bookrebus Chapter 815 Sisters Gathering
Chapter 815 Sisters Gathering
The city gate slowly opened, and Lin Xue reined in her horse, her gaze calmly sweeping across the city wall before finally settling on Governor Wang.
Governor Wang was jolted awake, no longer caring about maintaining his usual official demeanor and composure. He practically jogged down the city wall, a smile unprecedented in his life, even bordering on obsequious, plastered on his face, as he hurried toward Lin Xue.
"General Lin! General Lin, you've finally returned!" Governor Wang's voice trembled slightly with relief. "It was all my fault for being so foolish and being misled by treacherous people, causing you and your sister to suffer!" As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Lin Xueshen, his posture extremely humble.
Lin Xue sat upright on her horse, looking at him indifferently. She did not dismount immediately, nor did she return the greeting. She simply said, "Prefect Wang, you flatter me. Now that Zhao Kang has been eliminated, the situation in the city is critical."
"Yes, yes, General Lin is right!" Governor Wang hurriedly agreed, with fine beads of sweat even appearing on his forehead. "This humble official has understood! Zhao Kang harbored wolfish ambitions and intended to rebel. It is thanks to General Lin's efforts that the traitor was eliminated and the people of this city were saved! This humble official... this humble official will go and take care of two matters immediately!"
Fearing Lin Xue's displeasure, he spoke rapidly: "First, immediately release your sister, General Lin Ping! Restore all her positions and military power! Second, I will immediately send a memorial to the court to formally restore all of your powers, General Lin, and earnestly request that you and General Lin Ping jointly command the troops in the city to pursue and suppress the remaining rebels of Zhao Kang, and make sure to eradicate them completely to prevent future troubles!"
Governor Wang's words were undeniably humble, and his actions swift. He knew that only by relying entirely on the Lin sisters could he atone for his past mistakes and protect his life and official position. Zhao Kang was dead, but his remaining forces, especially those entrenched in Black Iron City outside the city, remained a significant threat, which could only be quelled by brave, resourceful, and skilled generals like the Lin sisters.
After listening to him, Lin Xue's expression remained calm, revealing neither joy nor anger. She simply nodded slightly and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Governor Wang. The military situation is urgent, and we should act as soon as possible."
"Yes! Yes! I'll take care of it right away!" Governor Wang felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He turned around and almost ran all the way to the prefectural prison and the armory to personally oversee the release of Lin Ping and the restoration of her military power. He dared not be negligent in the slightest, and every step he took revealed his awe for Lin Xue and his anxiety for his own safety.
Before long, Lin Ping, dressed in military uniform, hurried over from the direction of the prefectural capital. Although her face was slightly haggard, her eyes were still sharp as an eagle's. Upon seeing Lin Xue, she was taken aback at first, then quickly stepped forward. The two sisters exchanged a glance, a thousand words unspoken, ultimately condensing into a resolute exchange of glances. Having gone through this ordeal, the sisters' trust and tacit understanding were even stronger than before.
"Sister!" Lin Ping's voice was slightly hoarse.
"Ah Ping, you've worked hard." Lin Xue dismounted and stood side by side with Lin Ping.
"The remnants of the rebel party are mainly gathered in Black Iron City. Their leader is Ma San, Zhao Kang's trusted deputy general. This man is cunning and shrewd. Black Iron City is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the situation inside the city is complicated." Lin Ping quickly switched to military mode and said in a deep voice, "Although Zhao Kang is dead, his remaining forces still number several thousand and are well-equipped. They are a tough nut to crack."
Lin Xue nodded, her gaze turning towards the direction of Black Iron City outside the city, her eyes sharpening: "Black Iron City is strategically located, and a direct assault would inevitably result in heavy losses. With Zhao Kangxin's recent death, there must be some internal turmoil within the city. We need to first understand their situation and latest movements before we can take appropriate measures."
Lin Ping wholeheartedly agreed: "What you say is absolutely right, sister. The most urgent task is to send capable people to infiltrate Black Iron City and gather intelligence."
The two sisters exchanged a glance, and at the same time, they thought of one person—or rather, two people.
Lin Xue pondered for a moment, then said, "Black Iron City is a melting pot of all sorts of people, a place where all kinds of people gather. Ordinary soldiers can hardly infiltrate; only..."
“‘Lark’ and ‘Swallow’,” Lin Ping replied, her tone certain.
"Lark" and "Swallow" are the elite members of two special intelligence teams trained by the Lin sisters. "Lark" excels in disguise, socializing, and intelligence gathering, while "Swallow" is skilled in stealth, tracking, and combat. Being women, they have an advantage in concealing their identities in certain situations.
“That’s right.” Lin Xue nodded. “Black Iron City must have been on high alert recently because of Zhao Kang’s death. But that’s precisely why people are panicking and information is in disarray, which gives us an opportunity. Have ‘Bai Ling’ and ‘Yan Zi’ set off immediately, disguised as… prostitutes.”
Lin Xue paused for a moment, then explained, "In a place like Black Iron City, taverns and brothels are the places where information flows the fastest, and also the easiest places to come into contact with mid-level and even high-level figures in the rebel army. Using this identity as a cover, they are less likely to arouse suspicion and are more likely to find out the intelligence we need, especially Ma San's deployment and the true situation within the rebel army."
A hint of admiration flashed in Lin Ping's eyes: "This plan is brilliant. 'Bai Ling' is proficient in music and dance and has an excellent ability to adapt; 'Yan Zi' is agile and highly vigilant. With the two of them working together, they will surely succeed."
Without hesitation, the Lin sisters immediately summoned "Lark" and "Swallow".
A moment later, two women dressed in ordinary cloth, with pretty faces but also a touch of commoner charm, came before the two. They were "Bai Ling" and "Yan Zi". Although they looked delicate, their eyes revealed a sense of competence and determination.
Lin Xue succinctly explained the mission: "You two, set off immediately and infiltrate Black Iron City. Your identities will be... prostitutes seeking a living. Your objective is to gather intelligence on Zhao Kang's remaining followers Ma San's troop deployment, food supplies, any internal conflicts, and their recent movements. Be extremely careful and cautious; safety is paramount."
"Bai Ling" and "Yan Zi" straightened up and replied in unison, "Your subordinates obey! We will certainly not fail the general's trust!"
Without exchanging any further words, the two quickly withdrew to prepare their belongings. They knew that this infiltration of Black Iron City was tantamount to lambs to the slaughter, fraught with danger, but for the greater good, they were determined to go.
Watching "Lark" and "Swallow" disappear around the street corner, Lin Xue and Lin Ping turned their gazes back towards Black Iron City. As night deepened, a new contest had already begun, unseen yet unseen. The campaign to hunt down the rebels would start with these two women who had ventured deep into the lion's den.