N-A-A Chapter 990 The Mysterious Yi Xiaochuan Appears in Xianyang!
Chapter 990 The Mysterious Yi Xiaochuan Appears in Xianyang!
“Your Majesty,” one of them lowered his voice and respectfully reported to the figure sitting in the main seat, his voice particularly clear in the silence, “the main force of the court officials has returned to Xianyang, but… Gao Yao did not enter the city with them.”
The figure in the main seat was hidden in the deeper shadows. Upon hearing this, he only moved slightly but did not utter a sound, seemingly waiting for more detailed information.
The reporter continued, "Gao Yao continues to hunt outside the city, claiming that he wants to spend a few days enjoying the scenery. What's even stranger is that he didn't bring his children back to the city to settle down, but left them all at the camp outside the city, ostensibly to keep them company and play. After extensive investigation, we did indeed see several of Gao Yao's children at the camp, and... we also saw Gao Yao himself in the distance. His activities can be confirmed."
He paused, a hint of seriousness in his voice: "However, their location is... very close to Mount Li."
“Lishan…” The person at the head of the table finally uttered a low, hoarse voice, carrying a weariness and coldness as if he had experienced countless vicissitudes. The glow of the oil lamp shifted slightly at that moment, illuminating half of his cheek—if Gao Yao were here, he would surely be utterly horrified, for this face was none other than his former brother, Yi Xiaochuan, who should have had a predetermined path in the torrent of history.
No, more accurately, he is the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan who occupies a certain identity and carries unusual memories and purposes.
At this moment, the enigmatic Yi Xiaochuan's eyes were as deep and unfathomable as a frozen pool, bearing no trace of the carefree and unruly youth of the past. Using the false name of "Liu Bang," he had stirred up a storm in Liaodong and Liaoxi, conquering territories at an astonishing speed. He now effectively controlled eight commanderies, becoming a rapidly rising and formidable force on the Qin map. On the surface, his momentum was strong, showing signs of becoming a regional warlord.
However, this rapid expansion came at a heavy price. The army under its command was a diverse mix, including refugees from the former six kingdoms, local warlords, and surrendered soldiers who had been coerced into service. Their loyalty was questionable due to differing intentions. More fatally, the rapid expansion had weakened its foundations, leaving it strained with funds, provisions, and logistics. It relied entirely on war to sustain itself and on near-plunder-style conscription, leading to widespread discontent and a precarious situation.
Externally, he had to maintain a delicate balance of cooperation and strategic maneuvering with the ever-watchful Xiongnu; internally, he also had to constantly guard against the deadly threat from Gao Yao. Gao Yao regarded him as a major threat and never let his guard down.
However, Gao Yao did overestimate the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan to some extent. Although Yi Xiaochuan had arrived in this era earlier than Gao Yao and the normal Yi Xiaochuan, giving him more time to plan, fate, or rather his own condition, also imposed great limitations on him.
The incomplete fit between his soul and body brought unspeakable rejection and pain, forcing him to devote most of his energy to nourishing his body and maintaining the existence of this shell for a long time. The so-called advance planning was far less pervasive and deeply rooted than Gao Yao had imagined.
The unexpected rise of Gaoyao completely disrupted the familiar, almost fixed script he had followed countless times, leaving him feeling incredibly troubled and even somewhat helpless. The previous defeat of the imperial army had allowed him to escape his predetermined starting point in Pei County and instead head north to conquer Liaodong and Liaoxi, creating a standoff with Gaoyao. However, this seemingly brilliant strategic shift was, in reality, fraught with difficulties he couldn't easily share with outsiders.
The root of this lies in the inescapable "fixation" deep within the mysterious mindset of Yi Xiaochuan. He possesses profound knowledge of both ancient and modern times, understands the historical trajectory of the next few hundred years, and has even personally experienced or witnessed countless key battles. However, this vast knowledge base, while bringing him a precognitive advantage, has also forged an invisible mental cage.
In a series of seemingly predetermined cycles, events unfold according to their expected trajectory, and characters dance to their "preordained" fates. He is like a student with a standard answer key, who only needs to follow the instructions to succeed. It's like playing chess; when every move your opponent makes is within the rules you've already memorized, it's hard to lose.
However, Gao Yao was a complete outsider, a variable who didn't follow any established rules. His way of thinking, methods, and use of technology were entirely beyond any historical template familiar to the enigmatic Yi Xiaochuan. This caused Yi Xiaochuan's judgments and decisions based on historical experience to repeatedly fail in the face of Gao Yao. After occupying Liaodong and Liaoxi, the cooperation with the Xiongnu was, on the one hand, intended to use the Xiongnu to quell the rebellion and to use their power to restrain or even strike at Gao Yao;
On the other hand, wasn't this also a kind of strategic passivity and helplessness? If he did not reach some degree of compromise and cooperation with the Xiongnu, he would immediately face the desperate situation of fighting on two fronts, and would have to spare at least half of his precious troops to guard against the fierce attacks from the grasslands. Then he would have no strength left to deal with the threat from Gaoyao.
Not long ago, when Gaoyao concentrated its forces to attack Wu Rui, the enigmatic Yi Xiaochuan had considered taking advantage of the situation and launching a surprise attack on Gaoyao's rear. The temptation was immense; if successful, it might reverse the strategic disadvantage. However, he ultimately refrained from action. The reason wasn't that he didn't want to, but rather that he felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness in the face of the realities of military geography and the balance of power.
He initially did not take it seriously enough, or rather, the navy, which in his knowledge of "history" should not have played a decisive role, became an insurmountable obstacle. Gao Yao's well-equipped, highly trained, and extremely mobile navy delivered a wake-up call. Intelligence clearly showed that if he dared to commit his main force south to attack Gao Yao's heartland, Gao Yao's navy was fully capable of directly raiding the long coastlines of Liaodong and Liaoxi within just seven days, leveraging its superior sea transport capabilities, and might even penetrate the core area of his rule, cutting off the supply lines and return routes of his main army.
This threat of having his throat held and his lair potentially destroyed at any moment made the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan dare not make any rash moves.
At this moment, listening to his subordinates' report about Gao Yao's unusual lingering near Mount Li, the enigmatic Yi Xiaochuan unconsciously tapped his fingers on the back of his chair, producing a dull "tap-tap" sound. Mount Li... that's where the First Emperor's mausoleum is located, the place where the celestial stars reside, and a forbidden place hiding countless secrets. Gao Yao's absence from Xianyang, instead staying at Mount Li with his offspring, is far more than just a simple hunting and leisure activity.