Chapter 655 Turkic Camp
Who was the one who captured Taiyuan?
When faced with this problem, Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a sense of disorientation.
Although the answer is self-evident.
Ashina Zhuxie said that he was ambushed in Shouyang, and it should be none other than Prince Yuwen Qian of Han. Previously, when Yuwen Ye and his subordinates were speculating about the war on the eastern front, they had predicted that Yuwen Qian would likely go to Shouyang to block the Western Turkic reinforcements, because that was his mother's hometown.
Although this battle might delay his advance into Taiyuan, he will still go.
Because my heart is burdened with worries.
His feelings for Madam Dong, though never mentioned or shown on his face, were etched in his heart.
But Yuwen Ye—
He was clearly not a person with worries on his mind.
Thinking of him and the current situation, Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a sense of familiarity for some reason. Upon further reflection, she realized that the current situation was remarkably similar to when she was in the Jiangdu Palace and heard that the Yuwen family had started a rebellion in Taiyuan.
At that time, although there were misunderstandings and missed opportunities between her and Yuwen Ye, Yuwen Ye still went south to Jiangdu and risked his life to rescue her. Perhaps at that time, he was still thinking about her.
But this time is different.
There were no misunderstandings or missed opportunities between them, but there was resentment and hatred.
Today, I am no longer a concern for him, especially after I said those resolute words to him. How could someone as proud as him possibly care about me?
It's even more impossible that he would abandon the attack on Taiyuan and seize the position of crown prince for his own sake.
Thinking this, a faint smile appeared on my face. Although illuminated by the firelight, it exuded a chilling coldness, even colder than the cold wind that cut my cheek.
Looking at her, Ashina Zhuxie couldn't help but frown slightly.
Shang Ruyi raised her head, her cold yet clear eyes, seemingly frozen in ice, meeting his gaze. She calmly said, "I don't know who conquered Taiyuan, but it seems to have nothing to do with me. After all—"
As she spoke, she turned her head and looked south, where the wind was blowing: "It must be at least several hundred miles away from Taiyuan from here."
Ashina Zhuxie looked at her and said, "Four hundred li."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi remained expressionless, but her heart sank.
It's already this far?
In other words, Ashina Zhuxie had already led her past Mayi. No wonder the surrounding area was an endless grassland. Ashina Zhuxie told her that without horses, food, and direction, she would not be able to return. And that was indeed the case.
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath to calm herself down. When she looked up again, she met the sharp wolf eyes on the other side of the flames. Ashina Zhuxie was looking at her with a half-smile and said, "You want to know our current location, right?"
"..."
"Every word I've told you is true."
"..."
"You can't go back."
Compared to knowing that he had left Mayi, his announcement did not shock Shang Ruyi much. She just looked at Ashina Zhuxie, her brows furrowing slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of doubt and inquiry.
Ashina Zhuxie asked, "What's wrong?"
Shang Ruyi looked at him and said, "Why didn't you kill me?"
Ashina Zhuxie smiled and said, "Why would I kill you?"
"Aren't we enemies?"
"Even though you are an enemy, I don't necessarily have to kill you. Besides, you are just a woman."
The word "woman" made Shang Ruyi's brows furrow even more, but she was too lazy to argue with this person. She simply said, "You arrested me but didn't kill me. What do you intend to do with me while I'm still alive?"
"..."
Upon hearing this, Ashina Zhuxie's eyes flickered slightly.
Shang Ruyi immediately asked, "What do you want to do with me?"
"..."
"Do you intend to use me to threaten the Yuwen family?"
Ashina Zhuxie seemed momentarily lost in thought when his eyes flickered, but he quickly regained his composure upon hearing those words. When he looked at Shang Ruyi, his eyes held a hint of amusement as he said, "Use you to threaten the Yuwen family? I have no such intention."
"..."
"After all, even after we captured you, the Yuwen family continued to attack Taiyuan."
"...!"
These words were like a punch to Shang Ruyi's heart.
Although it wasn't too painful or a fatal blow, it still made her heart sink for a moment—even Ashina Zhuxie understood the significance of Yuwen Ye continuing to attack Taiyuan despite her capture.
Therefore, I am worthless.
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath, suppressing the suffocating feeling, and then forced a smile, saying to him, "Since you already know, why did you drag me all this way?"
Ashina Zhuxie sneered: "What do you think?"
"...!"
Shang Ruyi's breath hitched again.
The other person's meaningful smile and the sudden sharpness in their gaze made her think of a certain possibility.
The most tragic fate a woman might suffer if she falls into enemy hands!
