【The Chronicles of Chaos ※ Part Two: Soldiers on the Battlefield】(3)

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Chapter Three: General Yi Ma (Part 1)

The retreating Jin soldiers, hearing the cries of alarm from the peak, noticed the hurling of stones cease and turned back to charge. Their momentum

waned after the second drumbeat, their attack no longer as fierce as before. Led by Zhe Ling, the men on the fortress wall,

no longer frantically fought, successfully isolating the Jin soldiers on the other side of the moat. Seeing no hope of capturing the fortress and only

increasing casualties, the Jin general who had been shooting arrows ordered a retreat.

Zhe Ling instructed everyone on the fortress wall to remain in their positions and perform their duties to prevent a Jin counterattack, and, taking Zhao Po with him,

endured his injuries and climbed the left peak. Before him lay a ground littered with rubble, and a group of servants scattered among the rocks, trembling and afraid to move.

Chen Dan, holding one end of a secured rope, was about to descend to rescue them. Li Yu sat on the edge of the cliff, his hand stroking the broken wooden fence

, his face ashen. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned and said, "General Zhe, Brother Zhao, come and see."

He stood up and pointed to the wooden fence, continuing, "The break is smooth, and there are still wood chips on it. Someone must have deliberately sawed it! The stone storage fence

is the same!"

Zhe Ling's heart also tightened upon hearing this. Suddenly, he leaped to where Chen Dan had secured the ropes and said, "Brother Zhao,

go to the stone steps at the top of the peak and check everyone on the peak. See if you recognize any of the faces in the fortress! Brother Li, please go down the peak and call

Wei Qing here!" After speaking, he called out to the people on the peak, "Go down the peak one by one, and do not crowd."

Before long, Wei Qing arrived and, together with Zhao Po, blocked the entrance. More than half of the people on the peak had descended the mountain, and there was still nothing unusual.

Hearing the shouts from below, Zhe Ling pulled Chen Dan, who was carrying Xie Bao's body, up the cliff using a rope. After gazing at the corpse in silence for a long time, he asked,

"Where is Mr. Feng?"

Chen Dan wiped away her tears and replied, "No... I haven't found him! Xie Bao was crushed under the cliff by rocks, but Mr. Feng is

nowhere to be found . I searched the forest, but found neither him nor any footprints. It's very strange!"

Zhe Ling was surprised to hear this. After pondering for a while, he said, "You carry Xie Bao down first, then call Hao Zhi to go down

the cliff with you and search again!"

Chen Dan obeyed and followed the group down the cliff. Zhao Po spread his hands towards Zhe Ling and said, "General Zhe,

there's no one suspicious on the peak!" Wei Qing asked from the side, "General, could that Hu woman speak Song language?"

Zhe Ling replied, "Although I've never heard her speak Song language, her voice is very familiar.

The person who helped the assassin cover up must be Nana!"

Wei Qing said, "That's really strange! General, let me go and carry Mr. Feng's body up!"

Zhe Ling shook his head and said, "Chen Dan said that Mr. Feng has neither a body nor a person; he has vanished without a trace."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Po and Wei Qing both exclaimed in surprise, "What? Vanished?

"

"What? Still nowhere to be seen?"

Shi Tianfei waited for Wu Jie to finish his question before bowing and replying, "The scouts report that Jin Commander Sa Li ordered the traitor Zhang Zhongfu to guard

Pingliang Prefecture, Zhang Zhongyan to guard Qin Prefecture, and Zhao Bin to guard Qing Prefecture. He has withdrawn Jin troops from Xihe and is returning east, gathering his forces in two routes,

heading straight for Heshangyuan. Dozens of miles below the plain, the entire area is teeming with Jin troops. No matter the main roads or small paths, there is no sign of

the Fengxiang supply convoy."

Wu Jie frowned and asked, "What's the situation with the team sent to provide support?" "What?"

Shi Tianfei replied, "We encountered the Jin army halfway through the journey, engaged in battle, suffered more defeats than victories, and have all retreated."

Wu Jie waved Shi Tianfei away and turned to ask Chen Yuanyou, "Mr. Chen, how many more days' worth of provisions do we have left in the camp?"

Chen Yuanyou cupped his hands and replied, "General, the Jin army has been blocking the roads recently, and although the civilians delivering provisions are fearless,

their numbers are dwindling. The camp's provisions are meager, enough for about two more days."

Wu Jie's brow furrowed even more, and An Hong and Shi Tianfei, standing nearby, involuntarily... "General!" The two exchanged a smile. Shi

Tianfei gestured for him to proceed, and An Hong smiled and nodded, saying, "General, why don't you send me to scout

the grain convoys along the various roads again?"

Wu Jie also smiled and said, "I'm grateful for the help you've provided lately, Young Master An!" After An Hong bowed and

expressed his gratitude, he turned to Shi Tianfei and asked, "Tianfei, what is it?"

Shi Tianfei scratched his head and laughed, "Young Master An beat me to it."

