Chapter 635 I'll go with you!
Please read the author's note first.
Upon hearing this, everyone was startled. Even Shen Tu Tai frowned and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, this is too dangerous!"
The other deputy generals hurriedly echoed, "Entering Qixian alone is like a lamb entering a tiger's den!"
"Yes, Your Highness, absolutely not."
"If anything were to happen to His Highness, we would be guilty beyond redemption, even if it meant our own death!"
...
Just as they were all talking at once, a faint fragrance suddenly wafted in along with the heat from the campfire. Yuwen Ye, who was about to say something, immediately stopped. Looking up, he saw a slender and graceful figure slowly walking towards him, but her steps were not as light and agile as usual; instead, they carried a hint of heaviness.
Those around her instinctively looked up and immediately stood up to bow: "Your Highness!"
The person walking over was Shang Ruyi.
She had just heard Yuwen Ye say that he wanted to enter Qi County alone, and she couldn't help but frown. She was about to speak up to stop him, but the deputy generals around her reacted even more strongly and immediately began to dissuade Yuwen Ye. Once they spoke up, she naturally didn't need to speak up immediately.
This, in turn, allowed me to calm down and have room for reflection.
As she slowly walked to the campfire, the lieutenant sitting next to Yuwen Ye immediately stood up to offer her his seat. Shang Ruyi didn't stand on ceremony, simply nodded, and bent down to sit. The lieutenant stepped aside and said, "Your Highness has come at the right time. Please persuade His Highness."
Shang Ruyi did not speak immediately, but turned to look at Yuwen Ye.
Yuwen Ye also looked at her.
Although the air was filled with the heat of the flames, the two gazes met silently, yet were unexpectedly cold.
These days, the two of them acted like strangers, not speaking or interacting. In fact, Shang Ruyi could sense that Yuwen Ye was deliberately avoiding her gaze. Several times, when she looked at him, she would see him look away, and when he looked at her, she would involuntarily avoid his eyes.
This deliberate aloofness and indifference,
He is angry.
And she was worried about Shen Wuzheng.
Even if the two of them stayed together, there would still be some discord between them, so it would be better for them to separate and go their separate ways. But now, they were discussing the important matter of this military expedition, and Yuwen Ye was going to enter enemy territory alone, so she had no choice but to speak up.
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness."
Yuwen Ye glanced at her indifferently and said, "You're here to persuade me?"
"I--"
Before she could finish speaking, Yuwen Ye interrupted her, saying calmly, "You should go and rest first."
As he spoke, his gaze involuntarily fell upon her after she sat down. Although she tried her best to keep her legs together and maintain a proper posture, they trembled in pain as soon as they touched, and she could only slightly open her knees. He couldn't help but frown again, then looked up at what was behind her: "I'll answer your question now—"
Before he could finish speaking, he immediately frowned: "Where's your tent?"
Shang Ruyi also turned around and glanced back.
Then, she calmly turned to Yuwen Ye and said, "I see that Your Highness has no intention of setting up camp to rest, so I have told them not to set up a tent for me. If we are to go to war tonight, as the Princess Consort of Qin, it is impossible for me to stay here alone."
"..."
"However, His Highness just said that he wants to enter Qi County alone—"
Yuwen Ye narrowed his eyes slightly: "You want to stop me?"
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "I would like to hear Your Highness's plans first before making a decision, and whether or not to dissuade Your Highness."
"..."
"After all—a wealthy man shouldn't sit under a dangerous roof. If you're going to take a risk, then the outcome must be of sufficient value. Otherwise, I absolutely cannot just stand by and watch you take that risk!"
Her words were heavy, even carrying a hint of unyielding rigidity.
However, Yuwen Ye was not angered by a woman's "outrageous remarks" in the army. Instead, he fell silent, stared at her with his dark eyes for a while, and then suddenly let out a soft breath.
Then he said, "Okay."
"That--"
"Let me ask you first, how did Wang Shaoqiu and the Western Turks take Taiyuan?"
The group exchanged glances, and Shen Tu Tai spoke up: "Wang Shaoqiu's men infiltrated the city and, in coordination with the Western Turks, breached Taiyuan City."
Yuwen Ye said, "That's right. The reason we've been marching so fast these days, covering a hundred li a day, is to catch them off guard. But Taiyuan City is well-defended, and even a surprise attack would be difficult to break through in one fell swoop."
"..."
"If we fail to break through and a stalemate ensues, our surprise attack will be meaningless."
"..."
"Therefore, we must 'upgrade' this raid!"
"Increase the stakes..."
Upon hearing these two words, Shang Ruyi understood somewhat. She looked up at him, her eyes gleaming in the campfire: "You mean, to use their own methods against them? Just like Wang Shaoqiu's method of conquering Taiyuan, we should also send people to infiltrate Taiyuan and attack from the inside out?"
Yuwen Ye glanced at her.