She was not without worry, but several days had passed since she fell into a coma and woke up, and there was nothing unusual about her body. The first thing she did when she woke up was to check her clothes, and there was no sign that they had been touched.
If these people intended to humiliate him while he was awake—after all this time, neither he nor his men had that intention.
Moreover, it shouldn't be my imagination.
From the moment he captured her until now, aside from knocking her unconscious, Ashina Zhuxie has always seemed to be very polite to her. Although he always seems to be looking at her with a thoughtful gaze, Shang Ruyi has only spent a few hours with him while she is conscious, and she hasn't fully figured out his character yet. But she feels that she is safe in this respect.
So Shang Ruyi met his eyes and calmly said, "I said? You must want to use me for something, but I just haven't figured it out yet."
Ashina Zhuxie smiled slightly: "Then, you will find out."
|
After resting for a while, I regained a lot of my strength.
Seeing that it was getting late, Ashina Zhuxie stood up and ordered the army to continue their journey. So everyone extinguished the campfire, packed up the pots and pans, and mounted their horses to continue on their way.
Shang Ruyi also stood up. When she turned around, she saw a soldier leading a horse to her and handing her the reins.
Shang Ruyi was taken aback and looked up at Ashina Zhuxie beside her.
Ashina Zhuxie said, "After resting for so long, you should have recovered your strength by now."
"..."
"You don't think I'll carry you all the way to the yamen, do you?"
"..."
Of course not!
Moreover, she had long since stopped wanting to ride so intimately on a horse with a stranger, or even an enemy. Being able to ride alone was the best thing that could be done.
only--
She glanced at Ashina Zhuxie with a complicated expression, only to see him nonchalantly mount his horse, looking down at her and saying, "Although you have eaten and regained your strength, as I just said, on the grassland, without direction or food, you can't go very far."
"..."
"Besides, there are so many people here."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi tightened her grip on the reins and turned to look around.
Indeed, for tens of thousands of men to hunt him down on the grasslands would be easier than stepping on an ant. Even if his horsemanship was something to brag about in the Central Plains, it would be completely inadequate on the grasslands.
Ashina Zhuxie then said, "Unless you possess the same divine archery skills as your father."
Yuwen Ye's archery skills?
Shang Ruyi immediately remembered that what he was talking about was when Yuwen Ye had shot and wounded Ashina Shali, the Khan of the Western Turks, with an arrow back in Yanmen County. The arrow even destroyed Ashina Shali's whistling arrow, which saved Yanmen County from danger.
Ashina Zhuxie also knew about this.
Actually, Shang Ruyi wasn't surprised that he knew, since it was his father who was injured. She was just a little surprised that when Ashina Zhuxie brought up this matter, he didn't show any anger or resentment, but rather a hint of admiration.
Is it just my imagination?
She glanced at him again and said calmly, "I do not possess such archery skills; Your Highness overestimates me."
After saying that, he stepped into the stirrups and mounted the horse.
Ashina Zhuxie looked at her and said with a faint smile, "Then, follow me."
After saying that, he whipped his horse and spurred it on. The steed immediately galloped northward, and Shang Ruyi could only follow closely behind. Behind them, tens of thousands of cavalrymen also galloped away, their hooves thundering as if they were stepping on a rolling thunderclap across the grassland.
And so another day passed.
Although Ashina Shali said he would take her to the Yachang, Shang Ruyi knew very well that the capital of the Western Turks was Yingsuo, which was thousands of miles away from here. Just by looking at the dry rations they carried, she knew that they could never get there.
Moreover, judging from Ashina Shali's previous surprise attack on Yanmen County and his current attack on Taiyuan, he should have set up a temporary headquarters not far from here, north of Mayi.
So, on the evening of the third day, she heard the sound of flowing water coming from ahead.
Looking up, I saw a golden river stretching across the vast grassland, shimmering in the light of the setting sun. On the opposite bank, two towering mountains lay prostrate on the land, like a crouching tiger or a coiled dragon.
At the foot of the mountain, at the wide pass, one can vaguely see densely packed camp tents.
That's it—
Shang Ruyi's breath hitched, and even her movement of urging her horse on stiffened. Ashina Zhuxie, who was walking beside her, seemed to sense something, turned around and looked at her, saying, "We've arrived."
"……oh."
Shang Ruyi responded.
She thought for a moment, then turned to look at Ashina Zhuxie. He was staring intently ahead, his gaze almost urgent, as if something he had longed for was finally within reach.
That place was the Turkic headquarters!
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