Wu Shangzhi accepted the order and left.
Zhao Muyun was left alone in the tent again.
He walked to the desk, spread out a piece of white paper, picked up a pen and wrote a few lines, then sealed it in the envelope: "Chen Kai".
The night watchman appeared silently.
He has returned from the capital, bringing back a lot of important intelligence.
Fan Bingbing secretly cultivated relationships with many officials and mid-to-low-level generals in the Fengchao court.
"Send this letter to Bingbing in the capital." Zhao Muyun handed him the letter. "Tell her that a great battle is about to break out, and that she and the scouts in the city are waiting for the right moment to act."
Chen Kai's heart skipped a beat, and he accepted the letter with both hands: "I will personally deliver it."
“Also,” Zhao Muyun called after him, “we need our spies in the Fengtian Army to be ready. Once the battle begins, spread rumors in the army that Li Jingang has abandoned the city and fled, and that Ma Zongliang intends to use their lives to cover his retreat.”
"yes!"
After Chen Kai left, Zhao Muyun walked out of the tent alone.
The spring night was slightly chilly, and the Milky Way shone brightly.
He looked up at the sky and suddenly remembered a saying: "The celestial phenomena are clear, but people's hearts are confused. A general must not only understand the stars in the sky, but also understand the people on the ground."
How many people will die on the Yi River tomorrow?
He didn't know.
All he knew was that he had to win this battle.
For our fallen comrades, for the displaced people, for this war-torn world.
It was also so that his journey to this world would not have been in vain.
"General, it's time to rest," Li Si, the commander of the personal guards, reminded him softly.
Zhao Muyun shook her head: "I can't sleep. Go and call Meizang Epang here."
Before long, Mezang Epang arrived in haste, still wearing his armor, clearly also preparing for battle.
"General Meizang, are you nervous?" Zhao Muyun asked.
Mei Zang E Pang nodded honestly: "A little. We've never fought such a large battle before..."
"How many people were involved in the largest battle fought on the grasslands?"
“At most... five thousand against eight thousand.” Mei Zang E Pang recalled, “That was three years ago, when we were fighting with Ye Li Rong for pasture.”
"Tomorrow, it'll be 90,000 against 200,000," Zhao Muyun said calmly. "Are you scared?"
After a moment of silence, Mei Zang E Pang suddenly looked up: "I'm afraid. But I'm even more excited. General Wu said that if we win this battle, the men of the Tanguts can live with dignity. For this, it's worth dying for."
Looking at the flame burning in the young man's eyes, Zhao Muyun seemed to see himself three years ago when he was still a lowly soldier.
"Remember your mission," he said in a deep voice. "The Tangut light cavalry are not here to fight to the death, but to cause trouble."
"When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy retreats, we harass; when the enemy camps, we attack. We must keep Ma Zongliang guessing how many of you there are and where you are."
"This subordinate understands! Just like a pack of wolves on the grasslands, they don't attack head-on, but instead target the flanks and cut off the enemy's retreat!"
“Yes.” Zhao Muyun nodded. “Also, if the central army is in danger, do not ask for permission, rush to its aid immediately. If you see red smoke rising from the central army... that is the signal for a general offensive, and the entire army should advance.”
"This subordinate has remembered!"
After Mu Zang E Pang withdrew, Zhao Muyun made another round of inspections in the camp.
He walked past the veterans who silently wiped their spears, past the cavalrymen who quietly comforted their horses, past the infantrymen sitting around the campfire, silently eating their rations...
He wanted to remember every face.
Many of these people will not be able to come back tomorrow.
But he couldn't be soft-hearted.
A general must have a heart of iron and stone.
When they returned to the main tent, it was nearly midnight.
Zhao Muyun lay down fully clothed and closed her eyes.
......
Three hundred miles away, in the imperial palace of the capital.
Li Jingang didn't sleep either.
He sat in the empty Zichen Palace, a pot of wine in front of him, pouring himself a drink.
The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside the palace; it was the third watch.
"Your Majesty, it's time to rest," the old eunuch advised in a trembling voice.
"Resting?" Li Jingang gave a bitter laugh. "Do you think I'll still be sitting here at this time tomorrow?"
The old eunuch was so frightened that he hurriedly knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a word.
"Haha! What's there to be afraid of? I, Old Li, was just a courier three years ago, yet I've managed to sit on this throne. It's all worth it!"
Li Jingang drank it all in one gulp, spilling the wine all over the ground.
At the same time, on the north bank of the Yi River, at the Fengtian Army camp.
Ma Zongliang didn't sleep either.
He stood on the watchtower, gazing at the faint campfires on the south bank, repeatedly rehearsing the battle situation for tomorrow in his mind.
"General, all units have taken their positions as planned," the military advisor reported. "30,000 troops are lying in ambush in the woods on the south bank, under the command of Zhao Kui; 40,000 troops are lying in ambush in the canyon on the north bank, under the command of Wang Pan. We will attack from both sides once half of the Yin army has crossed the river."
Ma Zongliang nodded: "What about Li Biao's side?"
"General Li has ordered the entire army to deploy all archers and crossbowmen, and to prepare ample logs and stones. They will unleash a volley of arrows as soon as the Yin army crosses the river."
"Fine." A ruthless glint flashed in Ma Zongliang's eyes. "Zhao Muyun, aren't you good at using fire attacks? Tomorrow, this Yi River will be your crematorium!"
He paused, then continued, "Also, tell all the battalion commanders that in this battle, there is no retreat! Anyone who retreats even one step will be executed! Anyone who kills an enemy general will be rewarded with ten taels of silver; anyone who kills an enemy general will be promoted three ranks!"
A generous reward will surely attract brave men.
But Ma Zongliang knew in his heart that what truly determined the outcome was not the reward money, nor the military order, but... who could seize the opponent's weakness first.
Zhao Muyun, how will you attack tomorrow?
......
At the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), the eastern sky began to lighten with the pale light of dawn.
On both banks of the Yi River, hundreds of thousands of soldiers opened their eyes.
The day of the decisive battle has arrived.
At the end of the Yin hour, just as the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, the banks of the Yi River were already ablaze with banners.
At the Yin Army camp on the south bank, Wu Shangzhi, fully armed, mounted his horse.
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