Chapter 220 A dark and windy night, perfect for a sneak attack.
Yun Jian initially thought he was just spouting nonsense, but seeing his confident expression, he became skeptical.
"Is what Your Highness said true?"
Qin Qian did not intend to explain further: "If the general does not believe me, he can ask the soldiers who came with me. They have been using this to replenish their strength along the way."
Yun Jian and his deputy exchanged a glance, still somewhat skeptical.
Aren't pastries just snacks for relaxation and to satisfy our appetites?
What kind of pastry can keep you full for a whole day after eating it? Is it some kind of magic pill?
Just then, Li Hong was explaining to the soldiers who were watching:
"Let me tell you, these compressed biscuits are a real gem! If you're marching in the wilderness, you won't feel hungry all day after eating them! They're so convenient—just tear them open and you can eat them! And they taste pretty good too!"
Several accompanying soldiers echoed this sentiment.
"That's right! This stuff really fills you up!"
"It's much better than eating a hard, dry bread; it even has a slightly salty and savory flavor!"
The soldiers present asked in surprise, "When did the imperial court develop such convenient military rations?"
Li Hong quickly explained, "With so many refugees in the city, the court doesn't have the time or energy for such matters. These are all military supplies specially procured by His Highness. You should be grateful; no one in the capital has ever tasted such fine rice and compressed biscuits!"
These fine grains were all sent by Miss Jiang; they are much better than what the Great Yu Dynasty can produce on its own.
Needless to say, the compressed biscuits were a unique treat prepared for them by Miss Jiang.
Even though they knew that Miss Jiang had prepared an extra batch of grain to donate to the imperial court after they left, there were no compressed biscuits among them.
"It smells so good... This is both noodles and pastries. Where did the First Prince get these exotic foods?"
"Don't worry about these, they're all good stuff that will fill your stomachs and replenish your strength! The soldiers have all tested them for you along the way, they're absolutely safe and reliable!"
No one dared to ask any more questions and obediently went to move the grain.
With food in hand, the gloom on everyone's faces from the previous few days dissipated.
The military commander has already led his men to take inventory and store the goods.
Yun Jian and his deputy stood there, somewhat stunned, upon hearing these words.
The eldest prince used his personal resources to prepare such a large amount of grain, no wonder the quantity exceeded expectations.
Could it be that they are being petty and narrow-minded?
Qin Qian stuffed the compressed biscuits into Yun Jian's hand:
"General, you might as well try it yourself. I am tired from my journey and will rest first. I will trouble you and Li Hong to handle the distribution of the provisions."
Having said that, he turned and went back to his own tent.
Yun Jian held the hard, compressed biscuit and looked at his deputy in bewilderment.
"Such a wondrous object truly exists!"
"Try it!" Yun Jian's eyes narrowed, and following Li Hong's demonstration, he tore open the packaging, broke off a small piece, and put it in his mouth.
After the dry, hard, and dense texture comes the aroma of roasted grains and a hint of saltiness. After chewing for a while, you can actually feel a significant sense of fullness!
As night fell, the chill at the border intensified, but a rare warmth and vitality rose within the military camp.
The large pot of porridge was bubbling away, its aroma filling the air.
The soldiers stood guard nearby, not even blinking.
At this moment, a peculiar and rich aroma wafted from the campfire in front of the First Prince's tent.
This tiny pot far surpassed the aroma of dozens of large pots of food!
Li Hong, accompanied by several of his personal guards, sat around a large bonfire.
A cooking pot was placed on the fire, and several pieces of instant noodles were cooking inside.
As the dough gradually expanded in the boiling water, the unique aroma of the seasonings wafted through the steam, causing many soldiers around to secretly swallow their saliva.
"This thing looks strange, but it smells really good when it's cooked!" one of the soldiers said, staring at the pot.
Li Hong used chopsticks to break up the dough so it would cook faster.
"Don't be so surprised! This is called instant noodles. You can eat it by just soaking it in boiling water, but it tastes even better when cooked! It's perfect for us on the march and in battle. Come on!"
If it weren't for the fact that this stuff is so fragile during transport that it would break during long-distance shipping, he would have loved to replace the compressed biscuits with instant noodles.
He scooped some noodles into everyone's bowls and poured soup over them.
The soldiers couldn't wait any longer and, ignoring the heat, began to slurp and eat.
Mmm! Delicious!
"These noodles are so chewy!"
"This soup is so delicious! It's even better than the meat soup my mom makes!"
"What are those little green vegetables inside? They're crunchy and interesting!"
"And this bright red sauce, so spicy, it's so satisfying to eat, it warms me up from head to toe!"
"Eat quickly, and after you're done, I'll take you to do something big!" Li Hong said, and then he started eating heartily.
Jiang Ling's face, always carrying a calm smile, involuntarily appeared in my mind.
With Miss Jiang's food supplies, His Highness gained a lot of support from the army.
After a hearty meal and drinks, the night grew thick and dark, and the north wind subsided.
This is the perfect time for a night raid!
Li Hong carefully selected ten agile veterans skilled in infiltration, and they followed the mountain paths they had inquired about, blending into the desolate hills and withered forests of the border region.
After crawling in the darkness for more than two hours, we finally saw the lights of the enemy camp in the distance.
The group stopped on a leeward slope, hiding in the shadow of dead trees.
Li Hong dispatched two of his most astute scouts to conduct close-up reconnaissance of the enemy camp's layout and the pattern of sentry rotations.
He took something out of his bag.
It is a stainless steel pressurized slingshot with a cold metallic sheen.
"Boss, is this a slingshot? Isn't that a kid's toy?"
An old soldier with a scar on his face thought he was going to pull out something, but it turned out to be a child's toy.
In such a critical moment, do you really want to play around with geese?
Li Hong's lips curled into a mysterious smile. "You don't know anything! Open your eyes wide and watch carefully!"
He skillfully picked up the slingshot, then took out a small steel ball from his pocket and put it in his leather pouch.
He steadied his arm, aimed slightly at the blurry black shadow on a withered tree in the distance, and suddenly exerted force—
"Whoosh—smack!"
A very faint whooshing sound rang out, followed by a short, mournful cry and the sound of flapping wings from afar. The dark figure fell to the ground in response!
"hiss--"
A collective gasp of suppressed breaths immediately filled the air.
The soldiers stared wide-eyed, hardly believing it.
How could a slingshot that a child plays with have such great power!
"See this? This is a specially made weapon. Within fifty paces, it can pierce through skin and bone! It's quiet but powerful, a deadly assassination tool! It's even more concealed than a crossbow!" Li Hong lowered his voice, his tone tinged with pride.
Then he took two more things out of his pocket.
They were two black lighters.
He casually tossed one to his most trusted subordinate, A-Dong.
Ah Dong happily took the lighter, his eyes gleaming!
He had seen Li Hong use this thing a few times before. It could be lit with a single press and the wind could not extinguish it. It was so much more convenient than a tinderbox that would not light if it got damp. He had been envious of it for a long time!
Ah Dong, holding the lighter, was eager to try it out: "Boss, what do we do in a bit?"
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