Wu Jie Hearing this, An Hong stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "These past few days, Young Master An and I have been helping me prepare for war, and in our spare time we've even sparred in swordsmanship

, and we've gotten along quite well. I didn't expect that even our methods and thoughts are similar. Very well, then I'll trouble Young Master An to investigate further! Tianfei

, you accompany Young Master An."

An Hong and Shi Tianfei exchanged another smile and were about to leave when a man burst through the tent, excitedly shouting, "

General , General! The Fengxiang grain convoy! The Fengxiang grain convoy has arrived!"

Everyone was overjoyed upon hearing this. Wu Lin suddenly stood up, grabbed Wu Jie's left arm, and said, "Brother, let's go!

Let's go see ! Now we have no worries about military supplies! Haha..."

Wu Jie was caught off guard and almost stumbled from the pull. He shook off the man's grip, feigning anger, and said, "What kind of behavior is this! Such

a grown man acting like a child!" Although it was a reprimand, he couldn't hide his joy. He led the others and hurried out of

the tent.

They hadn't gone far when they saw a long column of men escorting grain carts approaching from afar. Though the men were all covered in dust,

their eyes were bright and their spirits high. As the column passed, the soldiers on guard duty dared not make a sound, but instead raised their

weapons in salute. One of the men at the front of the column, seeing the main camp's tent open and the men emerge, hurriedly stepped forward to salute, saying, "Your subordinate, Lu Xiao'an,

was ordered by General Yang Congyi to escort 300,000 bushels of grain to Heshangyuan. I have successfully completed my mission. General Wu Jie, please send someone to complete the handover."

Wu Jie, recognizing Lu Xiao'an as a stranger, knew he was one of the men Yang Congyi had gathered along the way. Seeing his imposing figure, sharp eyes,

eloquent speech, and blood-stained battle robe, Wu Jie felt a surge of interest in his talent. After instructing Wu Lin and Chen Yuanyou to hand over the supplies, Wu Jie

stepped forward and personally helped Lu Xiao'an up, saying gently, "Xiao'an, you must be tired from the journey. Please get up quickly! Scouts reported

that the road from Fengxiang to here is full of Jin soldiers, and the supply convoy went missing at the Shensha River. I was worried, but Xiao'an arrived safely .

You are truly a capable general of our army, and it is also a blessing from heaven for our army and our Great Song!"

Seeing Wu Jie's kindness, Lu Xiao'an was also grateful and quickly said, "Thanks to General Wu! The battle at Shensha River

was a lose-lose situation. I thought that if there were another one, we would surely lose the important task of transporting the supplies. Fortunately, before I joined the army,

I went hunting with my adoptive father and discovered a valley in the mountains that leads to Heshangyuan. Therefore, I took the liberty of leading the convoy along this route.

I apologize for causing General Wu's concern."

Upon hearing this, Wu Jie praised Lu Xiao'an repeatedly and grew increasingly fond of him. Suddenly an idea struck him,

so he patted Lu Xiaoan on the shoulder and said, "Xiaoan, you've come at the perfect time! I have something I want to entrust

to someone who is both wise and brave, but unfortunately, there's not a suitable person in the camp. Today, seeing that you are both brave and resourceful, you have finally solved the problem that has been troubling me."

Lu Xiaoan's original intention was to escort the grain supplies to the plains, fulfill Yang Congyi's request, and then return home to marry Lanxiu.

Upon hearing this, Wu Jie was stunned and didn't know how to refuse. Wu Jie assumed Lu Xiaoan was unaware of the matter and was

therefore bewildered, so he solemnly recounted the events surrounding Zhe Ling and Zhuge Fortress, and then introduced him to An Hong and Twelve.

Hearing Wu Jie's solemn words and realizing the gravity of the matter, Lu Xiaoan

a moment before steeling his resolve. He silently apologized to Lan Xiu and replied, "In that case, Lu Xiaoan will certainly assist Commander Zhe Lingzhe in defending the mountain fortress and preventing the Jin dogs'

treacherous scheme succeeding!"

Wu Jie exclaimed happily, "Good! After defeating the Jin dogs, I will ask Privy Councilor Zhang to petition the court for your commendation!

How many soldiers remain in the grain transport team?"

Lu Xiaoan replied, "Many were lost along the Shensha River; by the time we reached the plains, there were about five hundred left."

Wu Jie said, "I will allocate another three hundred elite soldiers to you. Rest for the night, and tomorrow you and Young Master An and his servant will set off to provide reinforcements."

Lu Xiaoan bowed and accepted the order. Shi Tianfei led him away to prepare. An Hong and Twelve thanked Wu Jie and also prepared to leave.

At this moment, two men rushed in from the camp gate, bowed, and reported, "General, your subordinates have successfully completed their mission and have learned that Privy Councilor Zhang

is indeed stationed in Xingzhou." As they spoke, one of them took out a letter from his robes and said, "This is a letter from Privy Councilor Zhang himself; please read it personally,

General ."

Wu Jie was overjoyed. He quickly read the letter, tucked it into his robes, and sighed, "Privy Councilor Zhang still cares about me and

Sanguan; there is great potential here!" He then asked An Hong, "Young Master An, now that both of our matters have brought

good news, what should we do?"

