seventy-nine
In the next few days, the two armies had another confrontation in Hengzhou. Xiao Weixin was not at an advantage in terms of numbers, but he won easily.
Xiao Weixin sat alone in the big tent, but his face did not show any joy after the great victory. When You Shu came in with the rice bowl, he saw that he looked depressed and was thinking about something. He put the rice bowl on the low table, walked over and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Weixin came back to his senses. He patted You Shu's hand and pulled him to sit with him. He frowned for a while before saying, "Xiao Shu, don't you think... we won too easily?"
"Isn't this a good thing?" You Shu was not surprised. This was the plot in the book. The victory was all because Xiao Weixin's aura as the protagonist was strong enough. There was nothing to be shocked about.
Xiao Weixin still frowned and shook his head, "No."
"Although Liu Tiezhu is not a threat, he is definitely not an ordinary person to have come this far. The so-called military advisor beside him is probably the confidant of the old villain Xia Maoan. Since they can plan so many things, they shouldn't be so weak."
"I've been wondering if there's some conspiracy."
You Shu thought about it carefully, but still couldn't figure out what the problem was. However, Xiao Weixin was not a person who would worry about nothing. Since he said there was a problem, then there must be a problem. You Shu absolutely believed in his judgment. "So, what are you going to do?"
Xiao Weixin thought for a while, and then said, "I can't think of it for now."
"I've been thinking lately that maybe there's something about Xia Maoan that we don't know about."
You Shu thought for a while and felt a headache. He pulled Xiao Weixin up from the couch and walked to the table. "Let's talk after dinner. We can't do it on an empty stomach."
The living conditions are limited when serving in the army, so Xiao Weixin's food certainly couldn't be as exquisite as when he was in the mansion. Although he wasn't picky, someone as close to him as You Shu noticed that he didn't eat enough. Noticing that he was thinner than before, she felt a little worried.
So in order to find something good for his prince, You Shu got up early in the morning to go hunting and caught a few pheasants to nourish him. Xiao Weixin also found that there was chicken soup today, and asked in confusion: "Where did the chicken soup come from during the march?"
"I made it." You Shu served him a bowl. "I just boiled it roughly, without adding anything except mushrooms. You can just drink it for now."
Xiao Weixin looked down at the bowl of fragrant chicken soup, then looked at the gauze still wrapped around You Shu's arm, and pushed the bowl of chicken soup back to him: "I don't need special treatment, Xiao Shu should eat more."
"I eat meat." You Shu's eyes were filled with a gentle smile, "For rough people like me, meat is better."
Xiao Weixin felt bad. He felt like he was always protected and pampered by Xiao Shu, but this was supposed to be his responsibility. "Don't do this anymore. Let me take care of you instead."
"Okay." You Shu responded, but still put the bowl back in front of Xiao Weixin and advised: "I got it with great difficulty, so eat some."
Although he was the weaker party on the bed, no one stipulated that family status had to be determined by that person. In You Shu's heart, Xiao Weixin was equivalent to his wife, the other half he wanted to protect, and it was his duty to care for and protect his partner, so he did not think that he was over-pampering her, he just felt that this was the right thing to do.
Xiao Weixin did not refuse this time, but followed his example and added a spoonful of chicken soup to You Shu's bowl, and the two of them ate together.
You Shu felt warm at heart as he watched Xiao Weixin drink the same pot of soup with him and use the same spoon without any hesitation.
His prince used to have severe mysophobia, but now he can remain calm and treat him the same as everyone else. It shows that he really has a lot of weight in his heart, right
Being able to develop such a relationship with the real male idol, he is considered a well-known figure in the fan circle.
You Shu was very happy.
A few days later, Liu Tiezhu led his men to launch a surprise attack on Chaizhou, which was the rear defense of Mianzhou. The two armies clashed again. Xiao Weixin personally went into battle this time, and You Shu also put on armor. This was his first time on the battlefield.
The swords on the battlefield were more dangerous than when he was on a mission. He had to be wary of soldiers who might appear from anywhere. You Shu stayed beside Xiao Weixin to protect him, not daring to be distracted for the slightest.
Xiao Weixin had lost nearly 10,000 men in the previous battles, but the rebels this time had more than twice as many troops as theirs, and each of them seemed to be an elite. The terrain of Chaizhou was not advantageous, and many of their plans could not be implemented. If they only relied on numbers to fight, their situation would be somewhat passive.
Fortunately, Xiao Weixin's command was effective and the rebels could not get any advantage for a while. Neither side could gain the upper hand. Finally, with Chaizhou as the limit, the two sides temporarily stopped fighting after three days and set up camps on the spot to rest.
You Shu stood on the top of the hill and looked at the rebel flags a few miles away. Xiao Weixin walked up to him and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "It seems that the people behind Liu Tiezhu are indeed quite powerful."
"So they really lost on purpose before?" You Shu frowned, "In order to delay and deplete our combat power?"
After all, they were leading troops to the battle, unlike the rebels who had a base camp here, with sufficient food and convenient environment. Although they had won several victories, it was not good for them in the long run, especially since the rebels had deliberately stationed themselves several miles away, intending to waste time with them.
"We probably have enough food and grass to last for a month." Xiao Weixin whispered, "As long as we can solve the problem within a month, everything will be fine."
"I have asked Shen Qingyu to report that new food and fodder are on the way and will arrive in fifteen days at the earliest."
