Chapter - 73 Decoy Deployment On the Cliff (3) (1/2)
She trained for a while, and then replaced the whip at her waist. From her bag she took a piece of cloth or leather that she unfolded and spread on the ground. She touched its surface, thought, then stood up to sketch some movements. She knelt again to feel the thing and to think again. Finally, she put it back in the bag and went away to the other side of the hill.
Guo Jing sighed and stood up.
”We'll follow her,” the Taoist said in a low voice. ”Let's see what mischievous plan she's preparing for us!” He caught the young man by the belt and the two slowly slipped down from the hill. When they reached bottom, they saw Mei Chaofeng already far away to the north. The Taoist put his arm around Guo Jing who immediately felt a lot lighter and the two of them went at a great speed across the steppe, following 'Iron Corpse'. As dawn began, they saw a camp of several score large gers far away. Mei Chaofeng's shadow soon disappeared among them.
They accelerated their pace, avoiding the sentries and patrols, until they arrived at a big yellow ger. Guo Jing dropped to the ground and raised the flap of the ger slightly to take a look inside. He saw a man draw his large knife and strike a huge man, who collapsed to the floor. As he fell, his face was in the field of vision of the Taoist and Guo Jing. Guo Jing recognized him; he was Temujin's personal bodyguard! He was stunned. ”How could it be that he came to be killed here?” He wondered raising the flap of the ger a little more. At this moment, the murderer turned around and Guo Jing recognized Senggum, the son of Ong Khan.
Senggum wiped the blade on his shoe's sole and said, ”Now you don't have any more doubts, do you?”
”My brother Temujin is intelligent and courageous,” answered a man, ”this plan will not be easy to achieve.”
Guo Jing recognized him; it was Jamuka, Temujin's sworn brother.
”Since you like your sworn brother so much,” Senggum sneered, ”you could go and warn him!”
”You,” Jamuka said, ”are also my sworn brother. Your father has treated me with kindness, I won't betray you. Besides, Temujin has ambitions of absorbing my soldiers into his army, this I know very well. It is only because of our oath of brotherhood that I haven't broken our relationship yet.”
”Could they be plotting against Temujin?” Guo Jing wondered. ”How is it possible?”
”The one that takes the initiative always has the advantage,” another man said. ”If you wait for him to attack you, you are lost! After the victory, all of Temujin's goods, his herds, his wives, and his treasures, will come to Senggum. His men, on the other hand, will be incorporated into Jamuka's army. Accomplish that, and you will receive the title of 'Conqueror General of the North' from the Jin Empire.”
Guo Jing could only see his back, so he crawled in a little further in order to see him better. He was clothed in a sumptuous yellow brocade tunic covered with sable. He knew the man, but he took a little time to remember his identity. ”Ah yes, he's the Sixth Prince of the Jin Empire.”
Jamuka seemed convinced by his words. ”If my adoptive father, Ong Khan, gives me the order,” he said, ”I will obey.”
”Since you put it like that,” a very happy Senggum said, ”if my father doesn't give the order, he will offend the Jin Empire. In a little while, I will ask him, he won't be able to refuse the Sixth Prince.”
”Soon,” Wanyan Honglie continued, ”the soldiers of the empire are going to descend on the south to conquer the Song. At that time, each of you, at the head of twenty thousand men, will be able to participate in the invasion. After the victory, others rewards will await you!”