Chapter 113: The Paranoia of Hong Yuying

"What exactly do you want?"

Hong Yuying said calmly, "I just wanted to see what kind of woman could make you willing to give me up just to spend your life with her."

Li Yi frowned, looking at her coldly.

Hong Yuying pouted, looking somewhat aggrieved. "How am I not better than her in every way? As long as you marry me, wealth, status, and a brilliant career will be yours for the taking."

"This has nothing to do with that."

"Then what does it have to do with? Talent, beauty, family background—how am I not superior to her? Are you really going to throw away such a golden opportunity just for a few years of history between you?"

Li Yi remained silent. He felt as though he were being driven mad by this willful young lady from a noble family.

Hong Yuying pouted as she tried to persuade him: "What can she give you? At most, she might bear you a child or two. But I can do that too. Not only that, I can have my father help you climb the ranks. With the war raging as it is, with his support, your career will be smooth sailing. It wouldn't be impossible for you to become a decorated general or even a marquis in the future."

"As long as you marry me, you won't even need to give a second thought to a minor clan like the Ai family, let alone the entire influential gentry of Yansui. You could have everything you ever wanted. Doesn't that tempt you at all?"

Before Li Yi could respond, he saw Yun Niang walk in.

Her eyes were slightly red as she served tea. Even though she knew the noblewoman before her was trying to snatch her husband away, she still calmly offered the tea.

Looking into those determined eyes, Hong Yuying looked away.

But a moment later, she said coldly, "You should leave him. If you go on like this, you are only holding him back."

Yun Niang said softly, "He is my husband. We are already married."

Hong Yuying’s pretty face turned icy. "Do you know that if I hadn't persuaded my father to intervene a few days ago, Li Yi would likely have been killed by Yan Zibin and He Renlong?"

Yun Niang’s face turned deathly pale. She remained silent for a moment before turning to look at Li Yi.

Li Yi stepped forward and took her hand. He turned to Hong Yuying and said in an unquestionable tone, "Miss Ying, you should leave now."

Hong Yuying’s face turned stark white. She looked into Li Yi's eyes with a mix of sorrow and anger.

"Li Yi, I will never help you again. You are on your own."

With those words, Hong Yuying turned and left.

As soon as she stepped out of the courtyard, tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably. She did not understand. She had begged her father several times to help Li Yi and had tried her best to bridge the gap between them, even urging her father to promote him—so why was Li Yi so unwilling to accept her?

Was she, the daughter of a high-ranking fourth-grade official, really no match for a simple country girl?

The more Hong Yuying thought about it, the angrier she became. She hated Li Yi, but she hated Yun Niang even more. If it weren't for that woman, Li Yi would surely have accepted her.

Five days later, before Hong Chengchou could lead his troops to Yaozhou, news arrived that Longmen Ferry in Hancheng had been captured by the rebel leader Wang Zuogua. The three hundred garrison soldiers stationed there had engaged the enemy and suffered a crushing defeat.

The battalion commander Wang Zuo and the company commander Liu Jue were both killed by the peasant army.

Yang He was currently intensifying the blockade against Wang Jiayin and had no spare forces to deal with Wang Zuogua. He ordered Hong Chengchou to conscript government troops and lead them south to annihilate Wang Zuogua’s forces.

Most of the Yansui government troops were concentrated in northern Shaanxi to deal with the strongest rebel force, Wang Jiayin. This meant Hong Chengchou could not muster many troops. Aside from his own three-hundred-man personal guard, the only forces available to him were the three hundred men under Yansui squad leader He Renlong and the three hundred men under Li Yi, the defense squad leader of Suijin.

Meanwhile, Wang Zuogua, along with "Heaven-Shaking King" Zhang Yingjin and minor rebel leaders like Miao Mei, Feishanhu, and Dahonglang, had nearly five thousand men.

Hong Chengchou understood that this was his first real campaign as a commander; he could only win, not lose. Therefore, he had prepared well in advance, not only securing He Renlong from the Yansui regional commander but also smoothing over his relationship with Li Yi.

