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  Shan Ta didn't take these wooden stakes and grass ropes to heart at all, haha laughed: "No problem, we must scare their guts out."

  Before long it was evening, and just as night began to fall, the Liao soldiers had finished building a wooden palisade around the perimeter.

  Xiao Huwei clearly did not trust these wooden stakes and grass ropes either. In his view, they only served to exercise the soldiers' bodies for a day, but provided no guarantee of safety for Huang Longfu.

  Yelü Hongji also raised doubts: "Chen Shimei, is this really useful?"

  Chen Yuan confidently pointed to the farthest row of wooden stakes in front: "Your Highness, look, that's just within our bowshot. If those Jurchens dare to come again tonight, I guarantee I can avenge our brothers who died yesterday!"

  "Alright, now there are three thousand wooden stakes outside the city. It's getting dark soon. Let three thousand people go out with torches, tie the torches to the stakes and put on windproof covers."

  Although he had some doubts, Yelü Hongji still did what Chen Yuan said.

  When the first row of torches was tied up, Xiao Huwei's face suddenly smiled, and those soldiers' faces also smiled!

  They saw that ahead was a sea of lights, as long as the torches didn't go out, anyone approaching Huanglong House would not be able to avoid being discovered.

  There were ten rows of wooden stakes, and each stake had a torch tied to it. Although the outside of the city couldn't be said to be as bright as daytime, as long as one's eyes weren't nearsighted or presbyopic, they could see everything clearly at a glance.

  Chen Yuanshao said, "Alright, now what we need to do is put some people on this earth wall. Wherever the iron bucket rings and wherever the torch goes out, that's where we'll shoot arrows. No need to see if there are people or not, hehe."

  But Nalum didn't give up after the torches lit up, and thought of sending someone to extinguish a piece of torch first, then sneak in quietly.

  The result was that he was killed by a burst of Liaodong army's arrows, and not only did he lose more than ten men, but his own arm was also shot with an arrow.

  After the Jurchen troops withdrew, more than a thousand Liao soldiers marched out on foot, forming a neat defensive formation, and once again set up the wooden stakes that had been knocked down earlier. The torches were relit.

  Rum led a group of Jurchen women, like ghosts, and in front of this simple wooden stake and torch, they couldn't find an opportunity to launch a surprise attack again.

  After shooting and killing the enemy who wanted to sneak up twice, Huang Longfu was lively again. Everyone praised Chen Yuan's strategy, and Yelü Hongji even set up a celebratory banquet.

  Of course, after the celebration, everyone put down the nightmare that had been entwining in their minds and set up the gambling table again. Those military officers now also understood Yelü Hongji's meaning, guarding here until the reinforcements came from behind.

  Several generals jointly submitted a memorial, which read: The Liao army discovered the traces of the Jurchen people near Huanglong Prefecture. In the first clash between the two sides, several Liao officers died heroically in battle, and the Jurchen people also paid the price of over 100 men. Since Liu Fang led another route of troops whose whereabouts are now unknown, they did not dare to take rash action, so they could only seek help from the rear.

  This memorial, together with Yelü Hongji's memorial, has sufficient persuasive power to make others believe that they indeed encountered the enemy and did not suffer a defeat in the first battle. It was only Liu Fang who acted arbitrarily, bringing trouble to the troops.

  Then, just wait for reinforcements here.

  When the fast horse delivered the war report to Yanjing, it was already evening. Emperor Xingzong of Liao was in Empress Xiao's palace. After all, Empress Xiao was the empress and Emperor Xingzong's original wife. He and their only son had gone on a military campaign, and Empress Xiao had been somewhat restless lately.

  Liao Xingzong then put aside the young concubines by his side, stayed beside Xiao Putili, comforted her and fulfilled his duties as a husband.

  Deep down, Emperor Xingzong of Liao always felt that he owed Xiao no er a great debt. In those years when he ascended to the throne and seized power from his mother's hands, Xiao no er was indispensable. But what had he given her in return?

  It seems like she has nothing but the title of empress.

  What moved Emperor Xingzong of Liao the most was that Xiao Putili never complained, including when he said he did not plan to make Hongji crown prince, Xiao Putili still didn't say anything.

  In his eyes, Xiao Yuerong was different from those concubines who liked to fight for power and favor.

  Liang Zongguan handed the urgent letter for help to Liao Xingzong's hands, and he couldn't help but smile bitterly: "I expected him to ask for help early on, just didn't think it would be so soon! It's only been a few days? They must have just arrived at Huanglong Prefecture not long ago."

  Xiao Xiao's expression looked very anxious: "Your Majesty, is Hong Ji in danger? You knew he wasn't a fighting material from the start, why did you still send him?"

