Beginning with the Ubume Bird Chapter 77 – Chapter 77: Chapter 30: Man proposes, God disposes

Chapter 77: Chapter 30: Man proposes, God disposes

Li Yan dismounted and hurried to the city gate, shouting upwards.

“Where is the Governor?”

“The Governor has already left the city and is chasing Konishi Yukinaga towards the Datong River.”

Tang Baizhan's face was pale.

Li Yan took a deep breath and turned to speak.

“Diao, you lead the men to defend outside the city and wait for my message.”

Then he said to Tang Baizhan, “Open the gate, take me to see the Governor.”

“I can't make that decision.”

Tang Baizhan looked distressed.

“What's the matter?”

Yang Yuan, the deputy general of the central army, with a treasured sword hanging at his waist, walked up to the city wall. He was Li Rusong's deputy, and at this moment, the elite of the Ming Army were all deployed with a vow to keep Konishi Yukinaga at the Datong River mouth, but there were still more than ten thousand troops in the city, now under his command.

After repeating Tang Baizhan's words, Yang Yuan recognized this recently famous Chief Flag Officer, and without much hesitation, with his large palm pressing on the powder-stained stone bricks of the city wall, he shouted to Li Yan, “I can let you into the city first, while you relay the message to Lord Minister, and let him decide.”

“Good.”

Li Yan agreed without hesitation.

Yang Yuan waved his hand: “Lower the rope ladder.”

…

“Where did you see the Japanese pirate reinforcements?”

Shocked by this news, Song Yingchang took a few steps towards Li Yan, his eyebrows raised in a commanding presence, nothing like the shabby straw-hatted figure Li Yan had first seen.

“To avoid offense, please step back, Lord Minister.”

Li Yan bowed his hand.

“No need,” Song Yingchang said. “Just tell me.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yan still stepped back two paces and pulled something from his chest, which turned out to be a magpie with its wings folded.

The magpie fluttered into the air as soon as it saw the light, circling around the tent, its silver-gray wings and golden-red beak scattering speckles of light, an extraordinary sight.

“Divine Ende Sparrow, at your service, Lord,”

A crisp, childlike voice came from the magpie's mouth.

Everyone in the camp exchanged incredulous looks.

Song Yingchang remained composed and asked, “So, did you see the Japanese reinforcements?”

“Yes.”

In its small, dark eyes, the middle-aged Ming official before it had behind him a five-colored peacock with a cold and detached gaze.

Although both birds, the Ende Magpie felt no kinship; the peacock gave it the impression of an unfathomable abyss.

Still, it felt warmer near this general. Contemplating this, the stifled Ende Magpie flew back to Li Yan's shoulder.

“I indeed saw the Japanese troops, a mess of banners intermingled, many horses, many people, and many firearms and weapons.”

Song Yingchang frowned. As soon as the Ende Magpie began to speak, he knew he wouldn't be able to get any detailed information about the Japanese reinforcements from this exotic bird.

Those without military experience couldn't tell the difference between ten thousand and a hundred thousand soldiers with just a glance—all appeared as an indistinguishable, dense mass. And even more so for a bird.

“My lord, I've inquired in detail. Among the Japanese reinforcements, there were at least seven or eight clan banners, including those of Mori, Hidetada, and even Tokugawa. They weren't a large army, but surely elite. When the Ende Magpie noticed them, they were about 120 li south of Pyongyang City. If they are marching nonstop, they should be about 80 li from Pyongyang City by now.”

“Yeah yeah yeah. Lots of jumbled patterns,”

The Ende Magpie echoed in its babbling voice.

Song Yingchang nodded and his gaze softened a lot as he looked at Li Yan.

“I've heard Yi Gaogong ordered you to gather the wild gods and spirits of Joseon. How effective has it been?”

Song Yingchang didn't believe in ghosts and spirits and scoffed at Yi Yu's words, thinking they were just excuses for being scared of battle.

But Yi Yu was favored by the emperor, and in the court, there were quite a few scribes vehemently advocating for the Heavenly Master Tao, so he turned a blind eye to it.

However, the Ende Magpie that Li Yan brought back was right in front of him, and he had to admit that this approach seemed workable.

“Reporting to my lord,” Li Yan straightened his back. “It's a notable success!”

Guided by the She Mountain Woman's headscarf, the process of gathering the wild gods for Li Yan went extremely smoothly. Most of the ancient and powerful wild gods and spirits had been recruited, and despite Yu Shu's several requests for rest, which delayed the process, it only took a little more than a day.

It was while gathering the relatively weak Ende Magpie flock that he learned from these little creatures about the approaching Japanese reinforcements, so he quickly led his group back to Pyongyang City to report.

“Right Army Chief Banner Li Yan, heed the order!”

Song Yingchang's eyes turned serious.

“Your subordinate is here.”

“Take my personal seal, ride swiftly to the Datong River, and report verbatim to the Governor everything you've told me. Also, tell him, ‘A cornered wolf might be let loose, but the Tiger's Head must not be lost.' He must think long and hard,” he instructed.

