Chapter 87: Night Talk on Military Affairs
The winds of the North, carrying sand and cold, whistled through the military tents. It was late at night, yet the central command tent was still brightly lit with candles.
Gu Yangui removed his cold armor, wearing only a black casual robe, and sat behind a long table covered with a sheepskin map. The days of rapid marching and intensive deployment had left a barely perceptible trace of fatigue between his brows, but his deep eyes, in the flickering candlelight, were as sharp as a hawk's.
Before him lay a detailed map of the northern border, marked with several circles and arrows in vermilion ink. The various Rong and Di tribes had been making frequent movements recently, with small groups of cavalry constantly probing the border defenses. While seemingly chaotic, Gu Yangui, with his years of experience in warfare, keenly sensed that an invisible hand was manipulating things, its target the important border town of Yunzhou.
"General," Vice General Zhao Qing entered, lifting the curtain and bringing in a chill. He clasped his hands in salute, his face grave. "The scouts I sent out report that the forces of the Blackwater Tribe and the Bald Hair Tribe have joined forces in the Wild Wolf Valley area, numbering about five thousand cavalry. It doesn't seem like a typical raid."
Gu Yangui's gaze was fixed on Wolf Valley, a treacherous passage leading to the flank of Yunzhou. He tapped the map with his fingertips: "Five thousand cavalry... quite an appetite. What's the situation with the Yunzhou garrison?"
"Reporting to the Commander, Yunzhou currently has 8,000 troops in defense, but 3,000 of them are newly recruited soldiers, whose combat strength is questionable. Governor Gao... seems to advocate holding the position and waiting for reinforcements, and is hesitant to launch an offensive." Zhao Qing's tone carried a hint of helplessness. Civil officials in charge of the government and military generals in charge of the army have always caused a lot of friction, especially at this critical juncture when war and peace are uncertain.
Gu Yangui snorted coldly, offering no further comment on the governor's actions. He knew full well that the voices of the pro-peace faction in the court must have reached the ears of these border officials; many officials believed in avoiding trouble. But on the battlefield, indecisiveness was a path to death.
“Concerns?” Gu Yangui’s voice was cold and deep. “Once the Rongdi army is at the city gates, he will have no more concerns. Issue the order to have the vanguard of three thousand elite troops break camp immediately and secretly move to Luoxia Slope outside Wild Wolf Valley to ambush. Send out more scouts to ensure that the enemy’s movements are accurately tracked.”
"Yes!" Zhao Qing accepted the order, but hesitated for a moment. "General, should we wait until the rest of the army arrives before we move out? Our troops have traveled a long distance and are exhausted. Should we rest for two days first?"
"Speed is of the essence in war," Gu Yangui said decisively. "The Rong and Di tribes assume that our army, being new to the region, will prioritize stability. I will do the opposite and catch them off guard. Even a weary army can defeat an arrogant one. Go now!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" Zhao Qing said no more, turned and strode away, and the tent returned to silence.
After finishing his military duties, only Gu Yangui remained in the tent. The candlelight crackled, illuminating his sharply defined profile. He rose, walked to the edge of the tent, and gazed at the pitch-black night sky outside. Even the stars in the north seemed colder than those in the capital.
Thoughts suppressed by military duties during the day quietly surfaced in his mind. Counting the days, it had been almost ten days since he left the capital. Was Wanrou... alright in the capital? The image of her struggling to hold back tears when he left was now vividly clear in his mind. And that boy Mingxuan, had he grown taller again?
He returned to his desk, his gaze falling on a letter delivered by his personal guard that day. The thick envelope bore the marks of its long journey. He carefully unwrapped the sealing wax and took out the letter. A faint, familiar scent of jasmine wafted out, instantly softening a corner of his hardened heart.
