Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 423 - 370: Deserter

The two figures swayed slightly but weren’t too surprised.

After all, it was almost time.

Sure enough, as soon as the carriage stopped, Mu Xian rode over to the side, leaned down, and said softly through the carriage window, "Second Young Master, Young Madam, we have arrived."

Yu Wenye lifted a corner of the curtain and glanced at the sky outside. The scorching sun was directly overhead, suddenly dazzling as he raised his head, it was already noon. According to what Shen Tu Tai mentioned yesterday, they had arrived at the location twenty li west of Yanyue City by noon. Just a few hundred steps ahead of them, there was an apricot forest.

Outside the apricot forest, a person stood.

It was too far to see the person’s features clearly, but they faintly appeared to be a thin young man. Although he was alone, the dense shadows in the forest behind him seemed like swaying figures.

Clearly, this was the person Shen Tu Tai mentioned, who came to seek their alliance.

Shang Ruyi peeked forward and said suspiciously, "Why is there only one person waiting there, and why are the others in the forest?"

Mu Xian said, "There might be an ambush."

Hearing this, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but feel a bit tense. At this moment, Shen Wuzheng and Shantong’er also rode over. Shen Wuzheng looked at the situation ahead and said, "If they really intended to ambush us here, Shen Tu Tai wouldn’t have bothered to inform us of the location and time yesterday."

"..."

"I think these people don’t want their whereabouts exposed."

"..."

"After all, they are considered defectors of Wanggang Village, and do not fully trust us, so they are extra cautious."

While they were talking, Shantong’er squinted at the person in front and muttered, "That person seems like Nie Chong, Brother Nie."

"Nie Chong?"

This name was unfamiliar to them, Yu Wenye asked, "Who is he?"

Shantong’er widened his eyes, lowered his voice, and said, "He is one of Seventh Brother’s most trusted people. Even though he isn’t well-known and you don’t recognize him, everyone in the village fears him."

"Why?"

"This person is a Sharp-Hearing Ear—oh no!"

As he said this, he suddenly showed a regretful expression. Everyone looked at him in surprise, "What is it?"

Shantong’er said, "What I just said, he definitely heard it."

Shang Ruyi looked at the almost indistinguishably blurry figure ahead and couldn’t help but laugh, "There’s such a distance, and you spoke so softly. How could he possibly hear it?"

Fearing they would think he was bragging, Shantong’er’s face turned red with urgency, and he seriously said quietly, "I’m telling the truth. His hearing is truly keen. The brothers on the mountain have to speak ill of him from far away and even cover themselves with blankets—oh no, he’s definitely heard it again."

This time, he truly covered his mouth and fell silent.

Seeing him like this, everyone found it funny and amusing, but also felt a tinge of mystery about the person ahead. Yu Wenye said, "Whether he’s a thousand-mile eye or a Sharp-Hearing Ear, we must meet him."

With that, he got off the carriage.

Behind him, Dabo and Mu Xian hurriedly wanted to follow with their men, but Yu Wenye raised a hand and said, "No need to follow. You stay here and wait; I’ll go and see what’s ahead."

No one felt assured to let him go alone, so finally, Shen Wuzheng dismounted and said, "I’d better accompany you."

Shantong’er immediately said, "I’ll go too!"

Looking at them, Yu Wenye instinctively turned back to glance at the clearly worried Shang Ruyi, then nodded. So, the three of them headed forward together.

Not long after, they arrived in front of the apricot forest.

Standing outside the apricot forest was a young man in his twenties. He was of medium height, thin, with a face like gold paper, appearing particularly lethargic and as if he hadn’t slept for days. But when he saw the three of them coming, he still courteously cupped his hands in salute and said, "I am Nie Chong."

Yu Wenye said, "Are you the one Shen Tu Tai mentioned, coming to seek our alliance?"

"Yes."

"Then where are your people?"

Nie Chong turned his face slightly to look behind him and then said, "They’re just in the woods."

Yu Wenye said, "Why don’t they come out?"

Nie Chong replied, "Our coming to seek alliance is indeed bold, and we are truly still lacking trust in you. So here, I wish to ask the Second Young Master on behalf of my brothers a few questions."

Yu Wenye said, "Please ask."

Nie Chong said, "Once we submit under the Second Young Master, how will the Second Young Master treat us?"

Yu Wenye looked at him, then at the dense forest behind him where more and more figures could be seen swaying. Clearly, those people were also feeling extremely uneasy and eager at this moment to hear his promise.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Since you want to come under my command, in the future, you will be my soldiers. How I treat my soldiers is how I will treat you, treating all equally."

