[Fantasy] My World (Complete) - Chapter 18

Episode 10: Bloodbath in Three Counties

[Episode Synopsis]
Self-financing of funds and supplies! Now, the Northwest has become an abandoned child, unloved by parents and ignored even by dogs; unexpectedly, the Northern Desert Allied Army also joins the fray at this time. All these events happening at once are definitely not a coincidence!
Trying to put my young master at a disadvantage? Far from it!
With the full support of the Northwest royal family and the "world's best gunpowder," what are 300,000 troops? Even a million-strong army is nothing to fear!
The so-called "preemptive strike" seems like a good method for a night raid on the enemy camp…
Those who want to plunder wealth and food will have to return alive!

Chapter 1: Ulterior Motives
I helped the scout up, channeling a stream of true energy into his body to quickly calm his nearly exhausted spirit.
"Calm down, don't panic, the sky hasn't fallen yet."
I patted him lightly, and someone brought him a stool to sit down.
The scout was panting heavily, but he no longer looked like he was about to faint at any moment: "Your Highness, it's terrible! Enemies are coming from the north, at least a hundred thousand of them!"
Are you kidding me?
Everyone in the tent, including myself, felt a chill.
"Where did you see them? Why didn't we receive any news?"
The strategist, Gao Qimeng, was anxious and, disregarding rank, asked before I could.
"Yesterday afternoon, about five hundred li from Xiliang City, our team spotted the enemy army. They were rushing along, a dark mass whose tail we couldn't see," the scout
said urgently. "They gave me their horses and hid in the bushes, which is why I was able to get back so quickly."
"Bring me the map, quickly!"
I ordered. Immediately, a defensive map of the Xiliang City area was hung up beside me. This map, which Chen Fuyue had spent two years creating, covered an area exceeding five hundred li in radius. The scout pointed to the center of the map's front.
"Impossible!"
Gao Qimeng exclaimed. "If what the scouts say is true, these troops came from the north, so they should be tribes from the Northern Desert. But the place they're passing through is the core area of the Southern Desert tribes. The Southern Desert tribes have always had conflicts with other tribes, so how could they possibly let them pass?"
Everyone nodded in agreement. The ancient story of "borrowing a path to attack Guo" had long been a laughing stock. The Southern Desert tribes had just experienced a major battle. While they had gained much, their strength had been greatly diminished, which was undeniable. If the Northern Desert army wiped them out before attacking Xiliang City, or if they razed Xiliang City and then took advantage of the situation, either outcome would leave the Southern Desert tribes devastated.
"No, they must have reached a tacit agreement. I trust my men,"
Wang Miao'er stepped forward. "Now is the weakest time for our Xiliang City, and even the Northwest. The Southern Desert tribes will be very happy that others have weakened our power."
"I agree with Qimeng's point of view. Since the beginning of this year, the relationship between the Southern and Northern Desert tribes has been very tense. They can't possibly trust the Northern Desert tribes,"
Zhou Jing nodded.
Feng Wei, as a general who charged into battle, never commented on these arguments, only looking at Chi Changyun.
Chi Changyun looked up and said, "Your Highness, in my humble opinion, we should still be careful, no matter what."
Zhou Jing, who was in charge of logistics, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Lord Chi, how should we be careful? It's been a month since the siege was lifted at the end of July. Besides repairing the city walls, what else have you done? You haven't replenished the arrow towers, catapults, or barbed wire enough, and Lord Lang even said there's no money. If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first place?"
Zhou Jing was in charge of military logistics, which was in opposition to the government office in charge of civil affairs, so their relationship was naturally not good, especially with Lang Youxin, the registrar of Xiliang City, who was practically an enemy.
Usually, I prioritize the people's livelihood and lean towards the government office, so Zhou Jing couldn't say anything. Now that I finally had a chance, how could I not severely criticize my opponent?
Lang Youxin, no fool, immediately retorted, "Lord Zhou makes it sound so easy. You want this and that? Do you think I can conjure money up? Being a city clerk isn't like you soldiers who are content with just having food today. What about tomorrow? The day after? Look at this! If I hadn't been frugal and saved up some money, and with the Emperor not allocating funds, would you be starving this winter?"
Zhou Jing, after all, was a military man. When it came to arguing, cursing, and verbal battles, he was no match for Lang Youxin. Besides, everyone knew the court's decree today; Lang Youxin's past stinginess and pettiness could now be described as "far-sighted and strategic."
The clerk was quite bold, directly insulting Emperor Kangzong. Those present exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether to criticize him or agree with him.
I smiled calmly and raised my hand: "Stop arguing. I now order the entire army to retreat into the city within one hour. The three generals will coordinate, with 40,000 veterans each occupying one side of the city wall, and another 50,000 to assist. The rest are all on standby."
