Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Chapter 560 - 566: Yiyang City Falls

Chapter 560: Chapter 566: Yiyang City Falls

Su Wenyue knew that Xiao Xi must have someone in her heart, and seeing Xiao Xi this way, she did not say anything. Since Xiao Xi did not wish to speak, there must be a reason, and Su Wenyue decided she would pay more attention in the future.

“Xiao Xi, besides the seeds kept on the farm, how much food can we gather right now?” Su Wenyue returned to practical matters.

Xiao Xi leaned in and whispered a number to Su Wenyue, who could not conceal her surprise on her face, “That much? Are you sure we have enough for our own use?”

“Madam, rest assured, this number already accounts for loss and various expenditures. Calculated with the bare minimum, it won’t affect next year’s harvest or operations in other areas,” Xiao Xi confidently and proudly said.

“This quantity is beyond my expectation. It seems enough for military supplies for the next two years, even if we expand our forces. Xiao Xi, you’ve done well. You truly are the most capable person by my side,” Su Wenyue said with a satisfied smile, praising Xiao Xi.

“Madam is being too generous with her praise. Xiao Xi is only doing what Madam instructed. It’s Madam who is impressive, managing to pick out those remote locations that are seldom touched by war chaos, allowing our folks on the farm to cultivate in peace. But most importantly, it’s the high yield of these seeds Madam obtained that’s remarkable. Even the seasoned farmers who tend the crops carefully have never seen such bountiful harvests before. You should have seen their shock when they learned about the yield of sweet potatoes and corn. They gaped in surprise—looking at them was utterly amusing,” Xiao Xi said.

“I had Big Brother and Second Brother specifically get those seeds from the outer domain because of their high yield and ease of cultivation, which is why I went to great lengths to obtain them. If they weren’t high yielding, that would have been strange. A high yield is good, but, Xiao Xi, we should not reveal this information for now, for fear it might attract unwanted attention and cause trouble, or even bring disaster. After all, food is too precious these days,” Su Wenyue who knew about the events that occurred later, had already instructed Xiao Xi to keep the yield of food a secret, but still felt uneasy and asked a few more questions.

“Madam, be assured, you reminded me, and I remember. Only a few trustworthy confidants know about the food production, and nobody else does. Even the food’s transportation is arranged by reliable people, and I’ve ordered absolute secrecy, taking every precaution to ensure there is no leak,” Xiao Xi, although unaware of what would unfold, had become more cautious due to the many years of running outside and a deep understanding of the treacherous world and the malice in people’s hearts following Su Wenyue’s instructions.

Su Wenyue felt relieved hearing Xiao Xi’s words, “That’s good. Store the food in a few safe places for now, and don’t move it. When the time comes, it might be very useful.”

“I understand, Madam. I’ll arrange everything,” Xiao Xi said, fully in tune with her mistress’s intentions.

However, the situation in Yiyang City had grown extremely dire. Liu Xiu stood on the city walls, frowning at the enemy’s increasingly fierce attacks. Because of leaked secret messages, the enemy had gained the upper hand. After several defeats, if this continued, they wouldn’t last much longer before the city fell, likely not even until Han Yu returned.

Speaking of Han Yu, Liu Xiu felt a pang of regret, berating himself for being fooled and heeding the slander of sycophants close to him, resulting in the underutilization of great talent, leaving him in this predicament, about to see the hard-won foundations crumble.

“Has there been any message from Xiu Qi?” asked Liu Xiu, clinging to a sliver of hope even though he knew it was too late.

“My Lord, General Han has sent a message that he’ll return as soon as possible, but the journey is long. Even with a hastened pace, it will still take two or three days to arrive,” a subordinate reported.

“Two or three days… With the way things are now, I’m afraid we won’t be able to hold out that long,” Liu Xiu was well aware that Han Yu might not make it in time and, even if he did, the situation had deteriorated to such an extent that likely not even Han Yu could salvage it. Now his camp was beset with both internal strife and external threats, with the Imperial Court’s troops mounting fierce attacks and plenty of spies within.

More than the enemy, Liu Xiu despised the spies hidden within his ranks. He remembered Han Yu’s repeated warnings to remain vigilant. Although he listened at first, he was later swayed by the flattery of sycophants and, amidst the chaos, pushed these concerns out of his mind, failing to give them the proper attention. Now, he regretted it deeply.

“My Lord, perhaps we should consider retreating sooner,” the Vice General suggested, not out of cowardice but realizing that Yiyang Prefecture could no longer hold out. It seemed pointless to continue defending. It would be better to retreat and live to fight another day.

Liu Xiu, though reluctant, could only nod, “That’s the only choice we have.”

Before he could make preparations, the city gate had been breached, and the Imperial Court’s army had stormed in.

“What’s going on here?!” Liu Xiu shouted, demanding answers. Even with the enemy’s fierce assault, it should not have been possible for them to breach the gates so quickly. Something unexpected must have occurred.

Sure enough, not long after his inquiry, a young general came rushing with alarming news, “My Lord, it’s terrible! That scoundrel Liu Kuan has betrayed us, collaborating with spies sent by the enemy. He opened the city gates letting in the soldiers. Yiyang City is likely to fall!”

“That treacherous Liu Kuan, it’s abhorrent! My Lord has treated him well, and yet he dares to commit such betrayal!” a general cursed.

“If only we had known this scoundrel was a traitor, I would have chopped him to pieces and avoided this disaster!” another general said bitterly.

Liu Xiu’s heart ached as he listened, for he knew at the time—though due to Liu Kuan’s cunning and various complications, it was not feasible to act against him. Later, he did not guard against Liu Kuan sufficiently. Han Yu was right—his leniency was his flaw, failing to act decisively, leading to this series of events.

“Talking about this now is too late. We shouldn’t be dwelling on it. Let’s forget that traitor Liu Kuan for now; he can live a while longer. I will eventually take his head and show him the price of betrayal! Right now, let’s figure out a retreat plan,” Liu Xiu said, becoming calm during the crisis. He had survived more difficult times by relying on himself, confident that if he could escape, he could make a comeback. But after all that had transpired, he wondered whether Han Yu would continue to follow him.

Liu Xiu, accompanied by his loyal followers, made his way out of the city following the planned escape route. Meanwhile, the Imperial Court’s troops inside Yiyang City were scouring for Liu Xiu. Upon discovering his escape, they quickly informed their superiors. Zhao Fan then dispatched a large force to pursue them.