On the letter was Su Wanrou's neat and elegant handwriting. She recounted the recent situation at home, saying that everything was fine and he didn't need to worry. She explained that Xuan's studies were progressing and that she missed his father very much; she said that the chrysanthemums in the manor were blooming and their colors were beautiful; she said that she had begun preparing winter clothes, and that the north was bitterly cold, urging him to make sure to wear warm clothes... Her words were simple, all about everyday trivialities, yet every word revealed her concern and warmth.
At the end of the letter, she wrote: "I am well and everything is going smoothly at home. Mingxuan is well-behaved and sensible. My husband is in a dangerous place. I hope you will prioritize your own safety and not worry about the family. Mingxuan and I await your triumphant return."
Not a single complaint, not a trace of curiosity to pry into military secrets, only complete trust and support. Gu Yangui's fingertips gently traced the graceful handwriting, as if he could feel the warmth and sincerity of the writer at that moment. He could almost imagine her serene and gentle profile as she diligently wrote the letter under the lamp.
"Don't worry about home..." he repeated softly, a barely perceptible bitter smile playing on his lips. How could he not think of it, how could he not miss it? This longing from a thousand miles away had now become the only source of warmth on his icy journey.
He picked up his pen, wanting to reply, but found a thousand words stuck in his throat. In the end, only a few words were written on the paper: to let her know he was safe and sound, and to tell her to take care of herself and Mingxuan, and not to worry about the front lines. A man's concern is always so clumsy and subtle. He carefully sealed the letter and put it with the military report he was to send back to the capital the next day.
---
In the capital city, a thousand miles away, lies the mansion of the Duke of Zhenguo.
It was another sleepless night. Su Wanrou sat on the bed, wrapped in her blanket, but couldn't fall asleep. The autumn wind outside the window was bleak, rustling the leaves and adding to the loneliness.
During the day, she had just attended Princess An's chrysanthemum appreciation banquet. At the banquet, the noble ladies chatted and laughed, but each had their own thoughts. Some of them inquired about the war in the north with "concern," their words sometimes probing, sometimes containing hidden worries, and some even vaguely expressing the idea that "if they could be appeased, there would be no need for a major war."
Su Wanrou maintained a polite smile throughout, remembering Gu Yangui's instructions. She simply stated that her husband was acting under orders, and that the specifics of military affairs were beyond the knowledge of his family, thus casually deflecting any inquiries. Her composed demeanor caused some who had initially hoped to see this young Duchess to secretly abandon their contempt.
But only she knew the pressure she was under. Only when she returned to the empty mansion did her forced composure finally relax, and endless longing and worry surged up like a tide.
She got out of bed, lit the candles, walked to the dressing table, and opened a sandalwood box. Inside were neatly arranged drafts of several letters she had written to Gu Yangui, as well as a small piece of fabric she had secretly cut from his old clothes before he left the capital. She picked up the fabric and pressed it against her cheek, as if she could still feel his scent.
"My husband, what are you doing right now? Are you alright? The wind is cold in the north, have you put on enough clothes?" she murmured to herself, looking at the flickering candlelight.
She knew he must be busy in his military tent, strategizing and perhaps facing unknown dangers. She couldn't help him in any way; all she could do was stay within the inner courtyard of their house, guarding their home so he could have no worries.
During the day, Gu Zhonglai reported that rumors about the northern border were gradually increasing in the capital. Some said that the Rong and Di tribes were powerful and the border was in danger; others said that Duke Gu was underestimating the enemy and advancing recklessly, which might result in heavy losses; there were even subtle criticisms that he was using his military power for personal gain. Su Wanrou was alarmed by these rumors, but she knew that she could not afford to lose her composure at this moment. She strictly ordered everyone in the mansion to keep their doors closed and not to discuss state affairs, and at the same time, she paid even closer attention to Mingxuan's safety, ensuring that he was escorted to and from school by trusted family guards.
"Mother?" Mingxuan's sleepy, soft voice came from outside the door.