Even though Song Yingchang, an official of the Ministry of War, might not use troops as skilfully as Li Rusong, his mind was definitely calm. When the forty-thousand-strong Ming Army first entered Joseon, they were unstoppable, and they conquered Pyongyang within two days in January, prompting the Joseon official Ryu Rusong to exclaim that the celestial soldiers were brave and fierce.

But now, with the tides of battle reversed and the Japanese being well-supplied, the situation called for steady, careful action and absolutely no recklessness.

What Song Yingchang feared most at this moment was Li Rusong letting his martial temper get the best of him in his pursuit, and by some ill fate running headlong into the reinforcements—that would be a regrettable mistake!

Song Yingchang handed his personal seal to Li Yan. The moment Li Yan took it, his body felt immediately warm.

“You have obtained the personal seal of a third-rank official from Great Ming.”

“You have been blessed with Dragon Tiger Qi!”

“Since you are not the direct owner of the Dragon Tiger Qi, you can only receive the most basic status enhancement.”

“All types of damage you receive are reduced by 15%.”

“Your damage comes with the Dragon Tiger Qi's burning and stunning effects.”

“National Destiny Dragon and Tiger Qi counteract each other.”

“Hurry up.”

Song Yingchang patted Li Yan's shoulder hard.

…

With a clang, the city gate was broken open at a corner. Li Yan rode out on a Qing Mane Horse, with a Ring Dragon Han Sword slung over his shoulder and a Raw Iron Hook-Scythe Spear on his back.

“Nine-Winged Sudu!”

Li Yan shouted loudly.

“Lord, it's fine to just call for Sudu.” Nine-Winged Sudu flew out of the crowd, his eyes shining with light.

“You can fly fast; head to the Datong River first. Don't bother helping. Stay high in the sky, look for a three-zhang tall black Dragon Flag, that's where the Lord Governor is. Once you find it, hurry back to me! I have an important message.”

Nine-Winged Sudu was an Exotic Beast with hundreds of years of intelligence, understanding the situation incredibly quickly.

“Lord, I can carry you, why don't we…”

Nine-Winged Sudu looked awkward and hopeful.

“Hurry up.”

“Understood…”

Nine-Winged Sudu replied glumly.

Three furry balls perched on the back of the Chantanner were chatting with each other. They were the Liangna brothers, who had known Nine-Winged Sudu for over a hundred years. Their relationship was deep and complex.

“Was Big Sister just…”

“Right, right, right, she was just…”

“I think she was…”

“Everyone follow me; the chance to distinguish ourselves is here.” He then looked towards the local spirits and Wild Gods of Joseon.

“Once the battle is over, our Governor will personally write to the king of Joseon, promising you golden statues and temples.”

The Jin Yan frog laughed loudly.

“We naturally trust the words of a general from the Celestial Empire.”

“If you trust me, then charge forward, and don't slack off.”

Li Yan pulled on the reins and led everyone towards the Datong River.

“You're really going like this.”

Yu Shu rode up alongside Li Yan. She watched him like a Ghost, observing how Li Yan racked his brains and strategized with hardship.

“You don't seem so foolish.”

“What do you mean?”

Li Yan asked in return.

“The incident at Yan Fu has been difficult for you, but the rewards are especially rich. If you now report that the Japanese pirates' reinforcements are coming, and Li Rusong returns to camp and lets Konishi Yukinaga escape, it will be difficult to kill him later. Now Konishi Yukinaga is in a precarious situation at the Datong River, this is the best chance. While you still have power, suppress this information, instigate Li Rusong and Konishi Yukinaga into a fight to death, and you can fish in troubled waters.”

Yu Shu whispered beside Li Yan like a witch tempting a mortal.

She did not mention that if Li Yan delayed the message and hindered the war efforts, it could lead to Li Rusong being surrounded, or even the failure of the entire Renchen War!

However, she thought that Li Yan didn't care about these things and had no reason to care.

Li Rusong and Great Ming of this world had nothing to do with Li Yan's own world.

This world and the one he came from were like two similar but distinct leaves. The life and death, and even the so-called national fate of Great Ming, had nothing to do with Li Yan's world.

In Yu Shu's eyes, this man was not a sadistic lunatic, but he was decisive, willing to act, and knew when to make sacrifices and choices. In this regard, Red Ghost was much inferior to him.

He knew what he should do.

But Li Yan shook his head: “It's not worth it.”

“The compassion of a woman.”

Yu Shu sneered.

Li Yan smiled indifferently.

He could unhesitatingly kill a Centurion who might affect his own future when he first arrived, yet he refused to heed Yu Shu's words. This had nothing to do with the rise and fall of Great Ming; on this issue, he agreed with Yu Shu.

He just preferred to solve problems in his own way.

Whether a person can see the situation clearly and distinguish advantages and disadvantages is a matter of ability; but whether they use fists or brains to break through is a matter of character.

It's hard to say whether there are more dead people who thought themselves clever or those who acted recklessly.

After all, man may make many plans, but it is the heavens that have the final say…

Chapter end