xymnovel Chapter 491 The Escape Was Quite a Messy One
Chapter 491 The Escape Was Quite a Messy One
As Li Yuanji fled, the wind howled in his ears, but his heart was filled with icy coldness.
He never imagined he would end up like this, that in a moment of impulsiveness he would drag the entire army into an abyss of no return.
Regret and fear intertwined in his heart, transforming into an indescribable force that drove him to run desperately.
However, no matter how hard he tried, those two death-like auras relentlessly pursued him.
Finally, during a frantic escape, Li Yuanji stumbled and nearly fell.
At this critical moment, the Lion Camel King suddenly exerted his strength, his body moving like lightning, instantly closing the distance with Li Yuanji.
He roared, and the Lion Camel Breaking Army Blade, with a whistling sound as it tore through the air, slashed fiercely at Li Yuanji.
Li Yuanji felt a chilling gust of wind rushing towards him, and he was terrified.
He instinctively dodged to the side, but was still struck in the left ear by the sharp blade. In the intense pain, he felt his vision go black as his left ear was sliced off, blood gushing out.
He screamed in agony, but dared not stop, and could only continue his desperate escape.
However, before he could escape far, the Mountain Lion Camel was already close behind, and the Hunyuan Liujin Axe swept in with earth-shattering force.
Li Yuanji had nowhere to dodge and could only watch helplessly as the heavy weapon crashed down on him. With a "crack," his right arm snapped off, and in excruciating pain, he let out another piercing scream.
Li Yuanji fell to the ground, dust and blood mingling, obscuring his once proud face.
He struggled to get up, but found himself unable to move.
The Yellow Turban Army surged in from all sides like a tide, and the shadow of death loomed over his heart.
Li Yuanji was in so much pain that he almost fainted, but he knew that he absolutely could not fall down at this moment.
He endured the excruciating pain, mustered all his strength to get up, and continued to flee into the distance.
His figure looked particularly disheveled and desolate on the battlefield, but he couldn't care less about that now.
Just as Li Yuanji was desperately trying to escape, Shan Shituo wanted to continue the pursuit, but at this time, the support team prepared by Li Shimin arrived late.
Furthermore, Li Xiuning's archer cavalry, which was not far away, had already helped Li Yuanba deal with those assassins and, relying on the advantage of cavalry, had quickly approached the battlefield.
Arrows rained down from the sky, accurately killing the Yellow Turban soldiers.
Seeing this, Li Yuanji felt a surge of hope for survival.
At this point, he had no time to consider matters of dignity.
All he knew was that he had to survive, even in this wretched way. He gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain and humiliation, and continued to flee towards Li Xiuning's rapidly approaching figure.
"Sister! It's me... Yuanji! I... I almost didn't see you again!"
Finally, when Li Xiuning's heroic figure came into view, Li Yuanji could no longer suppress his emotions and, with a sob in his voice, shouted with all his might.
Upon hearing this, Li Xiuning's heart tightened, and she immediately recognized the familiar figure, though it was ragged and covered in dust.
She yanked the reins sharply, and her warhorse neighed loudly, rearing up and coming to a screeching halt on the battlefield.
Li Xiuning's eyes were filled with anger. She quickly glanced at Li Yuanji's injuries and saw that although he was in a sorry state, he was fortunately not seriously injured, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.
"Yuanji, what's wrong with you?"
"Why would Father allow you to lead the troops in pursuit alone?"
Li Xiuning's voice carried a hint of anger.
"Sister...it was me...it was me who asked Father to let me lead the troops in pursuit!"
Upon hearing his sister's question, Li Yuanji felt an outlet for his pent-up grievances and fears. He choked back tears and spoke haltingly.
Upon hearing this, Li Xiuning frowned, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
"Yuanji, don't be afraid. With me here, no one can harm you."
As Li Xiuning spoke, she reached out and gently patted Li Yuanji's shoulder.
"Sister, I...I know I was wrong."
"I shouldn't have acted impulsively on my own."
Li Yuanji's voice was filled with deep regret.
Upon hearing this, Li Xiuning sighed, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She knew that her youngest brother, despite being born into a prestigious family, was a complete good-for-nothing who often acted recklessly, relying on the family's protection.
She had initially thought Li Yuanji was just a bit reckless, but she never imagined he would be so incompetent. What was even more worrying was that he seemed unaware of his own shortcomings.
The most speechless thing is being so bad at something without even realizing it.
Otherwise, the prestigious Duke of Tang's mansion wouldn't be so short of food.
Compared to his second brother Li Shimin, Li Yuanji was far inferior.
Li Shimin was wise and brave, and had a deep understanding of strategy, while Li Yuanji often overestimated his abilities and insisted on competing with him at every turn.
If he weren't actually Li Shimin's own brother, he would have been played to death by Li Shimin countless times over!
Li Xiuning's gaze fell once again on Li Yuanji's disheveled figure, and a complex emotion welled up in her heart.
He shook his head slightly, his disdain mixed with heartache, before turning his gaze to the distant battlefield.
The Yellow Turban Army was swift and cunning, mastering the art of survival. Once the ambush was completed, they did not linger in battle, like a rabbit with three burrows. As Li Xiuning's archer cavalry gradually approached, they retreated like the tide and disappeared into the vast land.
However, Li Xiuning was not blinded by her temporary advantage.
The way of war is to remain humble in victory and undeterred in defeat, and more importantly, to have a long-term strategic vision.
Li Xiuning did not want to pursue them. From her strategic perspective, this first ambush was probably just bait.
If cavalry were to pursue them again, they would likely be met by another ambush force.
Moreover, it may contain a large number of cavalry!
In this situation, unless Li Yuanba himself takes the lead, any blind pursuit will be arduous and unrewarding, and may even put the entire army in danger.
Therefore, after looking at it for a moment, Li Xiuning gave up the idea of continuing the pursuit without hesitation!
"Pass on my order: the entire army shall cease pursuit and rest on the spot."
Thinking of this, Li Xiuning turned to the messenger beside her and gave instructions.
Upon hearing this, the messenger immediately obeyed and left.
"Take a detachment and escort Yuanji back to camp immediately, ensuring his safety. I will lead the main force to retreat slowly, lest the Yellow Turban army devise any further schemes."
She turned to the adjutant beside her and gave him instructions.
Upon hearing this, the deputy general immediately accepted the order and left. People from the Duke of Tang's mansion had never had any doubts about Li Xiuning's wisdom and decisiveness.
He carried out her orders without hesitation.
Only after confirming that everything was in place did Li Xiuning confidently lead the main force in a slow retreat.
No matter how incompetent or useless Li Yuanji was, he was still her brother and her family.
No matter what, we must first get him safely back so that his father can make the final decision.