Cheng Liang finally saw clearly that the person was one of the fish that had slipped through the net earlier, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "It's him? Damn it, he actually got away."
"Who is he?" Yi Junhao asked quietly.
Cheng Liangqi said, "He was Tuoba Ze's close bodyguard. I had already wounded and captured him in the willow grove. But then this thief tricked him and escaped. I chased him and that's how I met Your Highness at the foot of this North Mountain. I think this thief must have known Tuoba Ze's escape route beforehand and planned it together beforehand, which is why he fled here to meet up with him after his defeat. But why didn't I see him just now?"
As Cheng Liang spoke, he was extremely puzzled.
Tuoba Ze had been thinking that Cheng Liang's words were just alarmist talk to persuade him to surrender.
He spent a lot of money and effort on their families back then.
They were all loyal soldiers he had carefully selected from the Northern Lie Kingdom. How could they be as cowardly, weak, and vulnerable as he claimed?
But upon hearing the words of this guard, who, though foolish and clumsy, seemed to convey a message that did not sound false at all, he suddenly hesitated.
After a moment's hesitation, Tuoba Ze asked his bodyguard with a puzzled look, "Since the battle just now was so fierce, and our entire army surrendered and was captured, how did you manage to escape?"
The guard, still shaken by the horrific scene of carnage, stammered, "I was wounded in the arm while fighting the Qin King's deputy in the willow grove. So, after Your Highness left, I hid behind some bushes and bandaged my wound, which is how I escaped this calamity. Who would have thought that without my leadership, those cowardly and useless fellows would surrender without a fight? 'Raising an army for a thousand days, using it for one,' it's all my fault. I've been too lenient with them, neglecting training and discipline, indulging them all day long. That's why they were so vulnerable at the crucial moment. However, those Western Qin soldiers are all well-trained, each one like a fierce tiger, indeed not easy to deal with..."
Hearing his subordinate's seemingly belated realization, which was actually deflating his own prestige and boosting the morale of others, Tuoba Ze glared at him resentfully, feeling a tightness in his chest, as if he could hardly breathe.
He gritted his teeth, trying his best to suppress and calm the extreme anger that the fact that he had been completely defeated brought him, and at the same time, he wanted to find a way to relieve it.
Having clearly heard everything the master and servant beside him said, Yi Shangyun suddenly shouted loudly to Xuan Yuanhan, "Your Highness, the Northern Lie enemy has been captured by our Western Qin soldiers, and they have all surrendered. Your Highness, we have won this battle."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Liang's eyes widened in surprise and he exclaimed excitedly, "What? They've all really surrendered?"
Hearing Cheng Liang's words, Yi Junhao was even more astonished than him. "Didn't you just say that all of Tuoba Ze's spies and troops planted in Western Qin have been captured? Even the last group of defeated soldiers who followed him in the woods to return home and rebuild their strength have surrendered to Western Qin? Could it be that you were the one who..."
Before Yi Junhao could finish speaking, Cheng Liang looked proudly into Yi Junhao's eyes and said, "Young Master Yi, do you know the saying 'all's fair in war'? What I did just now was a psychological tactic against Tuoba Ze in a moment of desperation. I didn't expect my brothers to be so capable and brave in battle. It seems that my cooperation with my brothers is becoming more and more seamless."
Upon hearing this, Yi Junhao scoffed contemptuously, then said, "But speaking of which, what's wrong with your master at this critical juncture? Look at the masked man beside him—fair-skinned, refined, and not at all like an assassin. Such a person shouldn't be able to threaten your master. What should we do now? We can't just sit here and wait. Look at Tuoba Ze; his face is weak, his body swaying, and he keeps rubbing his chest, as if he can't even stand up straight. He must have suffered severe internal injuries at the hands of your master; he probably won't last much longer. Besides, he now knows he's in a dangerous situation with no way out, and he's probably thinking of some extreme measures to respond to us. The worst part is, the girl is being controlled so tightly by him; we don't seem to have a single opportunity to make a move!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Liang bit his lip and slowly said while looking at Xuan Yuanhan's back, "Third Young Master, you don't know this, but the cliff... is a shadow that my master can never erase. For him, it's like a fatal curse."
"Oh? What do you mean?" Yi Junhao asked.
Cheng Liang frowned and replied, "When His Highness was a child, he left the palace with the Dowager Consort. On their way back, they passed through this place. Unexpectedly, they encountered a group of mysterious bandits. Just when His Highness was in a life-or-death situation, a woman who had never been seen before and was about to give birth appeared. In order to save His Highness, the woman sacrificed herself. Forced by the bandits, she fell to her death from the cliff behind Miss Yi, along with her unborn child."
