Chapter 51 Chapter 51 My dear sister, listen to me.
"The Black Mountain Army is currently commanded by Zhang Yan, with approximately 30,000 elite soldiers under his command."
The army marched all the way, day and night, and finally set up camp about twenty miles away from Taihang Mountain.
Tents stretched like clouds, guarded outside by personal soldiers and staff, while candles shone brightly inside. Inside the main tent, several figures were cast on the plain linen tent cloth, swaying with the candlelight.
Huan Zhanyue stood before the military map, his hands behind his back, and spoke in a deep voice, "Zhang Yan was originally a bandit, but with nowhere else to go, she joined the Black Mountain Army. She was a fierce and brave man, always leading the vanguard in every battle, and she was highly valued by Chen Tiexin." His fingertip highlighted the mountain pass on the map. "So, before his death, Chen Tiexin entrusted his entire 30,000 elite troops to her."
"The Black Mountain Army is now roughly divided into three divisions. Zhang Yan leads 30,000, Shen Tiexin's daughter Shen Yuan receives 20,000, and there's another adopted daughter, Shen Yu, who receives 10,000. The remaining scattered soldiers are no more than 10,000, totaling 70,000."
"Everyone, do you have any good ideas now?" Huan Zhanyue turned around, his eyes scanning the faces of the remaining people sitting there.
"General Huan," Yuan Wangshu said, taking the lead. "When shooting a man, shoot the horse first; when capturing a thief, capture the leader first. Why not capture Zhang Yan directly? If the main force is defeated, the remaining troops will not be intimidated."
Huan Zhanyue remained silent. In previous campaigns, Emperor Gaozu had also stormed the central army, only to be circumvented by the bandits, who exploited the mountain's terrain and ultimately retreated in defeat. But it was true that if the main force could be destroyed in one fell swoop, the rest would pose little threat.
Wang Lanzhi frowned and did not speak.
In the past, Cui Yuanying would have argued profusely, expressing her completely different views from Yuan Wangshu's. However, given the gravity of the military situation, she dared not speak rashly. Instead, she subconsciously glanced to her side, eager to ask Xie Tingyu for his opinion.
No? How did he fall asleep?
Cui Yuanying took one look and was not sure, then looked again in disbelief, only to see that Xie Tingyu's eyes were closed, and his breastplate rose and fell rhythmically with his breathing, as if he had fallen asleep.
No? You can fall asleep at this time? Sister, we are discussing the battle plan!
Cui Yuanying poked him in the ribs with his elbow, but the man didn't wake up, so he pinched the front of Xie Tingyu's thigh hard.
Xie Tingyu hissed subconsciously, her eyelashes fluttering as she woke up. She yawned without restraint, attracting everyone's attention.
Cui Yuanying covered her face weakly.
Yuan Wangshu crossed his arms and glanced at Xie Tingyu, "Captain Xie, you seem to be sleeping so soundly. It seems your mind is not focused on your work at all!"
"Thank you, Captain, what are your thoughts? Do you agree with Yuan Qianfeng's plan?"
"Ah..." Xie Tingyu stood up and rubbed his sleepy eyes. He leaned over to examine the military map carefully. Suddenly, he turned around and asked, "Does the Black Mountain Army usually use guerrilla tactics?"
"Guerrilla warfare, especially taking advantage of mountain terrain."
Xie Tingyu traced the mountain range with her fingertips, saying confidently, "They rely on the mountain's terrain to fight, so I'm afraid we won't be able to launch a large-scale charge." She pointed at Zhang Yan's troops and said, "I don't think it's a good idea to attack them. The mountain roads are rugged and difficult to find. We might be defeated halfway before we even attack."
"Besides, we still don't know whether this refugee riot was directed by Zhang Yan."
Everyone was puzzled: "What did Captain Xie mean by that?"
"Look," Xie Tingyu traced a circle on the map with his fingertips. "These scattered Black Mountain troops should all follow Zhang Yan's lead, but these thousand-plus divisions are scattered and disorganized, looking like the seeds at the end of a dogtail grass. Not only are they in disarray, but they're also very far from Zhang Yan."
"It seems that some of these branches are not so obedient to Zhang Yan's orders. They are so far away, if something happens, they will not be able to provide support in time! Moreover, the Jiankang riot may only be the work of some Black Mountain bandits, rather than the participation of the entire army."
Wang Lanzhi slammed the table and stood up. "Chen Tiexin divided his tribe into three parts, which is actually splitting the main force into three parts. If this tribe is united and resists stubbornly, it will be difficult to defeat them. But if they are already divided, we can defeat them one by one."
