Perhaps He Hu’s confidants comprised half of the major leaders, but the true strength of the Zicao forces consisted of common people who had suffered hardships. They despised Nande’s ruling powers, and many of them had endured poverty and suffering for generations, having now reached the limit of what they could bear. Therefore, He Hu’s acceptance of the court’s amnesty was, to these warriors who knew nothing of it, an absolutely unforgivable betrayal.

“You’re talking nonsense!” He Meng, prompted by Duan Geshou’s hint, urgently denied it. “My father was the first to kill corrupt officials—how could he pledge allegiance to the court? Clearly you killed my father and use this to cast him as unrighteous while keeping yourselves clean. You say there’s an amnesty edict—if you have the ability, produce it!”

Ping Laosi was also thinking—initially it was indeed He Hu who first beheaded the corrupt official, inspiring everyone, himself included, to dare fight and kill. But after becoming Tiger King, his various displays of arrogance, extravagance, lechery, and greed—accepting benefits from the court wasn’t impossible. Even so, evidence was still required.

“The amnesty edict was already thrown into the river by Duan Geshou.” Mo Zi said.

Duan Geshou raised his eyebrows, his expression neither smiling nor not. “Miss Mo Zi, you say I threw it away, and I say you’re simply framing me. Who doesn’t know that words alone aren’t proof?”

“Though this edict is gone, it’s not as if there’s no evidence.” While others dug one zhang, Yuan Cheng dug a hundred zhang, using area calculation methods—how could he not dig up treasures?

Hearing this, Mo Zi was no longer surprised. She smiled at him, and when he looked over, she winked and gave a thumbs up.

Yuan Cheng was amused by her lively gesture but didn’t neglect the main matter. With a wave of his hand, several people were brought out. These people varied in height and build, but their common feature was wearing Nande court officials’ and generals’ uniforms.

“Speak. Who are you, what did you come to do, and how did you end up on my ship?” Many things were more persuasive when spoken by others—Yuan Cheng understood this very clearly.

“We are imperial envoys who came to grant amnesty to Tiger Stronghold. Because He Hu feared his subordinates wouldn’t comply, we brought twenty thousand government troops. Midway, the Yiyuan Army attacked. We were defeated and captured onto the ships.” The corrupt officials who had long been subdued trembled with fear.

Duan Geshou’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected Yuan Cheng to have also defeated these twenty thousand troops. The plan in his heart began to waver.

But He Meng remained stubborn. “Impossible! These people are impersonators!”

“We have an imperial edict personally issued by the emperor ordering us to reorganize Tiger Stronghold and immediately attack the Yiyuan Army. Oh, and we also have official and military seals.” The lead official shouted.

Yuan Cheng nodded slightly, and someone brought out a tray bearing a brilliant yellow edict and great seals. “Ping Laosi, if you don’t believe it, you can verify them yourself.”

Again both sides released a small boat, meeting between the two large ships.

Ping Laosi was illiterate, but he brought literate confidants. After verification, he didn’t immediately speak, only saying after returning to the ship, “What Prime Minister Yuan said is true.”

He Meng couldn’t help but curse loudly. “Ping Laosi, you’ve long coveted my father’s position, so you deliberately conspired with those people to frame my father. You bastard, son of a bitch, I’ll fuck your ancestors for eighteen generations!”

After cursing, he pointed at the people behind Ping Laosi. “Listen up, all of you! Arrest Ping Laosi and his confidants, and I’ll definitely reward and promote you heavily. My father is dead, so I’m the Tiger King. If you dare disobey, I’ll raze Tiger Stronghold to the ground!”

The people behind Ping Laosi didn’t move. Among them might be those who usually relied on He Hu and Zhang Mu, but when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. At such a time, having to choose sides again, naturally those with any sense would follow the majority.

“He Meng, with what will you raze Tiger Stronghold to the ground?” Ping Laosi looked at him and jerked his chin. “The Daqiu people?”

“So what if they are? Without external support, Tiger Stronghold will sooner or later be gnawed down to nothing. Rather than waiting for death, better to form alliances.” Though He Meng was slightly smarter than his father, ultimately he was still someone with empty ambitions but no real ability—which is why he became Duan Geshou’s puppet.

“So you found the Daqiu people?” Ping Laosi’s face darkened. “Daqiu is like tigers and wolves, killing people like flies, discriminating against us Han people. Just across one river—can’t you see what kind of lives the Yuling common people are living now? Your father was merely greedy for wealth and power, pledging allegiance to the court, but you collude with Daqiu, willingly becoming their running dogs, just waiting to be their vanguard. You can be your traitor, but the Zicao forces will absolutely not help barbarians conquer the land.”

“Well said!” Yuan Cheng loudly praised. “The Zicao forces are Nande’s first rebel army and should possess such manly spirit.”

Ping Laosi clasped his fists toward Yuan Cheng. “I’ve long heard that Prime Minister Yuan was actually the only official who worked for the people, yet was framed and exiled by the treacherous Wu and the dog emperor. The Yiyuan Army he organized has strict discipline, fairness and justice, wins every battle—truly where popular hope gathers and people’s hearts turn. When Prime Minister Yuan sent Young Master Su Lan to form an alliance that day, Ping Laosi strongly urged He Hu to accept. But his selfishness was too heavy—he didn’t think more about the Zicao forces at all, and actually pledged allegiance to the court, truly chilling people’s hearts. I, Ping Laosi, have no great abilities, but under my command are three thousand farmers who can still fight. From now on, I’m willing to follow Prime Minister Yuan.”

With Ping Laosi taking the lead, the other leaders all followed suit. One voice after another pledged to follow Prime Minister Yuan, calls rising and falling in succession.

