Chapter 305: Chapter 282: No Way Out When Meeting the Second Young Master
Yu Wenye said, "Where did the people who left Wanggang Village go?"
With those words, everyone quieted down.
After a long silence, Yan Buuai finally spoke softly, "Yes, with such a large-scale movement at Wanggang Village, where did that group of people go? What do they intend to do?"
The Vice Generals looked at each other in dismay. After a while, Pang Tianbao sneered, "Such matters are for others to worry about. Our mission this time is to capture Wanggang Village. The rest is not something we need to overly concern ourselves with."
"That’s not how it should be said,"
Yu Wenye replied coolly, "Xiao Yuansui is an ambitious man. Last time, he had less than half the troops at Wanggang Village, yet he dared to march to take Xingluo Warehouse City. This time, they have aligned with Liang Shide, who commands over a hundred thousand soldiers. Their target must be larger than Xingluo Warehouse City."
As he spoke, he slowly turned around, looking coldly at those present: "Let me ask you all, in the vicinity here, what city is larger than Xingluo Warehouse City?"
At this moment, the entire Xingluo Warehouse City fell silent.
In everyone’s mind, a certain place immediately emerged, but no one dared to speak. The fear they didn’t dare voice turned into cold sweat, slowly dripping down their foreheads.
After an unknown period, Yan Buuai finally croaked, "Eastern Capital?"
"..."
"Are they planning to attack the Eastern Capital!?"
Yu Wenye said, "If my guess is correct... that’s the case."
Everyone suddenly became a bit chaotic, and at that moment, Wang Gong suddenly let out a soft laugh. Despite his forehead awash with cold sweat, a barely-managed, twisted smile appeared on his pale face, looking both comical and a bit sinister. He forced himself to speak calmly: "Great General, aren’t these words a bit alarmist?"
"Oh?"
Yu Wenye looked at him: "Mr. Wang, do you have a different opinion?"
Wang Gong smiled, "Though I don’t understand military affairs, the Eastern Capital is, after all, the Eastern Capital, the place where the Emperor resides, protected by the might of Heaven. Even if Liang Shide commands a hundred thousand troops, with the aid of the Turkic and Wanggang Village, they couldn’t possibly capture the Eastern Capital."
Hearing his words, several other Vice Generals seemed to find a reason to comfort themselves and echoed his sentiments.
"Indeed, the city of the Eastern Capital is strong, with valiant guards. A small rebel force like Wanggang Village could pose no threat to the Eastern Capital."
"Great General, aren’t you being a bit alarmist?"
"In my opinion, we should set out quickly. Taking this opportunity to capture Wanggang Village is what’s truly important."
...
Listening to their words, Yu Wenye didn’t show any displeasure, just looked at them calmly until Yan Buuai softly asked, "Does the Great General have other concerns?"
Yu Wenye slowly said, "Do you think that, with the Emperor there, protected by heavenly might, the Eastern Capital will be fine?"
"..."
Wang Gong stiffly nodded his head.
Yu Wenye slowly spoke, "Then, if the Emperor is not in the Eastern Capital, and the heavenly might doesn’t protect it, then—what then?"
"What?!"
Wang Gong’s eyes widened, and the other Vice Generals stepped forward: "Great General, you say the Emperor is not in the Eastern Capital; how could that be possible?"
At this time, Mu Xian stepped forward, speaking solemnly, "Everyone, a couple of days ago, while purchasing wine and meat along the village roads, we heard news from the Eastern Capital—that His Majesty is leaving the Eastern Capital to tour Jiangdu Palace to the south."
"Jiangdu?"
The Vice Generals looked at each other in dismay: "How come we didn’t know about this?"
Mu Xian said, "This decree must have been issued after we left with the troops."
It was as though giant stones were being hurled at the heads of the Vice Generals, slowly crushing their beliefs to dust. Pang Tianbao suddenly said, "I don’t believe it. How could His Majesty leave the Eastern Capital at this time? Hebei has fallen, the Turkic are stirring at the borders, and Wanggang Army as well—if His Majesty truly leaves the Eastern Capital now, wouldn’t that be, wouldn’t that be—"
He didn’t even dare to speak the words.
But even if he didn’t say it, everyone understood the significance of the Emperor touring Jiangdu this time.
That is, completely abandoning the North!
If the imperial court is not in Luoyang, and the Eastern Capital truly falls, wouldn’t this batch of them become pieces on the court’s chessboard? Even if they manage to capture Wanggang Village, by that time, they would instead be attackers.
They would become masterless "rebels!"
The Vice Generals said one after another, "We don’t believe His Majesty would do such a thing!"
At this time, Yan Buuai, standing behind Yu Wenye, stepped forward and spoke solemnly, "Everyone, this news is likely true."
Everyone immediately looked at him.
Wang Gong coldly laughed, "You’re just a small Assistant General guarding Xingluo, what do you know about what’s happening outside!"
Yan Buuai said, "Although I don’t know what’s happening outside, if anything were happening outside, we here would follow through with the orders."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent again.
