novelSusiti Chapter 28: Hidden Clues Emerge, Concealed Moves
Chapter 28: Hidden Clues Emerge, Concealed Moves
The lights of the Shu army camp in Yuexi were like stars.
The chill in the air remained undiminished.
Inside the main tent, candlelight flickered.
The reflections on the three people revealed different expressions.
Li Hui sat upright before the desk.
He lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, his brows furrowing slightly.
He exudes an air of composure.
[Li Hui's worries]: Sima Yi has just lost 10,000 elite troops.
They immediately sent reinforcements.
This was by no means a hasty decision; it must have been planned in advance.
Even after being captured, Gao Ding remained defiant.
There may indeed be a backup plan, and the hidden network in the south is an even greater hidden danger.
Ma Zhong couldn't contain himself.
He slammed his palm heavily on the table.
The armor clashed, producing a crisp sound.
His tone was impatient, yet every word was forceful and clear.
"Sima Yi has gone too far!"
"Since he's sending reinforcements again."
"This humble general is willing to lead five thousand elite troops to guard the strategic pass."
"We must keep them outside Yuexi."
"We will not allow them to set foot in the camp!"
Ma Zhong was thrilled: Today we have achieved a great victory.
How could we let Sima Yi's reinforcements ruin everything?
His Majesty and the Chancellor entrusted him with the responsibility of suppressing the rebellion in the south.
We must not afford to lose.
Meng Huo sat to one side.
He toyed with a curved sword in his hand, his face full of arrogance.
His tone was bold and forthright, yet tinged with a hint of ruthlessness.
"General Ma is right!"
"That arrogant scoundrel, he's been captured but he's still being stubborn."
"It would be better to just cut it off completely, rather than leaving it as a potential threat."
"It will also deter those scoundrels lurking in the shadows!"
[Meng Huo was resentful]: Gao Ding colluded with Sima Yi.
It has caused unrest among the people of Nanzhong.
If it weren't for General Li stopping us...
I made him pay for his crimes in blood long ago.
We can no longer allow him to put on airs here.
Li Hui raised his hand to signal the two to calm down.
His tone was solemn, and every word was clear.
"Do not be reckless."
"General Ma is eager to fight."
"But Sima Yi's reinforcements came from an unknown source."
"The number of troops and the marching route are all unknown."
"A hasty deployment of troops risks falling into an ambush."
"Chief Meng, Gao Ding is wicked, but he cannot be killed."
"His backup plan."
"Perhaps it contains all of Sima Yi's hidden plans in the south."
"Keeping him alive is the only way to bring out all the hidden dangers."
Although Ma Zhong was impatient, he knew that Li Hui's words made sense.
He let out a heavy snort.
In the end, he suppressed his anger.
"Since General Li has said so, this subordinate will obey!"
"However, if reinforcements approach, this humble general absolutely cannot stand idly by!"
Meng Huo also put away his scimitar and nodded.
"Alright, alright, for General Li's sake."
"Spare that scoundrel's life for now."
"But if he dares to play any tricks, I'll make him wish he were dead!"
Li Hui nodded and then gave orders to the guards outside the tent.
His voice was deep and commanding, leaving no room for doubt.
"Bring Gao Ding in; I intend to interrogate him personally."
A moment later, the sound of chains dragging on the ground could be heard.
Gao Ding was escorted in by two bodyguards.
His clothes were stained with blood, and his hair was disheveled.
Yet he still held his chin up, his eyes defiant.
A disdainful sneer hung at the corner of his mouth.
He showed no trace of the disheveled state of a prisoner.
[Gao Ding was secretly pleased]: You think you've captured me.
You won by annihilating 10,000 elite troops?
Lord Sima Yi had already laid out his contingency plan.
Before long, you will be decapitated.
Nanzhong will ultimately be my territory!
Seeing his appearance, Ma Zhong's anger flared up again.
He stepped forward and shouted sternly.
"Haute couture! Even now, you still dare to be arrogant!"
"Sima Yi's reinforcements are on their way."
"What exactly is this 'backup plan' you're talking about?"
"Confess quickly, and perhaps I will spare your life!"
Gao Ding scoffed.
He glanced at Ma Zhong with disdain.
His tone was sinister and full of disdain.
"Spare my life? With your strength?"
"The methods of Lord Sima Yi."
"How could you possibly fathom it?"
