Chapter 709 The Influence of Buddhist Compassion
As he watched those people desperately fleeing across the blood-red river, Yuwen Ye's eyes suddenly darkened.
The soldiers behind him all wore complex expressions.
Everyone knows that the decisive moment is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but they dare not cross the river lightly before the commander-in-chief gives the order. After all, they had been chasing for a whole night, and by this time, even someone as strong as Shen Tu Tai was at his limit. The others were also injured, and some of them couldn't even lift their arms.
Moreover, Yuwen Ye's quiver was completely empty, and Yuwen Qian had made no further moves after firing that arrow.
However, some people were still eager to try.
After all, things have come to this point.
But just as they were about to tighten the reins and urge their horses forward, a sharp whooshing sound suddenly came from the air. Yuwen Ye's eyes turned cold, and he immediately raised his hand and shouted, "Get back!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than several arrows streaked across the mountain ahead, leaving behind gleaming silver arcs, before finally embedding themselves firmly in the riverbank.
Everyone was startled and quickly turned their horses around, taking a few steps back.
Yuwen Ye and Yuwen Qian did not retreat an inch, but looked up ahead again. Taking advantage of the opportunity created by those arrows, Wang Shaoqiu had already led his men to rush ashore. Although they were still covered in cold, blood-red river water, which kept flowing down and leaving wet stains on the riverbank in front of them, they could not care about that. After getting ashore, they spurred their horses on desperately, and soon they disappeared into the dense forest.
At this moment, Shen Tu Tai rode forward, looking solemnly at the pine forest in front of him that was trembling constantly because of the group of people. At this moment, he could still barely make out their tracks, but if they went any further and went into the deep mountains, it would be difficult to find them again.
He said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, are we not going to pursue them?"
"..."
Yuwen Ye remained silent.
At this moment, the people on the mountain were startled again when Shen Tu Tai took a few steps forward. However, only a few scattered arrows were shot down, landing on the east bank of the river, seemingly a fierce warning not to cross the line. But in reality, everyone knew they were just bluffing.
If they truly had the courage to fight, then at this moment, the main force should have seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack.
After all, Yuwen Qian and Yuwen Ye's forces still number less than a thousand, and the troops following behind them have not yet arrived. If Wang Shaoji's forces are indeed stationed on Mount Shuishen, they might be able to win a decisive battle, capture the Yuwen brothers, and achieve their goal. The newly established Great Sheng Dynasty would also suffer a major blow due to the loss of the two valiant generals, the Prince of Han and the Prince of Qin.
The situation might change as a result.
But now, all they're doing is this weak "deterrence." They haven't launched a direct attack, and they're even afraid that if they're provoked, they'll actually chase after him, so they don't dare shoot arrows at Yuwen Ye.
Clearly, they dare not.
Not only had the previous battle in Taiyuan shattered their confidence, but the scene just now, where the Wang brothers "fought each other," had also caused them to lose faith in their leaders. Even if they wanted to follow them again, their morale had already collapsed.
At this point, there's no need to pursue a defeated enemy.
On the contrary—
Yuwen Ye slowly turned around and looked at Yuwen Qian, who was still standing behind him, his face even looking somewhat panicked, staring intently at the river that had gradually calmed down. However, his clear eyes seemed to be stained by the blood-red river water, and they now also looked somewhat blood-red.
He said, "Brother, excellent archery skills."
"..."
Upon hearing his voice, Yuwen Qian seemed to snap out of his daze, his gaze flickering as he moved toward him. However, the redness in his eyes had not yet faded, making his gaze appear somewhat unfamiliar.
He said, "What a pity."
"..."
"If I had been able to—, I wouldn't have let Wang Shaoqiu escape."
His words, though tinged with self-deprecation and self-reproach, were not unduly self-deprecating. After all, if he had been willing to shoot an arrow directly at Wang Shaoqiu, even if it didn't kill him instantly, it would at least have severely wounded him, preventing him from escaping. But Yuwen Qian, perhaps influenced by Buddhist sentiments, only shot at Wang Shaoqiu's horse, which gave Yuwen Qian the opportunity to drag the wounded Wang Shaoji down as a shield and escape with his life.
However, it seems that although he hadn't had much opportunity to deal with the Wang brothers before, after the Battle of Taiyuan, Yuwen Qian seemed to have figured out who the real danger among the brothers was.
However, he wasn't the only one who saw through this; there was another person as well—the one who just shot that arrow.
Thinking of this, the two of them turned their heads at the same time.
At this moment, the reeds upstream swayed in the wind again, and the familiar figure seemed to have walked a little further towards them, but still did not leave the reeds. Even so, Yuwen Ye, who was already very familiar with the figure, immediately recognized the slender figure of the young woman.
