The Wife is First

Ch51 - Brocade Pouch of Miracle Plans

“The Lao Hei mountains stretch over 200 li. Beyond the Sheng Jing mountain pass is a narrow road that is dozens of li long. If the enemy is lying in wait along that length, the army will be like a captured turtle in a jar once it enters. In the end, no one will be able to rush to our rescue.” Seeing Jing Shao’s insistence, Mu Hanzhang helped him with a timely sentence. 

“The military advisor is right, but Tiger’s Teeth Pass is even more dangerous than Sheng Jing Pass. The Southwest King only needs to set up a formation of less than 100 people there, and it will be enough to stop our thousands of troops.” Zhao Meng furrowed his brow and pointed at the location of Tiger’s Teeth, Crane’s Beak Pass.

Jing Shao knew of a way to overcome Tiger’s Teeth Pass, but it was too ingenious and specific; for someone who had never come to the southwest in this lifetime, it would be hard for him to sound convincing. He couldn’t help frowning. “We’ll discuss this tomorrow!”

After the crowd dispersed, Jing Shao remained seated on the raised platform and continued to frown worriedly at the map of the southwest. To live this life again and clearly know how things would proceed, but not able to say it, really made him sullen. He sighed lightly. If it really was impossible, he could have them lead the troops to Sheng Jing Pass tomorrow, while he himself would take a team of light cavalry and attack Tiger’s Teeth Pass.

“Did you receive some information you can’t reveal?” Seeing Jing Shao like this, Mu Hanzhang pressed his lips together and sat beside him. 

Jing Shao looked up at his Wang Fei, whose eyes were filled with concern, and reached out to pull him into his embrace. “Jun Qing, how is your guess so spot on?”

“Don’t you know that all military advisors have mind-reading skills?” Mu Hanzhang smiled and joked in response, before he slowly lowered his eyes. It was because he liked Jing Shao that he would always pay attention to his emotions. He could see that Jing Shao seemed to know a lot of things, but he didn’t know where his information came from. If Jing Shao didn’t bring it up himself, Mu Hanzhang couldn’t ask; when Jing Shao wanted to say it, he would naturally say it.

“Jun Qing, there are some things even I don’t understand clearly. I wasn’t deliberately trying to conceal it from you.” Jing Shao sighed and rested his chin on the shoulder of the man in his arms.

“En.” Mu Hanzhang replied softly. He slowly sat up straight to look at Jing Shao and said, “Let’s talk about your information and see if I can help you with it or not.”

Jing Shao pulled the map off the table and explained in detail what he knew about the ambushes set up by the southwest army and the way to overcome Tiger’s Teeth Pass. The more Mu Hanzhang heard, the deeper he frowned. Given how meticulous the information on the arrangements was, it seemed that the spy that Jing Shao had sent to the southwest was really powerful; it was just that it was too specific, which actually made people feel that it was unbelievable.

“They definitely won’t believe these little details, and the battlefield is always changing rapidly. I also have no complete assurance that the Southwest King will really follow this in the end.” Jing Shao sighed. He knew everything, but he also felt that the world was changing. Everything didn’t necessarily follow the original path, so he suddenly felt a little uncertain about what move to make.

“Who do you think is the most suitable for breaking through Tiger’s Teeth Pass?” Mu Hanzhang didn’t respond to his words, but asked the question directly.

“Hao Dadao!” Jing Shao didn’t hesitate to say. That was one of the reasons why he had been in a hurry to find Hao Dadao; that year, Jing Shao had broken through Tiger’s Teeth Pass himself. He had been fighting for several months in Sheng Jing Pass to no avail. It was with great difficulty that they finally made a breakthrough, yet they once again ran into an ambush. With no other alternative, he had, as the commander-in-chief of the army, taken a desperate risk, and broken through Tiger’s Teeth Pass with a group of men instead. Tiger’s Teeth Pass seemed steep and dangerous, but in fact, there were many troops stationed there. However, very skilled people were required for that operation, which required someone who was excellent at martial arts and who knew how to adapt to the circumstances. 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Mu Hanzhang nodded slightly. “I’ll take care of this matter. I’ll definitely persuade him tonight.”

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“Not allowed to go!” Jing Shao was immediately furious. To have his Wang Fei go persuade Hao Dadao in the middle of the night – no matter how he thought about it, it was dangerous. His Wang Fei was so attractive – if Hao Dadao seized the opportunity to put forward some improper demand, and Jun Qing, in order to not make things difficult, accepted the compromise, then… The more he thought about it, the more terrible it seemed. In short, he couldn’t let him go. 

