The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 565 Yue Buqun: Zhang Tong, you have two enemies guarding you

"I am Yue Buqun from Huashan, greetings to Zhang Tongshou!" At the Tongshou Mansion in Xingyang, a middle-aged elegant man in a long gown and a sword on his waist bowed slightly. He was neither fearful nor arrogant, and his manners were measured. He made people feel good at first sight.

Zhang Xutuo had received a secret order long ago and knew that someone had been sent from above to assist him, but he did not know who the person was or what his abilities were. It was not until he received the name card that he realized that the person was a scholar, and not an ordinary scholar, but a hermit master.

"Haha, I've heard of your name a long time ago, and I wish we could meet sooner rather than later. Seeing you today is enough to make my life more fulfilled." Zhang Xutuo laughed heartily and ran over, suddenly reaching out his hands to grab his arms, and then...

Do not move!

He actually caught him, or rather, he put his arms in his hands without dodging, but he couldn't shake his arms at all, which shocked him a little.

He was the most powerful general of the Sui Dynasty, a genuine senior master-level warrior, whose martial arts skills were even better than Mai Tiezhang and Lai Huer. He was a veteran and invincible master, but he could not shake a mere scholar. How could he not be shocked?

The scholar who called himself Yue Buqun of Huashan had a faint purple glow on his face, and a special aura seemed to permeate his whole body. His arms slipped from his hands very naturally, and the inexplicable aura pushed him away half an inch.

"I read the books of sages, practiced health-preserving exercises, cultivated a breath of righteousness, was good at defense, and seldom killed. I am only here to protect the safety of Tongshou, and there will only be three times. I will leave after three times. I hope Zhang Tongshou will forgive me." Yue Buqun's voice was very steady. Qin Qiong, Luo Shixin, Cheng Zhijie, Pei Renji and other generals on his left and right could not help but look at each other when they heard the words.

Most of them didn't come from wealthy families, but they had some heritage and, with their exceptional talents, were naturally skilled fighters and well-versed in military tactics. They didn't take the so-called scholars too seriously. After all, the world hadn't been at peace for long, and now there were signs of chaos. It wasn't the time for scholars to suppress warriors. On the contrary, the status of warriors was even higher than that of scholars.

As Zhang Xutuo's subordinates, no one understood the power of the Sui Dynasty's most formidable general better than they did. Even if they joined forces, they were no match for Zhang Xutuo, let alone a single general. The gap between a congenital master and a grandmaster was significant. But this scholar actually claimed to have been ordered to protect Zhang Tongshou, three times. How could they not be surprised?

Zhang Xutuo laughed heartily upon hearing this and said, "Then Mr. Yue, you must be prepared to stay by my side forever."

Zhang Xutuo never lacked confidence.

Yue Buqun gave him a deep look and said meaningfully, "General Zhang is the most powerful general of the Great Sui Dynasty. He has made great achievements in suppressing the northern part of the country. With General Zhang here, the Great Sui rebels will not be able to gain any momentum, and the world will not be in turmoil. I sincerely hope that General Zhang is well. If the world is peaceful and the people are stable, then I will be bound to General Zhang."

"Good! This is the integrity of a true scholar, worthy of being called Mr. Swordsman Yue!" Zhang Xutuo praised loudly. He had seen many scholars, but a noble man like Yue Buqun who did not seek fame and fortune was unparalleled. Even Changbai Wang Bo was deeply selfish. His talent was worthy of admiration, but his character could not impress Zhang Xutuo. After all, he was defeated by him, so that was all.

Zhang Xutuo was a little nervous about Yue Buqun's arrival. After all, he was a visitor from a higher-up position. He was worried that he would be a hindrance, but he never expected that he was just a personal bodyguard who had almost no influence on his power. He was even unwilling to take over the command of the personal guards, looking like a hermit.

In a good mood, Zhang Xutuo immediately prepared a big meal and invited his brave generals to welcome Yue Buqun. During the meal, they talked about the world. Yue Buqun was an easy-going person who could talk to anyone and always hit the nail on the head, which was admirable.

The more Zhang Xutuo discovered how unfathomable Yue Buqun was, the more uneasy he became. It was impossible for his superiors to send someone to protect him for no reason. He was originally a master-level general with unmatched martial arts skills. He was supposed to be protecting others, so how could he suddenly become the one being protected?

Is there some secret that I don’t know about?

