The Bodyguard King’s CEO Wife Chapter 1539: A Difficult Choice

For Ye Shikai to spearhead an uprising, calling it a "rebellion," would brand him and his soldiers as traitors, regardless of their success in aiding the civilians. Furthermore, with a hundred thousand troops positioned nearby, any conflict, however expertly commanded by Ye Shikai, would inevitably lead to severe casualties for his twenty thousand men and bring ruin upon their families.

While Ye Shikai’s desire to protect lives is paramount, he must also bear responsibility for the twenty thousand soldiers under his command. To initiate a "rebellion" without their consent would be to gamble with the lives of his soldiers and their kin. Ye Shikai would never commit such an act.

"Old Ye, when do you anticipate those troops will arrive?" Shangguan Jian inquired.

"Based on Xue San’s intelligence, they are departing from various county towns within the two regions. Even with an accelerated march, it should take no more than three days for all of them to reach us," Ye Shikai estimated, arriving at a preliminary timeframe. Han Hao had already deployed soldiers to strictly patrol the surrounding villages. It was highly probable that he would make a move once the remaining troops were in position. The urgency of the situation left Ye Shikai with even less time, filling him with anxiety and internal conflict.

"Shangguan, you will assume command of the troops here on my behalf. I have urgent matters to attend to in Pu Yang," Ye Shikai declared after a period of contemplation.

"Understood. I shall handle things here," Shangguan Jian replied, grasping Ye Shikai’s intentions. Given the pressing nature of the current circumstances, his urgent return to Pu Yang could only be for a singular purpose.

Ye Mansion.

"Husband, why have you returned?"

Ye Shikai entered the courtyard. He Linghan was tending to the flowers and plants in the garden, appearing perfectly at ease. Upon seeing Ye Shikai's unexpected arrival, she questioned him with curiosity.

"Ling’er, I..." Ye Shikai began, but his words trailed off.

"Husband, what is it?" He Linghan asked, her brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"No, it's nothing. Ling’er, I am quite well," Ye Shikai replied, averting his gaze to prevent He Linghan from discerning his expression.

"Husband, what is truly the matter?"

"It is nothing," he reiterated.

"Very well. Since you are home, do not leave. Rest for a while. I will prepare dinner tonight, what do you say?" He Linghan leaned against him, a soft laugh escaping her lips. Ordinarily, such moments would bring him joy, savoring He Linghan's delicate and dependent demeanor. However, at this moment, his heart felt as if it were being torn asunder.

Watching He Linghan depart from his sight, Ye Shikai sank into a chair, lost in thought. Previously, during his time in Yanjing, he had often envisioned a life like this—one filled with mutual affection and free from significant troubles. Now, in the Qin Dynasty, having met He Linghan, he had finally found the life he had always dreamed of. If he were to disregard the current crisis concerning Ying Huo Shou Xin, this peaceful existence could continue. Even if the Qin Dynasty were to collapse as history dictated, he could relocate He Linghan to an undisclosed location, live in seclusion in the mountains, and embrace a simple, pastoral life.

"Husband, try this roasted meat. I have refined the recipe, and it tastes even better now," He Linghan said at the dinner table, thoughtfully placing food onto Ye Shikai's plate. Despite the recent unrest in East County, which had led to Ye Shikai’s frequent absences and limited time at home, He Linghan had not voiced a single complaint.

"Mm, thank you," Ye Shikai replied. He had not managed a smile in a long time. It was only within the sanctuary of his home that he could shed his burdens and cease his incessant worries.

"You may leave now," He Linghan signaled to the nearby servants with a wave of her hand, indicating for them to withdraw.

"Yes, madam."

"Husband, was there something you wished to discuss this afternoon in the garden?" He Linghan suddenly inquired.

"Nothing," Ye Shikai responded. His hand trembled slightly, and a flicker of nervousness crossed his face before he hastily concealed it.

"Liar. You clearly had something to tell me, and it must be important, mustn't it?" He Linghan set down her chopsticks and took his arm, holding onto Ye Shikai.

"Husband, whatever it is, just tell me."

"As I said, there is nothing," Ye Shikai replied with a wry smile. Despite the turmoil within, he managed to present a composed expression for He Linghan.

"Husband, if you continue to conceal it, I will become upset. We have been married for so long; is there anything you can truly hide from me? In the past, when you were unwilling to speak, I did not press. But this time, I can see you are facing a genuine predicament. Why can you not be honest with me?" He Linghan pressed him. This time, her demeanor was resolute, suggesting she would persist in her questioning until Ye Shikai revealed the truth.

"Sigh. Are you aware of the falling meteor?"

"I am. Recently, I have heard Hehua discussing it, mentioning 'Ying Huo Shou Xin,' which signifies that something momentous is about to occur."

"Indeed, something major is happening. The Emperor has issued a secret order to eliminate all civilians within fifty miles of the meteor site, leaving no one alive." Ye Shikai said flatly.

"What?" He Linghan’s expression changed drastically upon hearing. She is merely a woman, naturally feeling terrified upon hearing such.

"Within fifty miles, even Shangshui Village is included." Upon saying this, Ye Shikai had lost all appetite, pushing the meal aside. The meteor site is at the junction of the two counties, and Shangshui Village happens to also lie within their boundary. Although Shangshui Village and the meteor are in different counties, they are only thirty miles apart. On the day the meteor fell, many villagers from Shangshui went to watch.

"Then Grandpa is..." He Linghan’s tears began to flow instantly, and Ye Shikai quickly embraced her.

"Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. I’ve already arranged for him to be brought to the military camp." Ye Shikai softly reassured, despite the Emperor’s order to kill all civilians within fifty miles, as General, he had this "privilege."

"Ling’er, since you wanted to know, I won’t hide. Thousands of civilians are implicated, witnessing so many perish before me is unbearable, so I want... to stop them."

"If I truly do this, I will immediately become a traitor and be hunted down, and you will be implicated; treason is a capital offense, I..."

"Husband, you need not speak further," He Linghan already understood Ye Shikai’s intention.

"Husband, if I advised against doing this, what would you choose?"

"Then I wouldn’t raise an army." Ye Shikai answered decisively. He was indeed selfish. He understood the consequences of raising an army; if He Linghan didn’t want to take that risk, Ye Shikai would side with her. After all, as a man, he couldn’t drag his wife into "danger." If it led to the massacre of those civilians, he could only silently endure the inner torment.

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