Chapter 82 The Impatient Captain
Xiao Zhuo raised his head from the crowd and looked at Shen Yuexi who was panting. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly. He walked over slowly, took her hand, and wiped the sweat from her forehead with his sleeve.
Shen Yuexi felt a little embarrassed; she wasn't used to public displays of affection. Especially when she thought about what happened last night, her ears suddenly felt slightly hot, and she quickly took a step back.
"I... I'm fine. I just came to check on you." Seeing the surrounding generals looking at her, Shen Yuexi's face flushed even more. She tried to push Xiao Zhuo's hand away, "You... you're busy."
But Xiao Zhuo didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he pulled her in front of everyone and said to Song Zhen calmly, "Continue."
Shen Yuexi couldn't help herself, and she didn't want to get angry in front of everyone, so she had to agree to him.
Song Zhen was stunned. He stopped waving the fan in his hand and stared blankly at Shen Yuexi.
No wonder the Lord dotes on her so much. Miss Shen's appearance is even better than those famous noble ladies in the capital. But back then, this Second Miss Shen never went out. Now, she is truly stunning.
He was still pondering when Xiao Zhuo suddenly shot him a cold look. Song Zhen then realized that he shouldn't stare at the woman in front of him and quickly averted his gaze.
Meng Yue, who was standing next to him, saw the warning in Xiao Zhuo's eyes and quickly tried to smooth things over:
"Military Advisor, stop keeping us in suspense and tell us what to do. The Xirong army will be here tonight."
Song Zhen coughed dryly and said, "My lord, as you said before, you intend to set up an ambush here and achieve a surprise victory."
Compared to generals like Meng Yue, he was better at thinking. So, as soon as Xiao Zhuo explained it, he understood. While generals like Meng Yue also knew how to use strategy, their reactions weren't as quick as his.
Xiao Zhuo nodded and pointed at the topographic map:
"There are high mountains on both sides, and only this narrow path in the middle is not suitable for a large army to deploy. We are here to ask General Qiu and Miss Yang to bring back intelligence. We will know the enemy's movements in advance and set up a trap here."
"But...but," Qiu Liming interrupted, "My lord, although the Western Rong are a barbarian tribe, they are not stupid. How could they not see that the terrain there is dangerous? What if they don't fall for it?"
Meng Yue felt the same way. He looked at Xiao Zhuo and said, "My Lord, I know about this narrow pass, but it's too obvious. I'm afraid the enemy won't be fooled. What if they see through our plan?"
Both generals were worried about the strategy. But Xiao Zhuo was confident and said with a smile, "There is no fixed military formation, no fixed water shape. Strategy depends on the enemy. General Qiu has given me enough information."
Song Zhen waved his fan and said, "The Lord has made the plan, and the two generals will just follow it."
"General Meng." Xiao Zhuo's face turned serious and he looked at Meng Yue.
When Meng Yue heard Xiao Zhuo's tone, he immediately understood that his lord was about to issue a military order.
"I will obey your command." He walked quickly to Xiao Zhuo and bowed with his fists clasped.
"You will lead a hundred soldiers to cut down trees at the pass and make logs. You must complete the task before nightfall."
"Understood, sir." Meng Yue walked out of the tent quickly.
After Xiao Zhuo finished speaking, he looked at Song Zhen again and said, "Mr. Song, take a hundred soldiers to move the stones and transport them to the high slopes on both sides of the pass to store them."
Song Zhen left as ordered. Xiao Zhuo released Shen Yuexi's hand, put his arm around her waist, and said, "My lady, go home now. The Western Rong are invading. I need everyone's help."
Shen Yuexi didn't expect Xiao Zhuo to give her a task. She rolled her eyes, nodded, and smiled, "I understand, husband."
Even if I haven't fought in a war, I've at least watched TV dramas in my past life and read a bit of Sun Tzu's Art of War.
But what made her most at ease was Xiao Zhuo's calmness.