Gao Qimeng wanted to say something: "Your Highness..."
"General Gao, there's no need to say anything more. It's always better to be cautious. Consider this a drill!"
I glanced at him: "Before this, I don't care what disputes you have. Now that I have given the order, your only task is to execute it, understand?"
"Yes!"
My authority was immediately apparent. Gao Qimeng was drenched in cold sweat, and everyone quickly stood up, bowed, and went out to get to work.
Outside, chaos erupted, and the sound of bugles carried far and wide. The huge military camp instantly became an incredibly noisy place.
Little Turtle and Little Bird rushed in excitedly, saying, "Young Master, what? Is there going to be a war? Damn! Finally, something exciting to watch! Training troops every day is so boring..."
The two had never really appreciated Wang Miao'er, and these two promising young men, who always considered themselves "only interested in poetry and literature in front of beautiful women," were now spouting vulgarities.
I waved my hand and said to them, "Stop talking nonsense. Quickly check what we've prepared and get it to the city wall. Let these Xiliang soldiers see that they're not the only ones who know how to fight."
"Okay,"
Little Turtle and Little Bird agreed, but instead of rushing out, they waited for me to join them.
"By the way, Miss Wang, what did you mean by 'messing things up' earlier?"
I then remembered that Miss Wang also had something to report.
Wang Miao'er stood up with me: "It was originally a big deal, but compared to the invasion of the grassland army, it's a small matter."
I frowned: "Just say it, stop beating around the bush, I don't have time."
Wang Miao'er is capable, but her aristocratic air is too strong; she always has to maintain a certain demeanor, and she doesn't care about the time or place, which is not good.
Hearing my reprimand, the girl wasn't angry: "Someone in the city spread the news that the emperor is no longer caring about Xiliang City, he's not allocating money and supplies, and the army will soon withdraw, leaving hundreds of thousands of orphans and widows to die. So many widows have started a commotion, arguing around the government office and various other offices, and the city is in chaos."
"And everything seems to be happening at once."
I snorted coldly, casually lifting the tent flap and walking outside.
The imperial envoy had barely announced the decree when the rumors spread. It's obvious who was behind it. With such excellent information and enough manpower to spread rumors, besides the two princes of the court, probably no one else has such power.
The two lecherous men's eyes lit up, and they whispered behind me, "Young Master, the loyal Little Turtle (Little Bird) is volunteering for the job. We're experts at appeasing these widowed ladies."
"You two?"
I looked at them amusedly. "Have you dealt with something like this before?"
"Of course we have! In the past two years, the lord has often sent us to handle the riots in Tuyi County. We're even more adept at dealing with these women."
"Alright, I'll give you half an hour to get the supplies and people in order."
"Uh, Young Master, half an hour isn't enough! It should take at least an hour, right?"
"Get lost! If you try to bargain again, I'll leave you outside as great national heroes."
Hearing my words, the two men exchanged a glance and suddenly dashed out like lightning. A moment later, I saw them leading hundreds of martial arts heroes currently serving as the city's guards, riding their steeds and galloping towards the city.
The four gates of Xiliang City were bustling with activity. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers needed to coordinate their entry into the city and prepare for defense. However, they encountered a group that was clearly the personal guard of Duke Lanting. Everyone had to make way and watch them disappear into the distance.
Wang Miao'er and I didn't rush back to the city. Instead, surrounded by guards, we stood on a small hill and watched as dozens of captains of ten thousand men gathered their subordinates, dismantled tents and equipment, and retreated into the city.
The massive scene of hundreds of thousands of people moving together was truly spectacular. Amidst the sea of black heads, four red carriages could be seen constantly weaving through the gaps in the crowd.
After more than a month of getting to know them, I knew that these were the carriages of Feng Wei's four deputy generals, used specifically for organizing the troops and maintaining order. Feng Wei's vanguard battalion was able to operate so efficiently largely due to their coordination abilities.
As expected, the initially flustered and tense army gradually calmed down as the carriages shuttled back and forth, entering Xiliang City swiftly and without haste. With our keen eyesight, Wang Miao'er and I could clearly see Gao Qimeng standing on the city wall in the sunlight, directing his soldiers to continuously ascend the city tower.
Wang Miao'er calmly said, "Your Highness, the two chief stewards are very diligent. These past few days, they've practically become one with the city garrison. I think even my words might not carry as much weight as theirs."
My heart skipped a beat as I glanced at her. The second young lady of the Wang family didn't seem angry; it was as if she were just chatting casually.
