Chapter 1374 - 1050: Nightmare Returns

Shen Tu Tai shook his head and said, "No. Before we set out, word had already come from Xiazhou."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Yu Wenye’s eyes instantly brightened. One hand braced on the desk, his whole body leaned slightly forward as he asked urgently, "Over there—the situation, how is it?"

Shen Tu Tai said, "When I departed, the news I received was that the crisis at Xiazhou has been resolved."

A flash of delight crossed Yu Wenye’s face, and even Mu Xian, standing to one side, showed a look of joy, hastily asking, "Then, what about the Princess?"

Shen Tu Tai turned to glance at him, but his expression was rather grave.

The joy and relief that had just risen, upon seeing Shen Tu Tai’s strange expression and Shantong’er and Nie Chong’s abnormal quietness, slowly faded. A surge of unease welled up in his chest, and Yu Wenye slowly furrowed his brows, saying, "What is it, is there something else?"

Shen Tu Tai hesitated for a moment, then still said, "The news I received was that the Zhuxie Khan of the Western Turks, in order to take Xiazhou, led his own main forces south, pressing straight on Xiazhou and besieged it for over a month. But just a few days ago, Xiazhou’s peril was lifted."

Yu Wenye immediately heard that something was wrong.

He had never truly crossed swords with Ashina Zhuxie, but he had seen the man’s methods. If he meant to take Xiazhou, he naturally had long-term plans in mind. That he would lead his own main forces south shows he attached great importance to this campaign; under such circumstances, the thinly guarded Xiazhou should by rights have been his for the taking.

Yet now, the peril of Xiazhou is actually resolved...

Yu Wenye asked, "Did something happen at Xiazhou? Or did something happen to Ashina Zhuxie?"

Shen Tu Tai said, "It’s said that Ashina Zhuxie led his army to the vicinity of Xiazhou, yet did not join the battle, and instead inexplicably withdrew; thereafter, Xiazhou won the war, and his troops have never shown themselves again."

"..."

Yu Wenye’s gaze grew ever darker.

Ashina Zhuxie led his own main forces south yet did not take part in the battle for Xiazhou. There is only one possibility: someone else, or something else, drew his attention away and made him let go of Xiazhou.

As for who that someone or what that something was...

As that thought surfaced, a faint answer already formed in his heart, and the grave looks in Shen Tu Tai and the others’ eyes seemed to show that they too had thought of the same possibility—only no one dared lightly voice this most likely truth.

Yu Wenye was silent for a long time before finally saying, "There is no news of the Princess?"

Before Shen Tu Tai could speak, Shantong’er, following behind him, at once said, "None. We sent quite a few people to Xiazhou and the surrounding areas, but none were able to discover Sister Ruyi—the Princess’s whereabouts. We don’t know where she has gone."

He paused, then said, worriedly, "Your Highness, let’s send more people to look for the Princess."

Shen Tu Tai softly rebuked, "Lao Jiu!"

Shantong’er lifted his head to look at him. Seeing Shen Tu Tai frowning straight at him, he could only purse his lips and carefully step back a pace.

These words were not something a child like him ought to say in the first place, and besides, this was inside the army. Dispatching troops was different from ordinary times: one careless move could cause a huge impact, even affect the course of the war.

Yu Wenye also glanced at Shantong’er but said nothing. Only after pondering for a moment did he say, "Assistant Shen did not merely remain at Mengjin Pass. If no further news arrives, he intends to go to Xiazhou, doesn’t he?"

"..."

Shen Tu Tai was slightly taken aback; he hadn’t thought Yu Wenye would so quickly see through Shen Wuzheng’s intentions, and could only answer in a low voice, "Yes."

The command tent sank into a long silence.

Mu Xian had originally thought Yu Wenye would worry, or perhaps grow angry. The palms of his hands hanging at his sides were slick with cold sweat. But he didn’t know how long had passed when he suddenly heard the rustling sound of cloth and armor rubbing. Looking up, he saw that Yu Wenye had already risen from his seat, walked around the desk, and headed straight for the tent entrance, saying, "The journey here, did it tire you?"

Not knowing why he had suddenly brought this up, Shen Tu Tai and the rest were taken aback, but all promptly said, "We’re not tired."

For men like them, ordinary marching barely even counted as exertion. What’s more, this time they had traveled light and fast, all of them making the journey with great ease. They had a whole body’s worth of strength they hadn’t yet had occasion to use.

Yu Wenye said, "Good. Come with me to scout Hulao Pass."

At these words, everyone froze for a moment, Mu Xian in particular. He almost instinctively turned and followed Yu Wenye out, his heart pounding—Yu Wenye was going to scout Hulao Pass again? In his mind he immediately saw again what had happened three days before, when they had just arrived here, Yu Wenye had looked off toward Hulao Pass, then suddenly spurred his horse and charged ahead, and after that, that extremely perilous scene that unfolded.

Today, again?

Uneasy, he followed close behind Yu Wenye, and then Shen Tu Tai and the others all came along as well. When the group reached the camp gate, their horses had already been led up for them. Just as they were all about to mount, Shen Tu Tai not only ordered Shantong’er and Nie Chong to accompany them, but also very cautiously had several personal soldiers of high martial skill join them as well. Seeing that everyone in this party was sturdy and strong, each of them possessing exceptional skills, Mu Xian’s heart eased a little.

Besides, Yu Wenye had personally promised him before that he would not take reckless risks like he had that day.

Thinking this, he finally relaxed and mounted with the others.

Their group left the camp and spurred their horses hard, quickly arriving at the same earthen slope where Yu Wenye had taken them to scout Hulao Pass three days ago. As they urged their mounts up the slope, it was just like three days earlier: the slanting rays of the setting sun shone down, casting the surging, rolling Yellow River below into something like a dragon wreathed in flames, and the steep, towering pass pressed close against the river looked like a fortress encircled by that fire-dragon, mysterious and dangerous.

At this sight, though they had not yet grasped the disposition of the forces within, had not even engaged them, everyone felt a sense of danger.

Shen Tu Tai said in a deep voice, "Since ancient times, heroes have contended over Hulao. This place, from a single glance, you can tell it is no simple thing."

Yu Wenye said, "Now, more than half of the Luoyang Eight Passes have fallen into our hands. Liang Shide also knows that if he cannot hold Hulao, Luoyang will have no outside support. So he scraped together another hundred thousand troops from the surrounding areas and entrusted them to Shan Shiyu to guard this place. At present, there are no fewer than a hundred and fifty thousand men stationed here."

At these words, Nie Chong couldn’t help but furrow his brow tightly.

One hundred and fifty thousand at Hulao Pass, and they themselves only...

Even Shen Tu Tai, a man so skilled in war, had a shadow flicker through his eyes at this moment.

Just then, Yu Wenye said, "But what kind of troops those hundred and fifty thousand are—there’s no use speaking of it. We have to go and scout them."

Scout them?

Hearing this, Mu Xian’s heart gave a heavy thump.

Right now, weren’t they already—

Just as a vague foreboding flashed across his mind, a familiar rush of wind sounded in his ears. It was like a nightmare replaying itself: just as three days ago, Yu Wenye spurred his horse and charged out.

Mu Xian let out a shrill, wretched cry: "Ah!"