His gaze remained as cold and stern as if covered by a layer of frost, but at this moment, it seemed to be melted by something, and even if he was unwilling, he could not help but let out a glimmer from that crack.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Yes."
"..."
"A coordinated attack from within and without is also the best way to capture Taiyuan City."
The deputy general beside him nodded at first, but then frowned and said, "But Your Highness, Wang Shaoqiu has already used this method to break through Taiyuan City. How could he easily allow our people to disguise themselves and enter the city again? If I were him, I would definitely guard against it at all costs."
Yuwen Ye said calmly, "Of course."
"..."
"And that is why I must take it—not just conquer Qi County."
Everyone was startled upon hearing this.
This time, Shen Tu Tai reacted and said, "I once heard that when the Duke—no, His Majesty—was serving as the Pacification Commissioner of Shanxi and was stationed in Taiyuan, he went to Longmen to quell the rebellion, and Qi County was the grain route used to transport military supplies."
Yuwen Ye nodded and said, "That's right."
"..."
"Moreover, the scouts I sent out also found out that the grain supplies in Taiyuan were transported from Qixian."
"..."
"They transport supplies every four days, and tomorrow is the day they will be transporting the provisions!"
Shen Tu Tai said, "Does Your Highness intend to use the grain transport convoy from Qi County to enter Taiyuan?"
Yuwen Ye replied, "Yes."
Hearing him say that the method was indeed feasible and could enhance the surprise attack on Taiyuan, everyone couldn't help but nod in approval. However, Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, then frowned even more and asked, "But it's still too dangerous for you to go into Qixian alone."
"..."
"What if the garrison commander of Qi County recognizes you? Then they—"
"I want the garrison commander of Qi County to recognize me."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi's eyes widened in astonishment, and the surrounding deputy generals also looked at him in surprise. Yuwen Ye remained silent for a moment, then looked down at the map spread out at his feet. The location of Qi County had been deeply dented by his whip several times.
It's like an unfillable void in a person's heart.
He remained silent for a long time before saying in a hoarse voice, "The Qixian garrison commander who surrendered to Wang Shaoqiu was named Lei Guo."
"...!"
Upon hearing this surname, Shang Ruyi seemed to immediately sense something.
The people around him exchanged glances, seemingly understanding what was happening.
Lei Yi, the Left Imperial Guard General, was ordered to quell a rebellion in Hebei more than a year ago, but instead betrayed the court and has now joined the Daye Dynasty under Liang Shide. At that time, he took his only daughter, Lei Yu, with him.
However, besides this only daughter, Lei Yi also had a nephew, the child of his deceased brother, who was Lei Guo, the garrison commander of Qi County. The Daye Dynasty did not have a system of collective punishment, and since Lei Guo was garrisoning Qi County at the time, he was under the influence of Taiyuan and thus received Yuwen Yuan's protection. Therefore, Chu Yang did not touch him.
Lei Guo remained silent and continued to perform his duties.
Afterwards, Chu Yang went south to Jiangdu Palace, completely abandoning Jiangbei, and thus had no time to care about this minor incident.
Unexpectedly, Lei Guo, who had been quietly guarding Qi County and had been protecting Yuwen Cheng from the south when Yuwen Cheng was stationed in Taiyuan, ultimately betrayed them.
Mentioning Lei Guo inevitably brings to mind Lei Yu, the days when they rarely met but were deeply close, and Pei Xingyuan's unrequited love. Shang Ruyi felt a pang of sorrow, and her eyes even reddened for a moment.
Yuwen Ye looked at her and frowned slightly.
At this moment, Shen Tu Tai also frowned and said in a deep voice, "This subordinate understands Your Highness's meaning. However—regardless of the past, Lei Guo has ultimately surrendered to the enemy."
Yuwen Ye withdrew his gaze, composed himself, and continued, "His uncle and cousin betrayed him one after another, but he continued to guard Qi County without the slightest slackening. From this, you should know his character: loyal, righteous, and courageous. He is not a coward who is afraid of death or a sycophant."
"..."
"I think he'll surrender to Wang Shaoqiu this time—"
At this moment, Shang Ruyi spoke, her voice slightly hoarse and moist, "The one he surrendered to was not Wang Shaoqiu, but the Western Turks."
Yuwen Ye turned to look at her.
Shang Ruyi said, "The reason he surrendered was probably because of Lei Yu, who had already married into the Western Turkic Khaganate..."
"..."
Looking at her reddened eyes, Yuwen Ye remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Yes."
"..."
"So, it was Lei Yu's brother who surrendered."
"..."
"And what I'm looking for is Lei Guo himself!"
"..."
Hearing these somewhat inexplicable words, the deputy generals were all completely baffled. Shen Tu Tai seemed to understand, but still frowned and did not speak immediately.
But Shang Ruyi—
She took a deep breath and looked up at Yuwen Ye. Although her eyes were red, there was a hint of sadness, yet a resolute light shone from the depths of her pupils.
She said, "I'll go with you!"
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