Chapter 163: A Must-Fight Military Strategy
The night was dark and deep, and Xie Xuan's phoenix pupils, flickering in the light of the torches, were like the sky before a thunderstorm, filled with arcs of electricity that were about to explode.
Su Shengsheng looked at him in disbelief.
It's only been twelve hours. Even if he is a military genius, it shouldn't be this fast!
Xie Xuan approached step by step, as if he wanted to drag them into the invisible eye of the storm.
The brother and sister stepped back involuntarily.
Su Hengji reacted quickly, protecting his sister and trying to block Xie Xuan's sword-like gaze that was pointed directly at Su Shengsheng, "General Xie..."
He was hoping for a lucky break, thinking that since Xie Xuan was willing to use the golden medal of immunity from death to save the Su family, he would not really watch them die.
But just as he opened his mouth, he was tied up by Chu Zhao and Mu Ze. "Where's Old Master Su?"
In a blink of an eye, only Su Shengsheng and Xie Xuan were left standing opposite each other on the sealine.
Su Shengsheng calmed her chaotic mind and looked at Xie Xuan, whose expression was unclear. "General Xie, could you please pretend you haven't seen us today?"
Although she knew that the fault must have been Xie Xuan's, she still tried to find a way out through negotiation.
Xie Xuan stopped in front of her, so close that they could feel each other's breath.
"Su Shengsheng, if even I can find you, do you think you can still escape?"
Su Shengsheng's eyes trembled slightly.
The reason why Xie Xuan appeared here at this moment meant that he had guessed what she was thinking.
But she didn't want to give up, and she played her final trump card: "The general is always successful, so I guess he doesn't like the gift I gave him. I wonder if the general has ever thought about how I was able to escape so far away with my family without making a sound?"
Su Shengsheng didn't dodge or evade, and met Xie Xuan's cold eyes that were like the fire of the underworld. "If the general is willing to let the Su family go, I am willing to offer the method of manned airship."
Xie Xuan suddenly chuckled, stretched out his hand, and held her firmly in his palm.
His gaze was as sharp as a blade, approaching her frightened eyes inch by inch.
"Do you think Tuoba Ye is a good person? How could he not get suspicious when you disappeared right under my nose?"
The words were like sharp arrows, each one piercing her pain.
"If I really accept your gifts, not only will it not stop Tuoba Ye from looking for you, but you will become his weapon to strike back at Nanling."
"Do you think that because those countries don't engage in war, they won't have ambitions for hegemony? Or do you think that vehicles faster than horse-drawn carriages, and the manned airships you mentioned, are unappreciated?"
Su Shengsheng's face gradually turned pale under Xie Xuan's relentless pressure.
Xie Xuan didn't give up. "Do you know what a battleground is? Even if you choose to flee to Tianzhu to protect yourself, have you ever considered that the thing that can make colored glaze will also make Tianzhu vulnerable?"
Su Shengsheng was speechless when her thoughts were completely exposed.
Xie Xuan did not relax at all. Instead, he lifted her chin even harder and brought his gaze closer to her eyes, leaving her nowhere to hide.
"Nanling may not go to the trouble of sending troops to attack Tianzhu, but Tuoba Ye only needs to make your affairs public, and the Su family will become the target of public criticism in Tianzhu."
His voice was cold and sharp, and every word was piercing. "How can other countries let Tianzhu go?"
"By then, what do you think Tianzhu will decide? Or do you intend to stand against me... Nanling, and become our enemy?"
The final question was like a heavy hammer, shattering all of Su Shengsheng's fantasies.
She had thought about establishing diplomatic relations between Tianzhu and Nanling, and even offering tribute every year.
Even if Nanling couldn't swallow this anger and would let Tianzhu cause trouble for them...
But as long as she is still useful to Tianzhu, she will not be easily sent back to Nanling even if Tianzhu discovers her whereabouts one day.
However, she only viewed the situation from a merchant's perspective, believing that as long as she kept a low profile in Tianzhu and didn't touch the gas fields...
But she had never looked at the world from a military perspective...
Just as Xie Xuan said, if he could find her whereabouts, how could Tuoba Ye not see through her thoughts?