An Hong pondered for a moment and said, "Before I came, my elder brother sent someone to scout out that the Jin army in Yinping Road numbered about 20,000.

Although the general has sent 800 elite troops to aid us, I am still afraid that the numbers are too disparate. The general here only has about 4,000 troops,

which may not be enough. Perhaps we should let Twelve lead the way for the reinforcements, and Tianfei and I will go to Xingzhou."

Wu Jie nodded and said, "I also agree. Thank you for your hard work, Young Master An! It is getting late today, so please rest

early . We can set off again tomorrow morning."

Nothing more was said that night. At dawn the next day, An Hong and Twelve finished their work and left their tents. Lu Xiaoan and his 800 soldiers were already

lined up neatly in front of the central command tent, listening to Wu Jie's instructions. Twelve pursed his lips and stammered, "Young Master An, the road is

treacherous, please be careful!"

An Hong smiled and nodded, "I know, you must bring the reinforcements safely to the fortress!

The outcome of my brother's battle depends on your success or failure on this mission!"

Twelve retorted angrily, "I know, I know! I'm just trying to be helpful, but all you care about is the success or failure of this important matter. Didn't I

bring you out of the mountains safely? You still don't trust me!" Seeing An Hong speechless, he sighed softly, "

Young Master An , I'll be waiting for you at the fortress. Return safely soon!"

An Hong said, "Don't worry! While you're at the fortress, help my brother kill as many Jin dogs as possible!"

Twelve angrily retorted, "Is fighting and killing all you think about?" With that, he stormed off. Just then, the

eight hundred men finished their preparations, bowed to Wu Jie in unison, and followed Twelve as they departed in formation.

An Hong was completely bewildered, watching Twelve's retreating figure, who never looked back. Shi Tianfei left Wu Jie's side and

approached with a smile, saying, "Young Master An, are you done being reluctant to part? Let's get going!"

An Hong asked in surprise, "What reluctance?"

Shi Tianfei pulled him towards Wu Jie, saying, "I know someone who is skilled in disguise,

so I..." Just then, a soldier rushed to Wu Jie outside the camp and urgently reported, "Reporting to the general, the vanguard of the Jin army, numbering

about 15,000, led by General Wanyan Meili, has broken camp and is advancing towards the plain."

Wu Jie coldly snorted and shouted, "Form ranks!" He flicked his cloak, drew his sword, and walked away. An Hong and Shi Tianfei

exchanged a glance and hurried after him.

At the foot of the plain, before the Great San Pass, the two armies faced each other on a rare flat area in the mountains. Although An Hong

was highly skilled in martial arts, had killed countless people, and had fought the Jin people several times, this was the first time he had seen two armies facing off. So he hid

among the soldiers and carefully observed them. The Song army, with their backs to the pass, was arrayed in neat formation, each unit and soldier linked together.

The Jin army, on the other hand, was the complete opposite; all were mounted, with no discernible formation. Wu Jie, fearing a

Jin charge, secretly instructed his generals to prepare countermeasures against the cavalry. Suddenly, a Jin general emerged from the ranks,

spear in hand, galloping back and forth twice across the open space between the two armies. He pointed his spear at the Song army and cursed fluently in Song language: "Wu Jie, you rat!

Do you dare fight your grandfather Naci for ten rounds?"

Chapter 3: General Changes Horse (Part 2)

The Song generals, enraged by this, retorted with insults. The Jin general Naci laughed loudly: "You Song pigs, all

you know is empty talk! Your delicate sow begs for mercy on her bed, but you boars are no different!

Hahahaha!"

The Song soldiers, hearing Naci's insults, were filled with rage. Liu Liangsi rode up to Wu Jie's horse, his eyes blazing with fury, and

bowed, saying, "General, let's go into battle! Although our army is small, this place is perfect for the Pingrong formation; we are sure to win!"

Wu Jie remained calm and shook his head, saying, "No. Wanyan Wuli is a man of exceptional strategy; how could he be so foolish as to send a general for a one-man

duel? He is deliberately showing us arrogance, surely setting an ambush for our army. If our army collapses,

the gates will be wide open, and Shu will be in danger!" He stopped Liu Liangsi and sighed, "If Commander Zhe were here now, he could kill this Jin general with a single arrow

!"

Liu Liangsi sighed again and said, "What the general says makes sense, but we cannot let that Jin dog provoke us and

demoralize our army. I will go and meet him, bring back his head, and make a large chamber pot for tonight!"

Wu Jie nodded and beckoned, "Gao Meng, come with Liangsi!"

Gao Meng rode out, bowed, and accepted the order. Liu Liangsi cried out urgently, "General!"

Wu Jie raised his hand to stop him, solemnly saying, "This is a battlefield, not a feud between江湖 (jianghu, a martial arts world)! That Jin general is strong

and wields a long spear; he must be a skilled warrior. Do not underestimate him!"