I had sent Little Turtle and Little Bird to contact the city garrison precisely to weaken the Wang family's influence on them and make them focus their attention on Xiliang City. Little
Turtle and Little Bird might not be good at much else, but they were more than capable of handling the ways of the martial arts world. Within a few days, they were feasting, drinking, and indulging in brothels with the guards. Coupled with their prominent status, they had developed excellent relationships with the martial arts figures and gradually gained influence.
The things I just mentioned were prepared by Little Turtle and Little Bird with the city garrison. I actually trust the people of the martial world to keep secrets better than the "Silver Tiger Legion."
I said casually, "These two little rascals aren't very diligent in studying government affairs, but they're faster than anyone else when it comes to playing together. That's quite in line with the straightforwardness of martial arts heroes."
Wang Miao'er smiled, "Your Highness, please don't misunderstand. The more stable and powerful Xiliang City is, the happier the people of the Northwest will be. My father also said that you've given 2,200 martial arts heroes the city garrison, providing them with official status while solving their families' livelihoods and safety—it's truly a brilliant move."
I nodded and smiled. If I couldn't even see through this scheme, Wang Guowei wouldn't be the master of the Northwest royal family. However, I was satisfied with this martial arts boss's generosity; at least he was much better than those two bastards, the Tang King and the Zhennan King.
"With a thousand elite soldiers from the 'Silver Tiger Legion,' plus the well-trained reserve army, Xiliang City should be safe!"
Wang Miao'er praised, but her brows were tightly furrowed, clearly indicating that her mood wasn't as relaxed as her words suggested.
"Miss Wang, I wonder if we're on the same wavelength? You don't seem to be worried about Xiliang City at all!"
I said admiringly, because there was something I had just thought of myself, and if it were true, then things would be quite interesting.
Wang Miao'er looked anxious: "Yes, I was thinking, if the barbarian tribes from the grasslands rush in and don't attack our Xiliang City, but instead head straight for the undefended heart of the three northwestern prefectures, how will we defend ourselves?"
"It's not 'if,' it's 'they'll definitely do it, unless their commander is an idiot.'"
I nodded. "If they dare to come, they must know what happened during our battle with the Southern Desert Allied Forces, and they understand that the three northwestern prefectures are at their weakest point. They're not afraid of us going out to rescue them. Sending these untrained soldiers out to meet the enemy on the plains is suicide!"
"Yes, things happened so suddenly, there's no way to cope in such a rush,"
the second young lady of the Wang family said melancholically.
Her feelings for the Northwest were definitely stronger than mine, because this was the homeland of their Northwestern Wang family. Who could tolerate their stronghold being ripped out by the Black Tiger?
Actually, there was something else I didn't say.
Too many coincidences had come together; it was definitely not a coincidence!
Emperor Kangzong's decree not to allocate funds and provisions to Xiliang City, and the widows' immediate uproar at the government office upon receiving the news, were merely minor troubles, hardly a problem. Even if I begged for alms from the three northwestern prefectures or sought money from the royal family, I could certainly overcome the difficulties.
The most insidious thing was that the grassland allied forces launched their second, menacing attack at this very moment.
Logically, given the heavy losses suffered by the "Silver Tiger Legion," to maintain stability in the northwest, Liufeng Kingdom would certainly have mobilized a portion of the "Golden Dragon Legion," "Bronze Leopard Legion," and "Iron Wolf Legion"... at the very least, elite troops from each prefecture. But in reality, Emperor Kangzong sent none.
It's certain the enemy knew there were no elite legions in the northwest, but were they so sure the elite legions weren't on their way to Xiliang City?
Such keen awareness and bold attack suggest they had inside connections in the northwest and within the court; to say they had no accomplices would be a blatant lie.
The problem is, I'm unsure whether the Tang King and the Zhennan King leaked this information, or whether Emperor Kangzong deliberately leaked it!
Previously, I thought the emperor was just a stern-faced father-in-law, but after this trip to the Northwest, I realized this emperor wasn't so simple.
While I was pondering this, Wang Miao'er suddenly raised her hand: "Look!"
Following her gaze, a magnificent horse galloped from afar. Wang Miao'er noticed it because wherever it passed, all the soldiers parted like a tide. The
fiery red helmet worn by the rider clearly identified him as a scout!
"Report!"
The rider approached the direction of the commander's banner, and, supported by others, ran up the hillside, his voice hoarse, "Reporting, sir, the hundreds of thousands of barbarian troops from the grasslands are already more than two hundred miles away!"
I patted his shoulder: "I know, you've worked hard. Go and rest. I'll handle it."
The scout, focused on gathering intelligence, had successfully brought the news to me. Having accomplished his mission, he immediately fainted.
"It seems there are no more questions."
I looked up and asked Wang Miao'er, "How many more hours until they arrive at Xiliang City?"
"If they started their long march from the northern desert without rest, it should take four hours; if their horses are in good condition, they should arrive in three hours at most,"
Wang Miao'er quickly gave her assessment.
