Chapter 1036 A Message

"you--!"

With just that one word, without even revealing who it was, the surging anger had already reached the hearts of everyone around.

Several nearby Turkic soldiers, upon seeing Ashina Zhuxie's gaze, immediately understood and roared angrily, "It was them! It must have been them!"

"Kill her!"

"We absolutely cannot let them get away this time!"

As they spoke, the other Turkic soldiers in the camp charged forward menacingly. Although Shang Ruyi's guards were few in number, they could not surrender without a fight. They drew their swords and knives, and the sound of clanging swords filled the air. The night was instantly pierced by the bright light of the blades, which stung the eyes.

Shang Ruyi hurriedly raised her hand to stop the people behind her.

Ashina Zhuxie did not stop the people behind her, but just looked at her coldly. The Turkic soldiers, relying on their numbers, pressed forward step by step, and it looked like they were about to rush into the camp.

Lei Yu was truly anxious this time, and forcefully grabbed Ashina Zhuxie's sleeve: "No!"

Ashina Zhuye immediately turned around and glared at her: "Don't forget, you are the Turkic Khagan!"

These words were like a thunderbolt in the dead of night, exploding above Lei Yu's head. She was instantly stunned and froze on the spot, motionless. After saying those words, Ashina Zhuxie turned his head with red eyes and glared angrily at Shang Ruyi, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Just now, regarding the possibility that Zuo Gong's tomb was a trap from beginning to end, and regarding Shang Ruyi's scheme to kill him with that stick, although he was going to settle accounts with her, he didn't feel too angry. After all, after encountering that inexplicable person from the Zuo family and those inexplicable things underground, and going through a series of near-death experiences, her little tricks didn't seem to be enough to ignite his anger.

Moreover, he does consider Lei Yu's feelings.

But Xia Prefecture is different!

He had actually spent troops to attack that place, and this time he even led his main force south to take Xia Prefecture. With this place, he would not only gain the upper hand in the future confrontation with the Eastern Turks, but also have a supply point for water and pasture for his military campaigns in the Central Plains. Both Luoyang, the eastern capital, and Chang'an, the western capital, would live under the threat of the Turks.

However, just when they thought Xiazhou was a sure thing and had it in their grasp, it was lost!

This is not just about defeating him, it's about slapping him in the face!

And—heavy cavalry!

He was determined to get to the bottom of this, and even if he couldn't, he couldn't let that woman go back alive!

Just as the Turkic soldiers pressed forward step by step, and Shang Ruyi and her people retreated step by step, a hurried figure suddenly stepped into the middle, spread his arms to block Ashina Zhuxie, and said in a deep voice: "You can't do this!"

Ashina Zhuxie's brows furrowed immediately.

It is Lei Yu.

She remained standing in the center between the two groups of people, still protecting Shang Ruyi behind her.

Ashina Zhuxie gritted his teeth and said, "Didn't you hear what I just said?!"

At this moment, Shang Ruyi's eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised but not entirely unexpected. However, looking at Lei Yu's back, a hint of joy mixed with pain appeared in her eyes. Lei Yu couldn't see any of this. She only bit her lower lip and said in a hoarse voice to Ashina Zhuxie, "I know, I am the Turkic Khatun."

"Then why are you still protecting her!"

"But I am also Lei Yu."

"..."

“You promised me before you made me your Khatun that you wouldn’t force me and that you would let me be myself.”

"Be yourself? You're being yourself just to protect her?"

"..."

Lei Yu glanced at Shang Ruyi behind her. Both of their eyes were filled with entanglement and struggle, especially hers. She gritted her teeth, then turned back to Ashina Zhuxie and said, "I am being myself because I want to protect my friends and family from harm. No matter what, I will always do so."

Ashina Zhuxie's brows furrowed even more, but he still raised his hand to stop the soldiers behind him from closing in.

Lei Yu immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

The next moment, a cold glint flashed in Ashina Zhuxie's eyes: "You want to protect your friends and family, but if your friends and family are fighting to the death, who else should you protect?"

"..."

"Do you want to tear yourself in two?"

Lei Yu's body trembled violently.

In fact, at this moment, her heart felt as if it had been torn in two, bleeding profusely, and the pain was unbearable.

Just then, Shang Ruyi stepped forward from behind, almost pressing her body against Lei Yu's back. The sweltering summer heat made Lei Yu shiver involuntarily as Shang Ruyi pressed against her. The next moment, she heard Shang Ruyi whisper in her ear, "Come with me, okay?"

"...!"

Lei Yu's heart skipped a beat again. She opened her eyes wide and turned to look at her, as if she had heard a joke.

What are you saying?

“Come with me,” Shang Ruyi said, seemingly sensing her pain even though she was being protected behind her. She frowned and said, “Otherwise, if this continues, you will really be torn in two.”

"..."

Lei Yu's eyes widened in confusion.

Whether rationally or emotionally, she always understood that she could never turn back. From the day she followed her father Lei Yi to join Liang Shide, there was no going back. Besides, she still had He Du, the child who had just begun to speak and had been cruelly abandoned by her. He probably didn't know how much he was crying and was just waiting for his mother to come back and take care of him gently.

How could she possibly leave?

not to mention--

She turned her head stiffly to look at the man standing before her like a mountain.

Although the night was deep, the torches held by the soldiers who had gathered around him illuminated his face, as well as the several gruesome burns on his neck and jaw. In fact, Ashina Zhuxie was very handsome. Even though Lei Yu had once loathed and hated him, he couldn't deny that he was handsome and dashing. But he didn't care about his appearance at all. After rushing out of the burning tomb passage, he didn't even ask anyone to apply any medicine to his burns.

Lei Yu seemed to hear another tearing sound coming from her chest, and the bloody wound almost made her faint from the pain.

Just then, the Turkic soldier who had just delivered the news of the loss of Xia Prefecture suddenly walked up behind Ashina Zhuxie and said, "Khan, there's also—when we left Xia Prefecture, we received a message from Luoyang."

Ashina Zhuxie frowned.

He didn't care about the gains or losses in Luoyang, but the soldier suddenly brought up the matter there at this time, so there must be some reason for it.

So he asked, "What news?"

The soldier's eyes flickered, and he suddenly glanced at Lei Yu for no apparent reason.