Dong Chenglang was surprised and couldn’t hide his envy, "So aren’t you immune to all poisons?"

Xie Jingchen shook his head, "I can only resist or delay the effects of common poisons."

Even so, it was enough to make people envious.

No one doubted Xie Jingchen’s words, especially Dong Chenglang. It wasn’t likely that the Duke would poison him while giving the antidote to Xie Jingchen.

General Shi’s eyes flashed coldly. He understood Marquis Dongxiang and the Prince; they disdained using such despicable means as poison on the battlefield, but the Duke had poisoned them to force Daqi to capture him alive and compel him to retreat. Wouldn’t that be tantamount to handing over the city?

This made General Shi utterly perplexed. Dong Chenglang speculated, "Could it be that the Duke wasn’t confident in holding the city and feared the loss of military prestige, leading to reprimands from the Emperor? So he let my cousin and me bear the blame for losing the city?"

General Shi thought it a possibility, but no one had evidence, and he owed the Duke a favor.

Xie Jingchen stood aside, sensing something unusual.

A few days ago, he had instigated the Duke’s heir to destroy the Flying Tiger Army, and today the Duke had given up a city for free.

His instincts told him the loss of this city was related to the Duke’s intention to eliminate the Flying Tiger Army.

Although no one knew how the Flying Tiger Army was annihilated, everyone knew where it happened.

Back then, wasn’t it after taking this city that the Flying Tiger Army was annihilated?

The difference this time was the Duke handed it over voluntarily, whereas back then the Flying Tiger Army fought hard for two days and nights to capture the city...

Dongxiang Marquis had personally experienced capturing the city back then; it was easily defensible but hard to attack, and he was prepared for a siege lasting one to two months. Yet it was captured so effortlessly?

This unexpected turn really left people uneasy.

Daqi had captured General Shi’s son and nephew, exploiting the Duke and General Shi’s internal conflict to strike them when they were down, yet they made such a significant concession to General Shi. Such abnormality couldn’t put people at ease.

However, the anxiety of Marquis Dongxiang did not affect the joy of the soldiers capturing another city, especially Xie Jingchuan.

This time, capturing Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi and forcing the Duke to retreat was mainly his achievement.

Xie Jingchuan’s prestige had already overshadowed Prince NanAn, almost matching Su Chong.

The shame of being captured alive and beaten black and blue was washed away with the capture of Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi.

The only dissatisfaction was not being able to capture Xie Jingchen alive.

Still, he was already very satisfied.

While Xie Jingchuan was immersed in the joy of his great achievement, Marquis Dongxiang and the Prince rewarded him based on merit, and on the other side, the Duke’s heir heard from his soldiers about Xie Jingchen drinking water without being poisoned.

"Are you sure he drank the water?" The Duke’s heir questioned suspiciously.

The soldier nodded.

He wouldn’t report it if he weren’t sure.

The Duke’s heir believed no one would dare joke with him about this.

The fact that Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi were captured alive was enough to prove the poison worked, yet why was he unharmed after drinking the same water?

The Duke’s heir couldn’t understand, so he summoned Xie Jingchen.

Having come numerous times, Xie Jingchen was no longer as restrained as before, saying, "You summoned me, Young Master?"

"What happened to the Heir of Marquis Changning and Young Master Shi, how did they get captured?" The Duke’s heir asked.

Shouldn’t he know better why they were captured?"

Feigning ignorance, Xie Jingchen had no choice but to play along, "They were poisoned and suspect you and the Duke poisoned them."

The Duke’s heir’s face changed, angrily slamming the table, "What does this have to do with us?!"

Xie Jingchen looked at him and said, "Because the Duke abandoned the city to save them. Although they are suspicious, they have no clear evidence to confront the Duke, and now they are secretly investigating who poisoned the water bags."

"What else?" The Duke’s heir asked.

"General Shi finds it hard to understand that the Duke abandoned the city to save the Heir of Marquis Changning today, suspecting whether the Duke planned to exploit Nanliang’s rough terrain like before to eliminate the Flying Tiger Army."

Xie Jingchen spoke while staring at the Duke’s heir, not missing the disdain reflected in his eyes.

That was the discontent of having his thoughts guessed.

Xie Jingchen indeed feared the Flying Tiger Army might fall for it again, considering how the entire Flying Tiger Army was wiped out back then, and even now, no one knew the reason.

He needed to return to the Daqi Camp to report to Marquis Dongxiang.

Just then, officials brought in two trays of pastries.

The Duke’s heir generously gave a few pieces to Xie Jingchen.

Xie Jingchen refused, and the Duke’s heir stated in dissatisfaction, "Are you afraid the pastries I reward you with are poisoned?"

Xie Jingchen looked at the Duke’s heir and said, "I dare not."

"If you dare not, then eat," the Duke’s heir urged.

Xie Jingchen took a piece and ate the pastry in front of the Duke’s heir.

After eating, he withdrew.

Upon exiting the Duke’s heir’s tent, Xie Jingchen found someone watching him, but he paid no attention and went about his business.

So what if the Duke’s heir knew he wouldn’t be poisoned?

He dared not make a fuss about trying to poison him twice.

However, once the Duke learned of the situation, he summoned Xie Jingchen for questioning, and Xie Jingchen scratched his head, saying, "I also wonder why I wasn’t poisoned."

His words left the Duke speechless.

The Duke himself was curious; finding out the reason was unlikely.

Three days later, Xie Jingchen used the excuse of going to town to buy things for Dong Chenglang and, disguised, returned to Daqi.

Marquis Dongxiang had been uneasy for days, but he was relieved to confirm from Xie Jingchen that the Duke was targeting the Flying Tiger Army.

All these years, hadn’t he yearned for the truth behind the Flying Tiger Army’s annihilation?

Having investigated for so many years without results, now that the Duke of Nanliang intended to repeat his strategy, it was crucial to seize this opportunity to uncover the truth. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

However, this meant wagering the lives of eight thousand Flying Tiger Army soldiers.

Success—

Would fulfill the wish to clear the injustice from years past.

Failure—

The Flying Tiger Army would repeat history.

Marquis Dongxiang was always decisive, but this time he hesitated.

Rebuilding the Flying Tiger Army had cost him dearly.

Witnessing his brothers die before him, he didn’t want to experience that pain again.

If they failed, he lacked the courage to rebuild the Flying Tiger Army anew.

Whether to follow the Duke’s old path, Marquis Dongxiang couldn’t decide, so he summoned the remaining Flying Tiger Army for a discussion.

Reflecting on the past made each person’s nose sour, their bodies suffused with hatred.

Back then, they should have died with those eight thousand brothers. They lived to this day only to uncover the truth behind the Flying Tiger Army’s destruction.

Now the truth was before them, how could they back down?

"The Flying Tiger Army doesn’t fear death; we only want to perish understanding!" Uncle Lin said, choking up.

The others shared Uncle Lin’s sentiments.

All the brothers agreed to risk seeking the truth.

Marquis Dongxiang stood and declared, "Then this time, it’s succeed or martyr ourselves!"

An old general from the Flying Tiger Army laughed loudly, "The worst outcome is just following the Great General’s footsteps after sixteen years; so many brothers await us on the Yellow Springs road, what’s there to fear?"

A dozen brothers recalled memories from before the Flying Tiger Army’s annihilation sixteen years ago.

Long-unhealed wounds were reopened, dripping blood.

Marquis Dongxiang leaned on the table and said, "Go back and have the brothers prepare their farewell letters."

"In three days, we attack!"