Ruins can be seen everywhere in Xishen Pass. Looking from a distance, you don’t feel like anything happened.
"When Danfu soldiers went to conduct reconnaissance nearby, they were shot by arrows..."
"Are they planning a fight?"
Lu Fusu and his party arrived at Xishen Pass near noon and set up a position outside the range of the arrows.
There was flat land all around, and there was no shelter. We could only set up tents on what could barely be called hills.
Local officials and envoys coming from the capital came and went.
"I heard that there are two hundred people on the other side, and there are people guarding outside the city wall."
"There shouldn't be many people inside the city wall, right? Almost all of them are camping outside the city wall. Judging from their positions, they don't look like a well-trained army..."
The flying sand and dust made Lu Fusu couldn't help but squint his eyes and look at the ruins.
I don't know if the city gate is broken, but it is wide open. Looking at the scattered soldiers outside the city, they don't seem to be in a formation, but they are in separate camps.
"...Although the opponent is a mob, with our current numbers and equipment, we probably won't have a chance of winning if we take the initiative."
"The large troops will arrive from the capital soon."
"I hope I can understand the situation inside before then..."
...Shui Xinyuan is inside...
Lu Fusu had no clear basis, but he had an inexplicable confidence that Shui Xinyuan was there.
Lu Fusu gritted his teeth and walked back to the temporary tent, when the followers nearby shouted.
"Your Majesty...someone is coming here."
A man walked here alone from the abandoned city, without any weapons on him.
Several followers held swords and ran towards the man, stopping him midway.
After a few words of conversation, the man walked towards the position surrounded by his entourage.
"It's the envoy sent from there. He has no weapons on him."
"...Who is he? Where did he come from?"
"His name is Bai Zikui. He passed the examination this year and was assigned to serve in the Ministry of Industry."
"Are you from Liuzhou?"
"Seems to be."
Bai Zikui was pulled in front of Lu Fusu by his entourage, and immediately lay on the ground and kowtowed.
Upon closer inspection, he was shaking all over.
"…raise your head."
Hearing the deep voice full of majesty, Bai Zikui raised his bloodless face tremblingly, but when he saw Lu Fusu's angry eyes, he fell to the ground again.
"Let me ask you first, where is Shui Xinyuan...?"
"Yes...yes...yes, Queen...Empress, here..."
"..."
There was a strange silence, and Bai Zikui raised his head secretly, just in time to meet Lu Fusu's sharp gaze.
Bai Zikui screamed and lowered his head again.
"What are you here for?"
"Oh...ah, ah, this, put this..."
Bai Zikui's hands were trembling as he took out a letter from his arms.
Lu Fusu snatched it over and opened it angrily.
After Lu Fusu read it, he handed it to his attendant.
The attendant took it and took a look, and immediately took a breath.
"You...are going to trade the throne for the Queen's life...?"
"presumptuous!"
The attendant angrily stepped forward to catch Bai Zikui, but Lu Fusu stopped the attendant and walked up to Bai Zikui.
"...The letter said that I should hand over the jade seal to prove my surrender of the throne. Whose idea was that?"
"this……"
"You are an official of the Ministry of Industry, so are you Yang Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry? Or are you your subordinate Zhao Shizhong?"
"Ah? It turns out that His Majesty knows..."
Bai Zikui blurted out and asked, quickly covering his mouth, but it was too late.
Lu Fusu narrowed his eyes coldly, and immediately drew his sword and put it against Bai Zikui's neck.
Bai Zikui screamed and rolled on the ground trying to escape, but his followers stepped on him with their feet.
"Answer quickly, are they also in the ruins?"
"No, no, no, not here."
"I think so too. It's impossible for them to come to a place like this...Who is there?"
"Ah, this..."
Bai Zikui was so frightened that his tongue was tied, and he finally managed to name Shui Qiancheng, Chuncha, Xu Gongchun and Lin Bojian. His entourage immediately called an envoy to the capital to report the news.
"Where do those people outside the city come from?"
"No...I don't know, it seems...there are people from Xuzhou..."
"..."
Lu Fusu put the sword into its sheath. Bai Zikui breathed a sigh of relief, but Lu Fusu grabbed his chest.
"ah……"
"...Do you want to save your life?"
Lu Fusu's tone was very calm, but there was a murderous aura in his voice that made Hu Kui roll his eyes in fear and nodded desperately.
"Then send Shui Xinyuan back. Send him back immediately. As long as you send him back obediently, I can spare your life... But if you dare to touch a hair of Shui Xinyuan, I will take off your head immediately. You
Think it through."
"..."
"get out!"
As soon as Lu Fusu let go, Bai Zikui collapsed on the ground and stepped back...and then rushed out like a rabbit in flight.
"Your Majesty, those people are from Xuzhou..."
"He should be a desperado and has nothing to do with Liuzhou."
Recently, the governor of Xuzhou has been deeply troubled by the fact that many young people in the state have formed gangs and caused trouble.
Those people may have been hired with money.
Lu Fusu sat on the wooden box that replaced a chair and spread his hands. The blood from the scars left by his fingernails had solidified.
...I hope Shui Xinyuan doesn't know that the rebels offered to trade the throne for her life...
As long as Shui Xinyuan can return to his side smoothly, he will not care about becoming emperor at all, but if he does so, it will be Shui Xinyuan who will feel the pain instead of others.
...If there was no Shui Xinyuan, the throne would be just a burden passed down from his father, and he would have to bear it...
It's just my inherent obligation as the prince.
"His Majesty……"
The followers all looked at him worriedly.
Lu Fusu smiled and told them not to worry.
"Everyone must be exhausted after coming here all night long. We need to be more vigilant before reinforcements arrive. The other party may not be satisfied with my answer and may launch an offensive."
"Your Majesty, please take a rest first..."
"...No, no need."
…I can’t sleep anyway.
Shui Xinyuan must also have difficulty falling asleep.
Lu Fusu stood up and walked out of the tent again.
The wind blew loudly, and white dust obscured the ruins from time to time.