Finest Servant

Chapter 543 Top-Secret Information

As far as the eye could see, the vast expanse of the Alxa Plain swayed with wildflowers and boundless greenery. The azure sky looked as if it had been washed clean. A gentle breeze caressed the face, carrying the fragrance of the grassland. Five thousand remnant soldiers of the Great Hua Empire moved swiftly across the open plains, eventually vanishing into the depths of the tall grass.

Human presence was scarce on the Alxa Plain. After the establishment of the Turkic Khanate, they had united several small tribes, dividing territories based on population, with no interference between these regions. During the dry season and winter, each tribe would graze within its own territory. When spring blossomed and grass was abundant, the whole tribe would move out to graze, their awe-inspiring momentum resembling flowing clouds across the plains.

This system of community living was mostly borrowed from the Great Hua Empire, with certain adaptations for the prairie, creating a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Guided by this policy, a variety of Turkic settlements had formed on the Alxa Plain—some small, housing only a few thousand people, while larger ones had tens of thousands.

To ensure that each tribe had enough grazing lands, Turkic settlements were spaced at least several hundred miles apart. This distancing gave the Great Hua cavalry ample room to maneuver. At the moment, around 300,000 of the finest Turkic cavalrymen were gathered around Helan Mountain Gorge, and all the robust men from the tribes had been summoned, giving Lin Wanrong's solitary army more confidence as they ventured deep into the plains.

The map of the Alxa Plain that Xu Zhiqing had gifted before their departure was marked simply, but its routes were crystal clear. It had been a great help to this isolated force. Additionally, with the experienced assistance from Hu Bugui, the five thousand men would not lose their way on the prairie.

After capturing Bayanhot, the army had already replenished supplies for six or seven days. Even if they couldn’t find a single grain of food after venturing deeper into the plains, they could last for at least another week.

Despite this, Lin Wanrong was still not at ease. He rode back and forth, inspecting every soldier. Seeing that each of their Turkic horses was laden with dried meat and provisions, he finally nodded in satisfaction.

"Brother Lin, good news, good news!" Gao Qiu shouted excitedly, galloping forward with Hu Bugui from the rear of the formation.

"What’s the good news?" Lin Wanrong smiled as the two men approached and dismounted. "Could it be that Advisor Xu has defeated the 300,000 Turkic troops?"

They had lost contact with Xu Zhiqing for seven or eight days. Now, they were penetrating further into the prairie, moving farther and farther away from Helan Mountain Gorge. They were completely unaware of the situation there.

Gao Qiu shook his head. "You’re joking, right? I'm no oracle; how could I have news from Miss Xu? What I meant is that the 20,000 Turkic men did indeed probe us, just as you suspected. They traveled less than a hundred miles, found nothing, and have now turned eastward toward Wuyuan."

Lin Wanrong uttered an acknowledgment, feeling neither surprise nor excitement in his heart. It was only a matter of time before these 20,000 Turkic troops, realizing they'd been duped, would turn around. Encountering them was not inevitable. That girl Yujia was at least honest; she hadn't lied. However, with her cleverness and intelligence, she was even more terrifying than a hundred thousand Turkic troops.

"Speaking of Advisor Xu, I'm reminded of something," Gao Qiu spoke softly. "We've changed our plans at the last moment. Instead of returning to Wuyuan, we continue to advance westward into the Great Plains. Shouldn't we inform Advisor Xu? She might coordinate with our main army, which could prove advantageous for us."

"Good point," Lin Wanrong looked at him with surprise and chuckled. "Brother Gao, your understanding of military strategy has improved so much, you're almost catching up with me. I'm impressed."

Listening to their conversation, Hu Bugui shook his head solemnly. "Brother Gao, informing Advisor Xu isn't as easy as you make it sound. With three hundred thousand Turks stationed at Wuyuan, not even a fly could get through. How would we notify her?"

Gao Qiu hummed in agreement, his expression serious. Lin Wanrong burst into laughter. "Contacting Miss Xu might not be as difficult as you think. Who knows, those Turks might be doing some free publicity for me as we speak."

