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Chapitre 104

He was troubled by Rongyue's worries. Gently patting Rongyue's back, Tuoba Chen softly comforted her, "There's always a way. Don't rush, take it slow. Besides, they're getting along well now, there shouldn't be any friction..."

"General!" General Zhang He, the Right Cavalry General, stormed into the palace with his iron sword at his side, without waiting for the guards to announce his arrival. He said indignantly, "General, you be the judge! This world is truly bizarre. The rebels are the ones who are right and have the right to speak, while those who suppress the rebels are the ones who are guilty and need to be punished! Damn it!"

Following closely behind Zhang He was Ye Fan, who held a feather fan and had a gloomy expression.

As the two barged in, Tuoba Chen swiftly raised his hand and swept down the pink gauze curtain held up by the purple jade hook, angrily saying, "How can you be so unruly!"

The peach-pink gauze curtains danced in the gentle breeze, layer upon layer, rippling in concentric circles, like gentle waves on a clear blue sea. The thin red gauze revealed a blurry, peach-pink figure within the tent, indistinct and fleeting, stirring the imaginations of the two figures before the curtains…

Both Zhang He and Ye Fan blushed, some more deeply than others. Ye Fan awkwardly waved his fan, took a deep breath, and then said seriously, "It was my recklessness, but I have a key to report. It's extremely urgent and cannot be delayed!"

Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, Zhang He's face darkened with anger, and the long sword at his waist rang out: "Indeed, it is extremely urgent! General, the surrendered soldiers have rioted, harboring rebellious intentions, and have killed dozens of Iron Cavalry soldiers who went to maintain order! Such lowly soldiers who harbor rebellious intentions should be executed! Execute these lowly soldiers to prevent future troubles. This matter cannot be delayed. I urge the General to make a decision as soon as possible!"

Surrendered soldiers rebelling?! Rongyue was secretly alarmed and was about to ask when Ye Fan interrupted her with a righteous and angry shout: "Zhang He! Stop exaggerating, distorting the truth, and confusing right and wrong! Dozens of surrendered soldiers were wounded and two died, while only one cavalryman died. How can you say there were dozens? Besides, if you hadn't allowed your men to bully the surrendered soldiers, would they have risen up in rebellion unless they were forced to? Zhang He, you should examine your conscience before you speak!"

Zhang He's fleshy face flushed red with shame. His eyes widened, yet he still retorted defiantly, "Yes, I, Zhang He, exaggerated. But their rebellion is undeniable! If they hadn't harbored rebellious intentions, would they have been so quick to kill our cavalrymen after suffering even the slightest injustice? Ultimately, we have my men to thank for finally forcing them to reveal their true colors..."

"Slightly wronged? And you have to thank your men? Zhang He, you're lying through your teeth! You have no conscience!" Turning to Rong Yue, Ye Fan calmed his breathing and tried to make his tone sound more composed: "Reporting to the General, as far as I know, during the march, some cavalrymen bullied and abused prisoners of war, robbed them of their property, and beat and verbally abused them. Some were beaten to the point of being crippled, and some were beaten to death, but none of them dared to resist and endured it silently." This current situation arose from a fight between cavalry over prisoners' clothing, resulting in heavy losses on both sides. Military strategy dictates, "Capture the enemy's chariots and ride in them; capture enemy soldiers and treat them well; this is how you defeat the enemy and grow stronger daily." Now, the soldiers who surrendered in Louxi have not strengthened our forces but have instead become a burden, violating military principle because of our mistreatment of them. If this continues, even those who initially harbored no resentment will inevitably grow bitter and rise in rebellion, threatening our army's very existence!

"Hey Ye, stop spouting your brotherhood nonsense and all that bullshit about reconciling with prisoners of war! Let me tell you, you think we're going to be brothers with those sons of bitches? Bah! No way!"

"Okay, okay, then tell me, what should we do if they rebel because of unfair treatment?"

