Chapter 53
Pei Qie imitated the soldiers, plopped down in the crowd, and made a few random sarcastic remarks, but in his heart he was thinking: all this fuss in the middle of the night, just to catch such an idiot?
He glanced instinctively toward the commander's tent, where the figures of the two men inside were increasingly blurry and indistinct in the dim light, as if shrouded in a mist.
Suddenly, a series of deep, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the darkness in the distance, accompanied by the clanging sound of metal armor rubbing against each other, breaking the silence of the night as they approached.
Before Pei Qie could fully react, the soldiers around him who had been laughing and joking moments before suddenly sprang to their feet like springs. All their nonchalance vanished in an instant, replaced by a well-trained, cold, and murderous expression. Their movements were swift and silent as they quickly assembled into a tight battle formation, swords drawn, arrows nocked, like lurking beasts, ready to pounce.
Almost simultaneously, Pei Yun and Xi Yu emerged from the commander's tent one after the other. The flickering torchlight cast shadows on their faces, obscuring their expressions, but a chilling aura emanated from them.
Just then, from below the cliff to the side, the faint sounds of clashing weapons and shouts of battle could be heard, clearly indicating that an army was trying to outflank them from the treacherous path!
"Let's begin." Pei Yun's voice was low, carrying a hint of indifference. He stood before the tent, the mountain night wind whipping around him, causing the hem of his black robe to flutter violently.
The command was issued as if it were a signal.
In an instant, countless torches were lit one after another along both sides of the mountain road, like a blazing fire dragon, illuminating the dark valley as if it were daytime.
The intense firelight suddenly pierced their vision, clearly illuminating Chen Jian's face, which was filled with shock and astonishment, as he led his troops stealthily forward. The Beijiang soldiers behind him were startled by the sudden light, their steps halting in panic as they looked around in terror, their formation instantly falling into disarray.
Pei Yun took two steps forward and stood on the slightly higher slope, looking down at the enemy troops in disarray below. His voice was steady: "Minister Chen, it is dark and the mountain road is difficult to travel. Please watch your step."
Upon seeing Pei Yun personally at the front lines, Chen Jian's face turned deathly pale. However, after glancing at the massive army behind him, he forced himself to regain his composure. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he abruptly raised his longsword, shouting at the top of his lungs to boost morale: "Look closely! That's the Emperor of Yuan Chu! Kill him! When our Crown Prince ascends the throne, everyone present here today will be a hero, ennobled and granted titles, enjoying endless riches and honors!"
The allure of money and power instantly ignited the greed of some soldiers, who roared excitedly and surged forward like a tidal wave.
However, at that moment, the wind in the valley seemed to suddenly intensify, making the torches howl and the flames flicker wildly, becoming unusually fierce.
"ah--!"
A bloodcurdling scream suddenly tore through the night sky, instantly extinguishing the morale that the Beijiang Army had just begun to build.
One of the soldiers charging at the front had his clothes licked by a sudden burst of flames. The fire was strangely unquenchable and instead burned brighter and brighter, spreading rapidly all over his body like a living thing. In the blink of an eye, he was a writhing, screaming man in flames, and finally turned into charred remains in extreme agony.
"General! Something terrible has happened! The ground... the ground is covered in burning oil!" another soldier screamed in terror. Before he could finish speaking, the ground beneath his feet suddenly burst into flames, the flames leaping wildly and instantly engulfing him completely!
This hellish scene terrified everyone. More and more soldiers discovered that what they were standing on and what was scattered around them was pitch-black, raging oil. Wherever a spark touched, they would be instantly engulfed in flames.
Panic spread like wildfire. Some people frantically tried to pat out the flames on their bodies, some frantically took off their burning shoes and clothes, and many more scattered like headless flies, trampling each other, and the formation completely collapsed!
The mountain wind howled through the valley, producing a sharp sound like the wails of thousands of wild ghosts, each sound a soul-searching, deadly proclamation.
