Chapter 449: Chapter 456: Such a Coincidence
 

After everyone had left, Han Yu had originally planned to stay behind and discuss his true thoughts and strategies with Liu Xiu; however, Liu Xiu was the one who spoke first, obviously having detected that Han Yu’s ideas were somewhat inappropriate and wishing to discuss them further. Liu Xiu had also noticed that there were indeed unreliable individuals among his subordinates and shared the same concerns as Han Yu. Therefore, he did not raise his questions earlier but waited until now.

“Xiu Qi, now you can speak freely. Although I genuinely wish to trust everyone’s loyalty when everyone was here, it is still best to be prudent and careful in such matters. We cannot afford to be careless,” said Liu Xiu in a more indirect manner. Although he had his suspicions, he was not entirely certain and did not want to falsely accuse anyone. These were people who had followed him for a long time; if it hadn’t been for several leaks of information, he would not have suspected them. After all, Liu Xiu retained a modicum of benevolence and goodness, but this made him appear somewhat indecisive as a leader.

Seeing this, Han Yu, unlike others who might keep such thoughts to themselves, knew well the dangers and felt obliged to remind Liu Xiu. Even if Liu Xiu did not take his advice, at the very least, Han Yu would have fulfilled his duty and responsibility as a subordinate.

“My Lord, we have a traitor within our ranks, and we must not indulge them. We must investigate thoroughly; otherwise, if an issue arises at a critical moment, it could lead to disaster! I am aware of your kind heart, My Lord, and how many of these individuals are old followers; your reluctance and leniency are understandable. However, this will only enable those who are disloyal. Your Lordship must not be soft-hearted with such dangerous leniency towards these traitors!” Han Yu detested such individuals, and a trace of vehemence accompanied his words.

“Rest assured, Xiu Qi, I am aware of the severity, and I will certainly not tolerate it once the traitor is found. But for now, we are not sure who the problem lies with, so any rash action is inadvisable. Not only would it cause panic within our ranks, but it could also dishearten those who are truly loyal,” Liu Xiu said, not feeling the situation to be as grave as suggested, but willing to be vigilant, mainly hindered by his soft-hearted nature.

Seeing Liu Xiu’s reaction, Han Yu knew that Liu Xiu had not taken his warning seriously; if Liu Xiu had truly been determined to investigate, the traitor would have been routed out. However, Han Yu said no more, knowing that there was a limit to what he should say as a subordinate, even though he was loyal.

Liu Xiu sighed with relief seeing Han Yu not persisting on the topic of the traitor; otherwise, he really would have been at a loss for how to proceed. Recently, Liu Xiu had grown to appreciate Han Yu more and, with increased understanding, his trust in Han Yu had deepened. There was just one aspect Liu Xiu found hard to agree with: Han Yu’s ruthlessness in his conduct, which seemed excessively cruel and inhuman. Nonetheless, Liu Xiu was somewhat aware of Han Yu’s past and could understand the reasons behind his current actions.

“Xiu Qi, let’s discuss how to deal with the enemy’s attack. It seemed you held back earlier; now that it is only the two of us, you can detail your thoughts, and I will be able to coordinate with you.”

“As your subordinate, I was merely concerned about the traitor leaking information. Even if you did not inquire, My Lord, I would still report my strategies and plans,” said Han Yu. As the trust between the two men grew, Han Yu became even more respectful in his demeanor, previously addressing Liu Xiu by name, but now showing great reverence, which underscored his unwavering loyalty.

Liu Xiu, a man of great magnanimity and breadth of vision, did not become suspicious and trusted Han Yu’s words, agreeing with his approach: “You are very considerate, Xiu Qi. We do need to be cautious to prevent the enemy from discovering our plans and compromising our grand strategy.”

Relieved to see that Liu Xiu maintained necessary vigilance despite his leniency, Han Yu shared his ideas and plans, and after lengthy discussion, both of them had expressions of confidence and eagerness.

Liu Xiu, who had been somewhat concerned about the disparity in numbers between the forces, now felt reassured and confident after hearing Han Yu’s strategies. Truly, Han Yu was a talent; it was indeed fortunate to have such an intellectual aid in his cause. With Han Yu’s assistance, why fear that the great undertaking would not succeed?

Although Liu Xiu had previously harbored suspicions and guarded against Han Yu’s possible betrayal, he now pondered more on how to secure the loyalty of such an excellent talent. Until now, Liu Xiu did not quite understand why Han Yu, with such capabilities, chose to serve him; however, he was certain of one thing: Han Yu’s motives were not sinister.

In the past, Liu Xiu saw Han Yu as a capable individual; now, he recognized Han Yu’s great talent. An individual with such strategic acumen would not need to go to such lengths to support him if his intentions were otherwise. Liu Xiu was self-aware enough to know that he would be defenseless if Han Yu were to employ the same tactics on him that he did against the Imperial Court’s troops.

Yin Shi also learned about Liu Xiu keeping Han Yu behind to discuss matters and inevitably thought more into it. After all, Liu Xiu showed greater trust in Han Yu on these issues. In fact, Yin Shi supported the decision to hold Yiyang firmly, as it was where the Yin Family’s foundation lay. If they were to leave Yiyang, it was akin to cutting off an arm; it was better to maintain their stronghold.

However, although Yin Shi thought this way, he was cognizant of the overwhelming disparity in military strength and kept his opinions reserved, without expressing them openly. Ironically, a few of his close associates, who were fearful of death, had voiced defeatist sentiments that had displeased Liu Xiu and led to misunderstandings as if instigated by Yin Shi, given his usual proclivities. It was indeed a wrongful accusation.

Remembering this made Yin Shi’s mood sour, his expression darkening as he appeared even more brooding. Realizing that continuing this way was not an option, he left the military camp and headed for Liu Mansion, intent on consulting his sister, who had not been married into the Liu Family too long.

“Sister, how have you been these days? Has Uncle Wen been treating you well?” After all, she was his own sister, so upon seeing Yin Lihua, Yin Shi did not immediately delve into outside matters but first inquired about her well-being since her marriage into Liu Mansion.

Yin Lihua had not been a part of Liu Mansion for long, and at the time of her marriage to Liu Xiu, an unpleasant incident had occurred that had left the Yin Family quite unhappy. However, for the sake of the greater picture and despite the bitterness in their hearts, they had no choice but to endure silently. How could they ask Liu Xiu to set aside critical matters just to marry Yin Lihua? Although there were no actual mishaps, the wedding ceremony was far from perfect—hardly complete—missing not only several traditional steps but also the key ceremony of paying respects at the family altar.