Chapter 702 "The Culprit"
The next day, surprisingly, was a beautiful day.
Although they rose before dawn to pack up their tents and prepare to depart, the faint glimmer of dawn in the east was unusually clear these days. As the sun slowly rose, the vast expanse of clear sky gradually unfolded overhead, its azure color dazzling to the eye. The withered grass all around, bathed in golden sunlight, appeared even more boundless, filling one with a sense of exhilaration.
However, this good mood was completely swept away when, as he was stepping into the stirrups and preparing to mount his horse, he fell off somewhat awkwardly due to back pain.
"oops!"
Shang Ruyi reacted quickly and grabbed the horse's bridle, barely managing to steady herself. However, her legs were still weak and trembling, making it impossible for her to climb back onto the horse.
Just as she was getting a little anxious, a pair of hands reached out from behind and grabbed her waist.
"Um?"
Shang Ruyi was stunned for a moment, but before she could turn around, she felt her body lighten and was lifted onto the horse's back. After this ordeal, she was covered in sweat. Looking down at Yuwen Ye standing beside her, smiling at her, she didn't bother to thank him. She just bit her lower lip, her face flushed, and glared at him fiercely.
It's all his fault!
Last night, even though I took the initiative, what he did was just too much!
Actually, by this point, she didn't remember much about last night, but even so, Shang Ruyi vaguely remembered that after he took from her until the very end, she had no strength left, not even the mental strength to support herself, and she broke down in tears several times under him.
Even so, he did not let himself off easily.
Fortunately, in the latter half of last night, a fierce wind blew, the roar of the wind like a tiger, which covered everything, including her surging emotions. At the last moment when she was pushed to the clouds, even though she bit her lip tightly, she could not help but let out a few breaths.
She thought she would die in his suffocating embrace, so she struggled and scratched his back until it was covered in blood.
Fortunately, this morning, although she was exhausted, she was still barely alive.
Seeing him looking so content and refreshed, while she herself felt utterly weak and unable to even mount a horse, Shang Ruyi felt an urge to tear a piece of his flesh from him. The journey ahead was long, and she didn't know how she was going to endure it.
But the "culprit" showed no remorse whatsoever. He only looked at Shang Ruyi's resentful expression, his smile deepening. After helping her sit steadily on the horse, he withdrew his hand.
When he turned back, he had already put on his usual cold and serious demeanor.
By this time, the troops had assembled. Someone brought his warhorse, and he nimbly mounted it. He glanced around to make sure everyone was ready, then raised his hand—
"Set off!"
Immediately, the army began its grand march south again.
Actually, the place where we set up camp yesterday was already far away from the Turkic camp. Now, the further south we go, the safer it will be. In addition, the surrounding scenery is indeed pleasing to the eye, so my mood is getting better and better. However, as we walk, a nameless worry slowly creeps into my heart.
The crises they face have never come from just the north.
From what Shan Tong'er said yesterday, we know that Yuwen Ye did not enter Taiyuan City, so this battle was fought in vain. Therefore, the question of who will become the crown prince is now quite clear.
But is this the end of the "fight" between these two brothers?
Shang Ruyi felt that was not the case.
Yesterday, Yuwen Ye made it very clear that it wasn't just because he himself had great ambitions since childhood and wanted to create a great career, nor was it just because the situation had reached this point and those involved were already deeply mired in it and unable to extricate themselves; just look at the civil and military officials who were attached to the two of them—it was clear from the court assembly in Taiji Hall that these people had already chosen sides, and what they were betting was their own lives, their future and their future.
How could they allow these two brothers to back down at this moment?
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi endured the aching back caused by the jolting of the horse forward, and turned to look at Yuwen Ye, who had slowed down and was accompanying her. Although the speed of travel was already fast, it was more than enough for him. At this moment, his eyes were lowered, and he was obviously still thinking about something.
Shang Ruyi asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"Um?"
Upon hearing her voice, Yuwen Ye's eyes flickered, and he turned to look at her, not hiding anything: "I was thinking that if there are no other unexpected events in Taiyuan this time, then we only need to rest for a while before returning to Chang'an."
"..."
"Then some things need to be prepared in advance. At the very least, we need to appease the people below."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi's eyes dimmed slightly.
Yes, after the Battle of Taiyuan, they should return to Chang'an.
Yuwen Yuan was about to fulfill the promise he had made to the two brothers before the expedition—whoever captured Taiyuan would become the crown prince of the Great Sheng Dynasty.
In the end, they "lost" this battle.
So it seems that Yuwen Qian's position as crown prince is now secure. But this will surely cause those who previously helped or even sided with Yuwen Ye to react. Some people—who may continue to follow him, such as Shen Tu Tai, Shen Wu Zheng, and even Pei Xing Yuan—Shang Ruyi can foresee this, but it is hard to guarantee that others in the court will continue to support Yuwen Ye.
