Chapter Nine: The Raid on Provisions, a Trap Within a Trap

The night was deep and still, the world hushed in silence. Wang Jiuyang reined in his horse, standing upon the vast grasslands. As a rising favorite of the Jiuli tribe and a former Han general turned defector, Wang Jiuyang was currently at the zenith of his influence. Leveraging his connection with his old crony Zhao Qingshan, he had begun running "business" at Tiger Sun Pass. Every few days, Zhao Qingshan would send a carrier pigeon with details of routes and personnel, and Wang would lead his men to intercept them. A simple buy and sell.

Next month was the scheduled payday for the imperial army. Such a massive deal required careful planning from both sides. Wang Jiuyang stood beneath an old locust tree with his hands behind his back, his boots grinding against the fallen leaves, creating a crisp, subtle sound.

When Zhao Qingshan emerged from the shadows of the trees, his face still bore the lingering resentment of the humiliation he had suffered at the drill grounds.

"You’re punctual," Wang Jiuyang remarked, turning around with a cryptic, inscrutable smile. "I heard you stumbled at the hands of some brat today?"

Zhao Qingshan gritted his teeth and spat. "Just a greenhorn who got lucky!" He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Everything is arranged regarding the military pay. In a few days, when the supply squad passes through Black Wind Valley with the silver, you’ll have your men 'borrow' it. Then, plant evidence to implicate them. I guarantee they won’t be able to clear their names."

Wang Jiuyang chuckled, stroking his stubble; his voice sounded like a broken gong. "Brother Zhao is as thorough as ever. Once we 'act in the name of righteousness to punish our own,' we might even be able to squeeze out some extra profit."

The two exchanged a glance, their laughter laced with shards of ice, startling the birds in the vicinity into flight. Neither of the conspirators realized that, hidden in a pile of grass not far away, Chen An had heard every word clearly.

"A plan, is it... Hmph! I’d like to see what new tricks you have up your sleeves."

Deep in the night, a breeze stirred. A military supply squad was traveling along a mountain path. Dozens of heavy carts rolled by, carving deep ruts into the earth. Thirty thousand taels of silver—the pay for thousands of soldiers—had been dispatched from the Ministry of War, taking months to reach Tiger Sun Pass. The escorting soldiers were cautious, their torches forming a long, winding dragon from front to back.

Hundreds of black shadows drifted by, silently lying in ambush on both sides of the mountain ravine. Heads with braided queues emerged from the darkness; these were the grassland cavalry who had broken out from Sub-Rat Pass. They drew their bows, gripped their scimitars, and dismounted to fight on foot. The leader, a man with a fierce expression, was their centurion, Gelimu.

"Centurion, everything is ready."

Gelimu replied with disdain, "That bastard Wang Jiuyang only knows how to issue orders. A traitor who is all show and no substance—why should I listen to him?"

"Centurion, these are orders. We cannot disobey."

Gelimu said coldly, "Move."

As soon as he spoke, arrows rained down from the sky. Before the soldiers escorting the payroll could react, the grassland cavalry, who had been waiting for a long time, swarmed down.

"Oh no! It’s an ambush! Retreat!" the commander in charge of the escort immediately signaled.

Gelimu, having seized the payroll, spat again. "These Central Plains people are truly trash. All bark and no bite—they didn't even put up a fight!"

By daybreak, Zhao Qingshan finally arrived, trailing behind the escort commander.

"Captain Zhao, the payroll has been robbed. This is a grave matter!" The commander, knowing he could not escape the consequences, immediately sought to implicate Zhao Qingshan.

"Commander, don't be anxious. I have already ordered men to pursue them."

"Those grassland cavalry move like the wind. Is it even possible to catch them now?" the commander asked, his face full of distress.

"We have to try. But rest assured, we have deployed our most elite scout battalion from Tiger Sun Pass!" Zhao Qingshan replied.

However, Zhao’s words did not ease the commander’s mind. "Captain Zhao, we cannot pin all our hopes on the scout battalion alone."