Nodding, I turned and gave the orders: "Someone, summon the two ladies; also, call back the two chief stewards, and tell them to bring the supplies and people; then find General Gao Qimeng, General Feng Wei, General Zhou Jing, and Lord Chi Changyun, and be quick!"
Orders on the battlefield are often carried out most thoroughly. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all six people except for Little Turtle and Little Bird had run up the hillside.
The fastest to arrive were naturally my two beautiful He tribe girls. Besides carrying two large bundles, they had already changed into black tight-fitting clothes, with gold-threaded armor brought from home underneath to ensure their safety as much as possible.
"Your Highness, what has happened again?"
Feng Wei was the first to ask.
"Come and see. " I spread out a map and squatted down, gesturing for them all to come over: "
If the grassland allied forces do not directly attack Xiliang City, but instead bypass Xiliang City and head south, they can reach Huaiyuan City, the capital of Xishuo County, in eight hours by fast horse; then Xingyong County and Longliang County will also be completely exposed to the iron hooves of the grassland allied forces. Given such a perilous situation, what are your thoughts?" "
While waiting for them, I thought of something. Even Wang Miao'er and I could guess the direction of the grassland allied forces' movements, so it's impossible that these veteran generals and officials of Xiliang City couldn't have missed it.
But not only did they not say anything, they didn't even try to warn me.
The only explanation is that they have their own plans, and how could those little schemes be hidden from Young Master Ri, who has been good at plotting and scheming since childhood—no, he's good at winning by surprise?
After I directly told them the most likely course of action of the grassland allied forces, the group looked at each other, stunned and speechless.
I said coldly, "There are no outsiders here, so I'll be frank. First, you feel that Xiliang City has already suffered too much damage, and the new 'Silver Tiger Legion' has not yet been trained. Rushing into battle to stop the grassland cavalry would only be suicide. Second, you are disheartened by the Emperor and the court's actions. You can't believe they don't care about Xiliang City at all. They give nothing to Xiliang City, which is in dire need of reconstruction. They are practically driving the million soldiers and civilians of Xiliang City to their deaths."
"So you've decided not to send troops at all, letting the three northwestern prefectures be thoroughly plundered by the grassland allied forces, preferably killing hundreds of thousands of civilians, destroying dozens of cities, and then leaving with tens of thousands of cartloads of wealth, women, and children. This will ignite the united hatred of the three northwestern prefectures and show the court the consequences of neglecting Xiliang City!"
The four bigwigs of Xiliang City bowed their heads again. This was the first time they had heard me use such vulgar language, and they knew that Lord Lanting was truly enraged.
"Raise your heads!"
I wasn't going to let them off the hook: "You dare to do it but dare not admit it, what a waste of all the years you've lived!"
"Since Your Highness already knows, what else do you need us to say?"
Feng Wei, being a traditional soldier, was the most thin-skinned, so he spoke first.
"I can't believe you're so selfish!"
"Selfish? What selfishness? They've abandoned us!"
Gao Qimeng sneered. "We're the ones who do all the hard and tiring work every day. Once we're no longer of any use, they abandon the entire Xiliang City just because of factional infighting! They abandon the safety of the three northwestern prefectures! Your Highness, I'm not talking about you. We know you knew before you came that there would be no reinforcements from the three northwestern prefectures, but you still came. For that, I, Gao Qimeng, have nothing to say.
"But what are those people in the court who only know how to eat, drink, be merry, and fight thinking? The Southern Desert Allied Forces have retreated, but what about Northern Desert, Eastern Desert, and Western Desert? In the past, they didn't dare to come because of their internal strife and the powerful 'Silver Tiger Legion'! But now? Your Highness, it's not that we don't want to attack, it's that we really can't! The 'Silver Tiger Legion' only has a little over ten thousand men left. We need to leave some descendants so that we can continue to protect the three northwestern prefectures!" "
The strategist of the 'Silver Tiger Legion' has gone all out. He spilled everything, whether he should or shouldn't have said it, leaving Chi Changyun and the other two terrified yet filled with admiration.
Good heavens, when did Gao Qimeng become so audacious?

Chapter Two: Planning and Deployment
The blazing sun beat down, and everyone looked at my calm expression, but their hearts were filled with coldness.
Putting aside everything else, Gao Qimeng's words just now were enough to send all four of them to prison for life.
"I want to tell you one thing: protecting the Northwest is your responsibility, your duty. You are not protecting the Northwest for the court or the emperor, but for your loved ones, for the people who work hard every day to grow food to feed you!"
I said coldly. "Whether you are a man or not, whether you have a conscience, now is the time to show it. If you're willing to be a coward, watching your brothers and sisters being slaughtered by the grassland barbarians, then get out of Xiliang City! I don't need your elite troops!"
