Chapter 654
Chapter 654
As soon as Crown Prince Ying Yi knelt, he felt not a surge of humiliation, but a desire to see the expression on Lord Ying's face.
*'Lord Ying must be incredibly smug right now, right?'*
The Crown Prince was not much older than Lord Ying; in fact, they had practically grown up together. Since Lord Ying had been a hostage in the capital from a young age, Crown Prince Ying Yi had always felt a sense of superiority whenever he dealt with him. That was only natural.
Although Ning Yuanxian had bestowed great honors upon Lord Ying, to the point where it was said that anyone in the State of Yue, including the Crown Prince, could be criticized, but never Lord Ying. But despite such words, a hostage was still a hostage.
After Lord Ying's father met his end due to the State of Yue's machinations, Lord Ying was formally sent to Yue to study, with the agreement that he could return to the Southern Ou Kingdom to inherit the throne upon reaching adulthood. However, Ning Yuanxian used various excuses to keep him from returning, only sending him back when he believed he had complete control over the Southern Ou court. How much had Lord Ying done to ensure his smooth return to the Southern Ou Kingdom? He had given his all.
Of course, this didn't mean he had crawled between someone's legs or groveled. Ning Yuanxian was a strange man; the more servile someone appeared, the more he disliked them. For roughly a decade, Lord Ying had consistently acted in a way that pleased him, even getting along with him better than Ning Yuanxian's own sons. Moreover, he acted more like a citizen of Yue than the people of Yue themselves, constantly advocating for the interests of Yue and Ning Yuanxian. Lord Ying treated the Crown Prince with a loyalty and friendliness that was almost akin to how one would treat a sovereign. Under such circumstances, it was natural for Crown Prince Ying Yi to look down on him.
Outwardly, Ying Yi greatly resembled Ning Yuanxian, appearing extremely refined and arrogant. Thus, Ying Yi felt an even greater sense of superiority over Lord Ying than Ning Yuanxian did. He was the eldest son of the primary wife, supported by the Zhu Clan, Princess Ying Han, and the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion. From childhood to adulthood, he had viewed Lord Ying as little more than a slave. It seemed the saying that ten years can change mountains and rivers was true. For now, Ying Yi was kneeling before Lord Ying, begging servilely.
Ying Yi thought Lord Ying would surely be feeling incomparably triumphant, finding it difficult to hide his smugness. When he looked up at Lord Ying, there was no trace of smugness on his face; instead, he saw an expression of melancholy and pity. In this situation, there was no longer a need for pretense, so why did he wear such an expression?
Having grown up under Ning Yuanxian since childhood, Lord Ying's feelings toward him were incredibly complex. Naturally, there was resentment. Ning Yuanxian had caused his father's death and stolen his kingdom. But Ning Yuanxian had also treated him exceptionally well, taking care of him down to the smallest details. He, Ying Luo, Ying Qi, and Ying Yi had been like brothers.
In the past, he had sometimes felt envious watching Ying Yi grow up like a cherished prince. He often imagined how he would rule the State of Yue if he were in Ying Yi's position. He had spent many years pondering this, and his mind was filled with countless ways to make the State of Yue the strongest power in the south. It was because he harbored such thoughts that Ning Yuanxian had let his guard down, coming to believe that Lord Ying was truly one of Yue's own. When one acts a part with such dedication, one eventually becomes completely immersed in the role. But now, seeing Ying Yi act so foolishly, Lord Ying felt both pleased and saddened.
"Is His Majesty well?"
Startled by Lord Ying's question, the Crown Prince replied with tears in his eyes.
"Not very well. His health has deteriorated significantly since he fell ill last year. No matter how hard he tries to hide it, his hands sometimes tremble."
Ning Yuanxian had tried his best to hide it, but someone had seen through him after all. Lord Ying frowned.
*'Ying Yi, is there any need to act in front of me? You have no filial affection for the King of Yue, do you? Didn't you secretly look down on him? Are you putting on this tearful performance now, hoping I'll recall our younger days and forgive you?'*
Lord Ying fell silent. This was a change from when he was a boy. Back then, he had constantly met with people, especially enjoying his interactions with scholars. He would often talk by candlelight late into the night, appearing to be a man of great sentiment. He was even sent as an envoy to Yanqing on Ning Yuanxian's behalf, where he handled matters brilliantly, acting like a truly passionate scholar. But now, he had become silent and taciturn.
Crown Prince Ying Yi asked.
"Brother-in-law, is my eldest sister well?"
Lord Ying nodded.
"She is well. She is relatively calm."
Then, the two fell silent again. After a moment, Lord Ying said to Ying Yi.
"Rest well!"
Their meeting was formally over. Crown Prince Ying Yi, trembling with anxiety, entered his cabin and tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It was because he couldn't see through Lord Ying and had no idea how he would be treated.
*'What will become of me?'*
***
After capturing Ying Yi, Lord Ying wasted no time and continued sailing his fleet eastward. After fourteen hours, a dozen or so ships approached the coast. When Crown Prince Ying Yi was dragged off the ship, he was stunned. Lord Ying's soldiers had changed their clothes, disguising themselves as soldiers of Yue, and were even flying Ying Yi's banner. He realized what Lord Ying intended to do. He planned to use Ying Yi to deceive the Yue army and seize Fallen Leaf Fortress.
"Can you do it?"
