usatvline Chapter 101 The Bet Escalates
Chapter 101 The Bet Escalates
Yuwen Huaji glanced at Li Mi with disdain and sneered, "Forget it! Just as Your Highness said, soldiers should settle their differences on the battlefield! If these country bumpkins lose, Your Highness shouldn't feel sorry for them!"
Yang Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his figure as upright as a pine tree, exuding a chilling majesty amidst the rosy sunset.
"You'll be the only ones who lose!"
"lose?"
Yuwen Huaji seemed to have heard the most absurd joke in the world. He tapped his palm with the horsewhip in his hand, and the light in his triangular eyes was both contemptuous and disgustingly mocking.
He leaned down slightly, looking down at Yang Yan: "Since Your Highness is in such a good mood, let's make the stakes clear."
Yuwen Huaji's smile suddenly turned ferocious, and he pointed his finger sharply at Li Mi, Qin Qiong, and Li Jing, who were standing behind Yang Yan.
"Your Highness is, after all, the sovereign, and I am but a subject. To ask Your Highness to kowtow would be an insult to this humble general. But if Your Highness loses, you will not only have to admit in front of the entire army that this so-called 'Changning Breaking Formation Army' is a joke, but you will also have to make Li Xuansui, that traitor, and these two unknown amateurs give way to my Imperial Guard brothers..."
He paused, then squeezed out four words through gritted teeth: "Kneel and apologize!"
Upon hearing this, Li Mi's face instantly turned ashen, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, his nails almost digging into his palms. Qin Qiong's eyes widened in shock; had Li Jing not held him down firmly on the shoulder, he would likely have already drawn his sword and drunk blood.
But this is not enough.
Yuwen Huaji's gaze swept past the crowd and landed on the 1,500 ragged soldiers of the manor.
"As for these peasants..."
He scoffed, as if discussing a herd of livestock: "Since they dared to challenge the might of the Heavenly Army, then after their defeat, this humble general will have his own methods. I request that you all be stripped of your titles and enslaved! Sent to the horse farms of my Yuwen family and the Duke of Yue's mansion to shovel horse manure for the rest of your lives!"
boom!
Demoted to the status of slaves!
In the rigidly hierarchical Sui Dynasty, once a good family member was reduced to slavery, it was a dead end from which their descendants could never escape! They risked their lives to cross mountains of knives and lift stone locks, all for military merit, for land, and for the chance to live like human beings.
But now, these high and mighty nobles are going to trample their last shred of dignity into the mud!
Yang Yan remained expressionless, but inwardly he was delighted.
What a brilliant Yuwen Huaji!
This is what they call "what goes around comes around".
Instead of getting angry, he calmly asked, "Since the punishment is so severe, what about the prize?"
"A prize?"
Yuwen Huaji laughed loudly, patted the magnificent Ferghana horse beneath him, his eyes filled with the arrogance of someone who had victory in his grasp.
"If this humble general loses, my Yuwen family has pastures in Longyou, and Your Highness may choose five hundred of the finest northern warhorses!"
At this point, Yang Xuangan, seemingly intrigued, interjected, "Since Brother Yuwen is so generous, I can't be stingy either. If this rabble really wins, my Yue State Duke's Mansion will provide one hundred and fifty sets of fine iron armor!!"
Bright Armor!
Upon hearing these three words, even the usually calm and collected Li Jing's pupils dilated.
This is the most advanced heavy armor in the Sui Dynasty! It has breastplates on both the chest and back, which gleam in the sunlight and are indestructible.
In the Sui Dynasty's military system, only the elite of the elite were permitted to wear this armor. One hundred and fifty sets of Bright Light Armor were enough to equip a heavily armed assault team capable of tearing through any defense!
"Five hundred warhorses, one hundred and fifty sets of gleaming armor..."
Yuwen Huaji clicked his tongue twice, shaking his head with a regretful expression: "Your Highness, you've made a killing on this deal. In my opinion, all 1,500 slaves behind you combined aren't even worth as much as my fifty horses!"
That arrogance and contempt that emanated from his very bones completely ignited the entire audience.
"Bullshit!"
A furious roar suddenly erupted from the ranks.
