kvmb Chapter 240 Obstruction
Chapter 240 Obstruction
After Qiaoqiao entered the tent, Chu Yunchuan immediately asked where Baizhi was, a question that stunned Qiaoqiao: "Didn't my sister come to find you?"
"Bai Zhi came to see me?"
Chu Yunchuan's blood ran cold instantly—no outsiders had ever entered the camp.
Seeing his expression, Qiaoqiao instantly realized that Baizhi was missing. Her nose tingled and she almost cried. She grabbed Chu Yunchuan's arm and choked out, "Sister went to find you on the day Wuxian was evacuated. Could she have been captured by the barbarians?"
Chu Yunchuan's mind was a complete mess. Bai Zhi was a cautious person; she hadn't reported her safety for so long, and there was no news at all, so she was very likely in danger.
On the day Wuxian was evacuated, there were many barbarians outside the city. Although Baizhi knew martial arts, she could not fight against so many people.
Chu Yunchuan grew increasingly terrified, his head throbbing. He closed his eyes briefly and first comforted the sobbing Qiaoqiao: "Don't be afraid, leave it to me."
Just then, Qiao Yuanshan entered the tent, and Chu Yunchuan told her to settle Qiaoqiao down to rest. Qiaoqiao, her eyes red, took two steps before remembering, "Oh, right, Brother Yun, I came here to tell you that this rumor was instigated by the barbarians." She recounted in detail what had happened, including staying under Wei Fuguang's command on the seventh day and Qiao Yuanshan arranging for Cheng Mao to recover after arriving at the camp.
After a moment, Chu Yunchuan asked in a low voice, "Qiaoqiao, do you still believe in Brother Yun?"
Qiaoqiao nodded emphatically.
There were several tents prepared for guests and envoys in the military camp, and Qiao Yuanshan settled Qiaoqiao in one of them. Qiaoqiao still had tears on her face, and she said to Qiao Yuanshan, "Brother Yuanshan, my sister is missing."
"Yingying, don't cry." Qiao Yuanshan searched his body but couldn't find a single piece of cloth to wipe away Qiaoqiao's tears. He could only gently wipe away Qiaoqiao's tears with the back of his chapped hand. "Your Highness is all-powerful and will surely find Miss Bai. You should take good care of yourself. Why did you go and eavesdrop on the barbarians' conversation alone? It's too dangerous."
Qiaoqiao was a little surprised and wrinkled her nose: "...It's not that dangerous."
A soldier outside informed Qiao Yuanshan that General Zhu had invited him to a meeting. Qiao Yuanshan patted Qiaoqiao's head and then went out.
The tent fell silent. Qiaoqiao didn't move, staring blankly at the ground, muttering, "I thought you were going to praise me..."
Although the rumors in the army spread and were quickly quelled, some still reached Lu Jiliang's ears. He had been as anxious as an ant on a hot pan these past two days. Questioning Chu Yunchuan about the secret was one thing, but whether the common people actually knew about the secret was another matter entirely.
But he couldn't leave the tent, so he sent a guard to inform Chu Yunchuan. The guard returned and said that His Highness wouldn't see anyone.
He had no idea what had happened outside, and paced around the room alone, a blister forming on the corner of his mouth from anxiety.
Suddenly someone burst into the room, startling Lu Jiliang. He looked closely and saw that it was Chu Yunchuan!
Before Lu Jiliang could ask any questions, Chu Yunchuan preemptively said, "Lord Lu, from today onwards, I have lifted your confinement. You will be the military supervisor, and I will be temporarily leaving the military camp. If anyone asks, just say that I am recuperating in my tent and will not be seeing anyone."
He spoke quickly and urgently, and as soon as he finished speaking, he turned to leave, but Lu Jiliang grabbed him with lightning speed: "Wait! Where are you going!"
Chu Yunchuan paused for a moment, then suddenly turned around and stared at Lu Jiliang: "Was it you?"
Lu Jiliang: "What?"
