Chapter 17 The Tartars' Border Deception
"Kid, run!"
Old Liu rode a horse, holding a whip, and followed closely behind Lin Changning.
Lin Changning and Wan Jin were panting heavily from running. She had been here for almost half a month. Except for the first day when it was a little easier, Old Liu had been acting like he was sick every day. He was either forcing her to run on the track or training with her.
Wan Jin is such a nutcase. He was raising horses just fine, but he insisted on being tormented by Old Liu along with her.
For the past two weeks, he's either been practicing horse stance, running around the horse track, or Old Liu sparring with the two of them.
It really took a lot of effort to get through.
However, Lin Changning knew what was good for her. Old Liu thought she was too frail and wanted to train her. Despite the complaints, she still had to train her.
Lin Changning took a big gulp of water from the water bag, quenched his thirst, and then tossed it to Wan Jin. The two of them walked slowly, panting heavily. They couldn't rest after the long run, or their legs would be ruined tomorrow.
Despite his small frame, Lin Changning managed to develop a thin layer of abdominal muscles in just over half a month.
"I'm exhausted, Liu Lang. When do you think we can finally go to the battlefield?"
Lin Changning shrugged, continuing on his way: "Who knows?"
Wan Jin glanced sideways at Old Liu: "If you become successful, don't forget your brother. I really don't like raising horses. I want to go to the battlefield, but my mother won't let me."
Lin Changning rolled her eyes: "Others would beg for this, and you're complaining about it."
Wan Jin scratched his head and chuckled as he put his arm around Lin Changning's shoulder: "Sixth Brother, isn't this all because my mother was crying her eyes out? Who could bear it? But I still want to go to the battlefield and kill the Tartars like my father."
Lin Changning shook off Wan Jin's sweaty arm: "Go away, you stink, don't touch me..."
Wan Jin looked bewildered, lowered his arm, and sniffed his sleeve: "It doesn't smell bad?"
Looking at Lin Changning again, he had already walked a few steps away, clicking his tongue twice and chuckling, "Scholars, so fussy."
Suddenly, the two stopped together, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky from the bunker not far away.
Wan Jin and Old Liu's expressions changed. Old Liu mounted his horse and called out, "Wan Jin! Changping, the Tartars are here! Go back and let the horses graze!"
Wan Jin quickly took a few steps and pulled Lin Changning aside: "The Tartars are here, it's time to go back."
After saying that, he led Lin Changning to the back, and Old Liu rode his horse quickly to call the horse handlers to gather the horses together.
An arrow with a flame shot in from somewhere and whistled into a stable at the edge.
Wan Jin patted his chest: "Changping, hurry, the Tartars have already launched an offensive."
Lin Changning trotted after them and, seeing Old Liu and Wan Jin arranging the horses in an orderly manner, went up to lend a hand.
At the same time, the wind on the grassland, carrying a chilling and desolate feel, howled past.
Looking into the distance, Lin Changning could see rolling yellow sand not far below the Great Wall, and the sound of horses' hooves reaching his ears like thunder.
The garrison quickly assembled, and they filed out of the barracks in a hurried but orderly manner, rapidly gathering on the training ground.
The clanging of armor and the scraping of weapons intertwined to create a tense pre-battle symphony.
Lin Changning followed behind Wan Jin and Old Liu, quietly watching the people gather. The leaders took the horses from Old Liu and mounted them.
Leading the way was Qi Rong, clad in silver armor. His silver armor gleamed with a cold light in the morning sun, like the stars at dawn.
Qi Rong stood tall and straight, his eyes as resolute as an eagle's, surveying the assembled troops.
"Brothers!" Qi Rong's voice was deep yet powerful, echoing like a resounding bell over the garrison.
"The Tartars have invaded our borders, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities! Today is the day for us to defend our homeland and make sure they never return with their weapons!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" the soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the ground slightly, their morale instantly reaching its peak.
With a command, the gates of the garrison swung open with a loud thud, the heavy wooden doors creaking as if it were the prelude to war.
