Is Chapter 63 worth risking your life for?
Inside the study.
The huge sheepskin map was still spread out on the table. Nangong Xiong said impatiently, "What's your idea? Tell me quickly."
Qin Shaozong first pointed to Bai Ri City on the map, then dragged his long finger backward, landing behind Bai Ri City. "In front of Bai Ri City is Bai Ri Pass, and on both sides are high peaks, so Fan Tianshi's granary must be behind it."
Both of them had been on the battlefield. As soon as Qin Shaozong spoke, Nangong Xiong immediately understood the implication: "You want to launch a surprise attack on Fan Tianshi's granary?"
Qin Shaozong nodded, “If the granary is burned, the morale of the army in Yanzhou will surely be thrown into chaos. Then we can take advantage of the situation to attack and the Bai Ri Pass can be breached.”
Nangong Xiong's brows were so furrowed they could trap a fly.
Burn down the granaries in Yanzhou?
This is easier said than done. Their granaries are in the rear, but just getting through the daytime is a challenge.
Qin Shaozong first pointed to the flat area of the Jin River, "Send a large army to build ships on the opposite bank of the river, and link the ships together with iron chains to form a ship bridge. The shipbuilding is a grand undertaking that will last for a long time. Fan Tianshi will definitely think that we will choose that place as our entry point."
Qin Shaozong slid his long, dark fingers across the map and tapped on Red Horn Peak. He said in a deep voice, "Send several thousand more soldiers up Red Horn Peak, sneak around to their rear via the mountain path, and launch a surprise attack."
"Are you crazy?" Nangong Xiong asked incredulously.
He reacted violently: "Qin Changgeng, do you know what kind of place that is? It's desolate and inaccessible! I ask you, if the horses can't get up there, how will we supply the provisions? Not to mention the rugged mountain roads, the entire mountain range stretches for hundreds of miles. Especially as the troops at the front gradually penetrate deeper, can we supply them by manpower alone? Once this supply line is cut off, it's equivalent to these people being trapped and dying in the mountains."
"When you encounter a mountain, open a road; when you encounter a river, build a bridge." Qin Shaozong only said these eight words.
Nangong Xiong could hear his determination and gritted his teeth, "Fine, you insist on doing it this way, right? Then I'll go build the ship, and I'll leave the raid on the granary to you."
Qin Shaozong: "Agreed. I will personally lead the surprise attack."
Although the other party agreed, Nangong Xiong was still extremely worried: "Are you really going to do this? Let me tell you, if this method is not done carefully, you may not return. Aside from the difficulties of traveling in the mountains and the inconvenience of supplying provisions, wild animals frequently roam the mountains, and it's very easy to get lost. And Qin Changgeng, think about it, even if you manage to reach his rear, you'll be exhausted. Fan Tianshi's troops are rested and recuperating. If you're captured alive..."
Once Qin Shaozong is captured alive, the north will be doomed.
"Capture me alive?" Qin Shaozong mocked. "The one who can capture me alive has not yet been born."
Nangong Xiong had a hard time explaining, "Don't be so arrogant. People who like to say things like that often end up getting themselves into trouble."
Qin Shaozong just sneered.
"Speaking of Qin Changgeng, what personal grudge do you have with Fan Tianshi that makes you risk your life to play with him?" Nangong Xiong asked curiously.
Nangong Xiong considered himself a hero, but he really didn't dare to lead his troops along the Chifeng Road. He was unfamiliar with the terrain, and the mountain road was long. He had no confidence at all.
There are many ways to attack a city, and the pontoon bridge that Qin Changgeng mentioned earlier is quite good. If a bridge is built over the Jin River, soldiers can cross it continuously. Although it will certainly be a tough battle, it is not without a chance of victory.
Not only was the journey of hundreds of miles through the mountains fraught with difficulties, but the next step required penetrating deep into enemy territory. What was this if not risking one's life?
Qin Shaozong paused, then sneered, "What personal grudge could he possibly have? I just find him an eyesore. This matter is settled. I will allocate a portion of the Northern Army to help you build ships, creating the illusion that I am still here. All operations will begin tomorrow."