Gao Qimeng blushed. "Your Highness, please don't say such righteous words. We want to protect them, otherwise we wouldn't have settled in Xiliang City. But there are so many practical problems. What can we use to stop the enemy? To fill the gaps with human lives? We're not afraid of sacrifice, we're afraid that even sacrifice won't achieve the desired effect!" "
Alright, stop looking like you've lost your mother."
I shook my head. "I say you guys are really stupid. Besides hiding, can't you think of a way to have the best of both worlds? And don't keep talking about sacrifice. Actually, there are many ways to make these grassland barbarians suffer."
Everyone perked up. "Your Highness, you have a plan?"
Hearing me use vulgar language, they felt more at ease.
"Thump thump thump" of footsteps sounded. Before anyone could turn around, Little Turtle and Little Bird were already standing beside me.
"Young Master, what's wrong? We're not setting up defenses on the city wall?"
The two panting asked, puzzled.
"Enough nonsense, where's the stuff?"
"There." The two
pointed, and there, amidst the retreat of everyone else into the city, were two thousand knights in the uniforms of the city garrison scattered below the hill. Half of their saddles were bulging leather sacks.
I nodded and smiled, turning to the four anxiously waiting leaders of Xiliang City: "What are cavalry most afraid of?"
Zhou Jing replied without hesitation: "Cavalleria are best at plains, and most afraid of hills and waterways where they cannot exert their charging and traversing power. Although the northwest is mostly hilly, it's all large hills, lacking the rugged terrain of the southwest, making it a favorite target for grassland tribes."
"I remember General Chen built many traps and obstacles outside Xiliang City; they must have been very effective, right?"
"Yes, Your Highness, but they were destroyed by the Southern Desert Allied Forces in the last great battle and are no longer usable."
"It was my oversight, really. I only thought the enemy had retreated; I didn't realize there were so many wolves on the grasslands." "
I declared loudly, 'But it's not too late. We can start setting traps now and do everything we can to stop these steppe barbarians.'
'Now?'
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. 'How can we possibly have enough time? We only have two or three hours!'
'Anything is possible if you're willing to do it.'"
I pointed down and said, "From here to the heart of Xishuo County, it's all familiar territory. Digging pits, cutting down trees, rolling boulders, scattering barbed wire, setting up barricades, and causing landslides for construction isn't easy, but is causing destruction really that difficult?" "
The time is a bit rushed, but it's doable. However, if our people go out to cause destruction, how will they get back? Won't they be trapped outside and sacrifice themselves?" Gao Qimeng asked doubtfully.
"What's so difficult about that?"
I laughed. "Next time, you'll participate in the daily running training. These days, those bastards from the reserve legion have run through the surrounding twenty or thirty miles of mountains. After they've finished causing trouble, let them stay on the mountain. I don't believe the grassland barbarians will dare to dismount and fight them."
"Brilliant!"
Wang Miao'er exclaimed. However, the girl wasn't superficial; her next question was, "What if they surround our people at the foot of the mountain? There isn't much food on the mountain." I smiled. "
If they did that, it would be even better. Wouldn't that reduce the pressure on Xishuo County? However, invading someone else's territory and then having to divide their forces to weaken their strength—I doubt the grassland barbarians would be that foolish."
"You haven't answered my question about food yet,"
Wang Miao'er insisted.
"What's so difficult about food? Small animals, wild fruits, grass, tree roots—as long as they don't starve, that's enough. If they survive for three days, they'll have done a great service."
I said calmly, "We could even consider setting the mountains on fire, but most of the mountains in the northwest are desolate, especially around Xiliang City. Besides wasting manpower and resources, there's nothing good about it."
Wang Miao'er nodded. "Your Highness, you've considered things very carefully. Then I won't embarrass myself by offering my own advice."
"Since I'm the leader of Xiliang City, let's start assigning tasks."
I didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "General Gao Qimeng."
"Your humble servant is here."
"You will lead the 5th, 8th, and 150,000-strong reserve legion to carry out sabotage operations along key transportation routes within a 20-mile radius. Use any method you can, as long as you delay the enemy, you will succeed." "
Yes!"
"General Feng Wei."
"Your Highness, I await your orders."
"You will lead the 17th, 28th, and 350,000-strong reserve legion to a location 20 miles away. Make sure to cause trouble for them on the main roads, and be careful to protect yourselves."
"Understood."
"General Zhou Jing! Lord Chi Changyun!"
"Your subordinates are here."
"You will lead the remaining 10,000-strong force and the 'Silver Tiger Legion' soldiers to guard Xiliang City. Before that, allocate all usable supplies to General Feng and General Gao. They only need a bag of dry rations. The main items are shovels, ropes, knives, saws, and other tools. If they are not available, requisition them from the residents. The two lords must have everything ready within half an hour."
