My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 345 The Wise King
Yuwen Shu burst into tears.

"Your Majesty, we truly have no disloyal intentions!"

"We dared to trespass into the camp to protect Your Majesty and eliminate the treacherous Pei Yun!"

"Three hundred thousand troops, carrying a hundred days' worth of rations, will likely be exhausted before they even reach the enemy. At that point, the Goryeo people could easily defeat us in one battle. If three hundred thousand elite troops die on the front lines, it will shake the foundation of the nation and demoralize the army!"

"Furthermore, these elite weapons and armor will fall into the hands of the Goryeo people. Once they arm their own army with these things, will the north still be peaceful? If we are defeated, will the Turks continue to bow down and obey orders?"

"After this expedition, countless bandits appeared in the region, but that bastard Pei Yun actually suppressed it and prevented the officials from informing His Majesty! Does His Majesty know that the roads to the Central Plains have now been cut off by bandits!"

"Many bandits have emerged in various places, and these people have openly declared their rebellion! Local governments have no army and are simply unable to resist them. Their numbers are also increasing, and they have even breached cities and training grounds!"

"Is His Majesty aware of these things?!"

When Yuwen Shu began to weep, Yang Guang was somewhat bewildered. He immediately looked at Yu Shiji and Su Wei.

"Have local thieves reached this level?"

At this moment, Su Wei suddenly knelt down and also began to weep. "Your Majesty, I have told you before that bandits are rising up everywhere, and local governments are sending people to ask for help. A large band of bandits has appeared in Luoyang and Hedong. These people are openly attacking officials who are escorting laborers and looting granaries and armories! It is beyond control!"

"In Shandong, Hebei, and other places, many bandits have also appeared, and several county towns have been captured."

Yang Guang flew into a rage, "Is this true?"

“That scoundrel Pei Yun forbids the officials from telling the truth. Every time I tell His Majesty, he refutes me and accuses me of talking nonsense.”

At this moment, Su Wei suddenly remembered all the evil deeds Pei Yun had done, and even forgot his current situation, and began to denounce the dog's behavior.

Yu Shiji trembled as he listened.

Because he was the one who concealed the information.
When Yang Guang turned to look at Yu Shiji, he saw his pale face and trembling shoulders. At that moment, Yang Guang suddenly realized that Su Wei had been telling the truth all along!

So, does that bastard Pei Yun really have a problem?

Yang Guang hesitated and looked at Yuwen Shu. Yuwen Shu then said, "Your Majesty, I have received your favor for a long time. Which of the generals here is not loyal to you? General Mai was personally promoted by you, General Jing has followed you for decades, and General Li is the leader of your imperial guards!"

"We tried to advise them several times, but that treacherous Pei Yun wouldn't give us the chance! Your Majesty, did Pei Yun have nothing to do with this military order that sent us on this expedition? Wasn't it he who proposed it?"

"If we are defeated, what good will it do for Bae Un? He is concealing the local banditry while simultaneously trying to force us to our deaths. Furthermore, I have heard that Bae Un intended to write a letter to General Eulji Mundeok of Goryeo! Your Majesty, Bae Un is clearly harboring malicious intentions!"

As Yuwen Shu spoke, he looked at Yu Shiji standing to the side.

Yu Shiji suddenly knelt down. "Your Majesty!! I was forced! Pei Yun said that the situation in the region should not be told to Your Majesty, and that Your Majesty should not be troubled by these matters. I failed to discover his scheme."

"You!! You!!!"

Yang Guang pointed at Yu Shiji, his head in complete disarray.

Just when he thought Yuwen Shu was trying to coerce him into rebellion, things suddenly took another turn. Was Pei Yun really a rebel?

Yang Guang looked at the group of people in front of him: Yuwen Shu, Su Wei, Yu Shiji, Jing Yuanheng, Mai Tiezhang, Yu Zhongwen, and Zhang Jin.
These people came from different places and different factions, but they all testified against Pei Yun.
Seeing Yang Guang's blank expression, Yuwen Shu finally spoke up: "Your Majesty, I suspect that there are still Pei Yun's accomplices in the country and the army! Now, only the newly formed Xiaoguo Guard can truly be trusted!"

"If Your Majesty still hesitates, you can appoint someone else as the general of the Valiant Guard! Anyone will do! As long as they can protect Your Majesty!"

Yang Guang looked at Li Xuanba in the distance again, and the faint pain in his wrist brought him back to his senses.

