Chapter 41: Brother, You Truly Foresee Everything

Hearing the name Suo Chao, Dong Ping paused his steps and asked, "Is that Suo Chao, the garrison inspector and vanguard from the Great Name Prefecture?"

The person beside him nodded and replied, "It is him, General..."

Dong Ping pondered for a brief moment, then waved his hand dismissively. "He may have some reputation, but it matters little. Once he sees me wielding my twin spears on horseback, he surely won't dare to act presumptuously!"

With that, he descended the watchtower, mounted his steed in full armor, and waited only a short while before the force of around a thousand men approached the city gates.

Looking around, Dong Ping saw that he commanded one to two thousand men himself, among whom were four or five hundred armored infantry and a hundred or so cavalrymen. As they moved outside the city, a plan began to form in his mind.

First, he would array his troops in battle formation, projecting an image of strict and formidable readiness.

When they were still three to five hundred paces from the city gate, Suo Chao raised a hand, and the thousand men behind him came to a halt. Suo Chao looked back and saw that Su Wu and Wu Song had also donned armor and held long spears, making them look indistinguishable from the surrounding cavalrymen at a glance.

Su Wu rode up to the front, and heard Suo Chao ask, "Brother Su Wu, Dong Ping has arrayed his troops in battle formation. What should we do now?"

Su Wu thought for a moment and said, "He will likely send someone to negotiate. That person will probably tell us to wait outside the city while they go and bring the prisoners to us. By doing this, he hopes to trick the Inspector into revealing the location where we want the prisoners handed over."

"That would make things troublesome..." Suo Chao frowned, turning his head to issue orders to his flanks: "Form up our lines as well."

Su Wu continued to ponder. Dong Ping was indeed a formidable opponent; despite his personality flaws, he was far from foolish—on the contrary, he was exceptionally clever.

The idea of catching Dong Ping unawares with a sudden surprise attack was clearly impractical under the circumstances.

"Someone is coming..." Suo Chao saw a single horseman galloping toward them from the distance.

Su Wu's mind raced. "Inspector," he said, "let us do this: If the messenger truly demands that we let them bring the prisoners to us, you must feign reluctance and argue with him for a while. Only after he has gone back and forth a few times should you pretend to give in out of helplessness..."

"And just give him a random address?" Suo Chao seemed to catch on.

"Yes, I will make one up. Let's tell him the Sweet Well Lane, at the Qin Family Beverage Shop... and instruct him to fetch the prisoners with all haste."

Su Wu was not intimately familiar with Dongping Prefecture, but having visited and stayed there twice, he indeed remembered a few shop names.

Suo Chao asked again, "And then? Are we actually going to wait for them to bring the prisoners?"

"Then..." A fierce glint suddenly flashed in Su Wu's eyes as he looked at Suo Chao.

Suo Chao seemed to understand and asked, "You mean... once they think their ruse has succeeded, just when Dong Ping is rejoicing and their guard is completely down, we spur our horses and charge their formation?"

Su Wu nodded earnestly. "At this point, striking first is our only option. Dong Ping will never expect the Inspector to launch an attack without a moment's hesitation—especially since Dong Ping still does not know that his treason and collusion with rebels have been exposed."

Su Wu was certain that Dong Ping believed a fight would never break out. Why?

Because at this very moment, how could Dong Ping possibly harbor any inkling that his plot had been uncovered?

Suo Chao's frown deepened. Standing slightly in his stirrups, he gazed across at Dong Ping's battle formation, then suddenly declared, "Brother's plan is exceptionally good! Let us do just that. We shall shatter them with a single blow, and the mission will be accomplished!"

Su Wu had been slightly worried that Suo Chao might disagree, but he had underestimated the Vanguard's eagerness to achieve military merit.

Seeing that the horseman sent from the city had drawn near, Su Wu turned his horse around and retreated behind the hundred-odd cavalrymen.

The messenger was the same man as before. He first saluted Suo Chao and then said, "Inspector Suo, my general says that since there is no official dispatch from the Bureau of Military Affairs, it is still not proper to casually allow allied troops to enter the city. However, since this is the command of His Excellency the Chief Councilor, it cannot be violated. Extracting the prisoners is a minor matter; there is no need to trouble the Inspector. Just allow my humble self to make the trip and bring the prisoners out to hand over to the Inspector."

Hearing this, the corners of Suo Chao's mouth lifted slightly before returning to a straight line. Su Wu's prediction had come true precisely.

Suo Chao immediately altered his expression, putting on a stern face, and said, "I received direct orders to come and take custody of these prisoners, which requires a proper handover, hand to hand. If anything goes awry, how can I report back to my superiors? This was a matter agreed upon between your Prefect and the Chief Councilor in my household. Go back and tell Dong Ping that I must receive the prisoners in person!"

