“Are you wondering who these people are?” This voice startled Yunyi. Looking up, she saw a woman with an elaborate coiled hairstyle adorned with dangling pearl strands standing beside her. “Second Madam?”

“I didn’t expect the Princess to still remember me.” The speaker was indeed Wan Shi. After several years, time had not only left no traces on her face but had made her even more beautiful than before.

Yunyi lowered her eyes, “Second Madam possesses national beauty and heavenly fragrance, elegant and noble – unforgettable at first sight. How could I forget?”

Wan Shi smiled lightly with narrowed eyes, “When we were at the Governor’s residence before, I never noticed the Princess was so eloquent. When I first learned of the Princess’s identity, I was greatly shocked – I never imagined that a little dancer would actually be a princess of the current dynasty.”

Yunyi said calmly, “Yang Guang is dead. I can no longer be called a princess.”

Wan Shi laughed, “As long as the Sui realm still exists, you remain a princess.”

Yunyi didn’t wish to continue this topic and pointed at the people on the city wall, “Does Second Madam recognize them?”

Wan Shi’s eyes deepened as she said mysteriously, “How could I not recognize them?” After a pause, she said something that horrified Yunyi: “These are all people connected to the Li family.”

Ruyi blurted out, “Second Madam means they are the General’s relatives?”

“Correct. Look at that one – he’s the General’s cousin. That one is the General’s clan uncle. And that one is the General’s distant relative by marriage. And…” Wan Shi pointed them out one by one, quickly identifying all those standing in front. After Ruyi waited a while without hearing her continue, she asked in confusion, “Then…”

Wan Shi saw through her thoughts, “You want to ask about the others?”

Ruyi nodded, “Yes, does the General really have so many relatives in Chang’an City?”

Her words drew a sigh from Wan Shi, “In fact, besides those I just pointed out to you, I had never seen the rest before today, and neither had the General.”

“Ah?” Ruyi said in shock, “Then they’re not the General’s relatives after all. Why then…”

Wan Shi said gravely, “They captured not only the General’s relatives but anyone with even the slightest connection. For example, that old man standing on the far left – the General took a long time to recognize him as a tutor who taught him for two years when he was young. They’d long lost contact, yet he too has been captured.”

Ruyi looked in the direction she pointed and saw an elderly man of about eighty, standing there trembling as if he might fall at any moment.

Ruyi said angrily, “They even captured someone like that – it’s too excessive!”

“I’m afraid they’ve captured anyone with even the slightest connection to the General.” At this moment, Li Yuan’s voice came from ahead: “Yin Shishi, I know you’re there. Stop hiding and come out.”

Following Li Yuan’s words, ugly laughter rang in everyone’s ears, then a figure appeared at the city gate – none other than Yin Shishi.

“Li Yuan, you’ve finally deigned to come out yourself today instead of sending your sons and son-in-law to make noise here. How do you like this gift I’ve prepared for you?”

Li Yuan said with a cold expression, “What exactly do you want?”

Yin Shishi casually grabbed a child who looked only four or five years old, lifted him up and placed him on the city wall. Amid the child’s terrified, distorted crying, he said, “Tell me, what would happen if I let go?”

The child’s parents were also on the city wall and immediately knelt down, begging Yin Shishi to release their child, only to be kicked and beaten by soldiers who ordered them to be quiet.

Li Yuan said coldly, “Yin Shishi, you despicable scoundrel! If you dare harm them, I will fight you to the death!”

Yin Shishi said dismissively, “Whether they can live doesn’t depend on me, but on you, General Li. As long as you withdraw your troops, I guarantee they’ll be safe and sound. Otherwise… you can wait to collect their corpses!”

Li Yuanji, having the most explosive temper, immediately said, “Don’t even think about making us withdraw! Not a chance!”

Yin Shishi’s expression stiffened as he said coldly, “Then there’s nothing more to discuss.” With that, he made as if to push the child off the tower. Li Yuan quickly shouted, “Don’t!”

Yin Shishi held the rope behind the child, leaving him half-suspended in air. “Has General Li decided? My patience is quite limited.”

Li Yuan gritted his teeth without speaking. Li Yuanji, fearing he might agree, said urgently, “Father, we’ve worked so hard to reach this point. If we withdraw now, all our previous efforts will be wasted, and we’ll become a laughingstock. You absolutely must not withdraw!”

“I know what I’m doing.” From beginning to end, Li Yuan had never considered withdrawing. As Li Yuanji said, after such hardship to reach this point, asking him to withdraw now would be absurd. However, he couldn’t just watch Yin Shishi kill all these people, or he would inevitably gain a reputation for disregarding others’ lives for personal gain.

“What’s this? Still haven’t decided?” Yin Shishi’s voice pulled Li Yuan from his thoughts. After thinking nervously for a moment, he said, “An army of 250,000 can’t be withdrawn with just a word. Give me time to think!”

Though Yin Shishi appeared arrogant, he ultimately didn’t dare push Li Yuan too hard. “Fine, I’ll give you half a day. If you haven’t withdrawn by noon, don’t blame me for being impolite!” With that, he casually tossed the child back onto the tower, making everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

As soon as Yin Shishi left the city wall, generals surrounded Li Yuan, all saying the same thing – they absolutely couldn’t listen to Yin Shishi and withdraw, or army morale would be destroyed. Moreover, after camping outside Chang’an for so many days, their supplies were beginning to run short. If they didn’t capture Chang’an, the army would face food shortages, and even attempting to attack Luoyang later would be impossible.

It could be said that Chang’an was Li Yuan’s crucial test. If he passed it, he would leap over the dragon gate with boundless seas and skies for him to soar. If he couldn’t pass it, a thousand years of cultivation would be lost in a single morning, and he’d be completely beaten back to his original form.

Li Yuan developed a splitting headache from their arguments. Seeing that Li Shimin had remained mostly silent, he said, “Shimin, what’s your view on this matter?”

Li Shimin cupped his hands, “Reporting to father, your son believes what the generals say is reasonable. These troops absolutely cannot be withdrawn, but the people… also cannot go unrescued!”

Li Yuanji rolled his eyes, “Second brother’s words are quite ridiculous. Rescue them? Would Yin Shishi release those people on his own? Or are you saying he’d let us climb the city wall to rescue them?”

Li Shimin looked at the sun appearing and disappearing behind clouds, “There’s still time before noon. Let’s return first to discuss – perhaps we can truly think of a solution that serves both purposes!”

Li Yuan nodded, “Correct. Just waiting here isn’t a solution either. Leave one unit to watch, and the rest come back with me.”

After returning to the camp, they immediately gathered to discuss, but the results were unsatisfactory. This was a problem requiring choosing one of two options – truly impossible to have both.