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  Chen Yuan said: "If he had a good hand and won it back himself, then this matter can't be done."

  Yelü Hongji nodded: "Alright, let's go together."

  Xiao Huwei's gatehouse was right next to Yelü Hongji, less than ten meters apart. As soon as Yelü Hongji arrived at the entrance, he saw a lonely figure reflected in the window.

  Two men knocked on the door. Xiao Huwei opened the door and was taken aback for a moment, then immediately asked: "Your Highness, what instructions do you have at this late hour?"

  On the gambling table, he was so excited that he didn't recognize Yelü Hongji. After leaving the table, however, he could tell their identities apart.

  Yelü Hongji looked at his face and saw that he still had a dejected expression. He immediately smiled and said, "Come see if he's asleep?"

  Xiao Huwei stepped aside and bowed his waist, letting Yelü Hongji and Chen Yuan enter: "Just preparing to rest, only the foot washing water has not been brought in yet."

  Yelü Hongji took out the jade pendant from his bosom: "This, return it."

  Xiao Huwei was taken aback at first, then a joyful expression appeared on his face, but he didn't take it and said with some reluctance: "This is the prince's win, now it's not mine anymore."

  Yelü Hongji smiled and forcibly stuffed the jade pendant into his bosom: "This was what my grandfather rewarded to my father, right? Today, I'll reward it again. Take it."

  Xiao Huwei stood there for a moment, his face showing a complex expression, with embarrassment and surprise. After a while, he said: "Oh, then I'll just return those 2,000 guan to the prince."

  Yelü Hongji waved his hand: "Alas, didn't you lose all your stake? Consider that money borrowed from me, and return it to me when we get back to Yanjing. If these days you don't come up to the table to gamble with me because you have no stake, won't that spoil my interest?"

  Xiao Huwei was instantly grateful in his heart, and with a clenched fist said: "Thank you, Your Highness! Rest assured that tomorrow, I will definitely win back the troops that were lost!"

  Chen Yuan and Yelü Hongji burst out laughing. Indeed, Yelü Hongji had done this one thing extremely well, even Chen Yuan couldn't help but admit it.

  As soon as they left the house, Chen Yuan said: "Your Highness, in Yanjing, they all say that you don't understand things, but this matter you handled very well. Can you tell me how you thought of doing it this way?"

  Yelü Hongji was nonchalant: "Is this thing done well? I didn't think much of it, and this pile of stuff is useless to me too. At the time, I brought it from the gambling table just because I was in a good mood while gambling. Moreover, if I hadn't taken it then, he would have said that I looked down on him. Others were the same way; if someone had really lost everything and when we wanted to leave, I would give some back to them."

  Chen Yuan whispered: "That's not good, it's better to lend them some capital like Xiao Huwei."

  Gamblers care most about whether they still have capital, so Chen Yuan dares to say that if Yelü Hongji does this, it will be much better than giving those people some travel expenses before leaving.

  Yelü Hongji didn't care about it, the concept of money was non-existent in his mind, eating, drinking, living and traveling didn't require him to think twice, taking this pile back would indeed be useless.

  He nodded immediately and said: "Alright, but what if I lose everything? Will they return it to me?"

  This question is really a bit silly. Chen Yuan looked at Yelü Hongji and found it quite strange. This child, was he really a bit foolish or just lacking in experience and training?

  Yelü Hongji didn't ask further and suddenly asked after a moment, "Chen Shimei, it's been half a month since we sent out the distress signal. When can my sisters arrive?"

  Chen Yuan roughly calculated: "In more than ten days, when they come, we can leave after staying for two days as a symbol of our surname. This time back, I estimate that the emperor will severely punish us."

  Yelü Hongji said nonchalantly, "It's nothing, I'm used to it. Anyway, that crown prince will eventually be Ninth Brother's. Besides, he has always been good to me, so it doesn't matter. As long as these seven thousand brothers can return safely, that's the most important thing."

  Yelü Hongji said this when a patrol of soldiers happened to be passing by behind him, and those people were stunned at the time. In their opinion, Yelü Hongji's performance in these few days was really embarrassing, and they had already given this emperor who gambled all day a cowardly label. However, after hearing Yelü Hongji say this, they suddenly felt ripples in their hearts.

  Ten days later, the great army of Yelü Lü and Yelü Ne'gulü had already arrived within the borders of Huanglong Prefecture. They were only about 200 li away from Chen Yuan and his men, and would certainly be able to arrive in one day and night.

  Looking at the soldiers' tired expressions, Yelü Nüwulu said: "Imperial sister, the scouts have investigated clearly. Although there are signs of Jurchen activity around Huanglong Prefecture, our 7,000 troops are still here, and it's likely that Hongji is safe. Why don't we rest here for a while, let the soldiers and horses recover their spirits? After all, we may encounter enemies at any time ahead."

  Yelü Lüjing had also fought in battles and knew that the more critical the situation, the more careful one should be. If they forced their way forward, it would be irresponsible to the soldiers. Da Xia nodded: "Everything depends on Ninth Brother's decision, but since we are close to the mountains and forests here, it seems unsuitable for camping."