Xiao Weixin sneered, "If you want to fight a protracted war, then go ahead."
You Shu nodded, "Can the transporter be trusted?"
"Xie Feiyuan personally arranged for someone to secretly protect him, so nothing should happen." Xiao Weixin replied, "I am a little worried. Shen Qingyu wrote to me saying that Xia Maoan has been very well behaved recently. He has been recuperating at home for several days under the pretext of illness and has not attended court."
"Will he... secretly intercept our food supplies?" You Shu was very worried. Xia Maoan was a man with no sense of right and wrong. As long as it was beneficial to his fight for power, he would not care about the interests of his country and his family. Could he just let his prince win without causing trouble
"I'm already on guard against him." Xiao Weixin replied, "I'm confident in what Xie Feiyuan is doing."
You Shu crossed his arms and stared at the flags flying a few miles away. Suddenly he said, "Why don't I go and kill Liu Tiezhu? Even though he's just a puppet, if he really dies, the rebels might be able to cause chaos for a while."
Xiao Weixin didn't rush to answer. He was considering the feasibility of this matter. "Don't take any action yet. Let me think about it carefully."
After returning to the camp, Xiao Weixin grabbed Xiao Weijing, an idle man, and asked him to be an envoy to negotiate with the rebels in the opposite camp. In name, the purpose was to win them over and persuade them to surrender, but in reality, he was taking the opportunity to find out the real situation.
"Are you crazy?" Xiao Weijing glared at him, "Do you still regard me as your brother?"
Xiao Weixin held the teacup leisurely without looking up, "Since ancient times, when two countries are at war, they do not kill envoys. What are you afraid of?"
"You also know that it's two countries?" Xiao Weijing rolled his eyes. "Those people are just country bumpkins who haven't been to school for a few days. Do you expect them to understand the rule of not killing envoys? What if they kill me when they get there?"
Xiao Weixin put down the teacup and said calmly: "Then consider it as your loyalty to the country."
"You!" Xiao Weijing slapped the table, "I misjudged you!"
Xiao Weixin raised his head, looked him straight in the eyes, and said in a deep voice: "Fifth brother, it's been almost ten years, you should cheer up. The eldest brother valued you so much back then, you shouldn't be so decadent anymore."
Xiao Weijing was stunned and sat in the chair for a long time without moving.
"I know what you've been worrying about these years, but you don't really want to continue like this." Xiao Weixin stared into his eyes and continued, "Why did I insist on bringing you out? Fifth brother, have you forgotten your former arrogance?"
"Who boasted that he would become an eloquent and unyielding envoy in the future?"
"Did you forget it?"
Xiao Weijing didn't speak for a long time. The alcohol in these years seemed to have corroded his skin, but it never really destroyed his will, otherwise he would have been the second Xia Huaizhang. He didn't speak after listening to Xiao Weixin's words, but there was some ripples in his eyes.
"I did promise to cooperate with you and lend you a helping hand back then." He said softly, "But I am more selfish than you. I just want to avenge my eldest brother. I don't care about anything else."
"Even if it's a pig, it's time to wake up after a ten-year sleep." Xiao Weixin glanced at him calmly, "After this battle, we can take bigger steps when we return to the court. I... have some other plans."
Xiao Weijing turned her head to look at him, her expression a little dazed, but gradually became resolute under Xiao Weixin's calm gaze, "You are really different from before."
"You had just lost your virtuous concubine that year, and you were as weak as an ant. When I went to see you, you looked like you were dead."
Xiao Weixin chuckled, but the smile did not reach his eyes, "So this is where you and I are different."
Xiao Weijing stared at him deeply. Back then, when everyone was still studying with the Grand Tutor in the study, almost no one noticed him. Everyone thought that this frail and beautiful seventh brother was a weak and taciturn person, just like the virtuous concubine, who did not fight or threaten anyone. Even he thought so at the beginning.
Only the eldest brother of the Emperor had privately told him that if his seventh brother had the opportunity in the future, he would definitely be of great use and was incomparable to other brothers. His endurance alone was far superior to that of most princes.
This is also the reason why Xiao Weijing trusted him intuitively from the bottom of her heart after the death of the Royal Elder Brother. The person praised by the Royal Elder Brother must be good.
"Okay." Xiao Weijing calmly picked up his cup. The whole person seemed to be reborn at that moment. There was some light in his eyes, as if he could still see the young man with high spirits and ambitions ten years ago.
Xiao Weixin came over and whispered in his ear. Xiao Weijing looked a little surprised.
"I can do it?"
"Why not?" Xiao Weixin raised his eyebrows. "You were the best at sophistry among all the princes back then, and you made the emperor very angry. Have you forgotten?"
Xiao Weijing was silent for a while, then snorted, "That's true."
"Liu Tiezhu is just a nobody. I can scold him and make him cry by just opening half my mouth!"
He drank the tea in one gulp and said, "Let me borrow your precious baby. With him protecting me, I can scold people more vigorously."
Xiao Weixin flatly refused: "No."
"Haha." Xiao Weijing sneered, "I am risking being killed to make this trip, can't you even bear to do this?"
"Can you compare with him?" Xiao Weixin said disdainfully, "My Xiao Shu is not meant to be taken risks."
Xiao Weijing was so angry that he vomited blood, and he took the cup and threw it over.
Is his life worthless