No matter how nice Yuwen Shu's words sound, they are still rebelling this time.

He put on a stern face again, "Where is the logic in changing generals on the eve of battle? With General Yuwen in the city, how can we not appease the soldiers? There's no need to say more about this matter; it's enough for Duke Xu to appease the soldiers in the city himself!"

"I am exhausted! We can discuss other matters tomorrow. All of you, leave!"

“Lord Su, please stay.”

Yuwen Shu bowed slightly, then led the many generals away. Su Wei frowned and remained there.

When everyone came out, the guards outside the camp had been replaced by soldiers from the Left Guard. Mai Tiezhang hesitated to speak.

Yuwen Shu narrowed his eyes, gave some instructions to General Duan Da, and then gestured for everyone to follow him, except for Mai Tiezhang, who remained behind.

Li Xuanba followed beside him. Yuwen Shu walked for a long time before looking at the boy beside him.

"You caught me completely off guard."

"I just want to rescue the general."

"you"

Yuwen Shu rubbed his forehead. It was too late to say anything now, and there was no need to pursue Li Xuanba's behavior any further.

Everyone returned together to the large tent where Yu Zhongwen had read the imperial edict.

The generals and ministers sat down.

Yuwen Shu sat in the seat of honor, his face solemn.

"Gentlemen, everyone here is one of us, so I won't lie."

“Our actions this time are for our own protection and for the sake of the Sui Dynasty. Bandits are rampant in the region, and His Majesty wants us to go and die. If we remain indifferent and obey the imperial edict, how can we possibly return home alive?”

"Now that Pei Yun is dead, His Majesty will no longer require us to carry heavy loads on our journey. However, you all saw His Majesty's reaction just now, didn't you?"

"I only wanted to bring in the Xiaoguo Guard to protect His Majesty, and I even said that His Majesty could replace the general, but His Majesty just wouldn't agree. Why is that?"

"Because His Majesty no longer trusts us, even the Valiant Guards have become objects of His Majesty's suspicion."

"In this city, he probably only trusts Su Wei and Mai Tiezhang. Well, even Su Wei might not be trusted."

Yuwen Shu gave a bitter smile. "In His Majesty's eyes, we are probably already considered traitors and rebels, people who want to capture and hold him hostage. As long as the city gates are restored to normal, and as long as His Majesty can issue orders to the other generals again, I'm afraid we won't survive. Everyone knows His Majesty's personality. Gentlemen, what should we do now?"

As Yuwen Shu recounted these events, the expressions on everyone's faces grew increasingly grim.

But no one could offer any solutions.

Looking at the silent crowd, Yuwen Shu slowly said, "Logically speaking, if the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject must die. But what crime have we committed? How can we be suspected and punished so unjustly?"

"From now on, only if we are united and work together can we protect ourselves. If even one person betrays us, we will die in the borderlands."

"I do not intend to rebel; it is simply that I do not wish to see my soldiers die in vain, nor do I wish to see the Sui Dynasty destroyed."

"Gentlemen, this is my idea."

Yuwen Shu cleared his throat and observed the crowd in front of him.

"We must first defend Liuhe City and protect His Majesty. We must not leave here easily, nor should we allow traitors outside to contact His Majesty."

"With so many things happening in the country, and traitors emerging in the court, as well as the rebels in Goryeo, we can no longer continue to fight them. We can first order the Twelve Guards to gradually withdraw their troops. We will have to work harder and then protect His Majesty as he returns to Daxing City."

What do you all think?

The generals remained silent. Jing Yuanheng slowly asked, "Is it feasible?"

"Let's not even talk about whether those generals outside will obey the imperial edict and withdraw their troops. Even if they do withdraw, what will we do after that? What will we do after we return to Daxing?"

"Are we supposed to protect His Majesty indefinitely? What about the important affairs of the court then?"

"What should we do?!"

At this moment, Jing Yuanheng was agitated, his eyes filled with despair, and he couldn't help but question him.

Li Xuanba slowly said, "Liuhe City is under our rule, the ministers are under our rule, and the emperor is also by our side. What are you worried about?"

"I have heard that wise kings in ancient times governed the world by entrusting important matters to their ministers, while they themselves sat on high pavilions, advocating a policy of tranquility and non-interference, and ruling by doing nothing."

Do you think His Majesty is incapable of being a wise ruler?

"The elite troops of the land are all here. After we return, as long as we send people to control the granaries and settle the families of the soldiers, how can we not govern the land well?"

(End of this chapter)