report to the Court, he certainly won’t have anything good to say about you! Also, while Prince Yongdong appears to be obeying the heavens and holding his position for the past few days, he definitely isn’t being so honest behind the scenes..."
But Zhou Cangyan suddenly said, "This third brother of mine may seem absurd on the surface, but he’s no fool. Hah, it’d be a miracle if he actually believed in divine punishment!"
"Yu State has treacherous terrain and strong soldiers. Prince Yongdong is valiant and skilled at training his troops. He retreated to Yu State precisely because he values its natural mountainous defenses. If we launch a frontal assault, we will not gain the upper hand. Our paltry thirty thousand troops are no match for him. We must take our time." He rose and walked to the sand table, pointing at the two cities of Daisui and Fengbai. "First, we cut off his wings. Then we attack his heartland!"
The Shadow Guard understood. "My lord, you’re keeping the main army here to deceive Prince Yongdong!"
"Although both are on the flanks of Yu State’s main city, the City Lord of Fengbai City has taken many advantages for himself, relying on the fact that he’s Prince Yongdong’s brother-in-law. The City Lord of Daisui has long been dissatisfied. If we can turn him to our side, we won’t have to waste a single soldier." Zhou Cangyan lowered his gaze and asked unhurriedly, "What’s the situation with Shen Fu?"
"Reporting to my lord, the Escort Master and Xuan Mei are leading Chi Xiao and awaiting orders in Sishui City."
"And Xuan Qi?"
"As you instructed, my lord, Xuan Qi has already reached Daisui City."
A faint smile slowly spread across Zhou Cangyan’s lips. "He and the City Lord of Daisui are childhood friends. For this matter of persuasion, it must be him."
He immediately gave an order. "Tell Shen Fu and Xuan Mei to first lead an elite team to infiltrate Fengshui City. The rest of the troops are to remain stationed outside the city."
"Yes, my lord!"
The Shadow Guard asked again, "How should we handle Song Xingfeng?"
Zhou Cangyan gave a cold smile and a faint, knowing glance.
The Shadow Guard understood perfectly. "This subordinate will see to it at once."
After the Shadow Guard withdrew, Zhou Cangyan walked back to his desk and sat down. He casually took out a Jade Pendant from his waist, leaned back in his chair, and held it up to examine it again and again. The two characters for "Wenxin" carved on the pendant seemed to come alive.
He couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. "A Witch Doctor... only you could come up with something like that."
Meanwhile, Song Xingfeng returned to the Vice Marshal’s camp. His deputy, Zuo Yong, came forward. "General, what is Zhou Cangyan up to? Could it be that he’s afraid to fight?"
Song Xingfeng snorted. "What he’s doing doesn’t matter. What matters is that he has shrunk back from battle and let a strategic opportunity slip by. That is now a fact! This general will certainly report it to the Court exactly as it happened!"
He immediately commanded, "Summon a courier!"
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, a courier with a yellow flag at his waist galloped out of the military camp on a fast horse.
The Shadow Guard watched the distant rider, then gave a slight lift of his hand. Two figures behind him immediately spurred their horses in pursuit...