"Free publicity?" Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu were both momentarily stunned. It was Hu Bugui who finally asked, "General Lin, what do you mean by 'free publicity'? We're in the dark here."

"Ah, I've received quite a lot of criticism for this very matter. It's rather unjust, to be honest," Lin Wanrong sighed mysteriously. "Both of you, do you know what my Turkic name is?"

Lin Wanrong's Turkic name? Gao Qiu eagerly nodded with a lecherous smile, "I know, I know. It's San Ge Shi—Wo Lao Gong. I've heard that girl Yueya’er call you that several times. Ah, what an excellent name, perfectly designed for taking advantage. Brother Lin, I admire you!"

Giving a thumbs-up, Gao Qiu couldn't stop praising him. Hu Bugui was a bit slower to react and asked, "Brother Gao, how does this name suggest taking advantage? Explain it to me."

"Don't you know? San Ge Shi—Wo Lao Gong simply means Brother San is My Husband! The name is specifically for Yueya’er to use. Do you understand now?" Gao Qiu smugly explained to Hu Bugui.

Upon realizing the meaning, Hu Bugui burst into laughter, deeply admiring Lin Wanrong's cunning.

This lascivious fellow! Lin Wanrong shook his head and sighed, "The same name can have entirely different implications to different people. What you see is a true reflection of your own thoughts. Ah, the gap between people is truly vast."

"What... what do you mean? Brother Lin, isn't your Turkic name pronounced like that?" Gao Qiu stuttered.

"Of course not," Lin Wanrong snorted. "People who see this name think I'm lustful, shameless, and unscrupulous in seducing young girls. In reality, those who misunderstand my name and criticize me are the ones who are truly lustful. Brother Hu, your thoughts are rather upright. Why don't you read my Turkic name in reverse and see what it actually means?"

Hu Bugui responded, carefully pondering for a moment, "Gong Lao Wo—Shi Ge San! Is this how it's read, General Lin?"

"Absolutely! When read in reverse, it indeed means that—attacking the stronghold is the mission of us three brothers!" Lin Wanrong hummed, "This is the only correct way to read my name, and the secret I intend to share with Miss Xu. Brother Gao, what have you been thinking? A rush of blood to the head?"

‘So that's what it meant!’ A cold sweat trickled down Old Gao's forehead. No wonder Brother Lin was so indignant. His name, rich in meaning and nobility, had been misread in such a vulgar manner. Clearly, he had misunderstood Brother Lin all this time. How shameful.

"I understand now," Hu Bugui clapped his hands and said, "General Lin, as the leader of our army entering the prairie, and the captor of Yujia, your name will surely spread far and wide across the grasslands. With Miss Xu's intelligence, as soon as she hears General Lin's Turkic name, she'll grasp our intentions. General, you've been wronged; I've never respected you more."

General Lin shook his head, his face tinged with melancholy as he sighed deeply,

"People laugh at me for being too mad,

I laugh at them for failing to see the truth.

The tombs of the heroes of Wuling remain unseen,

With neither flowers nor wine, they till the fields.

—

People like me are destined to be lonely all their lives. Alas, get used to it, just get used to it."

Who would have thought General Lin was such a profound individual? Old Hu shook his head in admiration. In the future, he shouldn't judge General Lin solely based on his flamboyant exterior but should focus more on his solitary inner world.

Old Gao chuckled awkwardly, then earnestly said, "Brother Lin, I've made up my mind. I'll try to emulate you—a man whose appearance may be debauched, but whose heart is noble. I already show signs of it."

‘Signs of what? You're debauched both inside and out!’ Hearing Old Gao's insincere confession, even Hu Bugui couldn't help but smirk.

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, "My dear brothers, I can say without reservation that the meaning of my name is the highest secret of our army. Now that you understand this secret, you should know where our ultimate destination lies in the grasslands, right?"

"Understood. The stronghold, of course—" Old Gao cheerfully responded, but his face quickly changed, "The stronghold?! Brother Lin, are you planning to march directly to the Turkic royal court?!"