Su Wanrou quickly gathered her thoughts, got up, and opened the door. Little Mingxuan, clutching a small pillow, stood barefoot in the doorway, his eyes red: "Mother, I dreamt of Father… When will Father come back?"
Su Wanrou felt a pang of sadness and knelt down to hug her son's soft little body. "Father went to fight the bad guys. He'll be back soon. Does Mingxuan miss Father?"
"Mmm." Mingxuan rested his little head on her shoulder, his voice trembling with tears, "I want my father to teach me to ride a horse..."
"I'll teach him when Father comes back," Su Wanrou comforted him softly, carrying him back to her bed. "How about you sleep with Mother tonight?"
"Okay." Mingxuan nestled beside her, his little hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, and soon fell into a deep sleep again.
Su Wanrou looked at her son's sleeping face and gently patted his back. The child's longing was so straightforward, while her worries could only be buried deep in her heart, turning into a sigh in the dead of night and letters sent home under the lamp to let everyone know she was safe.
---
Border town, Sunset Slope.
In the darkest hour before dawn, the wind was biting cold. Gu Yangui's elite vanguard of three thousand men had been lying in ambush for nearly two hours. With gags in their mouths and cloth-wrapped hooves, they silently concealed themselves behind the withered grass and rocks.
Gu Yangui lay prone behind a boulder, his eyes fixed intently on the winding valley below. According to the latest scout reports, five thousand Rongdi cavalry were expected to pass through this area at dawn, launching a surprise attack on Yunzhou's flank.
Time passed slowly, and the world was deathly silent, save for the mournful sound of the wind. The soldiers gripped their sword hilts and bows tightly, their breathing barely audible.
As the first hint of dawn appeared on the horizon, the deep, thunderous sound of hooves finally echoed from the end of the valley. A dark mass of Rong and Di cavalry surged in like a tide, their ranks loose, clearly not expecting to be ambushed here.
Gu Yangui calmly estimated the distance until the vanguard was fully within the ambush zone. He suddenly raised his right hand, then swung it down fiercely!
"Release the arrows!"
At a single command, the archers, who had been poised to fire, unleashed a dense rain of arrows, swarming towards the enemy troops in the valley like locusts! In an instant, men and horses fell, and screams and cries of terror echoed through the valley!
"Kill!" Gu Yangui leaped up, his long sword unsheathed, drawing a bright, cold light in the dim morning light, and charged down the hillside first!
"Kill!" The three thousand soldiers behind him roared like tigers released from their cages and charged towards the chaotic enemy army.
The outcome of the battle was a foregone conclusion. The well-equipped border troops, rested and ready, launched a surprise attack against the arrogant and overconfident Rongdi cavalry. The result was predictable. In less than an hour, the valley was littered with corpses, and the remaining enemy soldiers fled in panic.
The sunlight completely dispelled the darkness, illuminating the valley that reeked of blood. Gu Yangui reined in his horse and stood on the slope, his black cloak fluttering in the wind, his face cold and stern, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, devoid of joy or sorrow.
"General, we have annihilated over two thousand enemy soldiers, captured several hundred, and the rest have scattered. Our casualties are less than three hundred." Zhao Qing, covered in blood but with an excited expression, reported, "A great victory!"
Gu Yangui nodded slightly: "Clean up the battlefield and reinforce the defenses of Yunzhou. This is just the beginning. Send the order to the entire army that there should be no slackening."
"yes!"
He turned his horse around, looking southeast. The capital city must be just beginning to light up, right? He wondered if she had received his first letter home. This victory might bring her some peace of mind.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Su Wanrou was facing a solitary lamp, unfolding a letter once more. She was unaware that a battle had just ended at the border; all she knew was that sending her longing and support, transformed into words, across mountains and rivers to his side, was the only thing she could do.
They talked about military affairs at night, longing for each other across the distance. An invisible thread connected the cold moon over the border with the warm lights of the capital, binding their hearts together.
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