  "Rest assured, everything is under my control. I have already ordered Lian and Jiu to prepare the troops, we can set out tomorrow."

  Xiao Suoli suddenly knelt down in front of Emperor Liao Xingzong: "Your Majesty, I beg of you, let them go on an expedition now and let them rush there at the fastest speed. Those Jurchen women are really fierce, I think Hongji must be scared out of his wits by now."

  As she spoke, her eyes suddenly turned red, and tears instantly filled her eye sockets.

  Liao Xingzong nodded as soon as he saw her like this: "Alright, don't worry, Empress. I'll go get Jiu'er and the princess to see me right now."

  He put on his clothes and said to Liang Zongguan, "Now go and call Yelü Nüwulu and the princess to see me. I will wait for them in the study."

  Manager Liang bowed his head and said: "Yes."

  Liao Xingzong turned around to look at Xiao Pianpian, who was crying extremely sorrowfully, and comforted her with a sentence: "The empress can rest assured, everything will be fine, I'll take care of it, Hongji will come back safely."

  Xiao Xiao's crying voice still didn't stop, but she slightly bent her knees: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

  Liao Xingzong left, and Xiao Sulan's face changed instantly. The pitiful look from earlier disappeared, replaced by a cold smile that hung on the corner of her mouth, with a hint of complacency. After a moment, Xiao Sulan put on a worried expression again, softly calling out: "Someone come."

  A palace maid rushed in: "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

  Xiao Tuli had no close confidants in the palace, and the palace maids and eunuchs around her were all arranged by Emperor Xingzong of Liao. This was also one of the reasons why Emperor Xingzong trusted her so much. Generally, imperial consorts would try to win over the palace maids to do things for them, but Xiao Tuli did not.

  Because she is not an ordinary palace maid.

  "My heart is a bit messy, go and inform the outside to call Guo Shu to see me." When a woman is feeling anxious and upset, it's not unreasonable to ask her brother to come and talk to her.

  Even if Emperor Xingzong of Liao knew about it, he wouldn't suspect anything.

  The palace maid responded and left, and Xiao Yueri fell into deep thought once again. Now, she was already 70% certain that she could find an opportunity to counter Ye Lü Hongji and Ye Lü Nierouluo. As long as there was a chance, she believed that no one could stop Ye Lü Hongji from ascending to the throne, because he was her son.

  Why only seven out of ten? The remaining three, depends on Yelü Hongji's own performance. Although Xiao Tuli has secured this opportunity for Yelü Hongji, the one thing that makes her uneasy is also Yelü Hongji.

  Women can be really deceitful and good at acting sometimes.

  Xiao Si-li easily deceived Liao Xingzong, and also deceived Yelü Rensheng and Yelü Zhongyuan. By the time they realized what was happening, everything would be irretrievable.

  Although it was a midnight summons, Yelü Nügu did not dare to be slow and did not want to be slow. Now he is doing everything for Emperor Xingzong of Liao with great willingness, and what he is doing now is actually solving his own future problems.

  The elite cavalry under his command had long been prepared and assembled in no more than the time it took to drink a cup of tea after receiving the order.

  Ten thousand people, quietly without a sound, as if merged with the surrounding silent black night.

  After the arrival of Princess Yelü's imperial guard, the two troops merged into a mighty river and surged out of the city. The scene was like an earthquake, shattering the quiet night, startling those who were fast asleep.

  When they are quiet, they are imperceptible; when they move, they have the momentum of shaking mountains. This is the elite.

  Yelü Lüjing and Yelü Ne'gulu walked side by side, running out of the city gate together. Yelü Lüjing said: "Ninth brother, from here to Huanglong Prefecture, it will take at least ten or more days. Calculating based on the speed of a fast horse, Hongji has already been surrounded for half a month. Shouldn't we speed up a bit?"

  Although she knew Chen Yuan's plan, Chen Yuan and Yelü Hongji were more than 2,000 miles away. Even the light cavalry under her command would have to run for over a dozen days to get there. Out of sight, out of mind, but still worried in her heart.

  Yelü Niugu also nodded: "Mm, I've already sent out the most elite scouts to gather intelligence in advance. Imperial sister, I know what you're worried about, and your brother doesn't want to explain too much. Let's just say that if I don't come back this time from Hongji, I'll have no face to return to see Emperor Taizong."

  Yelü Niegulu really has no intention of making an issue out of this matter now, because if Yelü Hongji gets into trouble now, it will not do him any good.

