Chapter 104: The Plan of Pulling Back Troops

The firearms armies in the sky and on the ground cooperated with each other tacitly. In just one stick of incense, they wiped out nearly one-third of the Qi army.

The leading general Hua Fang failed in his challenge and was shot in the head by a bullet from Du Qingtang.

After Hua Fang's death, the Qi army was leaderless and had no desire to fight, so they fled in all directions.

General Feng raised his arm, spear pointed to the sky: "All soldiers, listen to my command! Follow me to attack Changping Pass and avenge our previous defeat!"

"kill!"

“Kill, kill, kill!”

The Xia army raised their spears and scimitars and shouted in unison.

They had waited too long for this moment.

Today, they want to avenge the countless ancestors who died on the battlefield!

The blood of the Xia army boiled, they shouted and rushed towards the Qi army without hesitation.

The two armies engaged in a chaotic battle, with swords flashing and shouts of killing shaking the sky.

Du Qingtang and hundreds of firearms soldiers watched the battle from the rear.

Gunpowder and muskets are certainly incredibly lethal, but Daxia's soldiers need to go into battle and kill the enemy, and they need combat experience.

Over-reliance on firearms will only make them more lazy and degenerate step by step, turning them into useless people who lie in tents and receive military pay for nothing.

When that day really comes, Daxia will be finished.

......

The Central Army and the Qi Army were fighting fiercely, and the Northern Army was not far behind.

The wooden kites carried the firearms army, and wherever they passed, huge fireballs rose up and swallowed everything.

The bullet drew a streamlined trajectory in the air and accurately hit the vital point of the Qi army, killing him on the spot.

The third prince looked at this scene and his heart was filled with ambition.

He must get the Firearms Battalion.

Having a firearms battalion is like adding wings to a tiger for him, and even the fourth brother has to retreat.

When the time comes, let’s see how the fourth brother fights him!

After an incense stick of time, the Firearms Army raised the yellow flag.

The firearms army in heaven and on earth retired after completing their mission, and by that time, half of the Qi army had been wiped out.

The deputy general was so engrossed in watching that he suddenly stopped, feeling rather unsatisfied. He discussed with the firearms troops, "Why don't you continue the attack? This will save us from a clash between the two armies and countless casualties."

The leading firearms soldier looked respectful, but his tone was firm: "The commander has ordered that the firearms troops' operation time must not exceed one incense stick."

It’s Du Qingtang again!

The deputy general was dissatisfied. It was obvious that the firearms army could kill all the Qi troops, but Du Qingtang ordered the firearms army to retreat as soon as the time was up.

However, he also knew that now was not the time to argue, so he sneered and led his troops to fight.

The third prince sat on his warhorse, his arms folded, humming a little tune leisurely, and chatting with the firearms soldiers on both sides who were responsible for protecting him.

"How did you make something as powerful as gunpowder?"

"This is confidential and cannot be leaked."

"There are also muskets. Can you show them to me, Your Highness?"

"If a musket is not handled properly, it is very easy to explode. For your safety, please forgive me for not complying with your order."

Many similar questions were asked, and the Firearms Corps' answers were either that it was confidential or that they were unable to comply.

In the end, he got nothing out of the question, like a punch on cotton. The Third Prince was unhappy and simply stopped asking.

Blood and flesh were flying everywhere on the battlefield. The Third Prince's stomach churned and he turned away in disgust.

The Third Prince's eyes were darting around when he suddenly shuddered. He pointed at the edge of the battlefield and shouted, "They're trying to escape!"

He glanced at the deputy general who was fighting fiercely with the Qi army, decisively selected 5,000 cavalrymen, and galloped out at full speed.

The guards and the firearms soldiers' expressions changed slightly, and they hurriedly spurred their horses to chase after them.

"Your Highness, you can't!"

"Don't chase after a desperate enemy, Your Highness!"

The third prince has read a lot of military books recently, and of course he knows the principle of not pursuing a desperate enemy.

But the opportunity is rare. As long as we capture those Qi troops who escape during the chaos, we can make a great contribution.

By then, the emperor will surely look upon him with new eyes, and the soldiers in the army will also be in awe of him.