However, the nightmare was far from over.
Before the soldiers trapped in the fire could find a way to escape, a deafening roar came from above the hillside. Countless boulders that had been prepared were pushed down the steep slope, crushing the Beijiang soldiers and causing them to cry out in pain and despair!
Furthermore, Yuan Chu's archers had already occupied the high ground all around, their cold arrowheads gleaming with a deathly light in the firelight, accurately striking any Beijiang soldier who tried to resist or escape the fire.
Chen Jian's face was ashen and his expression shifted rapidly. He suddenly ripped off his flammable cloak and outer robe, grabbed a water pouch from a nearby soldier, and soaked himself from head to toe, shouting hoarsely, "Retreat! Retreat now!!"
But it was all too late.
Fueled by the wind, the fire raged on, completely blocking any escape route. Boulders and arrows mercilessly claimed lives. In less than a quarter of an hour, Chen Jian, with only a few trusted followers, abandoned a large number of soldiers struggling and howling in the flames, and fled in panic like stray dogs, disappearing in disarray into the dark mountain path.
On the hillside, deafening cheers and shouts erupted from the Yuan Chu soldiers, celebrating this great victory achieved without losing a single soldier.
Having just woken up and witnessed the entire scene, Sun Wei, seeing the hellish carnage and his uncle's defeat, rolled his eyes and fainted again.
As midnight approached, the commotion finally subsided, leaving only the crackling of burning wood. The exhausted soldiers drifted off to sleep, their soft, even snores filling the air. Only two soldiers on night watch remained alert, their voices low and excited as they reminisced about the swift and decisive battle they had just fought.
*
Inside the commander's tent at the Beijiang Grand Camp.
The tent was brightly lit, as bright as day, but it couldn't illuminate the unprecedented gloom and solemnity on the faces of the dozen or so generals present. The air seemed to have solidified, making it hard to breathe.
Chen Jian stood in the crowd, his clothes disheveled and his hair in disarray. His armor even bore traces of smoke and fire, as well as some dried bloodstains, making him look utterly wretched.
Standing opposite him was Ge Quan, arms crossed, a hint of undisguised schadenfreude on his lips, looking him up and down with the eyes of someone looking at a drowning dog.
"Your Highness!" A deputy general with a full beard slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly. His voice trembled slightly with extreme anger. "General Chen underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly tonight, resulting in the annihilation of our 5,000 elite troops stationed on the border of Beijiang. They perished in the sea of fire. This is already a catastrophic disaster! However, I have just received an urgent report that the main force of Yuan Chu has taken advantage of the weakness of our defenses and the fact that our attention was drawn to the feint at the cliff. They have already crossed the border as if no one else is there and are now stationed ten miles away from our camp, watching us like tigers eyeing the enemy. I fear they will launch a general offensive at dawn!"
He became more and more agitated as he spoke, his words sharp and piercing, his gaze like cold lightning piercing Chen Jian, who stood silently with his head down to the side.
"The so-called 'army' under that cliff is nothing but a complete decoy. Their real purpose is to lure our army into a trap. General Chen, are you perhaps a spy for Yuan Chu?"
Seeing this, Ge Quan spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone seemingly conciliatory, but in reality, every word he uttered was like adding fuel to the fire: "Deputy General Cao, please calm down. Perhaps General Chen was... blinded by concern. I heard that it was General Chen's nephew, Sun Wei, who led his troops tonight to launch a surprise attack on the Yuan Chu army, but was ambushed and captured alive. General Chen, out of love for his nephew, acted rashly and fell for their diversionary tactic, leading to this disaster... Is his situation perhaps somewhat pitiful?"
Chen Jian abruptly raised his head, his eyes flashing with malice as he stared intently at Ge Quan. These seemingly pleading words were in fact extremely malicious, not only confirming his crime of neglecting public duty for personal gain, but also portraying his nephew Sun Wei as a brainless idiot and a source of trouble! If convicted of this crime, the lightest punishment would be stripping him of his title and official position, while the heaviest would be being punished under military law—a death sentence!