Mu Hanzhang was stunned for a while. He didn’t understand the situation, until he heard Jing Shao say “human face, beast heart” and “excellent martial arts”. He then realized what Jing Shao was getting angry about, and couldn’t help getting angry himself as well as finding it funny. “Where did your imagination wander off to?”

He really didn’t understand how Jing Shao had come up with so many things from just that one sentence. Was it because he had been thinking too much about strategy recently, so he would always jump ahead to the conclusion in his thoughts, to the extent that he got caught up in some little detail?

The two quarreled for a while. In the end, Mu Hanzhang failed to persuade Jing Shao, and agreed to let him stand outside the tent to listen.

Jing Shao stood outside Hao Dadao’s tent and held his breath in rapt attention as he listened carefully to the movements inside. 

“The military advisor has come so late; is something the matter?” Hao Dadao asked very politely.

“There is a matter that I have no choice but to disturb the general with.” Mu Hanzhang’s equally polite voice sounded warm and mellow, and was very pleasant to the ear.

“Ha, this general was only conferred this title of lieutenant general through Wang Ye’s benevolence; I am not worthy of such a position.” Hao Dadao sat down to carefully wipe his Hunyuan sword.

“Given brother Hao’s talents, you would have been conferred the title of lieutenant sooner or later,” Mu Hanzhang said with a slight smile. “It was just that Brother Hao was immediately granted a title after entering the army. Although most of the officers and soldiers know of your skills, it is because you do not yet have a meritorious deed to your name that it’s hard to convince the rest.” 

Hao Dadao fought Zhao Meng as soon as he entered the camp that day. Although he had no experience in fighting General Zhao, who had battled enemies for many years, he wasn’t inferior in any way thanks to his excellent martial arts. At last, with the Hunyuan sword technique passed down in his family, he managed to subdue Zhao Meng’s iron bian in one move, and Jing Shao was in a position to make an exception and directly confer the title of general on Hao Dadao.

“This Hao understands. If military advisor has something to say, there is no harm in being frank.” Hao Dadao had a rather good impression of this military advisor. All his intelligence and schemes were of a superior level. In Shanxia Village, the military advisor could see at a glance that the key to persuading him to join the army was his family’s hedong lion; furthermore, he was able to move her with just a few words.

Jing Shao stood outside the tent and measured the time. The conversation inside wasn’t loud. He couldn’t hear some words distinctly, so he was somewhat worried.

“Wang Ye, why are you here?” When the right protectorate general saw Jing Shao, he excitedly went up to him and slapped his back. “Wang Ye also came to discuss swordsmanship with Brother Hao?” 

Discuss swordsmanship my ass! Jing Shao only felt the vein on his brow throb, and he clenched his fists so tightly that they cracked. At this moment, Mu Hanzhang raised the curtain and came out. Seeing Jing Shao’s ashen face, he suppressed the corners of his mouth which wanted to curve up with herculean effort, and said to the right protectorate general, “It’s getting late. General Hao still needs to lead troops tomorrow; right protectorate general should also sleep early.”

The right protectorate general was rather disappointed that he couldn’t discuss sword techniques with General Hao. He then immediately thought about how the left protectorate general knew how to use double-edged swords, which were similar enough to the single-edged one that Hao Dadao used, and he thus ran off excitedly to the left protectorate general’s tent. Anyway, these two protectorate generals were in charge of protecting the camp, and didn’t need to go to the battlefield; it didn’t matter if they got a little less sleep.

“How did you tell him about fighting through Tiger’s Teeth, Crane’s Beak Pass?” Jing Shao lay on the bed with his military advisor in his arms. The right protectorate general had interrupted him right at that moment, and he hadn’t been able to hear it. Also, Jun Qing came out soon after. How had he made it clear? Jing Shao was very curious on this point.

“Shanren has my own tricks,” Mu Hanzhang said in a profound and mysterious way. 

The next day, the people gathered in the center tent again. Mu Hanzhang had changed into a dark blue, wide-sleeved robe. With a dark-colored “lunjin” on his head and a feather fan in his hand, he looked like an otherworldly being in front of everyone.

“Benshuai has decided to send 3000 people to break through Tiger’s Teeth, Crane’s Beak Pass. Who is willing to go?” Jing Shao said in a deep voice as he slowly scanned the people below the platform.