It is human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm, and to fawn over the powerful and belittle the weak.
Therefore, Yuwen Ye needed to prepare in advance to appease these people; at least, he could retain one as many as possible.
Just as Shang Ruyi was feeling somewhat dejected and guilty, a sudden inspiration flashed through her mind. Recalling Yuwen Ye's words, she immediately looked at him and asked, "Taiyuan, could there be any other unexpected events?"
Yuwen Ye also looked at her, and although he did not smile, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes.
She was indeed very meticulous.
To be fair, he himself is a very meticulous person, not easily swayed or manipulated emotionally. Yet this time, they both found themselves caught in an emotional maze, provoked by others. Ultimately, it's probably because they can never truly trust the person they've truly placed in their hearts.
Seeing that he seemed a little distracted, Shang Ruyi asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"Uh? No, nothing."
Yuwen Ye shook his head, immediately putting aside this somewhat unpleasant past. When he looked at her again, his expression had calmed down. He said, "Although I went to the Turkic camp as soon as the battle in Taiyuan ended and I don't know what happened afterward, so I can't make a judgment for the time being, there is one person who has not participated in this battle in Taiyuan."
"..."
"Moreover, he has a large number of troops under his command, so we cannot let our guard down."
"...?"
Shang Ruyi was taken aback for a moment, then immediately understood: "Wang Shaoji?"
Yuwen Ye nodded: "Yes."
I had previously heard that Yuwen Qian had defeated Wang Shaoji's forces and Ashina Zhuxie's cavalry in a battle near Shouyang. Afterwards, Ashina Zhuxie led his relatively unscathed troops to Qixian and captured me, while Wang Shaoji disappeared after his defeat. Meanwhile, that same night, Yuwen Ye and Yuwen Qian joined forces to capture Taiyuan.
Therefore, Wang Shaoji did not participate in the Battle of Taiyuan.
Even though his troops suffered a blow from Yuwen Qian in Shouyang, the fact that Yuwen Qian still had the strength to attack Taiyuan meant that the losses were not significant. This meant that no matter how great the blow Wang Shaoji suffered, it was limited.
Therefore, he must still have enough men at his disposal.
Such a person and such a group of people, operating independently, are always a major threat to them from any perspective.
Shang Ruyi asked, "You mean he will return to Taiyuan?"
Yuwen Ye thought for a moment and said, "It's hard to say."
"..."
“He suffered a blow in Shouyang, so he won’t be able to recover so quickly. Moreover, Taiyuan has already been captured by us, so it will be a hundred times more difficult for him to attack again than it was when he conspired with the Turks.”
"But if he admits defeat, then he will have lost everything in this mission to leave Jiangdu and head north."
"..."
"Moreover, he has a brother who is imprisoned in Taiyuan."
Wang Shaoqiu…!
Upon hearing this person's name, Shang Ruyi's brows furrowed involuntarily.
Speaking of the two Wang brothers, I know Wang Shaoji better. After all, we had clashed several times before. Whether it was when we met and confronted each other on the way back to Luoyang from Taiyuan, or when he set a trap to try to kill Yuwen Ye in the Battle of Xingluocang, or even after the victory at Xingluocang, when he colluded with the people of Dali Temple to frame Yuwen Ye; and when I was trapped in Jiangdu Palace, it was always Wang Shaoji who appeared in front of me.
This person's mean-spirited, ungrateful, greedy, and arrogant nature had long been etched into her heart.
However, it was precisely on the night in Jiangdu Palace that Chu Yang was forced to commit suicide by them that Shang Ruyi discovered that, although Wang Shaoji was the arrogant and notorious one among the brothers, it was clearly the younger brother, Wang Shaoqiu, who was manipulating everything behind the scenes and driving Wang Shaoji.
This man is cunning, ruthless, and exceptionally cruel; his methods are even more extreme than his brother's.
Although she captured him in the Battle of Taiyuan, she would not be at ease if she did not deal with him as soon as possible—moreover, in the end, Chu Yang was driven to his death by him!
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi took a deep breath: "Let's go back quickly."
Yuwen Ye nodded.
They then lingered, galloping at full speed to continue their journey. Fortunately, the weather cooperated; although there were occasional winds over the past few days, there was no worse rain or snow to hinder their progress, and they traveled very smoothly.
Finally, on the evening of the tenth day, the surrounding scenery became more and more familiar. Especially when they stepped onto the wide and flat avenue, they looked south and saw the tall and majestic outline of Taiyuan City in the afterglow of the setting sun.
They're finally back!
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