Chapter 325 So What If He's the Eldest Son of the Prince of Zhenbei? (4000 words)
The great battle raged beneath the walls of Tingtao City until dawn, and it was still ongoing.
However, compared to the fierce battle last night, the battle is nearing its end.
The soldiers of Weiguo Tingtao City were indeed brave.
However, compared to the 300,000 elite troops of the Qin state, it was still not enough.
However, the city lord of Tingtao City is not a fool.
When he realized that the battle lines were steadily advancing towards the city, he ordered a retreat before morale completely collapsed.
The well-trained soldiers of Tingtao City gradually withdrew and returned to the city.
Immediately afterwards, the Tingtao City magic array was activated, intending to defend to the death.
But how could Qin Huo possibly give the other party such an opportunity?
"Charge! Break through the city!"
Under Qin Huo's orders, ladders were successively erected on the city walls.
One by one, catapults were brought over.
Huge stones engraved with runes for breaking formations were smashed into the enemy's city.
The Qin warriors charged forward, braving the arrows.
The battering ram, engraved with runes for breaking through enemy lines, slammed into the gate again and again.
Even after a night of intense fighting, everyone remained in a state of high excitement.
The city lord of Tingtao City watched as the Qin soldiers recklessly attacked the city, his fists clenched so tightly they were sweating.
He had indeed fought against the Qin army before.
But now, judging from Qin's current posture, it seems they are aiming to conquer the city and destroy the country!
"boom!"
With a loud bang, the defensive formation of Tingtao City was breached.
Immediately afterwards, a bolt of lightning flashed, and the city lord of Tingtao City saw a young man covered in blood charge up the city wall.
Every shot he fired was so clean and swift, without the slightest unnecessary movement; every move was a killing blow.
He planted the Qin flag on the city wall.
This banner was like a tower lit up with tens of thousands of lamps at night, and the morale of Qin soldiers rose again, surging up to the top of the city wall.
"Walk!"
Knowing that the city could not be saved, the city lord of Tingtao City abandoned the city and fled.
In his view, although he would certainly be severely punished if he returned to the capital after his defeat, he could live a peaceful life in the Wei or Qi states.
Half an hour later, the city lord of Tingtao City set fire to the granary and led his army to break out of the city through the back gate.
All the soldiers defending the city surrendered, and Tingtao City and its two surrounding annexed cities all fell to the Qin state.
When the Qin army entered the city, Qin Huo ordered that the people in the city not be disturbed, that prisoners not be mistreated, and that the fire be extinguished immediately.
In Qin Huo's view, population is combat power. These prisoners can be taken to the rear for training and then dispersed into the army to replenish the military manpower.
Over the next two days, the entire army rested and recuperated, and rewards were distributed based on merit.
Because of his outstanding performance on the battlefield and his being the first to reach Tingtao City, Xiao Mo was naturally summoned by Qin Huo in person.
"Xiao Mo greets the General."
Upon entering the military camp, Xiao Mo clasped his hands in a salute.
"Um."
In the military camp, the more Qin Huo looked at the young man in front of him, the more satisfied he felt.
"Xiao Mo of the Xiao family, before you came, I looked at your file. You are the third son of Xiao Shi, the Prince of Zhenbei?" Qin Huo asked.
“Exactly,” Xiao Mo replied.
"Not bad, not bad, Xiao Shi has indeed raised a fine son," Qin Huo said with a smile. "Because you are still in the Iron Tiger Army, you cannot hold a formal official position in our army. However, I will record your merit as a centurion for now, and we will reward you after the great battle. What do you think?"
"Thank you, General!" Xiao Mo naturally felt there was no problem.
"Go, get some rest." Qin Huo patted Xiao Mo's shoulder. "This great battle will continue until the Wei Kingdom is destroyed. Not everyone gets to experience a war of annihilation. Fight well. Although you are a son of a concubine, I guarantee that your future achievements will be no less than your father's!"
"Yes, then I shall take my leave."
Xiao Mo clasped his hands in a salute once more, then withdrew.
After Xiao Mo left, Deputy General Chen Jin smiled and said to Qin Huo, "This Xiao Mo is incredibly brave on the battlefield, like a god of war, but off the battlefield he's like a scholar. He's quite interesting."
"Yes, he is indeed very good."
Qin Huo nodded.
"Let's see if he can survive."
Only those who survive are true generals.
The dead are just skeletons.
Two days later, the Qin army set out again.
Of Xiao Mo's group of ten, Hong Bo had his leg broken and needed to rest for a while, so he could only rest in Tingtao City for the time being.
When Xiao Mo and the others left, Hong Bo cried uncontrollably and wanted to go with them.
Zhao Wei and others laughed at him for "pretending," saying that "he must be overjoyed to not have to go to the battlefield, so stop pretending."
Hong Bo was so angry that his face turned red and he insisted on going to war, but Xiao Mo persuaded him to stop. Then he gave Zhao Wei and the others a lesson.
