stonecrandall Chapter 805 The King of Qin was captured, this is so wrong!
Chapter 805 The King of Qin was captured, this is so wrong!
"Report! Urgent news!"
A shrill cry, like an icicle, suddenly pierced the heated atmosphere within the tent! A dusty messenger, his armor stained with blood, practically crawled into the tent and fell to the ground, his voice hoarse and distorted from extreme tension and exhaustion:
"Your Majesty! Urgent message, eight hundred miles! Wu... Wu Can led his army, taking advantage of the Southern Border Army's unstable position while they were escorting the capital back to the capital, and raided their baggage train three days ago! During the chaotic battle... the King of Qin... the King of Qin's son Gao was abducted by Wu Can's assassins!"
"What?!" The three people in the tent cried out in shock at the same time, their faces changing drastically! This news was too shocking!
The messenger panted and continued shouting, "Gao Yao is furious! The southern border troops have been fully ordered to exercise martial law. The vanguard troops are fully deployed and are charging towards Nanjun, where Wu Can is entrenched. A war... a war is imminent! Gao Yao has mobilized nearly 150,000 troops for this battle."
The air within the tent seemed to freeze in an instant. Xiang Yu's smile froze, replaced by a look of utter astonishment and disbelief. Fan Zeng's fingers, twirling his beard, paused in mid-air. His cloudy old eyes suddenly narrowed, a glint flashing in them as he rapidly analyzed the chain reaction of this earth-shattering event.
Yi Xiaochuan gasped, his heart pounding. Wu Can had actually taken such a risky move, kidnapping the King of Qin?! This was like dropping a heavy hammer on a powder keg about to explode! The situation in Guanzhong was completely out of control!
Xiang Yu was the first to recover from his shock. After a brief moment of disbelief, an indescribable surge of ecstasy and fighting spirit suddenly washed over him! A terrifying glint flashed in his eyes, and he let out a deafening roar towards the heavens: "Hahaha! God help me! Gaoyao's backyard is on fire, and we're at war with that bastard Wu Can! This is the perfect opportunity for our Chu army to march through the pass and seize control of the world in one fell swoop! Pass on my orders..."
"Your Majesty, wait a minute!" Fan Zeng's old yet unusually stern voice rang out again, instantly suppressing Xiang Yu's ecstasy. Leaning on his staff, he stepped forward, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, fixed intently on the excited Xiang Yu and Yi Xiaochuan, whose thoughts were also swirling due to this sudden change. His voice was as deep as iron:
"Although this change seems to be beneficial to me, it is actually extremely dangerous! Gao Yao, in a rage, will attack Wu Can with all his might. Wu Can will fight to the death to protect himself. When two tigers fight, it seems that one of them will be injured, but..."
Fan Zeng took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "Regardless of who wins, the victor will gather the troops of the defeated, greatly increasing their strength! Furthermore, the King of Qin is a powerful banner that can be exploited by any of them! If our Chu army rashly intervenes at this moment, we will easily become the target of both sides! This is not a good opportunity; it's a dead end situation like three tigers competing for food! The most urgent task is to quickly investigate the details, observe the situation carefully, and then make a plan!"
Yi Xiaochuan quickly calmed down from his initial shock. Fan Zeng's words were like a cold shower, instantly making him realize the enormous risks involved. He looked at Xiang Yu and said in a deep voice, "Brother Yu, Mr. Fan Zeng is absolutely right! Gao Yao is not a good person. The capture of the King of Qin has become a hot potato. If our army advances hastily, it will only lead to disaster. The most urgent task is to determine who holds the King of Qin. Why did Wu Can resort to such a risky move? What are the details of Gao Yao's troop deployment? And..." A hint of worry flashed in his eyes, "How will Liu Bang react to this?"
The ecstasy on Xiang Yu's face gradually faded, replaced by solemnity. He looked at the unprecedented seriousness on the faces of his two advisors, listened to the faint commotion outside the tent caused by this shocking news, and tightened his grip on the sword at his waist.
Looking towards the place, he could hear the faint sound of shouting and killing. The once clear chessboard was suddenly disrupted, becoming foggy and filled with murderous intent. He slowly sat back in his seat, his voice low and full of power:
"Send an order! Triple the number of scouts. Spare no expense to find out for me the situation in Nanjun, the whereabouts of the King of Qin, and... the movements of Liu Bang's troops and weapons! All units, prepare for battle and obey orders at all times! I'm afraid the situation is about to change again!"
"Yes!" Following Xiang Yu's order, the messenger immediately left the courtyard.
The shockwaves brought by the urgent news had not yet subsided, but the excitement in Yi Xiaochuan's heart caused by Fan Zeng's brilliant plan, when he heard that the King of Qin was captured and Gao Yao sent troops to attack Wu Shen, was like a charcoal fire soaked in ice water, with a hissing sound, and piercing white smoke rose up.
He stood there, his brows furrowed, his fingers unconsciously twirling the corner of his clothes. His thoughts, which had just been disturbed by the sudden incident, were rapidly settling and reorganizing with a sense of crisis that was unique to time travelers and was almost instinctive.
"Something's wrong...something's so wrong..." Yi Xiaochuan muttered to himself. After the initial anxiety and shock subsided, a strong sense of disharmony emerged clearly like a reef under the water.
Wu Can's move might seem risky, but it's actually tantamount to self-destruction! He'd just suffered a heavy loss at the hands of the Southern Border Army, with even Hengshan King Wu Rui imprisoned. His remaining troops were demoralized and their strength severely weakened. How could he have the courage and wherewithal to proactively provoke Gao Yao and directly abduct the symbolically significant King of Qin? This was simply... courting death!
Even as Yi Xiaochuan's thoughts raced, he keenly sensed that Fan Zeng's aura beside him had suddenly grown solemn. The gleam in the gray-haired old man's cloudy eyes, once sparked by his clever plan to harass the enemy, had long since faded, replaced by a hawk-like sharpness and a bottomless suspicion.
Almost at the same time, the two of them turned their gazes to the study where maps and classics were stored - that was the "quiet room" where they performed sand table simulations and made plans.
Without words, the tacit understanding was unwavering. Yi Xiaochuan and Fan Zeng exchanged glances, each sensing the same sense of surprise and solemnity. Without a word, they turned and hurried toward the study. Their movements were weighted with a sense of urgency, as if a single step slower would mean missing the crucial clue to unraveling this vast conspiracy.
"Hey? Xiaochuan? Yafu? You..." Xiang Yu, who was immersed in the excitement of the "two tigers fighting", was stunned by the sudden and tacit actions of the two. But the Overlord was still the Overlord, and he was also keenly aware of the atmosphere on the battlefield.
Seeing his two most trusted advisors looking so grave, rushing straight to the study without even a word, Xiang Yu immediately realized that the situation might be far more complicated than it seemed. A flicker of confusion crossed his rugged face, then gave way to a solemn expression. He waved his hand, "Wait for me!" His burly figure immediately took long strides and followed closely behind.
The study was filled with the distinct scent of old bamboo slips and ink, and the light was dim. Yi Xiaochuan quickly walked over to the massive map that covered the entire table. Fan Zeng also took his place on the other side of the map. Xiang Yu followed closely behind, his tall figure blocking the doorway, looking at them with a hint of confusion and anxiety.
Spread out before him was a map of Guanzhong and part of the southern region, drawn on a rough leather scroll. The lines were rough, mountains and rivers were outlined with only symbolic symbols, the boundaries of counties and prefectures were vague, and the locations of cities were only roughly marked.