Free Web NovelChapter 2330: Chapter 2305: The Clever and the Not-So-Clever
Erge couldn’t help but look at Bai Shan beside General Li.
Seeing this, General Li introduced, "This is Young Master Bai, who collaborates with us in resisting the enemy. There’s no need to hide anything from him."
Bai Shan also stopped, raising his smile again, looking at Erge with a face full of cheer.
Erge averted his gaze. These people naturally had advantages over them, even without positions in the army, they could directly participate in military affairs due to their status.
He pressed his lips together, glanced around, and then chose to report in front of Bai Shan, "General Li, Jin Kui’an plans to defect with some people. General Guo has been very gracious to us, defecting now would be unrighteous, so I cannot pretend not to know."
General Li, Junior General Meng, and Bai Shan were all astonished.
The three didn’t separate, instead, they took Erge back to the military tent to discuss, while General Li sent someone to watch Jin Kui’an.
He looked displeased and said to Bai Shan, "No one must be allowed to desert. If this starts, morale will be shaky, and the military’s spirit will further destabilize."
He said fiercely, "Those who violate will be killed without mercy."
Bai Shan asked, "Without causing a big scene, can you kill Jin Kui’an?"
General Li: ...
The reason General Guo took Jin Kui’an out of jail to place him in the army is because of his bravery, strength, and skills in riding and shooting, right?
The army often had contests, and the men of the Anxi army were quite good, but since Jin Kui’an arrived, few could match him.
And that’s if it’s under control, if it’s a life-or-death fight, it would be even harder one-on-one.
Moreover, sacrificing too many to kill a deserter would be a significant blow to morale as well.
Bai Shan said, "If he can be taken down quietly, then do so. If not, try to persuade him."
General Li asked, "Quietly?"
Bai Shan said, "We have drugs, and the effect of the knockout drug is quite good. There’s one to drink and one to smell. Which one do you want? No, which one would be convenient for you?"
General Li immediately said, "The drinkable one, I’ll mix it in his wine to make him drink it."
When the time comes and he’s caught, drag him in front of the army and chop him down with one stroke, execute as a warning, kill as a warning, kill...
In any case, just kill.
Bai Shan was about to send someone back to get the drug from Manbao, when the person General Li sent to watch Jin Kui’an ran back and said, "General, just now Jin Kui’an was looking for Erge, and when he couldn’t find him, he led people out of the camp. I think he’s found out and is trying to run."
General Li’s forehead veins throbbed, and he immediately said, "Let a flag-captain of a battalion lead people to pursue, take plenty of arrows, shoot to kill on sight."
Bai Shan thought they might not be able to kill him, hurriedly saying, "Let’s go chase, first try to persuade, if we can’t persuade then act."
He reassured General Li, "You can’t move, I’ll go with Junior General Meng."
Someone must stay to maintain order in the army.
Bai Shan and Junior General Meng went to pursue.
Junior General Meng still had some shadows from Jin Kui’an. While mounting a horse and talking to him, he said, "If only Master Jiechen were here."
He’s the only person he knew who could defeat Jin Kui’an.
Bai Shan raised his eyebrows and went with Junior General Meng to pursue Jin Kui’an.
The main roads all had checkpoints with quite a few soldiers, equipped with both arrows and scouts, so they soon saw Jin Kui’an being stopped and questioned at the first checkpoint in the distance.
Upon hearing the horse hooves, Jin Kui’an raised his great saber, and Bai Shan, fearing he might chop down the soldiers guarding the checkpoint, hurriedly shouted, "General Jin, General Guo has something to say to you."
Jin Kui’an hesitated for a moment.
Erge couldn’t help but glance back at Bai Shan, secretly thinking: Jin Kui’an’s failure is due to his lack of brains. Indeed, heaven is fair, giving him a brave build but taking away some things from him.
Just this one moment, Bai Shan, ignoring the dust blowing into his mouth, sped up the horse to rush up, took a few sheets of paper from his bosom, and waved them as he said, "General Jin, General Guo’s letter——"
Upon approaching, he spat out the dust in his mouth in a few puffs, then looked at Jin Kui’an with embarrassment, "Please forgive me, General Jin, you were too fast. I’m not good at riding and shooting, so I couldn’t catch up."
Jin Kui’an squinted his eyes. Although he wasn’t as smart as Bai Shan, he knew that his earlier arrogant attitude was now being replaced with respect, considering they were enemies glaring at each other when they met before.
The day before yesterday when they arrived at the army, they had seen each other from afar, and at that time Bai Shan only glanced expressionlessly before looking away. Since when did he start referring to himself as "this kid"?
But Bai Shan didn’t hand the letter to Jin Kui’an. Instead, he sat on the horse, looking at Jin Kui’an with a slight smile, "General Guo values General Jin greatly, not wanting General Jin’s martial skills to be buried, hence he took the general out of prison for reuse..."
Jin Kui’an’s face darkened, holding the great saber and asking, "You kid are you here to mock me?"
The soldiers guarding the checkpoint were not foolish either. Hearing the undertone, they immediately stepped back, their swords and blades aimed at Jin Kui’an.
Bai Shan smiled slightly, "Of course not, General Jin misunderstood. I’m just very curious, will General Jin certainly be reused if you head to Kucha now?"
He continued, "Currently, Kucha is dominated by the Western Turks, right? And in the eyes of the Western Turks, you are merely a slave of Xue Yantuo. Xue Yantuo itself is subjugated by the Turks, and you have defected from Great Jin before. Not to mention getting reused, I’m afraid you won’t even have a foothold, right?"
Jin Kui’an tightened his grip on his great saber, Bai Shan’s words were like slaps to his face, as if pointing to his face and saying, "You’re merely the slave of a slave of the Turks."
But when Xue Yantuo was strong, they even destroyed the Turks. Much of the credit for Great Jin being able to annihilate the Turks should go to Xue Yantuo, yet after the Turk Khan died, they turned around and treated them like Turks, eradicating them...
Regardless of his inner thoughts, Bai Shan continued on his own, "General Guo is a talent lover, knowing General Jin’s intention to leave, thus he wants to send you a gift."
He waved the letter in his hand, "This is a handwritten letter from General Guo. Even if Kucha doesn’t favor you with this in hand, they should give you a position, and in the future, as long as you fight valiantly, you can have a promising career."
Jin Kui’an had a face full of skepticism, "Would he be so kind?"
He was a deserter, and Guo Xiao not only wouldn’t kill him but would help him?
Bai Shan sighed, "It’s all because General Guo loves talent."
After saying this, he glanced at Junior General Meng, who kept a calm face, neither looking at Bai Shan nor showing any reaction.
Bai Shan paused, thinking to himself he should have brought Bai Er along when he left, otherwise Liu Huan could have been of use too?
If they were here, they would certainly have rushed forward at this point...
The thought flashed by, and a hand from behind reached out and tore the letter from his hand to shreds.
Erge angrily said, "How can General Guo’s letter be given to someone so heartless and ungrateful?"
Bai Shan saw him angered, his face flushed red, being puzzled for a moment, but couldn’t help admiring him inside as this was truly a clever person. No wonder their general entrusted him with the money instead of someone with higher combat prowess like Jin Kui’an.