It would be fine if Yue Buqun was just an ordinary scholar. He could be understood as an aide sent by his superiors, or a rising star sent to his side to gild himself and make progress. However, this Yue Buqun does not look like that kind of person at all. Moreover, his origin is mysterious and he does not seek fame or fortune. It seems that he is really here to protect himself.

Well, or rather, to help myself.

When he was drunk, Zhang Xutuo couldn't help but ask his doubts.

Yue Buqun paused for a moment, then whispered, "General Zhang, who do you think is your biggest enemy? Who wants to eliminate you the most?"

"I'm afraid all the rebels in the world are eager for me to ascend to heaven soon." Zhang Xutuo said with a smile: "You should know that I have fought the most against the rebels."

Yue Buqun looked at Zhang Xutuo, stroking his beard and smiling. He nodded slightly and said in confirmation, "General Zhang's words are not bad. Moreover, they are a double entendre, naming both the overt and covert enemies."

Zhang Xutuo laughed heartily, his mind racing. What had he just said? Weren't they just a bunch of scoundrels? Aside from a few decent leaders, the rest were just farmers who had just put down their hoes. A single cavalry charge would crush them.

They have no military power, no equipment, and even their basic qualities are terrible. As a master leading the charge, they are definitely invincible in field battles.

Speaking of siege warfare, haha, can that bunch of parasites capture a decent city?

There is a reason why he has such a great reputation and is so famous among the rebels. His own martial arts skills and a group of capable and battle-hardened subordinates are definitely the key factors.

No, that's off topic. Mr. Yue said there were two enemies. Who else? The rebels, the early arrival at Paradise, wait, Paradise?

"Buddhism~" The two words that Zhang Xutuo blurted out shocked everyone. Qin Qiong, Luo Shixin and others all looked at him in surprise.

Yue Buqun sighed and said, "General Zhang's reputation as the greatest general of the Great Sui Dynasty is not in vain; it is a reputation he earned through his own strength. You are in fact His Majesty's trump card in maintaining the peace of the Great Sui Dynasty. Anyone who is dissatisfied with the court or His Majesty must not kill you. This includes not only the rebels, but also those ambitious individuals and even the Buddhist sect!"

"This is impossible!" Pei Renji exclaimed. Pei Renji's family background was considered high among everyone else, and he understood the power of Buddhism better than anyone else. How could he not be shocked when he heard this today?

Yue Buqun remained calm and said, "General Pei, there's no need to be alarmed. In the hundred years before the founding of the Sui Dynasty, dynasties shifted several times, and the people suffered greatly. However, this gave rise to many powerful factions. The aristocratic families were only one of them, but Buddhism was the most influential. They were spread across the Central Plains, and their military and financial resources were terrifying. Even more terrifying, they controlled a large portion of public opinion."

"Your Majesty's extraordinary talent and ability are well known. He has rarely suffered defeat in his campaigns, so why has he suffered repeated losses in recent years, becoming infamous? Did the opening of the Grand Canal, connecting the north and the south, weaken or strengthen the nation's strength? Can't anyone with a clear eye see this? It's not the case. It's simply that Your Majesty has a far-sighted vision and has taken some measures for long-term stability that have offended certain vested interests."

"The three expeditions to Goguryeo were a game of chess between Your Majesty and the wealthy northern families. Why did you prioritize Goguryeo over Tuguhun, Linyi, and Ryukyu? Haven't you all considered this? Your Majesty was cautious, strengthening yourself first before attempting to eliminate future threats. However, you never imagined your opponents were no ordinary opponents, resorting to numerous tactics and, in the process, damaging Your Majesty's reputation."

Everyone fell into deep thought upon hearing this. "The first expedition to Goguryeo was intended by Your Majesty to weaken the influence of the aristocratic families and balance the power of the lower-class generals and the aristocratic families in the court. Victory or defeat wasn't important. The second expedition to Goguryeo was the war Your Majesty truly wanted to establish his authority, but unfortunately, Yang Gong Xuangan stabbed him in the back, ruining all his previous efforts. What would have been the outcome if Your Majesty had won this expedition completely?"

Everyone was silent for a while. Goguryeo was not a small country, and it even had a great master like the Yijian Master Fu Cailin. If the Sui Emperor could succeed in one fell swoop, his reputation would surely be greatly enhanced.

"Yang Gongxuangan's rebellion is strange no matter how you look at it. It rose and fell quickly. It's difficult for outsiders to know the extent of Li Mi and Buddhism's contribution to this. I only know that among those who finally pursued Yang Gongxuangan, Buddhist masters were the main force."