knife

Chapter 503 Long Time No See?

In the distance, the city of Hanzhong was brightly lit, with countless torches illuminating half the sky above the city walls. Soldiers could be vaguely seen standing guard with guns or patrolling in formation on the city walls.

One by one, warhorses galloped back from the light and came to Wei Yi's horse. Hearing the knights' reports, Wei Yi nodded with satisfaction.

The city had already made preparations to welcome the emperor and his army. They had thought that their sudden acceleration and overnight arrival would throw the city into chaos, but now it seemed that they were busy but not chaotic, and everything was in an orderly manner.

Zhou Xuan is a capable man, and fortunately, he was sent to Hanzhong as governor two years ago to build the last safe haven for the Wei clan.

Currently, the Wei clan only has Hanzhong left.

After learning that Li Dachui was the posthumous son of Li Jimin, the former crown prince of Qin, Wei Yi knew that the Wei family basically had no other choice.

The treacherous trap set by Li Dachui left the Wei family with almost no chance of recovery. The phrase "to seek help from a tiger" perfectly describes the actions of the Wei family over the past two years.

Now that the Wei family's blood has been drained, Li Dachui has turned his attention to them.

Therefore, the Wei family had no choice but to submit to the Linghu family.

This is their only way out.

However, kneeling without any real power would not move Linghu Ye. Since Linghu Ye entered the pass, the court, which was controlled by the Wei and Kou families, had fought against them, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.

The enmity between the two sides can be traced back to when Linghu Ye was still outside the Great Wall. At that time, the imperial court tried every means to restrict the Linghu clan.

How to maintain a basic level of dignity in surrendering to Linghu Ye, and how to retain power under Linghu Ye's command, were questions that Wei Zhengdao and Wei Yi needed to seriously consider.

He really couldn't be considered an emperor.

Because once the two sides reach an agreement, Linghu Ye will definitely take the emperor away.

Therefore, the Wei clan was left with only Hanzhong.

Hanzhong was the most strategic location guarding the Shu Commandery.

If the enemy in Shu Commandery wanted to launch an attack on the Central Plains, Hanzhong would be an insurmountable obstacle for them.

Holding Hanzhong meant holding the fate of Shu Commandery by the throat.

As long as the Wei family can firmly control Hanzhong, they will have the leverage to negotiate with Linghu Ye. However, from then on, they will truly become Linghu Ye's lackeys and will have to fight against Li Dachui's subordinates in Shu in the years to come.

This is the best possible outcome right now.

As he rode his horse to the city walls, Prefect Zhou Xuan came out from inside the city to greet him. He was surprised to see Wei Yi's haggard appearance.

"General, weren't we supposed to arrive in three days? Why the sudden early arrival?" Zhou Xuan asked in a low voice, "Could something have happened?"

"Let's go inside and talk!" Wei Yi said. "Indeed, some things have greatly exceeded our expectations, rendering all our previous arrangements meaningless! It's hard to put into words!"

Zhou Xuan nodded: "Fortunately, the city had already made arrangements. The four camps for the army have been emptied. I had the county soldiers who were originally stationed in the city moved to the camps outside the city in advance. When the army arrives, they can move in directly! All the logistics and supplies have been prepared in advance."

"Brother Zhou, you've worked hard!" Wei Yi nodded. "Next, we need to prepare for war!"

“Linghu Shili is nothing but a show-off; he’s brave but lacks strategy, so he’s not worth our time!” Zhou Xuan laughed.

"It's not Linghu Shili, but rather a possible attack from Shu County!" Wei Yi's words startled Zhou Xuan, who reined in his horse.

"Shu Commandery? We've fallen out with the Beiting Protectorate?"

"We've all fallen for Li Dachui's trick!" Wei Yi said with a wry smile. "Let's go into the city first, and I'll explain everything to you in detail later!" "Alright, General, please go into the city first to bathe and change. I've prepared a feast to welcome you. Judging from this, I'm afraid we won't be able to rest tonight either," Zhou Xuan said with a smile.

Wei Yi nodded: "Once everyone is settled, it will probably be dawn at the earliest! By the way, Brother Zhou, what's the current status of the main roads to Shu County?"

Zhou Xuan said, "Needless to say, I have always been on high alert and have never dared to slack off in the slightest!"

"That's good!"

The army was still slowly entering the city. Zhou Xuan was indeed a very capable person. As soon as each army entered the city, a corresponding officer would step forward to receive them and lead them to their camp.

Wei Yi only truly relaxed when he threw himself into the bathtub and let the hot water gently caress every inch of his skin.

Even the wisest person can make a mistake. Li Dachui is not a god, and he too has his moments of miscalculation.

As long as Hanzhong remains firmly in the hands of the Wei family, they still have a chance to turn the tide.

The Qin Dynasty was about to be divided into three powers.

They wiped out the powerful Li Dachui and Xiao Changche groups outside the pass, who were at the height of their Northern Yuan influence. They also possessed the strategically important Shu County, making them a formidable force. Now, Li Dachui also held the title of a prince of the Li clan.

The Linghuye Group, which dominates the Central Plains and enjoys the support of many powerful families, is far ahead in terms of population, wealth, and geographical advantage.

The He Zudao Group, which occupies eight towns in Jiangnan, is a wealthy but not large territory. It can also rely on the Chu people for military campaigns, ensuring its safety from the rear.

The two groups, while competing against each other, also became natural allies when dealing with Li Dachui and Xiao Changche's group.

It's a pity that the Wei clan, which once had the opportunity to become a major force in the struggle for power, can now only serve as pawns.

However, as long as you are involved, there is still a chance.

Until the very end, no one can say for sure who will be the final winner.

After bathing and removing his heavy armor, he changed into comfortable robes and, led by guards, went straight to the main hall. Zhou Xuan stood outside the hall, greeting him with a broad smile.

The aroma of fine wine and delicacies wafted over, and Wei Yi, whose stomach had been empty for a whole night, surprisingly started rumbling in his stomach, which made the two of them burst into laughter.

"General, please!" Zhou Xuan said.

Upon entering the hall, Wei Yi was taken aback to see a dozen or so plates of various sizes and four sets of bowls and chopsticks laid out on the octagonal table.

"Is there anyone else?"

"I've always known that the General has a great capacity for alcohol, and I'm not good at entertaining him, so I've invited two guests to accompany him. Today, the General must drink until he's completely drunk, and it's hard to say when he'll be able to get drunk again!" Zhou Xuan said.

Wei Yi nodded: "Yes, there will probably be one fierce battle after another. I really don't know when we will be able to relax and have a good drink again."

He plopped down in the seat of honor and looked at Zhou Xuan, saying, "The guest of honor has arrived, but the other guests have not yet come?"

"Of course we're here!" Zhou Xuan clapped his hands with a smile.

Footsteps came from the back room, and two people walked in one after the other. They looked at Wei Yi and laughed loudly, "Brother Wei, it's been a long time! How have you been?"

Seeing the two people enter, Wei Yi supported himself on the armrests of the chair and slowly stood up, his face full of shock and anger.

(End of this chapter)