Chapter 1463 - 1138: You Want to Provoke War?

About half an hour later, the three of them finally walked out of the stone house.

Although still somewhat shocked and unable to regain his composure, Shen Tu Tai turned back and instructed the soldiers guarding the door: "Be vigilant, if there is any mishap, you will be held accountable!"

The soldiers hurriedly acknowledged.

Only then did Shen Tu Tai take a long breath, and when he turned back, he saw Yu Wenye and Shen Wuzheng both walking silently ahead. He quickly caught up, but walking behind them, glancing at the equally handsome yet solemn faces of the two, Shen Tu Tai finally seemed to snap back to reality.

He softly asked, "Your Highness, did you know all along?"

Shen Wuzheng immediately turned to look at Yu Wenye — actually, it wasn’t just Shen Tu Tai, he had also realized it earlier. When Shi Yuxin mentioned what Xiao Yuansui might have done to Shang Ruyi, he was extremely tense, but when Shi Yuxin said Shang Ruyi’s face was ruined by Lu Xiao, he instead calmed down.

Though, it wasn’t truly that calm.

Yu Wenye turned to meet their gaze, silently nodded, and then said, "Wo Xue told me after she came back."

Shen Wuzheng frowned, "Then why didn’t you tell me?"

Yu Wenye glanced at him and said deeply, "One person worrying about her is enough."

Shen Wuzheng furrowed his brow even tighter, and Shen Tu Tai immediately sensed the subtle tension between the two — a smooth understanding yet often subtly conflicting one — and was about to say something to ease the atmosphere, but was momentarily at a loss for words, while Yu Wenye turned his head and continued walking, saying slowly while walking, "She told me that Ruyi’s face was scratched by Lu Xiao, but she didn’t know the reason, and Ruyi didn’t tell her either."

At this point, his eyes dimmed, "Turns out, it was because of a poem."

Shen Wuzheng’s breath sank slightly, murmuring, "If the Liu Ying aspires to be the Simurgh, there is no need to perch on two branches, north and south."

After reciting, he sneered.

Even if he didn’t really care about Lu Xiao’s intentions and her movements, since Shang Ruyi had previously entrusted her to him for care, and Lu Xiao had stayed at the Shen Family for so long, he naturally also understood this seemingly enchanting woman held such firm and even steadfast feelings for Xiao Yuansui.

He has always respected people’s feelings, regardless of their status, but people’s feelings, he believes, are unparalleled.

Especially a lover’s feelings, which are even more precious.

However, Lu Xiao’s feelings, in his view, were somewhat laughable — laughable because despite her roots in the world of pleasure, accustomed to the fickleness of society and witnessing the callousness of human nature, she could not see through Xiao Yuansui.

Or perhaps, people are always blinded by the leaf that belongs solely to them?

Even his innocent mother saw it clearly and explicitly told Lu Xiao that a man coming to rescue you and escaping to see him are different. Yet Lu Xiao stubbornly believed that Xiao Yuansui still had a place in his heart for her and that she was different from others in his eyes.

Finally, she received the designation "Liu Ying," was it her "seeking benevolence and gaining benevolence"?

Seeing the hint of coldness in Shen Wuzheng’s eyes, Yu Wenye didn’t say much, only glanced back at the room where Shi Yuxin was imprisoned and then said to Shen Tu Tai, "Have your men guard this place well, under no circumstances should you allow her to come to any harm, let alone escape."

Shen Tu Tai immediately said, "Rest assured, Your Highness, I understand."

The initial capture of Shi Yutao was for Shi Yuxin, and with Shi Yuxin in hand, even without using her to threaten Shi Yutao, they immediately deprived Xiao Yuansui of a key general, which would be greatly advantageous for the imminent decisive battle.

As war came to mind, Shen Tu Tai’s demeanor turned even more solemn, saying, "Your Highness, it seems Xiao Yuansui will launch an attack soon, within these next two days at the latest."

Yu Wenye said indifferently, "Of course."

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced down at his shoulder — a wound left by Xiao Yuansui, taking the risk of causing chaos in their entire camp, naturally, he would launch an attack before the wound could heal.

Shen Wuzheng said, "After the battles at Huilu Storehouse and Xiao Yuansui’s camp, our losses have been minimal, but our cavalry forage is almost depleted."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Wenye turned to look at him, "How much forage is left?"

Shen Wuzheng said, "At most two days."

Yu Wenye thought for a moment, and the three of them continued walking, soon leaving the garrison, arriving at an open area, the training grounds within the camp. No matter what battles had been fought before, daily drills in Yu Wenye’s camp were essential, and after breakfast, the soldiers were already drilling, the synchronized footsteps and shouting were deafening, seeing this, all three had deepened looks in their eyes.

Yu Wenye gestured forward, and Gao Feng and Jiang Kesong immediately stepped up.

Since following Yu Wenye to Hulao Pass, the two had been recuperating, not that long, but being young, they recovered quickly, they were always busy within the camp, but Yu Wenye hadn’t let them participate in any battles recently.

Now seeing Yu Wenye call for them, the two eagerly hurried forward, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

Yu Wenye looked at them, "How are your wounds?"

Jiang Kesong immediately replied, "They’re all healed."

Gao Feng also hurriedly nodded, both of them staring intently at Yu Wenye, seemingly awaiting his orders.

Yu Wenye said, "The forage for the horses in the camp is insufficient, I need you to take the war horses to graze on the North Shore of the Yellow River, let them fill their bellies, and by the way, keep an eye on the developments in Xiao Yuansui’s camp."

Hearing this, a trace of disappointment first appeared in their eyes, but they quickly became tense.

The two exchanged a glance, and it was Jiang Kesong who spoke first: "Your Highness, how many horses do you want us to take there?"

Yu Wenye said, "Three thousand."

Upon hearing this number, not only the two of them but also Shen Tu Tai and Shen Wuzheng realized something, and they exchanged glances, all four fixating on Yu Wenye. It was still Shen Tu Tai who spoke first: "Your Highness, with such a large group of horses going over, Xiao Yuansui’s side won’t possibly miss this; if they find out, doesn’t it mean revealing our camp’s shortage of cavalry forage to them?"

Yu Wenye said, "Yes."

Shen Tu Tai fell silent, seemingly understanding something.

Shen Wuzheng was silent for a moment, then asked, "You want to provoke a battle?"

Yu Wenye said, "Xiao Yuansui is certain to launch an offensive while my wound hasn’t healed, but if we do nothing, the timing of the battle is left to them, which puts us at a disadvantage."

"..."

"The timing should be determined by me."