Chapter 1054 Now, I'm going to settle this with you.
"Ninth Brother!"
Amid Shen Tu Tai's exclamation, a clang was heard as Shan Shi Yu's longsword struck the two raised copper hammers.
Although the blow did not have the force of a thousand pounds, it was still extremely heavy, causing both of them to feel numbness in their arms and cracks in their hands. Shan Shiyu was even more surprised that a child of such a small stature could have the strength to lift two such heavy bronze hammers. He looked at the child who had blocked his attack with some astonishment.
At the same time, Mu Xian and Nie Chong, who had already run far away, saw this scene and shouted in surprise, "Good boy!"
But their cries of alarm could not reverse the tide. Shan Tong'er cried out and fell off his horse!
"Ninth Brother!"
Shen Tu Tai was now completely panicked. He swung his long spear at Shan Shi Yu with all his might. After a moment of shock, Shan Shi Yu quickly came to his senses, raised his long sword to block, and with a crisp sound, he was almost knocked backward by Shen Tu Tai's powerful force. His hand was almost split open, bleeding profusely, and he could hardly fight anymore. Just as Shen Tu Tai was about to stab again with his long spear, Shan Tong'er's cry of pain came from the ground.
Upon hearing his voice, Shen Tu Tai hesitated for a moment. Taking advantage of this brief opening, Shan Shi Yu immediately turned his horse around and ran back.
His horse was also a fine one, and in no time it had galloped far away.
At this moment, Yuwen Ye also rode up.
He didn't chase after them, but stopped beside Shen Tu Tai. He watched as Shan Shi Yu galloped away on his horse, waving his hand. The soldiers he had brought with them dared not linger in battle, nor dared to advance any further. They all circled around behind him to protect him, and the group quickly ran towards Hulao Pass.
Shen Tu Tai immediately looked at the bow in Yuwen Ye's hand.
He was still wielding the Divine Arm Bow, which could shoot farther than an ordinary bow. If he drew it now—
"Ouch!"
He heard Shan Tong'er's voice again. He rolled several times on the ground to barely avoid the horse's hooves. When he looked up, he saw several abrasions on his face and forehead, which had broken the skin and were bleeding.
He immediately said, "Your Highness, I—"
Yuwen Ye glanced at him but didn't say anything. He then looked up at the road ahead.
Shen Tu Tai asked with a solemn expression, "Your Highness, are we not going to pursue them?"
"..."
Yuwen Ye said, "It's getting late, let's go back first."
After saying that, he didn't say anything more. He shook the reins, turned the horse around, and went back. Shen Tu Tai glanced at him, then looked down at Shan Tong'er, who was struggling to get up. Although he had several injuries on his head and body and looked a bit disheveled, he was able to stand up because he wasn't seriously injured. He said in a deep voice, "Get on the horse quickly. We can't stay here any longer."
"……oh."
Shan Tong'er lowered his head as if feeling somewhat guilty, and immediately mounted his horse after giving a brief reply.
On the other side, the two groups of men chasing Mu Xian and Nie Chong saw Shan Shiyu retreating. They dared not linger and, since they had not gained anything from this trip, they immediately withdrew. Yuwen Ye led his men back to the camp almost unharmed, except for Shan Tong'er being somewhat disheveled and his own quiver being empty of arrows.
As soon as we entered the camp gate, it got dark.
Bonfires had been lit throughout the camp, and the cooks were busily preparing meals for the soldiers. Yuwen Ye handed Liu Qing over to a few soldiers and then walked into the main tent without looking back.
As soon as I sat down in the main tent, someone brought me hot soup and hot food.
Shen Tu Tai, Shan Tong'er, Mu Xian, and others followed him into the main tent. Everyone stared at him in silence. Shan Tong'er hesitated for a long time before kneeling down with a thud: "Your Highness, I—this humble general knows his mistake."
Shen Tu Tai said in a low voice, "It is a crime."
Shan Tong'er lowered his head and said, "This humble general knows his crime."
Yuwen Ye looked at him and said, "I told you not to go, why didn't you obey military orders?"
"I, I—"
"When soldiers go to the battlefield, they not only have to fight desperately, but they also have to learn to obey orders. Did you only learn this today?"
"This humble general is aware of his crime and begs Your Highness for punishment."
Nie Chong glanced at him but didn't say anything. Shen Tu Tai and Mu Xian immediately stepped forward to plead for him. After all, at that time, when both sides were fighting desperately, military orders were indeed out of the question.
Mu Xian then said softly, "Your Highness, we still have ways to deal with Shan Shiyu."
Yuwen Ye was silent for a moment, then said, "Go down and receive twenty strokes of the military rod."
Twenty strokes of the military rod, though a punishment, were not too severe. Compared to the usual harsh laws, Yuwen Ye was indeed showing leniency towards the child. Shan Tong'er immediately kowtowed and left, and Nie Chong followed him out of the tent.
Shen Tu Tai remained, looking at Yuwen Ye with a solemn expression: "Your Highness, what about Master Shan Yu—"
Yuwen Ye said, "Let's think of another way. You all go and rest."
"yes."
Shen Tu Tai bowed and left the tent with Mu Xian.
It got dark quickly.
Shan Tong'er, who had been given twenty lashes, limped back to his tent. As soon as he lifted the curtain, he saw a straight figure sitting inside, which was none other than Nie Chong.
He was somewhat surprised: "Brother Nie, what's wrong with you—"
Nie Chong said, "I've come to check on you. Are you in pain?"
Shan Tong'er lowered his head guiltily, climbing onto the bed as he said, "Of course it hurts! You try getting twenty lashes. Oh dear, they know I'm just a child, but they don't hold back at all, even though I often eat meat with them."
Nie Chong stepped aside and watched him climb onto the bed and lie face down, his buttocks swollen high. He said, "His Highness has already shown mercy by only giving you twenty strokes of the military rod. If the executioner shows any more mercy, will he even care about the army anymore?"
"Hmm..."
"Lie down properly, I'm going to apply the medicine."
"Why."
Shan Tong'er obediently lay flat and took off his pants. Sure enough, his buttocks were red and swollen from being beaten, but fortunately there was no broken skin or bleeding. He should be able to get out of bed after a few days of rest and it wouldn't prevent him from riding a horse and fighting. So, I took out some medicine to apply to his wounds.
Shan Tong'er said with a grin, "Brother Nie is still the best to me."
As Nie Chong applied the medicine to his wound, he whispered, "What did you shout when you fell off the horse?"
"..."
Shan Tong'er paused for a moment, then said, "I shouted 'Ah!'"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and held it up to him, revealing bright red flesh through the split open at the base of his thumb. He said, "Ouch, that hurts. But I didn't expect to get beaten again when I got back, it hurts even more. Ouch..."
"..."
Nie Chong paused for a moment, then asked, "So, what did you say to Shan Shiyu before you fell off your horse?"
"..."
This time, it wasn't silence, it was suffocation.
Shan Tong'er even stopped breathing.
After a long pause, he managed a weak laugh and said, "I, I didn't—"
Before he could finish speaking, Nie Chong said, "You know I have sharp ears, right? Actually, I could hear what you were saying about me on the mountain, even if you were covered by a blanket, but I just didn't care."
"..."
"But now, I'm going to hold you accountable."
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