Chapter 1129 A Pair of Clever Eyes
Inside the central command tent, Xiao Yuansui listened to the report from the messenger with a livid face.
Actually, halfway through the conversation, he almost didn't want to listen anymore, but he still patiently listened on. Only his hands, pressed on his knees, with the bulging veins on the back of his hands, revealed his almost violent state of mind.
So this was Yuwen Ye's real purpose.
Last night, all the elite troops of Hulao Pass were mobilized, leaving it almost an empty city, which enabled his men to rescue Shi Yutao. However, in reality, Yuwen Ye used Shi Yutao to exchange for Shi Yuxin from Luocang.
He did scheme against him, but in the end, Yuwen Ye schemed even more!
Although Shi Yutao was rescued, due to his mistakes in the previous two military campaigns, and even being captured alive by the enemy, it was impossible for such a person to lead troops into battle again in the short term—the morale of the army is very important, and with such a general leading the troops, the soldiers would definitely be unsettled.
Therefore, what Xiao Yuansui rescued was just an empty shell.
But Shi Yuxin was different. She was brave, resourceful, and skilled in battle. Her previous plan to lead troops to bypass Huaizhou and Heyang and directly attack Chang'an was her suggestion. Although the plan failed, she did manage to capture Shang Ruyi. Moreover, from the accounts of those who escaped from Huiluo Cang, it was clear that even when Shi Yuxin was ambushed, she did not immediately lose her composure. Instead, she fought fiercely with a general like Shen Tu Tai for dozens of rounds before finally being defeated and captured under the combined attack.
This "deal" resulted in a huge loss for Xiao Yuansui!
Thinking about it this way, Xiao Yuansui felt even more furious, but when he looked up at Hua Ziying, who had a solemn expression, and Shi Yutao, who looked pale and bewildered, as if his soul had not yet returned to his body, he suddenly felt powerless.
If he could have killed Yuwen Ye last night, what would it matter if Shi Yuxin was captured?
Ultimately, he was outmaneuvered.
But he also had a vague feeling that it wasn't that he had been tricked by Yuwen Ye, but rather... that he had been tricked by fate all along. So, even though he had Xingluocang firmly in control, Yuwen Ye undermined him. He had finally managed to establish a great situation in Wanggang Village, but it fell apart because of Yuwen Ye alone. Even now, the one who saved Yuwen Ye from his clutches was Shan Tong'er, the ninth leader of Wanggang Village.
Is the phoenix singing in Xiaoshan a hoax?
As Xiao Yuansui remained silent, Hua Ziying noticed his brows furrowing. This was the second time he had seen such a dazed and even bewildered expression on Xiao Yuansui's face. This was highly unusual. His elder brother had always been resolute; otherwise, he wouldn't have survived the imperial court's encirclement and pursuit, let alone single-handedly take over the entire Wanggang Village, and now have the qualifications to compete for the world.
But at this moment, his eyes were glazed over, and his breathing was disordered. He really looked like someone who was lost and even more afraid of not being able to find a way out.
Thinking of this, Hua Ziying carefully said, "General."
"..."
Hearing his voice, Xiao Yuansui suddenly came back to his senses. Meeting Hua Ziying's worried gaze, and recalling his inexplicable and even more absurd thoughts just now, he suddenly became a little angry, but he couldn't show it. He just said to the few people who had escaped from Huiluo Cang, "You can all go down."
At this moment, one of the middle-aged men cautiously asked, "But General Xiao, our grain transport has failed this time. What about Luoyang?"
The others cautiously added, "Yes, the granaries in Luoyang are almost empty."
"If no more food is sent back, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold out there."
"General Xiao, you must think of a way."
Xiao Yuansui's brows gradually furrowed, and seeing his displeasure, Hua Ziying immediately said, "The General will decide this matter himself. You may all leave now."
Just as everyone was about to say something, a soldier walked in. Seeing so many people in the central tent, he hesitated for a moment and did not speak immediately. Xiao Yuansui recognized that this man was the one he had sent to guard Shang Ruyi. After the commotion last night, Shang Ruyi had desperately tried to break out of the central tent, but was eventually tied up by his men and barely held down.
Upon seeing him arrive, Xiao Yuansui immediately asked, "What is it?"
The soldier hurriedly said, "General, the princess—she wants to see you."
Upon hearing this, the others in the tent fell silent, exchanging glances as if they were somewhat bewildered. Xiao Yuansui, however, remained silent for a moment before saying, "Bring her here."
"yes."
The soldier immediately turned and left. Xiao Yuansui looked at the remaining people and said, "You may leave."
Hearing this, the crowd had no choice but to leave.
As they retreated, they whispered to the youngest and strongest man in the crowd, "Chi Ying, you're the smartest one among us. You have to think of something too. If Luoyang falls, our families will all be doomed."
The young man named Guan Chiying didn't speak, but clenched his teeth. Everyone looked at the swollen line running across his face—it was from the whip Chen Cai had used last night. A lot of blood had seeped out when he was fleeing for his life, and now it was starting to congeal and scab over, but it looked even more ferocious and terrifying.
Perhaps because his wound was hurting, he was not in the mood to speak. Thinking this, everyone could only sigh and walk forward.
Guan Chiying's steps were unusually heavy and slow, and he gradually fell to the back of the group. When they were about to leave, he suddenly looked back and saw that the soldier and another young soldier were escorting—or rather, protecting—a young and beautiful woman into the central command tent.
Almost simultaneously, driven by an instinctive sensitivity to gazes, Shang Ruyi glanced back the moment she entered the tent.
She had just seen a group of dusty people walk out of the central command tent. Among them, this young man stood out, not because he was young and tall and was surrounded by the crowd, but because he had a horizontal scar on his face. The grotesque and swollen scar deformed his face, making it almost impossible to recognize his original appearance. However, the eyes above the scar appeared calm and bright.
It's clear that those are the eyes of an intelligent person.
Moreover, those eyes were looking at me.
But before their eyes met and they could see each other's expressions, the tent flap closed. Shang Ruyi's breath hitched, and she slowly turned her head to meet the eyes of another intelligent person.
Xiao Yuansui was sitting in the center of the main tent, quietly watching her. Just now, when Shang Ruyi was looking at Guan Chiying absentmindedly, Hua Ziying and the others also left, leaving only the two of them in the tent.
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath and asked, "Who were those people who just walked out?"
"...?"
Xiao Yuansui raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at her with some surprise: "I thought you would ask about Yuwen Ye's life or death first."
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