Troops and horses move, but food and provisions come first. Waging war requires paying out funds and supplies. The imperial court had owed the border troops their rations for over two years; that they hadn't rioted was already a sign of their restraint. If he wanted them to fight, he had to issue their pay and provisions first so they would be willing to march.

As the official in charge of grain and provisions, Hong Chengchou naturally had no shortage of funds.

On the appointed day, Li Yi led the Suijin troops south to Miji County. After days of training, the units were at least able to march and halt in an orderly fashion. A makeshift camp had already been built outside Miji County.

Aside from Li Yi, He Renlong and the personal guard battalion would also spend the night there before marching south to Hancheng the next morning.

As soon as the Suijin troops arrived, someone came to summon Li Yi to the main tent for a council of war. Once in the camp, military law reigned supreme. Li Yi did not dare to be lax; he had his unit commanders settle the men and then hurried to the main tent.

Inside, he saw Hong Chengchou, dressed in scarlet official robes, sitting in the seat of honor with a stern expression. Li Yi was slightly surprised; by custom, the superior officer usually arrived last. This suggested that Hong Chengchou was likely feeling some pressure himself.

"Squad Leader Li, please take your seat."

The former Squad Leader Yang had been promoted to battalion commander, but he was still courteous to Li Yi, inviting him to sit nearby. Although Yang’s rank was higher, Li Yi had stood alone against the Tatar cavalry during the Battle of Suijin to save the retreating guard battalion, making him a savior to their men. While Yang dared not defy Hong Chengchou, he still respected Li Yi.

Li Yi nodded and sat beside him. He Renlong, with his thick beard, sat opposite them, casting a cold glance at Li Yi with his narrow eyes.

"Now that everyone is here, let us discuss the formation and the marching arrangements."

In a joint operation, one had to establish a hierarchy. Hong Chengchou’s guard battalion would naturally be the center, He Renlong’s elite border troops would be the vanguard, and Li Yi’s newly formed Suijin unit would serve as the rear guard.

Regarding pay, Hong Chengchou would issue a portion of the funds to each unit to reward the soldiers. In these times, with unpaid wages and neglected armaments, raising the soldiers' morale required immediate payment.

Once the arrangements were settled, Hong Chengchou stood up to emphasize that military law was merciless, warning all units to obey orders. Anyone who committed crimes or disobeyed would be executed.

The central guard battalion would naturally obey, so this speech was clearly a warning to Li Yi and He Renlong. As a fourth-grade official supported by the inspector censor Liu Zhongzhou, Hong Chengchou had no qualms about using military law to execute a minor squad leader.

He Renlong, who had always sought to cultivate a civil official as his patron, pounded his chest and swore to obey.

The council concluded, and the three men rose to leave. Just as Li Yi was about to step out of the tent, he heard Hong Chengchou’s deep voice: "Li Yi, stay behind."

Li Yi was slightly startled, not understanding why Hong Chengchou wanted him to stay. He turned and stood to the side.

"Li Yi, did you know that after the Battle of Suijin, I could have worked with the inspectorate to have you charged with reckless fighting and disobedience?" Hong Chengchou said slowly.

Li Yi frowned, looking at Hong Chengchou in silence.

"It was Yuying who persuaded me to let it go. Otherwise, you wouldn't just be denied a promotion—you would likely have lost your life."

Hong Yuying? Li Yi was astonished. "Sir, are you saying it was Miss Ying who persuaded you?"

"Yes. Yuying made excuses, claiming I needed you to earn military merit, but I know she was actually trying to help you."

Li Yi fell silent. He had not realized how much Hong Yuying had done for him behind his back. Thinking back to his coldness toward her a few days ago, he suddenly felt a wave of shame.

"Li Yi, I tell you this only as a reminder. You saved Yuying’s life, and in her youthful infatuation, she has helped you several times, which has more than repaid that debt. From now on, you must keep your distance from her. Do you understand?"

Li Yi nodded. He caught the warning in Hong Chengchou’s tone. In truth, he had no desire to provoke such a willful and obsessive young lady.

Walking back to his camp, Li Yi regained his composure. He first patrolled the camp, seeing that his commanders had begun organizing men to dig latrines, repair tents, and light campfires, which finally put his mind at ease.