As Du Yuheng's voice fell silent, the Hall of Mental Cultivation fell into complete silence.
Everyone present was stunned.
Keep in mind that was a full ten thousand Xiongnu cavalrymen, and they were almost completely annihilated!
This is simply a fantasy.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Liu Yi, the Minister of War, stared in shock at Du Yuheng, who was holding a military report.
I was hoping to see them make a fool of themselves, but I never expected to be proven wrong so quickly!
The fact that such a result was achieved in just one day is truly terrifying.
Gong Zhengming was the first to recover from the shock.
He immediately stood up, stepped forward, and went to the center of the hall to offer his congratulations with clasped hands.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Your blessings are boundless! This battle is a blessing from Heaven upon our Great Li!"
Upon hearing Gong Zhengming offer his congratulations first, Gao Yongchang, the Minister of Revenue, Sun Ning, the Minister of Justice, and others cursed him inwardly as cunning.
"You've gotten the first victory!" the two of them thought, not wanting to be left behind. They immediately stood up and shouted.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! You have a discerning eye for talent!"
Standing beside Xiao Yu, Eunuch Cao felt a surge of disdain upon seeing this.
These scholars, who usually act so dignified and respectable, are just as good at flattering others.
The others, realizing what was happening, quickly stepped forward to offer their congratulations.
It wasn't until Du Yuheng's congratulatory voice came that Xiao Yu seemed to wake up from a dream.
"This military report says that Mu Zi'an not only defeated the Xiongnu vanguard, but almost annihilated them?"
Xiao Yu felt as if he had misheard.
It should be noted that the entire Dali region cannot muster 30,000 elite cavalry at present, yet Mu Zian nearly annihilated 10,000 cavalry in a single battle.
While Xiao Yu was in a daze, Eunuch Cao immediately stepped forward and said.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! This battle has been a great victory!"
"If it is published in the newspaper tomorrow, it will surely inspire the people of the world!"
"The Duke of Zhenguo truly deserves to be called a pillar of the nation."
After receiving an affirmative answer, Xiao Yu felt as if a tense string had been instantly released.
After a long while, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Good! Good! Good! Like father, like son!"
"Reward them! Reward them handsomely!"
Xiao Yu was feeling incredibly refreshed at that moment.
The fall of Fuling City and the advance of 100,000 Xiongnu cavalry had truly made him feel suffocated.
Now that Mu Zian has given him such a big surprise, his previously bent back straightened up instantly.
Du Yuheng, holding the military newspaper, continued to laugh.
"This battle not only nearly annihilated the Xiongnu vanguard, but also captured 10,000 elite Xiongnu warhorses."
"The garrison commander of Wuwei City, Chu Xuesong, has already sent men to escort the warhorses here."
"If we use these warhorses as breeding stock, within ten years our Great Li will be able to build an invincible cavalry force! At that time, we will be able to sweep across the world."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu's smile grew even wider.
He could almost see the magnificent scene of the Great Li's iron cavalry sweeping across the world!
After all, besides Dali, there are still five other states in the world today: Zhou, Chu, Wei, Han, and Zhao.
Unifying the world in his lifetime was Xiao Yu's lifelong dream!
Originally, this dream was gone with the wind when Mu Zhanying died on the battlefield.
But now Mu Zian has personally brought that hope back.
After taking a deep breath, Xiao Yu immediately stood up and said.
"Send this battle report to the Dali Newspaper Office and have them expedite its printing. Such a great victory must be immediately communicated to the people of the world."
"Firstly, it will stabilize public sentiment and boost morale; secondly, it will deter petty villains and prevent remnants from causing trouble; and thirdly, it will stabilize the five states of Zhou, Chu, Wei, Han, and Zhao by making an example of them!"
Upon hearing this, Du Yuheng immediately arranged for someone to convey the imperial edict.
Xiao Yu paced back and forth excitedly in front of the dragon throne.
Then, as if he had thought of something, he immediately said to Eunuch Cao beside him.
"Tell Xiao Jiu immediately that I will be hosting a banquet in the palace tonight to celebrate today's great victory!"
Eunuch Cao nodded with a smile.
"This servant obeys the decree."
Just as Eunuch Cao was about to get up and head to the Ninth Princess's residence.
Another messenger rushed in from outside the door.
"Your Majesty, the Liangzhou army reports their arrival!"
With the great victory at Wuwei City as an example, Xiao Yu's heart was now completely at peace.
"Is this another military report from Wuwei City sent by Chu Xuesong?"
The messenger shook his head upon hearing this.
"Your Majesty, this is a military report from the Duke of Zhenguo, sent from Fuling City."
"Fuling City?"
Everyone was immediately surprised, as Fuling City should still be in the hands of the Xiongnu.
Although Wuwei City annihilated the Xiongnu vanguard cavalry.
However, the fleeing Xiongnu would inevitably return to Fuling City to hold their ground and await the support of the Xiongnu Left Wise King.
The forces in Wuwei City, including Mu Zi'an's, numbered only six thousand, which was far from enough to attack the city.
Moreover, the two military reports arrived one after the other.
That proves that the two military reports were sent out no more than one day apart.
After the great battle the night before, could Mu Zian really lead 5,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry to recapture Fuling City in one night of raid?
If even the messenger could barely catch up, how could the foot soldiers possibly keep up? This is clearly illogical.
Despite his doubts, Xiao Yu still spoke up.
"Quickly report to the General."
The messenger immediately tore open the military report's seal and then read it aloud.
"After the battle of Wuwei City, I originally intended to wait until the army had rested before taking action to recapture Fuling City."
"However, at midnight, I received a secret message from a scout that the city of Fuling had been engulfed in war again."
"I dared not delay and immediately led my troops there. We arrived at dawn, and the city of Fuling had already fallen."
"The ones who breached the city were Han Shizhong, a righteous man from Liangzhou, and his wife Liang Hongyu!"
"In a fierce battle that lasted all night, Han Shizhong led his troops to kill more than a thousand Xiongnu cavalrymen, and recaptured Fuling, leaving the Xiongnu with no place to stand."
"Han Shizhong's wife, Liang Hongyu, is the sworn sister of Di Hu, the garrison commander of Fuling City. She has come here willingly to join the army to kill the Xiongnu and protect her homeland, in order to atone for her sworn brother's sins."
"Therefore, I hereby commend Han Shizhong and his wife for their merits."
"Two victories in World War II have boosted morale! We await the arrival of our mighty army, where we will trample the royal court and seal the wolf's lair!"
"Your subject, Duke Mu Zian, respectfully wishes Your Majesty a long and prosperous life, and Your Highness the Ninth Princess good health."
The surprise came so fast it was like a tornado.
Two pieces of good news arrived in just one day.
Not only did they annihilate 10,000 Xiongnu vanguard cavalry, but they also recaptured Fuling City and wiped away their previous humiliation.
Xiao Yu took three steps forward in two, took the military report from the messenger, and read it carefully himself.
A moment later, a hearty laugh erupted.
"Very well! I will await the day when I will trample the royal court and seal the wolf's lair!"
After his maniacal laughter, Xiao Yu abruptly stopped and shouted loudly towards the north.
"Pass on my order! The army will rest for another day!"
"Tomorrow! We will march on Liangzhou!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com