The third prince ignored the shouts behind him and led 5,000 cavalrymen, galloping towards the southwest.

After chasing for about a quarter of an hour, the Qi army that was looming in front suddenly disappeared.

The Third Prince drew his sword and shouted, "You are a bunch of stray dogs! Show yourself now, bare yourselves and tie your faces!"

The guard looked around the mountains and forests on both sides, feeling inexplicably uneasy: "Your Highness, this place is not safe. Let's go back quickly."

The Third Prince glared at him and said, "What a coward! Come, find them all for me!"

The cavalry looked at each other, and reluctantly followed orders and advanced.

After taking a few steps, a rapid sound of breaking wind was heard above.

Looking up, arrows rained down on the cavalry, piercing their armor and penetrating their bodies in an instant.

The cavalrymen screamed and fell off their horses, and were trampled into a pulp by the frightened warhorses.

"Oh no! We've fallen into a trap!"

"Protect His Highness!"

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

Swords, spears and arrows collided with each other, making clanging sounds.

The third prince was frightened by this sudden change and turned pale. His legs were trembling and he almost fell off his horse.

"Get me out of here!"

"If anything were to go wrong with this prince, I would definitely kill all nine of your clans!"

The guards and firearms troops protected the clamoring Third Prince in the middle and slowly retreated, while the cavalry was responsible for the rear guard.

However, the enemy was in the dark and we were in the light. The Qi army occupied the high ground on both sides and shot down dense arrows, making it impossible to defend against them.

"Your Highness, be careful!"

The third prince turned his head and an arrow flew straight towards his face.

"Your Highness!"

The Third Prince didn't think twice and grabbed the nearest firearms soldier and put him in front of him.

......

Just when the third prince encountered an ambush, Pei Yuchun and Deputy Commander Lu cooperated tacitly and commanded the southern army to defeat the Qi army, making them cry for their parents and flee in panic.

"Daxia has gunpowder and muskets, why should we fight? We might as well just surrender!"

"Daxia has the help of gods, otherwise how could the Xia people fly to the sky?"

"God, please don't kill me! I surrender!"

Pei Yuchun turned his wrist and used his spear to knock away the Qi army that was about to launch a sneak attack. Then he swept across and knocked Hu Ren, who was ordered to intercept the southern army, off his horse.

The cold wind was howling and the yellow sand was rolling in the wind.

Hu Ren had a spear pressed against his neck. Looking at the young general on horseback with fierce eyebrows and murderous aura, despair flashed in his eyes.

how so?

How could the Qi army be defeated?

The soldiers of Da Qi have always been invincible and victorious!

Hu Ren closed his eyes and looked as if he had let it go.

He failed to live up to the general's high hopes and became a prisoner of Daxia.

Hu Renben could have picked up the scimitar left by some unknown soldier and fought with the green-eyed young general again, or he could have committed suicide with the knife and died gloriously on the battlefield.

His hand had already touched the hilt of the knife, but he felt timid at the last moment.

He doesn't want to die.

He dared not die.

He is a coward.

Hu Ren opened his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Da Qi should have been invincible. The only reason you won was because Du Qingtang was born in Da Xia."

Before sending troops, they were full of confidence in winning the battle.

The generals of Changping Pass sat in the main tent, imagining a bright future and discussing how to deal with the soldiers and civilians of Loushan Pass.

Hu Ren gave a bitter laugh and murmured, "If Du Qingtang was born in Da Qi, he wouldn't have to worry about conquering a small Loushan Pass."

"Unfortunately, there are no ifs." Pei Yuchun raised his eyebrows slightly, and a faint smile flashed in his green eyes. "She was born in Daxia, a Xia people."

Pei Yuchun retracted his spear, his tone revealing a sense of pride: "But you're right, she is indeed very powerful."

Powerful, calm, and radiant.

It captivated his eyes and heart at first sight, and he could not forget it even after tossing and turning.

Two Xia soldiers stepped forward, tied Hu Ren up like a dumpling, and handed him over to a special guard.

This person is a third-rank military officer and can be used as a bargaining chip during negotiations.

"General Pei!"

Deputy Commander Lu rode forward and reported the battle situation of the firearms army in a serious manner.

