I, the villainous eldest prince, will suppress everything!

As soon as he said this, Baye met Temuhun's gaze.

Temuhun's eyes were full of scrutiny and questioning, asking if he had done it.

Although Baye didn't say anything, Temuhun knew that it was him who did it.

With his hands bound behind his back, Temuhun clenched his fists, gritting his teeth in frustration.

For the sake of a paltry gain in the first battle, Ba Ye actually exposed himself.

Don't you know that this is penny-wise and pound-foolish, like picking up a sesame seed and losing a watermelon?

They finally gained the trust of the Zhou people and successfully established themselves within Xuanque Pass.

They should have played a huge role.

But if that happens, all the previous efforts will be in vain.

But now is not the time to complain, Temuhun said:

"Your Majesty, you cannot conclude that we are traitors just because of our backgrounds. Perhaps the traitors are right here."

Upon hearing this, the generals of the Great Zhou Dynasty were outraged.

Temuhun was practically calling them out by name, accusing them of treason.

Can they tolerate this?

The hot-tempered general rushed forward and punched Temuhun in the face.

Temuhun was instantly knocked to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood mixed with two teeth, looking utterly pathetic.

The general wanted to give Ba Ye a good beating, but Qin Li stopped him.

Qin Li said, "Are you saying that those around me are traitors and colluding with the enemy?"

Temuhun slowly got up from the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood before speaking:

"Your Majesty, I dare not make false accusations without cause. I only beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."

"Clear observation?"

Qin Li sneered, "I have already investigated thoroughly; otherwise, I wouldn't have sent people to bring you here!"

"I know the people around me; they will not betray me!"

"And on that day, besides them, only you were left on the training field."

"Therefore, there must be a spy among you two!"

Knowing he couldn't fool them, Temuhun glared fiercely at Baye, still blaming him for acting on his own initiative.

Following Temuhun's gaze, Qin Li sneered, "Does Lord Temuhun mean him?"

Ba Yegang wanted to admit that he had saved Temuhun.

We can't let him cause both of them to suffer.

If that's the case, then it's really not worth it.

But to everyone's surprise, Temuhun retorted, "He? He doesn't even deserve it!"

"So, Lord Tie wants to take the blame himself?"

"Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly."

Temuhun banged his head on the ground, refusing to admit it.

He was certain that Qin Li had no concrete evidence; otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to arrest and interrogate the two of them, he would have already beheaded them.

Just then, a general spoke up, stepping forward and saying:

"Your Majesty, why waste words with these two Northern Barbarians? Since one of them is a spy anyway, in my humble opinion, it would be better to kill them both."

"As the saying goes, it is better to kill a thousand innocent people than to let one guilty person go free. Only in this way can we comfort the souls of the soldiers who died in battle today."

"That's right, kill them all!"

The other generals echoed his sentiments.

Upon hearing this, Temuhun and Baye exchanged a glance, both secretly realizing that something was amiss.

It seems that someone has to take responsibility, otherwise both of them will be implicated.

The next moment, they heard Qin Li say:

"Gentlemen, are you still not going to admit it?"

"How about this, I'll give you a chance: identify the other person, and you can live."

After Qin Li finished speaking, Ba Ye tried to stand up and say that he was the one who did it, and that he didn't want to implicate Temuhun.

Temuhun has successfully infiltrated Qin Li's ranks, unlike him who is merely a bodyguard under thousands of soldiers. Temuhun's role in the future will definitely be greater than his, so even if he dies, it will be worth it.

But to everyone's surprise, Temuhun spoke first: "Your Majesty, it was I who did it."

Ba Ye stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Temuhun.

Temuhun didn't even glance at him, and said, "It was me who did it. I was born a man of Northern Mang, and I will die a ghost of Northern Mang."

Qin Li sneered incessantly, "It's good that you admitted it sooner. Guards, drag him away and behead him."

"Wait a minute."

Ba Ye stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly. It was I who did it. Lord Tie is innocent."

"Oh?"

Qin Li immediately became interested and laughed, "Just now, neither of you would admit it, but now you're both rushing to admit it?"

Ba Ye said, "I took responsibility for my actions. It was I who did it. I sent the intelligence out of the city not long ago. It has nothing to do with Lord Tie. I beg Your Majesty to spare Lord Tie's life."

boom!

Unexpectedly, Temuhun stepped forward and kicked the unsuspecting Baye to the ground.

Temuhun glared and shouted, "Who gave you the right to act like a hero here?"

After speaking, Temuhun, whose hands were bound behind his back, looked at Qin Li and said:

"Your Majesty, it was me. How could a mere bodyguard like him send out such important intelligence? I sent someone out not long ago, and I still have several of my accomplices in the city."

"explain!"

Qin Li gave the order.

After that, Temuhun confessed the identities of several of his accomplices.

