IDWBE -Chapter 155 Who Is the Enemy?

As the two left, they waved to Ma Gui, Wang Xu, and the other guards, signaling them to stand farther away—just in case this temper flared, to avoid unnecessary misfortune.

Ma Gui bowed slightly to the two girls, showing his thanks.

For a while, under the vast eaves, only Xiao Xizi and Lin Yi remained, sighing and frowning, deeply worried.

Aside from the sound of rain and wind, everything was eerily silent.

Xiao Xizi finally couldn’t hold back her sobbing voice. “Master, maybe you should rest for a bit?”

Lin Yi asked, “Is a Grandmaster really that strong?”

“Master He said, even if arrows fly in all directions, a Grandmaster has to play humble,” Xiao Xizi replied, trying hard not to cry.

“So… we simply don’t have enough people,” Lin Yi sighed. “When your master wakes up, we need to scold him properly. That bastard—overestimating himself, no sense of his own limits. Always making me worry constantly. If he looked like that now, I’d want to crush him on the spot.”

“Your Highness, you’re right,” Xiao Xizi hurriedly nodded.

Ye Qiu—if he were to die, let him die! Cleanly.

Why would Master even bother saving him?

Almost risked himself for it.

With Master’s abilities, even if he couldn’t win, who could stop him if he wanted to escape?

“Jizhao Nunnery,” Lin Yi suddenly snorted coldly. “I’ll burn them to the ground sooner or later. Let them sing of my conquest.”

Just as Xiao Xizi was about to speak, the door opened. Consort Wen stood there with her hands behind her back.

Lin Yi hurriedly ran inside.

Hong Ying still lay quietly, filthy all over, the wounds on his face hidden by dirt. Eyes closed, motionless—no different from a corpse.

“What happened to him?”

Lin Yi turned to Consort Wen.

“Seems you really care about this servant,” she said, not answering directly.

Though Lin Yi felt uncomfortable, he restrained his temper and patiently said, “We grew up together. He’s like a brother to me.”

“A prince calling a eunuch brother—out loud, people would laugh their teeth off,” Consort Wen said disdainfully. “This servant is lucky. Carrying such a burden, he actually escaped from Jingkuan’s hands. Though unconscious for now, he’s at least alive.”

Lin Yi asked, “When will he wake?”

“That depends on his own fate. Perhaps tomorrow… perhaps never,” Consort Wen replied.

“Why would it be like this?”

Lin Yi’s heart jolted, his body trembling.

“My junior sister cultivates the essence of extreme Yin, flowing like a stream, corroding and congealing the blood vessels,” Consort Wen said gravely. “Most people would either die or be crippled if confronted. This servant, however, also cultivates in the extreme Yin path, so he won’t lose his life.”

“Thank you,” Lin Yi said.

After Consort Wen left, he gently closed the door. Then he found a towel and began wiping the dirt from Hong Ying’s face himself. Xiao Xizi hurried to take over. “Master, let me do it.”

“Hmm, cleaned.”

Tears streamed down Lin Yi’s face.

Since he was three, Hong Ying had been by his side, inseparable. From childhood, whatever happened, Hong Ying had followed him, cared for him, meticulously attentive—never a word of complaint.

“Master,”

Seeing Lin Yi like this, Xiao Xizi also smiled through tears. “Master, he’ll be fine. Why don’t you rest? I can stay here alone.”

Lin Yi shook his head, brought a chair over, and forced himself to sit upright to stop his tears.

He dozed off vaguely, and by dawn, the rain had cleared.

Another hot and stifling day.

Yawning, Lin Yi looked at Hong Ying still asleep and asked Xiao Xizi, “You haven’t slept all night?”

“No, Master. I’m not tired,” Xiao Xizi smiled.

“Stay here these days. You don’t need to look after me,” Lin Yi said, then walked to the door. Opening it, he saw Mingyue and Zixia standing by.

“Your Highness,”

Mingyue said, “Lord Shan Qi and the others are waiting in the hall.”

