Chapter 75 Shared Wife
In the dead of night, when visibility is poor and it is difficult to see clearly, many things become easier.
The route indicated in that letter had long been ambushed by the Hu people.
Chu Yu received new ambush plans from scouts every mile he traveled.
Based on their location, it's fairly certain where the Hu people might be lying in ambush nearby.
Chu Yu asked in a cold voice, "Was there anything unusual when you went to investigate?"
"No," the scout reported truthfully. "Their men discovered us but didn't say a word."
"It seems that everything is indeed as Madam suspected."
The Hu people who came to ambush them were people who could help them enter the interior of the Northern Chi tribe.
Chu Yu trusted Yu Wanyin's judgment, but he remained vigilant. "Keep an eye on them and make sure we have the upper hand."
Chu Yu handed the spies back to the person beside him, "Remember to send someone to lie in ambush behind them."
"If they make any unusual moves first, our people will definitely take care of them first."
"Yes." The scout accepted the order and went to make the arrangements.
Chu Yu continued on his way.
The caravan wound its way through the empty, quiet mountain road.
What comes into view is a dark and gloomy dense forest, and an ever-growing array of stars in the night sky.
The starlight flickered slowly and mysteriously above their heads.
Until they knew they were completely surrounded by the enemy.
There was no turning back.
I don't know when.
A deafening roar echoed through the mountains and forests, like a thunderclap from a clear sky!
The mountains and forests trembled, and the shadows of the trees swayed.
Countless dark figures rose up from the once silent dense forest!
Countless enemy soldiers, who were lying in ambush, shouted the orders of the Hu people and launched an attack on the advancing troops!
*
Rong Si got up early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking.
It was dark all around, and the places where the sunlight fell still had a bluish-gray tinge.
Rong Si's hand, which had been lifting the tent flap, froze abruptly. Chu Yu's men were still on guard around the camp.
But it's clear that the shift schedule is very different from last night's; at least half the number of people are missing.
The scale of the duty roster will not change suddenly.
A bad feeling suddenly rose in Rong Si's heart!
His face instantly darkened, and his sharp, eagle-like dark eyes appeared particularly eerie in the cool morning air.
Rong Si looked around the camp and found a guard on duty nearby to question him, "Where are the others?"
His voice was heavy, carrying a hint of anger and intimidation.
The guard, his eyes darting away, replied in a businesslike manner, "The Marquis has arranged the shifts; I am merely following orders."
"The Marquis has made arrangements." Rong Si uttered these words, then turned to look at the tent where Chu Yu was located.
He strode towards Chu Yu's tent.
Chao Yue was still on duty at the entrance, and he stopped Rong Si.
Rong Si pushed him away without any mercy.
Almost simultaneously, Rong Si's men, who were getting up on time to prepare for the expedition, also emerged from their tents one after another.
Everyone who came out sensed that something was wrong.
They pressed around, asking what had happened.
The campsite grew increasingly noisy.
When Rong Si stormed into Chu Yu's camp, it was indeed empty.
There was a note on the table.
The document above states the actual time the enemy claimed to be escorting supplies.
Midnight (11 PM - 1 AM).
Rong Si swore, turned and left the tent, throwing the note at Chao Yue, "You all conspired to deceive me?!"
Chao Yue lowered his eyes, avoiding Rong Si's gaze. "The Marquis said that if he can deceive you, it also proves that he is more suitable than you to infiltrate the enemy camp and deceive people."
Rong Si grabbed Chao Yue by the collar.
Yu Wanyin hadn't slept well that night, and was quickly woken up by the noise outside.
She seemed to hear some arguing, and suddenly sat up, hastily tied her hair up, changed her clothes, and went out.
When Yu Wanyin came out of the tent, she saw Rong Si carrying Chao Yue.
She stepped forward and pulled Chao Yue down from Rong Si's grasp. "What's wrong?"
Rong Si's face flushed red with anger. "Ask them."
Yu Wanyin looked at Chao Yue.
Chao Yue couldn't play many riddles with Yu Wanyin; he could only report the matter truthfully.
Rong Si turned to check the things he had prepared earlier, and sure enough, Chu Yu had taken them all away.