Pei Yuchun's brows relaxed, and the murderous aura around him mostly dissipated: "Thank you all for your help."

Deputy Commander Lu even said he didn't dare: "We are just following orders."

Pei Yuchun looked around and said, controlling the reins, "First, enter the pass, and then join up with the central and northern armies."

Deputy Commander Lu thought of the commander who had accompanied the Central Army on the expedition, and responded respectfully, saying, "I wonder what the situation is like there, Commander."

Pei Yuchun left a group of troops to clean up the battlefield and led the southern army into the pass. He then said, "General Feng is brave and good at fighting. With the help of the firearms troops, we will surely win a great victory."

This is not an exaggeration.

General Feng had a bad temper and was emotional, but he was a brave general and had made great military achievements.

There is no need to say more about the capabilities of the firearms army.

Even Pei Yuchun was deeply shocked by the sight of wooden kites blocking out the sun and the firearms army dropping gunpowder from the air.

There is no doubt that this must also be the arrangement of Commander Du.

Deputy Commander Lu hummed a noncommittal sound, agreeing very much with the second half of the sentence.

The commander is omnipotent. Even if she is fighting together with General Feng, with whom she has deep conflicts, she will put aside her prejudices and focus on the overall plan.

......

It was indeed as Deputy Commander Lu thought. Although Du Qingtang and General Feng had disagreements, they always put the overall situation first. At least at this moment, they had the same goal.

After the devastating blow from hot weapons, the morale of the Qi army collapsed, while the Xia army was full of fighting spirit, and the outcome was clear at a glance.

Two hours later, the battle ended with the victory of the Central Army.

The personal guard stepped forward and asked, "General, the Qi army has surrendered. What should we do with them?"

General Feng said, "Tie him up first, and let the general make the decision when we get back."

As a guerrilla general, he had no say in whether to recruit or eliminate the enemy.

The personal guards took the order and left.

General Feng rode on a tall horse, overlooking the corpses scattered all over the ground.

Both the Qi and Xia armies had them, but the Qi army had more.

General Feng looked at the mangled bodies of the Xia army, and the joy of victory vanished completely. He sighed and said, "Send someone to bury the bodies, cremate them, and send them to their families along with their letters."

Piling corpses together can easily lead to plague.

So usually, soldiers would be cremated on the spot after dying in battle, and their ashes would be placed in jars and sent back to their hometowns by special personnel.

Orders were passed down one by one, and the central army was integrated and entered the pass.

General Feng rode alongside Du Qingtang. He tried to liven up the atmosphere, laughing in a gruff voice, "Thanks to Commander Du's suturing skills, those wounded soldiers didn't die."

Du Qingtang said calmly, "It's just a small favor, not worth mentioning."

She just said it casually, but it was the military doctors who actually did it.

General Feng paused, lowering his voice a few degrees: "Commander Du, I'm really sorry for what happened before."

Du Qingtang tilted his head to look at him.

A trace of discomfort flashed across General Feng's dark, bloody face. He looked ferocious, but now he looked honest and simple.

"That day I judged people by their appearance and spoke rudely to Commander Du. I really shouldn't have done that."

"To be honest, Commander Du, I have always admired scholars since I was a child, especially those who are both civil and military as Commander Du. Now I am convinced by you."

As he spoke, he cupped his hands and said, "I hope Commander Du will be magnanimous and not bother with a reckless man like me."

Du Qingtang did not say anything, but raised the musket with one hand, turned his wrist, and aimed the muzzle at General Feng.

General Feng opened his eyes wide in fear, and his voice suddenly rose to a high pitch, rumbling like thunder: "Commander Du, what are you doing?"

There was a commotion all around.

"What happened to the general and the commander?"

"Is there an internal conflict?"

"That's not the case, weren't they fine before?"

General Feng also wanted to say, they were talking calmly just now, why did they suddenly fire their guns? His big eyes were full of confusion.

"That day, Du had already fought back on the spot. All grudges are now wiped out." Du Qingtang raised his musket and said calmly, "In this way."

General Feng patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief, then laughed dryly: "I thought Commander Du was going to..."

Du Qingtang took back the musket, it was just a little prank.