"Yes, I will complete the mission." "
Furthermore, Lord Chi, you must also promptly notify all officials in the three northwestern prefectures. This time, the grassland barbarians are coming with great force. Ask them to relocate as many people as possible. Those who are too far away to enter the city should all be moved to the mountains."
"I will send a message by carrier pigeon immediately."
"Then disperse. Go do what you need to do. If the Northwest escapes this predicament, I will give everyone a surprise."
"Yes!"
After everyone responded, they realized something was amiss.
"Your Highness, you...you're coming back to the city with us?"
Chi Changyun asked, forcing a smile.
"Yes, Your Highness. With you in Xiliang City to command, we will be more motivated."
Several generals of the "Silver Tiger Legion" also looked on with anticipation. Officials
are always more timid than soldiers, because the more they gain, the more they fear losing. The four bigwigs were afraid something might happen to me; even if Xiliang City was saved, they would still have to bear the Empress's wrath. Conversely, if I was alright, then even if Xiliang City was lost, the greatest responsibility would fall on me, the Imperial Envoy and the city's defender, and their responsibility would be much less.
"Since Xiliang City and the Northwest are now in dire straits, I, the Lord of Lanting, who oversees the military and political affairs of the three northwestern prefectures, should set an example."
I looked at them one by one: "Generals, rest assured, as long as you successfully complete the task I have given you, whatever the consequences, I, Ren Lanting, will bear them all."
Having said this much, they knew that persuasion was useless, so they could only bow and run off in a hurry.
"Your Highness, what can I do?"
Wang Miao'er stepped forward and asked.
"You are the most important link in my plan." "
I looked at her seriously: 'Miss Wang, please tell Uncle Wang that I need to see a force of 5,000 elite cavalrymen in this place no later than six hours later.'
Wang Miao'er looked at the map I was pointing to. This was a plain located between Xiliang City and Huaiyuan City, the capital of Xishuo County. A small river flowed through the plain and merged into the Luo River, the mother river of the Northwest.
Every family has its own private army to protect its interests.
According to the Privy Council of the Imperial Court, the Fu family and the Yuwen family had no less than 3,000 private soldiers, and the Wang family of the Northwest had even more, at least 8,000.
After arriving in the Northwest, I truly felt the power of the Wang family. Not to mention anything else, just the fact that they could command tens of thousands of martial artists in the Northwest was enough to make people take notice. As for their hidden private army, it should be at least 50,000.
This force might not be very useful in a large-scale battle involving hundreds of thousands of people, but if used well, it could make the enemy suffer.
'5,000 elite soldiers are a bit too many, but I will ask my father to find a way.'" "
Wang Miao'er pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness, could you tell me what you need them for?"
"What else could they be for? Only harassment and ambushes."
I smiled and said, "Miss Wang, you should remind Uncle Wang that most of these men are likely to die in battle. This is a great thing for your Wang family."
Wang Miao'er rolled her eyes at me, thinking, what is this Lord Lanting saying? Most of my family's elites are dead or wounded, and he thinks it's a good thing?
She was a little naive, perhaps because she was not sensitive to the overall situation of the court, so she didn't understand what I was saying. However, Wang Guowei definitely understood that sending his own elite troops to help the court and weaken the family's power would greatly alleviate the suspicion of the court and Emperor Kangzong. Therefore, these five thousand men were a necessary loss.
Although it was cruel, for the continuation of the family, Wang Guowei had to bear such a loss.
The girl didn't understand my thoughts, but she also knew that the decision to accept or not was not her father's to consider. All she did was convey my words to her father, so she nodded: "Okay, I'll write a letter right away."
Wang Miao'er stood up to walk down, but I stopped her again. "
Miss Wang, after you finish writing the letter, do you dare to lead them and your Wang family's five hundred experts to fight the enemy?"
I asked, pointing to the city garrison below the hill.
I had a deeper meaning in this. The city garrison and the army were practically two different systems. The only people who could truly command them were myself, Little Turtle, Little Bird, and Wang Miao'er. Among them, Wang Miao'er had more influence, so giving this force to Wang Miao'er was a good idea.
Wang Miao'er pondered my words: "Fight?"
I drew another circle on the map: "Sixty to one hundred li south of Xiliang City, there are many mountains and forests. You can prepare in advance and use the terrain to your advantage to fight the enemy. Also..."
As I spoke, I whispered a few words in her ear, and Wang Miao'er's calm face changed drastically.
"Your Highness!"
The girl looked at me with a complicated expression: "You're really willing to spend so much!