A month later, the Qin army arrived at Zhuolu City in Wei State.
At this time, the State of Wei was already on high alert, and scouts reported that the State of Wei would also send troops to provide support.
But Qin Huo didn't care at all.
Taking advantage of the army's high morale, the Qin army captured fifteen cities in Wei, including Luoyu City, Chi City, and Mengjiang City.
In every major battle, the Iron Tiger Army was always the first unit to charge forward, second only to the cavalry, and Xiao Mo was the one who charged forward in the Iron Tiger Army.
As long as Xiao Mo grasps his spear and steps onto the battlefield, he is like a god of war.
Wei Guo naturally discovered that Xiao Mo was such a young talent, and even considered using a Golden Core cultivator to eliminate him in order to prevent future troubles.
But the Qin state wasn't stupid either.
Every promising talent on the battlefield is protected, and if any cultivator who is two realms above Xiao Mo makes a move, they will inevitably be stopped by the Qin Kingdom.
Before we knew it, a year and a half had passed.
During one of the battles, Xiao Mo broke through to the Dragon Gate realm.
In the year and a half that followed, Xiao Mo had "forgotten" 70% of the moves of the God-Slaying Spear.
Although Xiao Mo "forgot" slower as time went on, he wasn't in a hurry, feeling it was just a matter of time.
As for Xiao Mo's military achievements, he himself never recorded them.
All he knew was that after he, at the Dragon Gate Realm, killed a Golden Core Realm general on the battlefield, Xiao Mo was qualified to enter the main tent of the military camp for discussions.
Although Xiao Mo could discuss matters with the generals, he remained silent throughout.
When it comes to battlefield planning, Xiao Mo has always only learned from books. He listens attentively to the discussions of these veteran generals and then combines what he has learned with his own thoughts to verify each other.
The only thing that gave Xiao Mo a headache was that these generals often disagreed and would fight, and he needed to help mediate.
Later, Qin Huo seemed to be deliberately grooming Xiao Mo, occasionally asking him for his opinions on the battlefield and having him try to figure out the thoughts of the opposing generals.
Xiao Mo truthfully expressed what was on his mind.
After hearing Xiao Mo's strategy, some of the more radical generals felt that they were being too conservative.
However, Xiao Mo had many truly original ideas and insightful perspectives, which often caused the military commanders to ponder deeply.
It was at this moment that Qin Huo acted first and reported later, allowing Xiao Mo to temporarily command an army of 10,000 while maintaining the Iron Tiger Army's organizational structure. Xiao Mo was to lead the army alone to break through the Ru Porcelain City of Wei State in order to protect the safety of the army's right flank.
A general must not only fight on the battlefield, but more importantly, command a large army.
Qin Huo wanted to see just how good Xiao Mo really was.
Xiao Mo did not disappoint Qin Huo.
Xiao Mo led an army of ten thousand men to encamp at the foot of Ru Porcelain City. Initially, they didn't attack, but instead distributed leaflets into the city daily, primarily to spread propaganda—
"After the Qin army entered the city, they did not take a single needle or thread from the people."
"Half of the country of Wei has already fallen."
"If a general surrenders, he will be promoted and given a higher rank."
"Whoever can take the head of the city lord of Ru Porcelain City will become the next city lord of Ru Porcelain City."
Xiao Mo's method caused widespread panic in Ru Porcelain City.
In addition, the city lord of Ru Porcelain City usually liked to beat and scold his subordinates, and even liked to have his subordinates send their wives to his bed, which had long aroused the resentment of many subordinates.
Finally, the head of the Ru Porcelain City Lord was cut off, the city gates were opened, and he surrendered to Xiao Mo.
After Xiao Mo led his troops into the city, they maintained strict discipline, just as stated in the "leaflet," without committing any offenses. Xiao Mo even took the initiative to take over the local case files. During the four days of rest, he demonstrated strong administrative abilities, completely clearing the wrongful conviction and gaining considerable goodwill from the locals.
After leaving Ru Porcelain City, Xiao Mo did not immediately return to the main army, but instead received orders to continue advancing to the flank.
Before each siege, Xiao Mo would learn about the personality and life experiences of the defending city lord.
If we can outsmart them, we will.
If we can't outsmart them, then we should find a way to minimize casualties.
The four words "avoid the strong and attack the weak" seem simple, but in reality, many generals spend their entire lives without ever truly mastering them.
However, Xiao Mo was extremely sensitive to changes on the battlefield, especially when leading troops into battle. He could often spot weaknesses and then defeat them in one fell swoop.
Moreover, Xiao Mo's favorite thing to do was to personally lead a dozen or so riders deep into enemy territory to act as scouts.
Xiao Mo was discovered several times, prompting the enemy to give chase, but they stopped halfway through the pursuit.
After all, how often does an enemy commander personally venture deep into enemy territory to investigate the enemy's situation?
This is absolutely outrageous.
They suspected an ambush!