Qi Rong took the lead, like a silver lightning bolt, rushing out first, followed closely by the soldiers behind him, surging out of the garrison like a turbulent tide, heading towards the direction of the Tartars.
Wan Jin let go of Lin Changning's hand and nudged him with his elbow: "Chicken? Scared?"
Lin Changning rolled her eyes: "You need to be taught a lesson, don't you?"
Wan Jin glanced back at Old Liu and nudged Lin Changning with his elbow again: "Want to see a battlefield battle?"
Lin Changning lowered his voice: "Can you really see it?"
Wan Jin nodded, covered his mouth with his hand, and whispered, "It's possible back then. My family has been military households for generations. Do you want to go? I'll take you."
Lin Changning nodded guiltily: "What about Old Liu?"
Wan Jin also glanced at Old Liu with a sly look: "We're in the middle of a fight, no one's paying attention to us, so let's say we're going to the outhouse."
After saying that, Wan Jin coughed twice and looked at Old Liu: "Old Liu, Liu Lang and I are going to the outhouse. You can look after things here for a while."
Old Liu glanced at the two sneaky little kids and knew they were up to no good: "Where are you going? Stay put. The Tartars are raiding the border, it's not safe right now."
Wan Jin pursed his lips: "Everyone has to go to the bathroom sometimes, we'll be right back."
After saying that, he led Lin Changning towards the stable: "Pick one, let's go."
Lin Changning looked at the chestnut horses and then at the black horse not far away, feeling somewhat tempted.
"I'll ride Mo Yun, you can choose one yourself."
Mo Yun was the black horse she tamed on her first day there. It was very handsome, and indeed, as Old Liu had said, a fine horse.
Lin Changning untied Mo Yun's clothes, mounted his horse, and saw Wan Jin also riding over.
"Come on, let me show you around and broaden your horizons."
After saying that, the two of them sped away. Wan Jin greeted the guards at the gate, and then the two left the garrison.
As they rode at full speed, the sounds of battle outside were deafening. Wan Jin reined in his horse, dismounted, and pointed excitedly at a heavily weathered bunker: "This is it! It used to be a beacon tower, but it was abandoned later. My father brought me here before. You can see the fighting over there right from here, and it's still very safe."
Lin Changning also dismounted: "Let's go up and take a look."
"Walk"
Following Wan Jin, Lin Changning climbed up the bunker without much effort and gazed at the distant battlefield.
On the battlefield, smoke filled the air and yellow sand swirled, making visibility extremely poor.
Lin Changning squinted at the distant city wall, where soldiers stood ready for battle.
Clad in heavy armor and wielding spears and shields, they struggled to repel the Tartars' offensive.
Some soldiers were hit by the Tartars' arrows, fell down with a muffled groan, but their comrades immediately filled the gap.
Below the siege ladder, countless Tartars fell one after another.
A sliver of silver light beneath the city walls pierced the Tartar army like a sharp sword.
The silver-armored general charged out first, followed closely by his soldiers, surging out of the garrison like a tidal wave and heading towards the Tartars.
At this time, the Tartar cavalry had pressed in like dark clouds, their hooves thundering and yellow sand swirling wherever they went.
The Tartars wore simple but practical leather armor, carried scimitars and bows and arrows, and had savage and greedy expressions on their faces.
The leading Tartar leader was a burly man with a bare, hairy chest. He brandished a curved sword stained with the blood of the Da Xuan soldiers, which gleamed eerily in the sunlight.
The two sides quickly clashed, and the battlefield instantly descended into chaos.
Qi Rong, who was leading the charge, brandished his long sword, which gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Each slash was accompanied by a fierce momentum, aiming straight for the enemy's vitals.
Wherever he went, the Tartars fell one after another, their silver armor splattered with blood, yet they appeared even more valiant and fearless.
The soldiers fought a desperate battle with the Tartars, their shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, and the neighing of warhorses all mingling together in a deafening roar.
This was the first time Lin Changning had faced the bloodshed of the battlefield.
The scene of the battle before her eyes was too real; every clash of weapons and every splatter of blood assaulted her eyes.
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