novelSusiti Chapter 40 Disputes Between Han and Foreigners, Shadows Hiding
Chapter 40 Disputes Between Han and Foreigners, Shadows Hiding
Horse hooves trod through the dilapidated streets and alleys.
Dust rose and settled on the dilapidated walls.
Li Hui pressed his chest wound and spurred his horse to gallop.
Cold sweat mingled with dust and slid down his temples.
[Li Hui was extremely anxious]: Once the barbarians and the Han people turn against each other, the south will surely be in chaos.
Your Majesty's new policies will then be in vain.
I absolutely cannot let the masked man's evil scheme succeed!
The atmosphere outside Meng Huo's tribal camp was tense.
Several Yi people gripped curved knives.
His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the Shu soldiers in front of him.
The Shu soldiers also stood with their hands on their swords, looking wary.
The two sides are only a spark away from igniting a conflict.
Meng Huo stood in the middle.
He had one hand on the hilt of his curved sword, his face ashen.
His brows were furrowed with anxiety and helplessness.
"Stop it, all of you!"
Li Hui's voice suddenly rang out.
With an undeniable air of authority, it overwhelmed the noise of the scene.
He dismounted and staggered forward.
The wound on his chest was pulled, causing him to groan in pain.
Yet he still stood tall with his back straight and his gaze unwavering.
Upon seeing their commander arrive, the Shu soldiers sheathed their swords and stood at attention.
Their expressions were respectful, and they dared not slacken in the slightest.
The Yi people gradually laid down their scimitars.
He still looked doubtful, his eyes fixed on Li Hui.
A young foreigner stepped forward.
His voice was hoarse, still tinged with anger: "General Li, you speak!"
"Is the Shu army going to back out?"
"Are they going to seize our land and levy our taxes?"
Li Hui raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.
His gaze slowly swept over the Han and Yi soldiers present.
"His Majesty personally issued a secret order in Chengdu."
"Promise autonomy to the southern and central tribes and a three-year tax exemption."
"Every word carries immense weight; I will never break my promise."
He took out a secret letter written by Liu Shan from his bosom.
He held it high, his voice steady: "This is His Majesty's handwritten letter."
"You may come forward and examine the promises above one by one."
The Yi people looked at each other in bewilderment.
No one dared to step forward easily, still harboring doubts.
Meng Huo strode forward and took the secret letter.
He read it aloud word by word, his voice strong and clear.
After reading it aloud, he handed the secret letter back to Li Hui.
He turned to his clansmen and shouted sternly, "Foolish!"
"His Majesty has shown our tribe immeasurable kindness; how could he possibly break his promise?"
"Those rumors were spread by Wei's scouts and the masked man's henchmen."
"Their intention is to incite us to turn against Shu Han and plunge the southern regions into war!"
[Meng Huo felt guilty]: It's all my fault for not being able to control him properly.
The fact that the clansmen believed the rumors almost ruined the overall situation of unity between the Yi and Han peoples.
He has failed His Majesty's trust.
The young foreigner looked ashamed.
He bowed deeply and said, "Chief, General Li, we were foolish."
"This almost led to a huge mistake; I'll never believe rumors again!"
"To admit one's mistakes and correct them is a good thing."
Li Hui waved his hand, softening his tone.
"We are all subjects of Shu Han, regardless of whether we are Han or barbarian."
"Today we stand shoulder to shoulder to defend Yuexi, tomorrow we will share in peace."
"This is what His Majesty wants to see."
"Let's unite to protect the south and safeguard the land of Sichuan!"
I don't know who shouted it first.
Immediately afterwards, both Han and Yi soldiers shouted in unison.
The sound echoed through the streets and alleys.
The previous barriers and wariness vanished at this moment.
Looking at the scene before him, Li Hui felt somewhat at ease.
He turned to Meng Huo and said, "Chief Meng, please continue to appease your people."
"Take strict precautions against the resurgence of rumors."
"General Li, rest assured, I will personally inspect the area."
Meng Huo responded in a deep voice, his tone firm: "We will absolutely not allow the masked men any opportunity!"
Li Hui mounted his horse and turned it around.