He frowned and gritted his teeth.
But when he spoke again, he first instructed the people behind him: "Shen Tu Tai, take some men and drag Wang Shaoji up here. Also, continue to send men up the mountain to pursue them, but don't chase them too fast. Find out where they are and come back."
"yes!"
Shen Tu Tai accepted the order and waved to the people behind him.
A group of men immediately followed him forward. When they stepped into the river again, no more arrows were being shot at them. Clearly, Wang Shaoqiu was only concerned with leading his men to escape and had no intention of confronting them again. Shen Tu Tai gave a few instructions to the men behind him, and they hurriedly crossed the river. The sound of horses' hooves echoed, and soon their figures disappeared into the mountains ahead.
Yuwen Ye also turned his horse around and went upstream along the river.
In just a moment, they arrived at the edge of the reeds.
He said in a deep voice, "Come out!"
Although the sound wasn't loud, in such a relatively open field, such a shout was quite startling, even making the slender, withered reeds tremble.
A rustling sound came from inside.
Upon closer inspection, it was indeed Shang Ruyi. She rode out slowly from the reeds, carrying a bow in her hand.
Yuwen Ye's face turned ashen: "Who told you to come along?!"
He had already decided that after bringing her back from the Western Turks, he would never lose his temper with her again and would treat her well. Even if there were any misunderstandings, he would make sure to clear things up between them and not hurt each other anymore. But when he saw her disregarding the danger and even ignoring his words, and actually chasing after him here, Yuwen Ye was instantly enraged.
What angered him even more was that Shang Ruyi walked to the edge of the reeds but still refused to come out.
Sitting on her horse, she peered cautiously at the mountains on the opposite bank and said tentatively, "They... they won't come back, will they?"
Yuwen Ye's brows were furrowed into a knot.
He gritted his teeth and said, "If you're scared, why did you follow me?"
"..."
"Didn't I tell you to stay in Taiyuan?"
Hearing his angry roar again, showing no respect whatsoever for her, the Princess Consort of Qin, and with Shen Tu Tai and the others behind him also looking this way, even Yuwen Qian, who had followed closely behind on horseback, frowned slightly and stopped beside Yuwen Ye upon hearing this.
Shang Ruyi bit her lower lip and said softly, "I'm not."
"What do you mean 'not'? Didn't you come along?"
"Didn't I come along?"
"What?"
"I didn't come here with you, I am—"
Just as he was about to explain something, he suddenly heard Yuwen Ye chuckle.
However, it wasn't a genuine smile, but rather a laugh born of extreme anger, even tinged with a hint of ferocity. Shang Ruyi knew he was truly enraged and immediately bit her lower lip. She didn't believe Yuwen Ye was controlling her actions. He hadn't let her come along because the journey had indeed been too dangerous. Even though she hadn't been with them, just watching them chase Wang Shaoji and the others to this point, almost everyone was injured and wounded, she knew what kind of situation that night had been like.
If he were to be careless and run into Wang Shaoji's men, he might truly never return.
At this moment, Yuwen Qian said, "Second brother, you should still—"
Before he could finish speaking, Yuwen Ye appeared calm, but his voice still held a deep anger as he said, "Brother, this is between her and me. Brother, please don't interfere."
"..."
Yuwen Qian glanced at him.
Just then, a sweet, delicate voice rang out, a voice that sent shivers down one's spine.
“I brought her here. Please, Second Young Master—oh no, please, Your Highness Prince Qin, calm your anger.”
Upon suddenly hearing that charming and familiar voice, Yuwen Ye's face immediately darkened, and even Yuwen Qian frowned. The two of them subconsciously looked up ahead.
The sound came from behind Shang Ruyi.
Shang Ruyi didn't show any surprise. She just stared at Yuwen Ye with wide eyes and said cautiously, "It was her who brought me here."
"..."
"She told me that Wang Shaoji hid a large force here. If you had really followed us here, we would have been ambushed, and there would have been a big battle between the two sides."
"..."
“But you just came back from the Western Turks, you must be very tired.”
"..."
"So I thought, if I could catch them off guard—"
At this point, she herself seemed a little dejected and lowered her head slightly.
Yuwen Qian's aura also involuntarily deepened.
Yes, that arrow was fired by Shang Ruyi after a whole night of travel, finally arriving here before them. She lay in ambush in the reeds, intending to capture the Wang brothers while they were off guard. Unfortunately…
But this person—
Thinking of this, they looked up again, and saw that behind Shang Ruyi, the reeds swayed again, and a slender green figure slowly walked out.
Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, her waist was like a willow, and her every step was like a lotus flower.
The beautiful woman smiled slightly at the two men in front of her, her smile full of charm and allure, a captivating beauty: "Your Highnesses, Green Silk greets you."
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