The news spread rapidly throughout the General's Mansion, casting a shadow of impending enemy attack over everyone's hearts. However, the General's Mansion did not descend into chaos. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er methodically directed all the pre-battle preparations. Their composure was like a lighthouse in a storm, providing direction and strength to everyone.

Xiao Yichen stood in the center of the training ground, soldiers lined up neatly before him, their eyes fixed firmly on their general. "Brothers," he said, "we know the enemy is stirring, but we have no fear. We are the warriors of the General's Mansion, and every battle is our chance to defend our homeland. Our training and our cooperation with the surrounding towns have all been for this moment." Xiao Yichen's voice was loud and powerful, echoing across the training ground.

"General, we will not fail in our mission!" the soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

"Now, we need to speed up the training and strengthen our combat skills. Every movement and every coordination could determine life or death on the battlefield," Xiao Yichen continued. He personally demonstrated some crucial attack and defense maneuvers in actual combat, and the soldiers studied intently, their eyes gleaming with fighting spirit.

Meanwhile, Lin Wan'er was busy coordinating logistical support at the General's Mansion. She inspected the grain reserves, weapons, equipment, and medical supplies to ensure everything was adequately prepared.

"These medicinal herbs must be kept safe; wounded soldiers on the battlefield need them," Lin Wan'er instructed the servant in charge of managing medical supplies.

"Miss Lin, please rest assured, we have carefully counted them all, the quantity is sufficient, and they are all stored in a dry and safe place," the servant replied.

In the armory, Lin Wan'er picked up a sword, drew it, and its blade gleamed coldly. She said to the soldier beside her, "When inspecting weapons, pay attention to whether the blade is damaged and whether the hilt is secure. These details are crucial in battle."

The soldiers carefully inspected each weapon, selecting those with problems for repair or replacement.

To better prepare for potential enemy attacks, Xiao Yichen also organized targeted tactical drills. Based on enemy intelligence reported by his scouts, he simulated various combat scenarios.

"If the enemy charges from the front, our first rank of soldiers should form a strong defensive line with shields, while the archers behind them should fire quickly to disrupt their formation," Xiao Yichen explained the tactics to his generals in front of the sand table.

"What if the enemy flanks us from both sides?" a general asked.

"We need to deploy highly mobile squads on both sides to use the terrain to ambush them and delay their progress. The main force will then provide support as needed," Xiao Yichen replied.

The commanders relayed the tactics to the soldiers, and intense tactical drills began on the training ground. The soldiers ran and fought on the simulated battlefield, their shouts of battle echoing throughout. They gradually became familiar with various tactics, and their coordination with each other became increasingly seamless.

Regarding cooperation with surrounding towns, an intelligence-sharing mechanism has begun to operate. Spies from the general's headquarters and intelligence personnel in the towns frequently exchange messages, constantly updating the enemy's movements. At the same time, preparations for military exercises are also proceeding intensively.

Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er traveled to the surrounding towns again to discuss the specific details of the joint military exercises with the local generals.

"In this exercise, we aim to simulate a real battlefield environment, allowing soldiers to experience the tension and brutality of actual combat," Xiao Yichen said at the meeting.

“That’s right, we can set up some complex terrain and obstacles to test the soldiers’ adaptability,” a town commander responded.

"During the exercise, we must also pay attention to communication and coordination between the various units. We must ensure that we can cooperate quickly and effectively on the battlefield," Lin Wan'er added.

After discussions, the joint military exercise plan was gradually improved. Details such as the exercise's time, location, participating troops, procedures, and evaluation criteria were all finalized.

Upon returning to the general's mansion, Xiao Yichen relayed the news of the joint military exercise to the soldiers.

"This exercise is an important preparation for us to jointly deal with the enemy with the surrounding towns. We must demonstrate the grandeur of the General's Mansion, and at the same time learn from our allies," Xiao Yichen encouraged.

The soldiers were full of anticipation for the joint exercise, knowing it was not only an opportunity to improve themselves but also a chance to strengthen relations with allies.

Amidst the intense preparations for war, the construction of the General's Mansion's academy did not cease. Despite the pressure of an impending enemy attack, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er believed that improving knowledge and skills was crucial for the long-term development of the General's Mansion.

Some literacy classes have already begun in temporary classrooms. Soldiers and servants actively participate in their spare time, studying diligently and writing down the Chinese characters they have just learned, their eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge.

“I never thought I would be able to read one day, it feels so good,” a young soldier said excitedly to his comrade.

“Yes, once we learn more, we can better serve the General’s Mansion,” his companion replied.

In addition to literacy classes, lectures on basic medical knowledge were also well-received. The soldiers knew that mastering some basic medical skills on the battlefield could help their wounded comrades.