He sped off toward the city gate—he was worried about the clues on Dong Jue's side.
Outside the city gate, candlelight flickered beside the corpse.
The surrounding ruins were illuminated, their light flickering in and out of focus.
Dong Jue squatted on the ground.
His fingertips gently traced the snake-shaped totem on the corpse's wrist.
His brows were furrowed, and his expression was solemn.
"General, the totem portrait has been completed."
A soldier handed over the drawing paper and reported in a low voice.
"Apart from that, there are no other clues."
Dong Jue took the drawing paper and his gaze fell on the totem.
The snake's body is slender, and there is a tiny dot at its eye.
Strange and unfamiliar, I've never seen anything like it before.
[Dong Jue thought to himself]: This totem definitely does not belong to Cao Wei.
It is not the mark of the southern barbarians.
It must be a mark of the faction to which the masked man belongs.
Perhaps this will allow us to find his trail.
"General Li."
When Dong Jue saw Li Hui arrive, he stood up and bowed.
He handed over the drawing paper: "Look at this totem."
"I have never seen it before and do not know its origin."
Li Hui took the drawing paper.
The moment his gaze fell on the totem, his pupils suddenly contracted.
The wound on my chest seemed to hurt even more.
[Li Hui was shocked]: It's it!
The mysterious force that His Majesty mentioned in Yong'an Palace back then.
The totem on the keepsake looks exactly like this.
The dots in the snake's eyes are its core markings!
"General Dong, do you know what's behind this totem?"
Li Hui's voice was hoarse, his tone urgent: "Is it a mysterious force hidden in the shadows?"
Dong Jue's expression changed: "So, the masked man has a powerful backer?"
"That's probably the case." Li Hui nodded and put the drawing paper away.
"Immediately dispatch elite fast horses to send this totem image to Chengdu."
"Your Majesty, I wish to inquire about the details of this mysterious force."
"Yes, sir!"
Dong Jue dared not delay and immediately arranged for his soldiers to set off.
Meanwhile, thirty miles outside the city, there was a large Wei army camp.
The scouts rushed into the main tent.
He knelt on one knee, trembling all over: "My lord, something terrible has happened!"
"The conflict within Yuexi City has been resolved, and the Yi and Han soldiers are united once again."
"All the scouts we sent to spread rumors have been caught!"
Sima Yi slammed his hand on the table.
The teacup on the table shattered with a crack, and the tea spilled onto the secret letter on the table.
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"
He shouted angrily, his eyes filled with sinister rage.
"You can't even handle something as trivial as sowing discord between the Han and the barbarians; what use are you?"
[Sima Yi's inner thoughts]: This Liu Shan has managed to quickly win over the hearts of Li Hui and Meng Huo.
With the Yi and Han people of one heart, it seems that the southern region is a tough nut to crack.
It's harder than I expected.
The general standing nearby bowed and advised, "My lord, please calm down."
"Although the Shu army quelled the dispute, all their provisions were burned and their armory was destroyed."
"They're at their last gasp; we just need to wait patiently, and an opportunity will surely arise."
Sima Yi took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.
His gaze sharpened again, and his expression turned sinister.
"Pass on my order: the entire army shall remain on high alert."
"Send another team of elite scouts, disguised as merchants, to infiltrate Yuexi City."
"Find out the true situation regarding the city's food supplies and troop strength."
"In addition, closely monitor the masked man's movements."
"If he doesn't show up, send people to look for him."
"Bring him back, dead or alive!"
"Yes, sir!"
The generals responded and withdrew without the slightest hesitation.
Inside the large tent, Sima Yi stood alone.
Looking in the direction of Yuexi City, a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
Sima Yi sneered inwardly: Even if the barbarians and the Han are of one mind.
Without food and weapons, Yuexi City cannot be held for long.
Liu Shan, I'd like to see how long you can hold out.
As night deepened, the lights of Yuexi City gradually came on.
It dispelled some of the gloom and brought a glimmer of life.
The Shu soldiers were busy repairing the city walls and clearing the ruins.
The Yi people gathered food from all over the place.
