Chapter 447: Chapter 454: The Color of Gravity
 

Indeed, dealing with a brother-in-law is never easy. After all these years, his attitude towards him hasn’t changed much – still as critical and disdainful as ever, and all he could do was respond politely.

Upon seeing that Su Hengxuan had made several cutting remarks to Han Yu, Su Wenyue didn’t want her husband to lose face, but since it was her own Second Brother, she could only say, “Husband, don’t worry. Father and Mother will take care of everything. You don’t need to worry about me and the child. Just take good care of yourself and don’t get too caught up in official duties.”

Seeing Su Wenyue act this way, Su Hengxuan sneered. Women truly become part of their husbands’ families after marriage. She pours herself out like water for her husband, never to return.

For fear that a large group would attract attention, the Su family left the city at dusk the day before and waited for Su Wenyue outside at the Zhuangzi. Therefore, Su Hengxuan escorted Su Wenyue directly out of the city. When Mr. and Mrs. Su arrived, they disguised themselves as a caravan and set off. Su Hengxuan escorted them to the next market town and then headed back. Compared to Su Hengxuan, Master Su, having roamed all over the country, had richer experiences, and Madam Su was also quite assured in her actions. Therefore, there was no need for Su Hengxuan to worry.

On the contrary, Mr. and Mrs. Su were somewhat concerned about their youngest son who stayed in Yiyang Prefecture. Their eldest son had gone to the Capital City and no news had come back. Now, their youngest son was about to face danger. Although it was less risky than the Capital City, being responsible for post-war supplies still carried risks. However, parents are always concerned for their children, so they advised Su Hengxuan at length.

Seeing that everything else had been said by Father and Mother, Su Wenyue only said to Su Hengxuan, “Second Brother, if you encounter any difficulty, just go to your brother-in-law. I’ve already instructed my husband to look after you. Besides, he’s your brother-in-law – don’t be shy to take advantage of him!”

Apparently Su Wenyue was worried that Su Hengxuan, out of pride, wouldn’t seek help from Han Yu, so she added another line behind his back.

“Got it, don’t worry. How could I pass up the chance to boss my brother-in-law around!” Su Hengxuan was actually quite happy. It seemed his sister did care about him; she had just made her arrangements carefully in advance. Moreover, the relationship between him and Han Yu wasn’t really bad; they were just playing around. They always discussed important matters seriously. Su Hengxuan wasn’t arrogant; knowing he was less experienced than his father and brothers, and even less so than Han Yu, he became even more cautious and careful in his actions.

Seeing Su Hengxuan like this also put Mr. and Mrs. Su at ease. They had considerable faith in their son-in-law’s capabilities and believed he would certainly look after their son, so safety shouldn’t be a concern.

Su Wenyue and her group, in disguise and following the route Han Yu had arranged, retreated rather smoothly without encountering any difficulties or dangers for the time being.

Meanwhile, in Yiyang Prefecture, with the imperial court army advancing, they had reached the border of Yiyang. The atmosphere was extremely tense both inside and outside the city, as well as in the army. The imperial court tested the waters by sending a few armies to attack. These attempts, perhaps to test the waters, were unfortunately repelled by Han Yu and Liu Xiu, damping the assailants’ morale.

“General Zhao, the rebels are so stubborn. How should we proceed? The Prime Minister has ordered us to recapture Yiyang Prefecture within half a year. What I thought would be a simple task is now looking difficult. Forget half a year, even in a year we might not complete our mission,” said Vice General Zhang Meng, quite frustrated. The situation was pessimistic, and after suffering consecutive setbacks, their morale was low. They hadn’t expected the small rebel force in Yiyang Prefecture to be so resilient, especially since they had brought such a vast number of troops – it should have been easy to conquer. Initially, they had volunteered for this mission, thinking that quelling the rebels would be a great merit. However, they didn’t expect this bone to be so hard to chew.

Hearing his subordinate speak this way, General Zhao Fan’s expression became even more worried. As the commander of the three armies, if he couldn’t successfully complete the task given by the Prime Minister, he would bear the brunt of the blame, especially since he took on the task voluntarily, underestimating the strength of what he considered an undisciplined rabble. Now, he found himself in a difficult situation, and moreover, leading such a significant force yet unable to overcome a small Yiyang Prefecture – it would not sound good if this got out. Others might think he was incompetent for failing to handle such a simple task. As a military officer, Zhao Fan, although proud and self-assured, wouldn’t tolerate such implications.

“Issue the command that in three days, I will personally lead the attack on Yiyang. I refuse to believe that a small Yiyang Prefecture can withstand the assault of my 30,000-strong army. This time, we must capture Yiyang Prefecture!” Zhao Fan was determined. With such a massive disparity in forces, he had initially sought a more graceful victory, so he hadn’t brought his full strength to bear. Now, he felt it was time to strike with full force to turn the tide, or else his troops’ already low morale would truly lead to defeat.

“General, both Liu Xiu and the defending commander of Yiyang Prefecture aren’t simple characters. If we attack rashly, even with our numerical advantage, victory isn’t certain. Perhaps we should reconsider,” Vice General Zhang Meng advised, speaking from experience after engaging in combat over the past few days. He knew firsthand how formidable the rebels were, and seeing General Zhao issue such an order, he couldn’t help but caution him.

“Enough, Vice General Zhang, why do you boost the enemy’s morale and undermine our own? No matter what, the rebels don’t number more than ten thousand. We were too complacent before. If we attack with full force now, we can definitely turn the situation around. Considering that you’ve followed me for a long time, I’ll overlook this lapse just this once. Just remember not to speak such demoralizing words again. Don’t undermine the morale. If there’s a next time, military law will be enforced,” Zhao Fan had fought many battles and, although he had lost some, he had mostly emerged victorious. His pride wouldn’t allow him to be swayed by Vice General Zhang’s words, which seemed to suggest he was inferior to the rebel commanders.

“Yes, sir. I understand,” Zhang Meng knew that at this point, Zhao Fan would not listen to him. If he continued to argue, he would face consequences. Even though he was worried, he had to keep it to himself, hoping that the general could truly win this time. Otherwise, the current stalemate would be preferable. Sadly, he felt the odds were slim.

Zhang Meng didn’t underestimate his general, but having served Zhao Fan for many years, he knew well the extent of his superior’s abilities. Against average commanders, Zhao Fan’s bravery was an asset. But in this case, their opponents were not ordinary. A few minor skirmishes were enough to reveal their skillful strategies. Relying solely on brute force was not a wise move.

Liu Xiu and Han Yu, upon receiving news of Zhao Fan’s order, were quickly informed by their scouts. Both showed serious expressions, but they showed no sign of retreat.