Yu Wanyin learned the general cause and effect from Chao Yue.
His brows were furrowed and he remained expressionless.
To avoid giving her any incentive to go to the Northern Chi camp, the two of them avoided discussing these matters with her.
They coordinated and arranged it themselves.
But unexpectedly, Chu Yu tricked Rong Si into going there himself.
Yu Wanyin asked anxiously, "Have you arranged informants to travel back and forth with messages?"
"If it's midnight, then there should be a result by now. How's it going over there?"
Indeed, there are still no results yet.
Chao Yue remained silent. "It's only the hour of Yin (3-5 AM) now. Madam, please be patient and wait a little longer."
Rong Si's men in the camp were furious.
Zong Cheng, raising his voice, argued with one of Chu Yu's men, "What's wrong? Does your Marquis think we're cowards who are afraid of death? Do you distrust us, or are you wary of us?"
"Don't you understand that allies must not deceive each other?!"
"Does your lord really believe that his clandestine preparations will be foolproof?!"
The noise in the camp made Yu Wanyin feel uneasy.
She took a few steps outside and looked at the pale blue sky not far away.
*
The wind howled and the cranes cried, the flames of war subsided.
The sky in the west was not yet fully bright, and the rising sun was fiery red like blood.
Mugo knelt on one knee on the ground.
He gazed at the devastation and bloodshed in the canyon, a humming sound ringing in his ears, and remained lost in thought for a long time.
The floating corpse is thousands of miles away.
In a daze, he heard someone walking towards him.
She was his strategist.
The strategist whispered, "We have captured Marquis Chu Yu of Yanbei and over a thousand of his men. Should we withdraw our troops?"
Mugo was able to straighten up with difficulty and put away his long sword.
He looked at the field and closed his eyes.
"withdraw troops."
"Yes." The strategist turned around and shouted, and the Mu family's troops were all in order and ready to go, pulling up the prisoners they had captured one by one and taking them away.
The battlefield was simply cleaned up, leaving only corpses scattered everywhere.
Mugo turned around, no longer looking at the horrific battlefield, and walked straight toward the orderly ranks.
His subordinates came up to him and reported, "General, we can set off now."
He said in a low voice, "Back to camp."
He then walked past his subordinates and led his troops back.
The victorious team left the canyon in a grand procession.
It was still dark, and the canyon was completely silent.
It's unclear where the noise started.
The blood-covered Han pushed the "corpse" off the "corpse" of the Hu people who were pressing down on him.
He muttered under his breath, "You didn't know you were pressing down on me?"
"What did you eat to grow so heavy?"
The barbarian was shoved and bumped against a nearby rock, hitting the back of his head hard and wincing in pain.
The Hu man stood up to retaliate, "If it weren't for General Mulin, would I be wasting my time with you doing this useless thing? You're giving me too much credit..."
Immediately afterwards, the "corpses" still lying around quickly got up and tried to break up the fight.
The scene in the canyon became eerie. In the desolate and bleak hell, the dead, covered in blood, peacefully and amicably broke up a fight.
"Alright, alright."
"We've already finished fighting, what's the point of fighting anymore?"
"If you start making a scene now, it will be bad if outsiders hear it."
Upon hearing the noise, the young soldiers lying on the ground, who had been diligently pretending to be corpses, knew they no longer needed to pretend. They got up, wiped the red mud off their faces, and kicked away the limbs they had prepared to stuff with dry grass.
The boy followed them for a few steps, then suddenly felt something was wrong, so he turned back and picked up the withered grass and broken limbs on the ground to walk with them.
During wartime, supplies are scarce, and taking them back could at least provide firewood.
The boy was seen picking up severed limbs and remains all over the canyon.
A soldier called out to him from a short distance away, and he quickly picked up the last one and followed.
Soon the corpses on the plain regrouped and left.
Several hundred Hu people were also dragged down. These people could not return to the Hu camp and could only return to the Han camp with them.
To put it bluntly, they were prisoners of war.
After they regrouped and left, it was broad daylight.
The procession returning to the Beichi camp meandered through this mountainous region.
