Chapter 1438 – Take It Easy (Part 5)
“Every time I think back to that day, I just want to stab Hua Yuan with a knife—”
Yang Tao had a breezy and open personality; he rarely truly loathed anyone. However, Hua Yuan’s actions had managed to break that rare exception.
“Wasn’t Lin also thinking along the same lines?”
After a silence, Yang Tao continued, “There’s something I just can’t wrap my head around.”
Yan Lin asked, “What’s that?”
Yang Tao replied, “The Southern Barbarians committed heinous crimes—there’s no arguing about that. I can understand why Hua Yuan hates them. What doesn’t make sense to me is this: given Hua Yuan’s past, while he’s had his share of hardships, he shouldn’t harbor such intense hatred towards the Southern Barbarians. What about all those innocent women who were captured? Even if their children carry barbarian blood, they themselves are natives of Nan Sheng!”
If An Huan were hell-bent on slaughtering the Southern Barbarians, Yang Tao could grasp that.
Because An Huan’s parents, wife, and children were all brutally killed by the Southern Barbarians, and such hatred is something outsiders can’t comprehend.
To gather troops for revenge, An Huan also suffered greatly in Dongqing, so it’s natural for him to wish for the extermination of the Southern Barbarians.
But what about Hua Yuan?
According to Yang Tao’s investigation, Hua Yuan’s hatred for the Southern Barbarians was exaggerated and baffling.
“Why were those women raided and mistreated by the Southern Barbarians?” Yang Tao clenched his fists, gritting his teeth indignantly, “Is it not because the men of Nan Sheng are useless and foolish? If the royal family hadn’t been negligent, and if the gentry, eunuchs, and foreign relatives hadn’t abused their power, would these women have suffered such a fate?”
If these people could have just protected the land, these women wouldn’t have to endure such inhumane torment.
They managed to escape, only for Hua Yuan and the others to use the excuse of the children in their wombs being remnants to force abortions.
“Truly infuriating!”
Even an outsider like Yang Tao couldn’t stand to see it.
Hypothetically, if Hua Yuan were really that against any Southern Barbarian bloodline, why not wait for them to give birth before taking action?
Forcing abortions means the children die for sure, and the mothers won’t survive either.
The Southern Barbarians are evil, but these women are innocent!
Whenever Yang Tao remembered that day, he felt a lump in his throat that left him uncomfortable all over.
Yan Lin sympathetically remarked, “Once the military alliance matters are concluded, we’ll take our troops and leave.”
Yang Tao nodded; he wasn’t a child anymore. He couldn’t sacrifice the spoils of war earned by the lives of his soldiers for the sake of one person’s temper.
“Shaoyang, I’m worried about Shaoyin,” Yang Tao said. “Hua Yuan and Shaoyin don’t see eye to eye. Given Hua Yuan’s volatile nature, I’m concerned…”
“Lü Zheng and Hua Yuan are both strategists under An Huan. Even if they have differing political views, Hua Yuan wouldn’t go so far as to kill him,” Yan Lin chuckled lightly. “In any case, Lü Zheng is a prized student taught by Mr. Yuanjing, so you needn’t worry about him.”
Yang Tao mumbled, “I know Shaoyin is Mr. Yuanjing’s senior disciple, but Hua Yuan is just too unpredictable, and I can’t shake off this unease.”
Thinking back, Yang Tao had previously caught Hua Yuan displaying murderous intent towards Lü Zheng.
If Yang Tao hadn’t happened to show up then, who knows what Hua Yuan might’ve done?
Yan Lin smiled, “If you’re really worried, why not find a chance to remind Lü Zheng to be cautious?”
Yang Tao sighed, “I’ve already warned Shaoyin, but… I doubt she took it to heart…”
Now it was Yan Lin’s turn to feel helpless. Yang Tao warning Lü Zheng to be wary of Hua Yuan could easily be interpreted as sowing discord, right?
As if Lü Zheng would take such a warning seriously.
Little did they know, at that moment, Lü Zheng was already inclined to believe Yang Tao’s worries.
This all stemmed from the allied forces conquering the Southern Barbarian territories. Both An Huan and Hua Yuan were staunch elimination advocates, which Lü Zheng naturally opposed.
Were captives considered spoils of war?
The hidden value that captives could create far exceeds the visible spoils of war. Why must they be exterminated?
A thousand and one objections from Lü Zheng couldn’t dissuade him; he couldn’t be bothered to argue with Hua Yuan. His success hinged on convincing Lord An Huan.
To no avail, Lü Zheng tried reasoning with emotions and logic, but An Huan clung tightly to his stance—extermination was a must!
“Does Shaoyin know the pain of a country being destroyed and families being torn apart? This isn’t negotiable. The Southern Barbarians are merely uncivilized barbarians; leaving them alive would only invite future troubles,” An Huan declared. Coming from a gentry background, he naturally believed in bloodlines, thinking the “evil” of the Southern Barbarians was inherent. If the captives were spared, they would surely be back for revenge. It’s better to eradicate them completely, once and for all.
An Huan vividly remembered how those barbarians had violently invaded his home, how they humiliated and killed his wife and daughters, and even his infant son wasn’t spared, being carelessly trampled into a bloody pulp. His elderly parents had lost their dignity, dragged and thrown to their deaths… wives, concubines, and servants—all had met a tragic end; his large family shattered!
How blissful and peaceful the first half of An Huan’s life had been, and how devastating it became when disaster struck.
Lü Zheng prioritized benefits and chose to spare the captives after weighing the pros and cons. An Huan wasn’t unaware of his considerations, but—
An Huan didn’t need those benefits; he only needed the Southern Barbarians to pay the price for their bloody deeds!
To ensure the annihilation of the Southern Barbarians was An Huan’s motivation to survive, and it was a heavy responsibility he felt compelled to fulfill, no matter what others said.
Thus, An Huan insisted that the extermination task be handed to Hua Yuan; he knew they shared the same sentiment.
Lü Zheng was extremely disappointed. On his way back, he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings when suddenly a shadow yanked him into a nearby tent.
The strength of this person was terrifying, and no matter how Lü Zheng struggled, he couldn’t break free from the grip.
One hand covered his mouth and nose, while the other gripped his throat with a force that felt like it would crush his neck.
Lü Zheng struggled for his life and finally caught a glimpse of his assailant’s true identity—it was Hua Yuan! Realizing this, Lü Zheng’s struggles intensified. With a great effort, he sent his feet flying to topple over the fire basins inside the tent, creating a noise that caught the attention of patrolling soldiers!
“What’s happening?”
As the soldiers approached to lift the tent flap for inspection, Hua Yuan’s icy, furious voice barked them away.
Taking advantage of that moment, Lü Zheng pushed Hua Yuan’s hand away, rolled over, and snatched a large knife from the rack beside him, his chest heaving intensely.
“You… who exactly are you?!”
Lü Zheng coughed a couple of times, gasping for breath. The suffocating feeling made his limbs feel weak, and his head throbbed with pain.
But he couldn’t afford to be careless, so he pointed the blade at Hua Yuan, terrified that this lunatic might try to kill him again the next second.
Yes, Lü Zheng was certain that Hua Yuan had genuinely wanted to kill him just now!
Seeing this, Hua Yuan revealed a cold and ominous smile, his demeanor so different from the Hua Yuan Lü Zheng knew.
Could it be—
Had this madman flipped again?
“Anyone who stands between me and my revenge against the Southern Barbarians deserves to die—if you want to live, don’t get in my way!”