While everyone in the general's mansion was focused on preparing for war, news of the enemy's impending attack brought everyone closer together. Soldiers encouraged and helped each other during their breaks from training. The servants also worked even harder to prepare meals and mend clothing for the soldiers, providing the best logistical support for the upcoming battle.

At night, the General's Mansion was brightly lit. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er strolled in the garden, relieving the fatigue of the day.

"Wan'er, everyone has worked very hard these past few days, but I can feel their fighting spirit and unity. This is our most valuable asset," Xiao Yichen said.

“Yes, General. Facing the enemy, we have not flinched in the slightest. Everyone is contributing their strength to the General's Mansion. I believe we will definitely be able to defeat the enemy.” Lin Wan’er looked at Xiao Yichen, her eyes filled with determination.

"Yes, but we can't let our guard down. The enemy's strength is not to be underestimated, and we must be fully prepared." Xiao Yichen frowned slightly, considering the possible scenarios.

"General, no matter what difficulties we encounter, we will face them together. Just like at the food festival, when everyone works together, there is nothing that cannot be overcome." Lin Wan'er held Xiao Yichen's hand, giving him strength.

The two lingered in the garden for a while before returning to their posts to continue their preparations. The General's Mansion stood like a fortified fortress in the night. Although the shadow of war loomed, the people within demonstrated their determination to protect their homeland through their actions. Everyone awaited the confrontation with the enemy, ready to defend the dignity of the General's Mansion and the peace of this land with unwavering faith and fearless courage.

As time passed, the day of the joint military exercise finally arrived. At dawn, the sunlight shone on the troops assembled at the general's residence and in the surrounding towns, casting an atmosphere of solemnity. The soldiers, clad in neat armor, their weapons gleaming coldly in the sunlight, their eyes filled with tension and anticipation.

On the square in front of the General's Mansion, Xiao Yichen stood on the high platform, looking at the soldiers who were fully equipped and ready to go, and said loudly: "Today's exercise is a test of our strength, and also a test of our coordination with our allies. Everyone must go all out and perform at their best!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!" Their voices echoed like thunder across the square.

Lin Wan'er assisted the generals in conducting a final check of personnel and supplies. She carefully inspected the equipment of each soldier to ensure that nothing was missed or incorrect.

"Everyone, please check your rations and water bottles. This drill may last all day," Lin Wan'er reminded them.

The exercise took place in an area with alternating valleys and plains, featuring complex terrain including hills, rivers, and forests, which effectively tested the soldiers' combat capabilities in different environments.

Once the troops arrived at the training ground, they quickly deployed according to the pre-arranged plan. The troops from the General's Mansion and the troops from the surrounding towns were divided into different formations and communicated with each other using specific signal flags.

The exercise began with a simulation of a large-scale enemy charge. "Enemy" figures (played by some soldiers) appeared on the hill ahead, charging towards the Allied forces with shouts. The Allied forces reacted swiftly, their shield bearers forming a tight, solid metal line. The shields clashed, producing a dull thud, like the prelude to war.

The archers drew their bows behind the shield bearers, and at a command, arrows rained down on the "enemy." Some fell among the "enemy," but their charge did not cease.

"Pikemen, prepare!" the commanders shouted. The pikemen thrust their pikes out from between the shield bearers, forming a sharp forest of spears. As the "enemy" approached, the pikes relentlessly thrust at them, effectively halting their charge.

"Very good, maintain formation!" Xiao Yichen shouted loudly as he observed the situation from the command platform.

However, at that moment, an unexpected situation occurred. Some of the soldiers playing the role of the "enemy" suddenly changed their attack route and charged towards the relatively weak flank of the Allied forces. This change was outside the original plan, and the Allied flank was immediately thrown into disarray.

"Don't panic! Flanking squad, engage immediately!" Lin Wan'er commanded.

The general's mansion squad on the flank quickly adjusted their formation and faced the "enemy army." They brandished their swords and engaged in fierce combat with the "enemy." However, the "enemy's" offensive was extremely fierce, and the flank squad gradually began to struggle.

"The central army is providing support to the flank!" Xiao Yichen made a decisive decision, sending a portion of the central army to provide support.

The soldiers in the central army acted swiftly, running towards the flanks to join the flanking squads. Through their combined efforts, they finally stabilized the situation and repelled the "enemy's" surprise attack.

"This surprise attack is a test for us. Everyone must remember that the situation on the battlefield can change in an instant, and we must always be vigilant," Xiao Yichen said to the soldiers.

The exercise continued, and the next move was a simulation of enemy encirclement tactics. "Enemy troops" emerged from the woods on both sides, attempting to surround the allied forces. The allied forces split into several small teams to deal with the enemy from each flank.

A small squad, composed of soldiers from the general's mansion and the town, outflanked the "enemy" forces and launched a surprise attack. Their actions disrupted the "enemy's" deployment, greatly reducing the pressure on the allied forces on the main battlefield.

