Chapter 1454: Starving to Death (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Playing around is fine, but the safety of our lord is not something to joke about.

Yun Ce subtly stepped to the side in front of Shen Tang, while Su Shiyi, being the shrewd man she was, didn't want to miss the opportunity to effortlessly gain favor, so she also took a step forward. Unfortunately, she bumped into Yang Ying halfway there; she had never bumped into Yang Ying before, who used subtle and clever tactics.

Staggered slightly in the opposite direction.

This caused Su Shiyilu's old face to contort in the darkness.

He glared at Yang Ying with displeasure, baring his teeth.

Yang Ying's response was understated; she merely glanced back, raised her thick eyebrows slightly, and her eyes seemed to say, "Old Deng is not convinced."

Su Shiyilu: "..."

He was furious at being glared at, but he couldn't show it on the spot. First, it would easily expose his identity; alerting the enemy was a minor matter, but ruining Shen Tang's playful mood could lead to retaliation. Second, this Yang Ying was a trusted confidant of Shen Tang's personal guard, far superior to the surrendered general from Wuzhou who had fought alongside Shen Tang in his early years.

Su Shiyilu is aware of his own limitations in this regard.

If he were to fight with Yang Ying, Shen Youli would definitely side with Yang Ying.

Besides the reasons mentioned above, there was another reason why he sensed an indescribable danger in Yang Ying—the intuition of a martial artist is far more useful than that of a scholar, and can be a lifesaver in critical moments.

Therefore—

He was a magnanimous man who didn't hold grudges against petty people and didn't argue with Yang Ying.

In a flash, Su Shiyilu's mind raced with a thousand thoughts, and the two groups of deserters successfully reunited. The two groups didn't get along; the one that arrived later first glared at Shen Tang and his companions with menacing eyes, demanding, "What are you doing?"

"We are hungry and want to intercept some food."

Having not eaten for a long time, even a piece of pungent boiled pork sprinkled with salt was a rare delicacy, let alone a carefully grilled skewer of lamb sprinkled with spices. Even if it burned their tongues, they couldn't bear to spit it out.

Seeing the sheep bones and hides scattered on the ground, as well as seven or eight live sheep that had not yet been slaughtered, he swallowed hard a few times, his mouth dry, and asked, "And what about these people?"

"They stole the sheep and are eating it all by themselves, which is perfect for us."

As the large mouthfuls of mutton were swallowed, the nagging hunger in their stomachs was greatly appeased, and the deserters regained their senses. Many questions arose in their minds—for example, meat is a precious resource during battles, so how did a dozen or so unarmed men manage to sneak out here and roast meat? This place is not far from the Kangguo camp; what if they are discovered by the night patrol soldiers?

This is not a sheep!

However, these doubts cannot be easily voiced.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be the first to suffer, but himself. Just thinking about his experiences over the past month made him feel nauseous, his stomach involuntarily cramping. He could only suppress his panic, stalling for time to deal with the situation while praying that these bastards were indeed stealing sheep as he suspected, and not some Kangguo person.

The deserter, who was being held accountable, didn't believe it: "Really?"

“I dare not say it is false. We only drew our knives, and they were about to surrender. They looked so inexperienced…” As he spoke, he leaned closer and whispered, “I suspect they are mostly not ordinary soldiers, but rather the sons of high-ranking officials in Kang State.”

This argument makes some sense.

For the sons of some nobles and high-ranking officials who want to quickly gain prestige, is there any place faster than the battlefield? Relying on the protection of their ancestors and the power of their fathers, they can easily obtain a nominal position in the rear of the army. They won't be exposed to the elements, nor will they be needed to charge into battle.

They dump all the dirty and hard work on their underlings, then jump out to claim credit and rewards. They just laze around all day, waiting for others to win and share the spoils; each one of them is incredibly pampered.

The deserter's words carried a hint of genuine emotion and resentment. It was clear he had suffered greatly at the hands of these pampered sons of officials. Upon hearing this, the deserter, who had come to question them, lowered his guard and looked at Shen Tang and the others with disdain.

Humans cannot imagine things they have never seen.

The sons of noble families are all pampered and delicate; how could they endure the hardships of military camp? In the past, when the war was going well and food and supplies were plentiful, there were indeed some young noblemen who came to gain experience but then ran out to steal food.

The deserters assumed that if the Allied forces in the Central Region were like this, Kangguo would be too.

Therefore, the doubts were temporarily dispelled.

He whispered, "Take all of these back with you."

Share it with everyone so they can have a taste and replenish their energy.

After speaking, he swept his cold gaze over Shen Tang and the others, seemingly hesitating whether to kill them on the spot or keep them as bargaining chips.

He hesitated, then, after much deliberation, he held a knife to Yun Ce's neck and hissed, "Tell me honestly, which family are you from?"

Whether or not to kill these young masters depends on their social status.

