Chapter 157 Settling Grudges (Torture of Chu Huaiyu 1)
The setting sun, like blood, stained the desolate plains of southern Mongolia.
At this moment, Chu Siheng was tightly clutching a secret letter in his hand, his knuckles bulging from the force. The letter contained news that Empress Dowager Yu and Emperor Mingwu had been poisoned by Chu Huaiyu.
The handwriting on the letter was messy, yet every word was like a knife, viciously stabbing Chu Siheng's heart.
Empress Dowager Yu was, after all, his mother. Even though she had a thousand faults, she still loved him dearly and gave him whatever he wanted.
As for Emperor Wu of Ming...
Chu Siheng suddenly closed his eyes, and the image of Empress Dowager Yu's last meeting with him flashed through his mind. At that time, he had been banished from the capital by Chu Huaiyu, and Empress Dowager Yu secretly sent someone to deliver a fox fur coat and a secret letter.
The letter read: "My dear son Siheng, wait for the day when you will make a comeback."
Chu Siheng suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes seemingly filled with tears. He had finally had enough. He had endured Chu Huaiyu for so many years, yet Chu Huaiyu continued to press him relentlessly. Since that was the case, he no longer needed to endure it!
Chu Siheng's knowledge of Empress Dowager Yu and Emperor Mingwu's poisoning was no accident! Rather, it stemmed from a tightly woven, impenetrable web he had laid.
From the very day Chu Huaiyu banished him from the capital and sent him to the southern desert, Chu Siheng knew clearly that yielding would not bring peace.
Only by lying low and patiently plotting in secret could one have a chance to turn things around. Thus, the connections cultivated over the years were quietly used to plant countless pawns both inside and outside the palace.
It's time!
Chu Siheng picked up his brush, and the ink fell onto the Xuan paper, spreading out in clusters of ink flowers. He wrote the cause of Empress Dowager Yu's death in the letter and sent it to the Yu family by fast horse.
Yu Chiyun, his uncle, held the power of 100,000 troops, which is why his father and Chu Huaiyu were always wary of him.
Chu Siheng stood by the window of the Imperial Study, gazing at the withered leaves fluttering in the air outside, and the image of his uncle Yu Chiyun involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
Upon receiving the secret letter, Yu Chiyun angrily cursed, "Chu Huaiyu, you shameless scoundrel! One day I will grind you to dust and ashes to comfort my sister's spirit in heaven!"
A reply arrived three days later.
Yu Chiyun's handwriting was so powerful it seemed to penetrate the paper, filled with thunderous fury. The last sentence, "The time has come," almost pierced the paper.
Enclosed in the letter was a tiger tally from the Yu family.
Chu Siheng gripped the tiger tally tightly in his palm; at this moment, his consciousness grew increasingly clear.
Only now! The doubts that had troubled him for so long have finally been completely dispelled!
The image of his uncle, Yu Chiyun, unconsciously surfaced in Chu Siheng's mind.
In the past, when the northern barbarians invaded, war broke out everywhere, and the people were displaced. Yu Chiyun donned armor and led the sons of the Yu family to the battlefield.
Having fought countless battles in the yellow sands, clad in golden armor, he relied on his bravery and strategy to keep the barbarian cavalry at bay, protecting the border people for years.
Life in the military camp was tough; eating in the open was commonplace, and the clash of swords was a daily occurrence.
But Chu Siheng remembered that every time her uncle returned to Beijing, although his face was weathered and tired, his eyes were always bright.
Some people advised him to take advantage of his military achievements to seek a high-ranking official position and a generous salary, so that the Yu family could rise to a higher level.
Yu Chiyun simply waved his hand and laughed loudly, his voice booming: "The sons of the Yu family join the army to protect our country and safeguard the people, not for fame and fortune!"
The soldiers under Yu Chiyun respected and obeyed him, and the people on the border remembered and praised him. He never formed cliques or sought personal gain, and he held the military power of 100,000 Zhenbei Army soldiers in his hands, yet he never had the slightest thought of disloyalty.
Such generals should be the right-hand men of the monarch, the pillars of a prosperous era.
Unfortunately, my father was too suspicious and too paranoid!
The emperor was wary of the Yu family's control of a large army, of Yu Chiyun's high prestige in the military, and of his overwhelming power.
Therefore, while the emperor bestowed titles and honors upon the Yu family and showered them with countless rewards, he also secretly planted people to monitor their every move.
Therefore, the Emperor set up this game of fratricide. He wanted to use Chu Huaiyu to suppress the Yu family and also to use Chu Huaiyu to keep himself in check.
Ultimately, the Emperor never trusted anyone; he only trusted the supreme imperial power.
How ridiculous... how utterly ridiculous...
Chu Siheng felt as if something was blocking his chest, causing a suffocating pain.
Power...power has turned them beyond recognition! And what about him? Once he obtains that power, will he also become as ruthless and heartless as they are? Suspicious and distrustful?
