"Have you two gotten used to living here? I've decided to join His Royal Highness the Prince and become a righteous army. However, I still need to make some preparations. I've written everything down in this letter. When you return, just tell me the truth."
When they decided to join His Royal Highness the Prince, the food these two people ate also changed. No one knew what was in the bread they ate two days ago, except for a glass of water. These two days, it has become white flour bread, and there are two more from one. There are even some wines for the nobles to drink, which is much better than the previous few days.
When the food they ate changed, they both knew what Atez was thinking. This guy was preparing to get closer to His Royal Highness the Prince. He came here today to get the letter and let us go. Our mission was over.
"Please rest assured, sir. We brothers have been well taken care of by you these past few days. Otherwise, I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to survive. We all know the situation here, sir, and we will report it truthfully."
It was still the same as before. Raf stood obediently beside and had no intention of speaking, because it was indeed inconvenient for him to speak in such occasions. Sambik was getting more and more accustomed to such occasions. This guy used to be under threat of his life, but now that his life is no longer threatened, he knows better how to speak.
"You've done very well. I've also praised you two in this letter. I believe His Royal Highness will reward you when you return. I've prepared these things for you. Take this letter and hurry back without any delays. To keep this matter confidential, I haven't signed my name on the letter."
Atez's face was a little uncomfortable when he said this. After all, not signing his name meant he was afraid. His Royal Highness might classify him as a coward. But then again, how did you know these two could return directly? What if they were robbed in the middle? Everyone knew that he had betrayed the Arab Empire, and that would be even more embarrassing.
Sambik and Laf didn't dare to say anything. After receiving the letter, they each picked up a large package. This should be the food and drink for their journey. It was much richer than when they came here. It seemed that there was still a lot of stock here. We originally thought that life here was quite difficult, but now it seems that it is far from the case. It is simply our imagination that is wrong.
Watching the two people's backs slowly disappear, the smile disappeared from Atez's face. He didn't know whether what he did today was right, but he had no other choice. He knew very well that if he continued to wait and see here, one day he might open his eyes and see the Tang army.
The last time the Tang army came, he knew how dangerous it was, but the Tang army did not launch an attack at that time. The main reason was that there were too many refugees around. If an attack was launched at that time, it would not benefit the Tang army at all, so they retreated. But this time without the refugees, I am afraid the result will be different.
"Don't just stand there. I've already reported all the land and population here. From now on, no one is allowed to leave, including the resources they hold. Wait for His Royal Highness's order. If anyone wants to leave, they are opposing me. I boasted in front of His Royal Highness, so don't expect to laugh at my joke. We are all jointly responsible."
Atez said very arrogantly that it would not be of much use. His Royal Highness the Prince was not interested in him as a person, but in this place and the people here. Some of them would naturally be incorporated into His Royal Highness the Prince's army, and Atez could also get an official position in the army. It would be best if people from other places were unwilling to surrender, then he would have something to do.
According to what Rafe and the others said, several such letters had been sent out. If those people surrendered, how could they be revealed? As long as those people did not surrender, then His Royal Highness would definitely need a deputy, so wouldn't we be able to show up?
There's no shame in surrendering to the enemy and betraying your country. In his mind, the only shame is not being able to survive. If you're wiped out, you'll have nothing left. What's the point of leaving behind a good reputation? Go look at the people in the capital of the Arab Empire. Will they remember you? Or will they even erect a monument to you?
Absolutely impossible, Atez kept convincing himself. He was being forced to surrender. If they hadn't ordered the blockade of the Northern Camp, who would have chosen to surrender to the Tang Dynasty? Who would have been willing to bear the charge of treason? This was bad news for everyone, but now that they had cut off communications between the north and the south and ignored the local officials in the north, it was only natural for us to find an opportunity to save ourselves.
The men under him naturally nodded nervously. They also knew how powerful Atez was. Since this man had made up his mind, you can't act recklessly. Don't look at this guy as a small official, but he is definitely a poisonous snake. He used to hide behind the scenes. The local officials here came one after another, but all of them did things according to his way.
No matter whether he uses money or a knife, he can make the local officials listen to him. This is his ability. If you don't listen to him now, your days may be over. This guy may turn against you in the next second when he does something.
When the last refugee crisis broke out, so many aristocratic families couldn't survive. Why was this guy able to lead his people to retreat to the south? It was because he started wielding his knife before anyone else killed anyone. That's why he was able to survive, and this is also one of the reasons why his family can continue to exist. When others are not ruthless, he has already felt the need to kill. By the time you dare to kill, you don't know how many people you have killed.
So in this situation, if other people want to compete with him, it is obvious that they are not on the same level. It is better not to stand out and embarrass themselves. Now that he has taken the lead, he will definitely become a general under His Royal Highness the Prince.