"Your Highness, please understand!" Chen Jian knelt heavily on the ground with a thud, his voice instantly filled with grief and indignation, as if he had suffered a great injustice. "Your Majesty, I have no selfish motives. I heard that the Yuan Chu army has been on a long march for days and is exhausted, which is the best opportunity for battle! Moreover, I learned that the Emperor of Yuan Chu is personally leading the army. This is a godsend! I originally thought that if we could take advantage of their fatigue and capture the enemy leader in one fell swoop, the overall situation would be settled. Why should we have to mobilize so many troops and make our Beijiang soldiers shed blood on the battlefield? My wholehearted loyalty is for Your Majesty's grand ambitions!"
Tears streaming down his face, he pointed sharply at Ge Quan and Cao Xiu: "As for Sun Wei... that young man is indeed impetuous and acts rashly, but his loyalty to the Crown Prince is beyond reproach. He only acted hastily because he heard of this opportunity and wanted to serve the Crown Prince... Our Chen and Sun families are as loyal to the Crown Prince as the sun and moon! We have accumulated wealth for generations and devoted our entire fortune to the military. How can we allow others to question us?!"
These words were not only a declaration of loyalty, but also a blatant reminder that the Chen and Sun families controlled the lifeline of the Beijiang army's finances and supplies. If they were to be harmed, how could the war be fought? Could the Ge family rely solely on their words?
Ling Zhouling sat upright in the main seat, his face revealing neither joy nor anger. He slowly rose, walked forward personally, bent down to help Chen Jian up, and said in a gentle tone, "I naturally know Uncle Chen's good intentions. I have never forgotten everything you and the Sun family have done for me. But now... the Yuan Chu army is at the city gates. How can we resolve this predicament? Do any of you uncles have any good ideas?"
Chen Jian stood up, taking Ling Zhouling's hand, and pretended to wipe his eyes with the corner of his sleeve. He hurriedly said, "Your Highness, although the Yuan Chu army is numerous, most of them are pampered and have been hastily dispatched. How can they compare to our fierce and powerful army from Beijiang? Now that their commander has not arrived, their morale will surely be low! I have a plan: we can send an elite force to ambush them at a strategic point they will inevitably pass through tomorrow, without engaging their main army. Instead, we can concentrate our full strength to take the head of the Yuan Chu emperor! At that time, the enemy army will be leaderless and will surely be in chaos! Your Highness can then personally lead the main army to launch a surprise attack and crush the enemy in one fell swoop! Afterward, we can march south and strike at the heart of the enemy, and the throne will be within reach, and the world will be at peace!"
"Ha!" Ge Quan finally couldn't help but sneer, his words laced with sarcasm, "General Chen, were you perhaps delirious from the fire last night? Still spouting such nonsense, how could the Emperor of Yuan Chu not have skilled guards around him? Taking his head is easier said than done!"
Having already reached his limit, Cao Xiu immediately followed Ge Quan's words and retorted sharply, "Exactly! General Chen, have you forgotten how your five thousand elite troops were wiped out last night? They didn't even touch a hair on the enemy's head before suffering heavy casualties and fleeing back in a sorry state! Such a humiliating disgrace has not yet been washed away, yet you still dare to speak so arrogantly here, even talking about taking their heads directly? It's truly the most ridiculous thing in the world!"
In an instant, the small tent became the center of a quarrel. Generals from Chen Jian's faction spoke up to defend themselves, while Ge Quan, Cao Xiu, and others relentlessly attacked and questioned them. The two sides argued fiercely, their faces turning red, almost lifting the tent roof off.
Meanwhile, Ling Zhouling, who was at the center of the storm, had somehow retreated to his main seat and sat down calmly again. He was expressionless, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, coldly watching the farce that was escalating below the tent, as if it had nothing to do with him, and he had completely become a bystander.
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