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

As Li Rui finished speaking...

The surrounding dense forest remained quiet.

It was as if he was talking to thin air.

But next second.

Li Shouzhen, shameless as ever, stepped out from behind the tree and laughed heartily.

"What a coincidence that I would run into Li Sikong in this deep mountain forest."

Li Rui gave a forced smile.

"There's no one else here, Li Jieshuai doesn't need to make excuses."

Li Shouzhen's smile froze, and he squinted as he spoke.

"Li Sikong is still as sharp and valiant as he was on the front lines. Since that's the case, I'll just say it directly."

Those people from Black Wind Stronghold have greatly displeased His Majesty and must be completely wiped out.

He stepped forward and patted Li Rui on the shoulder.

"More than 20,000 people searched for eight days in the deep mountains and forests, but they couldn't find a single trace."

Li Sikong was in Fengqiu, yet he was able to pinpoint the route with great accuracy; this was truly a remarkable achievement.

However, Li Sikong should refrain from interfering in the remaining matters.

Li Shouzhen first acknowledged Li Rui's contributions and stated that she would not try to take credit for him.

But Li Shouzhen must personally take charge of annihilating Black Wind Stronghold!

We must not let any survivors escape!

Everyone who has seen the ballista must be killed, without exception!

however.

It was his slightly anxious words that made Li Rui raise an eyebrow!

originally.

Li Rui was still wondering where the bandits got their crossbows.

There must be someone reselling arms.

Large military weapons like ballistae were only stocked in the armories of large warlords.

coincidentally.

Li Shouzhen's Yicheng Army encompassed Huazhou and Zhengzhou, and was also adjacent to the capital city of Bianzhou.

In terms of scale, it may not be the largest military region in the world.

But in terms of importance, it is absolutely number one!

The armories of the Yicheng army must have contained ballistae.

Li Rui smiled faintly and stepped aside.

"Li Jieshuai is fighting bandits for the country, so naturally he should be the vanguard."

Li Shouzhen was overjoyed upon seeing this!

"Sikong is so magnanimous; I will surely repay him someday."

soon.

Li Shouzhen then summoned troops, gathering more than two thousand men.

They followed the mining tunnels and stormed into the valley to wipe out the bandits.

A scream came from below, a chilling sound.

Li Shouzhen, however, was not worried at all.

The other party is just a bandit; once they are found, they will be lambs to the slaughter.

Just then.

Li Rui said softly.

"Is the commander going to kill all the bandits?"

"That's natural."

"Leave no one alive?"

"His Majesty's decree: annihilate them all."

"Ha, if His Majesty knew that the bandits possessed ballistae, would he still have issued this decree?"

Li Rui had just finished speaking.

Li Shouzhen, who had just been chuckling, suddenly turned around!

He stared intently at Li Rui, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably.

His jaw clenched instantly, his cheeks bulged, and you could faintly hear the grinding sound of his teeth.

His left hand, gripping the sword, involuntarily clenched until it turned white!

Li Shouzhen stared at it for several minutes.

The air around us seemed to freeze, and the cool mountain forest became hot and dry.

Finally, Li Shouzhen spoke, word by word.

"You know about ballistae?"

Li Rui scoffed and immediately retorted.

"Are you dealing in arms?"

Li Shouzhen's pupils contracted slightly, and his left hand had already drawn his sword through a small gap!

Everyone else's attention was focused on the fighting below the tunnel.

Only Zhao Kuangyin noticed this scene.

His eyes widened, and he immediately stepped forward to protect Li Rui.

He brandished his sword, intending to separate Li Shouzhen.

Li Rui raised his hand to stop him, and said calmly.

"Li Jieshuai wants to kill someone to cover it up? That's a bad idea. You should think about it again."

Li Shouzhen's expression changed slightly, and her mind raced.

Li Rui knew that the bandits had crossbows...

Obviously, we didn't just find out now.

He knew it all along!

That timeframe should be eight days ago.

When the bandits ambushed and killed the Empress!

Li Rui was there, and he saw the ballista at that time!

Doesn't that mean...?

It's possible the Empress also saw the ballista!

Li Shouzhen suddenly shuddered!

Large beads of sweat instantly dripped from his forehead!

What's the difference between the Empress seeing the crossbow and the Emperor knowing about it?

Just as he was filled with anxiety.

Li Rui smiled calmly.

