Chapter 945: Chapter 689: If She Won’t Come Here, I’ll Go Over There_2

"..."

"You can’t even get over here!"

Shang Ruyi’s breath caught in an instant!

From the moment she saw Yu Wenye arrive alone, she worried about this. Yet, she dared not speak to deter him, fearing her words might alert those on the other side.

The Turkic people’s arrows didn’t even need to rain down like before; a single arrow could end him!

He was truly gambling with his own life!

Just as Shang Ruyi’s heart was in turmoil, that voice from the opposite bank, calm and devoid of any emotion, echoed again, pressing heavily on everyone’s heart—

"Even if I don’t go over, my people will."

"..."

"I already know what will happen when my people go over, and I believe you know it very well too."

"..."

"I’m willing to gamble, are you?"

"..."

This time, despite trying to suppress it, Shang Ruyi still noticed Ashina Shali’s eyes slightly wavering.

He probably never expected to encounter such a person.

Already high-ranking, honored as Prince Qin of the Dasheng Dynasty, Yu Wenye should have let his subordinates charge bravely and claim credit himself. Yet he actually dared to cross the Cangtou River alone and put himself completely at the mercy of the opponent’s threats. No matter how one questioned or thought about it, his very presence here meant he had already placed his bet!

So he said, he dared!

But did Ashina Shali dare to gamble?

He had been plotting for years, waiting for this moment when power was within reach, ready to seize it. Would he truly give up everything for the life of such a person?

Everyone knew his choice.

It was precisely because Yu Wenye knew what choice he would make that he dared to bet!

Thinking of this, a sense of resentment rose within him anew. Even though he was about to control everything, Ashina Zhuxie suddenly realized that some things in the world were beyond his control. On the contrary, he himself was subtly being controlled by the other side.

Was he really going to let Shang Ruyi go and allow Yu Wenye to take her away?

This woman—even though they had been together for just a few days, he could see she was extraordinary. Even in adversity, she remained calm and composed, smart and insightful, open-minded and equal to men.

In his heart, only Lei Yu mattered, but keeping her in the yatai, as a lady to ease his worries, wouldn’t be bad.

If she returned to Yu Wenye, with the Dasheng Dynasty having this pair, Prince Qin and Princess Qin, their brave and intelligent union, how would it affect future relations between the Turkic people and the Central Plains?

Ashina Zhuxie thought of a phrase—

Adding wings to a tiger.

At that moment, a fierce wind suddenly blew, and Ashina Zhuxie once again looked up, toward Yu Wenye’s back, almost fully covered by troops on the vast grassland. Though those people followed Yu Wenye’s commands and remained motionless, not advancing further, clearly some were restless. Even some warhorses began to whinny excitedly, their murderous aura mixed with the wind, making hearts tremble.

The situation was becoming increasingly clear, yet Ashina Zhuxie’s heart grew increasingly unwilling.

At that moment, a very calm voice, seemingly even gentle, sounded in his ear, clearly stating: "Lose one to gain two, lose two to gain four; if you don’t have two, don’t dream of four."

"...!"

Upon hearing this, Ashina Zhuxie’s heart sank again.

He lowered his head, looking at Shang Ruyi next to him.

The other party looked back at him.

These seemed to be the gambler’s rules for betting, yet also a reminder that to contend with Yu Wenye at least required the highest power within the Turkic people to stand a chance. If he contended with Yu Wenye now, all his plans would fall to naught, and even today he might lose his life here.

Ashina Zhuxie was silent for a moment, and then spoke: "I should have killed him here."

This "kill" word, rare for him, infused with some emotion as he spoke it, and his face, usually a mask devoid of feelings, showed a grim expression.

But Shang Ruyi grew calm instead.

His words meant—

The next moment, Ashina Zhuxie lifted his hand and waved it gently.

The riders around them followed orders and moved away, clearing a path for Shang Ruyi. Shang Ruyi felt a relief in her chest, as if the invisible constraint binding her chest was finally undone.

She took a deep breath, not daring to linger, and shook the reins to move forward immediately.

Though it was a short path, it was full of the ongoing flash of blades, the chaos of flying flesh and blood. As she walked, she felt the blood mist blown by the wind continually staining her, the strong smell of blood almost making her dizzy.

She clenched her teeth, driving her horse forward.

Yet the fine steed beneath her seemed scared of its surroundings or perhaps of the person across the river, acting disobediently. Shang Ruyi kept her legs tight against the horse’s belly, shook the reins, even smacked its flank, finally forcing it over the almost dry Cangtou River.

At last, she reached the person opposite.

However, she had no time to raise her head, not even to see the expression on his long-missed handsome face. The steed beneath her truly panicked, starting to snort continuously, stomp its hooves, almost shaking her off the saddle.

"Ah!"

Shang Ruyi cried out in surprise!

But before she could react, in the next moment, a figure suddenly rushed over, extended an arm, and lifted her off the saddle.

Shang Ruyi’s breath caught, landing steadily into a familiar, warm embrace!