Zhao Shen said, "You, carry out what orders?"
Yan Buuai said, "Just before you arrived, the court had already sent an order to dispatch three hundred thousand shichen of grain."
"Three hundred thousand?!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, and a few assistant generals and soldiers nearby also said, "That’s right, and it’s very urgent. Although this is our first time guarding the Xingluo Granary, we looked through previous records, and the court has never allocated such a large amount of grain at once."
Wang Gong said with difficulty, "I’m afraid there might be a disaster somewhere, and the court is dispatching grain for relief."
Zhao Shen hurriedly asked, "Where were those grains sent?"
Yan Buuai glanced at them, then looked at Yu Wenye, and said in a deep voice, "That batch of grain was sent via waterway, directly to the South."
This time, everyone fell completely silent.
If one thing might be a coincidence, then when all things come together, it’s definitely not a coincidence. Moreover, such a massive allocation of three hundred thousand shichen of grain has never been seen in any relief effort, and it’s sent to the South, which has enjoyed good weather and prosperity in recent years, and does not need such relief!
So, there is only one possibility—
The Emperor really intends to abandon the Eastern Capital, and even the entire North!
They have become sacrifices!
That kind of despair surged over them like a tide, swallowing them in an instant; these people clenched their fists, their teeth grinding silently, as if resisting in silence, and the strength born from resistance gradually turned into anger, and eventually transformed into a flame that engulfed them.
In such struggling emotions, several vice generals suddenly looked up at Yu Wenye—
"Great General, what are your plans?!"
Yu Wenye looked at them indifferently, his expression lacking their anger and their panic, and in those cold eyes, there was only a flash of sharpness.
"Seize!"
The cold light shot out, steadily hitting the bullseye.
This was a wide martial arts field, several hundred steps wide, enough to accommodate a thousand people training. But at this moment, those training had dispersed, leaving only Shang Ruyi holding a bow and a quiver of arrows, and in an instant, arrows were on the target.
Beside her, Jiang Kesong exclaimed lightly, "Good!"
Shang Ruyi looked up at the target a hundred steps away, ten arrows all on target, with seven hitting the bullseye, indeed much improved over these recent days of practice.
Shang Ruyi herself stroked her fingertips and smiled, "Still a bit lacking."
Jiang Kesong stepped forward to take the longbow from her hands, seriously saying, "Young Madam’s archery is among the best, not just among women, but in the army as well."
Shang Ruyi smiled, "Don’t flatter me. There are many in the army who can shoot an arrow through a willow leaf at a hundred steps; where is my archery ranked among them?"
Jiang Kesong said, "Although Young Madam’s accuracy isn’t high, your agility and swiftness are unmatched."
"Oh?"
"Put it this way, in the same time, others might hit three out of three, but Young Madam could shoot six arrows and score four hits. Such agility and speed are very rare in battle."
"Is that so..."
Shang Ruyi suddenly smiled and said, "What you say reminds me of someone. Do you know Hua Ziyang?"
Jiang Kesong said, "Little Li Guang of Wanggang Village. I’ve heard that last time, it was him—"
Saying this, he regretted his words and quickly shut his mouth, but Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "That’s right, it was him, who became Xiao Yuansui’s final reliance, forcing us to negotiate with them, ultimately letting the tiger return to the mountain."
"..."
"His archery, as you said, is agile and swift. He can hit moving targets while moving himself, and his actions are several times faster than mine."
Jiang Kesong’s face also showed an expression of admiration.
After a moment, he sighed, "No wonder he’s called Little Li Guang."
Shang Ruyi said, "Feng Chen’s archery is also excellent, but he and Hua Ziyang have never crossed paths. Who do you think would win if they actually faced each other?"
Jiang Kesong said, "Of course, the Second Young Master."
Shang Ruyi chuckled silently and said, "Didn’t you just say that such agile and swift archery is rare in battle?"
Jiang Kesong said earnestly, "It is rare, but confronted with the Second Young Master, there’s no way out."
Shang Ruyi didn’t expect him to so blindly support Yu Wenye, but upon reflection, Hua Ziyang’s archery is indeed impressive, yet Yu Wenye’s impressive display with the Divine Arm Bow in the battle in Yanmen County should not be underestimated.
Jiang Kesong further said, "Young Madam might think I’m biased towards the Second Young Master. But the Second Young Master’s archery—absolutely cannot be compared to a Little Li Guang from Wanggang Village. As long as the Second Young Master is focused, not even a Little Li Guang, let alone adding Little Yang Youji or Little Ji Chang, would be his match."
"..."
Hearing him say this, Shang Ruyi’s face slowly broke into a smile.
She said, "Then I’ll be reassured."
Jiang Kesong’s eyes gleamed as he suddenly spoke, "Does Young Madam think the Second Young Master will encounter Hua Ziyang?"
Just as Shang Ruyi was about to respond, one of Jiang Kesong’s men suddenly ran into the martial arts field from outside and said to them, "Young Madam, elder brother, a letter from Taiyuan!"