"General, there's no need to worry. His Majesty is unaware of this yet."

Li Shouzhen gritted her teeth and roared angrily.

"Of course His Majesty didn't know! Otherwise, he wouldn't have issued an edict to wipe out all the bandits! Instead, they should have been captured alive and then thoroughly investigated!"

but……"

But what about the Empress?

He didn't say it aloud.

But Li Rui had already figured out his thoughts.

"Confused?"

Li Shouzhen frowned and nodded.

I am indeed very puzzled.

It's been eight days. The Empress knows about crossbows, so why doesn't His Majesty?

Didn't the Empress say so?

Li Rui, however, smiled confidently.

"I can keep it a secret from the Queen."

Li Shouzhen was taken aback.

He then sneered.

"you?"

Don't believe me?

"Why believe something so absurd?"

"You may not believe me, but I will only give you this one chance."

Li Shouzhen was speechless for a moment.

He stared into Li Rui's eyes, trying to detect a hint of guilt.

Unfortunately.

Li Rui's eyes were full of confidence, and even carried a hint of a smile.

As if victory was assured.

Li Shouzhen was sweating.

He was unable to think at that moment.

Why is the Empress standing next to Li Rui?

As the Empress, shouldn't she tell the Emperor the truth?

Seeing Li Shouzhen's surprised and uncertain expression.

Li Rui was already confident.

Let's pull off a scheme to get something for nothing!

Why didn't Feng Yao tell Shi Chonggui about the crossbow?

Very simple.

Feng Yao didn't even see the ballista!

At that time, Feng Yao was sitting in the carriage.

Where could one see through the chaotic crowd the ballistae shooting down the Imperial Guards?

Only Li Rui, sitting on his horse and looking down from above, saw it!

But that doesn't matter.

It doesn't prevent Li Rui from getting something for nothing.

"Since the commander doesn't believe me, then let's wait for the empress to tell His Majesty."

Such a blatant threat.

Li Shouzhen immediately dropped the knife and grabbed Li Rui's arm with both hands.

The ballista was his weakness!

Even if you don't really believe in your heart that Li Rui can control the Empress.

But he dared not gamble!

"Why be so formal, Sikong? Just tell me your conditions. We both have the surname Li, and we were one family three hundred years ago."

Li Rui gave a half-smile.

"Just now, the general tried to kill me to silence me, but now we're all one family?"

Li Shouzhen laughed heartily to cover up his embarrassment.

"Brother, don't say such unpleasant things. Just tell me what you want."

Zhao Kuangyin watched in utter astonishment!

One second they were exchanging heated words, their tensions palpable.

Why did my brother start calling out the next second?

Is this how important people communicate?

At this point, Li Rui stopped beating around the bush.

"Five thousand sets of armor, one hundred thousand strings of cash, and fifty thousand bolts of silk."

"How many!?"

Li Shouzhen jumped up in anger!

"Impossible! Even if you sold the entire Yicheng Army, you wouldn't be worth that much money!"

"Marshal, why don't you try to bargain?"

"Five hundred sets of armor, ten thousand strings of cash, but no silk."

"Then there's no need to discuss it."

"Hey, hey, one thousand for A, thirty thousand for B."

"Three thousand armors, fifty thousand coins, and twenty thousand bolts of silk."

"Too expensive!"

……

Just as they were arguing...

A head emerged from the tunnel entrance, its face covered in blood, and it shouted.

"Commander! This opening is too narrow. Our men are trapped at the exit, suffering heavy casualties!"

Li Shouzhen's face darkened, and he was about to curse angrily.

Li Rui, standing to the side, waved his hand.

"Yuen Long, you go."

Zhao Kuangyin was overjoyed and rushed over quickly.

Not long after.

A cheer erupted from inside the passageway.

The thousands of Yicheng soldiers who were blocking the outside poured out like a flood that had been released!

Seeing this, Li Rui laughed.

"General, my men have done you a great favor again. Is it too much to ask for another ten thousand coins?"

Li Shouzhen was so choked up that her eyes rolled back!

"You son of a bitch... I give up, I give up, you're something else!"

at the same time.

A man, bound hand and foot, was led out of the passageway.

This man was none other than Zhang Fu, the leader of Black Wind Stronghold.

He came out with a face full of dissatisfaction.

He roared, his head thrown back.

"Who found this place, who found this path? I don't believe it! Who was it?!"