Xie Tingyu nodded, pointing her finger at Shen Yuan's base. She said thoughtfully, "Compared to Zhang Yan, Shen Yuan's base is located near Jingxing, a little further from the Black Mountain base camp. However, it's a fortress that controls a strategic route." She looked at Huan Zhanyue and asked, "Why not send some light cavalry ahead to test the waters?"
“No!”
Yuan Wangshu objected sharply, "Xie Tingyu, this is all just your conjecture. How could you possibly know this band of bandits is so disorganized?" She abruptly stood up and slammed her hand down on the table, a fierce look flashing across her face. "How can military decisions be made solely by your own inferences? If this is a trap, and you've lured us in, we'll be caught in the act."
Huan Zhanyue glanced coldly at Yuan and Xie and ordered in a deep voice, "Sit down, everyone."
Xie Tingyu folded his arms on the back of his chair and said frankly, "Yuan Qianfeng is right. This matter was indeed my negligence." Then he changed the subject and smiled, "But this is also easy to find out."
Everyone was suspicious again: "Xie Qiwei, what do you mean by this?"
Xie Tingyu raised a finger. "The Black Mountain bandits live in the mountains year-round. These rugged terrains are no place for food. Even if they receive money from the people they protect, where will they get the money for weapons, armor, and arrows? They naturally come down the mountain to rob the wealthy merchants and caravans that pass by."
She twirled her fingers deftly in a circle. "Why don't we disguise ourselves as a merchant caravan and take a stroll around Shen Yuan's camp?" She spread her hands. "Think about it, our army's camp is closest to Zhang Yan, not Shen Yuan. She might actually think we'll attack Zhang Yan first and let her guard down, and Zhang Yan might be unable to sleep right now."
Xie Tingyu smiled broadly, "When the time comes, we will arrest these people and interrogate them to see what the situation is like inside, and then formulate the next plan."
Huan Zhanyue pondered for a moment and immediately came to a conclusion: "The day after tomorrow, send a team of elite soldiers, disguised as silk merchants, to the foot of the mountain where Chen Yuan is stationed to scout out the situation." She pointed her finger in the air, thinking about which general to assign to go.
Yuan Wangshu suddenly stood up again and volunteered: "I'll go."
"I'll go." Xie Tingyu said.
Cui Yuanying now regarded Xie Tingyu as her role model. Seeing Xie Tingyu asking for permission, she also stood up and said eagerly: "Aunt, I will go too!"
Huan Zhanyue nodded and immediately ordered the three men to regroup and set off the next day. He also told Wang Lanzhi to be patient and wait in the main tent.
The Taihang Mountains boast eight major passes, with Jingxing being the most crucial. After Shen Tiexin's death, several smaller leaders became independent. Even with the largest force under Zhang Yan's command, Shen Yuan refused to submit to his authority. After several arguments, she led her troops away from the Black Mountain base camp and seized control of the strategic Jingxing Pass.
After occupying this pass, plundering passing caravans became a basic operation. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and this activity became increasingly handy.
One group of soldiers hid in the bushes between the cliffs, while another group of archers lay in ambush behind the cliffs on both sides of the pass.
In the distance, six or seven carts slowly approached. The leader, wearing a conical hat, rode a long, sturdy horse, his face veiled in shadow. Behind him followed a dozen elite guards. The cargo on those carts was covered in coarse indigo cloth. Judging by the appearance of the carts, they were definitely carrying a lot of fat sheep.
The bandits, accustomed to such no-cost trades, saw this and their eyes gleamed. Once the convoy was completely within the ambush circle, the leader waved his hand fiercely, and the bandits immediately leaped from their hiding places, roaring, "Sisters! Charge!" Like hyenas smelling blood, they rushed down the mountain.
The archers were still lurking in the dark, staring intently, but they saw the people in the convoy calmly lift the tarpaulin, revealing the cold and sharp weapons underneath. The leader drew the sword from his waist, and the sword flashed like a thread, and the first bandit who rushed over had been beheaded.
Yuan Wangshu chopped off his head with one hand and watched coldly as the head rolled down and hit the wheel.
In an instant, the offensive and defensive momentum was reversed.
The archer suddenly felt someone patting her shoulder from behind. Turning around, she saw a pretty woman smiling at her, "Are you still waiting here?"
Before he finished speaking, Xie Tingyu's eyes flashed, and he moved as fast as lightning, grabbing the opponent's wrist and twisting it, snatching the bow and arrow.
Xie Tingyu covered his lips with his hand, and a clear whistle sounded through the valley. The soldiers who had been lurking for a long time heard the sound and moved, and in a blink of an eye, they subdued all the remaining bandits.