A chilly wind blew in through the cracks in the window, making Chu Siheng shiver.
For the past three months, Chu Huaiyu personally led the expedition. Although the battle with the barbarian army was fierce and evenly matched, the secret reports from scouts came one after another, all of them reporting victories.
But only Chu Siheng knew that Chu Huaiyu had been shot in the shoulder by a barbarian archer in a battle half a month ago. The arrowhead was poisoned, which saved his life but also damaged his health!
Chu Huaiyu, now known as "Lu Huaimin" as the commander-in-chief, is currently recuperating in the central command tent.
Chu Siheng hadn't expected Chu Huaiyu to personally lead the expedition. If Chu Huaiyu's confidant hadn't been his subordinate, probably no one would have known about it.
Chu Siheng's lips slowly curled into a cold smile, his eyes filled with undisguised killing intent.
He immediately set off, selecting his three hundred most capable bodyguards, all of whom were skilled fighters capable of taking on a hundred men each. They changed into barbarian attire, rode horses for three days, and then quietly infiltrated the barbarian camp at night.
The leader of the barbarians was a burly man named Ba Feng. He was hot-tempered but also simple-minded, only caring about interests and not about human relationships.
Seeing that Chu Siheng was dressed in barbarian attire and had brought generous gifts, he was initially wary, his hand on the curved sword at his waist, and he coldly questioned, "You are not a barbarian. What is your purpose in coming to my barbarian camp?"
Chu Siheng was not afraid at all. He stepped forward and tore open his brocade robe to reveal the crisscrossing scars inside.
"Leader Ba Feng." Chu Siheng's voice was hoarse, filled with deep hatred.
"I have come here today to join forces with you to kill Chu Huaiyu!"
Ba Feng raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing him.
Chu Siheng sneered and recounted, with embellishments, how Chu Huaiyu framed him and poisoned Empress Dowager Yu. When he got emotional, his eyes even reddened.
"That Chu Huaiyu is heartless and utterly vicious! My mother treated him well, yet he still tried to kill me! I was his brother, yet he repeatedly tried to kill me! I am now reduced to this state entirely because of him!"
As he spoke, he took out another contract that had been prepared beforehand and threw it in front of Ba Feng.
"As long as you are willing to join forces with me, after I kill Chu Huaiyu and ascend the throne, I will cede the three northern cities to the barbarians. As long as I am on the throne, we will never invade each other!"
Ba Feng looked at the terms of the contract, then at the genuine hatred in Chu Siheng's eyes, and the allure of the three cities was simply too great. His rough fingers caressed the words on the contract.
After a moment's hesitation, he burst into laughter: "Good! You're a straightforward man! I trust you! In three days, my barbarian army will join you to slaughter Chu Huaiyu without leaving a single survivor!"
Chu Siheng laughed upon hearing this, but his smile was icy and chilling.
Three days later, Lu Huaimin's (Chu Huaiyu) army and the barbarian army were already in a standoff.
Chu Huaiyu's banner fluttered in the wind, but the soldiers arrayed under his banner had lost some of their former vigor. After all, their commander was seriously injured, and the morale of the army was somewhat unstable.
Ba Feng charged ahead, his scimitar pointed directly at the opposing army: "Lu Huaimin! Prepare to die!"
The battle cries were deafening. The barbarian cavalry charged towards the opposing camp like a tidal wave. The opposing side hastily responded and their formation was thrown into chaos.
Chu Siheng mingled among the barbarian troops, his eyes fixed on the direction of the central command tent.
He saw Chu Huaiyu's figure, protected by a group of personal guards, sitting in a carriage, his face pale, clearly having come to supervise the battle despite his illness.
A cold glint flashed in Chu Siheng's eyes as he gave a signal. The three hundred assassins behind him immediately understood and silently dispersed, infiltrating the chaotic battlefield.
Just as the barbarian army broke through the first line of defense and was about to approach the central command tent, Chu Siheng suddenly spurred his horse out, his long sword flashing coldly, heading straight for Ba Feng!
Caught off guard, Ba Feng's scimitar was knocked away by Chu Siheng's sword. Before he could react, he was surrounded by Chu Siheng's assassins, with dozens of sharp daggers pressed against his neck.
"Chu Siheng! How dare you betray me?" Ba Feng was both shocked and furious, roaring and struggling.
Chu Siheng reined in his horse, looking down at him with a cruel and cold smile: "Betrayal? Leader Bafeng, you are mistaken."
Then, he raised his hand and shouted: "Barbarian soldiers, listen up! Your leader has been captured alive! Lay down your weapons and surrender, and you will be spared! Those who resist will be killed without mercy!"
The barbarian soldiers stood frozen in place, staring at their captured leader, exchanging bewildered glances, momentarily forgetting to charge.
Chu Siheng glanced coldly at the panicked Ba Feng, then turned his gaze to Chu Huaiyu in the carriage not far away, his eyes unfathomable.
Chu Huaiyu, it's time to settle our scores.
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