"When the counter-move will occur is predetermined."
"You just need to wait to die!"
Upon seeing this, Meng Huo immediately drew his sword.
Li Hui reached out and stopped him.
Li Hui slowly stood up and walked to Gao Ding.
His gaze was sharp as a knife, staring directly into his eyes.
His tone was calm, yet carried a sense of pressure.
"Gao Ding, you colluded with Sima Yi."
"It wreaked havoc in the south and killed countless people."
"He deserves to die a thousand deaths."
"Do you think Sima Yi is genuinely helping you?"
"He just wants to use you to tie down our army."
"It's just about controlling the South."
"Once you're no longer useful, he'll be the first to kill you."
"Reveal your backup plan and hand over the list of your informants."
"His Majesty might spare your life, out of consideration for the people of the South, and grant you a complete corpse."
A slight movement flashed in Gao Ding's eyes.
It was then replaced by stubbornness.
He suddenly turned his head and roared.
"Stop trying to sow discord!"
"I will never betray Lord Sima Yi."
"Don't even think about getting a single word out of me!"
[Gao Ding is certain in his heart]: Lord Sima Yi made a promise.
As long as I hold them off, reinforcements will arrive.
They will surely be able to rescue me and give me control of the South.
How could I let all my efforts go to waste?
Li Hui looked at his stubborn and unyielding demeanor.
He sighed inwardly, but said nothing more.
He ordered his personal guards, "Take him back to the prison camp."
"Keep a close watch on them and forbid anyone from contacting them."
"We monitored his every move day and night."
"Yes, sir!"
The guards escorted Gao Ding away.
Silence fell again inside the tent.
Just then, a scout appeared, covered in sweat.
He rushed into the tent and knelt on one knee.
His tone was hurried and full of panic.
"General, Chief, something terrible has happened!"
"In the woods to the west of the camp."
"Several unidentified bodies were discovered."
"He was carrying the token of an undercover agent under Sima Yi."
"There are still secret messages that haven't been sent out!"
Li Hui's expression changed drastically.
He quickly said, "Quickly, bring up the secret letter!"
The scout handed over a sealed letter with both hands.
Li Hui opened it and frowned even more.
His expression grew increasingly grave.
[Li Hui suddenly realized]: There really was a hidden agent!
The secret letter contained a map showing the camp's defenses.
There are also secret codes for communication between haute couture and hidden agents.
It seems they had already secretly colluded and were waiting for their chance to act.
Ma Zhong stepped forward and saw the contents of the secret letter.
He was furious and gritted his teeth.
"What a shrewd Sima Yi!"
"They actually planted so many spies outside our camp."
"They're clearly planning an inside-outside attack!"
Meng Huo's expression also darkened.
He gripped the scimitar tightly, his knuckles turning white.
"These scoundrels, they've hidden themselves well!"
"Why don't we give the order immediately?"
"Search the camp thoroughly, inside and out."
"Find all the hidden agents and eliminate them one by one!"
Li Hui waved his hand, his expression remaining calm.
"No."
"These undercover agents are just small fry."
"Killing them would only alert the enemy."
"Let the mastermind, who is hiding deep within, take the opportunity to escape."
"Pass down the order: pretend that no one has discovered the spy."
"Deploy the defenses as originally planned."
"Secretly monitor all suspicious persons."
"Lure the snake out of its hole and wipe out all the hidden agents in one fell swoop."
"At the same time, additional troops were deployed to guard the prison camps."
"Be vigilant to prevent high-end brands from colluding with undercover agents and taking the opportunity to escape."
"Yes, sir!"
Ma Zhong and Meng Huo responded in unison.
He immediately turned around and went to deploy his troops.
Li Hui stood alone inside the tent.
Looking at the secret letter on the table, he was filled with vigilance.
[Li Hui's inner thoughts]: The hidden agents have been discovered.
The high-end brand's follow-up move is also about to be revealed.
Sima Yi's reinforcements are on their way.
A triple crisis.
The situation in Yuexi is more dangerous than I expected.
This matter must be reported to the Prime Minister and His Majesty as soon as possible.
Requesting instructions.
Meanwhile, in Wei's camp.
The lights were dim, and the atmosphere was oppressive.
It was so oppressive it was suffocating.
Sima Yi sat upright in the main seat.
He held the fake secret letter in his hand.