Yun Ce was the most scholarly among the military generals. Perhaps due to the nature of his martial arts, not only were his features handsome and charming, but his skin was also so white it looked as if it were powdered, truly resembling a gilded young master. Yun Ce never expected this person to be so reckless.

He paused for a moment, which only made him more in line with his character.

He was quick-witted and said in a low voice, "Yun Ce is my father."

Shen Tang and his group: "..."

Here's the template.

For a time, everyone was either claiming to be their own parents or telling their colleagues they had children without pain. These deserters were just trusted personal guards, not lieutenants or deputy generals. They were lucky if they knew the surnames of the high-ranking officials in Kang State, let alone their specific ages. There was a common stereotype among the lower-ranking soldiers: status and ability = experience = age.

It's normal for high-ranking officials to have children in their early twenties even when they're quite old.

"...We caught a big fish by accident?"

At that moment, greed triumphed over reason.

"Tie them all up and take them back."

It was fate that these young masters fell into their hands; perhaps they could be used as bargaining chips to save their lives in a critical moment.

Seeing that there was still plenty of time, Shen Tang decided to play along with the act.

Others: "..."

Su Shiyilu rolled his eyes inwardly.

Commentary: [These lowly soldiers are really getting cocky. For over a decade, countless heroes and great men have dreamed of accomplishing something they couldn't even dream of, and they've actually done it. Making Shen Youli a prisoner…]

Shen Tang secretly communicated with the others via telepathy.

[What a pity, the Imperial Diarist isn't here right now.] If he were, the gossip surrounding the history of Kangguo would have been even more dramatic: [The king, along with a host of high-ranking officials, were bound hand and foot and marched in a massive horde to the enemy's lair, heading straight for the heart of the enemy!]

Su Shiyilu: [Keep your voice down, is this something to be proud of?]

Shen Tang asked him with a smile: "Isn't it fun?"

Su Shiyilu: [...]

It's not about whether it's funny or not; the problem is that if this gets out, he'll be remembered in history in this way. Even if he's lying in his coffin, he'll smash the lid, sit up, and curse that he's not a prisoner.

If the ruler is ill, he should not let his subjects fall ill with him.

Su Shiyi closed his eyes, concealing his despair.

Feeling the atmosphere wasn't quite right, Shen Tang added fuel to the fire with a grin: "Let me think, isn't your current mood just like that witty saying—'Xiahou Dun looking at Louis XVI, unable to see the end of him'?"

Su Shiyilu suffered from his lack of education: [What?]

What kind of strange witty remark is this?

Others: [...]

Although I don't really understand it, I still feel like I shouldn't laugh.

The group of "prisoners," in high spirits, were led to a secluded mountain hollow several miles away. Surprisingly, over a hundred other people were hiding there; judging by their tattered armor, they were clearly all central Allied soldiers from the Stone Fortress. Shen Tang abandoned her playful mood.

She exchanged glances with Yun Ce and several other military officers, and quietly changed their positions, protecting the relatively weak scholar in the middle.

Even if a conflict occurs, nothing will happen.

Shen Tang also rejected Feng's suggestion to be protected with her eyes. She was the queen, but she was also a warrior who could fight against ten thousand men!

[It seems we've stumbled upon a big fish by accident. Are these people planning a desperate night raid on our camp?] Shen Tang secretly sensed the aura of these people. They were all martial arts experts, the weakest of whom were low-ranking soldiers. They were the elite of the elite in the army.

It's understandable that they would carefully select a night raid.

Shen Tang secretly thought she was lucky.

Even during a team-building barbecue in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, I still ran into a dead mouse.

A scholar who uses mind-reading and sophistry to gather intelligence: [...]

Things didn't go quite as the Lord had predicted.

A group of men who went out brought back live sheep, which alarmed the top leader, who was also an old acquaintance of Shen Tang's—the commander-in-chief sent by the Central Allied Forces to guard the Shibao front. A tall, burly figure emerged from the shadows, the moonlight illuminating half of his face.

"Did you bring back sheep?"

"They even caught the thief's children?"

The first question was met with a hint of hesitation, but the second was met with a noticeably higher tone, brimming with undisguised elation. He strode over to see what the children of high-ranking Kangguo officials looked like, but then stopped halfway. His large, round eyes practically bulged out of their sockets!

It was dark, the moon was out, and the wind was strong.

It seems that time itself has been paused.

Under the moonlight, the thick ropes binding the woman's hands loosened without warning and fell to her feet. Her almond-shaped eyes, clear enough to reflect the heavens and the moon, curved slightly into crescents, and a captivating smile slowly bloomed on her lips: "General, how have you been?"

Before he could finish speaking, Yun Ce and his group struck first.

Several bursts of martial energy were about to reach his face when the commander of the Central Allied Forces finally woke up from his daze. He turned around to dodge, but he could not avoid them and had to take them by force. The series of blows made him break out in a cold sweat.