  The military report said they killed over a hundred female Zhen people, but Yelü Chucai estimated that eight or nine out of ten were fake. If it was really a face-to-face confrontation between the two sides, how could it be so coincidental? Which generals on the Liao side died?

  Moreover, Liu Fang was the commander who commanded the army alongside Yelü Hongji. Why did he suddenly disappear? All this information made Yelü Neluogu speculate that Yelü Hongji's current situation must be extremely dangerous.

  "Haha, leopard! Total kill!"

  Yelü Hongji had a particularly good hand tonight. More than half a month had passed, and after leaving the imperial palace, he suddenly found that he was not as unbearable as he thought.

  At least tonight was quite impressive, throwing out three leopard-shaped objects and snatching the money from Xiao Huwei's pocket.

  Xiao Huwei had lost all his bets and looked very dejected. Seeing Yelü Hongji's triumphant expression, he gritted his teeth and took off a jade pendant from his neck: "I'll bet this!"

  Yelü Hongji didn't know its value and asked, looking at the jade pendant: "How much is this worth?"

  Xiao Huwei had long forgotten his identity relationship with Yelü Hongji, and said in a tone as if he was speaking to an ordinary person: "Open your eyes wide and take a good look, this is what the previous emperor gave to my father. Even if it's worth less, it can be exchanged for at least three thousand guan!"

  Yelü Hongji looked at Chen Yuan sitting on the Tianmen: "Chen Shimei, help me see if it's worth the money?"

  Chen Yuan took a look at these and said, "Hmmm, worth three thousand guan."

  Yelü Hongji smiled: "Alright, how much will you bet?"

  Xiao Huwei thought for a moment: "Let's bet 500 taels. If I win, I'll get back all the losses of the past few days."

  Yelü Hongji didn't waste any words either. He looked at the general beside him who was responsible for his own troops: "How's it going, are we enough on this front?"

  The official said: "Enough! A thousand pieces of silver is enough for him!"

  Yelü Hongji put down the dice in the bowl: "Alright, everyone has placed their bets!"

  Chen Yuan saw that the forehead of the guard Xiao was covered with sweat, and his face showed a mixture of contradiction and fear. He knew in his heart that this jade pendant might be very important to him.

  Before long, Xiao Huwei's jade pendant was taken away by Yelü Hongji. Although he gave him two thousand strings of cash, Xiao Huwei's face had already turned somewhat unsightly and pale.

  That jade pendant was exchanged for his father's arm that saved the emperor's life, and it was also the only thing left to him by his father before he died.

  Gamblers are like this, when the jade pendant was taken away, he felt very guilty, but at the gambling table, his eyes turned red with excitement, and he would have dug up his old father from the grave to pawn him.

  He glanced at the jade pendant and saw that Yelü Hongji had casually tucked it into his bosom. Xiao Huwei's mouth moved twice, but in the end, he didn't say anything. He took the two thousand guan note that the officer had given him and put it in his pocket, getting up from the gambling table: "Today's luck is not good, let's come again tomorrow."

  People around him squeezed into his position and sat down, and someone shouted: "Go out and patrol, see if the soldiers on duty are lazy."

  Xiao Huwei responded casually, but his eyes glanced at Yelü Hongji again before he turned and left.

  Chen Yuan saw all this, but said nothing and continued to gamble. Tonight Chen Yuan also won some money. In fact, gambling is like this, in a situation where no one cheats, it's either based on luck or based on endurance.

  Chen Yuan's luck had always been good, and he had a lot of money to begin with, so Yelü Hongji won for one night, but didn't win his money.

  By the third watch, more and more people had lost all their money at the gambling table. Yelü Hongji's interest was also almost gone, and only then did the crowd disperse.

  Yelü Hongji's face was all smiles, the standard gambler's smile after winning money. Chen Yuan helped him gather his winnings, and several soldiers came in to clear the table, but Yelü Hongji hastily stopped them: "Don't move anything, don't touch these things. Tonight I've had a streak of good luck, so don't move this table, tomorrow I might still be on a roll."

  Chen Yuan chuckled: "Your Highness, if it's like this every day, I'm afraid these people will all have to beg their way back home."

  Yelü Hongji waved his hand: "Don't worry, I won't let them go back empty-handed. If that's the case, where would my prestige be? I also saw Xiao Huwei's expression just now, and it really pleased me to see him like that. However, as for that jade pendant, I don't want it. Should I return it to him now or should we wait two more days and let him suffer a bit longer?"

  Chen Yuan suddenly stared blankly for a moment, he was thinking of buying the jade pendant back to return it to Xiao Huwei, but unexpectedly Yelü Hongji also had this intention. This child, has really grown up a bit, or was he originally not that unbearable?

  （）

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