"Excellent coordination! This is exactly the purpose of our exercise: to use the terrain and tactics to disrupt the enemy's plans," a town commander exclaimed.

During the encirclement by the "enemy," the Allied forces made a few minor mistakes. A slight delay in communication between different units caused a brief breach in one side of the defensive line. However, the soldiers quickly patched up the breach, preventing the "enemy" from taking advantage of the situation.

The exercise continued until noon, at which point both sides temporarily ceased hostilities and rested. The soldiers gathered together, sharing rations and water, and discussing the experiences and shortcomings of the morning's exercise.

"When our flank was attacked just now, our reaction wasn't fast enough. If the enemy had been any stronger, it could have been dangerous," said a soldier from the general's mansion.

“Yes, we need to improve our coordination with other teams,” a town soldier replied.

Lin Wan'er and the generals were also summarizing the morning's events.

"We need to further refine our tactics to address these unexpected situations, especially in responding to sudden attacks and coordinating communication between different teams," Lin Wan'er said.

Xiao Yichen nodded in agreement: "We need to focus on these aspects in this afternoon's drill. We want to ensure that the soldiers can react quickly and correctly in various complex situations."

After a short break, the drills continued. The afternoon drills focused more on complex real-world scenarios and teamwork, incorporating more tactical variations such as feigned retreats and luring the enemy deeper into enemy territory.

During a feigned retreat drill, the allied forces deliberately created openings to lure the "enemy" into pursuit. Once the "enemy" had penetrated deep into their territory, the allied forces suddenly turned and launched a counterattack, catching the "enemy" completely off guard.

"Haha, the enemy has fallen for our trap this time!" a soldier shouted excitedly.

"Don't let your guard down, keep attacking!" the generals warned.

During the fierce fighting, some soldiers were wounded. A medical team quickly arrived and provided basic first aid. This made the soldiers realize the importance of medical support on the battlefield.

As the sun gradually set, the exercise drew to a close. Although some unexpected situations arose during this joint military exercise, it generally achieved the expected results. The soldiers have made significant improvements in combat skills, teamwork, and the ability to respond to emergencies.

After the drill, the troops from the General's Mansion and surrounding towns gathered together. Xiao Yichen stood at the front and addressed everyone: "Everyone performed exceptionally well today. This drill has shown us our strengths and weaknesses, and it has also helped us understand each other better. When facing a real enemy, we must be united as one and fight together, just like we were today!"

The soldiers cheered, proud of their performance and full of confidence for the future battle against the enemy.

Upon returning to the General's Mansion, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er immediately convened a meeting of the generals to analyze every detail of the drill in detail, making more thorough preparations for the upcoming real battle. Through this exercise, the relationship between the General's Mansion and the surrounding towns became even closer; they had become a stronger fighting force, ready to meet the enemy's challenge.

Following the joint military exercises, the general's mansion was immersed in a tense yet orderly atmosphere of preparation for war. Soldiers seized the time to rest and adjust their condition, while simultaneously conducting targeted training to address the problems exposed during the exercises. However, the enemy did not give them much time to prepare; scouts reported that enemy troops were advancing aggressively towards the general's mansion.

Xiao Yichen quickly summoned his generals to the council hall to discuss countermeasures. The atmosphere in the council hall was heavy, and everyone's expression was extremely serious.

"The enemy is moving faster than we expected; it seems they're trying to catch us off guard," a general said, frowning.

"We cannot panic. Although time is of the essence, we must make good use of our existing fortifications and previous preparations." Xiao Yichen looked at everyone with a firm gaze. "According to the scouts' reports, approximately how many enemy troops do we have?"

"Our initial estimate is that the enemy outnumbers us, and they are well-equipped, seemingly possessing a considerable amount of siege weaponry," the intelligence officer replied.

Lin Wan'er stood aside and analyzed, "The enemy has a large number of troops, but we have the advantage of terrain and troops that have undergone drills. We need to make reasonable arrangements for our defensive forces and not let them easily break through our defenses."

"That's right. We'll deploy archers around the city walls so they can launch the first attack when the enemy gets close. Catapults should also be ready to damage their siege equipment," Xiao Yichen ordered.

After receiving their orders, the generals acted swiftly, and the bugle call for battle sounded throughout the general's mansion. Soldiers rushed to their posts, standing ready for action. Servants also actively assisted, moving supplies and preparing medical equipment.

On the city walls, archers drew their bows and nocked their arrows, their eyes fixed on the approaching enemy forces in the distance. Soldiers beside the catapults nervously adjusted the angle and power, preparing to deliver a heavy blow to the enemy.

The enemy's vanguard quickly came into view, surging towards the general's mansion like a black tide. Once the vanguard was within firing range, Xiao Yichen gave the order: "Fire!"