But soon they discovered that this "young general" named Xiao Mo really was that outrageous.
Therefore, once the enemy army spotted the Qin scouts, they pursued them relentlessly, because Xiao Mo was very likely among those scouts!
After Xiao Mo was discovered, he didn't even allow his subordinates to cover the rear. Instead, Xiao Mo covered the rear himself, one arrow per person, shooting as he rode, never missing a shot. He even occasionally pulled out a spear and charged into battle.
After killing them, Xiao Mo shouted, "Your father is leaving!" and then strode away.
Once, an old city lord was so humiliated by Xiao Mo that he was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood and almost died of anger.
At first, the 10,000-strong army led by Xiao Mo was not very convinced of Xiao Mo's abilities, and even suspected that Xiao Mo, this pretty boy, had gained the prince's favor by selling hooks.
However, Xiao Mo always led the charge, often risking his life to scout out enemy positions.
After being discovered, Xiao Mo, as the commander-in-chief, not only covered the rear for his subordinates, but he also frequently charged in and out, like a dragon in flight.
Especially after the start of the war, Xiao Mo demonstrated exceptional skill and mastery in commanding and deploying an army of ten thousand men.
This young general is gaining increasing importance in the hearts of his soldiers.
Another six months have passed.
Xiao Mo originally led an army of ten thousand men out to conquer just one city, but because of his outstanding performance, he has not yet returned to his army.
Xiao Mo even increased his army from 10,000 to 50,000, and together with the main forces of the Left and Central armies, they advanced in three separate routes.
In the span of six months, Xiao Mo captured ten cities in succession.
"Xiao Mo".
This name, which no one would have noticed, gradually reached the ears of every soldier in the State of Wei.
If we say that the main forces of Qin's left and central armies were a steel knife, piercing straight into the heart of Wei.
Xiao Mo, on the other hand, is like someone wielding a long spear in one hand and a soft sword in the other, making him impossible to defend against.
However, because Xiao Mo was too handsome and refined, he lacked a murderous aura on the battlefield and was often challenged and called a pretty boy by the enemy.
After much deliberation, Xiao Mo decided to have a blacksmith in the army forge a fierce-looking mask for him.
Every time he went to the battlefield, Xiao Mo would wear this mask as he charged into battle.
One day, when Zhu Jian, a cultivator from the Le family, flew over Frostred City, he sensed a soaring killing intent.
As she approached, she saw a masked general leading a large army in a fierce battle against the Frostred City army.
The masked general led three hundred personal guards, charging in and out of the enemy's heartland with unparalleled bravery. Moreover, while charging, he was also able to grasp the overall situation of the battlefield and command and coordinate the operations.
Half a day later, the army of Frostred City was routed by the masked man and his army.
As the soldiers of Frostred City fled in all directions, the man, holding a long spear, reined in his horse and stood still. In the afterglow of the setting sun, he reached out, removed his mask, and revealed his face. He glanced at the sky as if sensing something.
The two looked at each other.
Xiao Mo's ferocious bravery contrasted sharply with his handsome appearance beneath the mask, causing Zhu Jian, a cultivator from the Le family, to tremble.
Even though Xiao Mo had already left, Zhu Jian was still standing in the air, unable to erase the man's face from her mind.
Three months later, Zhu Jian, using the battlefield as a pretext, wrote "Frosty Red Battle Song" for the masked general, and played it throughout the land.
Xiao Mo was unaware of this.
Xiao Mo continued to conquer several cities, and a year later, he successfully joined forces with the army in the capital of Wei Kingdom, preparing for the decisive battle.
And just before the decisive battle.
Just as Qin Huo was gathering Xiao Mo and other generals to discuss the important matters of attacking the city, a scout ran into the tent and brought a letter.
Qin Huo opened the envelope, then slammed his fist on the table in a fit of rage: "This Xiao Yishe, what audacity!"
Upon hearing the name "Xiao Yishe," everyone turned to look at Xiao Mo.
Everyone knows that Xiao Yishe is the second young master of the Xiao family, that is, Xiao Mo's second brother.
Xiao Mo took the envelope and glanced at it. The contents of the letter were roughly as follows:
Xiao Yishe was originally only ordered by the emperor to keep an eye on the Wei Kingdom, but because the Wei Kingdom was about to be destroyed, he led five thousand Snow-Treading Dragon Riders over, wanting to share in the credit for the destruction of the kingdom!
"General Xiao, what do you think?" Qin Huo asked Xiao Mo.
Although Xiao Mo was only a nominal general at this time, the prestige he had earned over the years had won the respect of everyone in the army.
Xiao Mo stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "With just five hundred iron cavalry, this humble general will ensure that the Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry dare not step even a hundred miles into the capital of Wei Kingdom!"
"good!"
Qin Huo looked at Xiao Mo with burning eyes.
"So what if he's the eldest son of the Prince of Zhenbei?"
Xiao Mo!
"Beat him!"
(End of this chapter)
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