Nie Chong asked, "Then, Second Young Master, how do you treat your soldiers?"

Yu Wenye said, "Shen Tu Tai comes from a military background, forthright and honest. I assume even after he joined your village, his nature remained unchanged, and his requirements for you should not differ much from those in the court’s army. So, I can tell you that my requirements for my subordinates are nearly the same as his. But—"

"But what?"

"Since you have newly joined me, I can give you a special privilege."

Nie Chong immediately looked at him, "What special privilege?"

Yu Wenye said, "I can give you three days to become deserters."

"...!?"

Nie Chong was shocked, and even Shantong’er nearby showed a surprised expression upon hearing this.

Only Shen Wuzheng slightly squinted his eyes, seeming to mentally calculate something, and his eyes immediately flashed with a subtle light as he almost imperceptibly nodded.

Nie Chong said in surprise, "Second Young Master, I don’t understand what you mean?"

Yu Wenye said, "When I train soldiers, I never allow laziness, because laziness during practice means certain death in battle."

"..."

"If you can’t endure my training, you can escape, but if you wish to stay under my command and make achievements, you must be diligent."

Upon hearing this, Nie Chong’s expression immediately turned solemn.

Behind him, in the apricot forest, there was also a faint sound of commotion.

Then, Yu Wenye raised his head again, shouting at the figures moving in the woods, "So, I’ll say this upfront. You came to join me because Shen Tu Tai wanted to give you a place. I can take you in, but some of you might have second thoughts, and I don’t mind that."

"..."

"Starting today, I will conduct a three-day forced march to let you experience the intensity of my usual training. During these three days, if you cannot endure it and have somewhere else to go, you can leave anytime, and I will not stop you."

"..."

"After three days, once we’ve crossed Luoyang, those who remain in my army will prove their ability and willingness to stay under my command. All rewards and punishments will be the same as any other soldier in my army, and you will be my soldiers."

"..."

"If you are willing, now, come out!"

As soon as his voice fell, the surroundings immediately quieted down.

Only a breeze with a hint of chill blew through the dense woods, seemingly carrying some unease and restlessness in people’s hearts, gently lifting their hair.

Shantong’er opened his eyes wide, nervously watching ahead.

Not just him, even Shang Ruyi, sitting in a carriage behind them, held her breath and cautiously stared at the dense apricot forest.

After an unknown amount of time, a very light footstep sound came from the wind.

Four or five young men walked out of the forest in a group, each hefty, evidently well-skilled in martial arts. After stepping out, they said nothing more, only cupped their hands toward Yu Wenye and stood aside.

Soon, another group emerged.

This group had around thirty people.

After that, quite a few more people gradually stepped out of the forest, soon standing densely before them. Yu Wenye roughly estimated that there were over a thousand people!

This was beyond his expectations.

He originally thought that the troops Shen Tu Tai sent to test their attitude would number only a few hundred; he hadn’t expected there to be so many here, meaning that even more probably left Wanggang Village with him.

Thinking this, a sense of joy filled his heart.

Because he knew that Wanggang Village’s power had greatly diminished at this time.

Despite this large turnout, it was clear that some remained hidden in the forest, and some even used a path to leave from the other side of the apricot forest.

The three-day test had begun at this moment.

Yu Wenye looked at these people before him and calmly said, "Very well, since you all have stepped forward, I will not say more. Let’s set out from now."

After speaking, he waved his hand, and his troops immediately advanced. The ranks quickly merged into one.

This instantly doubled the size of the troop, making their presence even more imposing.

As Yu Wenye got into a carriage and the rest mounted their horses, Nie Chong suddenly said to Shantong’er, "Ninth Master."

Shantong’er immediately turned his head, "What?"

Nie Chong looked at him and said, "You just said that the brothers on the mountain must cover themselves with blankets to speak ill of me. So, what did you all say under the covers?"

"...!"

The people accompanying him all lowered their heads in shock.

Shang Ruyi also hadn’t expected that despite being so far away and speaking so softly, Nie Chong actually heard them!

Seeing everyone showing a stunned expression, Nie Chong didn’t say much more, just sneered and urged his horse forward, while Shantong’er pulled a face and stuck his tongue out, mouthing to Shang Ruyi, "See, I wasn’t lying."

Shang Ruyi was both surprised and amused, and Yu Wenye, watching from the side, didn’t say much, just waved his hand, and the troops began moving forward.