A smug, arrogant smile curled at the corner of his lips.
But a sinister, cold glint was hidden in his eyes.
[Sima Yi's smugness]: Liu Shan is a brat, and Li Hui is a scoundrel.
They were indeed fooled by me.
They thought I had only sent 10,000 elite troops.
Little did they know that I had already arranged for a second reinforcement.
There are also high-end countermeasures to restrain them.
A bodyguard bowed and reported.
His tone was respectful, and he dared not look up.
"News has come from our secret contacts in the south."
"The Shu army was indeed completely unprepared."
"They're still busy interrogating Gao Ding; the camp's defenses are riddled with holes."
Sima Yi slowly raised his eyes.
His tone was icy, carrying an unquestionable air of authority.
"Pass down the order."
"Have the second reinforcements speed up their march."
"You must arrive in Yuexi within three days."
"To converge with the underground network in the south."
"Also, pass on my secret order."
"Let the hidden line contact the haute couture immediately."
"Launching the contingency plan as originally intended."
"Disrupt the Shu army's deployment and facilitate the entry of reinforcements into the city."
"We must capture Li Hui, Ma Zhong, and Meng Huo in one fell swoop."
"Take Yuexi!"
[Sima Yi's ruthlessness]: This time, he is determined to completely control the South.
Cut off Shu Han's source of soldiers and provisions.
Let that brat Liu Shan taste the consequences of opposing me, Sima Yi!
"Yes, sir!"
The guard bowed in agreement and hurriedly left.
Sima Yi walked outside the tent.
Looking south.
A glint of greed and ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.
He was determined to take over the southern lands.
No one can stop it.
Inside the imperial palace in Jianye, Eastern Wu.
Sun Quan sat upright on the dragon throne.
Zhang Zhao and Zhuge Jin stood before him.
His expression was hesitant and indecisive, and his whole being exuded a sense of entanglement.
"A letter has been sent by an envoy from Shu Han."
Sun Quan spoke slowly, his tone full of consideration.
"Showing goodwill while applying pressure."
"They said that if my Eastern Wu dared to collude with Sima Yi..."
"They will cut off the trade in Shu brocade and send a large army to approach the border."
[Sun Quan's inner thoughts]: Shu Han is currently enjoying great momentum.
Liu Shan, though seemingly foolish, was actually a man of great wisdom and foresight.
They could even see through Sima Yi's schemes.
Sima Yi, on the other hand, was cunning and treacherous.
If we collude with him, we risk being used by him.
Ultimately, the losses outweighed the gains.
"But what if we submit to Shu Han?"
"This is also detrimental to the development of Eastern Wu."
"After all, Shu is strong and Wu is weak, and Wu may be swallowed up by Shu Han in the future."
Zhang Zhao bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I believe..."
"We will not form an alliance with any party for the time being."
"Shu Han and Cao Wei fought each other in the south."
"We just need to hold our positions and observe the situation."
"If Shu Han wins, we will continue to maintain the Shu-Wu alliance."
"Preserve the Shu brocade trade; if Cao Wei wins, we will make other plans."
"Only in this way can the interests of Eastern Wu be protected to the greatest extent possible."
Zhuge Jin nodded in agreement.
"What Lord Zhang says is absolutely right."
"Sima Yi is ambitious and far from being a benevolent person."
"To collude with him is tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin."
"Although Liu Shan was resourceful."
"But Shu Han is ultimately a potential threat to Eastern Wu, and we cannot rely on it entirely."
"I suggest that we send an envoy to respond to Shu Han."
"This shows that Eastern Wu has no intention of colluding with Sima Yi, nor will it support Gao Ding."
"To maintain a superficial alliance for the time being."
"At the same time, we secretly reorganized our troops and made full preparations."
Sun Quan remained silent for a moment.
A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he slowly nodded.
"Alright, let's do as you two say."
"Immediately dispatch an envoy with generous gifts."
"Go to Shu Han to respond and express Eastern Wu's position."
"At the same time, he ordered generals in various regions to strengthen their defenses."
"Closely monitor the situation in the South China Sea and be prepared to respond to any emergencies."
Sun Quan made up his mind: When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits.
I just need to wait and see.
Wait until both sides are severely weakened before making a move to maximize profits.
This is the way for Eastern Wu to survive.
"Yes, sir!"
Zhang Zhao and Zhuge Jin responded in unison.
