Qin Zhaoqiong, on horseback, nodded in return to each soldier who greeted him, a gesture carrying a heavy weight.
Almost all of the thousand elite imperial guards brought from Fengjing were killed or wounded.
Behind him, there were only thirty or forty people who could ride horses; the rest needed to be helped or ride together.
For the newly established Phoenix Feather Camp, this battle was... far too brutal.
However, from the perspective of the overall battle situation, Da Gan undoubtedly achieved a great victory.
The terrifying war behemoth, the five thousand Divine Strategy Xuanjia Army, charged into the Shuofeng Army formation from the flank.
Those thick defensive lines that had nearly swallowed up the Phoenix Feather Camp were easily torn to shreds like paper in the face of absolute power. The heavily armored cavalry charged in from the left flank, pierced through the center, and went straight to the right flank before reining in their horses and launching another charge.
The massive Shuofeng army formation was crushed and blasted back and forth, going through four whole rounds!
In the end, the enemy army was completely defeated, and their defeat was swift and devastating.
As the Xuanjia Army launched its charge, the main gate of Zhenbeiguan was suddenly flung open.
The well-rested cavalrymen surged out, followed closely by infantry, and encircled the Shuofeng Vanguard Army, who had been trapped and strangled in the barbican.
The situation in the street fighting instantly reversed, turning into a large-scale hunt and purge of the invaders by the army.
Just as General Yuan Zhen had hoped, this battle decided the fate of the world in one fell swoop!
The vanguard of the Shuofeng Army was almost completely annihilated in the barbican, its left flank was crippled, and its central and right flanks were completely routed. The casualties were heavy, and it was in no condition to fight again for a short period of time.
Qin Zhaoqiong remained silent all the way back to Zhenbei Pass.
Inside the central command tent, the lights were on.
Yuan Zhen was the leader, and all the senior generals were present.
Upon seeing Qin Zhaoqiong enter, all the generals clasped their fists and knelt on one knee, saying, "General!"
Yuan Zhen is the Northern Frontier General promoted by His Majesty after Cao Cheng'an, and can be considered a rising star of the Imperial Party.
Although there are factions in the military, under Qin Minghuang's years of management, the people's hearts are united and the military is relatively pure.
Moreover, soldiers value military merit and bravery above all else. His Highness personally braved arrows and stones, leading the charge and nearly wiping out the two thousand Phoenix Feather Camp light cavalry. Such bravery and achievements have earned him the respect of all the soldiers in the North.
"All generals, please rise." Qin Zhaoqiong's voice was noticeably tired and hoarse.
"General Yuan, although we have won this battle, a formidable enemy is still at large."
There are likely other second-grade experts lurking in the shadows, and we are still unaware of the true reason why Shuofeng suddenly launched this attack.
"You remain in full charge of the defense of the North; I will not interfere."
"This subordinate obeys!" Yuan Zhen replied in a deep voice.
Each unit was responsible for rescuing the wounded, strengthening patrols of the fortified walls, taking inventory of battle losses, registering the names of fallen soldiers, extinguishing remaining fires, comforting the people, and reorganizing military equipment...
Each and every one of these matters was an urgent task that had to be dealt with immediately after the great battle, and Qin Zhaoqiong indeed lacked experience in this regard.
The Phoenix Feather Battalion has no patrol duties, and it is unlikely that it will be in combat for a long time to come.
Because of today's battle, almost all of our combat strength has been crippled. All that's left is to replenish our forces and strengthen our training.
Qin Zhaoqiong led her remaining troops back to the Phoenix Feather Camp's encampment, followed by the three thousand Xuanwu Army soldiers that Yuan Zhen had just assigned to her.
After all, the mysterious second-grade enemy has not yet shown up, and only by being surrounded by a large army can one ensure safety.
Before even reaching the camp gate, the two thousand female soldiers who had not yet gone into battle were already eagerly waiting, standing densely packed outside the gate.
When they saw the wounded remnants of less than a hundred men behind His Highness, suppressed sobs suddenly rose from the crowd, but were quickly muffled, leaving only low, heartbreaking whimpers drifting in the cold wind.
Qin Zhaoqiong's gaze swept over those young and frightened faces, and she pursed her bloodless lips.
The fingers gripping the reins were so tight that the nails dug deep into the palm.
Beneath the glory of victory lies a cold and cruel sacrifice, so heavy it's almost suffocating.
...
Zhuque South Circuit, Baiyue Protectorate.
As the White Dew season arrives, the north is already showing signs of autumn chill, while the south remains hot and humid, with the air thicker than in the north.
The windows of the study in the Protectorate General's office were wide open.
Not much cool air seemed to get in; all that could be heard was the incessant chirping of unknown insects outside.
The Second Prince, Qin Jingheng, stood alone before the enormous map of the Southern Frontier, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the contours of the mountains and rivers on the map.
His brows were furrowed, and he was lost in thought.
The unrest in southern Xinjiang is not something that happened overnight.
As the southern gateway to the vast territory of Daqian, the Baiyue Protectorate faced the vast and perilous primeval jungle.
It was the home of countless fierce tribes, with complex terrain and rampant miasma.
The nation's most important asset—its powerful heavy cavalry—is completely ineffective in such places.
For centuries, the imperial court has harbored the ambition to unify the southern border regions.
They launched countless campaigns, large and small, but often suffered heavy losses and returned empty-handed.
Those indigenous tribes held an absolute geographical advantage, knew the dense forest like the back of their hand, appeared and disappeared unpredictably, and had an endless variety of tricks up their sleeves.
Various insidious traps and strange toxins that were impossible to guard against made every inch the army advanced unbearable.
The most fatal flaw is that even if they manage to seize some territory, they will find it extremely difficult to hold onto it.
The supply lines are long and fragile, and could be cut off at any time.
In contrast, those barbarian tribes frequently descended from the mountains to raid border prefectures and counties, appearing and disappearing like the wind.
After robbing the grain, valuables, and people, they quickly fled into the vast forest and disappeared without a trace.
His actions were like a malignant tumor, not fatal, but causing constant unrest among the soldiers and civilians of the southern border.
The Queen Mother sent him here because she had discovered that the tribes in the southern border region had been making frequent unusual moves recently.
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