Chapter 1066 Making Wedding Dresses for Others
If he were to lead his 100,000-strong army south and besiege them while they were attacking Luoyang, the situation would be dire.
However, they couldn't afford not to attack Luoyang, because their goal in this campaign was Luoyang, the eastern capital. If they had already reached Hulao Pass but didn't advance any further, it would be like failing at the last step of their arduous journey, and they wouldn't be able to explain themselves to the emperor when they returned.
Just thinking about it made Mu Xian's scalp tingle.
Just as they were all feeling somewhat caught in a dilemma, Yuwen Ye pondered for a long time and suddenly asked, "Where is the Prince of Qi now?"
Shen Tu Tai immediately replied, "King Qi is still in Cijian."
"Has he not moved at all?"
"There has been no movement these days. However, when I sent someone to Cijian two days ago to report the news from Hulao Pass, I saw that His Highness Prince Qi seemed to have gathered a lot of the remnants of the troops who had escaped before, and it seems that he is preparing to take action."
At this point, Shen Tu Tai suddenly came to his senses: "Your Highness, is he thinking—"
Yuwen Ye said, "He caused such a big 'trouble' before. Now we have almost cleared out the passes and enemies around Luoyang. If he doesn't make any move, he will really return empty-handed."
At this moment, Mu Xian also understood: "Your Highness means that the Prince of Qi wants to attack Luoyang while we are still at Hulao Pass?"
Yuwen Ye nodded.
Mu Xian's brows immediately furrowed.
They captured almost all the passes around Luoyang and severely weakened Liang Shide's power. Yuwen Cheng took advantage of this opportunity to attack Luoyang, hoping to gain an easy advantage. If Luoyang were to fall to him, wouldn't all their hard work over the past few months have been for nothing?
Mu Xian looked at Yuwen Ye with a solemn expression: "Your Highness, what do you intend to do?"
He had even prepared a prepared statement: if Yuwen Ye showed the slightest inclination to let him steal credit, he would present him with the advice that "now is not the time for brotherly affection."
After pondering for a while, Yuwen Ye slowly said, "It's rare that my brother still has the desire to make contributions. How can I not help him?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Xian immediately said, "Your Highness, you cannot—"
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Tu Tai tugged at his arm. Mu Xian turned to look at him and saw that the corners of Shen Tu Tai's mouth, hidden by his thick beard, seemed to be slightly upturned, revealing a faint smile. He said, "Brother Mu, don't you understand His Highness's meaning yet?"
Mu Xian frowned: "What...does that mean?"
Yuwen Ye smiled faintly, turned his head and leaned against the wall, looking ahead in silence. Shen Tu Tai lowered his head and said softly, "We were just worried about Xiao Yuan Sui's 100,000 troops. If he takes advantage of our attack on Luoyang to go south and besiege us, we will be attacked from both sides. At that time, let alone taking Luoyang, it will be a question whether we can escape safely."
Mu Xian said, "But he hasn't made a move yet, has he?"
A cold glint flashed in Shen Tu Tai's tiger-like eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "He hasn't moved because he's waiting for us to make a move."
This time, Mu Xian finally came to his senses. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said, "You mean he's waiting for us to attack Luoyang before he marches south to besiege us, joining forces with Liang Shide to launch a pincer attack; but if we don't move, they won't have that opportunity. He's waiting for us to take action before he makes his own move."
Shen Tu Tai nodded and said, "That's right."
At this point, he couldn't help but take a deep breath and say, "He's still so calculating."
Although Yuwen Ye did not participate in their conversation, the hand he was using to support himself on the wall unconsciously tightened its grip slightly.
Xiao Yuansui was indeed incredibly shrewd and a formidable fighter. When he was being pursued by the imperial court and forced to hide in a desperate and miserable state, an ordinary person would have been completely defeated. However, he managed to rise again by joining Wanggang Village and seize the opportunity to eliminate Wang Quyi and others, turning Wanggang Village into his own power base. Later, although he split Wanggang Village, he was able to merge with Liang Shide and dominate the region. When Luoyang faced a crisis, he led only 50,000 troops north and was able to quell the rebels in Hebei and Shandong, doubling his forces.
This ability... it's just a pity that he refused to serve the court or them.
Or rather, possessing this ability, he was born to be Yuwen Ye's rival, destined to compete for supremacy.
Shen Tu Tai felt the same way. After letting out a sigh, he continued to say to Mu Xian, "So, we need to let him make the first move now, otherwise we will always be controlled by him."
"..."
"And how to get him to make the first move—"
Mu Xian said, "If the King of Qi goes to attack Luoyang, he cannot remain inactive."
"..."
"Unless he really abandons Luoyang and the alliance with Liang Shide. But if that happens, then his 100,000-strong army will be no threat to us."
Shen Tu Tai nodded: "Not bad."
Upon hearing this, Mu Xian couldn't help but gasp. Firstly, he felt a chill run down his spine because of Xiao Yuansui's cunning and shrewdness. Secondly, he was somewhat surprised. Shen Tu Tai seemed like a rough and careless man, just a reckless brute who could charge into battle. But after spending more than a year with him, he discovered that this man was shrewd beneath his rough exterior, and his strategic thinking was no less than that of others.
With such a person by Yuwen Ye's side, how could he not accomplish great things?
Thinking this through, Mu Xian felt a surge of inexplicable joy. He nodded repeatedly and said, "I understand. However, if we really let Prince Qi attack Luoyang, and if he actually takes it, then wouldn't we still—"
Or is it all for someone else's benefit?
At this moment, Yuwen Ye slowly turned around, his eyes calm and heavy, as if he had figured something out or calculated something during their conversation. He said, "So, of course we can't just let him lead the men to attack Luoyang. That would be too 'petty' of me as the elder brother."
Mu Xian looked at him: "Your Highness means—"
Yuwen Ye said, "Immediately take stock of our troops and set off tomorrow. We must arrive at the gates of Luoyang before they reach it and attack Luoyang together with them."
Mu Xian nodded: "That is a good idea."
In this way, they would have their own forces attacking Luoyang, which would at least prevent Yuwen Cheng from monopolizing the victory; on the other hand, they could also hold Hulao Pass and prevent Xiao Yuansui from really heading south to besiege them.
Mu Xian asked, "Then, Your Highness, how many people do you plan to send to Luoyang, and how many will remain at Hulao Pass?"
Yuwen Ye looked at him and said, "I'll leave my side as is—"
Upon hearing the number he mentioned, Mu Xian's eyes instantly turned red.
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