Hearing Wu Jie's words, Liu Liangsi chuckled, cupped his hands in greeting, and spurred his horse straight towards Na Ci, with Gao Meng in

hot pursuit. Na Ci, seeing the two approaching, didn't reply, spurred his horse forward, and thrust his spear straight at Liu Liangsi's face. Song territory didn't

produce horses, and the army lacked fine steeds. Liu Liangsi hadn't expected Na Ci's horse to be so fast; he couldn't parry in time and was pierced through

the chest . Gao Meng, seeing this, was enraged, roared, and brandished his spear at Na Ci. Na Ci, seeing the spear

coming, spurred his horse aside, using his spear and Liu Liangsi on it like a hammer, smashing it down on Gao Meng's head. Gao Meng hastily spurred

his horse forward, but it was too late. Liu Liangsi crashed into Gao Meng's warhorse's hind leg, breaking bones and rupturing tendons; he was clearly beyond saving.

Gao Meng's horse neighed mournfully and collapsed, pinning Gao Meng's leg beneath it. Na Ci then thrust his spear into Gao Meng's...

With a sudden shout, he raised his spear and ripped Gao Meng's head off his body, holding it high in the air while laughing heartily.

The Song soldiers, seeing two of their generals fall on the spot in a single exchange, paled in shock. Na Ci, spear in hand

, galloping across the battlefield with Gao Meng's head still on his head, cursed, "How could such a pig and dog be

a match for ! Wu Jie! You coward, all you do is hide in a woman's crotch and suffer! Do you dare to come forward and fight me? Are you

even less than the pigs and dogs under your command?"

The Song soldiers all changed color; some continued to curse, others showed fear, but Wu Jie remained silent, his face

expressionless. An Hong, observing the situation clearly from within the army, approached Wu Jie's horse and said, "General, that Jin general is brave, and

his horse is also magnificent. But just now, I observed that when the horse ran, its movements, especially its starting, stopping, and turning, seemed somewhat slow. If we seize this opportunity to attack the

Jin general, we can kill him!"

Shi Tianfei, hearing this, also approached Wu Jie's horse and said, "General, what Young Master An says is reasonable! I request to fight!"

An Hong stopped him, saying, "I'd be best to go!"

Wu Jie glanced at the still arrogant Na Ci and waved his hand, saying, "To kill this general, both martial arts and horsemanship are indispensable.

You two are exceptionally skilled in martial arts, but your horsemanship is mediocre. If you fight on foot, that horse weighs over a thousand pounds and moves like the wind and lightning; you

two will undoubtedly be defeated."

The three discussed the matter, while Cao Wu listened from the side. Clearly

,

Cao Wu rode up and bowed, saying, "General, this humble general is willing to slay this golden dog!" Wu Jie stared at Cao Wu and asked, "How does your martial skill compare to that of Generals Liu and Gao?"

Cao Wu pondered for a moment and said, "Not as good."

Upon hearing this, Wu Jie shook his head and said, "Even they couldn't defeat him in a two-on-one fight. You mustn't act rashly. You might lose your life, and you might further

damage the morale of the army."

Cao Wu cupped his hands and said resolutely, "I have heard everything Young Master An said. If the General lends me

his fine steed, I will use the horse to quickly turn around and surely kill him!"

An Hong nodded and said, "If the General's steed is a fine horse, then this plan can be carried out!"

Wu Jie's horse was named Ta Yan, one of the best steeds in the army. Apart from Qu Duan's steed, Tie Xiang,

there was probably no one more magnificent than it. Wu Jie, hearing An Hong's agreement, said "Good," dismounted, handed the reins to Cao

Wu, and solemnly instructed, "Be extremely careful!"

Cao Wu exchanged horses with Wu Jie and solemnly replied, "I will not fail the general's expectations!" He shook the reins, ready to charge, when An Hong's lips moved

, transmitting a message: "If things don't go smoothly, lure him close to our ranks, and I will find a way to help you." Seeing that everyone

seemed not was secretly amazed. He bowed deeply to Wu Jie and An Hong,

then spurred his horse forward. Na Ci, seeing someone leap out from the Song army ranks, snorted disdainfully,

spurred his horse forward, and thrust his spear. Cao Wu spurred his horse, leaping to the side like lightning, causing Na Ci's weapon to miss. Cao Wu seized

the opportunity, sweeping his hammer horizontally, but missed, and swiftly fled. Seeing that Cao Wu dared not engage in direct combat, Na Ci

cursed incessantly and spurred his horse to give chase. Seeing that Na Ci had fallen for the trap, Cao Wu deliberately slowed his horse down. Just as the two horses were about to gallop side by

side ,

Cao Wu suddenly pulled on the reins and swung his hammer at Na Ci's head. As An Hong had predicted, Na Ci's horse, in its sudden stop, was slow to recover, exposing Na Ci's entire back. Seeing Cao Wu's hammer about to strike Na Ci's back

, Na Ci suddenly spurred his horse forward, dodging Cao Wu's attack in an instant.

Both the Song and Jin armies erupted in a great commotion upon seeing this. Cao Wu, having failed in his first attack, continued to strike Na Ci's back. Na Ci parried with his

spear and spurred his horse to turn around. Seeing that Na Ci had adjusted his position, Cao Wu knew his opportunity had been lost and turned to flee.