Since he didn't have to take any risks, Nangong Xiong was naturally happy to follow the arrangements.
*
Red Horn Peak.
A group of soldiers clad in black armor walked along the mountain path, two at most walking side by side, one after another, looking at them at first glance like a long snake winding through the mountains.
Silently and unnoticed, they blended completely into nature, with only the birds in the sky and the beasts in the forest noticing the arrival of outsiders in the mountains.
Most of the team members carried two packs on their backs, one in front and one behind, with water bags hanging from their waists. If such a heavy load were borne by an ordinary man, he would probably only be able to walk for an hour or two before becoming exhausted and seeing black eyes.
However, this elite force was the most renowned Xuanxiao Cavalry in the North, and each member had a first-class physique. Although they carried a lot of weight, their stamina was far beyond that of ordinary people, so they wouldn't be covered in sweat after walking for a short distance.
At the very front of the procession were soldiers who served as artisans.
They carried no food, only tools. Whenever they encountered difficult terrain, the engineers would carve out passages through the mountains, using long knives to cut down pieces of firewood of suitable thickness and lay them on the ground to build walkways.
Qin Shaozong stood at the head of the team, watching the engineers clear the way ahead. Whenever they encountered difficulties at a certain point, he would personally step forward.
The long procession wound its way through the land, leaving its mark wherever it went, with high-ranking generals accompanying it at intervals. The four commanders of the Xuanxiao Cavalry were all present, proceeding in order of east, west, south, and north.
They ate coarse rations and dried meat while marching. When they got tired, they would eat a bite of coarse rations with water, and after regaining their strength, they would continue forward without stopping.
As the sun rose and set, and as the Xuanxiao cavalry leading the way changed wave after wave, the soldiers' backpacks gradually became lighter.
We had unknowingly covered a little more than half of the hundreds of miles of mountain road.
Qin Shaozong gazed into the distance, where a lush green expanse stretched as far as the eye could see, seemingly without end.
"Those behind, follow up." The man's voice was deep and firm.
*
North of the Jin River.
Nangong Xiong led the two armies to the riverbank, where they set up camp two miles away from the river. The banners of Beidi and Qingzhou fluttered in the air.
Once the camp was set up, Nangong Xiong immediately mobilized his army to build ships.
With lofty ambitions and overwhelming momentum, they ignored the Yanzhou soldiers who would occasionally come to scout in small boats, clearly not caring whether the other side knew about their plans.
After all, it's a direct attack; whether you know it or not makes little difference.
Every day, soldiers from Yanzhou would climb to high places on the opposite bank of the Jin River to look across the river and then transmit the intelligence they gathered back to the city gate.
"Lord Fan, it's the third day, and they've been building ships. Besides the ships, the scouts also say they saw them transporting a large number of iron chains to the army," the scout leader reported.
Fan Tianshi frowned. "Iron chains? What's the use of that?"
"My lord, could they be planning to chain the ships together with iron chains? If they chain the ships together and then lay planks on top, they could build a bridge," Shi Wuji reminded him.
“They’re determined to break through,” Fan Tianshi sneered, then turned to Shi Wuji and asked, “Liu Xian, do you have a plan?”
Shi Wuji stroked his beard: "Although the allied forces of the North and Qingzhou are very fierce, there is only one bridge. Once the bridge is destroyed, they will not be able to cross unless they fill the river with their own bodies. As for destroying the bridge, that is not difficult. Find a group of soldiers who are good at swimming, sneak into the river, puncture the bottom of their boats, and then attack them with fire."
Fan Tianshi was immediately delighted, "Liu Xian, you are indeed resourceful. Alright, let's do it this way!"
“However, my lord, it is currently summer, with abundant rainfall, and their bridges do not stretch for miles, making firefighting relatively easy. The fire attack is not a sure thing,” Shi Wuji added.
Fan Tianshi's smile remained unchanged. "If it rains heavily then, it won't matter. We still have the plan to cut the bottom of the boat, right? Besides, the heavy rain will definitely make the river waves even more ferocious. Either way, we'll take two approaches at once. If they dare to come, we'll make sure they're overturned and drowned in the fish."
