Chapter 362 - 362: Catching Up
Shen Shuo looked at Yang Rui and was so angry that his eyes were about to split open. He pulled out a dagger and stabbed it into Yang Rui’s arm. He slowly twisted it and stared at him as he asked, “Tell me, what plan do you have? Do you know this route?”
“You guys… just wait for Great Qi to conquer Great Yong! If you want to get anything out of me, you must be… delusional!” Yang Rui trembled in pain and looked at Shen Shuo with a sinister smile.
Shen Shuo pulled out his dagger and slowly stabbed Yang Rui’s ribs. Yang Rui screamed in pain and fainted. Shen Hui splashed some water on his face. Yang Rui slowly woke up and smiled. “The Great Qi army has already set off. Just wait for death!” With that, his head tilted and he stopped breathing.
Shen Hui glanced at the dead Yang Rui and thought to himself that it was a pity that such a loyal and brave person was not a soldier of Great Yong.
“Throw him into the forest to feed the wolves,” Shen Shuo instructed Chen Lin angrily.
“Yes, General.” Chen Lin untied Yang Rui and dragged him into the forest.
Shen Shuo looked at Yang Rui, who was being dragged by Chen Lin, and thought for a moment. He looked at Shen Hui and said, “Ah Hui, it seems that we’re about to start a war with the Qi people. I guess the Qi people might attack the border of Mount Spindle openly and secretly enter Yunzhou from here to catch us off guard.”
“It’s only mid-September, but the mountain is already cold. It’s going to start snowing at the top of Mount Spindle in early October. Can the people of Great Qi pass? Besides, Great Qi has been waiting for the two Qi soldiers to return. Will they still act rashly?”
Shen Shuo took out the booklet and pointed at the mark on the highest mountain. “Look, there’s a long and narrow rift valley halfway up the mountain. They plan to pass through here and cross this mountain to reach the mountain we’re resting on. They must have sent more than two Qi soldiers. Even if those two Qi soldiers didn’t return to Great Qi on time, they would conclude that they encountered wild beasts on the mountain and wouldn’t think that they were killed. The road map even fell into our hands. Otherwise, why would Yang Rui be in a hurry to escape? He was rushing to inform them.”
Shen Hui pointed up and said, “Second Uncle, the terrain of this rift valley is so steep. If the Qi soldiers are really crossing the river openly, we can completely wait for the Qi soldiers to enter and cut off their rations from the front and back. We can destroy them at Mount Spindle.”
Shen Shuo looked at Shen Hui in relief. “I didn’t expect Ah Hui to have such an opinion. We were made to walk a lot by that bastard Yang Rui and our itinerary was delayed. When the scouts return, we’ll know the situation in front of us. When the time comes, we’ll send someone back to inform Ouyang to send soldiers.”
At this moment, Chen Lin had already turned around. Shen Shuo waved his hand and said, “Let’s go! Hurry up and chase after them.” The three of them quickly rushed toward the main group.
Li Yu and Ji Xiang rushed to Shen Shuo and the others’ resting place at noon. Ji Xiang looked at the burned ashes. “Madam, General Shen and the others should have rested here last night.”
Li Yu looked at the unfinished firewood. “Yes! Let’s work harder to catch up to them as soon as possible.”
The two of them rushed until midnight and caught up to Shen Shuo and the others, who had stopped to rest after running all the way. When the soldiers behind saw someone chasing after them with their horses, they shouted, “Who is it? Stop immediately.” They raised the knives in their hands and surrounded them.
Ji Xiang raised his hand and shouted, “Don’t panic. My Madam is here to look for General Shen.”
When Shen Shuo heard the commotion behind him, he retreated and saw Li Yu with her horse. He asked in surprise, “Madam Li, what happened? Why are you here?”
“General Shen, please let us talk in private,” Li Yu said to Shen Shuo with a faint smile.
Shen Shuo nodded and followed Li Yu to the forest at the side. “Madam Li, did something happen?”
Li Yu took out the note Chu Sihai had given her and handed it to Shen Shuo.
“Shopkeeper Chu received a tip that Yang Rui, your subordinate, is a spy for the Qi people. Please deal with him as soon as possible.”
Li Yu saw that Shen Shuo was not surprised to hear that Yang Rui was a spy. When he only took the note indifferently, she knew that Shen Shuo already knew that Yang Rui was a spy.
Shen Shuo blew on the fire and looked at the note. He looked up at Li Yu in shame and cupped his hands at her. “Thank you for coming all the way here to tell me, Madam Li. I already know that Yang Rui is a spy. That dog even drugged us before he left, causing us to be delayed for another day.”
Li Yu glanced at Shen Shuo and thought they must have suffered more than this. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have caught up to them so quickly. Fortunately, it was laxative. If it had been poison, that would be the greatest joke in the world. It seemed to Li Yu that the Shen family’s army, which dominated Great Yong, was only so-so.
Li Yu suppressed the disappointment in her heart and smiled faintly. She cupped her fists at Shen Shuo and said, “General Shen, since you already know Yang Rui’s identity, I’ve completed my mission. Goodbye.”
Shen Shuo looked at the dark mountain in embarrassment and cupped his hands at Li Yu. “Madam Li, it’s already so late. Why don’t you and that young man rest here for the night and travel tomorrow morning?
“Alright.” Li Yu agreed and went to Ji Xiang. “Ji Xiang, let’s rest here for the night and travel tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Madam.” Ji Xiang went to tether the horses.
Shen Shuo also got someone to send hot soup over. After Li Yu and Ji Xiang ate, Shen Shuo came over and asked, “Madam Li, I wonder if Yunzhou will be stable after I leave?”
“Something that happened in Yunzhou City. The Wei family’s shop was sealed. The Wei family is probably spying for Great Qi. They found many weapons in the Wei family’s fur shop and even captured two spies…” Li Yu told Shen Shuo what had happened in Yunzhou City these days.
“The Wei family is indeed spying for Great Qi.” Shen Shuo’s heart sank when he heard Li Yu’s words. No wonder his brother said that it was a taboo for soldiers to believe others easily. Sooner or later, he would suffer a huge loss.
Seeing that Shen Shuo was stunned, Li Yu stood up and returned to the fire Ji Xiang had started. Seeing that Ji Xiang had already wrapped himself in a sleeping bag and fallen asleep, she also took out a sleeping bag and wrapped it around her body before leaning against the tree.
When Shen Shuo turned around and saw Li Yu leave, he returned to Shen Hui’s side with a heavy heart and whispered Li Yu’s words to him. When Shen Hui heard this, he comforted Shen Shuo and said, “Second Uncle, Yang Rui is indeed capable. We can’t blame you. Besides, there are many people related to Great Yong and the Wei family. The most important thing now is how to block the Qi people in the mountains and destroy them.”
Shen Shuo thought to himself that he could only make up for it. “Call a few generals over to discuss it,” Shen Hui instructed. “Yes, General.” Shen Hui stood up and called for someone.
Li Yu and Ji Xiang slept until the next day when Shen Shuo and the others woke up. When Shen Shuo saw Li Yu and Ji Xiang starting to pack their things, he walked up to Li Yu with a letter and cupped his hands. “Madam Li, please help me bring this letter back to Yunzhou and hand it to General Ouyang.”
Li Yu took the letter and replied readily, “General Shen, you’re too polite. It’s nothing. ”
“General, General.” Shen Shuo cupped his hands and was about to speak when a shout came from ahead..