Chapter 111
"You..." Lin Yi wanted to ask him when he arrived and if he had heard anything.
But Xie Chengnan forcefully grabbed her hand and, amidst the strange stares of passing soldiers, pulled her back to his tent.
"Are you still unwilling to tell me anything?"
"..."
"You had contact with that man in the oasis. How did you know Lu Huaiyuan? Who were you talking to just now? What are you going to do next—"
Xie Chengnan sighed softly, "You have to answer at least one of these questions."
Although he asked the question, there was no coercion in Xie Chengnan's eyes, only helplessness and indulgence.
This was enough for Lin Yi to understand that even if she didn't say anything, he wouldn't do anything to her.
But Lin Yi certainly couldn't do that. There were just too many suspicious points, so many that she wouldn't feel right about continuing to remain an unopened clam.
Since he couldn't talk about anything related to the plot, Lin Yi chose to answer the two most trivial questions.
There is no less incompetent spy in the world than her.
In their very first meeting since the start of the march, she slipped up and was immediately defeated by Xie Chengnan's gaze. She revealed the whole story of her unspeakable deal with Princess Changning and completely betrayed him within the next hour.
After Xie Chengnan heard the whole story, took her to Gu Shuan, and dismissed everyone else, Lin Yi silently apologized to the princess in Mingzhou City.
"This is our trump card, and we're just letting you off like this? Your Highness, aren't you going to do something about it?"
Lin blinked. Xie Chengnan's casual remark had transformed the person secretly colluding with Princess Changning from "herself" into "us," and he had even preemptively demanded a gesture of respect!
Although this move to turn the tables was brilliant, Gu Shuan wasn't stupid. Wouldn't she investigate whether Gu Shuan had come to the camp with ulterior motives in the first place?
But Gu Shu'an not only didn't pursue the matter, but seemed genuinely intending to praise them. "How should I express it?"
"Your Highness has a backup plan in Mingzhou City, hasn't he? Turning against us at the last minute and going back on your word carries a great risk for us. It's hard to guarantee that Changning won't get angry and do something irreversible. Protecting the residences of the Qiu and Xie families and preventing Changning or anyone else from taking action against them should be easy for you." Xie Chengnan was completely unfazed, appearing every bit the expert negotiator.
"Can."
Lin Yi was shocked. If she had known that Gu Shuan was such an easy-going and reasonable person, she would have confessed much earlier! She had been filled with guilt and anxiety the whole way!
"Your residence and relatives, how you left us, how you should return. How should we repay Marquis Yong'an and his wife?" Gu Shu'an asked.
"Is Changning's reply, and any other messages you want to send her enough?"
Gu Shuan lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment before quickly replying, "Okay."
Wise people don't dwell on grudges and disputes. With just a few words and a few exchanges, shady matters can be easily resolved openly.
Watching them quickly reach an agreement, almost to the point of making peace and achieving mutual benefit, Lin Yi realized he wasn't stupid. Why hadn't he thought to confess to Gu Shu'an and choose sides earlier? He was clearly the male lead, and the one who would win the power struggle was undoubtedly him, yet Lin Yi hadn't considered surrendering at all! Instead, he was constantly agonizing over how to navigate the situation.
Even after leaving that door, Lin Yi still couldn't figure it out.
Seeing her distress, Xie Chengnan tapped her on the head with his finger, "Still haven't figured out where your problem lies?"
Lin Yi shook his head truthfully.
"Do not bind yourself in the name of benevolence and righteousness. You do not have to keep every promise you make to others."
Seeing that Lin Yi was still puzzled, he didn't mind using himself as an example: "When a sharp blade is hanging over my neck, I will do anything that is beneficial to myself, without considering right or wrong."
"Then is betrayal acceptable?" Lin Yi asked.
She was taught from a young age to be righteous and kind. Betrayal and betrayal are different, and they seem to have a negative connotation from the start. She was not questioning Xie Chengnan's character, but just wanted to know how he would respond.
"You never truly accepted her from the bottom of your heart; it was just a temporary pretense. How can you call that betrayal?" Xie Chengnan raised an eyebrow, his smile both gentle and arrogant.
Betrayal is betraying those you trust, tearing apart your inner beliefs, and abandoning your own principles. It is actively choosing to deviate from what you have clearly agreed with.
Lin Yi seemed to understand this, yet also felt as if he had been suddenly enlightened.
"Besides, it's too far away to reach her. Do you really think Changning wouldn't have foreseen this situation? Or has Gu Shuan really been kept in the dark all along?" Xie Chengnan's voice was sarcastic.
"What do you mean?" Lin Yi was deeply shocked. Could it be that Chang Ning and Gu Shu'an had known all along and had been watching her act?!
"I don't know what Princess Changning is thinking, but Gu Shuan's mind is so complicated it's like a hornet's nest. In this camp, who isn't his soldier?"
He gave a slightly disgusted look, as if he didn't think his wife was such a brainless person. "Didn't you ever wonder how Changning managed to get Gu Shuan to agree to let you join the army?"
Back then... Lin Yi mentally reviewed the details of how smoothly things had gone. When he looked up, he saw the playful expression on Lin Yi's face and asked solemnly, "Do you think I'm stupid?"
Lin Yi thought he would, like before, laugh and beg for forgiveness, refusing to admit it.
Xie Chengnan laughed and said, "If you can tell, you're not that stupid."
Lin Yi was indignant and puffed out his cheeks to look angry.
Not all the Xili people were tough; through their interrogation, we learned the exact location of the Xili capital and its defensive layout.