Enraged, Na Ci spurred his horse and gave chase. Before he had gone far, Cao Wu repeated his trick, but Na Ci was prepared and did not give him a chance. This happened

several times. Na Ci nearly knocked Cao Wu off his horse. Seeing Cao Wu galloping wildly towards the Song army's formation, Na Ci assumed he

was fleeing . His madness returned, and he spurred his horse on, pursuing Cao Wu and intending to kill him before he returned to his lines.

An Hong, observing Cao Wu's actions from within the ranks, had already secretly prepared a small stone. As Cao Wu lured Na Ci

towards the Song formation as planned, An Hong focused his strength on his wrist and waited patiently. Cao Wu leaped onto his horse, heading straight for Wu Jie and An Hong.

Seeing that he was almost there, he suddenly pulled the reins to the left, his horse swerving sharply to the left,

exposing Na Ci and his horse to the Song army's formation.

Wu Jie's guards, seeing the enemy general so close to their commander, fearing for their safety, shouted and formed a wall of

swords . Just then, An Hong flicked his wrist, and the stone in his hand flew out like a locust, striking Na Ci's horse precisely

in the right eye . The horse, in pain, neighed and reared up. The sound of the flying stone piercing the air was masked by the clatter of armor from Wu Jie's guards

. Na Ci was completely unaware until he heard his horse's mournful neigh, catching him off guard. Fortunately, he was a skilled rider and managed

to stay on the horse with all his might. Cao Wu, riding alongside him, arrived early and swung his hammer in a wide arc, striking Na Ci squarely on the back of the head. Brains splattered everywhere

, and blood gushed out.

Cao Wu, having slain a general, repeatedly raised his hammer from horseback, eliciting waves of cheers from the Song army and

silencing . Cao Wu dismounted before Wu Jie, knelt on one knee, and proclaimed, "This humble general Cao Wu has received…

" He paused, then continued, "I have received your orders, General, to take the life of the Jin general Na Ci. Now that I have succeeded, I have come to return the order and my horse."

Wu Jie smiled and also proclaimed, "Cao Wu, for slaying a general on the battlefield and striking fear into the hearts of the Jin people, you are hereby promoted one rank. I also

present you with a treadmill to aid you in your future battles!" Upon hearing this, the Song soldiers raised their weapons and shouted "Majesty!" After the first shout subsided

, Wu Jie proclaimed again, "Generals Liu and Gao, loyal and brave for their country, died in service to the king. Each of them is hereby promoted two ranks, and their pensions are doubled. May

all soldiers take this as an example and fight bravely against the enemy!" Upon hearing this, the Song soldiers raised their weapons again and shouted "Majesty!" three times. Cao Wu also

prostrated himself in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, General!"

The Song army erupted in cheers, while the Jin army remained deathly silent. In an instant, the Jin vanguard parted like waves,

scattering to reveal a line of cavalry in the center. Leading them was a burly, imposing man with a livid face—it was Wanyan Meili. Wanyan

Meili pointed his riding whip at Wu Jie and roared, "Wu Jie, you little brat, how dare you use trickery to kill my fierce general! Once I capture

you, I'll make sure you suffer a terrible death!" With that, he shouted orders in a foreign language. The Jin vanguard moved at the command,

a dark mass of soldiers, simultaneously spurring their horses forward.

The two armies were not far apart; with their horses spurred at full speed, they would close the distance in an instant. Seeing the Jin vanguard charging, Wu Jie shouted,

"Order the vanguard to disperse and clear a path, the rear guard to set fires!"

An Hong, confused, turned to look and saw that the vanguard had already dispersed, revealing over a hundred small

crossbows . The crossbows were not aimed directly at the enemy, but slightly upwards. The arrows used all had a fist-sized

ball attached, with a fuse, which the soldiers had already lit. At this time, the Jin cavalry had already crossed halfway across the field. Seeing this, Wu Jie

shouted to the flag officer, "Fire!"

Command flags were raised high, mechanisms clanged, and crossbow bolts rained down on the Jin army. The weights attached to the arrows seemed

considerable, causing them to arc rapidly downwards, slowing their pace by the time they reached the Jin soldiers. Seeing that the enemy's

arrows spurred their horses and chuckled. Just as they roared triumphantly, ready to charge and break through the enemy lines, suddenly, deafening explosions

erupted from their sides. The sounds were like thunder, the flashes like lightning; leather flamed, iron fragments flew everywhere, horses were terrified, and many were wounded or killed.

The Jin army's advance halted instantly, descending into chaos.

Wu Jie gave another order: the crossbows were reloaded, firing arrows without the weights attached to them. Large numbers of soldiers, in

pairs , wielding crossbows, fired three-shot arrows. A few Jin soldiers who had broken through the flames were caught in the rain of arrows; men and horses alike

were thrown to the ground, countless dead. Horns sounded repeatedly from the Jin ranks, summoning the vanguard to retreat in disarray. Taking

advantage

of the Jin army's chaotic advance and retreat, Wu Jie ordered one troop to guard the original pass, while the rest retreated. Although the Song army was in high spirits, upon hearing the Jin's signal, they all obeyed the order and retreated in order.