Lin Yi nodded, washed up quickly, and entered the hall. When tea was brought to him, he lifted his eyes and said, “The main task now is to discern who are our friends and who are our enemies.”

Such a strange statement left Shan Qi and the others bewildered.

Xie Zan said, “Please, Your Highness, instruct us!”

Lin Yi said calmly, “Anyone colluding with Jizhao Nunnery is the enemy. Anyone opposing Jizhao Nunnery is our friend. Friends must be helped whenever possible, fighting alongside them. Enemies… sweep them away like autumn leaves. I’ll crush them under the coffin lid.”

Everyone exchanged glances and responded in unison, “Understood!”

If they didn’t understand this plain explanation, they truly were fools!

Lin Yi continued, “I need a wall of bronze and iron, unbreakable.”

A wall of bronze and iron?

Everyone was puzzled again.

Before anyone could speak, Lin Yi added, “Shan Qi, He Jixiang!”

“Present!”

Both stood immediately.

“From today, recruit soldiers again,”

Lin Yi said bitterly, “Expand my forces to thirty thousand!”

“Your Highness!”

Shan Qi jumped to his feet. “Think carefully!”

Like the other elders, he naturally wanted Lin Yi to grow stronger.

But expanding to thirty thousand at once? Sanhe’s strength couldn’t support it!

How much pay? How much provisions?

And how many residents did Baiyun City even have?

It’s impossible to sustain!

“Our strategy is to fight ten men with one. Our tactics are to fight one man with ten,”

Lin Yi continued. “A Grandmaster? One ten thousand isn’t enough? I’ll raise it to thirty thousand. Whoever comes, I’ll pin them to the wall, impossible to remove.”

The crowd exchanged glances.

This prince had been provoked by Hong Ying!

Lin Yi turned to Bian Jing. “Hasten the firearms and cannons. Arrows plus gunpowder—double insurance.”

“Yes,” Bian Jing said through gritted teeth. “I’ll do my utmost.”

“Fine. That’s all.”

Lin Yi stood, walked to the door, then turned back. “Tell Du Sanhe, my patience is running out. He must choose—either be a friend or an enemy. I don’t tolerate fence-sitters.”

Du Sanhe—also known as Nie Youdao—once could have been allowed to act as an angel investor.

But now, Lin Yi accepted no investment, no bets, no wagers.

“I’ll inform him,” came the reply.

For the first time, they saw this prince’s decisiveness in action!

Shan Qi was thrilled beyond words!

Yet once outside the residence, his brow furrowed again.

“How shall we accomplish this?”

He looked at the elders.

Thirty thousand soldiers!

How is that even possible?

He Jixiang said, “This is indeed worrying. I have no good solution.”

Chen Desheng smiled. “The prince didn’t say to recruit thirty thousand immediately, right?”

“Exactly!” Shan Qi laughed heartily.

Cao Heng said, “We can only proceed gradually.”

“Don’t forget,” Xing Keshou added, “the prince also said—fight ten with one!”

“That’s my responsibility,” He Jixiang coughed, then turned to Yu Xiaoshi, crouching by the door. “Yu, I formally appoint you Chief Instructor. How about it?”

To fight ten with one, it’s best to have soldiers trained in Huiyuan Skill.

Yu Xiaoshi had the most talent. Even Hong Ying had said, no one could surpass him.

“What did you say, old man?”

Yu Xiaoshi asked, but without looking at He Jixiang—he was addressing A-Dai chewing sugarcane nearby.

He Jixiang’s mouth twitched in frustration.

Still, he patiently said, “Yu, I want you to train the soldiers at the garrison.”

“Nope, it’s too hot!”

Yu Xiaoshi refused outright.

He Jixiang had no choice.

Sun Yi craned his neck. “Master He, do you think I can do it?”

Chief Instructor of the garrison! So many people would answer to him!

Just thinking about it made him excited!

He Jixiang turned his head, ignoring him.