Although Li Shimin was worried, he also understood their difficulties and nodded: “Very well, have someone bring clean clothes for General Yuchi to change into. You go check on the other soldiers’ conditions and try to save as many as possible.”

As Jiang and Qi responded, Li Shimin led Du Ruhui and others out of the tent. Upon learning that the Luoyang army had been repelled, he looked at the gradually brightening sky and said: “Now that so many people are poisoned and cannot travel, pass down the order to continue resting in place. Report on the poisoned soldiers’ conditions every hour.”

Five thousand… one thousand… one thousand seven… three thousand…

Each time someone came to report, the death toll would rise. Just past noon, the death count had already exceeded three thousand and was continuing to increase. As for the soldiers sent to investigate the situation of nearby residents, they had also returned. Apart from a few common people who had dug their own wells, all the others had been poisoned, and deaths had already occurred among them as well.

Li Jiancheng… had truly gone mad!

It wasn’t only Li Shimin and others who had this thought; Jiang Yuan felt the same way. After his failed surprise attack, he immediately led his troops back to Luoyang City. After settling the soldiers, he headed to the Ziwei Palace with a grim expression.

Li Jiancheng was discussing matters with Li Yuanji in the main hall. Seeing him enter, his expression brightened: “You’re back. How did it go?”

“Following Your Highness’s instructions, I launched a surprise attack on the Tang army camp at the fourth watch. However, they were already prepared and we didn’t succeed. Instead, we lost quite a few men.”

“Already prepared?” Li Yuanji raised an eyebrow and said suspiciously: “How strange. How could they know in advance? Could someone have tipped them off?”

“Impossible.” Li Jiancheng shook his head: “Only a few of us knew about this. Even those twenty thousand soldiers only learned of it when we reached the Tang army’s position. How could there be any tip-off?”

Li Yuanji thought about it and agreed. Just as he was pondering the problem, Li Jiancheng suddenly said: “Do you still remember Liu Hongji?”

Li Yuanji was startled, then said: “Of course I remember. Back then, big brother invited that old bastard three or four times, but he insisted on putting on airs and wouldn’t come. Later he went and served Li Shimin, helping him against us. Hmph, if I see him this time, I’ll definitely kill him with one stroke!”

“This person has always been advising Li Shimin and has ruined our plans several times. Perhaps this time he’s also interfering.” Speaking thus, Li Jiancheng changed the subject: “What about that bottle of medicine I gave you? Did you pour it into the Qi River?”

Jiang Yuan’s face turned ugly: “As soon as I left the city, I followed Your Highness’s words and poured it into the river. But Your Highness deceived me?”

Li Jiancheng smiled slightly and stared at him: “You know everything now?”

“Yes.” Jiang Yuan gritted his teeth: “When returning, I went to see those affected common people, originally wanting to assess the general situation. I didn’t expect to witness people dying from drinking the Qi River water, and not just one or two.” He took out the bottle Li Jiancheng had given him earlier and said coldly: “What was inside this wasn’t the minor poison Your Highness mentioned before, but a deadly poison capable of killing people, isn’t that right?”

Jiang Yuan’s words didn’t cause the slightest ripple on Li Jiancheng’s face, who still maintained that same calm smile: “Correct. If I hadn’t said that, how would you have been willing to do as I asked!”

His complete lack of remorse instantly ignited all the anger Jiang Yuan had been desperately suppressing: “Those who died were all living, breathing people! How could you do such a thing?”

Li Jiancheng stood up and walked before him, putting away that smile and saying coldly: “If I hadn’t done this, we would be the ones to die!”

“No, Luoyang City…”

“What about Luoyang City?” Li Jiancheng interrupted Jiang Yuan’s words, sneering: “Do you really think that with our meager forces and four city walls, we can block Li Shimin’s attack? Impossible, so we can only resort to desperate measures!”

Jiang Yuan said urgently: “Even so, you can’t use those innocent people’s lives as stepping stones! After this incident, the common people on both sides of the Qi River will probably be wiped out.”

Li Jiancheng said with a cold expression: “Those who accomplish great things should not be constrained by minor details, otherwise they will only ruin everything.” After a pause, he added: “Besides, there aren’t many common people living on both sides of the Qi River, only a few thousand!”

Jiang Yuan looked at Li Jiancheng in disbelief. Several thousand innocent people’s lives, in his eyes, only merited the word “few,” as if he were talking about several thousand ants, without any guilt whatsoever.

A large hand patted Jiang Yuan’s shoulder, and Li Yuanji’s voice sounded in his ear: “In warfare between armies, which battle doesn’t involve deaths? I know that when Li Shimin previously conquered Luoyang, nearly ten thousand people died!” He had already learned of all the arrangements from Li Jiancheng when Jiang Yuan had just left the city.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan immediately became agitated: “How is that the same? Those people were all soldiers. Since they wore that armor and entered the battlefield, they expected to die. But this time, those who died were all defenseless common people who knew nothing. What you’re doing now… how is it different from… from… Emperor Yang of Sui?”

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanji’s face immediately showed anger as he shouted: “Audacious! You dare compare that tyrant who destroyed his nation, Emperor Yang of Sui, with big brother? Do you want to die?!”

Jiang Yuan gritted his teeth and said nothing. He truly regretted supporting Li Jiancheng now. The latter’s ruthless cruelty had far exceeded his expectations.

Li Jiancheng slowly walked around him in a circle, saying indifferently: “I know what you’re thinking. Jiang Yuan, being soft-hearted will only harm others and yourself. Behind both you and me lies a bottomless abyss. Turning back… is only a path to death!”

His words made Jiang Yuan’s eyelids twitch violently, and then a chill rose from his feet to the top of his head, his blood nearly freezing. From Li Jiancheng’s meaning, could it be that… he wanted to kill him too?

Just as Jiang Yuan’s body began trembling uncontrollably, the voice he feared sounded in his ear again: “Why are you shaking so violently?”

Jiang Yuan forced out a smile: “I suppose… it’s because the weather has turned cold. I’ll be fine after going back and putting on more clothes. It’s nothing serious.”

“I see. I thought you were shaking because you were afraid of me.” Li Jiancheng’s voice was unusually gentle now, without a trace of anger, yet the fear in Jiang Yuan’s heart only increased. He barely maintained his composure and said: “If Your Highness has nothing else, I’ll take my leave first!”

Li Jiancheng’s lips curved upward in a smile that wasn’t quite a smile: “What, not going to continue criticizing me?”

“I spoke impulsively just now. Please forgive me, Your Highness.” Before Jiang Yuan could bow down, Li Jiancheng had already supported him: “You are my benefactor. Not to mention just a few words, even if you committed a greater mistake, I wouldn’t blame you. But Jiang Yuan… as I just said, we have no way back. Once we lose this battle, it will be an irreversible end. So whether you resent me for being vicious or say I’m detestable, I can only do this!”