General Mugo was lost in thought for a long time, reflecting on what he had done.
The strategist noticed his unusual behavior and sighed as well.
It's impossible to calculate how things got to where they are now, step by step.
By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late to turn back.
The mistake was that General Mulin misjudged the situation of the Han people and acted rashly.
Now all we can do is perpetuate the mistake and continue down this path.
The team marched through the loess and sand, and soon saw the densely packed tents in the main camp not far away.
The sounds of soldiers training in the camp drifted in from afar, growing louder as they approached.
Mugo gripped the reins tighter and tighter.
It suddenly stopped at some point.
But the escorting team ahead was still moving forward.
Seeing this, the strategist felt uneasy and turned to look at Mugo.
They noticed that Mugo was staring intently at the Northern Chi camp not far away.
"General, don't stop," the strategist said anxiously, quickly whispering to Mugo, "Since things have come to this, there's no other way."
"You can only keep walking."
Mugo remained silent.
The strategist hurried around, looking in all directions, and urged in a low voice, "If we back down now, our entire camp will be imprisoned and executed!"
"Even if others are untrustworthy, the Han people are untrustworthy..."
"You can't go wrong trusting Mr. Chen Jun!"
"Haven't you been helping us all these years in the same way, Mr. Shen Jun?"
Mugo's long-standing stiff expression finally began to relax slightly.
yes.
Deep and profound...
This was an idea that Shen Jun suggested to him.
Over the years, every time Shan Chenjun helped, they never lost.
He should trust Shan Chenjun, not just anyone.
“Yes…” Mu Ge began, his voice hoarse and rough from the silence, “Chen Jun.”
"Shen Jun wouldn't harm us."
Mugo muttered to himself, "Even if it doesn't work out, we can always go to Shanshan with Shen Jun later."
"We still have somewhere to go."
"That's right." The strategist breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Mu Ge was finally getting better. "Young Master Shen Jun is right."
"The Northern Chi territory is perfectly fine; it doesn't matter if we lose an inch of the Central Plains. Survival is the most important thing."
Mugo took a deep breath and instructed the strategist, "Go and send a message to Young Master Shen Jun, saying that everyone has arrived."
The strategist accepted the order, "Good."
After seeing the strategist leave, Mugo spurred his horse and entered the Northern Chi camp.
As soon as the triumphant team entered the camp, shouts and cheers immediately rose from the surroundings.
After the captured prisoners were registered according to procedure, someone came forward and called Mugo down, saying, "Good job! Now you can report back to the king."
Mugo forced a smile.
His companion looked at him and asked, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy about winning the battle?"
Mugo found a plausible reason: "My eldest and second brothers are both in Han Chinese hands, so I can't be happy."
His companion nodded. "That's true."
Mugo walked to the front and settled the prisoners of war one by one into the prisoner-of-war camp.
The prisoners of war in their camp were all Han Chinese soldiers, and with the addition of the thousands this time, there were two or three thousand of them.
Chu Yu was escorted separately and placed near Mu Ge's camp as soon as he entered the camp.
Mugo had the prisoners of war register for the prisoner-of-war camp, intentionally or unintentionally making eye contact with the Han Chinese prisoners of war.
They parted ways in an instant, neither revealing too many flaws.
The Han Chinese prisoners of war had their hands bound with iron chains. After their identities were recorded, they turned around and met the gazes of their comrades in the camp.
Everything proceeded in an orderly manner.
Mugo's anxiety gradually subsided and he calmed down.
He could hear his own heartbeat growing calmer and calmer.
Suddenly, a subordinate's voice rang out from not far away, "Commander Shan Ze!"
Mugo frowned slightly and looked up.
Dan Ze, mounted on horseback, passed by them from a high vantage point and then stopped. "You're back?"
"I heard you won a battle today."
Mugo's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he nodded in acknowledgment, "It was just a fluke."
“How can it be a fluke?” Shan Ze disdainfully looked away. “If you’re risking your life for the emperor and it’s all just luck, then this military camp won’t be able to keep you.”
“In the Northern Chi tribe, winning battles is to be expected. Your two foolish brothers have almost squandered the family fortune. If you lose again, it really won’t be right.”
