The herbal scent still lingered strong in the wounded soldiers' camp, with Anping busily moving about. Their daily routine of "changing dressings" had become an unspoken understanding. He no longer used clumsy excuses, and Anping was no longer as cold as ice. Silence still prevailed, but the tension in the air seemed to have eased considerably.
That afternoon, Anping needed to go to the main military medical office to submit a record of a newly prescribed wound medicine. Just as he approached the main tent, he heard a heated argument coming from inside.
"...The Di Rong have gathered at the northern foot of Wolf Head Mountain, seemingly preparing to launch a strong attack on Blackwater Pass, but I believe this is a feint!" A loud voice rang out; it was Vice General Wang Meng.
"How do you know?" another calm voice asked; it was Marquis Lu Zheng of Zhenbei.
"Although the terrain of Wolf Head Mountain is conducive to assembly, its rear supply line is too long and must pass through Eagle Beak Gorge. Our army only needs to send an elite force to block Eagle Beak Gorge and cut off its supply line, and then set up a feint in front of Blackwater Pass, while the main force can bypass Fenglingdu and directly attack its relatively weak left flank camp! This is a strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao!"
A brief silence fell within the tent. Anping paused, this analysis… was quite insightful. Just as she was about to leave, another, younger voice, yet one with an undeniable composure, rang out—it was Lu Xiao:
“Vice General Wang’s words are reasonable, but a bit too radical. The Di Rong’s commander, Huyan Zhuo, is cunning and treacherous, and he might very well set up an ambush at Eagle’s Beak Gorge. I believe that a strategy of attacking Wei to relieve Zhao is feasible, but the main force’s movements need to be more concealed.” Lu Xiao walked to the huge sand table and pointed precisely to several locations. “First, Eagle’s Beak Gorge is a strategically important location, and blocking it is not difficult, but we must be wary of small elite Di Rong troops scaling the cliffs to flank and ambush the defenders. We should increase the number of sentries on the high ground on both sides and prepare enough oil and rolling logs. Second, although the route around Fengling Ferry is shorter, it requires crossing the edge of the ‘Ghost’s Sorrow’ swamp. Although it is autumn now, there has been more rain this year, and the edge of the swamp may still be silted up. We need to send out scout teams to explore first, mark the safe passage, and have the main force follow closely behind. We must strike swiftly and decisively before the Di Rong realize our true intentions and take down their left flank camp!”
He spoke clearly and logically, his fingers moving across the sand table as if the mountains and terrain were etched into his mind. The generals in the tent listened, their eyes filled with approval.
"Excellent!" Lu Zheng clapped his hands and laughed. "Xiao'er's plan is thorough and thoughtful. It will not only lift the siege of Blackwater Pass but also severely damage the Di Rong! Wang Meng, as the Crown Prince said, send more sentries and prepare sufficient defensive equipment! The scout camp shall set off immediately to find out the path of 'Ghost's Sorrow'!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" The generals accepted the order.
Anping stood in the shadows outside the tent, listening to Lu Xiao's steady and powerful deployment inside, watching his tall and confident figure projected onto the tent flap, and felt a slight tremor in her heart. This young man, who sometimes seemed clumsy and even somewhat at a loss in front of her, was so decisive and sharp in his battlefield strategy, so thoughtful and comprehensive, already showing the demeanor of a great general. That calm and composed demeanor in strategizing was completely different from how he was in private.
On another day, the battle cries echoed across the drill ground. Soldiers were conducting combat drills. Lu Xiao, unarmored and dressed only in a black outfit, wielded an unsharpened training spear and was fighting against three experienced lieutenants.
"Attack together!" Lu Xiao shouted, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.
The three lieutenants exchanged glances and simultaneously charged forward with their spears! Spears flashed, each move ruthless, targeting Lu Xiao's upper, middle, and lower body!
Lu Xiao moved with lightning speed, his footwork exceptionally agile. He didn't meet attacks head-on, but instead used skill to break through force. His spear deflected, parried, stuck, and guided, completely neutralizing the attacks of the three men and causing their moves to interfere with each other. Seizing an opening, his spear, like a venomous snake striking, swiftly struck the wrist of one of the lieutenants. The man's wrist went numb, and the spear slipped from his grasp!
"Good!" the onlookers cheered.
Lu Xiao's offensive continued relentlessly, his spear flashing endlessly, forcing the remaining two to retreat repeatedly. He was sometimes as fierce as a tiger, sometimes as agile as a monkey, wielding the spear with unparalleled skill. Finally, with a masterful feint, he tricked one of them, then swept the spear shaft across, "knocking down" the other, before the spear tip came to a steady stop just inches from the last man's throat!
"You flatter me!" Lu Xiao sheathed his gun, slightly out of breath, sweat beading on his forehead, but his eyes were bright, and a confident smile played on his lips. Sunlight fell on him, outlining his young and upright figure, a perfect blend of the sharpness and composure of a young general.
Anping happened to be passing by the drill ground to pick up some medicinal herbs that were drying, and she saw this scene from afar. She stopped and her gaze unconsciously followed the agile figure in the field.
"Dr. An? What are you looking at so intently?" Wang Mazi's loud voice rang out from behind, tinged with a mischievous smile. "Oh, watching the young master train? Tsk tsk, with his skills and appearance, no wonder all the young ladies and wives in the camp... cough, I mean, no wonder the brothers all admire him!"
Anping snapped back to reality, a blush of unease crossing her face. She quickly lowered her head, picked up the basket of herbs, and said, "Brother Wang, you're too kind. I was just passing by and picking up some herbs." She hurried away, her heart pounding. Wang Mazi's words were like a pebble thrown into the already turbulent lake of her heart.
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