The Bodyguard King's CEO Wife-Chapter 1397: Fighting Fire with Fire

"What, Old Ye, are you crazy? You know it’s a trap, yet you’re leading people into a pit of fire. If the soldiers leave the fortress without any protection, they are no match for the Wolf Clan on the plains." Shangguan Jian was deeply puzzled. Perhaps he was too anxious. Since Ma Peng dared to collude with the enemy, he must be cautious, fearing any leaks. If Ye Shikai let him go back, he might flee immediately. Instead of casting a long line to catch a big fish, capturing the immediate ’benefit’ might be better.

"One Ma Peng is insignificant, but if not handled well, it could turn those two thousand soldiers rogue. What I need to do is expose his lies in front of all the soldiers, letting them see Ma Peng’s true nature." Ye Shikai’s tone changed, "However, I do have a good plan here, to kill two birds with one stone."

"This Ma Peng hopes we will lead the army out of the fortress. It’s probably not just to eliminate us. The fortress is under-manned. Since he has allied with the Wolf Clan, he must be conspiring with them to seize the fortress, and thereby, he would have achieved great merit with the Wolf Clan." Han Hao said with a stern face on the side. Betrayal is a significant issue, and Ye Shikai is right. If not properly handled, when the matter reaches Meng Tian, the punishment is inevitable, especially during such tense war times.

"So, I have a tactic that can not only eliminate Ma Peng, this scourge, but also make these two thousand soldiers wholeheartedly loyal. Moreover, it might cause some trouble for the Wolf Clan."

Outside the barracks.

"Xue San, I have a task for you. The situation is urgent, and you can only succeed, not fail." Ye Shikai said solemnly and coldly.

"Chiliarch, just give the command. You have entrusted me, Xue San, so I will give my life to you. If I fail the mission, I will have someone bring my head back." Xue San thumped his chest and agreed readily.

"Take your brothers to Ji County..."

..................

"Stop, this is Centurion Ma’s tent. Who are you?" Ye Shikai had just walked to Ma Peng’s tent when a few guards stopped him.

"Haha, it’s Brother Ye, a thousand apologies for not welcoming you sooner." At this moment, Ma Peng hurried out of the tent, enthusiastically holding Ye Shikai’s hand and turning to reprimand the guards.

"Don’t you have any discernment? Brother Ye is a dear friend of mine. Quickly, make some tea and bring it in."

"Yes... yes."

"Brother Ye, the Stone Peak Fortress is a bitterly cold place with nothing good. These tea leaves are something I acquired from a merchant. Please pardon me." Ma Peng was very cordial. The tea was indeed a good one, but his heart was hard to decipher...

"No worries, thank you, Brother Ma, for the hospitality." Ye Shikai drank the tea in one gulp.

"Brother Ye, what did Lord Han say about the plan I proposed earlier?" As expected, just after three cups of tea, Ma Peng, unable to contain himself, hinted at Ye Shikai, inquiring about Han Hao’s final decision.

"I came here precisely to bring Brother Ma this good news. Lord Han is very supportive of your plan, it’s just that..."

"Brother Ye, feel free to speak your mind."

"Lord Han plans to personally lead four thousand soldiers to raid the Wolf Clan’s supply camp. You and I will stay behind with our brothers to guard the fortress. What’s more, these four thousand soldiers are from the garrison of Heyang County, so if this operation succeeds, the credit might not fall to you, Brother Ma." Ye Shikai feigned difficulty, slapped his thigh sharply, and sighed deeply, "Alas, it’s my fault for not persuading him. Clearly, it’s your plan, Brother Ma, yet the credit goes to others, which makes me feel deeply remorseful and upset."

"Brother Ye, you’re being too serious. It doesn’t matter to whom the credit belongs. As long as we can drive back the Wolf Clan, I have no other desires." Ma Peng waved his hand repeatedly. Although he said this outwardly, he must be secretly delighted. When out of the fortress, he feared dying in the chaos, so he preferred guarding the fortress. It would even be convenient for him to hand the fortress over to the Wolf Clan, which played right into Ye Shikai’s strategy.

"Don’t you feel aggrieved, Brother Ma?" To make Ma Peng believe even more, Ye Shikai deliberately tested him, so it appeared genuine.

"Of course not, as long as the plan succeeds, I, Ma Peng, desire nothing."

"That’s good. Lord Han was worried you might be unhappy, so he sent me to offer some counsel. Now, it seems Brother Ma is indeed a loyal and good general of Great Qin. If the plan succeeds, Lord Han will surely report to General Meng for your promotion."

"Then thank you. In advance, I wish the army great success," Ma Peng lifted his cup and drank the wine. In reality, he was probably already elated inside. With Han Hao leading four thousand men, all from Heyang County’s garrison, it meant only Ye Shikai’s thousand men and Ma Peng’s two thousand would be left to defend the fortress. In terms of numbers, Ma Peng had a decisive advantage. Once he defected, Ye Shikai would find it hard to resist.

Two hours later.

"Chiliarch, that Ma Peng must be overjoyed now. That fool, he still thinks we don’t know." Man Cang laughed triumphantly.

"Don’t get too pleased too soon. How’s the training of the soldiers I tasked you with?" Ye Shikai asked in response.

"Rest assured, my lord, how could I neglect a task you entrusted to me? This thousand men were handpicked from five thousand soldiers, nearly all veterans, even ranging from squad leaders and centurions, equipped with the best gear, and trained using the Wei Wu Zuo methods. They are truly elite."

"Man Cang, whether our plan succeeds this time will be half reliant on these thousand men."

"I understand, if the plan fails, these brothers and I, even if we all die in battle, will guard the fortress."

Two days passed swiftly, with Ma Peng suspecting nothing. In the Qin Army, military achievements and promotions are directly linked. Achieving great feats could see someone rising three ranks, but consistently mediocre performance could leave one stagnant even after years of service. Hence, striving for merit wasn’t unusual in the Qin Army. Conversely, officers like Ma Peng who appeared ’Buddhist’ were rare.

During these days, Ye Shikai frequently visited Ma Peng’s camp, drinking and eating with him, forming a brotherly bond, which lulled his guard. Yet, Ye Shikai could also see that as the days passed, Ma Peng grew more nervous. Betrayal is a grave matter, one he plotted for so long that he surely wouldn’t relax at the final moment. So Ye Shikai acted normally, not alarming him.

Deep into the night.

Before the action, Han Hao had already gathered the four thousand soldiers on the parade ground, and instructed all the officers to remain in the area, waiting for the moment to set out, especially Ma Peng, who stood at Han Hao’s side.