bayedsolid Chapter 164 Entering the City and Being Surrounded by Onlookers
Chapter 164 Entering the City and Being Surrounded by Onlookers
"..."
Looking at Li Guangbi, who was tightly bound, Li Mao was at a loss for words.
One look at this man's clear, foolish yet determined eyes, and you know he's not a Turkic spy. A perfectly capable man like Li Guangbi, upon meeting his superior Guo Ziyi, wasn't immediately appreciated or favored, but instead was bound hand and foot.
Just thinking about it makes me feel so sorry for Lee Kwang-bi!
However, Guo Ziyi's concerns were not without merit.
Li Mao pondered for a moment, then asked Li Guangbi, "You claim to be Li Guangbi? What proof do you have?"
Li Guangbi looked up at Li Mao and calmly replied, "If Your Highness does not believe me, you can take me to the Shuofang Army and ask any of the veteran generals there; they will all recognize me."
Li Mao stared at him for a while, and finally ordered his men to loosen the ropes.
“Alright, let him go for now,” Li Mao said. “Judging from his appearance, he seems upright and doesn’t look like a bad person. Don’t worry, Ziyi, if there’s anything suspicious, I will handle it myself.”
"Thank you for your trust, Your Highness." Even though he was bound and his blood was stagnant, Li Guangbi still bowed gratefully to Li Mao.
Li Mao and his entourage finally arrived at the Shuofang Army's camp, where many soldiers were already waiting. Seeing Li Guangbi return safely with Li Mao and his party, the soldiers waiting at the camp gate breathed a sigh of relief.
Several young soldiers, completely ignoring the presence of Li Mao and Guo Ziyi, stepped forward to inquire about Li Guangbi's situation.
"Commander, you're finally back! You rushed off to provide support without a word, and you wouldn't even let us follow you. We thought you'd been captured by those damned Turks!"
"You bet! I've been here the whole time, I've been waiting so long, I've never looked at my wife with such affection!"
Li Guangbi smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Don't worry, everyone, I'm fine."
Seeing this, Li Mao was certain that Li Guangbi was indeed one of his own.
Seeing this scene, one realizes that Li Guangbi is very popular in the army. He leads 5,000 Shuofang soldiers, merely managing and guarding this desolate land, yet he has managed to cultivate such pure-hearted and devoted soldiers who love their superior.
This person's abilities are indeed not to be underestimated!
Thinking this, Li Mao quickly gave Guo Ziyi a wink.
Guo Ziyi just tied Li Guangbi up. If Li Guangbi is petty, the two will become enemies. Once they become enemies, how can the five thousand Shuofang soldiers behind him obey Guo Ziyi's command?
Guo Ziyi realized that he had been too suspicious and felt guilty.
He quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and bowed to Li Guangbi, saying, "I have offended you greatly before. We will fight side by side in the future, so I hope General Li will forgive me."
"General Guo was only acting out of concern for safety, how could I hold a grudge? I only hope to learn more about warfare in the future." Li Guangbi quickly returned the greeting and said with a smile, "This humble general is not a petty person, and I admire General Guo's ability to adapt. I will definitely assist the general in managing the Shuofang Army and guarding the border in the future."
Seeing that the two had reconciled, Li Mao felt relieved.
The fact that these two individuals were able to work together to quell the An Lushan Rebellion in history proves that they possessed a natural affinity and attraction for each other. As long as the misunderstandings can be cleared up, there's nothing to worry about.
"That's enough for today. Everyone, take a day off," Li Mao ordered.
They've been traveling day and night, and just finished another battle; everyone's exhausted. They need to rest properly and continue their research on the Turks tomorrow. Otherwise, this non-stop work will wear them out.
The next morning, the military camp was bustling with activity.
The soldiers have recovered from the previous tension and have begun their daily drills and preparations.
Li Mao, Guo Ziyi, and Li Guangbi then discussed their next course of action inside the tent.
“Yesterday we were almost successfully ambushed by the Turks,” Li Mao said calmly, but his eyes were full of coldness. “This was obviously not a coincidence. There must be someone tipping us off. In other words, there is a Turkic mole in our army, or among the people we consider to be ‘our own.’”
Guo Ziyi nodded and pondered, “That’s right. If the other side hadn’t known our whereabouts beforehand, how could they have set up such a trap so precisely? But I can assure you that the three thousand soldiers I lead are all loyal to the emperor and patriots. It’s impossible for them to be in league with the Turks.”
This was the first time Guo Ziyi had brought people to Shuofang. His men had never betrayed him when facing the wolf army and bandits before, so it was impossible for them to suddenly make contact with the Turks after arriving in Shuofang.
“I had noticed something was off about the Turks ten days ago. They stopped provoking our army as before and became much more subdued. It’s obvious they’re secretly preparing something,” Li Guangbi said.
Ten days ago, it was around the time that Li Mao and his party set off from Chang'an.
It seems there really is an inside agent in Chang'an.
Moreover, this person had met Guo Ziyi and Li Mao; otherwise, the Turks would not have recognized them.
Guo Ziyi said angrily, "I don't know how to find the traitor and clear the names of my soldiers!"
Li Mao nodded and said in a deep voice, "In that case, we might as well hold back for now and pretend we know nothing about the inside man. The other side must still be observing our reaction in secret. If we launch an investigation directly, we might alert them."
Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi exchanged a glance, then replied in unison, "Your Highness is wise; we will follow Your Highness's arrangements!"
The three quickly reached an agreement: they would obey Li Mao's orders.
"Why don't we take advantage of these two days to leave the military camp temporarily and relax?" Li Mao suddenly smiled and suggested, "Who would have thought that a group of people who are indulging in debauchery in Lingzhou City have already become suspicious of them?"
Li Mao's plans were always bold, yet they were always successful.
Guo Ziyi immediately agreed, and Li Guangbi naturally had no objections.
“Then let’s set off now.” Li Mao stood up and straightened his armor. “You two pack your things, and we’ll go into the city together to ‘rest’ for a few days.”
Soon, the three men changed out of their armor.
Accompanied by several soldiers disguised as attendants, he rode away from the military camp.
Although Lingzhou City is not as prosperous as Chang'an City, it is the only place in Shuofang with complete resources and can be called a "city".
The streets are bustling with people coming and going.
When Li Mao and his entourage rode into the city, they immediately attracted everyone's attention.
They had long heard rumors that a new military governor was coming to Shuofang and had been eagerly anticipating his arrival. The most luxurious house in the city had already been bestowed upon the new governor by imperial decree. Leading a large army and living in a mansion—how could they not gather around to see such a prominent figure!