He turned and left.
Inside the Zichen Hall of the Chengdu Imperial Palace.
The lights were on full display, as bright as day.
Liu Shan sat upright on the dragon throne.
His expression was resolute as he played with the jade pendant in his hand.
There was not a trace of panic in his eyes.
He was completely different from his previous "incompetent" self.
Dong Yun stood respectfully to one side.
He held in his hands the secret report delivered by Li Hui.
In a respectful tone: "Your Majesty, General Li has sent a secret report."
"Sima Yi's spies were discovered outside the Yuexi camp."
"They also intercepted a secret letter."
"We learned that Sima Yi had dispatched a second reinforcement to Yuexi."
"Hyper-custom designs also have hidden tricks up their sleeves."
Upon hearing this, Liu Shan's lips curled into a faint smile.
His tone was calm and confident.
"I had long anticipated that Sima Yi would not let this go."
"His little schemes cannot escape my notice."
[Liu Shan understood]: Sima Yi wanted to use a secret agent and reinforcements.
With a high-end counter-strategy, a triple attack was launched to take down Yuexi.
Control the South Central Region.
Little did they know that I had already laid a trap.
We're just waiting for him to walk right into our trap.
Dong Yun's eyes were full of admiration.
He bowed and asked, "Your Majesty, the situation is perilous."
"General Li requests instructions."
"Should we send more reinforcements to support Yuexi?"
Liu Shan shook his head, his tone resolute.
"No need."
"I have already ordered Dong Jue to lead five thousand elite troops."
"Stationed on the southern border of Shu to intercept Sima Yi's reinforcements."
"He will certainly live up to my expectations."
"Block the reinforcements outside Yuexi."
"Furthermore, convey my imperial decree."
"Order Prime Minister Zhuge Liang to act according to the circumstances."
"Assist Li Hui, Ma Zhong, and Meng Huo."
"Uncover the hidden connections in the south and crack the high-end custom-made product's backup plan."
"Completely quell the rebellion in Yuexi."
"Tell General Li that there is no need to be impatient; proceed steadily and surely."
"I believe in them; they will surely be able to defend Yuexi."
"Suppress the rebellion in the south."
[Liu Shan's plan]: Nanzhong is the source of soldiers and provisions for Shu Han.
It must be completely quelled.
This time, the goal is not only to defeat Sima Yi's reinforcements.
We must also uncover all hidden connections to prevent future troubles.
This will clear obstacles for the future Northern Expedition.
"I obey your decree!"
Dong Yun bowed and agreed.
He turned and hurriedly left to deliver the imperial decree.
Liu Shan walked to the window of the palace.
Looking south.
His expression was solemn, yet resolute.
The battle over Yuexi was not without its twists and turns.
But victory will ultimately belong to Shu Han.
As night deepened, the Yuexi Shu army camp...
All was quiet, utterly still.
Only the footsteps of the night patrol soldiers could be heard.
The sound lingered slowly in the camp.
Inside the prison camp, Gao Ding leaned against the corner of the wall.
With eyes closed, breathing was steady.
A strange smile always lingered on his lips.
[Gao Ding was secretly delighted]: The time is almost up.
The hidden line should have already received the signal.
The counter-move will be launched soon.
Then I can take the opportunity to escape.
They joined forces with Sima Yi's reinforcements and turned the tide, defeating the Shu army!
Outside the camp, several dark figures were visible.
Like a ghost, it moved silently through the woods.
Avoid the sight of the night patrol soldiers.
Stealthily made our way towards the camp.
They held short knives in their hands.
His eyes were sinister, and his expression was icy.
It was Sima Yi's hidden agent in the south.
He was still holding the secret code he had agreed upon with the high-end client.
The patrolling soldiers were completely unaware.
They continued their routine patrols of the camp.
A dark figure stealthily crept outside the prison camp.
He blew a low whistle towards the camp.
The whistle was faint, yet it reached Gao Ding's ears precisely.
Gao Ding suddenly opened his eyes.
A glint of light flashed in his eyes.
He slowly stood up and moved towards the entrance of the prison camp.
Deep within the camp, inside Li Hui's tent.
The lights were still on.
He was facing a map.
They were pondering countermeasures to break through the high-end customization strategy.
Little did they know, a conspiracy was brewing against the Shu army.
The curtain has already quietly risen.
[End of Chapter]