HCB Chapter 425 The mantis stalks the cicada, but the oriole follows behind
Chapter 425 The mantis stalks the cicada, but the oriole follows behind
Sheng Yin slumped in the recliner, letting the maid rub her shoulders and back, feeling quite grateful for having survived a disaster.
"I didn't expect that my crazy third brother would suddenly become so brave and destroy Sheng Wei's camp near Haikui City overnight."
Sheng Yin spoke nonchalantly, but her eyes were full of fear and suspicion.
"Anyway, Third Brother has helped me a lot in disguise. When I meet him someday, I will show mercy to him and save his life."
Sheng Yin's advisers in the tent felt that this matter was not simple.
"Princess, the eldest prince didn't just use our sheep-stealing as an excuse to start a war. He also said that we sent people to seize his medicine warehouse. Judging from his angry attitude, it doesn't seem fake."
"But how could we have the ability to rob his medicine warehouse near Haihui City? Could it be that the Third Prince did this and framed us?"
The counselors discussed the matter one by one, analyzing it in detail.
"You still have to be careful of the Third Prince. Although he has always been a low-profile figure, he has been very quiet recently."
Sheng Yin felt a little headache after listening to what they said. She narrowed her flamboyant eyes and said, "Maybe he was practicing fasting and starved himself to death?"
"It's surprising that Third Brother is able to hold back Big Brother and fight him. How can he have the time to split himself and deal with us?"
When Sheng Yin said this, there were many voices of support.
One of Sheng Yin's most trusted men stood up and said, "The Third Prince can only mobilize a few troops in a short period of time. If he wants to defend the camp outside Hai Kui City, he will have to face the impact of the First Prince's reinforcements."
"The first and third princes will see that Sea Anemone City is a piece of fat meat, and they will definitely fight each other for the fight for Sea Anemone City."
"Because if one of them attacks Sea Anemone City first and fights with us, even if they win, they will suffer a lot, and then it will be an advantage for the opponent, who will reap the benefits."
What this person said received a lot of approval.
"We are the weaker party at the moment and pose no threat to the forces of Sheng Wei and Sheng Qingyun."
"Even if they both lose or one side wins, we have no way to threaten them while they are weak."
"So the best option for the first and third princes should be to compete with each other first and decide the winner. Attacking us first is the worst option. This way we will have time to catch our breath and recover."
After listening to the counselors' analysis, Sheng Yin unconsciously relaxed: "We can now take a breather. Let's see who can defeat the other, the eldest brother or the third brother."
She turned around and asked the deputy general who entered the tent last, "Are there any movements from the ships we sent to Xiushui Island?"
The deputy general replied respectfully: "Your Highness, the princess, Lord Xu who is in charge of logistics has received the carrier pigeon. In less than an hour, the ship from Xiushui Island will deliver the supplies."
Sheng Yin breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this exciting news.
The deputy general asked, "Princess, we suffered heavy casualties this time. Should we send reinforcements from the other five cities?"
"But if this happens, the defenses of the other five cities will be weak, and there is no guarantee that they will not be attacked by the Third Prince."
Sheng Yin thought about it and made a decision: "Pass the order down, each city will send 500 people over."
Even if the eldest prince or the third prince chose to take over his Sea Kui City, she would be able to escape unscathed and flee via the sea.
Sheng Yin and all her subordinates were only aware of the two enemies, the eldest prince and the third prince. Little did they know that the two ships carrying supplies that were heading from Xiushui Island to the port of Haikui City had been completely replaced with a new crew.
Sheng Yin yawned, looking tired, and picked up the bronze mirror on the table. There was a haggard face in the mirror.
Ever since all the soldiers in the Hai Kui City military camp suffered from vomiting and diarrhea, Sheng Yin hasn't had a good rest for a long time. "How is the situation in the Princess's Mansion?"
She really wanted to go back home to rest, bathe in flowers and smell the incense, and relieve all the fatigue in her body.
An officer immediately responded, "Your Highness, the Princess's Mansion has not yet sent anyone to deliver the message. I guess the eldest prince has just withdrawn his troops, so he hasn't done it so quickly."
"But half a quarter of an hour ago, the soldier on lookout saw the signal fireworks of the palace guards announcing safety. The princess's palace is still safe."
The deputy general beside Sheng Yin saw that Sheng Yin looked tired and said, "Your Highness, since the situation has been temporarily stabilized, why don't you go back to the palace to rest?"
The princess's mansion is not far from the military camp in Haikui City, and it only takes a quarter of an hour to get back by carriage.
"That's fine. I'll feel at ease if I go back and have a look."
Sheng Yin nodded. She finally had some free time. Thinking of the cats in the cat room in the mansion, she wanted to go back and take a look. Just as she was about to get up, an adviser immediately spoke up to stop her.
"Princess, you absolutely cannot do that. Last time you said that the underground vault in the mansion was robbed, and the reason has not been found out yet. You cannot go back rashly at this time."
"Thinking carefully, the situation you described of the temple treasury being looted seems to be similar to the situation of the eldest prince's medicine warehouse being looted!
It's really too dangerous for the other party to sneak into your heavily-armed underground vault without anyone noticing!"
——"Yes! If you are worried about the situation in the mansion, you might as well let the housekeeper and guards come to report to you.
If you are concerned about the cats in your house, why not ask the housekeeper to bring a few of the ones you want to see the most."
Sheng Yin listened to the counselors' suggestions and calmed down. "Then let's do as you say. Summon housekeeper Liu and the palace guards. Ask housekeeper Jiang from the cat room to bring the orange cat with the word 'king' on its head and Wuyun Taxue."
"Oh, right." Sheng Yin had chosen a new male favorite but had never had the chance to favor him. Su Rui's shadow kept lingering in her mind. "Summon Su Rui and Young Master Su to me."
"I have something to ask him."
"Yes!"
The general in charge of arranging personnel received Sheng Yin's order and retreated.
A quarter of an hour later, the leader of the palace guards and Steward Liu arrived.
Sheng Yin saw that there was no one else following behind the two of them, and her brows furrowed.
"What's going on? Where are Manager Jiang and the cat?"
"Where's Su Rui?"
The leader of the palace guards and Butler Liu both turned pale upon hearing this, especially Butler Liu, whose body was shaking like a sieve.
The leader of the palace guards answered with a stiff face, "After hearing that Hai Kui City had been breached, the male favorites and servants in the palace wanted to escape, but I sent people to stop them."
"but……"
"But what?"
Sheng Yin's face was terribly gloomy.
The leader of the palace guards had beads of sweat on his forehead and replied, "The new male favorite in the backyard, Su Rui, and the manager of the cat room, Jiang Lihua Xinda, have disappeared with all the cats in the cat room."