Yuan Cheng also clasped his fists. “With everyone’s acceptance, Yuan is humbled. The Yiyuan Army isn’t Yuan’s alone—we’re all brothers with common purpose, fighting to overthrow the corrupt court and establish a peaceful realm.”

Ping Laosi loudly agreed.

There, the Zicao forces had already pledged allegiance to Yuan Cheng. Here, Mo Zi kept her eyes fixed on Duan Geshou. His quiet instructions to General Ge fell within her sight, making her smile.

“Does General Duan want to leave?” He should leave—if he didn’t leave soon, he’d become a prisoner.

As soon as she asked, Duan Geshou’s flagship began retreating. The bow and stern were interchangeable for quick withdrawal—this was one of her designs, applied to this flagship.

Duan Geshou narrowed his gaze. “If I don’t leave, should I wait for you all to gang up on me? In such circumstances, among the thirty-six stratagems, retreat is the best strategy. In our exchanges, we’re still at a draw. If you didn’t have help, I wouldn’t necessarily lose.”

“As if you didn’t have help.” Mo Zi smiled.

Duan Geshou ignored this. Watching his ship move farther and farther from the opponent’s fleet, he said to Yuan Cheng, “If I were you, I wouldn’t marry her until I defeated that man.”

Yuan Cheng’s lips moved several times.

But Duan Geshou didn’t hear a single word.

Mo Zi climbed the rope ladder and ran to Yuan Cheng’s side. “Don’t mind him.”

“I answered him.” Yuan Cheng repeated once. “I said, I’m not him, so I dare marry you.”

Mo Zi smiled with rare shyness. “You dare marry me, so I dare marry you. However, are you really letting him go? Duan Geshou is brave and strategic, can advance or retreat, can bend or stand firm—he’s a formidable character.”

“If I don’t let him go, who will report the good news of our union to the Daqiu King? Though Duan Geshou is quite capable, he’s limited by his birth. Even if military achievements elevate his position, obstacles will certainly be numerous. Such a person, placed beside Wu Yan who needs support from great nobles—for Wu Yan, he’s both helpful and troublesome. Moreover, with Wu Yan and Duan Geshou jointly commanding troops, they can contain Great Zhou. In the end, Great Zhou will have no choice but to join forces with us.” One link fastened to another, he reaped the benefits. “I noticed you also didn’t seem to want to capture him, otherwise those projectiles would have already bombarded him.”

“I made a deal with him. He said he’d complete it. I don’t necessarily trust him much, but having one more opportunity isn’t bad. Sometimes living people are more useful than dead ones.” Mo Zi indeed had thoughts.

“What deal?” Yuan Cheng asked.

“Ke Na Yueying.” Mo Zi said a name.

Yuan Cheng understood and nodded. “This matter is well thought out. Even if he doesn’t help, we lose nothing.”

“Mm. If he helps, it benefits him. What do I gain? Just the pleasure of revenge.” Mo Zi raised her eyebrows. “But Ke Na Yuexiang went too far. I don’t care about being some empress, but if she becomes one, I’m not happy about it.”

“I’m not happy either. That stab you took, that arrow I took—I remember very clearly.” Yuan Cheng’s gaze was profound. “Never mind empress—everything she currently possesses must be paid as the price.”

Their ship followed Ping Laosi toward Tiger Stronghold on Immortal Mountain, going in the opposite direction from Duan Geshou.

Seeing Duan Geshou withdraw without fighting, He Meng was furious and questioned, “Second Chief, you promised to help me. What’s the meaning of this now?”

Duan Geshou was already angry from having to retreat helplessly. Being questioned by this ignorant brat He Meng, his eyes immediately narrowed. He suddenly turned back, pressed down on his shoulder, and took a step closer.

He Meng’s eyes widened as more air left than entered.

“What’s the point of keeping useless things?” Duan Geshou stepped back, a curved blade appearing in his hand. He wiped it twice on He Meng’s clothes. “Go chase after your old man.”

He Meng fell backward, his breath ceased.

“Report to Grand General—our ship’s hull is leaking!” A soldier hurriedly rushed onto the deck.

“How did that happen?” Before Duan Geshou could ask, General Ge was shocked.

The small soldier shook his head. “We haven’t determined the cause yet. When discovered, a foot of water had already seeped in.”

Duan Geshou looked toward Immortal Mountain. “What other reason could there be? It must be Song Mo Zi having someone sabotage it.”

“That’s impossible. We weren’t far from her ship, but to bore holes in the hull, they’d need to surface for air. With so many eyes watching, there were absolutely no heads appearing on the river surface at that time.” General Ge couldn’t figure it out.

“For others it’s impossible, but for her it’s possible.” Duan Geshou was among the few who already knew of Mo Zi’s shipbuilding capabilities. “I’ll go down and look. You have the deputy ship sail parallel in case the ship sinks.”

General Ge gasped.

Duan Geshou said as he walked, “Gasping for what? At Habuboluo, our Daqiu navy’s strongest defensive formation, she moved one ship without alarm and even captured one of our warships, crossing the river safely. This time, I restrained her intentions at every turn—she’s been provoked, so how could her destructive power be small?” However, what he promised her, he would still do.

She was getting married. Could such news make the king give up? He wasn’t certain. But he was certain that clan leaders would all be secretly pleased. Actually, he was conflicted too. Controlling her meant controlling maritime supremacy. If she couldn’t be used by Daqiu, killing her was the most correct course of action. However, somehow, he hoped he wouldn’t be the one who had to take her life.

So it turned out, even if they were enemies, even if she was a woman, they could still appreciate each other as kindred spirits.