Just consider it as the interest for the rude words I said to her.

The army marched west for dozens of miles and saw a dark mass in the distance, with black and red military flags fluttering in the wind.

It was the Southern Army led by Pei Yuchun and Deputy Commander Lu.

Du Qingtang and his group were also seen on the opposite side.

"Commander!"

Deputy Commander Lu waved his hands and shouted, and the cold wind carried his voice to his ears.

The two armies joined forces, and Pei Yuchun and General Feng reported the battle situation to each other.

Du Qingtang listened in, multitasking and asking, "How about the Firearms Army?"

Deputy Commander Lu replied, "Dozens of people were slightly injured, it's not a big deal."

Du Qingtang glanced to the north inadvertently and suddenly saw a man coming alone.

"Is that man a Northern Army soldier?"

Pei Yuchun and General Feng paused their conversation and looked in the direction Du Qingtang pointed.

The man rode his horse closer and closer, and his black and red armor, unique to Daxia, was particularly conspicuous.

"Why is he alone?"

"Beware of a trap, everyone be on guard!"

Du Qingtang noticed that the other party was unstable and swaying on the horse, and frowned slightly.

The Northern Army arrived under the vigilant gaze of everyone, fell off their horses with a thud, and vomited blood on the spot.

——His armor was torn, and there was a hole the size of a bowl on his waist and abdomen, from which blood was oozing out.

General Feng's pupils trembled, and an ominous premonition came over him: "What is the current situation of the Northern Route Army?"

The soldier spat out several mouthfuls of blood, raised his head with all his might, and breathed faintly: "The Third Prince was captured. General Zhang was ambushed while trying to save him and was killed by a hail of arrows."

Everyone's face changed suddenly.

Du Qingtang said in a deep voice, "I have arranged for firearms troops to accompany and protect him, and the Third Prince also has guards. Why was he captured?"

The soldier opened his mouth, wanting to answer but only let out a painful "ouch" and fell headfirst, instantly stopping breathing.

The scene was dead silent, and there was no trace of the joy from the two great victories left.

Du Qingtang and the other three looked solemn, while the soldiers were filled with panic, holding their breath and not daring to make a sound.

After a long silence, General Feng looked at Pei Yuchun, clenching his fists and saying, "I will lead the troops to support the Northern Army."

The third prince was captured and the deputy general was killed in battle. They didn't know what exactly happened, but the Northern Army had a total of 20,000 troops. If there was no one to lead them, they would definitely not have a good end.

Pei Yuchun spoke in a low voice, his brows stern, "Deputy Commander Lu, you will accompany General Feng to the north to provide support."

Deputy Commander Lu clasped his fists and said, "I obey your orders!"

Pei Yuchun looked at Du Qingtang and said, "Commander Du, follow me to the Qi camp. Bring the firearms and troops to cover us as we charge in and capture Fang Xing and the others."

The third prince has a special identity and was captured for unknown reasons. They must rescue him.

After careful consideration, Pei Yuchun decided to split his troops into two groups.

Support and attack all the way.

It would be best if General Feng could rescue the Third Prince. Otherwise, they can only try to negotiate with Da Qi to get the Third Prince back.

The more generals of Da Qi Da Xia holds in its hands, the better the chances of success in the negotiations.

If anything happens to the Third Prince, all the generals in Loushan Pass, including Du Qingtang, will be held accountable by the court.

In short, they have to prepare for the worst.

......

In the Qi camp, General Fang was anxiously waiting on the hospital bed.

In order to ensure that the Great Qi remained invincible, he sent out an army of 120,000, divided into three groups to intercept the Xia army.

Gunpowder and muskets are indeed powerful, but they will eventually run out.

In order to successfully intercept the Xia army and defend Changping Pass, General Fang Buxi sacrificed tens of thousands of Qi soldiers and built a wall of flesh with their flesh and blood.

They are the warriors of Da Qi, and the people of Da Qi will always remember them.

General Fang stared at the tent door, thinking coldly.

"Are there any battle reports?"

"General, no battle reports have been sent from the front."

There are usually two possibilities when there is no battle report from the front line.

First, they were defeated and the entire army was captured.

