Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Chapter 561: Chapter 567: Caught up by Someone
 

“Send someone after them! Alive, I want the person; dead, I want the body. No matter what, Liu Xiu must be brought back to me—I’m still counting on presenting Liu Xiu’s head to the Prime Minister to claim my reward. We cannot let Liu Xiu escape!” Zhao Fan spoke almost without thinking. Liu Xiu was the leader of the rebels, and even though Zhao Fan had now taken Yiyang City, he would still be blamed by the Prime Minister if he let Liu Xiu get away.

“Yes, Master, I will immediately lead people in pursuit and make sure to bring Liu Xiu back!”

“Send several troops, and spread the word that whoever captures Liu Xiu will be richly rewarded. They’ll not only get silver but also a promotion in rank,” Zhang Meng added from the side. He wanted to boost the search efforts for Liu Xiu; after all, nothing inspires like the prospect of wealth and promotions.

As expected, his subordinate’s eyes lit up at Zhang Meng’s words, and his voice grew louder: “Yes, Master, I will make arrangements immediately.”

Liu Xiu had not left Yiyang Prefecture long with his talents before they were pursued. The evacuation was so hasty and ill-prepared that the pursuers quickly picked up their trail.

“My Lord, we have pursuers behind us. Shall we split our forces in two? I will lead some troops to draw the pursuers away.”

Liu Xiu knew this was not the time for fastidiousness. If he fell into the Imperial Court’s hands, the consequence would be dire. He nodded in agreement: “Be safe, take care! I have taken note of your loyal protection. Should the day come, I will surely repay you!”

The enemy was fast approaching, and Liu Xi had no time to delay. After speaking, he led another group of soldiers along a narrow path to escape.

Han Yu had originally estimated that Yiyang City could hold out for another day or two. Although Liu Xiu and Yin Shi were not as skilled in military strategy as he was, they should have been a match for Zhao Fan and thus wouldn’t fare so badly. Little did he know that he would hear news of Yiyang City’s fall halfway there.

“How could it be so quick! Is there some insider scheme at play?” Han Yu asked with a furrowed brow. He knew the abilities of Liu Xiu and Yin Shi, which is why he posed the question. In his heart, he had already guessed at the reason.

“It was the traitor Liu Kuan, who colluded with the enemy and suggested from within to open the city gate amidst the chaos, allowing the enemy to enter. We were already at a disadvantage; naturally, we could not resist. In the end, My Lord, with his close followers and the remaining troops, made a swift retreat, keeping out of Zhao Fan’s clutches. However, Zhao Fan is now sending men far and wide to capture My Lord. Master, what should we do now? Should we continue our journey?”

Zhai Li briefly described the sequence of events that had led to the current situation before asking Han Yu about his plans. Actually, in his heart, Zhai Li had never thought highly of Liu Xiu. Even though Liu Xiu had some capability and measure, he couldn’t compare to Han Yu, not to mention subsequent events which only enhanced Zhai Li’s dissatisfaction. He couldn’t understand why his master would forsake his advantages and not claim leadership for himself, instead choosing to follow Liu Xiu—which he believed was not worth it.

But the thoughts of his master were not for him to guess. All he could do was to follow. Now, with things having come this far, Zhai Li wished that Han Yu would not choose Liu Xiu, given that Liu Xiu was no longer as strong as he once was.

“Do not probe; I have my reasons for deciding to follow Liu Xiu, and he is a man of great destiny. Following him won’t be a mistake,” Han Yu said, implying something without revealing the true reason.

Zhai Li could not fully comprehend these words, but he understood Han Yu’s stance: “Yes, Master, I understand. So, Master, what shall we do now? Yiyang City has fallen, and we don’t know where My Lord has fled to. It seems meaningless to keep traveling.”

After pondering for a while, Han Yu said, “Bring me the map.”

After studying and pondering over the map, taking into account Liu Xiu’s temperament and the respective advantages and disadvantages, Han Yu pointed to a spot on the map: “Here, we cannot go to Yiyang City now. Let’s head there. It’s likely that My Lord has retreated in this direction. We must set out immediately.”

Han Yu’s speculation was remarkably accurate. Liu Xiu had indeed fled in their direction, and within a day, Han Yu had found him.

When Han Yu found Liu Xiu, he was under siege by a troop sent by Zhao Fan. Liu Xiu and his subordinates fought fiercely, drenched in blood, in a dire situation—it seemed they had already endured countless battles. If Han Yu had not arrived soon, they were close to capitulating.

It could be said that Han Yu’s arrival was like a timely rescue for Liu Xiu. Han Yu, with his own subordinates, annihilated the troops sent by Zhao Fan and then performed the appropriate travel gifts to pay respects.

“I apologize for being late in rescuing you, My Lord!” Han Yu always strove to do his best in every task, and at this moment, he was utterly reverent and apologetic towards Liu Xiu, even though anyone with clear eyes would know this was not Han Yu’s fault.

As expected, Liu Xiu was greatly moved and felt more assured. He quickly helped Han Yu to his feet, his expression one of unprecedented joy and trust. He had not expected that Han Yu would remain loyal and follow him at this time when he no longer had anything to his credit to warrant such loyalty.

“What are you saying, Xiu Qi? If there’s any mistake, it’s mine—I should not have believed the nasty person’s slander and kept you away from me, failing to call you back in time, leading us to the current situation and the loss of the Yiyang City. I thought that you, Xiu Qi, would be disappointed in me and no longer wish to follow me. But to my surprise, not only have you treated me just as before, but you also arrived in time during this critical moment and saved our lives. Otherwise, we might have met our end at the hands of these people today,” Liu Xiu said with deep emotion.

“This is my duty. I, Han Yu, won’t say more except that I always keep my word and see things through once I start them. Since I’ve chosen to follow My Lord, I will not turn back! I only hope that in the future My Lord will not doubt me. Though Yiyang City has fallen today, there’s a saying, ‘A green mountain lasts despite no firewood,’ and I, Han Yu, will wholeheartedly assist My Lord, helping you rise again. If I break this oath, may the heavens strike me with lightning!” Han Yu made his vow solemnly, with no one noticing the faint smile that fleetingly crossed his lips.

In fact, it was no mere coincidence that he arrived so timely. Of course not! However, Han Yu hadn’t deliberately engineered the situation, he just controlled their pace to match the perfect timing. Being early isn’t as good as arriving opportunistically—only by acting at the right moment can you gain the most gratitude. His first move had gone smoothly.

“Well spoken, Xiu Qi! Thinking back, I allowed myself to be deceived by treacherous villains. Now I’ve come to see the true nature of those around me. From now on, you and I shall be brothers. Together, we shall fight for our country, sharing weal and woe, with no further doubts!” Liu Xiu declared at once, and though he did not make a vow, the sincerity in his words was unmistakable—a sincere declaration from the heart. Regardless of why Han Yu chose to follow him, he chose to believe in Han Yu.