The Bodyguard King’s CEO Wife Chapter 1535: News of Hua Liandie

"Go prepare some wine and meat," Ye Shikai turned and instructed.

"Yes, General."

"Xue San, go change your clothes first. No need to rush. We’ll talk slowly at the dining table later," Ye Shikai patted his shoulder, speaking calmly.

"Thank you, General."

An hour later.

"Xue San, eat slowly," Ye Shikai reminded, as Xue San seemed like a refugee escaping famine, who hadn’t eaten for three days, directly grabbing the whole roast chicken and biting into it.

"Yes, if it’s not enough, I’ll have the kitchen make more," He Linghan also advised alongside.

"Sir, my current disheveled appearance is truly disgraceful," Xue San said awkwardly, swallowing the meat in his mouth and bowing repeatedly in apology.

"No problem, you and I are brothers. I don’t care for such formalities. However... how did you end up like this?" Ye Shikai inquired; Xue San shouldn’t be so broke that he can’t afford food. Even if in a hurry, one must eat, otherwise, it’s too strenuous to ride a horse. Or perhaps... he encountered the rebel forces.

"General, after receiving intelligence from Chu Territory, I rushed over immediately. The situation was too urgent, so I couldn’t bother to eat and traveled all night without eating."

"What kind of intelligence is it?" Ye Shikai’s gaze turned serious upon hearing this. A piece of information causing Xue San to rush back without bothering to eat must be a matter of great importance.

"Well..." Xue San glanced at He Linghan, hesitating to speak.

"You guys talk slowly, I’ll go to the kitchen and prepare more dishes," He Linghan understood the situation, realizing they’re discussing military matters, as a woman, she shouldn’t interfere, so she left proactively.

"There’s no one else here, speak."

"General, this time I took the brothers to Chu Territory and gathered quite a bit of intelligence. The situation in Chu Territory is much more chaotic than in East County. Some county towns have already been captured by rebel forces, and the court likely can’t dispatch troops to suppress them anytime soon. Therefore, the power of the rebel forces is like a snowball, getting larger and larger. With the strength of the local government troops, it is hard to resist. On our way, the brothers and I also encountered numerous ambushes by rebel forces, but I dared not linger in battle, so I led the team away."

"Unexpectedly, the situation in Chu Territory has deteriorated to this extent," Ye Shikai murmured to himself in shock.

"Indeed, but Chu Territory is thousands of miles away from us; it won’t reach here soon. This time, I rushed back urgently due to intelligence on Hua Liandie."

"What, Hua Liandie?" Ye Shikai suddenly stood up, having waited for months to finally hear news about her.

"Yes, exactly regarding Hua Liandie," Xue San nodded and said.

"Quickly, tell me."

"Hua Liandie is a noble from Chu State, harboring intentions to rebuild Chu State. Over the years, she has been managing enterprises across the land of the Seven Kingdoms, relying on her privileged background, accumulating wealth daily, amassing gold and silver, cloth and grains. Additionally, her enterprises include military factories that produce weapons. The people of Chu Territory have long been grievous about the court’s rule, so upon hearing Hua Liandie raising a rebellion as a Chu State noble, they responded en masse."

"Alright, I know all these, get to the point," Ye Shikai urged eagerly, telling Xue San to be straightforward.

"Hua Liandie possesses money, grains, armaments, and the support of the populace, conquering city after city in a short time, advancing irresistibly. She now controls four counties and thirty-one cities, commanding tens of thousands of troops, considerably powerful." Xue San’s words thoroughly amazed Ye Shikai; he hadn’t expected Hua Liandie to expand her influence so significantly over the past few months, even capturing so many county towns, seemingly on the verge of ’dominating one region.’

Indeed, as Xue San mentioned, Hua Liandie’s ability to rally people stems not only from exploiting Chu Territory citizens’ dissatisfaction with Qin Country’s rule but also significantly due to her resources. In these chaotic times, having a place to live and a hot meal is a luxury for many. To put it bluntly, in the current era, money and grains equate to troops.

It appears Hua Liandie is resolute in her defiance, yet Ye Shikai harbors significant concern for her. As the commander of East County, his understanding of the imperial military's might is absolute. Though Meng Tian's three hundred thousand strong army engages the Wolf Clan in the north, formidable forces are stationed in the Central Plains and surrounding Xianyang. The Qin Army, once a savage force that conquered the Six Kingdoms, boasts commanders who are contemporary renowned generals, not easily overcome.

This reality is precisely why Ye Shikai hesitates to revolt. Even with his disapproval of the Qin Dynasty's governance, he is reluctant to raise the banner of 'acting on Heaven's behalf.' He currently leads numerous brothers; a rebellion would undoubtedly draw many, but defeat would spell ruin for countless families—a consequence he cannot bear.

"General, given your connection to Hua Liandie, will this impact..."

"Rest assured, few individuals are aware of my acquaintance with her, and they are all my trusted aides. No harm will come of it," Ye Shikai declared, waving his hand dismissively. According to Qin Law, conspiring with rebels is a capital offense. Should anyone report Ye Shikai, even as a general, he would face severe repercussions. However, Ye Shikai feels no real worry; Ma Yao, for one, has no desire to betray him. If Ye Shikai were apprehended, who would lead the troops into battle?

"General, Hua Liandie has aided us on numerous occasions. Now that she has openly rebelled, what course of action should we take?" Xue San inquired. Ye Shikai rose to his feet, hands clasped behind his back, and paced back and forth, his expression heavy as he remained in deep thought for a prolonged period.

"Xue San, the conversation we are having today, along with the intelligence you have procured, must be maintained in absolute secrecy. Not a single word must be divulged to the outside. Otherwise, it will precipitate disaster for you, for me, and for Hua Liandie."

"Yes, I understand and obey."

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

"Old Ye, the New Year is fast approaching, and recently, those rebel forces seem to have significantly quieted down," Shangguan Jian remarked playfully within the military camp. Over the past fortnight, no intelligence regarding rebel activities had been received, as if they had entered a state of hibernation, leaving the entirety of East County suddenly peaceful.

"Everyone here hails from East County; why would we wish to engage in mortal combat with one another?" Ye Shikai sighed profoundly. Despite the empire's unification, wars had never ceased, claiming lives daily, with countrymen even turning on each other.

"Recently, many soldiers have expressed homesickness. Should we permit them to return home to visit their families?"

"Indeed, your suggestion is sound. Soldiers are human beings too. Furthermore, ever since enlisting, they have been engaged in ceaseless battles without adequate rest. I concur with your proposal."