An Hong, who was with Wu Jie, was still thinking about the battlefield. Seeing that Wu Jie was free, he asked curiously, "General,

what was that thing hanging on the crossbow bolts just now? It was so powerful!"

Wu Jie smiled and said, "That's a new firearm developed by Mr. Chen and the craftsmen, called the Thunderclap.

During the bloody battle at the camp gate that day, Mr. Chen dragged a large sack of this thing, wanting to help you, young master. I was afraid that this thing hadn't been used in actual combat and I didn't know

its power , and that it might accidentally injure you, so I refused. Today, after testing it, it is indeed extraordinary!"

An Hong sighed, "Truly living up to its reputation! The Jin army was in a panic just now, why didn't you take the opportunity to seize them instead of retreating?"

Wu Jie laughed again, "Although our weapons are superior, they are ultimately no match for the sheer number of Jin soldiers. Their army outnumbers ours several times over. If we were to fight on

flat ground , our army would undoubtedly be defeated. Although the Jin vanguard was in disarray just now, cavalry on the left and right flanks were already preparing to encircle them.

If we don't take advantage of the victory and retreat, things may change." An Hong was impressed by Wu Jie's words and secretly pondered them, intending to

use them when he returned to the fortress to help break the feather.

The two arrived at the plain while chatting and laughing, and Wu Jie ordered the entire army to be on high alert. An Hong and Shi Tianfei helped Wu Jie reorganize the troops, and by then

it was past noon. An Hong was anxious to request reinforcements, so he informed Shi Tianfei and informed Wu Jie, preparing to set off. Wu Jie and his generals personally escorted

the two to the camp gate, and pulled Shi Tianfei aside to give him some instructions in a low voice. Cao Wu quietly approached An Hong and whispered respectfully, "Today,

I am deeply grateful for Young Master An's assistance! I wanted to request credit for you on the battlefield, but why did you refuse? It's a waste

to let your merit go to waste!"

Chapter Three: General Changes Horse (Part Two)

An Hong patted Cao Wu's shoulder and said, "That day in the tent, General Cao was the first to speak out in advocacy, and I was already deeply moved. Today, I

assisted you in slaying a general on the battlefield, which was just a small expression of my feelings. I observed that the soldiers on the plains have been defeated for a long time and are fearful. When fighting the Jin people, they are always timid."

"General, your merit today will surely inspire courage in the army and motivate our soldiers to fight the enemy. It is truly inappropriate to share the credit with others."

Cao Wu bowed respectfully and said, "Young Master An, your noble character is admirable! I will certainly fight bravely to repay

your kindness in helping me."

As they were talking, a soldier outside the camp gate came to report on the battle situation below. He said that the Jin army neither advanced nor retreated, but was stationed at one end of the plain.

Every half hour, they would send cavalry to the entrance of the plain to show off their power, sometimes attacking, sometimes intimidating, with no fixed strategy. Upon hearing this, Wu Jie

pondered for a moment, then exclaimed in alarm, "This is bad! The Jin army is using this to distract our troops and launch a surprise attack!"

He turned to Wu Lin and asked, "This morning, when you escorted Lu Xiao'an to the rescue, did you take that mountain valley path?" After Wu Lin nodded in confirmation, he quickly ordered, "Wu Lin, immediately take five hundred men and march along the valley path to the rescue! If there is no trouble, set up roadblocks

