I can die.
But Li Qianfan's reputation must not be tarnished!
After hearing Su Nanyin utter these words, Mr. Zhao felt another surge of impulse, as if he wanted to storm into the eleven noble families with a knife and slice them to pieces.
But no matter how strong the impulse, he couldn't act on it.
The eleven noble families were not simple companies.
The connections behind them were so intricately woven that a single move could affect the entire situation!
Li Qianfan was able to deal with the Xu, Feng, and Du families because he had caught them completely off guard.
In other words—
No one had expected Li Qianfan to abandon traditional methods of struggle and resort to such brutal and bloody tactics, stunning them into submission.
But now, they had awakened.
And in the shortest possible time, they had launched their counterattack using the most despicable means.
Mr. Zhao didn't need to think too hard to guess that the eleven noble families had signed a death pact in the past two days: "Even if a few more families are destroyed, we must bring down Su Nanyin! And then throw the entire country into chaos! We will show certain people (like Mr. Zhao) how terrifying the consequences of mutual destruction can be!"
Once the noble families committed to a fight to the death, the nature of the situation would completely change.
It would truly shake the entire country!
He recalled how, during the late Ming dynasty, Emperor Chongzhen had been an emperor of his word, yet when Li Zicheng's army approached the capital, what did the noble families and ministers do?
Alas.
A destructive storm must not be allowed to brew across the land.
Mr. Zhao closed his eyes in pain and, as he slowly sat down, he heard Su Nanyin say, "The day after tomorrow, I plan to climb the Great Wall."
Huh!?
Mr. Zhao was startled and his eyes snapped open.
Why would Su Nanyin need to inform him of something as trivial as going to climb the Great Wall?
"Su Nanyin! You absolutely, absolutely must not act rashly."
Mr. Zhao said in a low voice, "You just said you could go to Lingnan. What changed?"
"Mr. Zhao."
Su Nanyin interrupted him, "Do you believe me if I say I can go back to Lingnan, or even retreat to Piaomiao Village?"
Mr. Zhao's mouth moved.
He didn't believe her.
Setting aside Piaomiao Village for now, just Lingnan alone.
Given Su Nanyin's character, if she had left Lingnan in the first place, she would rather die in the north than ever return!
"I just want to see how much courage those people have."
Su Nanyin let out a cold laugh. "Besides, even if I truly die on the Great Wall, I will leave behind a contingency plan that will make them pay a terrible price. Mr. Zhao, it's getting late. You should get some rest."
*Beep.*
The call ended.
Mr. Zhao held the receiver for a long time without moving.
The night was deep.
It was only then that Mr. Zhao dialed Li Wujiang's number. After recounting the entire situation, he also relayed Su Nanyin's message for her to pass on and her decision to go to the Great Wall the day after tomorrow.
Li Wujiang listened until Mr. Zhao gently hung up the phone, and remained silent throughout.
What could she say?
Li Wujiang had no idea what to say!
Because Su Nanyin was right; when a storm brewed, Li Qianfan absolutely could not be with her anymore.
"This is because she has scared them too much."
"They are prepared to fight Qianfan to the death."
"However, let anyone dare to touch a single hair on Su Nanyin's head and see what happens!"
Li Wujiang gritted her teeth and walked out of the temporary command post quickly, phone in hand.
On the vast snowfields of the Blackwater Forest, the white was still endless, and the cold was bone-chilling.
But Li Wujiang's work was essentially complete.
Because the Rhode family had already sent people to obediently deliver all seven members of the Rhode family.
When Mr. Zhao called, Li Wujiang was preparing to lead the seven people north to the edge of the Blackwater Forest to let Rhode see his family!
According to the terms of the negotiation—
The seven members of the Rhode family would be granted a peaceful end, and Rhode himself would be beheaded, his body hung at the edge of the forest for three days as a public spectacle.
The remaining thirty-odd broken soldiers and defeated generals would be allowed to leave the Blackwater Forest alive.
But only alive, and out of the Blackwater Forest!
Du Junlin, along with the two Dark Blade teams, Yuan Ting and Liu Jianfei, had already left the Blackwater Forest battlefield yesterday.
When those stragglers returned to their hometowns, it would be the end of their lives!
As long as they were members of the Rhode team and had participated in the massacre of so many brave men from the Eastern Lands, no one deserved to live any longer!!
Li Wujiang stood on the icy snowfield, gazing up at the black, star-filled sky.
She stood motionless, like a statue.
After a long while, she dialed a number.
The phone connected.
Sigh.
A man's weary sigh immediately came from the other end of the line: "Good daughter-in-law, tell your father-in-law quickly. What dirty or difficult work do you need my old bones to handle personally?"
This man.
Was Li Nanfang, who had escorted Su Nanyin back to the country some time ago.