"...No, it can't be you. I know your whereabouts perfectly well." Chu Yunchuan shook his head, then tried to leave again, but Lu Jiliang grabbed him tightly and whispered, "Your Highness Prince Jing! Even if you have some urgent matter to attend to, you must first reassure the troops before you leave!"
"Let go."
"Don't let it go!"
“Lord Lu, it is not dignified to lay a hand on you. I will say it again, let go.”
“I know you know martial arts, so go ahead and do it if you want.” Lu Jiliang’s eyes were burning. “Right now, nothing is more important than stabilizing the morale of the troops. Since the merger of the Yanxi Army, we have never been on the battlefield to practice together. The two armies are not familiar with each other. In addition, rumors are spreading. How long can you hold on by claiming illness now? What will the soldiers do when they find out that you are not in the army? Unless you tell me what you are going to do, I will never let go.”
Chu Yunchuan gritted his teeth and mustered his last bit of patience, saying, "Bai Zhi is missing. She may have fallen into the hands of the barbarians. I need to go find her. Lord Lu, let go."
Lu Jiliang was only briefly stunned by these words before quickly regaining his composure: "Send someone to find Bai Zhi. Don't move. Stay in the army. If you leave now, there is a high chance of a mutiny in the army."
That's the logic, but Chu Yunchuan's heart was in turmoil. The months of fighting had exhausted him, and the sudden disappearance of Bai Zhi had snapped the strings in his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the scene of his parents' passing away years ago. He couldn't hear anything right now.
Chu Yunchuan sneered without thinking, "Mutation? Isn't that exactly what my royal brother wants? Lord Lu, why do you have to stop me? After the Yanxi army mutinies, you can all reap the benefits. My royal brother will get thirteen prefectures, and you will get a high position. Why not?"
Lu Jiliang shouted sternly, "Chu Yunchuan! What nonsense are you spouting!"
He grabbed Chu Yunchuan by the collar and said clearly, word by word, "If a mutiny breaks out now, the barbarians will be the ones to reap the benefits. With the two armies of Great Yan fighting amongst themselves, the barbarians will be waiting in the wings, and the situation will be very similar to the turmoil in the Thirteen Provinces. Chu Yunchuan, do you want to let the barbarians' iron hooves trample on the land of the Thirteen Provinces again?"
In a fit of rage, Chu Yunchuan almost blurted out, "So what?" but he swallowed the words back down. He closed his eyes, his fingers trembling as he pressed his temples, suppressing the inexplicable, wicked thought and forcing himself to calm down.
He desperately wanted to abandon everything and go find Bai Zhi.
But he can't; his parents didn't choose him that way back then.
"Lord Lu," Chu Yunchuan said in a hoarse voice, "Do you know acupoints? Press the Baihui acupoint on the top of my head, press hard."
Lu Jiliang was puzzled, but he still loosened his collar and followed Chu Yunchuan's instructions to find the acupoints. He pressed down with all his might with his thumb, and only then did Chu Yunchuan feel that the mourning hall was clearer.
Soon, he summoned Changfeng and ordered him to take a few men and immediately venture deep into the Southern Barbarian lands to search for Baizhi, while another team was to be dispatched to search for people within Ningzhou territory, without delay. Changfeng didn't ask any further questions and turned to leave the tent.
Lu Jiliang finally felt relieved: "It should have been done long ago. Why did you insist on going to find Bai Zhi yourself?"
Chu Yunchuan did not answer, but said in a low voice, "I will find a way to deal with the rumors. Lord Lu, thank you for today."
The next day, King Jing summoned his generals. Dozens of generals, both high and low, gathered in Qiao Juchong's tent, with Lu Jiliang also sitting to the side.
Chu Yunchuan didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "You generals have all heard the rumors circulating in the army recently, haven't you?"
The generals looked at each other, and Chu Yunchuan said frankly, "I did indeed disguise myself and infiltrate the Gu family, and it was also I who colluded with the Northern Di to frame the Gu family."