Lin Wanrong nodded and grinned, "Otherwise, could it be called our highest secret? What about it, Brother Gao, are you scared?!"

Old Gao spat and retorted disdainfully, "Scared? Not a chance. During our circle-and-cross game in the camp, I noticed your silence, Brother Lin, and knew this wasn't over. As expected, after taking such a detour, we're still heading for the Turkic stronghold. Ha! It's exhilarating! Following you, Brother Lin, is the most thrilling experience of my life."

Lin Wanrong nodded slightly and turned to Hu Bugui, "And you, Brother Hu, are you in or out?"

Initially, Hu Bugui had thought that just invading the grasslands and destroying some nomadic tribes would be an incredible accomplishment. He had never expected that General Lin harbored such grand plans. Already boiling with excitement, he shouted, "In! If I don't go, I might as well be squatting to pee!"

Gao Qiu looked puzzled. "Old Hu, your oath is quite interesting. What do you mean by 'squatting to pee'?"

Lin Wanrong looked at him deeply and nodded. "Brother Gao, you've truly become more innocent. I'm very pleased."

Setting aside the newly purified Gao Qiu, Lin Wanrong turned to the matter at hand. Since he had already shared the plan with the two of them, he saw no reason to hold back any longer. He took the map sketched by Xu Zhiqing and laid out his long-considered plan. "Brother Hu, look here. According to the map from Advisor Xu, our current location is at the southwestern tip of the Alxa Plateau. The Turkic royal court, Kyzil, is located at the northern end of the plateau. If we continue northward, we'll naturally reach Kyzil. However, there are countless tribes of nomadic people scattered between us and our destination. Even if we were to defeat all of the Turkic tribes, by the time we reach Kyzil, it would be several months later. Waiting for us there would be a hundred thousand Turkic cavalry. There'd be no point in fighting then."

Hu Bugui studied the map carefully and nodded. "General, you are absolutely correct. If we were to march directly north, we would not only reveal our intentions but also embark on a path to certain death. A different, unnoticeable route, much like the one we used for the surprise attack on Bayanhot, is necessary."

Lin Wanrong moved his finger on the map to a specific location. "This place is called Yiwu. I've heard that there's a magical Silk Road that crosses through the desert and snowy mountains, passes Yiwu and Nantai, crosses the Ulungur River, and arrives at the Altai Mountains. Crossing those mountains, we'll come upon a region abundant in 'Nose-piercing Grass,' known as Khovd. Beyond that lies the Turkic royal court, Kyzil."

The route Lin Wanrong pointed out began at Yiwu and left the Alxa Plateau, making a small arc to cross the Altai Mountains before re-entering the plateau. Upon crossing, they would face Khovd, the treasure trove of the Turkic people's 'Nose-piercing Grass,' and the royal court in Kyzil.

Hu Bugui's eyes lit up with excitement. "General, is there really such a path? If that's true, reaching Yiwu would allow us to bypass the Turkic blockade."

"Probably," Lin Wanrong laughed. "But who knows? Maybe this path only comes into existence after we've traveled it."

Hu Bugui was undeterred. The success of the surprise attack on Bayanhot had proven Lin Wanrong's ability to choose routes. If General Lin said they could reach the Turkic royal court, then they most certainly would.

Gao Qiu listened carefully to their discussion, closely examining the map before nodding. "If Brother Lin says it's possible, then it must be. However, the most crucial question is how we'll reach Yiwu. There are several Turkic tribes between us and there!"

Xu Zhiqing's map was rather vague on this section; it only indicated that there were a few Turkic tribes without specifying their locations.

"It's simple; we'll fight our way through," Lin Wanrong stated calmly. "To get to Yiwu, we'll have to forge our own path. We're not just sending a message to Miss Xu with the blood of the Turkic people; more importantly, only through combat can we secure supplies."

"But we don't even know the locations of these tribes!" Hu Bugui exclaimed in doubt.

"You may not know, but others do," Lin Wanrong responded with a mysterious smile. "Have you forgotten? Yueya'er and her tribe are with us. Why do you think I've gone through the trouble of bringing them along? They are the best guides we could ask for."

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