12dz Chapter 2275 Ruthless!
Chapter 2275 Ruthless!
"Xue Huaide, listen to my command!"
"Your subordinate is here." The old general stepped forward calmly.
"I hereby order you to lead the elite troops of this unit and transfer the Xiliang Iron Cavalry under Ma Chao's command to your side. Immediately pursue Chu Xuan to the south!"
Chu Ning's gaze fell on Xue Huaide's face, his eyes showing a complex expression for a moment: "We must capture the traitor Chu Xuan and wipe out his remaining forces, leaving no one behind to disturb the southern border."
The order was clear, but Xue Huaide did not immediately respond like Zhao Yu.
He slightly raised his head, a hint of hesitation flashing in his deep eyes beneath his white eyebrows.
Chu Xuan was, after all, a prince and the emperor's elder brother. This blood connection was an extremely sensitive matter in the Great Chu, which valued patriarchal clan system and etiquette.
On the battlefield, swords have no eyes; if Chu Xuan stubbornly resists...
"His Majesty,"
Xue Huaide's voice was steady but carried a necessary caution; he needed clear authorization to avoid any unforeseen complications later.
"If...if Prince Xuan insists on resisting and refuses to be captured, what should this humble general do?"
He asked cryptically, but the meaning was clear—was it necessary, or permissible, to kill him on the spot?
On the high platform, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.
The torchlight danced on Chu Ning's face, illuminating his cold, stone-carved features.
Su Tingmei's image flashed through his mind, bringing a sharp pang of pain and a sense of weighing the options.
Killing Chu Xuan would be a piece of cake, but Mr. Su... Chu Xuan might use Su Tingmei as a hostage at the last moment, or even perish together with her.
However, Chu Xuan's crimes have crossed all lines.
How can we uphold the law and bring peace to the world if we do not eliminate traitors to the nation?
As for Mr. Su… Chu Ning’s nails dug deeply into her palms.
He had to trust in Xue Huaide's steadiness and ability, and he also had to be prepared to accept the worst possible outcome.
Su Tingmei is important, but the foundation of the nation, the majesty of imperial power, and the fairness of the law are even more important.
Chu Xuan must not be exempt from any privileges simply because of his status.
Chu Ning closed her eyes, then opened them again, revealing a resolute, icy gaze. The slight ripples caused by Su Tingmei were deeply suppressed in her eyes.
He looked at Xue Huaide, each word clear and distinct, as if pulled from an ice cellar:
"If resistance is encountered, kill without mercy."
This statement was extremely cold-blooded, leaving no room for negotiation.
But then he leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and added with an undeniable solemnity.
This sentence is the true, unspoken truth that lingers deep within his heart:
"However, it is imperative to ensure Mr. Su Tingmei's safety."
Xue Huaide's body trembled slightly, and he instantly understood the heavy helplessness behind the emperor's seemingly contradictory order.
Chu Xuan can be killed, but Su Tingmei must be saved.
This undoubtedly greatly increases the difficulty of pursuit and capture, requiring more meticulous planning and more careful action, far beyond the simple "killing" approach.
"This subordinate...understands."
Xue Huaide took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, and said no more.
He understood the full meaning in Chu Ning's eyes—the emperor's murderous intent, the emperor's concerns, the emperor's determination, and the heavy trust and expectation entrusted to him.
"Go."
Chu Ning waved his hand, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden, or as if he had entrusted an even heavier responsibility to the veteran in front of him.
Without further hesitation, Xue Huaide turned and strode away, his armor clanging loudly.
As he walked briskly, he began to whisper orders to his adjutant following closely behind, adjusting the pursuit strategy.
The forwards flank and intercept, the central forces exert pressure and deterrence, and negotiations can even be attempted when necessary.
The highest priority is to control Chu Xuan and ensure Su Tingmei's safety. Only as a last resort will the final "kill order" be carried out.
Chu Ning stood alone on the high platform, watching Xue Huaide's figure disappear into the darkness, and then looking towards the dust raised by Zhao Yu's cavalry in the north.
Finally, his gaze fell upon the eastern night sky, where Li Shiming had disappeared and the night had fallen silent.
Three sides are defeated, three different fates. After tonight, the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or landscape) may be quietly changed because of his choice at this moment.
However, he felt little joy at the prospect of victory; only a cold and resolute sense of dread, and a lingering, deep worry for the safety of the gentleman who was trapped in enemy hands.
The night is still long.
The chase and escape, the killing and the rescue, continue.
Xue Huaide's pursuing army, like a giant steel python moving swiftly in the night, shattered the silence of the wilderness south of Changtingpo with the thunderous sound of its hooves.
However, speed has become the most pressing issue at this moment.
Xue Huaide reined in his horse on a gentle slope, shaded his eyes with his hand, and squinted at the deep darkness to the south.
There, faint, scattered torchlights moved rapidly, like startled fireflies, receding at a resolute speed.
Although Chu Xuan's remaining troops were defeated, they were all cavalry, and in order to escape, they had already abandoned all their baggage and traveled light, so they could flee quickly.
Xue Huaide's troops, though elite, were mostly a mix of infantry and cavalry, and while their formation was rigorous, their mobility was inevitably limited.
Coupled with the intense fighting throughout the night, both men and horses were exhausted. Even with their best efforts to catch up, the distance between them and the desperate fugitives ahead not only did not decrease, but the flickering flames seemed to be receding into the distance.
Xue Huaide's gray eyebrows were tightly furrowed together.
The emperor's order still echoed in my ears—capture Chu Xuan and ensure Su Tingmei's safety.
If we can't even catch up, then everything is just empty talk.
Once Chu Xuan escapes into the more complex hilly and water-rich area in the south, trying to capture him again would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
At that time, not only will the traitor escape, but Mr. Su's safety will also be uncertain, and he himself will be unable to explain to His Majesty.
"We can't keep chasing like this!"
Xue Huaide muttered to himself, a resolute glint in his eyes.
He suddenly waved his hand: "Quickly summon General Ma Chao!"
A moment later, Ma Chao, a general from Xiliang, arrived on horseback.
His chainmail armor, unique to Xiliang, gleamed with a cold, hard sheen in the dim light, and his warhorse was taller and stronger than ordinary Chu horses.
Despite the fierce battle he had just fought, his brows still held the fierceness and sharpness of a wolf on the grasslands.
"General Xue, what are your orders?" Ma Chao's voice was loud and clear, with a Xiliang accent.
Xue Huaide didn't stand on ceremony, pointing his whip directly at the faint firelight in the south:
"General Ma, please take a look. Chu Xuan is fleeing very quickly. If this continues, I'm afraid he will escape our net. Most of my troops are infantry, and they are not fast enough to keep up."
He paused, then looked intently at Ma Chao: "The Xiliang Iron Cavalry under your command are renowned for their long-distance raids, endurance, and speed; they are among the strongest troops in the world."
"I have the intention. I request that the general lead all of your Xiliang cavalry to immediately increase speed and pursue them at full speed. We must intercept and entangle Chu Xuan before he disappears into the complex terrain!"
"There's no need to rush into a decisive battle; we just need to slow them down."
He pointed to a faint pass about thirty miles to the south on the map: "This place is called Luoyan Gorge. It is the only way to the southern foothills of the mountainous area. The slopes on both sides are gentle, which is conducive to our army's deployment."
"General, you must find a way to drive away or block Chu Xuan's remaining troops in this area."
"I will personally lead the main force of infantry and cavalry, and we will arrive shortly there. At that time, we can attack from both sides and achieve victory in one battle, thus fulfilling His Majesty's important mission!"