"Yes, I will go issue the order at once." Man Cang hurriedly left the room to command the entire army to continue setting up camp and await orders, which made the generals outside very curious. Clearly, all the military provisions had already been delivered; why not advance immediately? Currently, the Chu Army was riding the momentum of a great victory, and the Qin Army in Ba Shu was already in a panic. If they advanced now, straight towards Chengdu, there was a seventy percent chance that the Qin Army would surrender. Even if they didn’t, the 20,000 troops stationed in Chengdu were no match for the might of the Chu Army.

But now, Mi Wen had ordered the execution of the 80,000 Qin Army prisoners of war. Perhaps it was a secret order for their execution, but after all, these were 80,000 lives. There are no secrets that don’t leak, let alone such a large massacre that would soon become widely known.

Thinking of this, Ye Shikai felt a tightness in his heart, as if someone had grasped it. So many lives had been brutally buried alive, an act that was an absolute atrocity. The most crucial point was that in the future, no one would dare to surrender to the Chu Army. And if Chu Army brothers fell into the hands of the Qin Army, they would likely meet a grim fate as well.

"General, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We mustn’t hesitate any longer; let’s advance immediately."

"Yes, we cannot afford any more hesitation." The generals all entered the tent to persuade him, but Ye Shikai rejected them all. Helpless, the entire army had to stay put.

Ye Shikai ordering the entire army to halt was indeed an emotional decision. After all, the war was not yet over, and if it resulted in severe consequences, he would be letting down the fallen Chu Army brothers and those soldiers fighting bravely. Therefore, by evening, he ordered Man Cang to lead a force of 40,000 soldiers to head straight for Chengdu, while the main army remained stationed there. He was waiting for someone, and he believed that person would surely come.

The next day.

"The Think Tank has arrived." Early in the morning, Ye Shikai went to the tent and unexpectedly found that Xu Jia had arrived even earlier than him.

"I’m here to congratulate the General, naturally, I should arrive early to show my sincerity." Xu Jia said with a faint smile.

"Congratulate me? What is there to congratulate?"

"General, you are about to conquer the entire territory of Ba Shu and achieve unparalleled glory. I naturally have to come and congratulate you in advance." Xu Jia replied with a light tone.

"Think Tank, you are indeed confident. The results of the frontline battles are still unknown, yet you are so certain." Ye Shikai responded.

"Now, there are no forces left in the Ba Shu region to stop our army. General Man is leading an army of 40,000; capturing Chengdu is as easy as reaching into a bag for it."

"Well, I’ll take that good omen from you, Think Tank." Ye Shikai smirked, though his smile didn’t reach his eyes. It was Xu Jia who strongly advocated for the execution of the prisoners earlier, and although Ye Shikai refused at the time, Xu Jia seemed to have some "connection" with the secret order from the lord. Previously, he trusted Xu Jia greatly, but after this incident, there would inevitably be a rift between them.

For two days, Ye Shikai’s Central Army did not move an inch. Every day, battle-hardened generals would request to fight, only to be turned down by him.

Another two days passed.

"Report... Report to the General, the lord has arrived with 20,000 elite guards." Just as the sky was beginning to brighten, the guards outside the camp reported loudly.

"So they have arrived." Ye Shikai did not appear particularly flustered. In fact, his decision to have the entire Central Army remain stationary for four consecutive days was precisely to await the arrival of Mi Wen. Shangguan Jian’s personal troops had covered 800 miles in two days. Calculating in this way, Mi Wen should have arrived within four days.

"Quick, prepare to welcome them."

"Understood."

....................................

"Upon hearing that the lord was coming, I specifically had my subordinates procure some fine wine from Sichuan. My lord, please give it a taste." Ye Shikai personally poured a cup of wine for Mi Wen. The visitor seemed calm and composed, not like someone who had come to "act out." Perhaps it was because the two understood each other well; Mi Wen knew that Ye Shikai was unwilling to execute the prisoners, thus personally coming to give the order, and she also knew that Ye Shikai’s command to halt the advance was waiting for her "explanation."

"It’s quite good." Mi Wen sipped the fine wine lightly. The scene, rather than resembling the tension of the front lines, looked more like a relaxing wine-tasting session between two enthusiasts.

"My lord, our army has now achieved a great victory, and capturing the two counties of Ba Shu is within reach. Now that the lord has come to the camp personally, the soldiers’ morale is visibly boosted." Xu Jia spoke, breaking the "suffocating" atmosphere.

"The soldiers have worked hard on the front lines. Now that we’ve won a battle, of course, I should come to see them," Mi Wen said with a gentle smile.

"Enough." Ye Shikai suddenly turned cold and set down his cup.

"Everyone, please leave for now. I have some things to discuss with the lord." Ye Shikai stood up abruptly, his expression frosty. Recognizing something was amiss, everyone else in the tent exited without delay.

"What is it, General Ye? Why have you sent everyone away? Does that mean we won’t drink this wine?" Mi Wen remarked with a cold smile.

"Mi Wen, now it’s just the two of us here; is there any need for this sarcasm?"

"I don’t understand what you mean." Mi Wen waved her hands, feigning innocence.

"Why did you order the execution of those prisoners?" Ye Shikai’s eyes were like torches as he stared directly at Mi Wen. As he spoke, there was a flash of uncertainty in Mi Wen’s previously calm eyes. He was straightforward and severe in his questioning.

"That should have been your task. Since you didn’t do it, I took it upon myself. Do you have a problem with that?"

"I never intended to kill them!" Ye Shikai shouted, holding nothing back. He had nursed his anger for many days, and his outburst was loud enough for those outside the tent to hear. Yet Mi Wen’s expression remained unchanged.

"What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?"

"After receiving the military report, you left Linxian immediately, headed straight for Gui Xiang to give the order personally. Not a single one was spared out of so many, yet the world condemns the court’s cruelty, unaware that you, Mi Wen, possess the heart of a venomous serpent. Compared to the court’s ruthlessness, you are even worse."

"You’re reprimanding me?" Mi Wen’s expression finally darkened, exuding a murderous aura.

"That’s right. I left the Qin Army back then because the court wantonly killed the innocent. I chose to support you in the hope that you could overthrow the court. Who knew your heart was so cruel?"

"General Ye, haven’t there been at least 100,000 Qin soldiers who have died by your hands on the battlefield? I don’t remember you being so indignant about that."

"That’s different. In battle, casualties are inevitable. But those Qin soldiers had laid down their arms and surrendered. They... they could have lived. The deaths of so many people could have been avoided!" Ye Shikai roared, knowing full well that among the 80,000 Qin soldiers, many were conscripted men who had no desire to fight. They hoped for a chance to live upon surrender, but never expected such a fate.