"Inspector..."

"Say no more! Go back and report this to Dong Ping!" Suo Chao glared with his tiger-like eyes and waved his hand to dismiss him.

The man had no choice but to whip his horse and gallop back. As soon as he was a little distance away, Suo Chao turned to Su Wu with a wide smile and said, "Brother, your ability to divine events is truly godlike!"

Su Wu rode forward again and said, "It is simply that Dong Ping is excessively vigilant and cunning."

"Wasn't your foresight able to anticipate his vigilance and cunning?" Suo Chao laughed heartily, adding, "Brother is truly no ordinary martial man..."

"The Inspector flatters me too much..." Su Wu replied with modest courtesy.

Suo Chao continued, "This is no excessive flattery; brother, your capabilities command genuine respect. If you had not devised this strategy, I would truly be in a difficult spot right now, and would have had no choice but to blindly charge in and fight them..."

Su Wu replied, "When the battle begins, I shall remain by the Inspector's side, fighting Dong Ping to the death without quarter."

These words were meant to bolster Suo Chao's confidence and courage, serving as a morale boost on the eve of battle.

Suo Chao nodded. "I know for certain that brother is a man of righteous loyalty! If this endeavor succeeds, I wish to take oath with brother as sworn brothers. What does brother think of this?"

"How could I possibly be unwilling!" Su Wu cupped his fists in salute.

Su Wu understood that such gestures were never merely about friendship and loyalty; they also involved mutual interests, and the growing realization by Suo Chao that Su Wu was far from an ordinary person.

Of course, friendship and loyalty formed the foundation, and after this battle, that foundation would become real and remarkably solid.

Suo Chao returned the salute, watching as the messenger approached once more.

Su Wu turned his horse back behind the cavalrymen again...

Then he heard the messenger deliver his words: "My general says that entering the city is strictly forbidden for allied troops. If any mishap occurs, no one can bear the responsibility. Since taking custody of the prisoners is such a minor matter, if the Inspector insists on entering the city, it will inevitably arouse suspicion..."

Suo Chao flew into a rage. "What? I am here under the orders of the Chief Councilor. What is the meaning of Dong Ping's behavior? What does he suspect the Chief Councilor of? He possesses immense audacity indeed! Does he truly wish for the Chief Councilor to come here in person to confront him?"

"Inspector, that is not what is meant. It is simply that we have no choice..."

Suo Chao directly interrupted the man, feigning intense anger: "Go! Say no more! Return and report to your general that he must clear the way..."

Helpless, the man turned his horse around and went back to deliver the message.

Dong Ping immediately declared, "As expected, this fellow is on guard against me, which makes it all the more impossible to let him enter the city. Go back and tell him that since he is an allied troop without an order from the Bureau of Military Affairs, he must not be allowed to enter the city under any circumstances. If he insists on doing so, we will have no choice but to resort to force with me. Even if a fight breaks out, I am not afraid of taking this legal battle to the Bureau of Military Affairs later..."

The messenger had no choice but to gallop back at top speed, conveying Dong Ping's uncompromising stance.

Suo Chao knew the time was ripe. He first cursed angrily a few times, then said, "Very well, let your people fetch the prisoners. But let it be understood beforehand: if any mishap occurs, when Grand Tutor Cai and the Chief Councilor place the blame, the fault will rest entirely upon Dong Ping. Tell him to think carefully. If he agrees to these terms, let him fetch the prisoners..."

The message was carried back to Dong Ping, who did not hesitate for a single moment. He told the messenger, "Just tell him where the prisoners are located. Within a quarter of an hour, I will have them brought out and handed over to him."

The messenger rushed back once more, only to hear a reluctant Suo Chao state, "At Sweet Well Lane, inside the Qin Family Beverage Shop."

This was the final relay of messages. As soon as the messenger departed, Su Wu and Wu Song came to the front of the battle formation.

Suo Chao asked, "I wonder if Dong Ping will actually return to the city himself to fetch the prisoners."

Su Wu stated with absolute certainty, "He will!"

"Why?" Suo Chao asked again.

"This matter is of monumental importance. He is not merely going to fetch prisoners; he is going to commit murder. Only by doing it with his own hands and seeing it with his own eyes will he be at ease. Moreover, in his heart, he surely does not believe that the Inspector would truly dare to attack today. To his mind, since the Inspector has agreed to a location for the handover, he has already achieved total victory..."

As Su Wu spoke, his eyes remained fixed on the galloping messenger, waiting only for the opportune moment of battle.

Suo Chao turned to look at Su Wu, his eyes growing brighter the longer he gazed. At that very moment, he felt an inexplicable intuition that Su Wu's words would unfailingly come true.

This brother Su Wu was truly no ordinary man!