Chapter 420

This must have something to do with him... Xiahou Shun stared fixedly at Chen Yan, reaching a conclusion in his heart. The resentment churning in his eyes almost spilled over, but it was forcibly suppressed beneath his taut skin.

His knuckles dug forcefully into his palms, and he didn't even notice the blood seeping from the deep crescent-shaped marks. His throat rolled for a long time before he finally squeezed a few words through his teeth: "I have troubled you, Grand General Chen!"

These words sounded like gratitude, but they carried hatred suppressed to the extreme.

Xiahou Shun could confirm and be certain that the tragic death of his six thousand-plus Tuyuhun warriors was absolutely Chen Yan's handiwork!

The so-called punishment just now was also a performance, done for him—or rather, for the world to see...

But he had no evidence at all to expose this bastard's hypocritical face!

Moreover, the previous plan of feigned surrender had completely fallen through, and his national and military strength were severely damaged...

"Is he really only eighteen?"

Nilu Zhou's gaze was like a torch, locked onto Chen Yan's face, which still carried a hint of youth, and he muttered uncontrollably in his heart.

Beneath that "harmless" skin lay a chilling compassion; every expression was like a meticulously carved mask.

At the same time, a chill crept up his spine...

This young Zhou army commander before him was not ignorant of politics; he was more brilliant than anyone, and his methods were so flawless that one couldn't find any fault!

Coupled with his reputation, if he didn't repeat the same trick, it would be very difficult to suspect him...

"Someone come!"

Chen Yan raised his voice suddenly, his tone having returned to its usual steadiness. The previous look of pity faded slightly, leaving only calm indifference: "Escort Crown Prince Xiahou back to rest!"

His gaze fell back onto Xiahou Shun.

He saw the other man's jaw tighten, the muscles along his cheeks slightly bulging from the force of his clenching, as if he were about to shatter his own teeth.

The resentment in his eyes could not be hidden, yet the corners of his mouth were curled into an arc of concern.

"Crown Prince, you must take good care of your health!" Chen Yan took half a step forward, his voice becoming even softer, the heartwarming concern almost overflowing from his tone as he urged.

"Crown Prince, this way please!"

The garrison soldiers who had followed the Tuyuhun group immediately stepped forward and made a respectful gesture of invitation.

"My six thousand heroic sons..."

Xiahou Shun muttered in a low voice, filled with indignation. His chest suddenly felt tight, and a fishy sweetness surged into his throat, which he could no longer suppress.

With a "wah," a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed straight out, staining the ground before him red.

His vision suddenly blurred, and the sounds in his ears became distant.

He only had time to glare fiercely at Chen Yan before his entire body lost its strength.

As if all his sinews and bones had been pulled out, he collapsed heavily to the ground, completely losing consciousness.

"Crown Prince!"

"Crown Prince!"

Suhe Gui, Nilu Zhou, and the others saw the turn of events and rushed forward with cries of alarm.

Chen Yan's gaze swept lightly over the unconscious Xiahou Shun on the ground. He raised his hand, tapped his knuckles lightly on Hongye's shoulder, and instructed: "Go arrange for a physician to treat him well!"

Just as Hongye was about to respond and withdraw, Chen Yan leaned slightly, moved close to her ear, and whispered in a volume only the two of them could hear, "He still has great use..."

"Understood!"

Hongye understood and nodded heavily.

The night was deep, and the central military tent was brightly lit, reflecting the distinct expressions of everyone inside.

Chen Yan sat in the main seat, his fingertips nonchalantly stroking the jade pendant at his waist, his gaze falling calmly on the map spread out before him.

Generals Wang Xiong, Dou Luling, Helian Shi, and Gu Yuci sat on the left, dressed in dark military uniforms.

On the right sat Yuwen Ze, Yu Jie, You Xian, and others.

Light footsteps came from outside the tent, the tent flap was lifted from the outside, and two figures stepped in one after the other.

The leader was dressed in plain martial attire, her face beautiful yet carrying a hint of heroism; it was the Thousand-Faced Enchantress, Qin Ci.

Following closely behind was the Night-Wandering God, Yan Zixian, clad in black, his aura cold and chilling, as if he had merged with the night.

The two walked to the center of the tent, stopped in unison, bowed to Chen Yan in the main seat, and spoke in voices that, while one was soft and the other firm, were equally respectful: "Lord Chen Yan, this subordinate has returned to report!"

"You have done very well!"

He reached out and picked up the blue porcelain teacup on the table, his fingertips resting against the warm, smooth rim. He took a shallow sip, the tea fragrance spreading between his lips and teeth, and praised: "To be able to annihilate the Tuyuhun army this time, you two have performed a great service!"

