Chapter 144: Dare You Bet Again?

A flash of cunning crossed the eyes of this crafty Northern Yan general.

Wondering what malicious trick he had conjured up this time, Jiang Chen could only feign composure to deal with the situation step by step. The moment he showed the slightest sign of cowardice, Xiao Tong would see right through him.

After being forced by Xiao Tong to use Shen Xueying as a shield, Jiang Chen had no idea how much longer his lies could be sustained.

His earlier claim that he did not care about the lives of these prisoners of war was, of course, deliberately said for Xiao Tong to hear. Only when the enemy lost interest in these captives and stopped holding them in such high regard would the chances of these people being rescued increase.

All in all, given the current plight of the prisoners, death could descend upon them at any moment, and all Jiang Chen could do was fight for a sliver of hope.

As soldiers, he believed they had long since prepared themselves to lay down their lives for their country—this was the glory of the brave.

Xiao Tong ordered his men to bring out a desk, along with brush and ink. He penned a letter on the spot. Although the contents remained unknown to Jiang Chen for now, this was undoubtedly another severe test for him.

Once Xiao Tong pressed his seal onto the signature of the letter, several Northern Yan soldiers carried a large basket of flatbreads and placed them before Jiang Chen.

These flatbreads were steaming hot, having just come out of the oven. While such fare could hardly be considered a delicacy, it was an immensely precious and valuable food on the battlefield.

Not understanding what Xiao Tong was ultimately up to, Jiang Chen questioned him, "What kind of game are you playing this time? I am in a rush to head back."

With the freshly written letter in one hand and a piece of flatbread in the other, Xiao Tong uttered words that served as the most insidious test yet for Jiang Chen.

"Look closely. The letter in my left hand is addressed to the Emperor of Great Qian, mentioning that Northern Yan is willing to waive one million taels of gold in reparations from Great Qian to show our sincerity in peace talks. We hope the Great Qian court will assess the situation and satisfy our eighteen negotiation demands as soon as possible."

"And on my right, as you can see, is a freshly baked flatbread. This thing smells so good it makes one's mouth water, and it is exceptionally filling."

With that, Xiao Tong took a fierce bite to demonstrate the deliciousness of the flatbread.

Jiang Chen could guess roughly what treacherous scheme Xiao Tong was plotting. He rapidly calculated a countermeasure in his mind; his next decision would undoubtedly directly affect the life and death of many people.

"Jiang Chen, I will give you a choice. Will you take this handwritten letter of mine to claim credit before the Emperor of Great Qian, or will you take this basket of flatbreads to save these starving prisoners of war?"

With the corners of his mouth upturned and a fierce glare in his eyes, Xiao Tong pushed Jiang Chen straight to the edge of a cliff. Whichever choice he made would feel as difficult as walking through a sea of swords and a mountain of flames.

"You said earlier that you didn't care about the lives of these prisoners, so I suppose you must prefer this letter that can exempt Great Qian from one million taels of gold, right?"

Under Xiao Tong's aggressive questioning, no emotional fluctuations could be discerned on Jiang Chen's face. Just as he had been from the very beginning, he remained entirely calm and poised.

It was that exact expression that deeply annoyed Xiao Tong, as if everything were within Jiang Chen's control and no matter what happened before him, it was never worth making a fuss over.

Jiang Chen was so calm and collected that even Xiao Tong began to harbor self-doubt. "Could it be that he has a way to resolve even such a thorny dilemma?"

"What kind of joke are you playing? Of course I choose this basket of flatbreads."

Xiao Tong had expected Jiang Chen to at least consider the matter carefully, but he never imagined this fellow would make a choice almost without hesitation—a choice that seemed utterly reckless.

"Then are you admitting that all that nonsense you spouted earlier was just an act?" Xiao Tong continued his verbal coercion, desperate to force a confession from Jiang Chen.

"You want to get me killed, but I won't fall for it. Everyone in the world knows those stubborn brutes from Qishan treat their comrades like blood brothers. If anyone becomes their enemy, they will never come to a good end."

"If I were to choose this worthless letter today and abandon these Qishan prisoners who are bound to die sooner or later, I can well imagine my fate upon returning—I would certainly be killed by those enraged madmen. I am not tired of living!"

Jiang Chen grabbed a handful of flatbreads and hurled them straight down into the depression without another word.

To his dismay, the Qishan prisoners, resolute in their determination to die, refused to accept this charity from the Northern Yan people. For such truly brave and fearless soldiers, facing death head-on was not all that terrifying.

Having their reputation insulted and their dignity stripped away was what caused them flesh-and-blood agony!

"It seems they don't appreciate your kindness," Xiao Tong remarked sarcastically from the side.

Jiang Chen ignored him. He understood very well what was going on in the minds of these prisoners, and he was deeply moved by such unyielding courage.

However, if he wanted to rescue these people, the first step was to get them to eat and restore their physical strength. Only while alive would they have a chance to seek revenge.

Therefore, Jiang Chen suddenly made a proposal to Xiao Tong. "You lost to me once back in Jinyang City. Do you dare to gamble with me again now?"

Xiao Tong stared at Jiang Chen with keen interest, finding it utterly ridiculous. He was the one holding all the advantages of time, geography, and popular support; what right did a nobody like Jiang Chen have to utter such audacious words to his face?

"Jiang Chen, you'd better figure out who you are. The dignified Great General of Northern Yan even acknowledging you as a person is already doing you a favor. Now you actually want to challenge me? Who do you think you are?"

"I may be a nobody, but I did defeat you once, didn't I?" Jiang Chen unceremoniously struck Xiao Tong's sore spot.

Indeed, the grand Great General of Northern Yan had been played for a fool by a mere nobody, forced to tear down his own military banner right in front of the citizens of Jinyang City. How could that not be a humiliation?

Xiao Tong thought to himself: *Did I go through all the trouble of making Jiang Chen a Great Qian envoy and bringing him here precisely to wash away that past shame?*

There was no reason to refuse another wager, or else it would only make him look afraid of Jiang Chen.

At this thought, Xiao Tong immediately declared that whatever Jiang Chen wanted to gamble on now, he would accompany him to the very end.

"The last time was purely a fluke. I won't let you succeed again. Speak, what exactly do you want to gamble on with me?"

Jiang Chen reached out and pointed, replying, "Their lives!"

"Give them food and drink. I will lead them all the way north to escape from Qiwu Mountain. After the sun sets, you may lead a large army to pursue and kill us. As long as you catch up, you may slaughter or execute us as you please!"

"But if you lack the competence to catch us, then I will successfully lead them out of danger!"

Upon hearing Jiang Chen's words, the generals around Xiao Tong immediately declared that this was a flimsy excuse; Jiang Chen's sole purpose was to rescue these people and help them escape—how could they possibly fall for it?

"Shut up!" Xiao Tong shouted, cutting through the noisy clamor.

"Sounds interesting. I accept this challenge!"