A lowly soldier becomes king, I slaughter my way through the late Tang Dynasty!

Yelü Deguang lay half-reclined in the carriage as he retreated northwards.

By noon the next day, Yelü Jieli had successfully reunited with the group.

The following evening, Zhao Yanshou also successfully arrived at Yelü Deguang's temporary camp.

"Your Majesty, the Jin army is no longer able to fight back. I took the opportunity to gather more than four thousand defeated soldiers and escort Your Majesty back north."

Yelü Deguang snorted coldly, showing no sign of kindness.

Zhao Yanshou was speechless and could only sit down timidly.

The responsibility for the crushing defeat at the front lines is not something we will discuss for now.

Judging solely from the outcome, Yelü Jieli successfully preserved his strength, and his contribution was greater than that of Yelü Jieli.

While enduring the emperor's wrath, Zhao Yanshou secretly glanced at the twelve-faced banner not far away.

On his way back from his defeat, he had already heard the news that Balid had been killed and the banner had been cut down.

At first, Zhao Yanshou thought it was just a rumor spread by the Jin army.

After all, how prestigious was Yelü Balide's position?

He also has 5,000 iron cavalry from headquarters by his side!

How could someone capture someone alive in the camp and then be beheaded on the way?

The news that Yelü Balide was killed was completely false, so the news that the divine banner was cut off was even more false!

Do you really think His Majesty the Emperor's Imperial Guards are just sitting around doing nothing?

However, as time went by, Zhao Yanshou received more and more information.

My suspicions and uncertainty grew stronger!

How come... both of these messages feel real?!

No way!

This is outrageous!

Even after sitting next to the emperor, Zhao Yanshou still couldn't quite believe it.

However, when he secretly looked up and saw the twelve-faced banner...

Zhao Yanshou had no choice but to believe it.

One of the flags has indeed disappeared!

It is indeed the legendary Falcon Flag!

Just as Zhao Yanshou was in turmoil, Yelü Deguang noticed his furtive glances and his expression became even more displeased.

"What is Yanshou looking at?"

Zhao Yanshou was startled and lowered his head.

"Judging from the soldiers' morale, although they suffered a defeat, their hatred for the Jin army has only grown stronger. They will surely succeed next year!"

Yelü Deguang closed his eyes, too lazy to pay attention.

These Han Chinese are eloquent; they're all talk and no action!

A moment later, the other Khitan generals arrived and joined them.

Yelü Anduan, Xiao Han, Xiao Tala, and others...

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Yelü Deguang slowly began to speak.

"You've all heard about Balid and the Great Banner, haven't you?"

Everyone stiffened and lowered their heads.

These two things are really disgraceful and shameful!

More importantly, it was all done by the same person.

Li Rui!

This name has been firmly etched in the minds of the Khitan leadership.

Yelü Deguang said indifferently.

"I wish to kill Li Rui, what can be done?"

A moment of silence fell over everyone again.

Yelü Deguang continued.

"Li Rui, at such a young age, has accomplished many earth-shattering things, and is truly a major concern for me!"

Next year, I intend to launch another military campaign southward. If we encounter this man, we may suffer another loss.

Therefore, let us all brainstorm and think of a way to kill this man before heading south!

As he spoke, several guards stepped forward and distributed Li Rui's personal information to the group.

These were all confessions from Wang Digou, detailed in every single detail.

After reading it, the generals all shook their heads in amazement.

Li Rui's resume is unremarkable and quite ordinary.

Yet, on his first time on the battlefield, he managed to accomplish so many astonishing feats.

genius!

There are no other adjectives besides these two words.

Zhao Yanshou coughed lightly.

"It says here that Li Rui was a lecherous man who married three wives and concubines before going to war."

Even when he was trapped in the city, he was having a passionate affair with a woman from a Western Regions caravan.

If Your Majesty wishes to eliminate this person, you might consider training a group of women skilled in assassination to feign approach him and then act upon the opportune moment.

Yelü Deguang nodded slowly.

This plan is dishonorable, even somewhat despicable.

But if it works, then it's a good strategy!

Besides, he's not Han Chinese, so he doesn't have that many etiquette and moral standards.

Zhao Yanshou's method was exactly what Yelü Deguang had come up with himself.

