Chapter 159 Settling scores after the harvest: You come to settle accounts, of course I'll come back to see. ...
The night breeze, carrying the fragrance of flowers, drifted between the two, silently conveying their unspoken, tender feelings.
When she saw that it really was him, she was first taken aback. Her radiant smile was like that of a bright and beautiful spring day. Her face, adorned with delicate eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, was filled with uncontrollable joy.
Reservedness and shyness were completely thrown to the winds at this moment.
Yu Nie lifted the hem of her skirt, not caring whether it was improper or not, and like a joyful deer, she ran towards the person who had stirred her heart.
At the same time, Huan Xun swiftly dismounted, tossed the reins to Xie Cheng, who had come out earlier and was waiting nearby, and headed towards the direction she was coming from.
She stopped half a step in front of him, looked him over carefully, and tried to make sure that what she was seeing was not fake.
Then, she looked up, her smooth forehead glistening with sweat that she hadn't had time to wipe away while running.
She was slightly out of breath, her smiling eyes gazing at him intently, like pools of clear water.
"You... why are you back at this time?" Her voice held surprise and excitement.
She had just heard Xie Cheng mention at dinner that he was fighting on the front lines, but unexpectedly, he suddenly appeared in front of her.
He looked down at her, his eyes concealing the overflowing longing in his heart.
Huan Xun naturally reached out and brushed away the wind-blown black hair from her forehead: "Since you've come, of course I had to come back to see you."
She looked at his horse, noticing its worn hooves, and said with concern, "You traveled day and night to get back?"
Huan Xun: "Traveling day and night, I was still much late. Otherwise, I should have returned by the time you reached the gates of Jiangling."
"The front lines..."
“I have made all the arrangements, so you don’t need to worry. If there are any urgent military reports, they will send someone to report to me.”
A leader doesn't necessarily have to be at the forefront all the time.
The situation was different before. The troops of Beiye were far inferior to those of Nanyin, and the disparity in strength was huge. If they held their camp, it would undoubtedly allow the enemy to see through Beiye's true strength.
Only by taking the initiative and using offense as a form of defense can the situation be disrupted. Therefore, Huan Xun had to personally supervise and encourage the troops to confuse the enemy.
The feints and raids of the past few days had aroused Xiao Daozun's suspicions, leading him to switch from offense to defense. The feint had begun to show results, as the enemy withdrew their defensive lines and dared not launch another rash attack.
Although Jiangling City is only a hundred miles from the front lines, it is a vital passage to the three rear prefectures, where the transport of supplies and the replenishment of troops all converge. By stationing troops here, one can maintain overall control, ensure smooth communication between all parties, and receive timely military reports from all sides, preventing any delays in the battle.
Moreover, he has five of his most trusted deputy generals at the front, all of whom are seasoned veterans with extensive combat experience and are trustworthy. In addition, in case of any emergency, an urgent messenger can arrive in half a day, and he can provide support at any time.
This was also the time for him to withdraw and return to the hub to take overall control.
Xiao Daozun will not let this go unnoticed forever; he will definitely retaliate.
Hearing him say that, she felt much more at ease.
She blinked and asked him, "Was the journey smooth?"
"Smoothly," he replied briefly.
Noticing that she was only wearing a single layer of clothing, he took off his cloak and wrapped it around her: "It's chilly at night, why did you come out without even putting on an outer garment? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
Before she could finish speaking, she chuckled and tugged at the edge of her cloak: "I was so happy to hear you were back that I forgot."
His eyes widened slightly, then he raised the corners of his lips: "It seems it was my fault. The princess and I should go inside and talk." He said mischievously, "lest the princess catch a cold and I make a mistake on top of a mistake, then I would truly be unforgivable."
She immediately sensed something was off; this person clearly remembered her earlier comment that he was a villain.
She snorted softly, "I didn't expect General Huan to be so vengeful." As she spoke, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand, her warm palm pressing against his skin without any obstruction.
