Chapter 705 - 705: The Sparrow Stalks Behind
Just when all sides were preparing to go to Xihang, in a courtyard in the Southern Suburb of Shenchuan City, a few people were discussing how to enter Shenchuan City. These people were Chen San, Fire Butterfly Chen Si, Aomuhan, and others who had just entered Shenchuan City not long ago.
When the Shen Family's people entered Shenchuan City, Chen San and others also entered the city. However, they did not make a move, nor did they intervene in the matter between the Shen Family and Sha Men, instead, they kept a close watch on the movements of the people from Western Province. To them, the outcome of the battle between Sha Men and the Shen Family was not important. Their real target was those people from Western Province, the household slaves who had once betrayed the Chen Family.
"I just received news that those household slaves have already prepared thoroughly and have started heading to Xihang!" Fire Butterfly Chen Si said to Chen San and Aomuhan with a stern voice, "Their people are already in place. As soon as the major battle between the Xihang Shen Family and Sha Men ends, they will immediately make their move, taking advantage of the absence of Huangfu Ziyu in the Eastern Province to take control of all underground forces in the province. Then they will further attack toward the Northeast direction, taking over all the underground forces of the Southern Six Provinces, gradually unifying the underground forces in these provinces, in order to gain the strength to stand against our Master!"
"Hmph, these household slaves sure have grand plans. It's just a pity that they think they are being secretive, not realizing that we have had everything under control all along!" Aomuhan said with a cold laugh, "Third Brother, Fourth Sister, the men my father sent have already arrived. Just give the order, and the three hundred Red Robes are at your command. Compared to our Shu Red Robes, the forces of these few household slaves are nothing!"
"Muhan, don't underestimate these people too much!" Chen San shook his head and said, "These household slaves were our Chen Family's close attendants back in the day, holding most of our family's secrets. When they betrayed the Chen Family, they not only led people into our house but also took a large portion of our wealth and personnel. They even learned the training methods we used for our personnel. The people under their command are likely trained using our old methods, and their combat power is not much weaker than the Red Robes sent by our adoptive father. Moreover, these household slaves have been conserving strength and biding their time for twenty years, always planning this. If they weren't fully confident, they wouldn't have made their move with all their strength. Therefore, this battle will undoubtedly be a tough one, and we must not take it lightly!"
"They are just a few household slaves, after all, no matter how long they plan. They are still slaves; how can they turn the tables and become masters now?" Aomuhan said disdainfully, "The three hundred Red Robes led by Uncle Wu, handpicked by him, are only below the three hundred personal guards of my father in strength. Once they make a move, those people of the household slaves will be nothing in comparison!"
Chen San and Chen Si exchanged looks, both feeling somewhat helpless. Aomuhan was too young, having grown up protected by Aowuchang, and just like Shen Baichuan from the Shen Family, he always believed his father was the strongest in the world and did not put anyone else in his eyes.
In Aomuhan's eyes, if it weren't for Aowuchang's constant praise of the Meng District General Helian Tiehua, he probably wouldn't even regard Helian Tiehua highly. Now trying to make him take Xu Cunxiao and others seriously was probably going to be difficult. People like Aomuhan only truly understand that there are heavens beyond the sky and people beyond men after suffering a great loss!
"Since Uncle Wu is personally leading the team, that makes things easier." Chen San said, "Muhan, help me get in touch with Uncle Wu soon, I want to discuss this matter with him personally."
"No problem!" Aomuhan gestured and said, "To be honest, Third Brother, you don't need to be so nervous. Aren't you aware of Uncle Wu's capabilities? His coming personally shows how seriously my father is taking this matter. This time, we will definitely be able to catch all those household slaves in one sweep and restore your Chen Family's dignity!"
"Let's hope so!" Chen San slowly nodded and then asked Chen Si, "Where are your people now?"
"They'll all be in place before five o'clock tomorrow morning…" Chen Si replied, "Following your instructions, they have been divided into eleven teams, ready to deal with the people Xu Cunxiao has sent into the Eastern Province."
"The troop you trained at the West Gate, although their loyalty is enough, the training time was too short, and their combat capability is still lacking, they really can't handle the people Xu Cunxiao has sent. However, you don't need to confront them head-on, just stalling them for a little while will do." Chen San said, "The critical locations in this battle are in Dongzhou and Shenchuan City. Dongzhou is the stronghold of Huangfu Ziyu, which is the main target of these household slaves. At Shenchuan City's end, with the Lin family present, they will definitely try to break into Shenchuan City and take Lin Huayu as a threat against the Shen Family's people. So, these two places are the main battlefields of this great war. I've already ordered my men to rush to Shenchuan City overnight. For Dongzhou City, we will have to rely on Uncle Wu!"
