The Marquis Is Innocent - 151.2
Chapter 151.2
After Wei Shao’s grandfather guarded the north and several battles, they recaptured the River Loop. In the last twenty years, Shan Yu intended to attack the River Loop again several times but failed. Even though the iron cavalry flattened the western region of East Hu, his heart was inevitably dissatisfied.
Xiao Qiao’s face changed immensely.
Wei Yan raised his left hand to the front and looked at his pinky finger wrapped in iron.
“When I left the Wei family, I broke my finger and swore that if my grandmother is still alive, I will not kill a Han Chinese. Although I am a despicable and shameless person, I still remember the oath I made. I won’t join this war.”
His gaze fell on her bloodless face: “I resigned from the Wei family and returned to Xiongnu. Now I am a Xiongnu. Even if I don’t join the war, I shouldn’t report it to you today. But my grandmother has been kind to me after all. Therefore, I come to send the message and to make a clean break with the Wei family’s nurturing kindness. From now on, I am no longer a Han Chinese. As you said, I am a Xiongnu, Hutu Kun.”
The fainted Chun Niang slowly woke up, letting out a few moans.
Wei Yan looked deeply at Xiao Qiao, turned around, walked briskly towards the window, and flipped out of it.
Xiao Qiao came back to her senses and chased after him, saying to the figure in the moonlight: “Since you left, grandmother has been missing you. Since you here, why didn’t you see her yourself and tell her?”
He barely paused, continued to move forward, and in a blink of an eye, he disappeared into the night.
Chun Niang finally woke up, sat up violently, looked around, and saw that the room was bright. Xiao Qiao stood before the window and looked as usual. Chun Niang felt relief, rubbing the back of her neck, and moaned: “Is Lady just talking to someone? I was asleep just now, it seems a black shadow barged into the room, and I was about to scream, and then I did not know— whether I was dreaming or something happened?”
Xiao Qiao turned around and hurriedly wrote a letter with her pen.
A few moments later, Mr. Jia came in a hurry and said, “Lady suddenly called me. Do you have any orders?”
Xiao Qiao handed him the letter, “Go to the Golden Dragon Temple and give it to the old madam now! Don’t delay for a moment!”
……
After dawn, Mrs. Xu came back from the Golden Dragon Temple. Xiao Qiao immediately followed in and told about the news Wei Yan brought.
Naturally, she skipped the first part, only mentioning the content of his report.
Mrs. Xu did not say anything, only closed her eyes and sat. A few moments later, Lei Yan, who stayed at Yuyang, arrived with two generals and a few assistants.
Besides the border towns, Wei Shao had 5,000 troops in Yanmen and Fan Yang.
After Mrs. Xu arranged the deployment of troops, she said, “Use fast horse to inform the guards of the three places in Yunzhong and Baideng Valley to take strict precautions. If the Xiongnu attack, fight until the reinforcements arrive! The rest of the military towns respond to each other and inform me immediately if there is any news!”
Lei Yan got the order and led his men to leave hurriedly.
After the group left, Mrs. Xu was lost in thought and suddenly coughed incessantly.
Old Zhong hurriedly handed her a handkerchief and rubbed her back.
Since the year Wei Yan left and the poisoning incident, Mrs. Xu’s health is not as good as it used to be.
Xiao Qiao poured a cup of warm water, waiting for Mrs. Xu to finish coughing, and handed it to her.
Mrs. Xu took a sip of water and put down the calendars. After calming down, she smiled at Xiao Qiao and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’d already sent a message to Shao’er, and soon we will have the troops back. The Xiongnu iron cavalry is aggressive, but my Wei family’s children also experienced a hundred battles! We will survive this hurdle!”
Old Zhong looked grave.
Xiao Qiao asked, “Grandmother, how long will it take for my husband to return at the earliest?”
Mrs. Xu pondered: “With a simple line of elite troops, half a month after the news arrives.”
“That is to say, at least twenty days. Grandmother, with 100,000 troops left in Yanmen and Fangyang against 300,000 Xiongnu iron cavalry, even if we die defending, I’m afraid it will be a difficult and vicious battle.”
Mrs. Xu looked at her with one eye, “You have something to say?”
Xiao Qiao knelt in front of her.
“Grandmother, if we borrow help from the Qiang soldiers around Huangshui, how many days will it take to get here?”
“Ten days at most ……” Mrs. Xu raised her eyes abruptly: “What do you mean?”
“Why not borrow troops from the Peihe Qiang? I expect that if you ask, Yuan Wang will send troops. The Qiang are brave and warlike, no less than the Xiongnu. If they are willing to come to the aid, even if they cannot defeat the Xiongnu, they can at least help until my husband returns.”
Mrs. Xu knew very well that with a garrison of more than 100,000 troops, it would be tough to hold out against 300,000 Xiongnu iron cavalry for more than 20 days. She did her best to minimize the loss. She said that to Xiao Qiao only to comfort her.
In Mrs. Xu’s heart, she had already thought of sending mother and daughter out of Yuyang as soon as possible. When she suddenly heard this suggestion, she was slightly excited and nodded, “This method is feasible!”