" "There's no such thing as being willing or unwilling. As long as these bastards learn their lesson, I'm willing to spend any amount of money."
I said with a smile: "But I'm not giving you everything. We're taking fifty horses with us later, and we need to give a third of the goods to us to put on the horses."
"No problem. You go first, I'll take them after I finish writing the letter."
Wang Miao'er clasped her hands in a fist: "Your Highness, please take care!"
"You too!"
I patted her shoulder: "You just need to harass them, don't fight too hard, protecting yourselves is the most important thing."
"Okay!" "
Wang Miao'er agreed, and the jade dotted out, landing in the crowd.
※※※ "Giddy up!"
The five of us drove fifty fine horses, following the road shown on the map, towards our predetermined destination.
The road from Xiliang City to Huaiyuan City was extremely uneven, unlike other places.
The government did this intentionally, to slow down the invasion of the grassland enemies and hinder their mobility.
Along the way, I carefully observed the environment. Even grain transport convoys had difficulty passing through these roads; it would indeed take the grassland allied forces a lot of effort to get through.
However, we couldn't be blindly optimistic, because once we crossed these 500 li of complex terrain, the remaining three northwestern prefectures could basically be considered..." With the terrain flat and open, the cavalry's power could be maximized.
Riding the finest horses in Xiliang City, we traveled for a full three and a half hours, finally arriving at my designated location—the riverbank—at the height of the afternoon sun.
At this point, we were 450 li from Xiliang City and 150 li from Huaiyuan City.
In the distance, we could see several fine horses standing on a high ground, gazing in our direction. With a series of sharp whistles, the sound of galloping horses came from afar, and dozens of knights appeared. The one leading them surprised me.
As we drew closer, both sides slowed down. I called out, "Uncle Wang, what brings you here?"
The rider in the lead was none other than Wang Guowei, the head of the Ren family. I had expected the Wang family to send an important figure to assist me, but I hadn't anticipated that he would personally lead the troops.
"Hehe, I heard the grassland bandits are attacking again. As a member of the Northwest, how could I not contribute?"
Wang Guowei laughed heartily. "Your Highness, I have brought eight thousand elite Wang family members, all waiting ahead." " Including myself, we all came with a do-or-die mentality, ready to obey your orders."
"Don't worry, Uncle Wang, I was just saying. Preserving the strength of our Northwest to the greatest extent is the most important thing. Otherwise, if we win this time, what will we have to fight next time?"
I smiled and walked at the front with him, reassuring him.
I needed five thousand men, but Wang Guowei not only sent eight thousand, but also came himself, which is a great honor. Threatening him further would be pointless.
Wang Guowei smiled faintly: "Your Highness is right, but no matter what arrangements you make, the Wang family will serve you to the death!"
As we spoke, we turned left off the main road, and after crossing a small hill, we saw a flat area below. Thousands of burly men in neat armor stood in orderly square formations by the river. From the horses' heavy breathing, we could tell they had just arrived.
"Your Highness is mighty! Defend the Northwest!" "
As I appeared, a unified shout erupted from the army formation. The resolute expressions of the Wang family's elite soldiers further amplified the momentum of their chants.
I raised my hand and waved, proclaiming loudly, 'I won't say any more unnecessary words. Today, we are all fighting together for our brothers and sisters in the Northwest, so that they won't be ravaged by foreign tribes, or captured and used as tools worse than cattle! With me and your family head leading the charge, I believe we will surely win this battle!'
The Wang family members shouted again, 'Victory! Victory!'
As expected of the Wang family's elite, each of them had two fine horses beside them, meaning one person had three horses. Even so, the formation remained perfectly orderly. As they spoke, their horses didn't move, demonstrating their excellent training. Only such a force could be considered elite warriors!
'We still have some time before we can drive back those bastards. You should dismount and rest for a while. Conserve your energy so you can kill as many enemies as possible!'
'Yes!'" "
At my command, the Wang family members dismounted and sat down in unison. Several hundred men herded the horses into the makeshift stables, while the rest took out water and rations and ate silently.
There was a detail here: they immediately obeyed my orders without waiting for Wang Guowei's confirmation. This showed that Wang Guowei had truly instructed his men that I was the primary decision-maker for this battle, and everyone should follow my orders. Wang
Guowei and I didn't dismount but sat at the sentry post, gazing at the higher ground. The Wang family members laid out a soft bench, offering us braised pork, flatbread, and wine.
Having been so focused on the journey that we hadn't eaten, I didn't stand on ceremony and started eating, asking as I ate, 'Uncle Wang, how did you get here so quickly?'" "
Wang Guowei said! "A few days ago, when the court was discussing His Highness's memorial, the news also came at the same time. The opinions of the princes were very different, so I went to the prefectural governments of the three prefectures in advance. Just now, I received Miao'er's message by carrier pigeon, so I immediately summoned the family's elite troops to come here. Fortunately, it did not delay His Highness's important matter."