"You shall be heavily rewarded!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Ci straightened her posture, her waist swaying slightly. Her originally heroic face instantly took on a hint of charm, a perfect smile curled her lips, and she raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear: "This subordinate dares not claim credit!"

She leaned half a step forward, her eyes filled with fawning eagerness: "To be able to serve Lord Chen Yan and perform meritorious deeds under Lord Chen Yan's command is this subordinate's honor!"

Given Lord Chen Yan's generosity, this heavy reward must surely bring endless benefits...

Great service?... Wang Xiong keenly captured the keyword and muttered in his heart, sizing the two up. Suddenly, as if connecting something, he turned to look at Chen Yan and asked: "Grand General, this sudden madness of the Tuyuhun captives and their slaughtering of each other—could it be the handiwork of these two?"

Wang Xiong had heard a little about the fact that his Grand General's command was gathered with talented and strange people.

After all, the previous two Pillars of State had fallen because of this...

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present turned to look, their eyes filled with curiosity.

"Of course."

Chen Yan's mouth curled slightly, a faint smile flashing across it. His gaze swept over Qin Ci and Yan Zixian, and he said slowly: "After A-Ci and A-Xian disguised themselves as me and led the Tuyuhun into Fuhan..."

He paused, then continued: "They remained hidden in the city, waiting for the best opportunity to poison them!"

Chen Yan was quite satisfied with their acting, especially Yan Zixian's zither skills...

It directly made their dear Tuyuhun Crown Prince plunge into Fuhan City without looking back!

"Poisoning?!"

Yu Jie raised his head abruptly, his palms clenching on his knees, his brows locked, and his gaze fixed sharply on Chen Yan. After a moment of thought, he reacted, his voice tinged with urgency: "Was it in the water wells of Fuhan?!"

Seeing Chen Yan neither confirm nor deny, the astonishment on his face quickly turned to worry. His Adam's apple rolled a few times; he seemed to have concerns but could not hold back, so he stood up, bowed, and said: "Then what about the common people in the future...?!"

At this point, his voice came to an abrupt halt.

Chen Yan raised a hand and pressed it down slightly, signaling for calm, and said calmly: "Actually, the portion they poisoned will not have any effect..."

His fingertips returned to the table, tapping lightly on the two characters "Fuhan" marked on the map, and he continued: "It only produces toxins and causes madness when it meets the substance put into the meat porridge and steamed buns tonight!"

"And the substance in the water wells will dissipate on its own in ten days or half a month..."

In other words, the substance used had a characteristic: it needed to meet a specific substance to transform into a toxin.

Before leaving Chang'an, Chen Yan had specifically asked Yun Xi to write many prescriptions for emergencies...

This mixed poison that caused mania and bloodlust was exactly one of them.

Of course, Chen had also considered the livelihood of Fuhan.

"I had forgotten that the Grand General is known as the 'Blue Sky' of the current age..."

After hearing this, Yu Jie slapped his forehead heavily. The previously locked brows instantly smoothed out, the worry on his face receded like the tide, and he let out a long sigh of relief, his voice filled with relief: "How could you disregard the lives of the common people?"

Having said this, he bowed to Chen Yan in apology and sat back in his seat.

Dou Luling stroked the hilt of the sword at his waist with one hand, his gaze looking deeply into the heavy night outside the tent, as if he had seen the ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers of the Northwest frontier through the tent flap, and sighed: "With over six thousand Tuyuhun cavalrymen buried here, the Northwest frontier will be worry-free for at least ten years..."

These six thousand-plus were not miscellaneous soldiers, but genuine elites.

After this battle, Tuyuhun's vitality was severely damaged; one battle had truly won ten years of peace!

In the short term, there would be no more border trouble from the Northwest...

Such an achievement even far surpassed that of his grandfather, the Old Pillar of State Chen Hu, back in the day!

Upon hearing this, everyone present nodded in agreement.

Chen Yan waved his hand at Qin Ci and Yan Zixian.

The two understood immediately, bowed, and quickly withdrew.

The moment the tent flap fell, he cleared his throat, tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, swept his gaze over everyone at the table, and said in a low voice: "Calling everyone here at this hour, I intend to discuss with you all..."

He paused, his tone rising, and continued: "How we should fight our next battle!"

"Next battle?"

Helian Shi furrowed his brows unconsciously, his face full of confusion, and asked in bewilderment: "Hasn't the Tongtian Society been built into a Jingguan, and haven't the six thousand-plus Tuyuhun cavalrymen been completely annihilated?"

"That's right!"

He Ba Le immediately echoed: "Isn't Hezhou peaceful now?"