Shen Guang, who had been promoted to squad leader by Li Jing, suddenly stepped forward.
His face was covered in mud, his eyes were bloodshot, and he stared intently at Yuwen Huaji on horseback, the veins on his neck bulging like earthworms.
"I'm from a respectable family! I'm a soldier! Not a slave!"
"Your Highness!"
Immediately afterwards, the remaining twenty-nine newly selected team leaders and fire captains stepped forward in unison.
They may not understand military strategy or court intrigue, but they know what humiliation and a dead end are.
"We agreed!"
Zhao Tiezhu pounded his chest with a resounding boom, his voice filled with a resolute, bloodthirsty spirit: "So what if we risk our lives? We're just a bunch of worthless lives. If we can win back that damned Mingguang Armor, if we can shut up these snobbish bastards, it'll be worth dying for!"
"Your Highness, please accept the challenge!"
"Your Highness, please accept the challenge!!"
Fifteen hundred people, whether they were exhausted and collapsed on the ground or were initially fearful, all took a step forward in unison.
The footsteps were heavy and thunderous, making the ground tremble as if it were shaking three times.
Those pairs of eyes, which were originally numb, now burned with the same flame—the madness of being driven to the brink, the rage of a common man, and the determination to spill blood five steps away!
At this moment, the spirit of this army has been established.
It was forced out of him by Yuwen Huaji himself.
Seeing this scene, Yang Yan took a deep breath, his chest surging with boundless pride. He turned abruptly, waving his sleeves, and pointed directly at Yuwen Huaji.
"Alright! I'll take the bet!"
His voice instantly dominated the entire room, carrying an undeniable imperial pressure: "Yuwen Huaji, Yang Xuangan, listen carefully! I also have a request!"
"If you lose!"
He pointed to the yellow earthen drill ground beneath his feet, soaked with sweat, and then to the 1,500 furious soldiers behind him.
"You two, kneel down right here at the gate of the drill ground! Kneel and beg for forgiveness before these 1,500 soldiers of the Great Sui Dynasty, before the 'country bumpkins' and 'slaves' you speak of!!"
To make the nobles of Guanzhong kneel before poor peasants?
This is worse than killing them!!
Yuwen Huaji's face instantly darkened, and the muscles at the corners of his eyes twitched uncontrollably.
But he didn't believe he would lose.
It's absolutely impossible to lose.
"Fine!" Yang Xuangan grinned maliciously, his eyes flashing with bloodlust. "Since they're going to humiliate themselves, then we'll grant their wish! We'll take the bet!"
"If that's the case, then let's make the rules rigid."
Yang Yan was already confident, speaking rapidly, each word seemingly calculated: "Time: Five days later! Location: That thirty-mile stretch of mountain forest on the south bank of Kunming Pool!"
"Troop strength: 1,500 of our garrison troops versus 1,000 of your imperial guards!"
"Rules: Sixteen hours in total, day and night shifts, night raids are allowed, and any means are permitted! Victory is achieved by capturing the flag, annihilating the entire enemy force, or capturing the commander!"
At this point, Yang Yan glanced at Li Jing, and seeing the latter nod slightly, he felt more reassured and continued, "Since this is an exercise, we mustn't let things get out of hand. Everyone will wear leather armor, carry a blunt-bladed sword, and remove the arrowheads, wrap them in ash, and mark the hit points with cinnabar or ochre. A hit to a vital point means certain death. Develop your own tactics!"
The southern bank of Kunming Pool has a complex terrain with dense forests and deep ravines, making it ideal for special operations and guerrilla warfare. This was the home ground for Li Jing and his group of peasants, but also the graveyard of cavalry.
But the arrogant and conceited Yuwen Huaji clearly did not realize this.
In his view, no matter where the game is played, elite teams will always crush ragtag teams.
"It's a deal!"
Yuwen Huaji suddenly pulled on the reins, and the warhorse reared up, letting out a long neigh.
He gave Yang Yan a deep look, then swept his gaze over the group of guards whose eyes were blazing with fury: "Your Highness, enjoy these last five days."
"drive!"
Dust billowed, and the sound of horses' hooves echoed.