Zhan Xian wiped the blood splattered on her cheek, looked down at the Xili general, and lifted his chin with her toes: "So you've revealed the truth. What awaits us there? Speak!"
The Xili people's words were not clear and had a heavy foreign accent: "If I could see what kind of ambush was ahead, I wouldn't have been sent to this godforsaken place."
"I've told you everything I need to say. As for the rest, I don't know. You should keep your promise and let me go."
Zhan Xian released her grip, and without support, the Xili general's head slumped limply. After a moment, he raised it again, glaring at Zhan Xian: "I've said everything. Let me go!"
Ignoring his hysteria, Zhan Xian's eyes held a chilling intensity that was enough to intimidate anyone: "One last question. Do you still remember the battle with the Zhan family army ten years ago—what happened back then, who provided you with intelligence, and what conspiracy Xi Li has in store?!"
Blood gushed down from her forehead, landing in her eyes and blurring her vision. The Xili general struggled to make out her face, stared at it for a moment, and then sneered, "So she's a fish that slipped through the Zhan family's net. The Zhan family army... they all deserve to die!" He then cursed Xili with a vulgar curse.
Zhan Xian stood upright, looking down at him with eyes that seemed to regard him as a dead man.
As the commander-in-chief, seeing the situation was dire, he abandoned his men and the city he was defending, and turned to flee. This could be interpreted as him trying to save his own life and deliver a message. If, after being captured, he could be stubborn and refuse to reveal anything, then Zhan Xian might have some respect for him.
But this man was spineless, yet not completely spineless. After a few lashes, he began to confess. Hearing the name of the Zhan family army stirred up his resentment.
She has no intention of keeping her promises to such a person.
Zhan Xian held the map of Xili Royal City in her hand, lifted the dirty curtain to let in the light of day, and heard the screams of a man behind her.
The letter sent to Shulang disappeared without a trace.
Judging by the days, a reply should be sent within the next few days. Perhaps the messenger got lost in the sandstorm, or perhaps something else delayed him.
Traveling in the desert is inherently difficult, so arriving earlier or later is normal.
But Gu Shuan had a bad feeling.
The worst-case scenario they had considered was that the Xili people would take advantage of their march across the desert and concentrate their firepower to attack Liangzhou.
He had already made two preparations. As early as when the army passed through Ganshan, he had deployed troops in Ganzhou, which was the closest city to Liangzhou, so that he could provide support as quickly as possible if the enemy was discovered.
But Xie Chengnan's reminder had been lingering in his mind for the past few days. What exactly was Prince Jing up to at that inn outside Liangzhou City? Where did the fruits and vegetables that were so rare in Liangzhou City come from...? If his suspicions were true, the situation would be worse than he had imagined.
To strike a snake, strike its vital spot; to capture a thief, capture its king first. Before external and internal troubles arrive simultaneously, we must quickly capture the capital of Xili Kingdom to ensure that the situation has no chance of turning around.
He decided to wait another day. If Shulang still did not send a letter, he would send troops to attack the grassland capital and select a troop of elite soldiers to return to Liangzhou to investigate.
The deputy general led his men back to Liangzhou first, agreeing to reply within half a month, no matter what.
The main force set off immediately, heading southwest towards the grasslands.
Before Deputy General Xiao arrived, it was Shulang's messenger who arrived.
Things have already started to go in the worst possible direction.
The Xili army has reached Liangzhou. The Liangzhou garrison, along with the Ganzhou reinforcements, is still understrength and is holding out for the worst.
Shulang's message stated that he had received the commander's order two days prior, but he was already preoccupied with defending the city and could not spare the time to investigate the whereabouts of an inn and a person. Even this reply was only delivered after a perilous breakthrough. Fortunately, Gu Shuan had made prior arrangements, deploying tens of thousands of troops in Ganzhou, and with the emergency mobilization of garrison troops from surrounding cities, they could still buy some time.
However, the main force must return to reinforce the city as soon as possible; otherwise, it is only a matter of time before the city falls.
Therefore, the guerrilla tactics that Xili used to occasionally surface were merely a delaying tactic to tie down the main force, giving the Xili army enough time to open the gates of Anguo.
At this point, if we were to launch a full-scale attack on the grasslands and fight a decisive battle in the capital, we could certainly win, but we could not abandon our defenses.
Gu Shuan made a decisive decision, ordering half of his troops to return to the aid of the enemy, while the other half went to the grasslands as planned.
This was both a decisive victory and a strategy to relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao. A two-pronged approach was employed to jointly resolve the crisis in Liangzhou.
"The 100,000 troops will split up and march in different directions. The General of the Cavalry will lead half of the shield infantry, the archer battalion, and the Divine Machine Battalion to directly attack the capital of Xili, and will have full control over the key military affairs. I will lead the remaining troops to reinforce Liangzhou. Once Liangzhou is out of danger, we will meet up with the capital."
He paused, then said, "Promote the battalion commander to the rank of General Poli, and have him accompany you along with Physician Qiu."
Gu Shuan's personal motive was to send Zhan Xian back to Liangzhou with him, but from a strategic perspective, Zhan Xian and Xie Chengnan would have a greater chance of winning if they attacked the city together.
Some sentiments are destined not to coexist with those of family and country.
But allowing Lin Yi and Xie Chengnan to be together was something Gu Shuan could do, a way of fulfilling their wishes.
This journey may be fraught with countless dangers and difficulties, but we must face them one by one and overcome them; there is no turning back.
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