Chapter 81

Pey Qingyi was now very angry, thinking about how she had agonized all night, coming up with a thousand and one reasons to get Luo Shixin to go to bed. In the end... that infuriating rascal didn't come back all night... and she had waited foolishly like a neglected wife, filled with all sorts of strange thoughts!

Neglected wife!

Pey Qingyi could only think of this term to describe her behavior throughout the night!

The next day, Pey Qingyi found herself too worried to be angry, wondering if the nearly invincible Luo Shixin had met with some accident. She couldn't help but wait anxiously by the door until he finally appeared, and the worry in her heart finally subsided.

Then, the dissatisfaction welled up like the floodwaters of the Yellow River, and she rushed into the house.

Luo Shixin was just about to find Pey Qingyi and Qi Hua to tell them about the strange events of the night, but didn't expect Pey Qingyi to directly rush into the house.

"This?"

Luo Shixin was a bit puzzled, "What's wrong with Qingyi?"

Qi Hua, as someone who had been through it, could see a bit of what was going on. The famous female warrior clearly had developed feelings for the young hero in front of her, but as the party involved, she was still a bit naive. He took a few steps forward and whispered, "You didn't come back all night, Qingyi was worried about you, afraid something might have happened. Naturally, she's angry. Women, just comfort them a bit, give them a little sweetness, and that's it."

Luo Shixin nodded in understanding and really went into the house to comfort Pey Qingyi.

Qi Hua was dumbfounded, thinking that with Luo Shixin's tough style, he wouldn't bother to flatter a woman. He was still thinking of what to say to persuade him, but didn't expect Luo Shixin to go in so eagerly.

He didn't know that, as a person from a later era, Luo Shixin had an equal view of men and women, with no notion of male superiority. Because of the sudden event, he couldn't report his safety in time, which was his fault. Apologizing and making amends was a natural thing, and had nothing to do with his dignity.

So Luo Shixin naturally went in to apologize to Pey Qingyi, explained the reason for his absence, and apologized.

This time, it was Pey Qingyi's turn to be at a loss. She had various reasons for her complaints, but never thought Luo Shixin would come to comfort her and admit his mistake. After all, in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, the idea of male superiority was still very strong. Luo Shixin, a renowned young hero and the youngest of the Twelve Guards, had a bright future. Although she had two famous masters, in terms of background, she was just a guard, far below Luo Shixin's status.

Luo Shixin's act of lowering himself to apologize was something Pey Qingyi never dared to imagine. But the fact was right in front of her, and she couldn't deny it.

Pey Qingyi was flustered, her hands fumbling, and with a look of wanting to cry, she hurriedly said, "General, there's no need for this. General has your own judgment, it's Qingyi who was being unreasonable."

Luo Shixin shook his head, "Making you worry was indeed my fault. I'll be more careful next time and let you know if something happens, so you won't worry."

Pey Qingyi felt a sweet warmth in her heart. Luo Shixin's respect gave her a deep impression, and that strange feeling became even stronger.

The two brothers who shared a room with Qi Hua had already gone out to work. They were hunters, and after a day and a night of wind and snow, many animals would come out of their dens to look for food, making it a good time for hunting. Catching more prey meant a better winter for them.

Their wives lived in the next room. Taking this opportunity, Luo Shixin called Qi Hua in and told him about the events of the night.

Qi Hua smiled bitterly, "I don't know whether to be happy or sad!" They had clearly received news of Sun Simiao, but he had met with an accident and become a prisoner of Goguryeo. The unpredictability of life couldn't be more evident. He paused and said, "To force Gao Huizhen to comply won't be easy. Gao Huizhen is a cold and calculating person, obsessed with power and profit. In this critical moment, I can't think of anything that would make Gao Huizhen compromise."

Luo Shixin looked at Qi Hua in surprise, not expecting him to know so much about Gao Huizhen.

Qi Hua explained, "In our line of work, the key is to have connections. Finding a powerful official as a patron can ensure your safety. Although I've retired, I still have a few old partners in the business. They've grown bigger and bigger, attracting Gao Huizhen's attention, who has taken several layers of control. I've heard them complain a lot, so I know a bit about Gao Huizhen."

Luo Shixin nodded in understanding and then asked, "What's the critical moment?"

Qi Hua said, "This is a long story. When Yang Guang launched three campaigns against Goguryeo, Gao Yuan, the king of Goguryeo, to deal with the crisis, gave his generals great power, allowing them to recruit soldiers, manage finances, and even control cities, similar to feudal lords in our Central Plains. This formed many powerful factions, greatly threatening the king's authority. Just as 'when the birds are gone, the good bow is put away' applies to our Central Plains, it also applies to Goguryeo. The new king of Goguryeo has long been planning to reclaim the power of the generals. He is closely watching powerful generals like Gao Huizhen for any mistakes to seize their power. In this situation, it won't be easy to make Gao Huizhen compromise."

"Wrong!" Luo Shixin clapped his hands and said, "According to what you said, it would be even easier to make him compromise. Knowing his weakness, why wouldn't we strike a fatal blow? He fears making military mistakes, so we'll attack him militarily. Gao Huizhen's stronghold is the Domestic City. If we take the Domestic City and exchange it for Sun Simiao and Zuo Tiancheng, would he not agree?"

Qi Hua was stunned, staring at the excited Luo Shixin and said, "That's a certainty, but the Domestic City isn't so easy to take! For a hundred years, it has been the political, economic, and cultural center of Goguryeo. Even after the capital was moved to Pyongyang, it remains a secondary capital, not so easy to capture."

Luo Shixin smiled confidently, "Not necessarily! Taking a city is hard when prepared, but it's not hard when unprepared. Gao Huizhen will surely withdraw troops from the Domestic City to lure Li Yunchong and Sun Zengyou into a trap. In a situation where we are weaker, it's better to attack his stronghold unexpectedly. Exchanging a city for people is a very good deal."

His thoughts were wide open. If Sun Zengyou's reconnaissance didn't provide a simpler solution, attacking the Domestic City was undoubtedly the best choice.

That night, Luo Shixin took Pey Qingyi and Qi Hua to a tavern for a drink.

Sun Zengyou had already returned, but his expression showed no great joy. Given Gao Huizhen's cold and unfeeling nature, the chances of exchanging people were slim.

Luo Shixin shared his idea of attacking the Domestic City.

Li Yunchong and Sun Zengyou's expressions suddenly changed.