"Third Brother, don't worry, I'll talk to Uncle Wu in a while, everything will be fine!" Aomuhan replied cheerfully.
"That's good!" Chen San slowly nodded and continued, "I estimate Sha Men's people will enter Xihang tomorrow. But they won't make their move tomorrow; the earliest they would act is the night after tomorrow. When Sha Men's people and the Shen Family's people clash, these household slaves will seize the opportunity to strike, beginning to sweep through the underground forces of the Eastern Province. We will also make our move the night after tomorrow, striking together with them. But for now, this must remain secret, as our forces are definitely not a match for the household slaves' underlings. We must launch a surprise attack to catch them off guard!"
"Third Brother, aren't you being too cautious?" Aomuhan said, "Actually, I think it's better to strike first. Let Uncle Wu lead his men to solve all the people sent by those household slaves completely, once and for all. It would be so much more convenient!"
"Absolutely not!" Chen San hastily waved his hand, saying, "These household slaves, in order to swallow the underground forces of the Eastern Province in one fell swoop, have dispersed all their men into various districts to confront Huangfu Ziyu's forces. As a result, they didn't leave many people in each district. It's only at such a time that we can take advantage of the situation. If we strike first, before Sha Men and the Xihang Shen Family have clashed, these household slaves will certainly have plenty of energy to manage things here, which won't be good for us. Once they gather all their men to target us, we will be in danger!"
Aomuhan said, "Oh, you are being a bit too cautious. What danger could there be? With Uncle Wu's three hundred Red Robes and your Ludong Resounding Horse here, what impact could these household slaves' men possibly have?"
Chen San knew he couldn't persuade Aomuhan and could only sigh, saying, "Muh Han, this matter is crucial to whether our Chen family can rejuvenate itself or not, I can't afford any oversight. Only by doing so can we be fully confident!"
Aomuhan glanced at Chen San, and ultimately just pursed his lips without saying more. Chen San had laid it out so clearly that to argue further would really be pointless.
"Then it's decided!" Chen Si stood up and said, "I will make arrangements right away and have my men start moving."
"That's also good!" Aomuhan nodded and looked at Chen San, saying, "But, Third Brother, what about us? Sha Men, the household slaves of the Western Province, and people like Huangfu Ziyu have all gone to Xihang. Maybe we should join in the action?"
"What's there to join?" Chen San shook his head, saying, "Our main battlefield is the Eastern Province. In Xihang, let them fight however they want. It would be best if they truly inflict mutual heavy losses upon each other. If Shen's family really collapses, Master would then be able to enter the Southern Six Provinces smoothly. Otherwise, with the Shen Family blocking us here, it will be troublesome!"
"But, we have nothing to do here either!" Aomuhan paused for a moment and said in a low voice, "Third Brother, I heard the Xihang Shen Family has hidden quite a few treasures, including those Seven Treasures my dad always talks about. This time, if we were to go to Xihang, we might be able to snatch a few treasures in the chaos. Isn't this a rare opportunity? Shouldn't we go have a look?"
Hearing about the Seven Treasures, Chen San frowned slightly but still shook his head, saying, "What belongs to us will eventually be ours. What is not ours, is pointless to seize forcefully. Muh Han, don't focus too much on the matter of the Seven Treasures, what's crucial now is to thwart the plans of these household slaves. Otherwise, once their plan succeeds and they actually gain control of the underground forces of the Southern Six Provinces, they might really have the power to contend with Master!"
"Third Brother, you think too highly of these household slaves," Aomuhan muttered, "Since we've all come here, how could their plan possibly succeed? Don't belittle ourselves and inflate others. This time, they are bound to fail!"
"I hope so," Chen San sighed softly, a trace of unease in his heart from Aomuhan's arrogance. But since Aomuhan was Ao Wuchang's own son, he couldn't command him and could only watch him more closely, ensuring no mishaps occurred.
You see, Xu Cunxiao and others from the Western Province had been plotting for twenty years, and siblings Chen San and Chen Si had also been waiting for twenty years. This was his great opportunity for revenge and his hope for revitalizing the Chen Family. Hence, Chen San could not afford any mistakes that would render his twenty years of waiting a complete waste!
Aomuhan said, "In fact, once the Shen Family completely collapses, Great General Helian Tiehua can cross Jiangnan. My dad will surely come over too, and by then, no matter how powerful the household slaves of the Western Province are, they absolutely won't be able to stop the Great General and my dad!"
Aomuhan held his father Ao Wuchang in extremely high regard—in his eyes, aside from Great General Helian Tiehua, it was his father Ao Wuchang. Unfortunately, Chen San was not as confident because he didn't think the Shen Family would collapse so easily. After all, the Southern Fist King Shen Tianjun was only missing, not dead!
Who knows, Shen Tianjun might suddenly reappear?