However, Yelü Anduan shook his head.

He was the oldest person present, at 69 years old.

He was also the younger brother of the late Emperor Abaoji and the uncle of Yelü Deguang.

"If Your Majesty is going to use a honey trap, you should try to persuade them to surrender first. If that fails, then you can try to assassinate them."

Offer to surrender?

Yelü Deguang frowned.

His hatred for Li Rui had reached its peak!

He wasn't just talking about wanting to kill Li Rui, eat his flesh, and drink his blood.

But if we could persuade them to surrender...

Yelü Deguang couldn't help but be tempted.

Li Rui is certainly hateful, but his abilities are beyond doubt.

He is truly a rare and exceptional prodigy!

If it can be used for one's own benefit...

I can't think about it!

The more I think about it, the more excited I get!

The Khitan generals all nodded in agreement, approving of the proposal.

They had no grudge against Li Rui.

Xiao Pudu and Balide, who had direct hatred for Li Rui, were both dead, leaving only His Majesty.

However, Zhao Yanshou was on high alert and quickly stopped him.

"No, Li Rui is young and impetuous; how could he possibly surrender?"

Yelü Anduan immediately realized that Zhao Yanshou was afraid that Li Rui's surrender would threaten his position.

"Hehe, it's true that Li Rui is young and impetuous, but it's also true that young people are impetuous."

With real gold and silver, high-ranking official positions, and stunningly beautiful women laid out before him, how could Li Rui possibly resist?

Zhao Yanshou was speechless and stopped arguing.

Because he saw the emperor's expression; he was clearly tempted.

As expected, Yelü Deguang nodded slowly.

"That makes sense. Li Rui is just a lowly assassin in Jin. Even if he makes great contributions, he will only be promoted a few ranks at most."

If he surrenders, I will bestow upon him the title of military governor of both Zhenzhou and Dingzhou, and reward him with a thousand taels of gold, a thousand bolts of brocade, and ten beautiful women!

All the generals agreed.

Yelü Deguang arrived and remembered something else, and gave instructions.

"Cut off the head of that Jin spy who has a grudge against Li Rui, what's his name, Wang Digou? Pickle it with lime and send it to Li Rui."

……

Five days later.

Yelü Deguang has completely returned north, and the Jin army is scattered throughout the battlefield, plundering the spoils of war.

While ostensibly looting spoils of war, many soldiers and ruffians actually broke into ordinary people's homes to rob and rape.

The people in this area have suffered a great calamity!

The Khitans came, looting grain and women.

After driving the Khitans away, their own imperial troops came to plunder grain and women!

That's just how soldiers are these days.

To put it nicely, they were soldiers; to put it bluntly, they were bandits!

The eighty-four Restoration Army soldiers who went through life and death with Li Rui also had bandit-like habits.

However, Li Rui gave a death order: anyone who dares to rob and rape the people will be killed without mercy!

Therefore, these eighty-four members of the Restoration Army stood out as a breath of fresh air among a group of rogue soldiers.

At that moment, Li Rui was writing a letter.

This letter was to be delivered to the military camp in Dingzhou to let Wang Shuyu, Zhang Yourong, and Zhao Xiaomei know that they were safe.

At the same time, he also wanted to tell Liu Fuji that he was still alive.

Niu Ben and Yelü Antuan were exchanging insults about each other's ancestors.

"You little bald guy, I'll fuck your mother!"

"Pah, you only won once by luck, what are you so smug about?"

"A win is a win. You're being tied up like a dog, and you still have the nerve to bark?"

"Hmph! Just because I lost to Li Rui doesn't mean I'll lose to you! If you've got the guts, untie the ropes and let's have a real fight!"

"Oh ho? You think your grandpa's afraid of you? Come on, let's fight..."

Just as Niu Ben was rolling up his sleeves, a guard entered through the door.

"Is General Li Rui here? Zhao Hongyin, the commander of the Imperial Guard and the Holy Cavalry, has come to pay a visit."

Niu Ben was startled.

"The Imperial Guard? What brings His Majesty's Imperial Guard Commander here?"

Li Rui looked up in surprise.

"Zhao Hongyin?"

This name sounds so familiar.

This is Zhao Kuangyin's father!

The future Emperor Taizu of Song's father!