Inside the other military tent, discussions about the war never ceased.
Jiru listened to the wind and snow swirling outside the military tent, howling and whistling, the heavy snow still not stopping at this time of year.
"What can we do? The snow just won't stop," a general sighed.
Giroud said, "In such heavy snow, I'm afraid the horses won't be able to run fast and are likely to slip and get injured."
In previous years, the heavy snow should have stopped by now, but this year the weather has been strangely unexpected. He had originally planned that the snow would stop in the next few days so he could fight a good battle, but he didn't expect the snow to start falling so heavily and endlessly.
“I think this battle will be tough. We can’t abandon the horses, and the outcome is uncertain for both sides,” one of the lieutenants said.
The bearded soldier exhaled and said, "How can a soldier go into battle without a warhorse?"
“But we really can’t use this horse.” Another lieutenant looked troubled, but what he said made sense.
"I think the Qing army is still very idle these days and has no intention of fighting. We will definitely win." The bearded deputy general did not think so.
Reports from our intelligence network covering the Qing army these past few days revealed that, at this critical juncture, the Qing soldiers were still skiing and playing in the harsh conditions of heavy snow. We have no idea what the enemy's skis are for.
“That’s not right. Those Manchus are skilled in horsemanship from a young age, they can shoot arrows and wrestle, they are very good fighters, don’t underestimate them.” Giroud’s face darkened slightly.
Thinking of Nurhaci's founding of the country and the empire he conquered, the Han people's world became the Manchus', and the Qing army sat on the throne for many years. The Qing Dynasty remained steadfast and unshakable.
The masked man in black, with his back to the group, seemed to see through Jiru's concerns. "What is there to fear from the Manchus? The empire that Nurhaci conquered was nothing but a cunning and treacherous scheme."
What do you mean?
"I don't think Kangxi's son is any good. As long as we are careful and don't fall into his trap, we foreigners can conquer this land and rule over thousands of miles of rivers and mountains." The bearded man's words were mixed with hostility and sarcasm.
Giroud thought that this man in black was not to be underestimated; he might have a solution.
"But fighting is indeed difficult in this snowy weather," the lieutenant said.
"Why don't we tie hay to the horse's hooves? That way it won't slip," the masked man in black suggested.
The bearded deputy nodded. "Alright! I'll go and add hay to the horses' hooves right away."
"Any other brilliant strategies for warfare?"
“Taking advantage of the heavy snowfall can provide cover, which is not necessarily a bad thing,” the man in black said, walking towards the sheepskin map hanging in the military camp.
"This is where the Qing army is stationed. There is a mountain behind the enemy, which can be used for an ambush."
Giroud glanced at the map and nodded.
The man in black made a good point; perhaps this heavy snow and terrible weather could be a good omen for war.
Under Giroud's orders, the bearded lieutenant unpacked the thousands of bags of hay he had brought and wrapped them around the hooves of every horse.
Night fell again, and thousands of tents were lit up in the deep of night. The heavy snow continued to fall, blowing loudly and echoing through the bare forests, the snow-covered grasslands, and the frozen mountains.
It seemed to be roaring violently, eerily calling out with the wind in the air that war was imminent, waiting to see when the outcome would be decided.
Neither side knew what the other was preparing; they could only guess at each other's plans, making it difficult to determine whether they would win or lose.
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