Inside the Imperial Academy in the capital, a fierce military strategy exercise was underway in the Martial Arts Hall. On the enormous sand table, small flags representing the opposing sides were intricately intertwined.
"The main force of the Northern Barbarians is feigning an attack on Yan Hui Valley, but in reality, they are using elite light cavalry to bypass the Yinshan Ancient Road and head straight for our army's supply camp! This plan is extremely vicious!" A senior instructor frowned and pointed at the sand table with concern.
"How should we break this?" another instructor asked. "If we divide our forces to rescue the supplies, the front of Yanhui Valley will be exposed; if we don't rescue them, the supply line will be cut off, and morale will collapse!"
The students in the hall discussed the matter animatedly, but no one could come up with a solution that satisfied both sides.
Just then, a clear and steady voice rang out: "In my opinion, there is no need to salvage the grain supplies, nor should we fear the enemy returning to the valley."
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lu Qi, who was sitting in the corner, slowly stand up. He was tall and straight, and his face was seven or eight parts similar to his brother Lu Xiao, but he was more calm and reserved, with sharp eyes like a hawk.
"Oh? Lu Qi, what are your thoughts?" the instructor asked with interest.
Lu Qi walked to the sand table and pointed precisely to a narrow pass on the ancient Yinshan Road: "This place is called 'Eagle's Sorrow Gorge.' The terrain is extremely dangerous, allowing only a single rider to pass. The Di Rong light cavalry, wanting to quickly reach the grain supply camp, must pass through this gorge. Our army only needs to send a force of 500 elite men, carrying oil, rolling logs, and stones, to ambush them in advance on the high ground on both sides of the gorge. When their vanguard enters the gorge, their central army is halfway across, and their rear guard has not yet arrived, we will use fire to cut off their rear, use rolling logs and stones to block their front, and then use powerful bows and crossbows to fire down from above! The Di Rong light cavalry will be unable to support each other in the narrow gorge, and will surely become trapped like turtles in a jar!"
He spoke clearly and logically, his fingers moving across the sand table as if the terrain were already etched into his mind: "Annihilate their elite surprise attack force, and the main force of the Di Rong will be isolated in Yan Hui Valley, their morale will surely collapse! Our army can then wait in comfort and attack them head-on, and we can achieve a complete victory! As for provisions... we only need to secretly transfer them to this backup camp before the battle begins." He pointed to a hidden mountain hollow on the sand table.
After he finished speaking, the entire martial arts hall fell silent. The instructors exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock and admiration. This plan not only resolved the crisis but also turned the tables, creating a trap and annihilating the surprise attacking enemy!
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" A white-haired instructor slammed his fist on the table, his beard trembling with excitement. "The tide has turned, the tables have turned! Lu Qi, your plan... has truly grasped the essence of military strategy—the interplay of deception and reality, the unexpected and the orthodox! I... am ashamed to admit my inferiority!"
The other students looked at Lu Qi as if he were a monster. How old was he? How could he possess such strategic acumen!
Lu Qi remained calm, showing no arrogance. He bowed to the instructor and said, "Sir, you flatter me. I am unworthy of such praise. This is merely the result of my many days of deductions, combined with the map of the northern frontier and the common tactics of the Di and Rong tribes." His gaze swept across the location representing the northern frontier on the sand table, a subtle glint of sharpness and anticipation flashing deep in his eyes.
Soon. When his brilliance shines bright enough, and when his wisdom convinces everyone, he will go to the northern battlefield to fight alongside his father and brothers.
Meanwhile, Lu Qi hadn't seen that "Meat Bun" for a long time. He wondered how she was doing, whether anyone was bullying her, and so on. After considering countless possibilities, he dismissed them all: how could "Meat Bun" possibly let anyone bully her!
Meanwhile, the sounds of camel bells, vendors' shouts, blacksmiths' clanging, and the faint bugle calls from the military camps in the northern city of Shuofeng intertwine to create a unique northern epic.
Suddenly, the hustle and bustle of the long street was broken by the crisp, rapid sound of horses' hooves!
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"
A fiery red figure, like a blazing meteor tearing through the gray sky, swept in like a whirlwind!
It was none other than Princess Shen Zhao, the "Little Blazing Sun" of Shuofeng City! At thirteen or fourteen years old, she wore a striking red brocade outfit typical of the northern frontier, its narrow sleeves and cinched waist accentuating her agile and vigorous figure, radiating youthful energy. She wore no veil, and her thick, black hair was braided into a thick, glossy scorpion braid, which flew wildly behind her as her horse galloped, like a black dragon. Her mount was "Mo Yun," a magnificent northern steed, its body jet black and its hooves gleaming in the snow.
The young girl was an exceptional rider; her face showed no fear, only a bright and unrestrained spirit. Her skin was a wheat-colored tan kissed by the northern sun, her eyebrows and eyes were strikingly handsome, her nose was straight, and her lips were naturally red.
Beside a sesame seed cake stall on the street corner, several men dressed in worn-out fur coats and carrying curved knives—clearly local thugs—were surrounding a woman dressed in Hu (non-Han) attire, holding a child. The leader, a burly man with a scarred face, reached out to snatch a leather pouch tightly clutched to the woman's chest, cursing, "Damn it! How long have you owed me 'peace money'?! Giving you this tattered leather pouch as payment is doing you a favor! Let go!"
The woman turned pale with fright, clutching her bundle and child tightly, pleading in broken Mandarin, "Brother Batur... please grant me a few more days... my child is sick... I've already spent the money on medicine..." The child in her arms cried loudly in fear.
The thugs burst into laughter, pushing and shoving even more vigorously. Scarface Batur grinned maliciously and reached out to pinch the woman's chin: "No money? We'll take you as payment..."
"stop!"
A clear shout, like ice shattering, instantly pierced through the noise with a chilling killing intent!
Before the words were even finished, the fiery red figure had already arrived! Shen Zhao hadn't even fully reined in her horse! Just as "Mo Yun" galloped past the group of people on the side, her body suddenly spun to the side on the saddle, her waist thrusting with lightning speed! The jet-black scorpion braid that had been fluttering behind her was no longer just decoration, but had become the sharpest weapon in her hand!
More precisely, it was the whip she was tightly gripping in her hand, the one that had been wrapped around her wrist but was now taut with internal energy—the "Black-tailed Snake-skin Horsewhip!" The whip tip was like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, with a sharp sound that tore through the air!
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