What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 269 - 265: Peacock Spreading Its Feathers

The three armies are stationed outside the city, forming a formation that centers around Yunzhou Prefecture like stars surrounding the moon.

On closer look, it’s also a siege formation.

In any case, the most honored guest residing in the power center of Yunzhou City, the Government Office, is none other than Prince Jin.

The Government Office is filled inside and out with the guards and imperial guard brought by Prince Jin, Li Shu, and there’s not a single person from the Qin Brothers in Yunzhou City.

But Li Shu knows that he cannot leave Yunzhou. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

On the chess board, the white pieces are scattered, while the black pieces are as fierce as a devouring tiger.

"Previously, when Qin Xiao borrowed your men to return to the Capital City to request a decree for troops, why didn’t you take the chance to send a message? We still have some manpower, it’s not like we can’t protect you from leaving!"

Li Shu sits upright in front of the chess board, holding a white piece, ponders before placing it, showing none of the anxiety of a counselor.

"Sending a message would just show incompetence," he said lightly.

Having control over the troops in Hedong is an opportunity given by the emperor.

If he is ousted by the Qin Brothers to the point of having to run and seek help, then the throne would be out of his reach.

After all, his father does not have just one son.

What’s more, if he leaves and the Qin Brothers collude with Prince Qing Li Dong at Yanmen Pass, a war might still break out, but it would only benefit Li Dong instead.

"What if Qin Xiao makes a secret move—"

"He won’t. Since he wants to request a decree to go to battle, he still has to act under my name."

"Then what plans do you have, Your Highness?"

"Since we’re here, I will definitely seize the glory of Mosen!"

He placed a white piece, stared at the chessboard for a while, and slowly said, "Find a few people, and go to Ren Zhi Palace—"

"Your Highness! The envoy from the Capital City has arrived!"

...

On September 28, the Capital City sent a decree ordering Prince Jin Li Shu to lead the army north out of Yunzhou, to pursue the Turkic forces, with Zhenzhou and Yinzhou sending troops for assistance.

This also means that Li Xingyuan has received the order to dispatch troops.

More than one decree has been sent to Yunzhou.

The one for Li Shu orders him to lead the army to chase the Turkic forces.

Li Mu also received a decree.

"...You shall emulate Wei and Huo, and when the achievements are made, you will return titled as a marquis—"

Tang Xiaobai read the motivating decree and felt uncomfortable, looking up at Li Mu saying: "We don’t really have to emulate Wei and Huo, Huo Qubing died in his twenties, the Wei Family also fell, it’s unlucky!"

Li Mu smiled faintly and nodded.

Actually, the emperor is just saying nice words, but in reality, he still has some reservations about his current Qin Family origins.

If he truly intended to cultivate him as a general, he would have granted him a military position long ago. Now, it’s merely keeping him hanging with the imperial examination and waiting for opportunities to arise in the future.

Tang Xiaobai finished reading the decree, asked: "Are we really taking Li Shu with us?"

Li Mu nodded: "Leaving him in the rear isn’t safe either, better to bring him along."

"Isn’t there still a Prince Qing in the rear?" Prince Qing is also very capable of causing trouble!

"Prince Qing, due to holding Yanmen Pass and not coming out, causing Prince Jin to be trapped in Yunzhou, has already received a decree to return to the Capital City immediately," Li Mu said.

Tang Xiaobai "oh" sounded, asked: "Who complained?"

The young master smiled slightly, deeply concealing his achievements and fame.

"Having Li Dong return to the Capital City isn’t just for the stability of the Yanmen Pass rear; it’s also to let Li Shu have some assurance—"

"In the Capital City, there’s still a Prince Qing waiting to pull him down! Aside from obediently following us, he has no choice!"

...

On October 1, the grand army marched north.

The marching formation is mainly divided into vanguard, main force, and rear army.

Qin Rong is in the rear army, Li Mu, being the actual general, and the nominal general, Prince Jin Li Shu, are both at the forefront of the main force, while Tang Xiaobai is, as previously arranged, in the middle segment of the formation, at a distance from both Li Mu and Qin Rong.

In this manner, after calmly marching for three days, on the fourth day, Li Mu suddenly ordered a change in the formation.

"Why did it suddenly change like this?" After the army set off, Tang Xiaobai quietly asked Li Mu.

Today, not only did Li Mu personally lead the vanguard, but he also brought Tang Xiaobai’s special contingent to the front.

The key is, the order was given just before departure, with no explanation, which almost made Gu Hui angry enough not to move.

But in front of all the generals, face must be given to the young master.

Now privately asking him, and he still coolly didn’t answer: "Afraid you’ll get bored inside."

Tang Xiaobai snorted: "I’m not bored at all!"

He glanced over: "I’m bored."

Tang Xiaobai’s heart skipped a beat, steadied herself, and said: "This is marching and battling! It’s not for you to come out and chat!"

He slightly curled his lips: "Alternating work and relaxation, such is the way of both martial and civil."

Tang Xiaobai turned her face away.

This brat, getting more and more flirtatious!

Just then, the scout from the front rushed back to report: "Report—There’s a Turkic camp five miles to the east!"

Tang Xiaobai’s heart froze.

Five miles? Running into each other at such a close distance?

Though she had followed the army in the Northwest, she hadn’t faced war directly, and upon hearing this news, she got nervous.

On the contrary, the little young master beside her, his eyes were glowing, and the corners of his lips seemed to curl up a bit more, carrying a hint of excited ferocity.

With a "zheng" sound, he abruptly drew his blade, his voice lowered intentionally: "Vanguard cavalry, assault with me, don’t let any escape!"

After speaking, he turned to glance at her, his lips moved, silently saying two words: Wait for me.

Then, he led a team of only three hundred cavalry, speeding eastward like the wind.

From the scout reporting to Li Mu leading the army away, the entire process took about five minutes, leaving Tang Xiaobai somewhat in a daze.

Even though a part of the vanguard went ahead to raid the camp, the rest of the troops did not idle and quickly followed.

Because the distance was short, the battlefield was soon in sight.

From a distance, it was hard to make sense of it, it just seemed like a chaotic melee.

But outside that chaos, there was one person, clad in silver armor and white robe, reigning in his horse before the enemy camp, standing as a shining jade tree.

Enemies with weapons continuously rushed towards him, and each time, one could only see a flash of his blade before an enemy fell, effortlessly as if it wasn’t even a battle.

"Our Young Master Qin is truly amazing!" Tao Fen next to her praised, "Not yet sixteen! Already has the demeanor of a little general—" suddenly called to Tang Xiaobai, "Hey? Back then Little General Tang joined the army at about this age, right? I wonder how Young Master Qin compares to Little General Tang’s charisma?"

"As for the martial demeanor in comparison to Little General Tang’s charisma, I wouldn’t know, but I reckon Little General Tang probably wasn’t as flamboyant as our Young Master Qin!"

Tang Xiaobai almost burst into laughter.

It was Qin Rong who said this.

She was supposed to stay by Li Shu’s side today, but somehow came forward to join in the excitement.

Looking at the one-sided battle ahead, and the particularly dazzling young general within it, Qin Rong unapologetically revealed a mocking smile: "Last night, we already scouted this group of enemy troops, only one to two thousand of them. I said to raid them by night, but he refused, clearly saving it for show!"

By the time she finished speaking, the battle at the front had already concluded.

The troops withdrew and began cleaning the battlefield.

Li Mu returned to Tang Xiaobai’s side, with a calm look, asked: "Frightened?"

Tang Xiaobai watched today’s peacock-like young master, raised her hand to wipe a trace of blood from his brow, couldn’t help but chuckle, "pfft."