"Rebellion? Hey! If they dare to rebel, I'll chop them up!"

"What if the entire army of 200,000 rebels?"

"Then let's chop them all up!"

Ye Fan was so angry he almost choked: "It's impossible to communicate with someone like you! We're like talking to a brick wall! General, you speak for us..."

"Zhang He, you go out first!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang He panicked: "General..."

"Get out! And while you're at it, reflect on your mistakes!"

After glaring angrily at Ye Fan, Zhang He stormed out the door.

I never imagined the cavalry would be so hostile! Robbing them? Crippled them? Beaten them to death? They're truly lawless! They're even plotting against her behind her back! They've gotten her into such a mess at this critical juncture; how am I supposed to clean up this mess?!

Volume Two: The Resolute Heroines' Chronicle, Chapter Thirty-Five: Confrontation Under the Distant Moon

With a delicate hand lifting a corner of the curtain, Rongyue rose, put on her robe, and walked solemnly to Ye Fan: "In your opinion, strategist, how should this matter be handled?"

Ye Fan bowed solemnly to Rong Yue: "General, mistreating surrendered soldiers is a serious matter. If it is not severely punished, the morale of the army may waver, leading to disaster."

"The strategist means..."

"Kill one to warn a hundred, so that others will follow suit!"

Rongyue was taken aback, and a look of reluctance appeared between her brows.

Seeing Rongyue's hesitation, Ye Fan urged anxiously, "General, we must not be soft-hearted! You are well aware of the current situation. The country has just been conquered, and the situation is unstable. The two ethnic groups already have mutual animosity. At this moment, even a small pebble can stir up a huge wave! If you cannot treat this matter fairly and seriously, and cannot give the surrendered soldiers a satisfactory explanation, not to mention that the Iron Cavalry will become more arrogant, more seriously, it will make the surrendered soldiers disheartened, unwilling to fight for you, and even desert or rebel! Beset by internal and external troubles, may I ask you, General, how confident are you that you can handle both?"

Ye Fan's question left Rong Yue speechless.

With a heavy heart, she walked to the latticed wooden window, lifted a corner of it, and quietly gazed at the cold moonlight streaming across the garden. Her lips parted slightly, and she murmured something, as if speaking to Ye Fan, yet also as if talking to herself: "In my most desperate and agonizing moment, they didn't abandon me. Wielding iron swords, they slaughtered everyone in their path, pulling me from the steaming porcelain vat in a pool of blood… What does 50,000 men mean compared to 100,000? What were their chances of survival? At that moment, I never wished to die so badly, because how could I, how could I stand by and watch so many…" Many brothers were killed, dismembered, boiled... But no matter how much I shouted, how much I begged, how much I cried, they remained unmoved, not one of them willing to flee for their lives. They said, "General, if we go, we go together; if we die, we die together..." At that time, surrounded by a human wall of flesh and blood, I swallowed bitter tears and secretly swore to the heavens that one day I would give the world to these brothers who had risked their lives for me, to enjoy endless riches and glory... But now that I have achieved a little success, they want... Does following me, their general, mean only sharing hardship, but not happiness...?

A pair of strong arms, filled with sorrow and trembling slightly, tightly encircled Rongyue's pained face from behind. A warm chest pressed against her back, the warmth seeping through her thin clothing and spreading throughout her body, instantly quelling her coldness. Above her head, Tuoba Chen's hoarse, choked voice rang out: "Little San, I didn't know you had suffered so much… you despicable…"

Ye Fan felt a pang of sympathy: "General..."

"Actually, those cavalrymen weren't disregarding military discipline, nor were they arrogant and unruly. Rather, they harbored resentment and hatred, still holding grudges against the atrocities committed by the Louxi soldiers. They couldn't let go of the past, which is why they sowed the seeds of hatred on the prisoners of war... If we guide them, they will gradually understand and realize that in war, there is no right or wrong..." Closing the window, Rongyue gently pushed open Kaiba Chen's door, took a deep breath, and strode resolutely out of the hall: "Rest assured, strategist, I am not one to blur the lines between public and private matters. Although I may be protective of my own, I will definitely give the surrendered soldiers a satisfactory explanation!"