at the narrowest points of the valley and send someone to report back!" 　　Wu Lin accepted the order and left. An Hong suppressed his anxiety and bowed to Wu Jie. "General Wu, please take good care of the reinforcements at Yinping Fortress! Tianfei and I will set off for Xingzhou immediately to request Privy Councilor Zhang to send troops to resist the enemy." 　　Wu Jie had assumed that An Hong, eager for reinforcements from Yinping, would rush to find Lu Xiao'an at all costs. Hearing An Hong's words, he was sincerely impressed and said, "Young Master An has a broad vision; Wu Jie admires him! The matter of seeking reinforcements in Xingzhou has troubled you, Young Master. This matter is in Wu Jie's hands! We will ensure the reinforcements arrive on time and that the Jin people never return!" 　　………………………………………………………… 　　"Fire! Let the Jin dogs never return!" 　　Lu Xiao'an stood up from behind a large rock on the mountain and shouted the order. On each of the two low peaks flanking the road, over a hundred archers rose and fired arrows at the Jin cavalry rushing towards them. The Jin soldiers had not expected such a hidden path to be ambushed, and were caught off guard, unable to defend themselves from both ends. As he hastily spurred his horse to the side of the mountain to escape, he was killed by a spear that suddenly thrust out from behind a rock. On the main road, Song infantry rushed forward, engaging the Jin soldiers, whose horses were halted and in disarray, in battle. Seeing that the Jin soldiers below the mountain were cut off and surrounded, forced to fight individually, Lu Xiaoan brandished his sword and led the Song soldiers lying in ambush down the peak to join the battle. 　　About a hundred Jin soldiers, all cavalry, had attacked from the valley path, but now they were rendered useless, surrounded by the Song army and suffering heavy casualties. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, only the leading Jin general and a dozen or so soldiers remained; the rest were dead. The Jin general, seeing Lu Xiaoan lead a group of men and wipe out the last remaining Jin soldiers (excluding himself) like a tiger among sheep, was enraged. He unloaded his longbow from his back, nocked an arrow, and shot at Lu Xiaoan's back. Lu Xiaoan killed the last Jin soldier in front of him with a single stroke of his sword. Caught off guard, the soldier was about to be struck by the arrow. At that moment, an arrow flew from the side like lightning , striking the Jin general's arrowhead with incredible skill, deflecting the arrow and producing a crisp metallic clang. 　　Lu Xiaoan looked back in astonishment, tracing the arrow's trajectory, and saw a pale-faced man standing atop the mountain peak, holding a bow and arrow, shooting down Jin soldiers. The Jin general, his plans thwarted, flew into a rage and fired back, only to be struck in the throat by the pale-faced man's arrow, dying instantly. Seeing the man's unerring accuracy and awe-inspiring presence, the Song soldiers were roused to a surge of courage, shouting and fighting bravely. In no time, they had wiped out the remaining Jin troops. 　　Twelve, who had been fighting alongside Lu Xiaoan, seeing every enemy fall, raised his voice and asked the pale-faced man, "May I ask who this brother is? Such superb archery skills!" Lu Xiaoan had led his troops on the route from Fengxiang to Heshangyuan, fighting the enemy along the chosen path, and was highly respected. Seeing the pale-faced man gain popularity through his excellent archery skills, he felt a slight stirring in his heart. Hearing Twelve's question, he suddenly remembered that the man had saved his life, and silently warned himself that he shouldn't have done it. He also raised his voice and said, "May I ask your name, brave warrior ? I will repay your life-saving grace in the future!" 　　The man laughed and said, "You and I are both comrades of the Western Army, fighting against the Jin dogs and protecting our homes. Don't talk about saving lives! My name is Tong Zhong, and I am a close follower of General Zhe Ling of the Zhe family in Fuzhou. I was just looking for a way to Heshangyuan when I happened to see my brothers fighting the Jin dogs here. How could I just stand by and watch…?"

Upon hearing this, Twelve interrupted with delight, "Tong Zhong? Is that the Tong Zhong who's like a brother to General Zhe Ling

? Young Master An often mentioned you when he told me stories about his past with General Zhe on the road!"

Tong Zhong was also overjoyed to hear Twelve's words. He leaped down the mountain and grabbed Twelve's

shoulders , asking anxiously, "Is that Young Master An Hong? Where is he now? How are my... my brothers in the Arrow Camp?

Are they all safe?"

Twelve blushed slightly, freed himself from Tong Zhong's grasp, and replied, "It is indeed Young Master An Hong! When the Jin attacked Zhuge Fortress,

I was ordered to go with him to Heshangyuan to seek reinforcements. Now, Captain Lu is leading eight hundred soldiers back to the fortress with me to provide assistance.

Young Master An that Zhang fellow. I'm not familiar with the people in the Arrow Camp." "Before leaving,

I heard that a Hu woman killed two members of the Arrow Battalion and escaped, and the rest should all be here."

Tong Zhong was saddened, his face froze for a moment, then he murmured with joy, "Although it's bad news, it's better than them all being lost

outside Huaxi Gorge..." Then he came to his senses, clasped his hands and said to Lu Xiao'an, "Thank you for your hard work, Commander Lu, in assisting my

general!"

Lu Xiao'an quickly declined, "I dare not, it is my duty as a soldier, Brother Tong, you are too kind!"

As they were talking, the Song soldiers around them gathered around to greet Tong Zhong. Some of them who had been nearby and overheard

their conversation told the others about Tong Zhong's identity and background. Of the five hundred men in Lu Xiao'an's supply corps, apart from the dozen or so

fellow villagers, they were all elite soldiers under Wu Jie. The three hundred men who were later transferred were mostly veterans of the Battle of Fuping.

They were familiar with and admired the Zhe Ling and Shen Jian Battalions, so they were very friendly to Tong Zhong. Tong Zhong also remained unpretentious, returning

the greetings to each person. Seeing that the commotion had been going on for some time and fearing something might go wrong, Lu Xiaoan stopped the crowd and ordered the battlefield to be cleared. He ordered the soldiers

to take as much food as possible and replenish their arrows, and sent someone back to Heshangyuan to report the situation to Wu Jie, in order to prevent the Jin people from using this route to launch a sneak attack.

The crowd dispersed as ordered, and Twelve, squeezed to the outer circle, finally managed to get close to Tong Zhong again, asking, "Brother Tong, I

heard from Young Master An that he searched for you everywhere outside Huaxi Gorge but couldn't find you. How did you end up here?"

