Chapter 328: Showdown on Ice! Short Track Speed Skating Team
Outside Yumen Pass, on the east bank of the Mingshui River.
The temperature started to drop at midnight, and now the sky was just beginning to turn light. He Zhaojun could already feel the change in temperature very clearly.
"How are the soldiers doing? Is anyone in shock from hypothermia?!"
"Report! We are fully prepared. All fur coats and cotton shoes are in place. All soldiers have remained alert and alert. No one has lost their combat effectiveness due to frostbite!"
He Zhaojun nodded in satisfaction. This was all thanks to the method proposed by Jin Yuji before. They had stored more fur coats and cotton jackets to keep out the cold, so at this moment they would not suffer any casualties for no reason.
"Okay, follow me to check whether the Hades Water is frozen. If it is possible to march, everyone follow me across the river!" She called out, and saw that her brother had already started harnessing the cart, leading out several wolfhounds from the team, and was now pulling a sled with bared teeth.
"Sister, let's go explore together!" Huo Buyi, who was sitting upright on his horse at the moment, stopped the two of them. "Let's see if the ice is tough enough for the army to cross the river. It would be best if we could take the horses with us. Otherwise, if we encounter Zhizhi Chanyu's cavalry, even if we can win, we will suffer heavy losses."
He Zhaojun nodded, and He Feng whipped the sled, which ran very fast on the frozen ground. When it reached the ice surface by the river, it was even faster. In just a few dozen breaths, the two of them had reached the center of the Mingshui River.
"This area has clearly been freezing over for a while now, but it only formed ice during this recent temperature drop. While the surface ice isn't too thick, it seems to be due to the influence of the surface warm current. However, it shouldn't hinder normal operations."
The two of them checked around and drove back. Before they even reached the shore, He Zhaojun heard three whistle arrows in the distant night sky. She was startled and looked back. Three points of fire disappeared into the sky, leaving behind a bright golden glow.
"That's the fifth brother's whistle arrow!" Before the two siblings could be happy, the base camp of Zhizhi Chanyu on the west bank of the Dark Water had already started to riot. Soon, flames shot up into the sky and the noise was extremely loud.
The two men hurried ashore, but saw that Huo Buyi had already dismounted, and the soldiers were sitting on the ground putting on their shoes - there was an extremely thin blade under the shoe, which was bent into a sharp hook at the front and looked extremely sharp.
"My guess is that the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu Tihoushan and the Xianbei leader Tuoba Qiong, for some reason, launched the war prematurely. Facing the enemy attack, Chanyu Zhizhi, with nowhere to retreat, would surely abandon his baggage and horses and lead his men across the river."
Sure enough, after a while, a firelight appeared on the hillside nearby. It was someone speaking to He Zhaojun through lantern lights. He Zhaojun looked up, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight.
"As you expected, a small number of Zhizhi Chanyu's soldiers have already stepped onto the ice."
Huo Buyi gave an order, and everyone dressed neatly. He raised his lips and smiled, "My dear men, follow me to capture Zhizhi Chanyu alive and make great achievements!"
The Han soldiers responded by stepping onto the ice. They pushed their sharp blades against the mirror-smooth surface, moving with lightning speed. Zhizhi Chanyu and his companions, caught off guard and awakened from their drunken sleep, could only manage to stand.
Zhizhi Chanyu didn't understand why his brother, who was usually an ordinary person, was suddenly helped by God and was able to return safely from the Han Dynasty. He didn't understand even more why Tuoba Qiong, the chief of the Xianbei tribe who had always been subservient to him, would declare war on him at all costs.
He couldn't understand why, despite having so many elite soldiers and generals under his command, he had no one to use at this moment. Only the surrendered general He Jiang had been protecting him and helping him break out of the encirclement. But now, there was no better way. Without these troops, he would not be able to escape death if he broke out alone.
"He Jiang! Hurry and gather a few capable men around me, and together we will head downstream to the Dark Water and break out to the south!"
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