The Tongtian Society and the invading Tuyuhun had all been wiped out; could there still be any threat?

"Wait!"

Wang Xiong, Dou Luling, Yu Jie, and others spoke almost in unison. Their eyes widened suddenly, looking at Chen Yan in shock, their breathing quickening, and they pointed toward the Tuyuhun territory on the map: "Grand General, do you intend to...?!"

At that moment, they all realized the intention of the Grand General before them...

Pursue the victory and counterattack Tuyuhun!

"Just as you thought, I intend to cross the border and strike at Fosi City!"

Chen Yan's fingertips fell abruptly, slamming heavily onto the map on the table, the point landing right on the Tuyuhun royal court—Fosi City.

The wooden table made a dull "thud," causing the teacups on it to shake slightly.

He raised his eyes to sweep over everyone in the tent, a cold arc curling his mouth, full of undisguised ruthlessness: "Strike while the iron is hot!"

How could such a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity be easily let go?

It must be seized!

Take advantage of Tuyuhun's recent defeat and extreme weakness to strike them until they are crippled!

It would be best to directly turn them into a puppet regime of the Great Zhou, a loyal dog at their feet...

The teacup Yuwen Ze was turning in his hand stopped abruptly, the leisurely smile on his face fading instantly, replaced by full worry. He leaned forward slightly and said urgently: "Brother, Father only ordered us to quell the rebellion in Hezhou and annihilate the Tuyuhun cavalry within our borders..."

He paused, brows locked, and advised: "To use troops rashly, and even strike into Tuyuhun territory—should we think twice?"

They had to know their mission was already complete; to move troops again without an imperial decree, especially into another country's territory, was an act of overstepping...

It was no different from rebellion!

Although his brother had the authority to act as circumstances required, this could easily cause friction between their father and brother.

"Grand General, the Heir is absolutely right!"

Wang Xiong stood up abruptly, bowed to Chen Yan, and pleaded earnestly: "Although the opportunity for battle is fleeting, we cannot risk ourselves..."

His eyes were full of anxiety.

He feared his Grand General would be impulsive and ruin his brilliant future due to a hot head...

The opportunity for battle could be lost, but they must never anger the Grand Chancellor!

"I ask the Grand General to think twice!"

Everyone else, except You Xian, stood up one after another, standing side by side, cupping their fists and bowing in unison, their eyes full of gravity.

Chen Yan's mouth curled slightly into a faint arc, his fingertips stroking the warm rim of the bowl, and he laughed: "I know what you are all worried about..."

He paused, changed the subject, and continued: "However, during the days of besieging Fuhan, I already ordered the Embroidered Attire Envoys to return to Chang'an and seek instructions from the Grand Chancellor!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. Their bowing posture froze in place, and the gravity and worry on their faces were instantly replaced by astonishment.

"The Grand General is truly far-sighted!"

He Ba Le came back to his senses, let out a long sigh, and sighed: "To have thought of this so early..."

Why else would they say they could win battles by following the Grand General?

He had calculated this step so early...

Dou Luling's Adam's apple moved, his voice tightening slightly due to urgency, and he asked: "Grand General, what did the Grand Chancellor say?"

The previous concerns had long since vanished, and his eyes were filled with irrepressible anticipation.

It would be a lie to say they didn't want to seize the opportunity; who would be willing to refuse the further expansion of their merits?

Striking at the Tuyuhun royal court of Fosi and forcing the Tuyuhun Khan to sign a treaty under the city walls—just thinking about it was incredibly exciting...

Chen Yan's fingertips tapped lightly on the table, a cunning arc curling his mouth as he deliberately kept them in suspense: "The Grand Chancellor only replied with four words..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he slowly raised the four fingers of his right hand, their tips pressed together.

His gaze swept over everyone in the tent, his eyes full of profound meaning.

The tent fell into a silence so deep a pin could be heard dropping.

Dou Luling's leaning body moved even closer.

The knuckles of Yuwen Ze's hand gripping the teacup turned slightly white.

The others, except for You Xian, held their breath, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Chen Yan raised his brows slightly, the previous cunning smile quietly fading, leaving only bottomless, profound light in his eyes as he said word by word: "Act as the opportunity arises!"

"Act as the opportunity arises?"

"Act as the opportunity arises?!"

Yuwen Ze repeated these four words subconsciously, lowered his eyes to ponder for a moment. A flash of confusion first crossed his eyes, then it was quickly replaced by clarity. Light emerged from the bottom of his eyes, burning brighter and brighter.

Was there a better opportunity for battle than now?... He raised his eyes abruptly to look at his brother, his eyes full of incredulous realization. His lips moved, his voice trembling slightly due to irrepressible excitement: "Does that not mean...?!"