Second, the two armies were engaged in a fierce battle, with no progress made for a long time.

Either way, it's not good news.

The longer it drags on, the more dangerous Changping Pass will become.

General Fang slammed his fist on the bed, hating his own incompetence and even more hating Du Qingtang who had brought him to this point.

If they had not fallen into Du Qingtang's trap, they would not have suffered countless casualties and could only send one lieutenant general and two garrisons to fight.

"Bang--"

"ah!"

Just as he was mentally planning to cut Du Qingtang into pieces, a loud noise suddenly came from outside the main tent, followed by screams one after another.

General Fang's breath was choked and his eyelids twitched wildly.

"Zhang Man!"

"Zhang Man!"

"Zhang Man!"

General Fang shouted the names of his personal soldiers, each one louder than the last.

However, Zhang Man did not respond until his throat became hoarse.

The ominous premonition grew stronger and stronger. General Fang struggled to get up and put on his clothes, regardless of the bursting of his wounds.

After putting on the t-shirt, General Fang lifted the bed board, revealing a secret passage that was only wide enough for one person to pass through.

This secret passage has existed for decades, and only the successive generals of Changping Pass knew of its existence.

As long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood.

The revenge we inflict today will be repaid a hundredfold tomorrow!

However, just before General Fang jumped into the secret passage, the tent door suddenly opened.

"Bang!"

The bullet shot out of the gun barrel like a flash of lightning and hit General Zhong's right leg.

General Fang groaned in pain, staggered and almost fell.

He didn't dare to hesitate for a moment, nor did he look back, and jumped into the secret passage.

Just as Du Qingtang was about to chase after him, Pei Yuchun had already jumped into the secret passage before her.

"Leave it to me, and leave the rest to Commander Du!"

The low voice disappeared in the secret passage. Du Qingtang tightened his grip on the musket, sent four firearms soldiers to guard the entrance of the secret passage, and turned to leave the main tent.

Outside the main tent, the soldiers of the Great Qi State knelt on the ground in a large crowd.

The generals were seriously injured by the gunpowder explosion and their combat effectiveness was greatly reduced. The Xia army captured them effortlessly, tied them up like pigs, and brought them here.

As for those small fry, those who resisted were shot, and those who survived surrendered.

When Du Qingtang came out, the Qi army generals were cursing.

Seeing Du Qingtang, one of the generals spat and glared at her: "Bitch, you are the one who harmed us!"

Du Qingtang didn't say anything.

The weather at Changping Pass was even worse than at Loushan Pass. As soon as she opened her mouth, the wind blew yellow sand into her mouth and nose. Her throat felt uncomfortable at the moment, and she guessed that a lot of sand had gone into her throat.

Du Qingtang raised his hand, and the firearms soldiers presented him with muskets.

She took two or three steps forward, aimed a musket at the man's face, and fired back.

The metal barrel of the gun was as hard as iron. The Qi army general only felt a pain in his mouth, and two white shadows flew out.

Looking closely, it turned out to be his front teeth.

The next moment, the musket was against his forehead.

"Bang!"

White smoke filled the air and blood splattered.

The Qi general was shot and fell before he could even utter a word.

His eyes were open, and blood was flowing out from the round hole in the center of his forehead, gathering into a small pool in an instant.

"Behave yourself and don't make me angry, okay?"

Du Qingtang threw the musket back with a calm tone, as if he was talking about what to eat tonight.

The surviving Qi army generals were like chickens with their necks strangled. Their cursing stopped abruptly and fear crept into their pupils.

The young woman in silver armor had an indifferent expression, and her fair face was splashed with blood, which made people involuntarily think of a bouquet of crimson flowers blooming on the white snow.

Gorgeous, but highly poisonous.

The originally restless people of Qi became as quiet as chickens, not daring to provoke this bad-tempered female Rakshasa.

Pei Yuchun came back with General Fang and happened to see this scene. His heart beat uncontrollably faster, his eyes dimmed, and he stuck to Du Qingtang restrainedly yet wantonly.

She was frowning.

She is not very happy.

She looked over here.

My heart beat faster.

Pei Yuchun felt as if a deer was beating against his heart, making a thumping sound.