“3000 light cavalry, this general is willing!” Hao Dadao stepped forward without hesitation. He had already looked through the brocade pouch which the military advisor had given him last night. In it was information on how to deal with any matter, regardless of its importance. It was clear that the pass had already been explored and investigated. If he still couldn’t break through the pass with such useful information, then his surname wasn’t Hao!

“Good!” With a gratified smile, Jing Shao gave the order. “Hao Dadao shall lead 3000 light cavalry through Tiger’s Teeth Pass – set out at once!” 

“This general accepts the command!” Hao Dadao left after accepting the command.

No one had any objections to the three thousand people going to try their luck at that pass, so they began to discuss tactics for dealing with Sheng Jing Pass.

“When I was observing the celestial bodies last night, Shanren saw some methods,” Mu Hanzhang suddenly said.

“Military advisor, please speak,” Zhao Meng said promptly; since the last incident, he now trusted this military advisor very much, and wanted to hear his opinion on everything. 

“Naturally, we must rely mainly on Sheng Jing Pass, and with General Zhao leading the troops, we definitely should be able to subdue the enemy in one stroke,” said Mu Hanzhang. Looking at the joy on Zhao Meng’s face, he continued, “It’s just that after breaking through the pass, I’m afraid there’ll be some variables to consider.”

“What do you mean?” a young officer on the side couldn’t help asking. The rumor was that there were military advisors who could discern courses of action and their consequences from observing the celestial bodies at night. Unexpectedly, the military advisor had been fortunate enough to see something in the stars, and the young officer was inevitably excited.

Mu Hanzhang gave a detailed account of all the advantages and disadvantages, but didn’t reveal where the southwest army would be lying in ambush. He just pointed out several weaknesses, which made everyone apprehensive.

“Military advisor, you are sure of these things?” Zhao Meng was also hesitant about this. He had never met anyone who was able to use their observations of the stars to formulate strategies, so he didn’t know whether it was accurate or not. If it was truly as the military advisor said, the tactics which they had initially come up with had to be changed. 

“The military advisor’s astrological predictions are never wrong. Zhao Meng, I command you to lead 50,000 troops and horses to attack Sheng Jing Pass,” Jing Shao interjected in a timely manner.

Zhao Meng accepted the order, and Mu Hanzhang gave him three silk brocade bags. He explained, “When you arrive at Sheng Jing Pass, you can open the first bag. After you overcome the pass, you can open the second one. Travel 20 li into a valley up ahead, rest, and then open the last one. Never open any ahead of time. Remember this at all costs.”

Sitting behind the table, Jing Shao looked at his Wang Fei with his mysterious appearance as he explained those divine strategies and schemes. However, it seemed that these stubborn donkeys were convinced. He secretly pinched his thigh to prevent himself from laughing.

After Zhao Meng and the group of young officers left, Jing Shao called for the Shu army’s general and commanded, “Have the 30,000 soldiers and horses of the Shu army stand by. Once you receive news, use the rushing yoke formation to immediately enter the southwest from Tiger’s Teeth Pass and convene with Hao Dadao. Benwang has already instructed Hao Dadao on how to do this. All you have to do is listen to his instructions.” 

“This general accepts the command.” The general of the Shu army accepted the order and left.

When all the people were gone, Jing Shao was silent for a moment before he looked up at his Wang Fei, who was still waving the feather fan. “Jun Qing, you really… ha ha ha ha…” Before he could finish his sentence, Jing Shao couldn’t help laughing and fell over the desk.

Mu Hanzhang glanced at him and said unconcernedly, “Military advisors have had brocade bags of miracle plans since ancient times; Shanren is simply imitating the ancient people.” If anyone else had tried this, they would certainly be suspected of deceit. However, Mu Hanzhang was so calm and composed, and carried an air of profound mystery, which unexpectedly caused this group of people to believe this sort of baffling astrological theory.

Jing Shao looked at him and gradually smiled. “Jun Qing, I myself am not completely confident about the matters today; if anything was overlooked, your reputation in the army will be greatly affected. What will you do then?” If it was Jing Shao, this mistake would only be seen as a momentary lapse. After all, no commander-in-chief was completely invincible. However, given Jun Qing’s status as advisor, everything had to happen as he predicted if he was to maintain his prestige in the army. 

Mu Hanzhang saw the worry in Jing Shao’s eyes and couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t plan to rely on this to aim for an official position. Even if I lose prestige in the army, wouldn’t Wang Ye also be able to use this as a reason to divorce me?”