QT: The Rescue Of The Miserable Bigshots-Chapter 303 - 10.4

Zhang An left quickly and returned just as fast.

When he came back, he saw Jiang Jiamian seated at his desk, the imperial edict clenched tightly in his hand. One hand supported his forehead, his posture tense, his expression clearly troubled.

"General? What’s wrong?" Zhang An asked cautiously. "What did the edict say?"

Jiang Jiamian let out a slow breath and handed the edict to him directly. "Is the man dead?"

Zhang An shook his head. "No. When you gave the order, I know you only meant to teach him a lesson."

"Hm."

Jiang Jiamian nodded, seemingly satisfied. "You really are a member of the Jiang family. You understand me best."

Zhang An’s eyes flickered slightly. "After all, we’ve known each other since childhood..." As if realizing his words had crossed a line, he quickly cupped his hands and bowed. "This subordinate has spoken carelessly. Please forgive me, General."

Jiang Jiamian couldn’t help but glance at him.

Zhang An... could it be that he harbored some unspeakable feelings toward the original owner?

Whether that was true or not no longer mattered. The original plot, as well as the original owner’s memories, were destined to fade into irrelevance.

The original story had been told from the female protagonist’s rebirth perspective. She was the true center of the narrative. Even Xiao Jinan, labeled the villain, was nothing more than a backdrop to her brilliance. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The so-called pacification of the vassal kings, something the old emperor had failed to achieve, yet succeeded through her generation, existed solely to elevate the female protagonist’s loyalty and the male protagonist’s achievements.

As for the Jiang family army, and the fate of the original protagonist, they were merely tools. Their struggles existed only to highlight the male protagonist’s wisdom and benevolence, culminating in his vindication of the Jiang family after ascending the throne.

The original owner’s memories ended abruptly... Summoned back to the capital. Forced into marriage with the King of Huainan. Tortured to death.

As for Deputy General Zhang An, those memories stopped around this very moment.

"Return to the capital!?"

Zhang An unfolded the imperial edict and scanned it briefly. His hands trembled as anger surged through him. "What is the emperor thinking? Summoning us back at a time like this?! The battle against the King of Huainan is finally making progress. He may soon be forced to personally take the field, giving us the chance to kill him outright! We’ve endured four years of hardship to reach this point, and now the emperor wants us to return to the capital!?"

Zhang An didn’t know the emperor’s true intention behind the summons, but even the surface meaning of the edict was enough to enrage him.

Jiang Jiamian stood up, his expression unreadable. "It’s not that the King of Huainan might soon enter the battlefield... It’s that he’s already been forced into it."

Zhang An froze. Images flashed through his mind, Jiang Jiamian’s solitary charge into the enemy camp.

"General..." His voice tightened. "You fought him?"

Jiang Jiamian’s eyes grew colder. "Yes. But that no longer matters. Once we return to the capital, everything becomes uncertain. As for the King of Huainan... we can no longer concern ourselves with him."

Zhang An fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "What is the emperor thinking? Does he not realize that once we withdraw, if the King of Huainan decides to march north, there will be nothing left to stop him?"

"Of course he knows." Jiang Jiamian sneered. "But compared to the threat of the King of Huainan, he fears the consequences of a so-called Jiang family rebellion far more."

At this moment, the emperor’s mind was singularly fixated on the Jiang family army.

The King of Huainan was a long-term threat, dangerous, but not immediate. The Jiang family, however, was something he believed could turn against him at any moment.

That was what he feared most.

"Rebel?" Zhang An repeated blankly. "Who’s rebelling?"

The Jiang family army?

What was their young general talking about?

Jiang Jiamian waved his hand dismissively. "I can’t explain everything right now. But I have orders for you. Every word must be followed exactly. There can be no mistakes."

Zhang An immediately clasped his hands and bowed. "General, please give your orders!"

Jiang Jiamian looked toward the distance, beyond the camp. "I will return to the capital alone. You will remain here with the main force of the Jiang family army. While I am gone, hold your ground. Do not advance. Avoid conflict with the King of Huainan’s forces."

Zhang An frowned. "This... General, you’re returning alone? How can that be? And the imperial edict clearly intends for the entire Jiang family army to return."

Jiang Jiamian sneered faintly. "He didn’t state it explicitly. I’ll simply pretend I didn’t understand."

Zhang An hesitated, "But General, even so, won’t the emperor cause you trouble?"

"Whether I obey fully or not..." Jiang Jiamian replied coolly, "He will still cause me trouble."

That tone finally made Zhang An realize something was truly wrong. He lowered his voice instinctively. "General... what happened?"

He knew better than anyone how loyal the Jiang family army had always been. Their young general had been raised on the principle of unwavering loyalty to the emperor. He would never speak like this without reason.

Jiang Jiamian turned back and gently patted Zhang An’s shoulder. "Don’t ask. Just do as I say."

Seeing the solemn look on his face, Zhang An swallowed his questions. After a moment’s thought, he spoke again, uncertainty creeping into his voice. "General, you said not to clash with the King of Huainan. To defend and not attack. But if he learns that you’ve left, he’ll surely seize the opportunity to strike. If we’re too passive, we could be overwhelmed."

"He won’t." Jiang Jiamian said with certainty.

"Huh?" Zhang An was stunned. "How can you be sure?"

In this situation, with their general gone, the remaining soldiers were left without a leader. Who, then, wouldn’t choose to fight with everything they had?

"I’ve already reached an agreement with him." Jiang Jiamian replied evenly. "If we don’t move, he won’t either. As for the Jiang family army’s future stance... We’ll discuss it after I return."

With that, Jiang Jiamian showed no intention of lingering. The Golden Armor Guards from the capital were already waiting outside.

And this journey... was unavoidable.

The original owner’s father was still imprisoned in the capital, gravely ill.

If he returned quickly enough, there might still be time to save him.

As Jiang Jiamian stepped out, Zhang An hesitated, then finally spoke. "General! Are you planning to rebel?"

What did he mean by not opposing the King of Huainan?

What did he mean by deciding their future stance later?

Why?

Their general had spent years negotiating, restraining, and resisting Huainan’s forces. How could an imperial edict suddenly push him toward such a terrifying possibility?

Jiang Jiamian paused, but did not turn around. "Zhang An. Don’t ask. Wait for my return."

Zhang An lowered his voice. "General, I only wish to say this: no matter what decision you make, I, and the Jiang family army, will follow your command."

Jiang Jiamian continued walking.

"Thank you."