Tong Zhong sighed and replied, "After I lured away the pursuers, a bandit caught up with me and slashed me with his sword, causing me to fall into the water. When I

woke up by the water, I didn't know how much time had passed or where I was. I struggled in the forest for some time to recover, and only after leaving the forest to investigate

did I realize that I had come downstream to a place not far from Shencha City. I wanted to go west, but the road was full of the Golden Dog's marching troops,

so I had to travel in the same direction to avoid a direct confrontation. Later, I learned from the rebels that Wu Jie, the military commander, was guarding Heshangyuan, so I sought a way to see him.

On the way, I fought with the Golden Dog and lost my way." "We were just wandering around when we happened to run into you all."

Twelve sighed as he listened, and after Tong Zhong finished speaking, he happily suggested, "Brother Tong, why don't you come back

to Zhuge Fortress with us? Young Master An said that General Zhe misses you very much!"

Tong Zhong replied happily, "Of course, I also miss the General and Lady Yun very much! However, there are many Jin people on the main road,

and if we take the detour via the side roads, it will probably take more than a month to reach Huaxi Gorge. From Huaxi Gorge, it will take even longer to return to the fortress, which

is making me very anxious!"

Twelve's face darkened, and after stammering a few words, he forced a smile and said, "I know a side road! When Young Master An and I came here,

it only took us ten days. Although we are now marching in a large army and it is a bit slower, we can still get there in twenty days."

Tong Zhong was overjoyed and wished he could sprout wings and return home. Just as he was about to inquire further, Lu Xiaoan finished assembling his troops and approached the two men. He said to

Twelve , "Brother Twelve, it was fortunate that you suggested leading men to scout ahead. Otherwise, if our infantry had encountered the Jin cavalry,

although we wouldn't have been defeated, annihilating them would have been nearly impossible. Now that we're on our way, I'd like to ask you to scout ahead again!"

Twelve readily agreed and left excitedly. Lu Xiaoan arranged for Tong Zhong and the archers in the ranks to stay at the rear, and then led

the troops at the front, hurrying onward. They traveled for half a day without incident. After traveling another ten miles or so, seeing that it was getting late, Lu Xiaoan

was about to order the entire army to set up camp. Suddenly, Twelve and several soldiers returned from the front like a whirlwind, shouting, "

Commander Lu, there are over three hundred Jin soldiers ahead, all cavalry. I spotted some familiar...several Song people among them, who called

the Jin general Zhehe."

Lu Xiaoan ordered the entire army to prepare for battle, and they set up ambushes as before, and then asked Twelve to scout again. In the time it takes to eat a meal,

twelve chapters have passed, reporting that the Jin army has set up camp and seems to be preparing to rest. Lu Xiao'an hesitated between attacking and defending, unable to decide.

Tong Zhong, eager to return to the fortress, pondered for a while and then said from the side, "Commander Lu, the Jin dogs are exhausted from their long journey. Their vanguard was wiped out by us,

so they are unlikely to know that we are marching in this remote mountain area, and their defenses will surely be lax. When they camp at night, their cavalry and infantry will be no different.

We have the numbers and the advantage of attacking unprepared, so we can definitely win. Why don't we launch a night raid on their camp?"

The Song army had just won a victory during the day and was in high spirits. Before Lu Xiao'an could speak, the other officers who had discussed the matter

had already echoed his opinion and volunteered for the battle. Unable to defy the majority, Lu Xiaoan, having made up his mind, declared, "Alright! Let's raid the camp!

We'll split into three groups. I'll ask Twelve Brothers to lead one group to set up torches as a diversion, and Brother Tong to lead another group

to provide cover from higher ground. I'll personally lead the remaining group to raid the enemy camp!"

The crowd roared in agreement and dispersed to prepare, nodding to Tong Zhong, who had first proposed the idea, before setting off. Lu Xiaoan

gave Tong Zhong and Twelve a few more instructions, and the three then went their separate ways.

The mountain wind rustled through the forest, and the waning moon hung high in the sky. Lu Xiaoan led a large force of five hundred men, gagged and armed,

silently infiltrating the Jin army camp. A dozen or so campfires burned in the Jin camp, but no one was guarding them. The camp was rudimentary,

without fences or tents; everyone slept on the ground, using stones as pillows. At the central campfire, several men were still awake,

using sticks as pens to draw on the ground.

Seeing that they were close enough, Lu Xiaoan raised his right fist to signal his men to prepare. At that moment, a

man dressed in Song Dynasty attire suddenly rose and called to his subordinates, loudly ordering, "Take the General's token and go to the front camp to inform Tuoman

to set up camp fifteen li away from Heshangyuan tomorrow, without alerting the Song army. We will attack together once our rear guard arrives."

The summoned man acknowledged, mounted his horse, and galloped towards Lu Xiaoan's ranks. Lu Xiaoan waved his hand,

intending to let the man go further away before launching a surprise attack. The Song soldiers, their swords already drawn and spears raised high, saw Lu Xiaoan's order to wait and,

to avoid being blinded by the moonlight, tucked their weapons under their bodies, concealing the blades beneath their clothing. The soldiers at the rear of the column, receiving the order slightly later, moved

more slowly. The moonlight reflected on their swords, catching the eye of the man on horseback. The man on horseback suddenly reined in his horse and shouted,

"Not good! There are people outside the camp!"

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