  Yelü Chucai smiled slightly: "The terrain in this area is all like this, and there's only a small river not far ahead. The terrain on both sides is relatively flat, and we can reach it after a short while. We should be able to set up camp with our backs to the water and be safe."

  The army marched for about an hour, and indeed saw a relatively flat area, with a small river that was not too deep, but enough to ensure the safety of those behind. Yelü Niedu immediately ordered the troops to set up camp here and rest.

  His camp was very particular, and the 20,000-strong army was divided into eight camps, with two large camps on each side of the river, and 6,000 people in each large camp. This can ensure that if they encounter a sudden attack from the opponent, the army will not fall into a passive situation all at once.

  On both sides of each large camp there is a small camp, with one thousand soldiers stationed in the small camp as an advance guard to protect the large camp.

  There were still 4,000 cavalrymen who divided into two groups. One group marched forward for five miles and set up camp at a mountain pass. The other group marched backward for five miles and set up camp. This ensured that no matter which direction they went, there would be troops to support them.

  The distance of five miles is not far, and if the sound of fighting is a bit more intense, they can discover it without sending out a distress signal. The cavalry can rush over in no time.

  Yelü Lüjing looked at Yelü Nüwulu setting up the camp and said with great admiration: "No wonder Ninth Brother has been unbeaten in several battles, I used to have some doubts, but now seeing Ninth Brother's mastery of military formations, little sister really has nothing to say."

  Yelü Niegulu smiled and said, "The arrangement of the army formation is just one aspect, the most important thing is to choose a good location for the soldiers on guard. And when something really happens, it still depends on the generals using their lives."

  After finishing speaking, he looked around and slightly furrowed his brow. Honestly, this wasn't a suitable place to set up camp, it was just a road, and here was the best spot.

  Yelü Niegulu had the soldiers set up camp and rest, but he himself was thinking about what to do next. He wasn't Yelü Hongji, although his men hadn't yet reached Huanglong Prefecture, he had already inquired about some of the situation.

  Tan Ma told him that there were indeed Jurchen people lurking around the Huanglong Mansion, but they had not found any intention of the Jurchen people to attack the Huanglong Mansion.

  The only trace of the battle was found in a dense forest more than 100 miles south of Huanglong Prefecture. The scouting horses discovered over 3,000 corpses of Liao soldiers there.

  Yelü Niegulu guessed that these three thousand people should be the three thousand people taken away by Liu Fang. This made him unable to understand many things!

  The Jurchen army should have around 3,000 soldiers. If they devour Liu Fang's troops and horses, it is possible for them to engage in a fair fight with Yelü Hongji's 7,000 soldiers on the plains after such a long time, and the Jurchens will undoubtedly have the upper hand.

  Why didn't the real woman do so?

  Moreover, Yelü Hongji's behavior was also very strange. What were they doing in Huanglong Prefecture? Yelü Neuluo felt that things seemed a bit complicated.

  Most of the soldiers had fallen asleep, but Yelü Nigule still sat thinking about what to do next.

  Yelü Lügui said that he fought well, Yelü Niegulu knew that it was not because of his own cleverness, but because he had thought and done a lot in advance, so he could appear more prepared in the competition with his opponent.

  This time, he met someone more prepared than him.

  In the middle of the night, Yelü Niegulu was just about to fall asleep when urgent footsteps sounded outside the door. A general rushed in without even knocking on the door and pushed aside the guards: "General, something's wrong!"

  Yelü Nügu suddenly sat up in bed and put on his outer garment: "What's going on?"

  The officer's face turned pale: "Our horses, our cavalry is poisoned!"

  Yelü Nu's face changed at that time. Cavalry was the most powerful attacking weapon of the Khitan army, whether it was facing the Song Dynasty infantry or these wild women, they mainly relied on the power of cavalry. Even when facing the Tanguts who also relied on cavalry, the Liao cavalry had a great advantage.

  If the horses really have problems, it's not just a problem for the cavalry to become infantry, but the morale and combat effectiveness of the entire unit will be severely affected.

  Yelü Niegulu was furious: "How did he get poisoned? What were those grooms doing?"

  The officer replied, "We had inspected the water source ahead of time and didn't find any problems. The grasslands around us were also checked, but somehow all the war horses are now vomiting, and some can no longer stand up!"

  Yelü Niegulu didn't ask any more questions and rushed out. As soon as he lifted the door curtain, Yelü Xianling was right at the door, and the two almost bumped into each other. After being stunned for a moment, Yelü Xianling said anxiously: "Ninth brother, it's not good! Our guard team's war horses have all had problems, and the grooms can't do anything about it. Now nine horses are already dead!"

  Yelü Niwulu didn't explain anything and just said: "Follow me!"

  Two people arrived at the horse shed, and from a distance they heard the warhorse's low, anguished whinnying. The area around the horse shed was brightly lit, and all the grooms were already up, but in the face of this situation, they were helpless.

  Yelü Niegulu's face turned iron-green as he watched horse after horse fall down.

  （）

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