Chapter 403

A simple analysis made the pros and cons clear.

Si Er stared intently at the terrain map on the ground, remaining silent for a long time.

Ouyang An was not in a hurry either, merely waiting for the other to weigh the pros and cons in their heart—

After all, this inference matched the facts exactly; at present, besides this, there truly was no chance left to break through.

If Si Er still wanted to keep her life, she would surely follow the plan.

But Ouyang An hadn't expected that he still underestimated the ruthlessness in the heart of this desperate person before him!

After a moment, Si Er gritted her teeth, her eyes suddenly turned cold, and she asked in a low voice:

"If I, following your advice, send some of the personal troops to the gentle slope to draw away the pursuers besieging us, wouldn't that make it easier for us to escape this perilous route?"

Just an instant, only that instant.

Ouyang An then knew that the rumors in the palace about the Crown Prince plotting to kill the prince were definitely not baseless.

It's true, it actually is true.

He merely wanted Si Er to go all out.

Going all out clearly comes in many forms.

Even taking the most dangerous path, compared to dying from a fall, personally sending someone to their death is still the most despicable act.

Now Si Er can apply one example to many, using others' names, just to gain a little chance of survival for herself......

Whether before or after, what's surprising about doing something heinous for power and status?

Truly wondrous.

Truly wondrous.

Although Si Er and the lord far away in Yongzhou both give the impression of being high-ranking.

When facing that lord, he would feel as if he were facing a tiger that lowers its gaze and lightly sniffs its prey, making him feel chilled to the bone.

And when facing Si Er......

All he could feel was utter contempt.

Older brother, did you previously lose to someone like this?

Perhaps, could it be that it's not that this person is too strong.

It's just that the older brother before......

Was simply too incompetent?

No, no!

How could he think that of his older brother!

That older brother is like the sun and moon, like a father and mother!

Ouyang An steadied his mind a little, gave a vague assent, and then saw Si Er suddenly seem invigorated, straighten up, and stride out of the cold, dilapidated shed.

The mountain wind was bitter, blowing straight in, disheveling the formerly proud Crown Prince's sideburns.

Si Er stood in the open mountain wilderness, took a deep breath, raised her hand and loudly issued orders, gathering the personal troops scattered throughout the mountains.

Not long after, over two hundred remnant troops had gathered.

The troops, long trapped in the mountains, were already weary of heart; now their clothes were tattered, their faces showed fatigue, yet they still formed neat ranks, their gazes burning as they looked at their own Crown Prince.

Ouyang An felt a stabbing pain from that fervor, lowered his eyes slightly, and tried as hard as he could not to listen to the wind on Heishishan......

Also tried hard not to listen to those 'death warrants' spoken solemnly by Si Er, nailed onto the soldiers.

Even if he didn't listen, he still roughly knew what would happen after today——

Those people had followed Si Er since childhood, training together as personal troops.

Even if casualties were heavy, they would surely fight with their lives to protect Si Er and keep her alive.

As for whether he himself could live, perhaps it still depended on some fate.

He might perhaps fall off a cliff while taking the dangerous path, or perhaps be abandoned by Si Er in a frantic escape......

Or perhaps, after enduring myriad hardships to reach the gathering place of the Khmer people, the Khmer would not act according to his expectations, step by step.

Summer insects cannot discuss ice; some people perhaps cannot see long-term plans, only immediate gains.

That group of Khmer perhaps would bind those who had come from afar and send them back to the capital of An Nan to exchange for a reward.

By then, Si Er would be granted death.

And he, perhaps could only become an unnamed sacrificial victim, buried together with that most useless, most detestable person in a desolate wilderness.

He would forever never see the older brother he missed most.

He also didn't know how, after this ludicrous beast of his died, she would treat the older brother.

Perhaps, it's just another collar.

Perhaps......

Given the older brother's beauty, what awaits him will be something more terrifying than a collar.

Would the older brother want to become a male favorite who sells his beauty?

No no no!

How could it be possible!

He would absolutely not let the older brother become such a person!

Ouyang An, thinking of this, suddenly lifted his eyes; before him, over a hundred remnant troops with broken armor had already re-equipped and were ready to move out.

They were all personal troops who had followed Si Er for a long time; now, being assigned to split into two routes, naturally some knew they were about to die.

However......

At this moment they were not only personal troops, but also death warriors.

The saying goes, having eaten the ruler's meal for a day, one must repay his kindness for a hundred years.

Some feelings cannot be repaid with just a single life.

They once used the silver given by Yi Er to marry and have children, spending half their lives loyal to Yi Er; now to ask them to do something else......

They would no longer do that.

Even to say something unpleasant, perhaps they still think their own Crown Prince is innocent to this day.

In that case, how could following a fallen Crown Prince be considered a grievance?

This is clearly loyalty and righteousness.

That instant, just that instant, Ouyang An suddenly felt a bit unafraid.

Everyone must die eventually.

That group of tattered soldiers and broken armor, for Yi Er, he also wanted to do something for his older brother before death.

Even if he dies in an obscure place, as long as he dies properly, the lord will surely treat his older brother kindly......

Surely, surely......

It will surely be so.

Right?

「Ah-choo! Ah-choo! 」

A few sneezes once again broke the silence outside Cang Cheng.

Du Shanü, made somewhat fatigued by spring drowsiness, half-asleep and not opening her eyes, instinctively went to rub her nose tip, but ended up rubbing a petal of peach blossom.

Unlike what the books say, this peach blossom outside the southern part of the city has no scent, only imparting a hint of early spring dampness.

Whether you say it's cold or not, saying it awakens the spirit, it truly does awaken the spirit.

Du Shanü, touched by the coolness, then hazily recalled that she had apparently agreed with her Yu Baobao to go on an outing, but ended up staring at the peach blossoms until her vision blurred, succumbing to spring drowsiness, and spreading out a large cloak to sleep on the ground.

Now awake, Du Shanü held the petal, momentarily unsure whether to discard the flower first or rub her nose first:

「...... Recently, is it a late spring cold snap, or is someone constantly thinking of me...... 」

If it's a late spring cold snap, just quickly bring on a wind-cold, and she will honestly take medicine.

If it's someone thinking of her, then he should quickly appear before her......

Why constantly make her sneeze!

Really unpleasant!

Du Shanü, annoyed to the point of grinding her teeth, while Yu Baobao beside her slept even more soundly; awakened by a series of sneezes, she merely leaned against her shoulder again, showing no sign of waking up at all:

「Wife Master humming...... maybe not...... humming...... 」

「Perhaps it's humming...... an old person is thinking of you...... humming...... 」

What the heck?

What the heck?

You can tell Yu Baobao is really sleepy!

She says she suspects someone keeps thinking of her, while he guesses that an old person is thinking of her—can that even be considered talk?

What old person could she possibly know?

Knowing the oldest person, it's at most......

No, there actually seems to be an elderly person nearby.

Du Shanü's heart stirred, and she rubbed the still-sleeping Yu Baobao beside her:

「Lately, how is the Deposed Crown Prince's condition? Has it improved any? 」

?? Ouyang An: I must strive so that my older brother does not become a male favorite.

? Ouyang Yan: I must strive to become a male favorite, by all means don't save me.