Yi Junhao suddenly realized, "So that's how it is. He must have seen the girl standing on the same cliff edge, being held hostage. So he's stuck in the past and can't get over it? If... we lure Tuoba Ze away from the cliff edge first, perhaps your master will wake up."
"That's easy for you to say, but look at the way these two are handling the hostage. Their hands and eyes are glued to the hostage the whole time. How are we supposed to make a move?" Cheng Liang said helplessly.
Yi Junhao chuckled at him and said, "Hmph, watch me."
Yi Junhao cleared his throat and shouted at Tuoba Ze, "Hey, Prince of Beilie, if you kidnapped that ugly girl not for money or lust, then what are you after? There must be a reason for doing something so risky."
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze calmed down, seemingly lost in thought, and murmured, "The reason? Actually, this woman wasn't originally part of my plans. But then, one day, she just silently delivered herself to my doorstep, entering my field of vision. Spending time with her day and night, I discovered that she is not only kind, but also brave and intelligent… I think I've probably truly fallen for her?!"
Upon hearing this, even Tuoba Hong, Tuoba Ze's younger brother who was masked and controlling Xuan Yuanhan's every move with his sword, hurriedly turned his head and stared wide-eyed in the direction of his elder brother and Yi Shangyun, unable to believe his ears.
Is all of this real? His own brother, so cold-blooded, ruthless, and willing to do anything to achieve his goals, actually announced to the world that he had fallen in love with a woman. Could he be hallucinating?! Tuoba Hong thought in shock.
Unexpectedly, even a barbarian like Tuoba Ze would fall in love with his girl.
However, there is only one girl in this world. Even if she cannot accept liking him for the time being, she must not be ruined by a scoundrel or scum like Tuoba Ze.
As Yi Junhao pondered, he continued, "Like? Do you even know what like is? Like isn't about possessing her with all your might, nor is it about destruction or harm. Like is a natural, silent fulfillment of her needs deep within your heart, a heartfelt blessing, and the steadfast protection you offer her day and night. Most importantly, like requires mutual affection. And yet, you're pointing the sharpest sword in the world at her, hurting her, trying to possess and destroy her. Look at everything you've done right now—what kind of like is that?"
Yi Junhao's words seemed to be addressed to Tuoba Ze, but in reality, they were more like a heartfelt confession to Yi Shangyun.
Everyone present was deeply moved by what he said.
After a moment, Tuoba Hong sighed and suddenly spoke to Tuoba Ze, quietly advising, "Brother, stop! That's the first woman you've ever truly loved. She's been bleeding for so long, can you really bear to hurt her? We just need to control the Prince of Qin. Your brother will help you, so please let go!"
Yi Junhao: "He is the second prince of the Northern Lie Kingdom—Tuoba Hong."
Cheng Liang: "He is the second prince of the Northern Lie Kingdom—Tuoba Hong."
Upon hearing this, Yi Junhao and Cheng Liang looked at each other in surprise and exclaimed in unison.
Just as Tuoba Ze seemed to be wavering, and everyone was eagerly anticipating his removal of the sharp dagger pressed against Yi Shangyun's neck, Yi Shangyun suddenly burst into laughter, "Hahahaha...hahahahaha..."
Suddenly, Tuoba Ze seemed startled by her laughter, and then pressed the tip of his sword against her neck again, angrily asking, "What are you laughing at?"
Yi Shangyun fell silent, looked in the direction of Yi Junhao and Cheng Liang, and said, "Hmph, Third Young Master is right. The most important thing about liking someone is that it must be mutual. Otherwise, it will be a lifetime of mutual torment."
After a brief pause, she turned her gaze back, raised an eyebrow, and said resentfully to Tuoba Ze, "And a pathetic wretch like you will probably never understand in this lifetime, let alone deserve to have it. Don't even think about it. Hurry up and tuck your tail between your legs and go back to your Beilie! But that depends on whether you have the ability to go back."
As soon as she finished speaking, she took a deep breath, then turned her gaze to Xuan Yuanhan and smiled at him dreamily. But that smile was instantly filled with hot tears.
Upon seeing this, Tuoba Ze felt a sudden sense of panic and confusion, and asked her in bewilderment, "What do you want to do?"
She slowly closed her eyes, and tears streamed down her face like beads from a broken string, soaking her veil.
Taking advantage of Tuoba Ze's confusion and lowered guard, she gently lifted one foot and quietly retreated to the side. Tuoba Ze was so surprised that he failed to catch her, and she slipped and fell off the cliff behind him.
At this critical moment, a figure flashed past Tuoba Ze like lightning...
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