…
"Captain, the Langya Pass is fifty miles ahead," Centurion Xiu Muye pulled his horse in front of the commander and pointed to the southern mountains. "Should we camp here for the night and start the war tomorrow..."
The captain, Dan Muji, was a portly, burly man wearing a pointed fur hat and a fur-skin battle robe draped sideways, leaving his right shoulder bare. He carried a longbow at his back, a sword at his waist, and sat atop a tall horse. He was the kind of impatient fellow who wouldn't let anyone finish a sentence.
Before Xiu Muye could finish, he interrupted him with a wave of his hand. Then he pointed at the cavalry and the caravan pulling the tents and said:
"Our warriors will spend the night in Xiaogang Village tonight. Why waste a night in this wilderness?"
Xiu Muye said hesitantly, "As I said, a powerful figure has come to Xiaogang Village. He is very good at fighting..."
"Hahaha," Danmuji laughed loudly, "That's the man who killed your son. Don't you want to avenge your son immediately?"
Xiu Muye lowered his head in anger and helplessness.
He was forced by Xiao Zhuo to swear a solemn oath, but by chance he caught up with the news that the Xirong army was setting out, so he joined the vanguard.
According to the vanguard leader Dan Muji, the main force of the Western Rong army in the west was engaged in a fierce battle with a vassal king of Dayan. The superiors ordered a 10,000-man force to bypass the Langya Pass and attack the flank and rear of the vassal king's main force.
Through the Langya Pass is Xiaogang Village. His son died there. He has always wanted revenge.
But based on his experience, he knew that Master Pei was no ordinary person. He should not underestimate the enemy.
"Xiu Muye, if I were you," Danmu said sternly, "I would go without food and water and still let the warriors raze Xiaogang Village to the ground. I wouldn't be like you, making an oath to save your own life. It's a disgrace to us Xirong."
Xiu Muye's face flushed red as he argued, "I'm worried we're being too aggressive..."
"A thousand warriors, would they be afraid of a Dayan?" Danmuji simply ignored him. "Or are they talking about those Dayan people who can't even use a hoe properly? Just one round of arrows and there will be no Dayan people standing in front of me."
After the scolding, Danmu called over a centurion and said, "Tell the thousand-man team to speed up."
The centurion hesitated a little: "Master, we have been marching all day. The horses need to eat grass, and the warriors need to rest. You see..."
Danmuji reached out his hand and grabbed the centurion's chest, his eyes ferocious:
"I am the vanguard. My only responsibility is to help the king defeat the enemy. When we reach Xiaogang Village, we will kill all the villagers there and then let everyone and the horses rest."
The centurion exchanged a glance with Xiu Muye, who was standing beside him. Xiu Muye said, "Master Captain, what if Dayan has already sent out its army? We are exhausted, how are we going to fight there?"
Danmuji loosened his grip, pushed the centurion, sat up straight, and his expression softened. "That does make sense."
He had sent out a 30-man scout team the day before yesterday to investigate the situation at the border of Dayan, and they should have returned by then.
Seeing that things had taken a turn for the better, Xiu Muye hurriedly said, "Captain, let's camp here for one night and wait for our troops to arrive. That way, even if Dayan has troops stationed at Langya Pass, they will be attacked by the 10,000-man army..."
"Asshole, if that's the case, where's my contribution as a pioneer?" Danmu retorted sharply.
He was about to reprimand the two men when a dozen Western Rong scouts arrived on horseback. One of them said to him, "Captain, on our way back, we encountered several Dayan soldiers disguised as our own. Two of them escaped..."
"What?" Danmu shouted sharply, "Sergeants from Dayan! What's going on over there?"
“I haven’t seen any troops being sent from the border.”
Danmu quickly drew his sword and swung it forward. "It seems Dayan is also scouting us. We should take advantage of it before they send out their troops. The thousand-man team should speed up and seize the Langya Pass tonight!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com