Before Qin Li could give the order, Zhou Biao had already led his men to arrest the person.

"Alright, now things are clear. Today, my Great Zhou has achieved a Pyrrhic victory, all because of you, Temuhun. If we don't kill you, we will be letting down the spirits of my fallen soldiers in heaven."

"Guards, drag him away and behead him."

At a command, two soldiers, one on the left and one on the right, dragged Temuhun out.

Ba Ye wanted to step forward and speak, but outside the tent behind him, with a snap, a head had already fallen to the ground.

The soldier who had just gone out came back in carrying a severed head and threw it on the ground: "Your Majesty, the man has been executed."

Qin Li nodded in satisfaction, while Ba Ye froze, his pupils flickering incessantly in his eye sockets, unable to look at the human head on the ground.

He just died like that, he died?

He doesn't believe it.

He was the one who sent out the intelligence; he's the one who should die.

Why did Temuhun rush to admit it? Why did he try to protect him?

"Your Majesty, what should we do with this person?"

Someone inquired about the proposed course of action regarding Ba Ye.

Qin Li casually waved his hand and said, "I still don't trust this person. He is not of my kind, so his heart must be different. Put him back in the prisoner-of-war camp and let him fend for himself."

"Yes."

……

Sunset.

In a prisoner-of-war camp.

Ba Ye sat in a corner, trembling uncontrollably.

Today, the Great Zhou suffered a Pyrrhic victory, but they also captured a lot of prisoners of war. Ba Ye, however, felt out of place among them.

He repeatedly questioned himself in his heart why Temuhun would admit it.

There was only one outcome: Temuhun would sacrifice himself to save him.

Temuhun believed in him and was sure he could rescue the two princes.

Ba Ye's gaze slowly hardened, and he clenched his fist.

"General Ba Ye, is that you?"

"We really can't believe you're still alive."

Several prisoners of war slowly gathered around, their faces beaming with excitement.

They were all Ba Ye's subordinates, and they thought Ba Ye was already dead.

Upon seeing the group, Ba Ye became even more determined.

I was just worried about not having enough manpower, but now I have it.

Thinking of this, Ba Ye beckoned them closer.

He quietly told them his plan, and they all nodded, indicating that they were willing to follow his instructions.

After finishing, Ba Ye deliberately walked towards the gate of the prisoner-of-war camp.

The guards at the gate saw Ba Ye approaching and immediately brandished their spears and shouted at him.

Ba Ye raised his hands to indicate that he was not in danger.

"Gentlemen, please have mercy! I need to see Tian San!"

"See me? Forget it, just stay put!"

Ba Ye could only return unwillingly.

However, he believed that, given his friendship with Tian San, Tian San would definitely come to see him on his own initiative, it was just a matter of time, and he hoped it would happen sooner.

……

Night falls.

Inside the central command tent.

They saw that Temuhun, who had been beheaded during the day, was now standing there unharmed.

The generals who had come in together exclaimed that they had seen a ghost, and those who reacted quickly had already drawn their swords.

"Are you a human or a ghost?"

One of the generals, still shaken, pointed his knife at Temuhun.

Temuhun bowed slightly to his generals and said with clasped hands:

"Reporting to my fellow generals, of course I am a man! One of our own!"

The generals were even more puzzled and looked at Qin Li, who then revealed his entire plan.

It turns out that the person killed outside the tent today was just a prisoner of war, and the head thrown in was also a prisoner of war.

Temuhun was one of our own from the very beginning, ever since he was sent as an envoy to the Great Zhou by Murong Qingcang and arrived in the capital.

One evening after Temuhun arrived in the capital, Qin Li secretly met with him, explained the advantages and disadvantages to him, and promised him high-ranking official positions and generous salaries.

Temuhun knew that he could not win against the Northern Barbarians, so he decisively surrendered.

Everything that followed was part of Qin Li's plan.

Qin Li planned to use Ba Ye's intelligence to annihilate Murong Qingcang's main force and decide the fate of the world in one battle.

After listening to Qin Li's words, one of the generals said, "Your Majesty, Keba Ye is currently imprisoned in a prisoner-of-war camp, under constant surveillance by our men. How can he possibly accomplish anything?"

Qin Li smiled and said, "It's all up to people. Someone, bring them in."

At a command, Tian San was brought in.

After entering, Tian San was trembling uncontrollably.

He knew he was important, extremely important.

But he was afraid he couldn't shoulder the responsibility.

"Tian San, do you want to become a high-ranking official?"

Qin Li asked.

Tian San nodded, then shook his head.

He wanted to become a high-ranking official, but he knew he wasn't cut out for it.

"It's alright, don't be nervous. Just do as I tell you. Once it's done, I'll grant you a high-ranking official position and endless riches and honors."

Tian San knelt down with a thud, "I will obey Your Majesty's decree."

Now, it seems he has no other choice but to make this one.

……