Putting aside the ship-drilling and fire attacks, that steep slope of several dozen meters alone would be enough to give them a hard time. At that time, shooting arrows from above or rolling boulders down would definitely block their way.
We can't advance, and we have no boats to retreat to. We'll kill as many as they come!
After the discussion was completed, he gave the order, and the entire army quickly prepared tung oil.
...
The Fan residence, the reception hall.
A calming fragrance of sandalwood permeated the elegant private room, and amidst the aroma, a series of rhythmic knocking sounds could be heard.
Upon closer listening, the sound resembled several copper coins colliding with a plate.
Suddenly, the crashing stopped.
All the copper coins that were originally inside the tortoise shell fell to the ground.
Kneeling on the prayer mat, Di Ting lowered his eyes and looked at the scene before him. He quickly combined the previous five times to form a complete six-line hexagram.
His face slowly darkened.
Very bad omen.
As if unwilling to give up, Di Ting put down the black tortoise shell, got up and took out another tortoise shell from a box in the room.
This time, instead of shaking the copper coins, he took a small, red-hot iron rod and pierced it into the turtle's shell. Black flame patterns quickly spread across the turtle's shell, branching out again at a certain point.
A few breaths later, the black fire pattern stopped, leaving an imprint on the tortoise's back like a tree with only branches.
It's still a very bad omen.
Di Ting's pupils narrowed slightly, and he suddenly stood up and said to the servants outside, "Bring me a map of the Bai Ri City area."
The map was delivered quickly and spread out on the table.
Di Ting stared at the map, his gaze moving from Bai Ri Guang to Bai Ri Guan, then to Jin Shui, then to the nearby Chi Jiao Feng, and finally landing on the Yanzhou army's camp.
"Sir, is there something wrong?" the attendant asked.
After a moment of contemplation, Di Ting asked, "Do you know where else the allied forces could come from besides entering through Bai Ri Guan?"
The attendant had heard about Fan Yanzhou's large-scale preparation of tung oil, and recalling the heavy troops stationed at the Jinshui River estuary, he replied, "There is a relatively flat area along the Jinshui River, which could be used as an entry point. However, please rest assured, sir, Lord Fan has long been prepared for this. I have heard that he has collected a lot of tung oil and ordered people to quarry stones."
Listening intently, I looked at the map again.
Both the banks of the Jin River and the pass were on high alert, indicating thorough preparation, which shouldn't be the case...
Could it be that Beidi and Qingzhou didn't come from these two places?
If not, then excluding the east and north, that leaves the west and south. The west is Yanzhou, the rear base. Unless they all grow wings, there is no way they can attack from the west.
Is that the south?
"Is it possible to march across these mountain ranges?" Di Ting asked.
The servant instinctively said, "Impossible. This area is deserted, with mountains stretching for hundreds of miles, and there is no road to travel."
But after he finished speaking, the attendant added, "Sir, I don't know anything about military affairs. I suggest you go and ask Master Fan."
Di Ting picked up the silver-white mask from the table and put it on. "You're right."
...
"Impossible!" Fan Tianshi denied immediately.
His second son, Fan Zhongmin, was also in the room at this time. Compared to his father's resolute attitude, which was tinged with a hint of sarcasm, he took the initiative to explain to Di Ting.
Fan Zhongmin: “Mr. Diting, you may not know this, but Chijiao Peak is not just a single mountain. It is a continuous range, and it is no exaggeration to call it a mountain range. The terrain here is frighteningly high, the mountain roads are rugged, and there are cliffs and precipices. It is said that even monkeys would have a hard time climbing it. It is already quite difficult to travel through it, let alone carry food and fodder.”
Finally, Fan Zhongmin shook his head, "That's why Father said it was impossible."
Di Ting said, "It's better to be prepared. We should send an army to garrison at the foot of the Chijiao Peak mountain range to prevent any surprise attack by mountain paths."
Fan Tianshi said, “The mountain range of Chijiao Peak is extremely long, and it is not easy to send troops to guard it. If any part is missed, it is no different from not guarding it at all. Moreover, as my son said, this mountain area is a dead zone, deserted and uninhabited. The enemy would never pass through this area. Rather than wasting a lot of troops on such useless things, it would be better to use the troops to prepare flammable materials.”