Lord Ying asked this single question without any threat or persuasion, and Crown Prince Ying Yi nodded bitterly. Lord Ying set out with two thousand men under Crown Prince Ying Yi's banner. Ying Yi discovered that their marching pace was incredibly fast; even in the deep mountains and dense forests, they moved with a vigorous and swift gait as if they were flying. They marched like the wind when there was a path, and just as quickly when there was none.
The two thousand men were silent, not a word spoken among them. Lord Ying was also walking, not riding, focused solely on the march without making a sound, showing none of the airs of a nation's ruler. Among them, only Ying Yi and a medic were on horseback. After just four hours, the two thousand men arrived at the foot of Fallen Leaf Fortress's walls—a truly rapid march.
At that time, less than two days had passed since Ying Yi had abandoned his ten thousand cavalry and fled. Of course, Nangong Ao had dispatched his most elite scouts to report the main army's status to Fallen Leaf Fortress, but it was useless. The paths the cavalry could take were limited, and they were all swiftly intercepted and defeated by the Sa tribesmen. Thus, those in Fallen Leaf Fortress were unaware of the bad news from a few days prior, and they certainly didn't know that the Crown Prince had abandoned his army, fled, and been taken captive.
"Go!"
Lord Ying spoke without any threat. Crown Prince Ying Yi urged his horse forward and shouted loudly.
"Where is Zhu Tang, the commander of the Fallen Leaf Fortress garrison?"
Zhu Tang was Zhu Lin's cousin and did not hold a particularly high rank. The officer on the wall was stunned the moment he saw the Crown Prince.
*'His Highness the Crown Prince is here so soon?'*
"Your Highness?"
At that moment, a thought flashed through Ying Yi's mind.
*'If I were a hero, I would shout, "It's a trick! Lord Ying is behind me." Would that allow me to reclaim my dignity?'*
But unfortunately, that was just a hypothetical. Ying Yi would never be a hero, only a refined egotist. Crown Prince Ying Yi shouted.
"Where is Zhu Tang? Open the gates at once!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Without any unexpected incidents, the great gates of Fallen Leaf Fortress opened. With His Highness the Crown Prince arriving in person, what common soldier would dare make him wait, follow procedure, and report to Lord Zhu Tang before opening the gates?
Lord Ying marched his two thousand men into Fallen Leaf Fortress, and six hours later, the fortress had fallen. Originally, Fallen Leaf Fortress was garrisoned by four thousand soldiers from the State of Yue and five thousand vassal troops from the Southern Ou Kingdom, for a total of nine thousand defenders. The four thousand Yue soldiers were all killed, and the five thousand Southern Ou vassal troops surrendered to Lord Ying, swelling his forces in Fallen Leaf Fortress to seven thousand.
***
Two days later, after enduring countless hardships, Nangong Ao arrived at Fallen Leaf Fortress with two thousand five hundred cavalry. The journey had been anything but easy. Hundreds of Sa tribesmen had launched frenzied ambushes, nearly causing the army to collapse, and Nangong Ao's two thousand five hundred cavalry had marched on in a state of constant exhaustion. Looking up, he saw that the Yue banner with the character 'Zhu' still flew over Fallen Leaf Fortress, and Nangong Ao breathed a sigh of relief. However, he remained wary and shouted to the soldier guarding the gate.
"Where is Zhu Tang?"
A moment later, Zhu Tang, the commander of the Fallen Leaf Fortress garrison, appeared in his line of sight. Nangong Ao relaxed slightly, but he did not let down his guard. He had been spooked after falling for Lord Ying's stratagems one after another. He made a judgment internally.
*'If Zhu Tang hasn't surrendered to the enemy, the first thing he'll ask is where His Highness the Crown Prince and Zhu Lin are.'*
"Privy Councilor Nangong, where is His Highness the Crown Prince? And where is Grand General Zhu Lin?"
Nangong Ao replied to Zhu Tang's question.
"Grand General Zhu Lin is leading the main army and will arrive in a few days. His Highness the Crown Prince will also be here soon."
He couldn't, of course, say that the Crown Prince had fled. Even if he privately looked down on him, the Crown Prince's dignity had to be maintained. Besides, saying the Crown Prince had fled would deal a massive blow to the morale of the soldiers in Fallen Leaf Fortress.
"Open the gates! Prepare provisions and enter a state of high alert!"
Nangong Ao shouted coldly, and the gates slowly opened. Nangong Ao led his two thousand five hundred cavalry into Fallen Leaf Fortress. But in that instant, for reasons he couldn't explain, his heart pounded, and he felt a deep sense of unease. He couldn't pinpoint what was wrong; everything seemed normal.
*'The Fallen Leaf Fortress garrison was never an elite force, so it's normal for their military discipline to be lax. But... Zhu Tang's expression is strange.'*
Although he was a member of the Zhu Clan, he was not from the direct line and usually showed a very humble yet friendly attitude toward Nangong Ao. But today, he seemed somewhat stiff. As this thought occurred to Nangong Ao, he instinctively pulled on his reins. However, he didn't retreat out of the city immediately, instead asking himself if he was overthinking things.
Just then, with a great thud, the gates slammed shut behind him.
*Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.*
A rain of arrows descended upon them. Needless to say, Nangong Ao's two thousand-plus cavalry were packed tightly together as they entered the city. Thus, without any need for careful aim, the volley of arrows instantly struck hundreds of warhorses. Horrific screams filled the air as warhorses collapsed to the ground, piling up like a wall. Then, thousands of Lord Ying's soldiers appeared, aiming thousands of bows at Nangong Ao's cavalry.
*'This is bad! I've fallen into a trap.'*