At this moment, Xie Tingyu noticed someone about to pull out a meteor bullet from his pocket to warn her. She drew her bow and aimed, and the arrow shot out like a flash of lightning, piercing the man's wrist and sending the meteor bullet crashing to the ground.
Before setting out today, Xie Tingyu had surveyed the terrain the night before. After discussing with others, he used Yuan Wangshu as bait to lure the enemy, while Xie Tingyu was lurking behind him, like a mantis waiting for his turn.
Cui Yuanying ordered the remaining bandits to be tied up, then strode towards Xie Tingyu and praised him, "Xie Er, how could you be so clever? This trick of luring the snake out of its hole was really a great one."
Yuan Wangshu, standing off to the side, for once refrained from making a sarcastic remark. To be fair, Xie Tingyu's move was indeed effective. It was a maneuverable move, and he was able to control the overall situation and minimize his own casualties. She pursed her lips in silence. Even though she felt reluctant, she had to admit that Xie Tingyu had considerable talent as a general.
Xie Tingyu ordered the bandits to be dragged under a hidden tree.
"You guys aren't a merchant caravan, so who are you? Don't you know we're from the Hei Family Army? How dare you rob us with your own strength? When our Boss Shen finds out, he'll definitely wipe out your stronghold!"
He poured a bowl of water on one of the bandits to wake him up. He took a quick look and saw that everyone on the other side was holding sophisticated weapons, which were not obtained by ordinary people. He concluded that they were also gangsters. So when he saw Xie Tingyu, he glared at him and his words were full of threats. He had no awareness that he was a prisoner.
"If you continue..."
The bandit, who was originally burning with rage, suddenly stopped when a dagger with a cold blade was pressed against the carotid artery.
Xie Tingyu played with the sharp blade in his hand with great interest. The cold blade slowly moved along the skin of the other person's neck, and the man couldn't help but shiver.
"As you said, I am indeed a small leader of a mountain. This time I came here specifically to join your Black Mountain Army leader Zhang Yan. As for this Boss Shen you mentioned, I have never heard of him."
Xie Tingyu turned her fingertips lightly, and the dagger made a beautiful knife flower in her hand, and then she put it into her sleeve leisurely.
She leaned over to the bandit and said, "Listen to me, dear sister." She pointed to the silk cloth and ring-handled swords at the bottom of the cart. "I originally wanted to give these to Chief Zhang Yan, but you refused to give me face and insisted on taking them from me. I must fight back." She patted the bandit's shoulder and said, "If you can introduce me to Chief Zhang, I will let you go. How do you do it?"
Over the years, there has been a constant flow of outsiders coming to join the Black Mountain Army, so what Xie Tingyu said is reasonable.
The bandit was delighted to hear that they were indeed gang members. He then heard that they were going to present a gift to Zhang Yan, and he quickly said earnestly, "Sister, please listen to me. Chief Zhang has too many people under him, and you won't see any good face if you go there. It's better for you to join us, the Shen family. The Shen family has always been kind and generous, and they value talent the most. If you come to our side, I can guarantee that you will definitely find a good job."
Hearing this, there was no need to ask further questions. As Xie Tingyu had suspected, the Black Mountain Army was indeed divided into many factions, with several leaders forming their own factions, each refusing to yield to the other. This showed that perhaps not all members were involved in maliciously inciting the refugee rebellion.
Yuan Wangshu grew tired of this and swung her sword, stabbing the back of the bandit's neck. With a flick of her wrist, the blade sunk three inches into the man's neck before she yanked it out. Blood gushed out, splattering the ground.
The bandit felt a chill on the back of her neck and a strong smell of blood in her throat. She opened her mouth, but only spat out a few mouthfuls of blood foam and fell backwards.
Blood slowly spread out from under her body, forming a web on the ground.
Seeing this, Xie Tingyu shook his head and sighed softly, "Mother Wangshu, why are you so anxious? What will happen if you let me say a few more words?"
Yuan Wangshu snorted coldly, flicking the blood off his knife. "He's just a lowly henchman in the village. It's a waste of time to ask more questions."
She waved her hand and gave a stern order: "All soldiers, listen to my command and return to the camp without delay!"
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The author has something to say: Although the story is about going out to fight, there will also be scenes of Lianlian and Xiao Xie fighting each other. I know you like to see the male and female protagonists, and I won't really write a pure battle plot, but you must have this battle plot, otherwise it will be difficult for me to write some plot points such as the female protagonist's rising prestige later.
This book is also my exploration of my personal writing style, writing XP, and how to balance the plot line and the emotional line. As a novice, you always have to touch this and that to know how to do it.
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