Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1034 Han Xin's psychological pressure is immense!

"As expected..." Gao Yao sneered inwardly. This Feng Gu's spleen and kidney qi were abnormally deficient, not due to normal depletion, but rather a typical characteristic left behind after some kind of potent medicine forcibly stimulated his potential. He was all too familiar with this method; it was inextricably linked to that persistent and mysterious Yi Xiaochuan!

He had long anticipated that the man would not accept defeat. After several unsuccessful direct assassinations, he changed tactics, extending his reach to the trusted ministers he relied on. These assassins, cultivated through the sacrifice of their own lives, possessed high loyalty, extraordinary abilities, and were extremely secretive. The fact that Feng Gu could become the commander of Han Xin's personal guards demonstrates the depth of his infiltration and the length of his planning! It's likely that this plan had already begun when Yi Xiaochuan led the imperial army to defeat. This long period of infiltration and dormancy was truly insidious!

Gao Yao slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over Han Xin, who was kneeling on the ground, as if it were a tangible presence. The air inside the tent seemed to freeze, and even the torchlight appeared to dim slightly due to the heavy atmosphere.

"Han Xin," Gao Yao's voice was calm and composed, yet carried an undeniable authority, "Get up."

This calm tone only intensified Han Xin's fear. He lowered his head further, his voice choked with sobs: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty... Your Majesty is guilty! I have failed in my duty to manage my subordinates, causing such a madman to utter such rebellious words. I deserve to die ten thousand times over!"

Gao Yao didn't respond immediately. He just stared at Han Xin silently, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate his body and reach the deepest, most hidden corner of his heart.

Inside the central command tent, Han Xin and Feng Gu had deliberately lowered their voices during their conversation, but Gao Yao, who was already shrouded in the shadows of the night, heard every single word clearly.

Gao Yao did not rush to reveal himself. He was like a patient hunter, silently observing and listening in the darkness. When Han Xin finally rejected Feng Gu's proposal with a resolute tone, Gao Yao was able to keenly detect a very subtle, forcibly suppressed ripple behind the unquestionable determination in his voice.

It was a fear stemming from instinct and anxieties about an unknown fate. The struggle for imperial power was never a brawl like those in the marketplace. On the surface, things might seem calm and even lavish, but beneath the surface, the undercurrents were the coldest and cruelest whirlpools in the world.

Once involved, the consequences range from utter disgrace to utter destruction, potentially implicating one's entire clan and causing rivers of bloodshed. Han Xin, a scholar well-versed in military strategy and history, could not possibly be unaware of this. It is precisely for this reason that his perseverance at this moment is all the more precious.

At a time when Gao Yao's fate was uncertain and the highest power seemed to be hanging in the balance, and faced with the enormous temptation that concerned his own life, property, and even future prospects, Han Xin still chose to uphold his loyalty to Gao Yao. This loyalty transcended simple mutual benefit and touched upon the ancient belief that a scholar will die for one who understands him.

Gao Yao nodded inwardly. People like Feng Gu were like carefully planted spies; they weren't just around Han Xin. What about Cao Canjun? What about the staff of other army commanders? Even in the imperial court, among those officials who respectfully attended court every day, were there similar figures lurking, waiting for their chance to incite dissent?

The enigmatic Yi Xiaochuan from another world had indeed laid out a grand scheme. Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes; before his grand plan could unfold, he unexpectedly perished, leaving behind these hidden pawns that he himself had to clean up.

Now, all that remains is Yi Xiaochuan from this local world. It must be said that Yi Xiaochuan's growth rate is astonishing, as if some kind of unseen fortune is truly blessing him, allowing him to always find a glimmer of hope in dire straits and seize extraordinary opportunities from the ordinary. However, in Gao Yao's view, this level of fortune is far from enough. It might help Yi Xiaochuan stir up some waves, but to shake the foundation that Gao Yao himself built is like an ant trying to shake a tree.

Gao Yao did not immediately tell Han Xin to get up. Instead, he walked to the main seat and sat down. He looked at Han Xin calmly and spoke slowly. His voice was not loud, but it had a calming effect: "This matter is not your fault, nor is it related to you."

Gao Yao paused, then continued to explain, "This man was a spy planted by Liu Bang, the King of Han, in his early years. Long before we defeated the imperial army, he had already been placed among you as a hidden pawn. Now that their various schemes against me are failing, and assassination is extremely risky, they have turned their attention to you generals who hold great military power, attempting to undermine us from within."

Upon hearing this, Han Xin lowered his head even further, his voice filled with guilt and lingering fear: "This... this humble general was negligent, allowing such a traitor to lurk by my side for so many years without my noticing. This humble general is guilty! Please punish me, Your Majesty!"

"Alright, get up." Gao Yao's tone softened. He walked to Han Xin, helped him up, and patted his stiff shoulders. "Han Xin, I promoted you from humble beginnings. I've seen your abilities and your loyalty. If I can't even trust you, who else in this vast world can I trust?"

This simple sentence, however, weighed more heavily on Han Xin's heart than any reward. He slowly rose, the huge weight in his heart finally lifted, and he let out a long, suppressed sigh. Only then did he have the chance to ask the question that had been nagging at him: "Your Majesty, how did you get out? The craftsmen are still working day and night around the mausoleum, but progress is slow, and the siege is very difficult..."

"Let them continue," Gao Yao interrupted him, his eyes sharp. "Don't give anything away. You also need to stay here, stabilize morale, and maintain the appearance that I'm still in the mausoleum. I'm going back to Xianyang personally to see what kind of restless demons are lurking beneath this pool. Perfect opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Han Xin clasped his hands in acceptance, his voice resolute. He knew in his heart that the storm in Xianyang would likely be far more intense than the one in the border camp. Those courtiers embroiled in the struggle for power among the princes were probably doomed this time.

At the same time, a strong sense of relief welled up within him—thankfully, thankfully he had held onto his last line of defense against Feng Gu's instigation. Otherwise, given Gao Yao's temperament and methods, he would probably already be a cold corpse.

He understood the current state of the Southern Border Army better than anyone else. On the surface, the commanders of the major army groups held considerable power and each had their own faction. But all of this was based on the assumption that "Gao Yao was not present." If Gao Yao was not present, facing the possibility of decrees from the court that might harm the interests of the army, Han Xin asked himself if he had a 70% chance of getting the majority of the army to follow him, relying on the generals and soldiers he had personally trained.