Chapter 1274 His Skill Remains Undiminished
"What!?"
Yuwen Yuan was shocked. He stepped forward and stared at the soldier with wide eyes: "Say that again!"
At that moment, Shang Ruyi's heart pounded in her chest, almost making her unsteady on her feet. She instinctively took a step forward, and the shadow cast by their tall figures loomed over the soldier who had come to deliver the message, filling him with even greater terror. He took a deep breath and said again, "It's...it's Xiao Yuansui! He's led the Right Thousand Bull Guards in rebellion..."
Yuwen Yuan gasped.
Shang Ruyi also gasped inwardly, but she didn't show much emotion on her face. She only glanced at Tu She'er and Wo Xue. The two of them were obviously startled by the unexpected news and couldn't help but look at Shang Ruyi. The three of them exchanged glances, conveying some unspeakable emotions.
Zhang Yuping panicked: "How could this be?"
Although she did not know the details of the Crown Prince and Prince Qi's plan, Yuwen Cheng told her some things in order to get her to cooperate, especially the fact that Xiao Yuansui was going to lead the Right Thousand Bull Guards to intercept Yuwen Ye on the Tongguan Road. This was the starting point of everything and the most crucial step, so naturally he could not hide it from her.
Today, she was also waiting for news of Yuwen Ye's return to the city. She even encouraged Yuwen Yuan to visit Xiao Yuangan at the Prince of Qin's residence, just to let him know that the people in the Prince of Qin's residence were deceiving the emperor. After that, when news of "rebellion" came, the emperor would be furious. At that time, Yuwen Ye would have no choice but to die.
But no one expected that the first news to come back would be that Xiao Yuansui had rebelled.
What happened? Which part of the process went wrong?
Or did Xiao Yuansui really rebel?
Zhang Yuping was panicked and instinctively asked, "Do the Crown Prince and Prince Qi know about this?"
Yuwen Yuan glanced back at her, but there was no time to ponder the meaning of her words. He took another step forward, his bright yellow dragon boots almost touching the messenger soldier's hand that was braced against the ground, and looked down at him: "Where did the message come from? Where did Xiao Yuansui rebel? Where is the Right Thousand Bull Guard now?"
Upon hearing this question, Zhang Yuping's heart skipped a beat.
The soldier immediately said, "It's news from outside the city, relayed by the Left Thousand Bull Guard; Xiao Yuansui seems to be on the Tongguan Road, with the Right Thousand Bull Guard following him."
"Tongguan Pass? What is he doing taking the Right Thousand Bull Guard to Tongguan Pass?!"
"this--"
The soldier, naturally unaware of the details, was rendered speechless by the question and could only kowtow repeatedly, saying, "This, I truly do not know."
Yuwen Yuan frowned and slowly turned around to look. Zhang Yuping's face was already pale.
She didn't expect that although Yuwen Yuan was shocked to hear the news, he was not immediately frightened and panicked. Instead, he asked the most crucial question as soon as he opened his mouth - Where is Xiao Yuansui!
Shang Ruyi stood aside, still somewhat shaken, but when she looked at Yuwen Yuan, her gaze deepened.
Although Yuwen Ye had won several battles against him in recent days, ultimately forcing him to use his old age to gain his son's filial piety and submission, in Shang Ruyi's mind, he was far removed from the great hero who once "shook the Dragon Gate with his divine bow and built a mound of corpses".
But now she understands that although Yuwen Yuan is old, he is not so old that he is incompetent or confused.
He is still as sharp as ever.
He remained astute and formidable as ever, and with a single sentence, he pinpointed the most crucial point in today's sudden turn of events—Xiao Yuansui, as the Right General of the Thousand Ox Guard, was guarding the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace alongside Shang Shoufei's Left Thousand Ox Guard. Now, they were both outside the city, specifically on Tongguan Road, the only route Yuwen Ye would take to retreat to Luoyang, and the Left Thousand Ox Guard had returned to report that Xiao Yuansui had rebelled…
What does this mean?
After a moment of silence, Yuwen Yuan suddenly asked, "Do the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi know about this?"
Although Zhang Yuping had asked the same question in his haste, the meaning was completely different when he asked it. Zhang Yuping asked whether these two people knew about Xiao Yuansui's rebellion, but he asked whether these two people knew that Xiao Yuansui would rebel.
On a deeper level... is Xiao Yuansui's rebellion related to these two people?
Almost everyone present keenly noticed this problem, and everyone subconsciously held their breath. The area in front of the Qin Prince's Mansion was packed with people, lined up in neat rows, yet so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
The messenger soldier, however, felt a rumbling in his ears—it was his own heartbeat.
At that moment, he seemed to realize something, and he realized how dangerous it was for him to rashly deliver this message. Suddenly, sweat dripped down his temples like beads from a broken string, and soon two wet puddles appeared next to the ground where his palms were supporting him.
He said, "This...this humble one does not know."
Yuwen Yuan squinted at him for a while, then suddenly let out a soft sigh and asked, "Where are the men of the Left Thousand Bull Guard now?"
The man hurriedly said, "They just entered the city and reported this news to us. I came immediately to report to His Majesty. Now, now—"
A cold glint flashed in Yuwen Yuan's eyes as he said, "I understand."
When the people around heard these four words, they all subconsciously understood that this person's words actually answered the question that Yuwen Yuan had just asked.
The Left Thousand Bull Guards were, after all, subordinate to the Eastern Palace. They reported to the emperor through the city's garrison soldiers, meaning that their direct reporting point was still the Crown Prince.
Now, they should be heading towards the East Palace.
Yuwen Yuan asked, "How many people know about this?"
Upon hearing this, the soldier shuddered again, but since things had come to this, he could only tell the truth: "I rushed here without making a sound; however, when the Left Thousand Bull Guards entered the city, there were still some people who had come to bid farewell to His Highness Prince Qin near the city gate. They seemed to have heard what those people were saying, and now..."
Yuwen Yuan roared, "You bastard!"
The matter has not yet been investigated, but the news has already spread, and it is news of "rebellion." How can the city not be in great chaos?
Thinking of this, he subconsciously looked up. Although there were not many people disturbing this secluded courtyard, it was obvious that a faint commotion was coming from afar. It was likely that the news had spread and the people in the city were starting to panic.
Yuwen Yuan immediately said, "Go back and convey my decree to close the city gates. Tell them that no one is allowed to open the city gates without my order!"
The soldier replied, "Yes, sir!"
After saying that, he got up, mounted his horse, and hurriedly left.
Yuwen Yuan turned back, his gaze sweeping over the faces of Shang Ruyi, Zhang Yuping, and the others, and said in a deep voice, "All of you, come with me to the palace!"
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