This was no longer the peaceful and tranquil era she was familiar with. To protect itself, the small nation would undoubtedly use her as a bargaining chip without hesitation...
She had never thought deeply about whether, before exchanging interests with others, she needed to have the strong power to protect these interests.
She never imagined that those things that were only used for commercial competition in peacetime would become treasures that military strategists must fight for in this land.
Once Xie Xuan used it, Tuoba Ye would only need to spread rumors about "Lu Ban's Notes" to easily overturn the fate of the small country.
The reason she was repeatedly assassinated... and subsequently targeted... was because she never considered herself a scientific researcher...
I never thought that once caught in the vortex of war, the value of those things would far exceed the purpose of increasing national income.
It may even become the fuse that triggers a war...
Because this is a chaotic world where only looting and killing can be found...
And Lu Ban, famous for his city-destroying weapons...
Looking at Su Shengsheng, whose face was bleeding and who stopped arguing, Xie Xuan took a deep breath.
"Now, I am the only one who can protect you..." Xie Xuan's low voice was like an abyss, as if it was going to swallow her completely.
He raised his hand to tidy up the messy hair on her forehead. Amid her confused expression, he took out a white jade hairpin from his sleeve and pinned it in her hair without giving her any chance to refuse.
"Are you going to marry her or not?" Xie Xuan's eyes were fixed on her pale and bloodless face, but his tone was filled with aggressive pressure.
Su Shengsheng had never seen such a strong and straightforward proposal in her life.
Looking up at Xie Xuan's awe-inspiring face, she suddenly wanted to laugh.
Su Shengsheng looked at the armored soldiers in the distance, who were filled with murderous aura, and exhaled softly, "It seems that I have no other choice..."
She played business war with him, but he played military strategy with her
It seemed that he didn't know what it meant to lose both the wife and the army, so she would reluctantly teach him a lesson.
The storm in Xie Xuanfeng's eyes finally subsided.
He leaned over and pressed his mark on her cold brow, "Su Shengsheng, you can't escape..."
Su Shengsheng's eyelashes fluttered slightly, like butterfly wings in the morning light, and Xie Xuan's phoenix eyes, as deep as the night sky, suddenly broke into her eyes, leaving no room for any resistance.
Before she could speak, Xie Xuan had already carried her steadily onto the horse's back.
"Return to Scarlet Flame City immediately!"
He wrapped her tightly in his fluttering battle robe and ordered the entire army to return quickly.
…
In the following time, Su Shengsheng had almost no time to think.
Xie Xuan took her and traveled day and night without stopping.
When they were exhausted, they would change to a carriage, and when they had recovered a little, they would ride on horseback again.
Finally, at dusk on the second day, the group arrived outside the pass.
The officials of Chiyan City had been waiting anxiously on the official road outside the city. When they saw Xie Xuan returning with his future princess, they first breathed a sigh of relief, and then took a deep breath.
"Your Highness, the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict has arrived in the city. I'm afraid they'll have to rest for a while before heading to the Heavenly Chasm Pass!"
At first glance, I didn't see Old Master Su and others, so I knew they hadn't been brought back yet.
Now, all available methods have been exhausted, and even a roadblock has been set up, but it only delayed the process for two days.
At this moment, there is nothing we can do. If the eunuchs find out that the Su family has escaped outside the pass, I am afraid the crime will be even more serious. We can't let the prince use up the remaining chance, right?
Xie Xuan glanced at his subordinates coldly, then lowered his head to look at Su Shengsheng, who was slowly waking up because of the noise under his robe.
"What are you panicking about?"
When the minister heard this, the breath he had been holding in rushed to his throat.
Mu Ze yawned and approached with the reins in hand. "Just treat him with good wine and food. Don't let the eunuch get drunk and mess up."
The minister's eyes rolled, and he suddenly realized, "I will arrange it right away."
Xie Xuan looked at Su Shengsheng, whose face was confused and whose eyes were difficult to open, called Mu Ze over and whispered a few instructions.
After Mu Ze received the order and left, Xie Xuan gently lifted the reins and said, "Change the route to Lingshan."
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