The young general secretly gathered his strength, his green eyes clear as water: "Commander Du, I have caught him."

Du Qingtang glanced at the unconscious General Fang, then raised his gaze to his emerald green eyes and asked, "Is General Pei injured?"

Pei Yuchun shook his head: "Fang Xing is seriously injured and can't hurt me."

Du Qingtang's expression eased slightly: "I wonder what the situation is like over there with General Feng."

Pei Yuchun sighed softly: "It's really like one wave has not yet subsided, but another wave has come."

Du Qingtang waited in the Qi camp for two hours, until the sun set and night fell, before General Feng and others arrived.

This will undoubtedly be a fierce battle.

General Feng and Deputy Commander Lu were both injured, their armor was torn, their skin was torn, and their wounds were so deep that the bones were visible.

The three armies have joined together, and the soldiers have all suffered injuries to varying degrees.

Fortunately, there was a military doctor accompanying them, and the Qi camp was well stocked with Chinese medicinal materials. The military doctor immediately took action to treat everyone's wounds.

Due to lack of manpower, Du Qingtang sutured Deputy Commander Lu's wound, and Pei Yuchun sutured General Feng's wound.

General Feng wiped his face and said in a hoarse voice with a depressed look on his face: "I am incompetent and failed to save the Third Prince."

When he arrived with his troops, the Da Qi garrison commander Xiao Jinbao had already left with the third prince.

The Qi army fought desperately to stop him, but by the time he managed to fight his way out, Xiao Jinbao had already disappeared.

"I brought back General Zhang's body. He..." General Feng paused, "He was shot by many arrows, and his body is full of holes."

Du Qingtang's eyes flickered slightly, and he asked, "Why was the Third Prince captured?"

Logically speaking, with the firearms army and guards, the Third Prince would not be in danger of his life, so how could he fall into the hands of the Qi people?

Speaking of this, Deputy Commander Lu was filled with hatred: "Xiao Jinbao sent people to lure the Third Prince away, and the Third Prince was ambushed, and all the people accompanying him were killed by arrows."

"Xiao Jinbao threatened General Zhang with the Third Prince. General Zhang had no choice but to call off his troops. He then led another group of men in pursuit of the Third Prince."

"It turns out that man wasn't the real Third Prince at all, but a member of the Qi army pretending to be him. General Zhang was completely unprepared..."

Du Qingtang knew Xiao Jinbao.

He was a Confucian general who was outstanding in both literary and martial arts. He had made many suggestions and dealt a heavy blow to the Xia army.

Du Qingtang cut the mulberry bark thread and said solemnly, "General Pei, you and General Feng will stay at the Qi camp. Lu Ping and I will rush back to Loushan Pass overnight to inform General Tian of this matter."

Pei Yuchun cast a disapproving look at her: "What if Xiao Jinbao sends someone to ambush..."

Du Qingtang interrupted him, his tone brooking no room for argument: "I will proceed with caution. General Pei and General Feng should lead their troops to guard Changping Pass to prevent a surprise attack by the Qi army with the intention of retaking Changping Pass."

Pei Yuchun sighed, "Never mind. I will guard Changping Pass. Commander Du and Deputy Commander Lu, please be careful along the way."

Du Qingtang agreed, ordered 500 firearms soldiers and 500 cavalry, and rushed back to Loushan Pass overnight with Deputy Commander Lu.

......

When Du Qingtang returned to Loushan Pass, it was almost midnight.

The military camp was brightly lit, and everyone was waiting for battle reports from the front line.

As a result, instead of waiting for the battle report, Du Qingtang arrived first.

Upon hearing the news, a group of generals came out and strode towards Du Qingtang.

General Tian's tone was filled with anticipation: "Commander Du, how is the battle going?"

Du Qingtang galloped along, his breath unstable: "The Southern Army and the Central Army won a great victory, the Northern Army..."

General Tian noticed the pause in her tone and his heart skipped a beat. He had a bad feeling.

"...The Third Prince was captured, and General Zhang was shot dead."

"boom--"

In a trance, a bolt of thunder struck down on his head, hitting the top of his head, making General Tian's head buzzing and his vision go black.