Immediately, arrows rained down on the enemy. Enemy soldiers fell one after another, struck by arrows, but they did not retreat; instead, they quickened their advance.

"Catapults, attack!" Xiao Yichen continued to give the order.

Huge stones were hurled by catapults, tracing arcs through the air before crashing into enemy siege engines and troops. Some siege vehicles were struck by the stones and shattered instantly, causing some disarray in the enemy ranks.

"General, the enemy is adjusting their formation. They seem to be concentrating their forces to break through our frontal defenses," a general said, observing the enemy's movements.

"Strengthen the frontal defense! Spearmen, prepare! Shield bearers, hold your ground!" Xiao Yichen shouted.

After enduring two waves of attacks, the enemy finally reached the city walls. They erected ladders and began to scale the walls. Soldiers from the general's mansion thrust spears at the climbing enemy and hurled stones at them. For a moment, the shouts of battle echoed from below the walls.

Lin Wan'er commanded her soldiers on the city wall. Seeing that the enemy was about to break through the defenses, she immediately drew her sword and charged forward. Her swordsmanship was fierce, and enemy soldiers fell wherever she went.

"Brothers, hold the line! We can't let the enemy set foot in the general's mansion!" Lin Wan'er shouted, boosting the morale of her soldiers.

In the fierce battle, the enemy's offensive grew increasingly intense. Ignoring casualties, they charged the city walls wave after wave. The soldiers of the general's mansion were also gradually becoming exhausted, and many were wounded, but they continued to resist stubbornly.

"General, we're almost out of arrows!" an archer reported anxiously.

"Conserve your arrows and aim at enemy generals and key targets!" Xiao Yichen replied.

Just as the defense of the city wall reached a stalemate, shouts of battle suddenly came from the side gate of the general's mansion. It turned out that the enemy had sent out a small detachment to try to break through from the side gate.

"Don't panic! Guards at the side gate, hold your ground! Send a team from the central command to provide support!" Xiao Yichen immediately made the deployment.

The central army's support troops quickly ran towards the side gate and, together with the side gate's guards, engaged in fierce combat with the enemy squad. Although the enemy squad was small in number, it was highly effective, and for a time, neither side could gain the upper hand.

On the front of the city wall, the enemy finally found a relatively weak point in their defenses, and a portion of them successfully scaled the wall. The general's soldiers immediately engaged them in close combat. Seeing this, Xiao Yichen personally led a squad of elite soldiers to charge forward.

His spear moved like a dragon emerging from the sea, each swing repelling several enemy soldiers. Under his leadership, the soldiers' morale soared, and they successfully repelled the enemy troops who had scaled the city walls.

"Keep holding firm! The enemy is starting to tire; we can't afford to let our guard down now!" Xiao Yichen shouted.

As darkness fell, the situation on the battlefield became increasingly complex. The enemy seemed unwilling to fight at night, and their offensive gradually slowed.

"General, the enemy is showing signs of retreating," a general reported after observing the enemy's movements.

"Do not pursue them. Stay vigilant and be wary of any traps they may have set," Xiao Yichen ordered.

As expected, the enemy was only feigning a retreat; they regrouped nearby, preparing to launch another attack. Taking advantage of this lull, Xiao Yichen instructed his soldiers to rest, replenish supplies, and treat the wounded.

"You've all done a great job. We've successfully repelled the enemy's first attack. But this is just the beginning. We must prepare for a long battle," Xiao Yichen said to the soldiers.

Lin Wan'er came to Xiao Yichen's side, her body covered in blood, but her eyes remained firm: "General, this battle showed us the enemy's strength, but we also proved that we have the ability to defend the General's Mansion."

“That’s right, Wan’er. But we can’t let our guard down; the enemy definitely has more tricks up their sleeve. We need to adjust our defensive strategy based on the situation in this battle,” Xiao Yichen said.

After a brief respite, the enemy launched another attack. This time, they changed their tactics, concentrating their forces to attack the general's mansion gate, attempting to force a breakthrough using battering rams.

The soldiers of the general's mansion were well-prepared. They used huge wooden beams to brace the city gate from behind, while simultaneously throwing fuel and torches from the city walls at the attacking enemy. In an instant, flames soared into the sky below the city gate, plunging the enemy into chaos.

Seizing this opportunity, Xiao Yichen dispatched a surprise force to attack the enemy from the flank. This force, like a sharp blade, pierced the enemy's rear, disrupting their deployment. Unable to coordinate their forces, the enemy began to show signs of collapse.

After a night of fierce fighting, the General's Mansion successfully repelled two large-scale enemy attacks. The initial victory was a triumph; the soldiers were exhausted but excited. They knew the war had only just begun, but they already possessed the confidence to defeat the enemy. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, witnessing the resilience and courage of the people of the General's Mansion in this battle, were even more determined to protect it.