"What? Are you scared?" Shangguan Wanning looked at Huo Gang with a beautiful smile.
Huo Gang was infected by her smile and started laughing too.
He knew Shangguan Wanning was not the kind of person who acted impulsively and irrationally. "Don't be afraid. As long as you say the word, I will charge forward."
Shangguan Wanning got off the horse, and Huo Gang followed her down.
The two men led their horses forward, and soon they were stopped by two sentries.
The sentry knew the two men were Han Chinese by the way they were dressed, and immediately shouted at them with words they could not understand.
Shangguan Wanning and Huo Gang looked at each other.
She forgot about the language barrier.
In order to show her sincerity, Shangguan Wanning asked Huo Gang to throw the sword to the ground.
At this time, a team of infantrymen who had just returned from patrolling outside happened to pass by. The leading general saw Shangguan Wanning's beautiful face and walked over.
"Who are you? How dare you come here?"
Can he speak Chinese?
Shangguan Wanning was surprised and delighted, and said, "General, please tell the princess that an old friend is visiting."
The general frowned when he heard this.
"Old friend?"
Shangguan Wanning met the general's suspicious gaze. The general hesitated for a long time and entered the camp with his infantry.
They waited for a long time but there was no movement, and Huo began to get anxious.
"Miss, why don't we just go? If something happens, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you..."
Before he could finish his words, a soldier came over quickly. "The princess invites you two to come in and see her."
Huo Gang stretched out an arm to protect Shangguan Wan Ning behind him, and said in a low voice: "Miss, do you have anything to say to Brother Shu Yan? Otherwise, I will do it for you. You go back and wait for the news."
"Since I'm here, I've already considered all kinds of dangers. Brother Huo, don't worry, it's okay."
Shangguan Wanning gave Huo Gang a reassuring look, then took the lead and followed the soldiers inside.
As she walked, she observed the situation in the camp.
She silently estimated that the number of people here should be about the same as theirs. They were also a well-equipped team and their morale was high.
If they had sufficient food and grass, the Central Plains would undoubtedly be defeated in this battle.
The soldiers guided Shangguan Wanning and Huo Gang to a military tent and lifted the curtain to let them in.
Ge Shuyan looked heroic in his military uniform, no longer weak and haggard as he had been when we first met.
She met Shangguan Wanning's gaze, and the corners of her mouth curled up in a meaningful smile.
"It's you guys?"
"Princess, did you guess it?"
"Besides you two, I don't know anyone else in the Central Plains." Ge Shuyan gestured, "Please sit down."
Shangguan Wanning sat down confidently and Huo Gang stood behind her.
"It was you who rescued me from the provincial government office that night?" Ge Shuyan looked at Huo Gang. This young man had a natural heroic spirit and exuded a special charm from head to toe.
Huo Gang did not answer, but just glanced at Ge Shuyan and looked away.
"You are from the Central Plains. Given the current situation, I shouldn't have met you. However, I hope to repay you for saving my life. Tell me, what do you want from me?"
Shangguan Wan Ning secretly took a deep breath and said, "I want to ask the princess for a favor."
"What favor?"
"withdraw troops."
Ge Shuyan was stunned for a moment, and then his face darkened. "Do you know what you are talking about?"
"I know." Shangguan Wan Ning said calmly, "I have my reasons for asking the princess to withdraw her troops. Moreover, I can assure the princess that I will not let her suffer any loss."
"In our Turkic world, there are only martyrs who died in battle, and no cowards who retreat. If you want me to betray my father Khan and my people, then don't say a word. Otherwise, even if you saved my life, I will kill you."
"Princess, you misunderstood. I understand that patriotism is human nature. I cannot do such a thing as forgetting one's roots, and I will not encourage others to do so."
Shangguan Wanning looked at Ge Shuyan calmly and explained, "Princess, you should know that you and my people are now in a stalemate, and the strength of both sides is equal. If a fight really breaks out, I'm afraid both sides will suffer losses."
"We are willing to feign defeat and retreat. Princess, please withdraw your troops so that both sides can rest and recuperate for the time being. As for what will happen in the future, we will decide who will win in the next battle."
Shangguan Wanning's words not only surprised Ge Shuyan, but even Huo Gang was surprised.
"Princess, since you won this battle, I think you have achieved your goal. Why do you still need so many brothers to fight to the death with you?"
Ge Shuyan didn't say anything, but stared at Shangguan Wanning for a long time.
"You can decide?"
Shangguan Wanning was delighted and answered decisively, "Yes."
"Why should I believe you?"
This question stumped Shangguan Wanning.
If she were in his shoes, she probably wouldn't believe the one-sided words of someone she had only met twice.
Her brows furrowed as she asked, "Princess, what do you think I should do to make you believe me?"
Ge Shuyan hesitated for a moment, then took out the dagger from his waist and threw it over.
Huo Gang caught the dagger.
"In our country, when two people make a promise, they swear an oath of blood. If they break their oath, they will die from thousands of arrows piercing their hearts. Do you dare?"
"Why should I be afraid of that?" Huo Gang pulled out his dagger and threw the scabbard aside. "A real man should stick to his word."
Ge Shuyan raised his eyebrows in disdain. "I want her blood."
Shangguan Wanning was a little scared when she saw the cold blade. She was really afraid of pain.
But……
Thinking of the tens of thousands of soldiers who had no reinforcements from the imperial court, she couldn't bear to see them sacrifice in vain on the battlefield, so she took the dagger from Huo Gang.
"Miss..."
"Brother Huo, it's okay."
Shangguan Wanning walked up to Ge Shuyan with a dagger in her hand.
Ge Shuyan poured a glass of wine and placed it on the table. Shangguan Wanning took a deep breath, clenched her teeth, and cut her wrist with a knife.
She gasped in pain, and blood dripped from her white wrist into the wine glass.
Seeing this, Ge Shuyan also grabbed the dagger and cut his hand. The blood of the two mixed together, Ge Shuyan drank half a cup and handed the remaining half to Shangguan Wanning.
The bloody taste made Shangguan Wanning feel a little nauseous, but she still forced herself to drink it.
"May I have your name?"
"Shangguan Wan Ning."
"Shangguan Wanning?" Ge Shuyan seemed to have thought of something and smiled faintly, "No wonder... this surname is rare. I heard that the prime minister of your Central Plains court also has the surname Shangguan."
Shangguan Wanning suddenly discovered that this Turkic princess was much smarter than she had imagined.
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