Panic gripped him more than the rage of betrayal—yes, he suspected a traitor within his ranks. How could the people of Kangguo have so coincidentally ambushed and killed him if not for a tip-off?

Why did they have to show up now of all times?

He gritted his teeth: "You scoundrel, stop your arrogance!"

The shockwave from the close-range explosion sent dozens of soldiers flying. Yun Ce and his men, disregarding any notions of martial ethics, decided to gang up on their commander instead of engaging in one-on-one combat. Seeing the situation turning against them, the two lieutenants shouted, "General, your humble servants will assist you!"

However, they were blocked by layers of literary barriers that appeared halfway through their journey.

The only thing that puzzled Shen Tang was that group of soldiers.

Instead of immediately assembling their troops to defend against the enemy, these soldiers seemed to have suffered some tremendous blow—though not so severe as to terrify them, their performance was indeed very poor, showing no signs of being ready to fight to the death with their backs against the enemy.

If it were a direct confrontation between two armies, the Allied Commander might have been able to hold out for a while with everyone working together, but having lost the initiative and being mentally unstable, he had lost all his momentum, so it was no wonder he couldn't escape. Before Shen Tang could even make a few moves, Bei Qiu used a secret technique to seal his Danfu and send him right in front of her.

Su Shiyi Lu seized the opportunity to show off his power, kicking him in the back of the knee and shouting, "Since you've come to see the Emperor, why don't you kneel down?"

Shen Tang used his martial energy to conjure a small stool.

He sat down with his sword drawn and began the trial on the spot.

"It's been several days since I last saw you, General. How come you look so disheveled?"

With their commander captured alive, the soldiers, who had already lost all will to fight, surrendered without resistance, abandoning their armor and weapons one by one. One of their two lieutenants died, and the other was seriously wounded and on the verge of death. In contrast, the commander only suffered bruises and swelling and was not in mortal danger.

The stark contrast made Shen Tang shake her head in disbelief.

In this situation, even if she were the commander, she wouldn't have the face to live.

The Allied Commander-in-Chief, his face dark, demanded, "Who betrayed me?"

Shen Tang pointed to the sky: "It is the will of Heaven that you are to die!"

God does have a human side sometimes.

The Allied commander-in-chief didn't believe the nonsense, and the veins on his neck bulged with anger.

"Stop pretending to be a god, what bullshit about destiny!"

Shen Tang sneered: "What are you angry about? With your bunch of demoralized rabble, even if fate doesn't allow me to take you in, your scheme to raid the camp at night will not succeed!"

This is an absolute disgrace to Kang!

Not everyone with the fighting ability can launch a night raid!

Upon hearing this, the Allied commander, like a duck being choked, abruptly stopped his shouting and cursing, his expression twisting with barely concealed rage. From Shen Tang's words alone, he knew there was no traitor among his men. He deliberately muted himself, which displeased Shen Tang: "Did you get hit where it hurts? Why is the old man mute?"

Qi Shan leaned over and whispered a reminder.

"It wasn't a night raid."

A question mark appeared on Shen Tang's forehead: "What?"

"They fled that night."

Shen Tang's almond-shaped eyes widened, and she felt like she was being stabbed in the back: "...Yuan Liang, do you want to listen to whether you're even speaking human language? He's the commander of an army, and the battle hasn't even reached its end yet. How could he abandon his troops and run away with his personal guards overnight?"

The Allied commander was so ashamed and furious that he wanted to die.

He was a coward who valued his life above all else. Before taking action, he comforted himself by fleeing overnight to save his life and plan for the future. As long as he was alive, there would always be a chance for revenge.

Unexpectedly, Shen Tang directly tore through the veil of pretense.

The fact that a marshal abandoned his troops and fled is a scandal that will be nailed to the pillar of shame, a genuine infamy that will last for ten thousand years!

His expression was ferocious, but a hint of fear flickered in his eyes.

Qi Shan retorted, "When did I ever say anything like that?"

Shen Tang: "...That's true."

He then turned to look at the commander: "So you're really deserting?"

"I've fought battles my whole life, and this is the first time I've seen you make such a fool of yourself. I guess I was just too young and inexperienced." She clicked her tongue in amazement, rubbing salt into the wound, and didn't forget to ask a soul-searching question, uttering the most piercing words in the most nonchalant tone, "I'm curious, how did you even have the nerve to be captured alive? If I were you, I would have cut off my own heart meridian long ago to avoid living and making a fool of myself."

Upon hearing this, the Allied Commander was so enraged that his blood boiled, and overwhelmed with shame and indignation, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Shen Tang took a step back in disgust, afraid of getting his blood on her; it was too unlucky.

Pinching her nose and frowning, she babbled with her sharp tongue, "Alas, the blood of a good general is pure; the blood of a deserter is turbid."

＿|￣|●

Xiahou Dun had only one eye, and Louis XVI had no head; they were like an endless line of arrows.