In an instant, the sudden touch made Huan Xun's breath catch in his throat.
"It seems we'd better go in quickly. I don't want someone to use this against me again and settle scores with me later."
He was used to her dodging him, but this bold move unsettled him. The warmth of the girl's fingertips, like a stream heated by the summer sun, suddenly overwhelmed his heart, making it scalding hot.
He remained calm, letting the warm hand guide him up the stone steps.
As he took a step, he subtly adjusted the direction of his wrist, making that warmth adhere even more closely.
Inside the main hall, the servants were busily preparing hot water and food.
Because it was too late, Huan Xun did not allow the people in the mansion to make extensive preparations.
After a quick wash, they sat down at the table, where four delicious-looking dishes were laid out.
Hearing the noise, Gu Xiangzhi also got up. The two exchanged brief greetings, and Gu Xiangzhi then sat down at the table.
From the letter sent by a peregrine falcon before Yu Nie's departure, Huan Xun knew that Gu Xiangzhi had come specifically to escort her. He expressed his gratitude to Gu Xiangzhi without any hostility.
After the three of them sat down, Yu Nie couldn't help but ask him about the gunpowder register: "After Nan Yin got the gunpowder register, has there been any movement?"
Huan Xun picked up some food with his chopsticks; he knew she would ask about this sooner or later.
He said, "According to secret reports, Nan Yin has been secretly procuring saltpeter and sulfur in recent days, and the amount is not small."
"They acted quickly. As soon as Han Jie succeeded, he immediately sent the items back to Nan Yin. Moreover, I heard that there is a sorcerer in Nan Yin who is obsessed with alchemy, named Lu Bainian. It seems that he has been researching gunpowder for many years, but he has never succeeded."
Upon hearing this, Yu Nie's heart skipped a beat.
If we look at the timeline, it seems that gunpowder was invented around this period in history.
She wasn't sure before, but she didn't expect that someone was actually already developing gunpowder.
The thought of having done someone else a favor filled her with remorse, and she felt that she hadn't been careful enough.
During the few days Han Jie stayed at the princess's residence, he consistently administered a very mild sedative to the guards at his gate in small doses. The dosage was so light that it was almost undetectable, only causing the guards to occasionally fall into a brief drowsiness while on duty, which appeared to be nothing more than a nap.
He used these gaps to lie in wait on the roof for a long time, observing where the notebook was usually stored.
Only after figuring out everything did they choose the most relaxed moment to drug Cuiwei and easily take the book away.
Seeing her expression, he gently comforted her, "You did your best. You immediately had the mansion sealed off that day, which was a very quick response. Moreover, there were people guarding outside Han Jie's door, and the box was always being watched. Who could have known that Han Jie would have hidden a sleeping potion on him?"
"Some things and some people are just unpredictable. Since they have already happened, we should just deal with them."
Listening to his words of comfort, Yu Nie's eyes appeared somewhat dim under the lamplight.
The gunpowder register was leaked, and the situation changed once again.
The idea of using firearms to suppress Nan Yin was now hopeless; perhaps what they had, the other side now also had.
She scooped up a spoonful of soup, but hesitated to put it in her mouth, letting the steam dissipate before her eyes.
“The Leiyao workshop is under construction. Xie Cheng said that the craftsmen and furnaces are ready…” She paused slightly, as if considering her words: “But if we want to make excellent cannons and gunpowder packs, we will probably have to wait for a while.”
She looked up at him and said, "The Southern Yin army of 800,000 is pressing in. Guard Xie said you should take the initiative to eliminate three key enemy routes."
She voiced her question: "With such a disparity in troop strength, why didn't Xiao Daozun retaliate when you did this?"
In response to this question, Huan Xun first put down his chopsticks, gestured to dismiss those around him, and then signaled Xie Cheng to wait outside.
After doing all this, he glanced at Gu Xiangzhi opposite him before explaining why he had taken the initiative to attack Nan Yin.
