Chapter 1104 Both sides have this idea
The weather, which had been relatively clear, started to drizzle just past noon.
The rain pattered against the tent, sounding like war drums urging something on the battlefield. Although Xiao Yuansui was sitting inside the tent, sheltered from all the wind and rain, his heart felt like it was being roasted on a fire, unable to find peace for a moment.
The rain suddenly intensified, and when he looked up, he saw Hua Ziying walking in from outside.
He immediately asked, "How is it?"
Seeing his seemingly calm yet barely concealed anxiety, Hua Ziying sighed inwardly and said, "It's alright."
Xiao Yuansui asked, "What did the doctor say?"
Hua Ziying shook her head: "She refused to let our doctor examine her, saying that she couldn't let anyone else touch her face."
"What?"
"However, she said her maid knew medicine, so I had no choice but to release the girl named Wo Xue. This girl knew martial arts, and General Shi had people watching her the whole way back."
Xiao Yuansui was silent for a moment, then said, "Now that we're here, she can't use her martial arts skills anymore. We can let her go and take care of her master."
"yes."
"How is her injury?"
"They said he's out of danger, but the specifics are unclear."
Xiao Yuansui thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "I'll go take a look."
Just as he was about to leave, Hua Ziying raised his hand to stop him. Xiao Yuansui looked at his brother, who had followed him for many years and was almost like his shadow, with a puzzled expression. Hua Ziying looked solemn and said in a deep voice, "General... elder brother, as the princess of the Great Sheng Dynasty and Yuwen Ye's wife, her status is indeed important to us, but you can't put too much thought into her."
"..."
"You should know that General Xiao Shi is still at Hulao Pass, while Luoyang is still being attacked by Yuwen Cheng."
"..."
"If you handle this improperly, I fear people's hearts may change."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuansui suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He realized that after last night, his feelings for Shang Ruyi had not changed at all. Not only had they not changed because of her rejection, but they had become even stronger and more intense.
But this surge of emotion was suppressed by Hua Ziying's words, which were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.
He remained silent, slowly walked back to the desk and sat down. After a long period of contemplation, he looked up at the other person and said softly, "What you said makes sense."
Seeing him like this, Hua Ziying breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Yuansui added, "However, she is indeed a trump card in our hands. Yuwen Ye would risk his life for her, let alone a mere city like Luoyang. Therefore, we still need to keep a close eye on her and not let her suffer any more harm. If we lose this trump card, Shi Yutao will probably not survive either."
Hua Ziying said, "I understand. I will instruct my subordinates to keep a close eye on her and take good care of her."
Xiao Yuansui nodded.
Just then, the sound of the rain outside grew louder. The two looked up and saw Shi Yuxin walking in from outside.
Hua Ziying immediately stepped aside and cupped his hands in greeting to her. Shi Yuxin didn't say much, but stared at Xiao Yuansui and asked, "General, do you have a plan?"
These words came out abruptly, but Xiao Yuansui understood. Shi Yuxin had just returned yesterday, and he told her that Shi Yutao had been captured by the other side. He said they would discuss countermeasures later, but the two of them hadn't seen each other since. In the entire night, two people were injured, and one was even on the verge of death. Even now, the incident is still causing some unrest. Yet, she asked about this as soon as she arrived, which clearly showed that she was still worried about her brother who was trapped in Hulao Pass.
Xiao Yuansui raised his hand to indicate, "General Shi, please don't be in a hurry, please have a seat."
Shi Yuxin glanced at him before walking over and sitting down, while Hua Ziying also sat down on the other side.
Xiao Yuansui let out a long breath to calm himself down completely, and then said, "Since last night, I have sent people to investigate near Hulao Pass. They have kept the gates closed ever since they captured General Xiaoshi, until this morning when Yuwen Ye led his troops back from Huyang Valley."
Shi Yuxin's eyes sharpened: "Yuwen Ye is back?"
"yes."
"Have they made any moves?"
As she said this, she clenched her fists almost instinctively, the veins on her fair but rough hands bulging, as if they contained boundless power, and she couldn't wait to find someone to vent it on.
Xiao Yuansui took in everything and then said, "They still keep their gates closed and there is no troop movement."
Upon hearing this, Shi Yuxin's brows immediately furrowed.
She said, "His princess was arrested, and he didn't even think of doing anything about it? He didn't take any action at all?"
Xiao Yuansui chuckled and said, "Yuwen Ye is a man who is never short of heroic spirit, but he is most sentimental. After the Battle of Taiyuan, he dared to go to the Western Turkic camp alone to negotiate with Ashina Zhuxie and rescue his Princess Qin. This time, after returning, he has remained inactive and has not made a move. Obviously, he is waiting."
Shi Yuxin frowned: "Waiting for what?"
Xiao Yuansui said, "Wait until we lose our patience."
"..."
“We have Princess Qin in our hands, and he has General Xiao Shi in his hands. This is a situation where we are evenly matched. At this point, whoever makes the first move will show who values the other’s person more, and will also reveal their weakness.”
Shi Yuxin looked at him, her expression gradually becoming complicated.
Xiao Yuansui said, "General Shi, I have fought Yuwen Ye several times, so I have a good understanding of his character."
"..."
"As long as Shang Ruyi is in our hands, General Xiao Shi will be safe."
"..."
"So you don't need to worry too much."
"..."
Shi Yuxin was silent for a while, then said, "I'm not worried about something because I know how to solve it; but now, from what you've said, there's no solution for this for the time being. We can only wait and wait for the other side to lose patience first."
Xiao Yuansui replied, "Yes."
Shi Yu thought to himself, "How long will it take?"
Upon hearing this question, Xiao Yuansui's expression darkened slightly, but he did not provide an answer—in fact, he had no answer, and even Shi Yuxin, who asked the question, knew there was no answer before she even spoke.
She let out a deep breath and said, "I am not being unreasonable. I understand that the General has considered all the issues, and this is indeed the best solution at the moment."
"..."
"But what if, what if both of us think this way?"
"..."
"Wouldn't that mean we'd be stuck indefinitely?"
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