Di Ting wanted to say more.
Fan Tianshi saw through his intention: "There's no need for you to worry about military campaigns, sir."
Listen closely to the sighs.
...
As dusk faded and night fell, darkness blanketed the entire sky. The moon was still bright when night first fell, but it gradually disappeared as time went on.
In the stillness of the night, there were rustling sounds coming from Mount Chijiao.
Qin Shaozong parted the leaves and looked down at the military camp lit by firelight. The man's brown eyes seemed to be touched by a little firelight, reflecting a wolfish and tiger-like eerie green.
Qin Shaozong had excellent eyesight, and from a distance of not too far, he saw many large ceramic jars piled up in the camp.
What is that?
"My lord, when shall we make our move?" Feng Feng rubbed his hands together, eager to get started.
Heaven knows what kind of hell they've been going through these past few days; Feng Feng felt he'd lost a lot of weight. But it was all worth it, especially since they'd now reached the outskirts of the enemy camp, and the Yanzhou army was completely unaware of it.
"No rush, wait until Yin Shi (3-5 AM)." Qin Shaozong said in a low voice, "Pass down the order to have everyone rest where they are, and to act upon my command at Yin Shi."
The guards left Qin Shaozong's side and walked down the path, quickly spreading the order throughout the long, serpentine procession.
The snakes in the mountains coiled up, flicking their scarlet tongues, waiting for the perfect moment.
Time passed slowly, and the night grew deep.
...
Inside the military camp in Yanzhou.
The guard yawned, feeling extremely tired. He had been preparing tung oil every day for the past few days, and he didn't know how many heavy jars he had moved.
Working hard during the day and having to take turns on night shifts is really exhausting.
"Just hang in there, these hard times won't last much longer. I heard that the ships from Qingzhou and the North are almost ready."
"Ha, they're planning to fight to the death, but is Bai Ri Guan so easy to attack? When the time comes, they'll be doused with hot oil, rolled over with boulders, and then shot at with arrows. Even if they had ten lives, it wouldn't be enough to waste them."
"I hope that I can face them and take Qin Shaozong's head in the end, then I won't have to worry about the rest of my life."
After chatting for a few minutes, the two started yawning again.
Suddenly, one of them turned to look to the side, only to see the mountains shrouded in darkness, the night blending into his eyes, making it impossible to see anything clearly. He murmured, "I think I heard some sounds."
"It's probably a tiger hunting in the mountains, no need to worry..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly saw his companion's expression change drastically. The firelight illuminated his bloodless, terrified face, as if a vengeful ghost were strangling him.
"Hey, what's wrong?" the man asked.
His companion shouted, so terrified that his voice trailed off at the end, "Enemy attack!"
The other person was startled and subconsciously turned around, only to be met with a deep-set face with distinct features.
With long eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a high nose, and thin lips, the man's left eyebrow tail was slightly broken, like a broken but still menacing cold knife.
The ring-pommel sword in his hand reflected a cold light colder than ice, and as it flashed by, it brought with it a terrifying crimson hue.
Something landed with a "glug-glug".
Qin Shaozong took the lead and charged into the Yanzhou military camp. After killing two guards, he sniffed and then laughed loudly, "You, Fan Tianshi, are so clever for your own good. You're afraid that the King of Hell won't take you. Feng Feng, Qiao Wangfei, you two take men and pour oil on their camp. I'm going to burn it down."
"only!"
The Northern Army appeared out of nowhere, and since it was late at night and everyone was sound asleep, they completely stunned the Yanzhou Army.
Fan Tianshi happened to be staying in the military camp that night, dreaming a beautiful dream in which he beheaded Qin Shaozong and Nangong Xiong, and took control of the entire northern region and Qingzhou. The sounds of battle drifted into his tent, waking him like needles.
The sounds outside were incessant, one wave higher than the next, and through the gaps in the curtains blown by the wind, one could see the flames blazing brightly outside.
Without even bothering to put on his clothes, Fan Tianshi strode out, only to find flames shooting into the sky and chaos reigning in the army.
