TNIBFT -Chapter 282 In the Face of Absolute Strength, All Schemes Are Futile

Jiang Yunxi hadn’t expected things to turn out like this.

She gripped the whip tightly with both hands, her pleading gaze fixed on the armored man ahead. This person—he had to be Lin Xianzhong!

His presence alone set him apart.

His armor, his bearing, even his warhorse were different. He was clearly the one giving orders. But why had things unfolded this way?

The suffocating pressure made Jiang Yunxi taste iron in her throat. She could even clearly hear the tightening sound of the whip around her neck.

She was gambling.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Just as her right hand made the slightest movement, Lin Xianzhong, seated atop his tall horse, spoke in a deep voice:

“A woman the City Lord of Sifang City wants?”

“Interesting. Bring her here. Let me take a look.”

The soldier immediately loosened the whip. Jiang Yunxi collapsed onto the snow, clutching her throat as she coughed violently. Then, like a dead dog, she was dragged forward by two men, one on each side, until she was brought before Lin Xianzhong.

“Cough… cough…”

She struggled to catch her breath.

Lin Xianzhong frowned, his tone impatient.

“Is there anything unusual in Sifang City?”

“If you can’t answer, I’ll have you killed immediately!”

“I… I don’t know… I was captured by Ye Tian and taken to Sifang City…” Jiang Yunxi stammered in panic.

Lin Xianzhong’s gaze remained indifferent as he was about to speak.

Jiang Yunxi suddenly lifted her head.

The moment their eyes met—

Lin Xianzhong’s pupils shrank, his expression freezing for an instant. Recovering quickly, his tone softened slightly.

“Why did Ye Tian capture you?”

“You’d better answer honestly.”

Kneeling in the snow, Jiang Yunxi knew she had already succeeded in the first step.

She lowered her head, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.

But when she looked up again, her face had turned into one of pitiful fear.

“My lord… I truly don’t know… I’m from Jiangyang City. My father was conscripted and died, my mother is gone too. I… I was captured by Ye Tian…”

Jiangyang City?

Lin Xianzhong frowned as he stared at the girl kneeling in the snow, unease rising in his heart.

Why was this such a coincidence?

This girl looked so much like Jiaojiao in her youth. Her father conscripted to death, her mother gone, even her accent carried the tone of Jiangyang…

This…

A trace of panic flashed through Lin Xianzhong’s eyes, but years of scheming quickly brought him back under control. This could very well be the enemy’s trick.

Too coincidental!

But no matter what Ye Tian was planning, this time—he would die!

“Ye Tian has captured many women. I heard he even renamed some of them Feng Jiaojiao…” Jiang Yunxi spoke softly, glancing up at Lin Xianzhong.

As expected, it was like touching a reverse scale.

“That shameless bastard! Even the dead are used for his schemes! Does Ye Tian really think doing this will make me spare him?”

“Forget these impostors—even if my wife were to come back from the dead, she would still have to die!”

Lin Xianzhong turned angrily to his men.

“Take her along for now. If she doesn’t behave, you don’t need to hold back!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Yes, sir!”

The subordinates cupped their fists and accepted the order. A cold smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Yunxi’s lips.

She understood Ye Tian’s plan perfectly. Saving Feng Jiaojiao was all for Lin Xianzhong.

Now it would depend on how Ye Tian, with fewer than ten thousand troops, would face Lin Xianzhong’s army of sixty thousand.

And there was more—

Under Ye Tian’s command was Sun Wuji, who had obtained the supreme treasure of the Divine Maiden Palace. It would be best if the entire martial world came to know of this!

…

Early the next morning.

Just as Ye Tian finished washing up, Zhu Zhongyi, with dark circles under his eyes, came to report on his work.

“You wanted something—it’s finished.”

Zhu Zhongyi didn’t feel like wasting a single extra word. A young man had his pride—though he’d been punished to kneel by his father again last night, it didn’t stop him from looking down on Ye Tian.

Ye Tian set down his chopsticks and nodded. “Well done!”

“You followed what I said last time? Built it one-to-one based on the small model? There can’t be the slightest mistake.”

Zhu Zhongyi replied flatly, “Yes.”

“The large iron cylinders have already been delivered to the western suburbs. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head over to keep watch.”

Ye Tian nodded.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Zhu Zhongyi turned around. Under the warm sunlight, Qin Fengyi walked in from outside, dressed in a dark red fitted outfit. Her long hair was tied high, strands flowing in the breeze behind her. Her stunning beauty carried a commanding aura that ordinary women simply didn’t possess.

Step by step, she approached.

Zhu Zhongyi felt as if his breathing had stopped. He stared at Qin Fengyi blankly, with no intention of leaving.

Noticing something off about the boy, Ye Tian’s face immediately darkened.

This kid is barely in his teens—what’s with that lovestruck expression?

“Ye Tian, I need to talk to you.”

Qin Fengyi walked over, not even sparing Zhu Zhongyi a glance, and sat directly across from Ye Tian.

“Lin Xianzhong has arrived faster than we expected. He wants a quick, decisive battle.”

“Ye Tian, here’s the terrain map. Lin Xianzhong is currently here…”

As she spoke, she pulled out a parchment map from her waist and spread it out in front of him.

“I’ll lead my men here and cut off the main force—”

“No, that’s too dangerous!”

Before Ye Tian could speak, the usually quiet Zhu Zhongyi suddenly interrupted anxiously.

Ye Tian blinked and looked at Qin Fengyi.

She frowned slightly, clearly displeased, and looked Zhu Zhongyi up and down. “Who are you?”

Zhu Zhongyi froze.

She… doesn’t remember me?

That day, she had descended like a divine soldier from amidst thousands of troops to save him—yet she didn’t remember at all?

Zhu Zhongyi wanted to explain, but meeting Qin Fengyi’s cold, emotionless gaze, he chose to remain silent. With a dejected expression, he cupped his fists and withdrew.

Watching his retreating figure, Ye Tian turned to Qin Fengyi, whose face seemed completely devoid of warmth or emotion toward outsiders—like a machine without feelings. Yet toward children, and toward himself, she was different.

His gaze softened slightly. He reached out and rolled up the map on the table.

“Today, I’ll take you to see something interesting.”

Something interesting?

Qin Fengyi was puzzled. She wanted to press further, but Ye Tian said, “Let’s look first. We can discuss how to deal with Lin Xianzhong afterward.”

In the corner—

Three small heads peeked out from behind the door, stacked one above another like a totem.

Ye Shuangxue said, “Mother will definitely help Father. She won’t ignore us.”

Ye Yunting looked serious. “She only has about a hundred subordinates. No matter how strong someone is, facing tens of thousands of troops, she’ll still get hurt. I think for the next couple of days, we should hide in the secret tunnel Father built. If anything goes wrong, our whole family can escape immediately.”

Xiao Jiang nodded. “If those two get married, does that mean they’ll never be separated again?”

He covered his mouth and giggled.

He needed to come up with a way to get Ye Tian and Lord Meng married—then he could openly call her “Mother.”

“What are you three doing?”

Old Yang came over carrying steaming hot buns. The three kids immediately straightened up, swiftly shutting the kitchen door. Ye Shuangxue grabbed Old Yang and placed a finger to her lips, signaling him to keep quiet.

Xiao Jiang shrank his neck and whispered, “My mom is figuring something out.”

“She’s thinking about how to protect my dad!”

Old Yang’s lips twitched, unsure of what to say.

Outside, Ye Tian said, “The carriage is too slow. You should ride and take me there instead!”