Li Nanfang, who had so many 'daughters-in-law'—
Except for Li Wujiang, who dared to pick up a wine bottle, stand on a stool, and play dice and drink with him, no one else dared to do so.
The two had tried to become sworn brothers more than once, pledging their loyalty with a blood oath.
Of course.
If there was one 'daughter-in-law' Li Nanfang cherished the most, it was Ding Xiaolang (in his heart, Ding Xiaolang was even dearer than his own daughter).
Li Wujiang wasted no time: "Dad, could you come out one more time? The day after tomorrow, Su Nanyin is going to climb the Great Wall. I suggest you disguise yourself as a beggar and be responsible for her safety, eliminating any foolhardy curs who dare to cause trouble."
"You scoundrel!"
Li Nanfang was instantly furious when his good 'daughter-in-law' asked him to impersonate a beggar to protect Su Nanyin. "In your heart, am I, your father-in-law, only fit to be a beggar? I'm not going, I'm not going!"
Li Wujiang was not afraid of Li Nanfang and said impatiently, "Alright, alright. Why are you shouting so late at night? Honestly. Aren't you afraid of waking up one of my aunts?"
Li Nanfang—
It took Li Wujiang a full ten minutes to explain everything Mr. Zhao had told her.
Li Nanfang remained silent for a long time.
In fact.
He had already seen those rumors.
But he had retired from worldly affairs—
After a long pause.
Li Nanfang slowly said, "Su Nanyin cannot die. And it seems Li Qianfan's reputation also cannot be ruined."
Mm.
Li Wujiang hummed in affirmation.
Li Nanfang continued, "Qianfan was a bit too ruthless this time. This is China, after all, not abroad. Most importantly, the noble families, led by the Shen family of Sijiu, have seen plenty of storms. No matter how severe the blow, they can retaliate most effectively in the shortest time. Simply put, they are adept at dirty tricks."
Mm.
Li Wujiang hummed again. "And they will undoubtedly have more tricks waiting for Qianfan. But I can't imagine what those tricks are."
Li Nanfang couldn't imagine them either.
People can see the light at a glance, but they can never see through the darkness!
"Fine, I'll set off tomorrow. Alas."
Li Nanfang sighed again and ended the call.
"Su Nanyin, all I can do for you is this. I'm sorry. You were right, Qianfan's reputation must not be ruined. Otherwise, he won't be able to establish himself in the Eastern Lands."
Li Wujiang gazed in the direction of the rising sun and whispered an apology, "But I will protect Mao Mao and the others very well. And I swear that within three years, at least a hundred core members of the noble families will pay with their lives for this! If I break my oath, may I, Li Wujiang, have no descendants!"
An oath of the most venomous nature—
Li Wujiang turned abruptly and strode towards the command post. "All units, assemble!"
Stars twinkled.
The wind bit with cold.
This was the Blackwater Forest!
Countless dazzling white lights shone directly onto the treetops.
The loudspeakers on the vehicles continuously blared, "The Battle of Blackwater Forest has officially concluded! Rhode and the others, exit the forest quickly."
To the ears of Rhode and his men—
This voice was as melodious as it could be!!
"The Battle of Blackwater Forest is finally over."
Rhode and the others, who had been trapped for only twenty-odd days and had become like savages, couldn't help but shed tears of joy upon hearing this.
They cheered, jumped, and embraced.
Praising the great Lord—
Rhode, with his men staggering, raised their hands high (holding their firearms) and slowly marched out of the forest in formation.
The feeling of seeing the snowfield again was truly, truly wonderful.
"Kneel."
Someone barked from behind the blinding lights.
Rhode and dozens of others knelt heavily without any hesitation.
As long as they could leave this wretched place—
Let alone make them kneel, they would have crawled out of the vast snowfield like dogs without complaint!
After kneeling, they all threw their firearms onto the ground.
Then, more than ten people quickly walked over.
Rhode had exceptionally sharp eyes. He immediately recognized the person at the front as Mr. Benjamin, the secretary of Mr. Green Rhode.
Upon seeing Benjamin, Rhode felt as if he had seen a relative, and tears immediately welled up.
"Rhode, are you alright?"
Benjamin hurried over and knelt down, embracing Rhode tightly.
The brotherhood between them was truly moving.
"I am well."
Rhode said in a voice choked with tears, "It is my greatest honor to have died for our clan leader! Once I have recovered, I will surely find a suitable battlefield to kill more Eastern Landers and wash away the shame of this defeat!"
"Oh, my dear Rhode."
Benjamin released him, his face filled with sorrow, and replied, "You will never have the chance to kill anyone again."
Val?
Rhode looked at him in confusion.
"Because you and your family—"
Benjamin stood up, his sorrow deepening, and said, "Will remain in the Blackwater Forest forever."