Screams, curses, cries for help, commands, screams—all sorts of sounds mingled together, like a hundred ghosts parading through a market, both noisy and incredibly eerie.
"How could this be? Where did these men come from? How could there be no news at all? Are all the sentries dead?!" Fan Tianshi's eyes were bloodshot.
A captain rushed over, covered in dust and a deep bloodstain on his right shoulder. "Lord Fan, they didn't pass through Bai Ri Pass; they must have taken the Chi Jiao Peak mountain path. I... I think I just saw Marquis Wu'an..."
Fan Tianshi's face turned deathly pale. "Qin Shaozong is here? Wasn't he building a ship?"
No one needed to answer; by this moment, Fan Tianshi was perfectly aware that the other side was feinting. Building ships was a pretense; their real intention was to take a shortcut through Red Horn Peak!
"Let's go, gather a group and retreat with me!" Fan Tianshi nearly ground his teeth to powder.
Clang.
The earthenware jar was smashed to pieces by Feng Feng's knife handle, and the tung oil inside gushed out.
The earthenware jars were too big to move, so Feng Feng led a group of men to the cooks' camp and seized a bunch of earthenware basins. Using earthenware basins to hold oil was convenient and quick, and they were also useful for fighting.
"Splash—"
Basins of oil were poured onto the military tent.
"Ignite it!" Feng Feng exclaimed excitedly.
A brazier used for lighting in the army was kicked in front of the military tent. The fire snake burst up, quickly climbed into the tent, and swallowed it whole.
The greedy fire serpent was not satisfied. After swallowing several military tents, it grew into a fire dragon and continued to wreak havoc in the small camp.
"The granary is on fire! Quick, put out the fire!"
"There's too much oil in the military camp; it's beyond saving. Where is Lord Fan? What are his orders?"
"We've already sent people to look for them, but the order hasn't come back yet."
Qin Shaozong killed one man with a backhand and continued towards the center of the military camp. The commander's tent was very easy to identify; it was the largest tent in the center, with a flag flying at the top.
From the moment the Xuanxiao cavalry launched their surprise attack, Qin Shaozong had only one goal—
Find Fan Tianshi.
To catch the thief, first catch the king. Kill Fan Tianshi first, and the Yanzhou army will naturally be completely defeated.
A burly man moved swiftly through the military camp, his movements as fierce as a tiger. His blade, like a tiger's claws, cut down anyone who stood in his way. Having overcome numerous obstacles, Qin Shaozong, carrying a blood-stained blade, arrived at the main camp.
Just then, a figure surrounded by several people came into Qin Shaozong's view.
The man in the middle was dressed plainly, even in the most ordinary soldier's coat. But Qin Shaozong, who had seen Fan Tianshi before, recognized him at a glance; someone was trying to slip away unnoticed.
Nearby lay the scattered bows and arrows of fallen soldiers. Qin Shaozong sheathed his sword and picked up the longbow.
With the bowstring fully drawn, Qin Shaozong aimed at Fan Tianshi.
Just as he was about to release the arrow, as if remembering something, the man deflected the arrowhead, avoiding a vital spot, before finally releasing the arrow.
"Whoosh—"
The long arrow, carrying the force of the wind and dragging the arrogant flames of the fire dragon, accurately pierced the figure in front.
Amidst the gasps of surprise ahead, Qin Shaozong casually tossed aside his longbow and charged forward again, sword in hand.
Blood soaked the land, and soldiers of Yanzhou fell one after another. In the end, morale collapsed, and deserters appeared.
Qin Shaozong flicked his ring-pommel sword, leaving a long trail of thick blood mixed with bits of flesh on the ground. He looked at Fan Tianshi, who lay on the ground like gold leaf, and chuckled softly, "Fan Yanzhou, we meet again."
Fan Tianshi felt a sharp pain in his shoulder blade. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a group of guards lying on the ground. He knew he was doomed, so he simply closed his eyes and said, "It's just bad luck that I'm defeated by you today. Give me a quick death."
Qin Shaozong laughed and said, "Fan Yanzhou, you are a great gift. It would be a pity if you died at my hands."
-----------------------
Author's note: Trying to update at 9 PM! [Applause]
I need nutrient solution! [Orange heart]
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