NCCnovel Chapter 320 also marks the first crown prince to go abroad.
Chapter 320 also marks the first crown prince to go abroad.
Shan Xiongxin was too badly injured to accompany him.
He could only stay where he was, watching the direction Zhang Xutuo had gone, his eyes filled with worry.
The other Sui generals wanted to pursue but dared not, after all, they had just escaped the jaws of death.
How could we possibly go back to the wolf den in the Northwest? That would be suicide!
Immediately, the highest-ranking official gathered his troops, rallied the remaining soldiers, and retreated south, fleeing as far as possible.
Yumen Pass.
This place was originally a pass of the Sui Dynasty, the western gateway of the Sui Dynasty, and a key route to the Western Regions.
After Li Gui and Xue Ju plotted a rebellion, the area was occupied by the enemy and fell into the hands of the rebels.
Currently, troops from foreign states such as the Western Turks and Tuyuhun are stationed outside the Great Wall.
Xue Ju's troops, who withdrew from Jincheng, completely seized control of the area, turning it into a bridgehead for foreign tribes to enter the pass.
"Young Emperor, we've arrived!"
Wang Buchao grabbed Yang You, pointed to the distant Yumen Pass, and said with a smug smile on his lips.
Once he crossed the Jade Gate Pass, this young emperor of the Sui Dynasty would never be able to return; he would be trapped with no way to escape.
"switch!"
Xue Rengao rode his horse to the foot of Yumen Pass and shouted to the people on the pass. His voice was like a booming bell, causing dust to fall from the city wall.
Then the gate was opened and everyone left the pass, heading straight for the barbarian camp.
Yang You, on horseback, raised his head and looked around at the vast Gobi Desert with its endless yellow sand and bewildered expressions.
He didn't know where he was, or what he was about to face; all he knew was that his world had collapsed.
Upon arriving at a large camp, they were greeted by people dressed in foreign attire, with their hair styled in various ways, wearing leather armor, felt hats, and curved swords at their waists.
These people looked at him with the same curiosity in their eyes.
They pointed and talked about it as if it were something rare and precious.
"Hahaha, dismount!"
Wang Buchao, dragging Yang You along, swaggered towards the main tent, his steps bold and his laughter deafening.
"Yang You's army has already suffered a crushing defeat. All we need to do now is capture him, and we can seize the initiative!"
Inside the main tent, Xue Ju addressed the group of foreigners, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
The reason he abandoned Jincheng, the place where he made his fortune, and gave up the foundation he had worked so hard to build, was to capture Yang You.
As everyone knows, Lü Xiao is the God of War of the Sui Dynasty, invincible and unstoppable.
His son, Xue Rengao, was also a warrior capable of defeating ten thousand men, and was invincible in the army.
Compared to Lü Xiao, they are worlds apart, not even in the same league.
Only by capturing Yang You alive and using him as bait to lure Lü Xiao to the Western Regions, and then completely defeating him, can we eliminate future troubles forever.
This was his plan, and his only hope.
"Prince Xue, don't forget what we discussed before."
Shekui Khan raised his head and said in a gloomy tone.
"Naturally, once Yang You is in our hands, the Khan can implement a scorched-earth policy and cut off their retreat!"
Xue Ju said with a cheerful smile and a solicitous attitude.
Aside from Li Gui's territory, which he had no say in, he could also abandon the land of Jincheng.
It's all worth it as long as we can lure Lü Xiao over.
"You have absolutely no moral compass."
Shekui Khan stared at Xue Ju, his eyes full of curiosity.
To survive, they are willing to abandon their own territory and their very foundation.
Even those who agree to allow foreigners to plunder the people under their rule are capable of achieving great things.
"Compared to survival, what does the bottom line matter?"
Xue Ju had not forgotten the fate of the rebel kings in the Jianghuai region.
Du Fuwei, Li Zitong, Xiao Xian—weren't they all beheaded by Lü Xiao, their entire families going down the road together?
This is also why he was willing to bear eternal infamy to unite with the foreign people.
Being alive is more important than anything else.
What does a bad reputation matter?
So what if I'm infamous for eternity?
As long as Xue Ju is alive, he has a chance to turn the tables.
As the two were talking, a commotion of footsteps broke out outside the tent.
"Go inside!"
Wang Buchao shoved Yang You and said fiercely, with considerable force, as if he were throwing a bundle.
Yang You stumbled and lost his footing, rushing straight into the tent and falling flat on his face.
He lay on the ground, raised his head, and looked around at the people with a blank expression, his eyes empty and his lips trembling slightly.
He was unfamiliar with any of these people's clothing, appearance, or accent.
"Wolf Lord, this is the young emperor of the Sui Dynasty. I've brought him back!"
Wang Buchao pointed at Yang You on the ground and said loudly.
His voice was full of pride and smugness, as if he were showing off a precious trophy.
"Oh?"
The Wolf Lord of Hami Kingdom stood up, excitedly leaning closer to examine Yang You's face closely, his eyes wide open.
The other people from the foreign countries also rushed forward, jostling and crowding around Yang You, chattering amongst themselves.
This is the crown prince of the Sui Dynasty, the future emperor, the grandson of Yang Guang, and the successor of the Sui Dynasty.
Now they've fallen into their hands, lying on the ground like dogs, at their mercy.
If Yang Guang couldn't even keep an eye on his heir, what was there to be proud of?
What face do they have to call themselves the Heavenly Khan?
"He truly is the crown prince of the Sui Dynasty!"
Xue Ju also looked closely, his words filled with surprise and delight, his mouth practically stretched to his ears.
Great! With this thing in hand, wouldn't Lü Xiao obediently enter the Western Regions?
You still dare to go against him?
At that time, Lü Xiao, like Yang You, will gradually fall into his plan and become his prisoner.
No matter how powerful or invincible the Great Sui War God was, once they entered his territory, they all had to obey.
"Haha, let me see!"
Shekui Khan laughed and pushed the crowd aside, then reached out and grabbed Yang You, lifting him into the air like a chick.
He looked down at the delicate-skinned Sui Dynasty crown prince with disdain and contempt in his eyes.
I heard that 300,000 people were wiped out by this guy, almost all of them were killed or wounded, and he himself became a prisoner.
How can such a person lead troops into battle?
How can one effectively govern a region?
Did the Sui Dynasty have no capable people?
"You, write a letter and ask Yang Guang to send someone to present tribute."
"Cattle, sheep, horses, gold, silver, and silk—not a single thing can be missing."
Shekui Khan threw Yang You onto the table with a thud. Yang You hit the corner of the table and grimaced in pain, but dared not utter a sound.
"I...I don't understand what you're saying."
Yang You looked at the foreigners inside the tent; his voice trembled, his teeth chattered, and his whole body shook.
"Translate it for him!"
Shekui Khan spoke to a Western Turk and waved his hand impatiently.
After the translation, Yang You fully understood what the other person meant, his face turned pale and his lips turned purple.
The words "offering tribute" were like a knife stabbing into his heart.
"Write, why not write?"
Shekui Khan pressed closer and closer, shoving the pen handle into Yang You's face.
Ink splattered all over his face, and the cold pen poked his cheek painfully.