"What did you say?"

"The Third Prince was captured?"

"General Zhang is dead?"

"Why was the Third Prince captured? Are the firearms soldiers and the guards all dead?"

General Tian grabbed Du Qingtang's arm and asked hysterically, "Are they all dead? Why put His Majesty the Third Prince in danger?"

Du Qingtang's face suddenly darkened. She shook off General Tian's grip on her arm, her voice devoid of warmth: "The Third Prince insisted on pursuing the Qi army, only to be ambushed and have General Zhang killed."

"Because of the Third Prince, twenty firearms soldiers were killed by arrows. I haven't even settled the score yet, but you're already questioning me."

General Tian said confidently: "His Highness the Third Prince is a descendant of the Emperor. The Firearms Army is not even worthy of carrying his shoes!"

Du Qingtang sneered and was about to mock him when the gatekeepers came running towards him.

"General, a child brought this purse and said it was a gift for you."

The anger on General Tian's face froze, his fingers twitched twice, and suddenly he was afraid to take the palm-sized purse.

What's in here?

Your Highness's token?

still......

General Tian closed his eyes tightly, pushed the guess out of his mind, and took the purse with trembling hands.

The purses were so light that a hundred of them combined were not as heavy as his spear, but they made his breathing heavy and his limbs stiff.

Dozens of eyes fell on the purse, silently urging General Tian to open it quickly.

General Tian took a breath and handed the purse to Lieutenant General Liu: "You come."

Lieutenant General Liu opened his purse and poured out the contents.

The next moment, exclamations rang out.

What lay in Brigadier General Liu's palm was actually a finger.

General Tian felt as if he had been struck by a thunderbolt. His vision went dark and he fell backwards.

"General!"

General Tian shook himself, then managed to hold on, staring at the finger with despair.

He knew who the finger belonged to.

Now that he is missing a finger and has become disabled, can His Highness still sit in that position?

"Yeah, there's a note in here."

General Tian was cheered up, flew over and snatched the note.

After a few breaths, he looked at Du Qingtang with a pleading look in his eyes: "Commander Du, the note says that you should go to Sanli Pavilion at Changping Pass alone at midnight tomorrow."

Du Qingtang narrowed his eyes and almost immediately understood Xiao Jinbao's intention.

Exchange her for the third prince.

Even if it fails, it will create a rift between her and Emperor Qingyuan.

——He went to the appointment alone, with no third person by his side. Who could know what they said and what agreement they reached.

Not only Du Qingtang, but everyone present also understood Xiao Jinbao's sinister intentions.

But they couldn't say something like "Commander Du, don't go."

One is a prince and the other is an official.

The superiority and inferiority are immediately apparent.

Du Qingtang glanced at the bloody severed finger and readily agreed: "I will keep the appointment tomorrow."

The death of the Firearms Army made her want to kill the Third Prince, but one thing is for sure. Xiao Jinbao was holding the Third Prince in his hands. She had to go through this process in case he asked for too much or even killed her directly.

General Tian leaned forward and bowed deeply, "Thank you, Commander Du."

Du Qingtang accepted it calmly and said, "I'm going to the camp where the Da Qi spies are being held."

Although puzzled, General Tian still sent someone to take Du Qingtang over.

After Du Qingtang left, the main tent fell into dead silence for a while.

After a long while, Lieutenant General Liu asked, "General, should we send an ambush near Sanliting?"

General Tian clenched his purse tightly, as if holding the owner of his fingers in his hand: "You decide on the arrangements."

The Empress was named a noble concubine, and His Majesty entrusted an important task to the Third Prince. He almost thought that the bloodline of the Lu family could sit on the dragon throne and hold the power of life and death.

Almost!

Just a little bit!

General Tian looked up at the sky. It was dark, the moon was hidden behind the clouds, and not a single star was visible.

His jaw trembled, and his spine, which had always been as straight as a pine tree after decades of military service, became hunched, and in an instant he seemed to have aged twenty years.

......

Six hours can be considered fast or slow.

For Du Qingtang, six hours was a bit tight for the preparations.

For General Tian, six hours felt like a year.

