——
The capital city.
The residence of the Minister of Personnel.
Zhang Li was sitting upright at his desk, perusing books, when a servant came to report:
"My lord, a messenger sent by the Prince of Zhenbei from Beiliang is waiting at the gate."
Zhang Li raised an eyebrow, pondering in his heart:
At this time, Qin Ze should already be dealing with the Hu cavalry at Hu Rong Pass. Why would he send a messenger at this time? Could it be that the border is in dire need of help?
Could it be that I should ask His Majesty for troops to support Hurong Pass?
That makes sense!
The Hu Ma had been causing trouble at Hu Rong Pass for a long time, and their army was strong and well-equipped. Although Qin Ze had wiped out tens of thousands of bandits, he would inevitably face a difficult situation when dealing with these brave and skilled Hu Ma.
He knew that His Majesty would not give him troops, which is why he came to me and asked me to go to His Majesty to beg for troops.
Perhaps by now, the Hu cavalry may have already stormed into Hurong Pass.
Otherwise, based on his understanding of Qin Ze, the proud man would never have sent someone to ask for troops at this time.
Thinking of this, Zhang Li sighed inwardly.
He was well aware that the Empress disliked the Qin family, but if the border were truly in dire straits, it would be extremely detrimental to both the country and its people.
Zhang Li's heart sank. No matter what, he had to defeat the Hu hordes at this pass. He had to fulfill his request for troops no matter what!
"Quick! Invite him in!" Zhang Li said.
"Yes, sir." The servant immediately withdrew.
A short while later, a soldier with a solemn expression strode over.
Upon seeing him enter, Zhang Li scrutinized him closely.
Upon seeing this, Zhang Li couldn't help but nod inwardly.
Although the newcomer was clad in armor, his robust physique was still evident. Furthermore, his steps were steady, and although he possessed a sharp edge, he kept it hidden within. One glance was enough to tell that he was no ordinary person.
So this is the army Qin Ze trained? It does resemble the former Crimson Flame Army somewhat...
Knowing the urgency of the border situation, Zhang Li asked directly, "What is the current situation at Hu Rong Pass? Can General Qin still hold it?"
"Reporting to you, sir, Hu Rong Pass is safe and sound. A portion of the Hu cavalry have been wiped out and will not harass the border for the time being. This is a letter sent by the general, instructing me to deliver it to you personally." The soldier replied calmly, word by word.
As they spoke, the soldier took out a letter from his pocket and bowed as he handed it to Zhang Li.
Zhang Li, however, was somewhat dazed, still savoring the words he had just heard.
Is Hurong Pass safe and sound?
Has a portion of the Huma forces been wiped out?
Could it be that Qin Ze not only withstood the Hu cavalry but also led his troops out of the pass and drove them back on the grasslands?!
Is this even possible? The possibility is extremely slim!
The Hu people were nomadic, moving freely across the grasslands; they were not so easy to kill.
Could it be that he devised some strategy to lure some of the Hu cavalry into Hu Rong Pass, then surrounded and annihilated them, thus making the Hu cavalry wary and retreat?
That makes sense! By luring and killing one or two thousand Hu soldiers, as a warning to others, the Northern Hu would retreat. Zhang Li had already made a rough guess.
After all, Qin Ze had studied military strategy with Hao Tian since childhood and was a man of both courage and wisdom.
Thinking of this, Zhang Li's face showed a mixture of surprise and joy. After taking the letter, he casually said:
"How many Hu cavalrymen did General Qin annihilate, and how many miles did those Hu cavalrymen retreat?"
The soldier said in a deep voice, "According to incomplete statistics, there should be around 80,000 Hu cavalry."
"Huh? What?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Li's eyes widened suddenly, and he exclaimed in shock.
The soldier continued:
"We've only wiped out so many for now; there are still quite a few barbarian horses eyeing us on the northern grasslands."
"My lord, you will understand once you have read the contents of the letter. I must return to the city to report to the general. I will take my leave now!"
Zhang Li grabbed him and said in shock:
"Wait a moment!"
"They annihilated 80,000 Hu cavalry? We mustn't report this as a lie!"
The soldier remained expressionless and nodded in agreement.
Zhang Li's eyes widened, his whole body trembled, and his gaze swept back and forth over the soldiers.
Annihilation of a portion of the Hu cavalry? Does "a portion" refer to 80,000?!
How much is all of it? Could it be that—
Qin Ze is determined to annihilate all the Hu horses on the Beiku Grassland!
Zhang Li's doubts resurfaced. His previous guess was already the most reasonable one, but now it was said that Qin Ze had annihilated 80,000 Hu cavalry.
Is that possible? Is that possible?
Is this reasonable? No, this is not reasonable!
Even if there are 80,000 bandits, it's not something that can be easily wiped out in a short time!
How long has it been? It's not even been five days since His Majesty set the deadline, is it?
Is the repulsion turning into a war of annihilation? Or is it 80,000?
"Wait! Don't go! Let me finish reading the letter!"
Zhang Li hurriedly opened the envelope, his eyes wide with surprise.
Upon reading the contents of the letter, his eyes narrowed sharply, his mouth opened uncontrollably, and his hand holding the letter trembled.
His breathing became heavy, his heartbeat quickened, and his scalp began to tingle.
The face that was initially filled with shock gradually turned red, and the corners of her mouth stretched into a wide grin.
After reading the entire letter, he took a deep breath and shouted:
"good!"
"That's bold! That's courage! Like father, like son! This is how we should deal with the Hu and Ma tribes! I'll go to court tomorrow to remonstrate with them!"
"Well done!" Zhang Li's eyes gleamed with excitement, his face beaming with joy.
Upon reading the latter half of the letter, Zhang Li's expression gradually turned serious.
He then folded the letter, tucked it into his pocket, and said in a deep voice:
"Tell Qin Ze that I will advise him on the matter of the Northern Hu troops entering and resisting Beichuan. Let him lead the troops outside with peace of mind!"
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