Rongyue's slightly contradictory words puzzled Ye Fan and also made Tuoba Chen uneasy. He had a vague feeling that this explanation might not be so simple…

At dusk the following day, Rongyue, who was carried back to her palace, confirmed Tuoba Chen's unease.

"Mistress!" Lying on Rongyue's cold body, Tuoba Chen roared in terror, his wide-open eyes already showing signs of bleeding.

"Second Prince, don't worry. The General is only temporarily unconscious due to excessive blood loss. I believe he will wake up soon." Seeing that Tuoba Chen was on the verge of losing control, Ye Fan quickly stepped forward, pressed his shoulder, and comforted him.

Ignoring Ye Fan's words, Tuoba Chen still held Rong Yue tightly in both hands, shaking her body incessantly, and shouting in a hoarse voice, "Mistress! Wake up, mistress! Mistress, wake up! Don't sleep! Don't sleep, do you hear me! Wake up!!"

"Second Prince, please stop! The general is injured..."

"Jian Xiaosan, get up! What did you promise me? Tell me! Tell me! You thief, you liar! You stole my heart, yet you deceive me time and time again, trying to abandon me and leave me behind. Why, why?! Jian Xiaosan, get up and explain yourself!" Tuoba Chen's handsome face, usually as smooth as jade, was now filled with madness. The white jade crown on his head was tilted, and his loose hair flew wildly with his frenzied movements. At this moment, he looked like a madman possessed by a demon.

"Second Prince..."

"Cough cough..." Her throat burned with a fiery pain, and her body ached as if it were being torn apart by the violent shaking. Struggling to open her heavy eyelids, Rongyue's vision was still blurry as she looked at the disheveled, crazed man on top of her. She gasped, "Stop..."

The weak voice made Tuoba Chen's hand tremble, but he then shook her body wildly again, though the force was noticeably lighter than before: "Jian Xiaosan, why are you still awake! Why don't you just die and be done with it! Let me finally give up and have some peace and quiet!!"

"Second Prince!" Ye Fan cried out in alarm, hurriedly reaching out to pull Tuoba Chen, who was at his peak, away from Rong Yue.

Before Ye Fan could even touch him, Tuoba Chen had already released his grip, gently lying on Rong Yue's body. He pounded his fists on the bed, growling sadly, "Little San, if you want me dead, just say so! Torturing me like this is like grinding my heart with a dull knife, not letting go until the last drop of blood is drained. How cruel! You might as well just stab me in the heart with a sharp blade and give me a quick death! Little San, do you know how cruel you really are?!"

Almond-shaped eyes filled with guilt: "Chen... I'm sorry..."

"Stop your apologies! Who cares!" he roared violently. "The life I, Tuoba Chen, risked my life for is not for you to squander! Jian Xiaosan, listen to this: your life is mine, mine, Tuoba Chen's! Without my permission, no one, not even you, is allowed to touch it! Otherwise, even if I search the heavens and the underworld, I, Tuoba Chen, will not let you go!"

The resounding oath deeply shocked Rongyue! Blinking away the tears welling up in her eyes, Rongyue smiled gently and nodded vigorously: "Yes, I remember. My life belongs to Tuoba Chen."

"My mistress, my mistress... Do you know how terrified I am when you're cold and silent... Mistress, please don't scare me anymore, I'm really scared, really scared..."

The cold, damp sensation in the crook of her neck stirred a sudden pang of tenderness in Rongyue. This man, following her, so clueless about romance, not only suffered heartbreak for nothing, but also lived in constant fear… Why, why did he have to fall in love with her of all the women in the world…?