At noon the next day, Du Qingtang set out from Loushan Pass, galloped for an hour and a half, and arrived at Sanliting half an hour ahead of schedule.

Sanliting is a thatched pavilion designed for passers-by to rest.

At this moment, it was occupied by a man in a dark green round-necked robe.

Xiao Jinbao is in his forties, with an elegant face and white hair. He is sitting in a thatched pavilion making tea.

Looking at him, Du Qingtang couldn't help but think of Pei Yuchun.

Wearing the same dark green round-necked robe, Pei Yuchun looked very pleasing to the eye, while Xiao Jinbao looked a bit sanctimonious in it.

"Seeing is believing. Lord Du has truly impressed me."

Du Qingtang brought his wandering thoughts back on track, walked forward and sat down calmly, placing the bag in his hand at his feet.

Xiao Jinbao placed a cup of tea in front of Du Qingtang and smiled slightly: "Master Du, please."

Du Qingtang didn't even look at him. He was in no mood to play along and said straight to the point, "Tell me your conditions."

Xiao Jinbao raised his eyebrows and took a sip of tea slowly: "I want Daxia to evacuate Changping Pass, and -"

"Master Du."

This wasn't the first time he was coveted, so Du Qingtang maintained a positive attitude: "Then tell me my conditions."

Xiao Jinbao raised his eyebrows again: "Master Du's conditions?"

"First, return the Third Prince of our dynasty."

"Second, return Princess Zhaoyang."

"Third, return the five cities south of Loushan Pass."

"Fourth, abolish tribute."

Xiao Jinbao chuckled softly as if he had heard a joke.

Du Qingtang turned a deaf ear to the sarcasm. She was not overestimating her own abilities, but was well prepared.

"In exchange—"

Du Qingtang placed the heavy bag on the table and opened it to reveal the arm armor inside.

In order to identify the corpses, the soldiers of the Great Qi would carve their hometowns and names on their arm armor.

Xiao Jinbao took a quick glance and saw the two words "Fang Xing" at the top.

The arm armor piled in the bundle came from dozens of defenders at Changping Pass.

Xiao Jinbao smiled and shook his head, he was so naive: "Our dynasty is vast and rich in resources, with talented people everywhere. They are just a bunch of warriors. If they die, they die."

"Master Du, you should carefully consider Xiao's request."

"Once you come to Da Qi, you will be His Majesty's guest of honor. As long as you wish, even the positions of left and right prime ministers are possible."

"Your Majesty can even change the law for Lord Du and allow women to take the imperial examinations and become officials."

"From now on, no one will ever repeat Mr. Du's old ways."

"Isn't it nice that you're no longer alone on this journey?"

Xiao Jinbao's voice ended with an upward sound, revealing a strong sense of temptation.

Look, this cake is so big and round, it is really tempting.

Unfortunately, Du Qingtang was not lucky enough to enjoy it.

How can a person who defected from his motherland be valued?

Not to mention, she and Da Qi are at war to the death.

Du Qingtang put the bag back at his feet and took out a purse from his sleeve.

"What you had just now wasn't enough, how about this?" she said, placing the purse next to Xiao Jinbao's hand.

Xiao Jinbao paused and opened his purse.

Inside was a finger, bloody and mangled. When it was opened, a strong smell of rust hit me in the face.

Xiao Jinbao remained calm: "What is this?"

"This item comes from your country's eighth prince, or rather..." Du Qingtang's eyes were filled with a faint smile, and the curve of his lips deepened, "from Nanping."

The elegant smile on Xiao Jinbao's face gradually faded until it disappeared completely: "The Eighth Prince is far away in Kyoto, Lord Du, please don't call a horse a zebra."

Du Qingtang said calmly, "Whether it's true or not, General Xiao already has the answer in his mind."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Jinbao sneered, flicked his wide sleeves, and a butterfly dart appeared between his fingers and stabbed straight towards Du Qingtang.

Du Qingtang was not in a hurry. He turned his wrist and the musket slipped out of his sleeve, turned around his fingertips, and fell into his palm.

In just a moment, the butterfly dart hit the artery on the side of Du Qingtang's neck.

At the same time, the cold muzzle of the musket pressed against Xiao Jinbao's forehead.