"Alas, Commander, there is no need to panic. If superiors demand accountability, we can simply pin the failure of the transport on the scout battalion." Zhao Qingshan explained, "The scout battalion’s captain, Qiao Dafang, has long used his position to collude with the grasslands. If he fails to recover the loot, he will naturally be held responsible."

With that said, the commander stopped caring about the truth; he only needed a way to report the incident. As for who was right or wrong, he was too lazy to analyze it.

Everything was going according to Zhao Qingshan’s plan. He had leaked the route and location to Wang Jiuyang, and Gelimu’s raid was his own doing. He had also arranged for the military deputy captain to handle the scout battalion, ensuring the nephew of the Ministry of War’s lead clerk would be in charge of the pursuit—just long enough to delay them and let Gelimu escape. With no evidence left behind and everyone’s story aligned, they would blame Qiao Dafang’s mismanagement. Qiao Dafang would have no way to clear his name, no matter how much he argued.

Thinking of this, Zhao Qingshan couldn't help but feel smug. "You people are still a long way from outplaying me!"

He was already calculating how to "expose" the "evidence" of Chen An’s collusion with the enemy. But as he lifted the tent flap, his smile froze. Chen An was sitting in his usual pear-wood chair.

Gelimu was tied firmly to a flagpole, dozens of barbarian heads were stacked together, and the stolen silver was neatly piled on the ground. Wu Ping’s face was deathly pale, and the nephew of the lead clerk was trembling in the corner.

"Captain Zhao arrives just in time." Chen An raised his eyes, his lashes casting a shadow beneath them. "The payroll is lost, yet you don’t seem the least bit surprised?"

"Chen An! Why are you here? What is the meaning of this?" A wave of dread surged through Zhao Qingshan.

"Is that so?" Chen An sneered, pulling a note from his robe. He paused, then said, word for word: "Using the payroll to lure the grasslanders into attacking, and then splashing the filth on me—it’s a decent idea, but unfortunately, it’s too stupid."

The blood drained from Zhao Qingshan’s face. He staggered back, pointing at Chen An, unable to speak. He could not fathom how this kid had discovered their secret meeting with Wang Jiuyang.

"What’s wrong? Are you not clear on what’s happening?" Chen An stood up. "Did you think your meeting with Wang Jiuyang was seamless? Did you think the spy in the scout battalion was flawless? Did you think your amateurish scheme was perfect?"

Chen An asked three questions in a row, each one striking Zhao Qingshan’s heart like a heavy hammer.

"You... what are you talking about!" Zhao Qingshan still tried to bluff.

But Chen An would not miss the chance to beat a drowning dog. "You really are a stubborn one," Chen An explained. "On the surface, you let your useless subordinates go in pursuit, but we were already waiting on their only path. And your idiot Gelimu had his head pulled off by Wu Daizi himself!"

Facing Chen An’s mockery, Zhao Qingshan felt as if he couldn't catch his breath. The plan he had meticulously crafted was, in the eyes of others, riddled with holes! His face went deathly white, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him. He stumbled back, his finger trembling as he pointed at Chen An. "You... how could you..."

"How could I know?" Chen An stood up. "Don't always think you’re so clever." He walked slowly toward Zhao Qingshan. "You think using someone else’s blade to kill is a brilliant strategy? Using the grasslanders as a cover and framing a colleague? In my eyes, such a trick is like a three-year-old playing house."

Zhao Qingshan’s eyes were bloodshot. Suddenly, he lunged like a madman. "You’re lying! So what if you know? Without evidence, the Pass Commander won't believe you!"

Chen An dodged the charge, and his guards immediately stepped forward to pin Zhao Qingshan’s shoulders. He calmly brushed the creases from his sleeves, his voice calm yet carrying an unquestionable authority.

"The account book you hid under the floor tiles in your study contains a clear record of every tael you embezzled. Tell me, is that enough to have you lose your head three times over?"

As the scene reached a stalemate, a voice suddenly echoed from outside.

"Lord Wu has arrived!"