Mugo held his breath slightly.
Dan Ze spotted the carriage escorting Chu Yu in the distance. "I heard you also captured a leader?"
Dan Ze urged his horse forward, lifted the carriage curtain, and saw Chu Yu inside.
Chu Yu remained calm and composed, sitting inside without showing any emotion.
After all, he was a prince of Yanzhou.
The territory of Yanzhou that they held in their hands now accounted for nearly half of the Central Plains.
It's perfectly understandable that they weren't treated the same as ordinary prisoners of war.
Marquis Yan was a rare prisoner of war.
They are also one of the prisoners of war that His Majesty desires most.
Dan Ze knew the importance of this prisoner of war, and went straight to Mu Ge and asked, "You are young and don't know how to handle prisoners of war. Give these prisoners of war to me."
Mugo's heart sank, and he couldn't help but step forward. "Why should I give you what I fought for?"
Shan Ze raised an eyebrow. "If you don't handle this well and something goes wrong, can you solve it?"
"take away!"
As soon as Shan Ze finished speaking, the military officer beside him immediately stepped forward.
"Let's see who dares!" Mugo shouted, blocking their way. "These Han prisoners of war need to be properly detained. Don't move them for now."
"Don't forget, my brother and several thousand of his generals are also in the Han Chinese army camp, these prisoners of war..."
Dan Ze laughed instead of listening. "What about these prisoners of war? You don't actually want to use them to exchange for them, do you?"
"In the Northern Chi tribe, defeated and captured soldiers are nothing but trash! They deserve to die!"
Dan Ze's words were harsh, which made Mu Ge's face turn cold and fierce.
"What's the use of bringing back trash? How could His Majesty possibly keep them?" Shan Ze didn't even dismount, and never gave Mu Ge a second glance. "Either hand them all over to me, or..."
Shan Ze drew out his words, pausing for a moment with a meaningful tone.
The air was thick with tension, as if a sword had been drawn.
Mugo said in a deep voice, "What can you do if I don't give it to you?!"
"His Majesty has been very busy with affairs lately and has let your Mu clan off the hook, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to investigate your defeat."
"If I say just a couple of words, His Majesty will still order you to hand over the prisoners of war to me. What difference does it make?"
Shan Ze gestured to his men.
His men rammed through Mugo and went to retrieve the prisoners of war!
Mugo staggered a few steps, instinctively gripping his sword!
The strategist quickly restrained Mugo, saying, "No, you mustn't act rashly!"
"Drawing a sword against a superior in the army is a grave offense!"
Dan Ze coldly watched his helpless actions, waiting to find something to use against him.
The strategist used all his strength to press down the sword in Mugo's hand.
Only after Shan Ze's men completed the transfer procedures and moved all the prisoners of war to his camp was Shan Ze satisfied.
Dan Zeduo circled around Chu Yu's carriage and horses, taking a look.
They then set off, taking Chu Yu's carriages and horses directly to the main camp of the Northern Chi King, intending to claim credit.
The rest were assigned to his subordinates for resettlement.
The prisoner-of-war procession moved in a grand procession.
Each person had a sturdy iron chain fastened to their hands.
Mugo stared intently at Shan Ze's retreating figure.
Seeing this, a companion secretly spat at Shan Ze's back, "I bet he heard you guys won and came back to reap the benefits."
"He risked his life to get a single enemy general, how can we let him steal the limelight?"
"It's just that my older brother isn't here. If they were, we would definitely have a fight with him."
Mugo remained silent for a long time.
Only the prisoners of war know why they were brought into the military camp.
Now it's been taken away by Shan Ze...
Behind that.
Mugo turned his head and asked, "Why hasn't Shen Jun arrived yet?"
The soldier who had brought the message returned hastily, shouting, "Something terrible has happened!"
Mugo's brows furrowed even more deeply. "What's wrong?"
The soldier replied breathlessly, "Commander, His Majesty says that Young Master Shen Jun has been associating with the army closely lately, and he is not allowed to leave his home for the next few days!"
Mugo felt a chill in his heart. "I'll go find him."
