Thirty-one
When the army reached the border of Xiangyang, the humid and hot climate of the southern frontier was already beginning to show. Miasma filled the dense forests, and many soldiers from the north began to feel unwell.
Zhan Zhao and Di Qing stood inside the makeshift command tent, deep in thought as they studied the map. The sound of soldiers coughing outside the tent made their brows furrow even more.
"Supervisor," Di Qing pointed to a mark on the map, "that's the territory of the Black Miao Village ahead. According to our scouts, Chai Siyi has persuaded the Black Miao chieftain, Agula, to join the rebels."
Zhan Zhao's gaze sharpened: "Agula? I remember he once received favors from the imperial court."
"Exactly," Di Qing sighed, "but Chai Siyi promised him great benefits and used witchcraft to control his only son."
Just then, a commotion arose outside the tent. A scout, covered in blood, was helped in, his voice barely audible: "General... Black Miao Village... there's an ambush..."
Before he could finish speaking, the scout fainted. The army doctor rushed to his aid, only to find that his wounds were crawling with tiny parasitic worms.
"What a vicious method!" Di Qing was furious.
Zhan Zhao, however, remained unusually calm: "General, please calm down. This only shows that Chai Siyi has already panicked."
He walked to the map and traced the location of the Black Miao Village with his fingertip: "Since she has set up an ambush here, we'll take a detour."
Di Qing asked, puzzled, "A detour? That would add three days to the journey."
"That's precisely what we want her to think we've fallen into a trap." A glint of wisdom flashed in Zhan Zhao's eyes. "Send the order: the main force will feign an ambush and advance towards the Black Miao Village. At the same time, send an elite force with me to detour and raid their supply lines."
That night, Zhan Zhao personally led five hundred elite soldiers, taking advantage of the darkness, to quietly circle around to the rear of the Black Miao Village. Just as he expected, all the elite troops in the village came out, leaving only the elderly, women, and children to guard the grain and fodder.
"The military supervisor is incredibly resourceful," the lieutenant praised in a low voice.
Zhan Zhao shook his head: "It's too early to talk about these things now. Send down the order: only burn the grain and fodder; do not harm the people."
The soldiers received the order and acted swiftly. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the granary in the village was ablaze.
Just as Zhan Zhao was preparing to leave, a shrill cry suddenly came from the village. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a boy tied to a pillar, his body covered with poisonous insects.
"It's Agula's son!" the lieutenant exclaimed.
Without hesitation, Zhan Zhao shouted, "Save them!"
He leaped down, his giant sword unsheathed, and as the sword flashed, poisonous insects fell to the ground. The young man was already on the verge of death, but when he saw Zhan Zhao, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes.
"Help...help me..." the boy managed to say.
Zhan Zhao severed the ropes with a single sword stroke, hoisted the boy onto his back, and shouted, "Retreat!"
Just then, shouts of battle erupted outside the camp. It turned out that Agula, having learned that the supplies had been burned, had hurriedly led his troops back to reinforce the camp. Seeing his son on Zhan Zhao's back, his eyes widened in fury: "Put my son down!"
Zhan Zhao said loudly, "Chief Agula, your son has been poisoned. If he doesn't receive immediate treatment, his life will be in danger!"
Agula was taken aback, then snapped angrily, "Don't try to fool me!"
Zhan Zhao calmly took out a pill from his pocket and put it into the boy's mouth. In just a moment, the bluish-black color on the boy's face faded considerably.
"This..." Agula was dumbfounded.
"If the clan leader trusts me, please come back to the camp with me. I guarantee I will heal your son," Zhan Zhao said sincerely.
Agula hesitated for a moment, then finally sighed, "Fine! I'll trust you this once!"
Back at the camp, the army doctor immediately treated the boy. Just as Zhan Zhao had predicted, the boy had been poisoned by a Gu poison specially made by Chai Siyi.
"That Chai Siyi!" Agula gritted her teeth. "She lied to me, saying it was a life-saving Gu technique, but it turns out she wanted to control my son!"
Zhan Zhao said, "It's not too late for the clan leader to understand now."
Agula knelt and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Lord Zhan, for saving my son! From this day forward, the Black Miao Village will obey the imperial court's commands!"
With Agula's surrender, the army finally had a foothold in southern Xinjiang. More importantly, Agula provided detailed intelligence on Chai Siyi's troop deployment.
"Chai Siyi's main force is all in the Ailao Mountains," Agula said, pointing to the map, "but she also has a secret force hidden in Dali."
Zhan Zhao and Di Qing exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
"Dali?" Di Qing frowned. "The Duan family has always been on good terms with our dynasty, how could they..."
Agula whispered, "Chai Siyi promised the King of Dali great benefits and seduced his brother with her beauty. Now, Dali is divided into two factions, with the pro-war faction gaining the upper hand."
Zhan Zhao pondered for a moment: "It seems this battle is more complicated than we imagined."
That night, Zhan Zhao stood alone outside his tent, gazing absently in the direction of the Ailao Mountains. The brocade pouch left behind by Xuan Yuan Tianyi emanated a faint warmth from his chest, a reminder of the undercurrents swirling within the court.
"Is the military supervisor still worried about the war?" Di Qing appeared beside him at some point.
Zhan Zhao shook his head: "I'm wondering, how could Chai Siyi, a woman, persuade so many forces in such a short time?"
Di Qing sighed, "This woman is no ordinary person. It is said that she is proficient in Gu poison and is also adept at understanding people's hearts."
"No," Zhan Zhao's gaze deepened, "I always feel that someone is manipulating all of this behind the scenes."
Just then, a swift horse galloped up. The rider dismounted and presented a secret letter: "Supervisor, urgent dispatch from Bianjing!"
Zhan Zhao unfolded the secret letter, his expression changing drastically. The letter read: "Someone in the court is plotting to assassinate the Emperor during his hunt. The head of the Xuanyuan family has already made preparations in advance. Please rest assured and quell the rebellion."
"What's wrong?" Di Qing asked with concern.
Zhan Zhao gripped the letter tightly and said in a deep voice, "General, we must end this quickly."
He looked toward the direction of Ailao Mountain, a resolute glint in his eyes.
In this battle, he not only had to quell the rebellion in the southern borderlands, but also had to return to Bianjing as soon as possible to provide reinforcements. Those enemies hiding in the shadows were finally about to surface.
As night deepened, the chirping of insects echoed through the dense forests of southern Xinjiang. Zhan Zhao gripped the Giant Sword tightly, knowing that the real test had only just begun.
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