There was a scene of unity and cooperation, with no trace of the previous estrangement.
Li Hui and Dong Jue stood side by side on the city tower.
Gazing at the pitch-black night outside the city, his expression remained solemn.
"General Dong, where do you think the masked man is right now?"
Li Hui asked softly, his tone tinged with doubt.
Dong Jue shook his head, his tone slow and deliberate: "This person's movements are elusive, like a ghost."
"They may still be hiding in the city, or they may have already left the city to join up with the Wei army."
"But he will not give up so easily."
[Li Hui secretly realized]: There is a mysterious force behind the masked man.
He possessed the Liu-character jade pendant and the Cao Wei gold-patterned Wei token.
His purpose is probably not just to disrupt the South.
Just then, a soldier rushed over.
He knelt on one knee, his expression urgent: "General! Something terrible has happened!"
"A fragment of a jade pendant was found in a dark alley in the northwest corner of the city."
"It's exactly the same as the one that fell before!"
Li Hui and Dong Jue exchanged a glance.
A glint of light flashed in his eyes, along with a hint of seriousness.
"Quick, take us there!"
Li Hui gave the order sternly and began to stride forward.
The two followed the soldiers and hurried to the dark alley in the northwest corner of the city.
The alley was pitch black.
Only the moonlight shone through the cracks in the wall, illuminating the tiny jade fragment on the ground.
It gleamed with a faint, cold light, making it particularly conspicuous.
The pattern on this fragment perfectly matches the one Li Hui had found earlier.
Li Hui bent down and picked up the broken pieces.
As I traced the lines with my fingertips, my heart sank.
[Li Hui was startled to realize]: The two fragments were pieced together.
It turned out to be half a complete jade pendant with the character "Liu".
Moreover, the pattern is extremely similar to the jade pendant on His Majesty's waist!
"General Dong, look."
Li Hui pieced the two fragments together and handed them to Dong Jue.
Dong Jue took it and examined it closely; his face instantly turned deathly pale.
His voice trembled: "This...this belongs to the Shu Han imperial family."
"How could a masked man have something like this?"
Li Hui remained silent.
The doubts in my heart grew heavier and heavier, making it hard to breathe.
Who exactly is the masked man?
Why did he possess the imperial jade pendant? And why did he collude with Cao Wei?
Just then, a dark shadow flashed past at the end of the alley.
It moved at an astonishing speed, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.
"Chase!"
Li Hui shouted loudly, grabbed his long sword, and took the lead in giving chase.
Dong Jue and his soldiers followed closely behind.
But when they reached the exit of the dark alley, the shadowy figure had already vanished without a trace.
Only a faint, exotic fragrance remained.
It lingered in the air for a long time.
Li Hui stood at the exit of the dark alley, clutching the jade pendant fragment in his hand.
His eyes were filled with determination, and his expression was resolute.
[Li Hui secretly made up his mind]: No matter who you are, no matter what your conspiracy is.
I will definitely find out your identity and uncover all the mysteries.
We will never fail His Majesty's trust.
In the shadows of the dark alley, the masked man stood silently.
He slowly removed his mask, revealing a face covered in scars.
His eyes were filled with an eerie light that sent chills down one's spine.
He held the other half of the Liu-character jade pendant in his hand.
A sinister smile curled at the corner of his lips as he murmured, "Liu Shan, Li Hui."
"You'll soon find out who I am..."
Outside the city, at the Wei army's main camp, Sima Yi received a report from scouts.
Upon learning that jade fragments had appeared in Yuexi City, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He then fell into deeper scheming, his expression turning sinister and unpredictable.
The night was as dark as ink, but the lights of Yuexi City remained bright.
But the hidden crisis never dissipated; instead, it grew stronger.
Half a jade pendant, a strange totem, a mysterious force.
The true identity of the masked man became a knot in everyone's hearts.
No one noticed the faint, exotic fragrance.
This was the incense used only by members of the royal family in the Chengdu Palace.
A wisp of fragrance quietly intertwined the masked man with the Shu Han imperial family.
This also laid the deepest foreshadowing for the political turmoil that would ensue after the pacification of the south.
[End of Chapter]