"It's no use, the emperor has also forbidden us from associating with him."
"Young Master Chen Jun's camp has been surrounded."
Mugo stopped in his tracks, his heart sinking to the bottom.
*
After taking all the prisoners of war away, Shan Ze stood proudly outside the Northern Chi King's tent, waiting for the Northern Chi King's summons.
Behind him was Chu Yu, who was being guarded on both sides.
Soon, a guard came out of the tent and stepped aside, saying, "Commander, please."
Shan Ze entered the camp first, saying, "Your Majesty, I have brought you the Marquis of Yanbei."
The Northern Chi King, with his back to him, looked at the map spread out before him and said, "You're quite capable. How did you capture him?"
Dan Ze's eyebrows twitched slightly. "A while ago, the Mu family brothers took it upon themselves to cause some losses to the military camp, which I could not tolerate."
"So they pretended to reveal information about the supply of food and fodder to the enemy among the prisoners."
"We laid an ambush beforehand, and the attack was just in time to strike!"
The King of Bei Chi nodded; he didn't actually care how Shan Ze had been captured.
It doesn't matter who arrested him or how he was arrested.
If his subordinates are all eager to serve him, it's a good thing for him.
He often turns a blind eye.
"Bring it in."
Dan Ze responded, went out and led Chu Yu into the military camp, then withdrew.
Chu Yu stepped into the tent and looked up to see the Northern Chi King standing in the very center of the vast and magnificent map of the Nine Provinces, his tall figure almost occupying the entire heart of the Central Plains.
The candlelight flickered in and out of the Northern Chi King's eyes.
She simply stared at him silently.
The King of the North scrutinized the gentle young man before him for a long time, his eyes filled with a mysterious, ever-changing expression. His voice was rough and deep as he gestured, "Sit."
Chu Yu walked to a table and chairs and sat down.
Two guards stood behind him the whole time, watching his every move.
The King of Bei Chi did not sit down immediately. He approached with a deep look in his eyes and poured Chu Yu a cup of tea. "I have long admired your name."
As the King of the North spoke, he handed over the teacup.
Chu Yu didn't touch the tea he was offered, and said slowly, "I never thought that despite all my scheming, I would still fall victim to your trap."
The King of the North was not angry. He smiled and put down his teacup. "So, how could such a small trap have made the Marquis of Chu so careless?"
The King of Bei Chi's words had a hidden meaning, which Chu Yu naturally understood.
Chu Yu raised an eyebrow. "Is it your fault?"
The King of the North found this intriguing. "Why?"
"If it weren't for your attack on the Central Plains, my marital bond with Yao Yao would have been unbreakable."
"And you interfered, allowing that bandit from Nanlong to take advantage of the situation, making it impossible for Yaoyao and me to be as close as before."
“I’m currently secretly fighting with that bandit, scheming for gains and losses, all for you.” Chu Yu smiled. “If I can gain more advantages from you and get more benefits from Shanshan, I can naturally win my wife back.”
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so eager to keep the appointment after knowing so much information."
Chu Yu said meaningfully, "But what we've ended up with is a trap."
The King of the North chuckled silently, "So it does sound like it's my fault."
Chu Yu calmly replied, "A bet is a bet. Do as you please, whether you want me to kill you or torture me."
"Are you willing to die like this?"
Chu Yu smiled and said, "I'm not reconciled."
"Then tell me, what else can I do? What else can you expect me to do?"
He was certain from the start that the King of the North wanted to use him more than he wanted to kill him.
Therefore, he cleverly shifted the initiative to the King of the North.
Guide the Northern Chi King to what you want, so that they can reach a consensus.
As expected, the Northern Chi King met his gaze and said, "Judging from your purpose, the person you want is exactly the same person I want."
"I want the territory you want too."
“I have too many military generals around me, but I lack civil officials.” The King of Bei Chi looked at him. “If you are willing to let virtuous ministers serve me.”
"If I get it, you get it too."
"How can you say that just because you got her, I got her too?" Chu Yu leaned against the side. "If I want her, how can I share her with you?"
The King of the North smiled leisurely, "You should know..."
“We, the Northern Chi, still share wives.”
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