After explaining, he continued, "Xiao Daozun would never believe that we only have 200,000 troops. Given his nature, he won't just hold out. In my opinion, he will definitely make a move soon."
"Is he seeking revenge for the loss of strategic passes, or... is he testing you?"
"If it were me, the next move would definitely be a test."
He didn't say that out of guesswork.
His gaze darkened slightly as he recalled, "Two years ago, when I infiltrated Nan Yin, I used some means to meet Xiao Daozun. He is not an emperor who lacks strategic acumen. Given the current situation, everyone knows that testing the waters is the safest option."
"Moreover, the Xiutu people are gradually weakening on the northern frontier battlefield. Xiao Daozun should be wondering at this moment whether my previous actions were due to the Beiya Army or the Xuan Ce Army sending troops to reinforce me."
Therefore, he would never act rashly without being certain of his success.
“However…” Huan Xun changed the subject: “Xiao Daozun’s speculation won’t last long. Large-scale troop movements will eventually leave traces if spies are sent out to investigate.”
Gu Xiangzhi, who hadn't said much at first, suddenly spoke up, probing, "So what are your plans for the next step?"
Huan Xun: "We've done everything we could. Bluffing is a risky move, and luck won't always be on our side."
"Things don't happen more than three times. Now, let's wait and see how Xiao Daozun will make his move."
After listening to his analysis, Yu Nie realized that they must not let Xiao Daozun figure out their true strength.
With 800,000 troops against 200,000, the disparity in strength is too great, and the chances of victory are too low.
Thinking this through, she paused for a moment, then said with unusual determination, "We need to come up with more powerful weapons as soon as possible."
Seeing their gazes turn to her, she revealed her plan: "It takes time to make sophisticated firearms, but we can start with the simplest ones."
Huan Xun: "What is it?"
She put down the spoon, her expression solemn: "Bamboo tube."
"Bamboo tubes are easy to make. Just cut suitable bamboo into lengths, seal one end, fill it with gunpowder, and ignite it with a fuse. It will produce great power. I used it often when I was doing tests before."
She quickened her pace, explaining meticulously: "This item doesn't require fine forging; ordinary craftsmen and even soldiers can mass-produce it. We can attach them to arrow shafts and shoot them with powerful bows. The arrows themselves can fly far, and with the added force of gunpowder and the explosive power, even if they can't hit accurately, it's enough to create chaos in the enemy ranks, burn tents, and startle horses."
Huan Xun's interest grew stronger.
His mind worked quickly. After pondering for a moment, he asked her, "What if you bundled a bunch of bamboo tubes together and lit them with a fuse?"
That's a good idea. Her eyes shone with the same excitement: "If it succeeds, the power will be even greater. Blasting mountains and clearing roads will be no problem."
"What we need to fight for right now is the gap before Nan Yin can produce decent firearms. We need to use these 'bamboo rockets' and 'bamboo fire bombs' to get ahead, create momentum, and force Nan Yin to not dare to advance."
After carefully listening to her plan, Huan Xun nodded slightly and made up his mind: "Let's follow Qiqi's plan and start with bamboo tubes."
"This item is quick to make, which is perfect for taking advantage of the time difference and striking first before our strength and weaknesses are discovered. Xiao Daozun would never have expected that an ordinary bamboo tube could unleash such unexpected power."
"Tomorrow I will order Leiyao Workshop to send some craftsmen to prepare 'bamboo rockets' and 'bamboo fire bombs' under your guidance."
This was not difficult for Yu Nie, and she nodded in agreement.
Gu Xiangzhi watched them talk back and forth, and beyond his feelings for them, he also agreed with this method.
Just as the decision was made, footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a murmur.
They looked toward the doorway following the sound, and after a short while, they saw the beaded curtain move slightly.
The next moment, Xie Cheng lifted the curtain and entered, bowing to Huan Xun and reporting, "General, the people from the Commander's side have arrived."
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