I smiled slightly upon hearing this. Wang Family Fort is a day and a half away from Xiliang City, even at the fastest speed. From receiving the information to mobilizing the private troops
, it is impossible for them to arrive from Wang Family Fort. Demanding that the Wang family's elite troops arrive here in six hours seems extremely unreasonable, but it is because I know that the Wang family has many secret nests in each of the three northwestern prefectures, where they disperse and hide their private troops to reduce attention. This was told to me by my mother-in-law, the Empress, through Yunfu. Yunfu also specifically instructed me not to expose the Wang family's arrangements unless absolutely necessary.
Therefore, what I want is only the Wang family's private troops in Xishuo Prefecture, and even if we subtract the carrier pigeons..." The news spread quickly, and no matter where they came from in Xishuo County, six hours would be more than enough.
They arrived faster than expected, and the fact that Wang Guowei, who was supposed to be at Wangjiabao, had also appeared was quite significant.
However, now was not the time to consider such things. Not only had the Wang family's private army arrived, but it was also Wang Guowei's elite cavalry, and their numbers had increased. This was the Wang family's way of showing goodwill towards me. Therefore, I did not pursue Wang Guowei's lie.
A thought flashed through my mind, and I continued, "Uncle Wang, I am not familiar with this area. I only calculated that the grassland bandits would most likely camp here for the night, so I chose this location. For the specific hiding place and arrangement, I would need your guidance, as you are familiar with the Northwest."
Wang Guowei replied calmly, "Your Highness is truly a genius. Within a hundred miles of here, only this place has flat terrain and a water source. If the grassland army wants to camp for the night, they will definitely have no choice but to choose this place."
He paused, then produced another map, significantly more detailed than the one Chen Fuyue had drawn for me: "Your Highness, please look. Ten miles to the right of this stream, there's a small valley. The entrance is very well hidden, and it's not very large. Aside from a few hunters passing through, few people know about it. We can hide our troops here and tamper with the exit to ensure the steppe scouts can't find us."
I glanced at the location of the valley on the map; it was situated at the rear of this flat area, meaning it was close to Xiliang City.
After the steppe cavalry charged, they would inevitably leave some troops near Xiliang City to contain the Xiliang army. Therefore, they weren't worried about a large-scale counterattack from the Xiliang army, but rather a surprise attack from the front.
Choosing this valley gave us a geographical and psychological advantage.
As for whether they would rush directly into the heart of the three northwestern prefectures without rest, I wasn't sure, but at this point, we had no choice but to take a gamble.
If all else fails, I'll have to do what Wang Miao'er did: lead the Wang family's elite cavalry to follow the grassland bandits, harass and ambush them, constantly weakening their forces and delaying their rampage through the three northwestern prefectures.
Wang Guowei waited for me to finish my rice wine before smiling and saying, "I heard from Miao'er that His Highness spared no expense in buying all of the Thunderfire stockpile of the Jiangnan Thunderbolt Hall of the Great Yuan Kingdom. Could you reveal exactly how much they bought?"
Yes! Thunderfire is the secret weapon I had Little Turtle and Little Bird prepare; it's one of the Great Yuan Jiangnan Thunderbolt Hall's most prized possessions, known as "the best gunpowder in the world."
These round spheres, about the size of a cantaloupe, are covered in iron and filled with the Thunderbolt Hall's secret gunpowder. They explode with a slight impact, their power a hundred times greater than fireworks meant for entertainment. If thrown into a dense crowd, they could cause at least ten casualties.
When the Thunderfire explodes, it makes a tremendous noise, perfect for fighting cavalry. Horses are most afraid of such frights, and if they get out of control, the grassland cavalry will be in for a world of hurt.
This incredibly powerful treasure, due to its extremely complex technology, is only sold by the Thunderbolt Hall one hundred times a year, each costing a whopping ten thousand gold coins. Undoubtedly, this is pure robbery, utterly despicable and shameless, but the heroes of Wanghu, after their complaints, had no choice but to pay. Not to mention, in a critical moment, throwing it on the ground would injure even those with protective inner energy, potentially turning the tide of battle.
Yunfu introduced it to me, and after witnessing its power, I immediately asked three court officials to accompany Xiangting to the Great Yuan Kingdom to purchase it. It was only delivered to Xiliang City five days ago.
When Wang Miao'er wrote her letter, she didn't check how many Thunderfires I had left her, but seeing the bulging bags of at least several hundred fine horses, she knew there must be a considerable amount.
The Wang family in the Northwest were wealthy, but Wang Guowei was quite surprised when he heard that I had actually spent my own money to buy hundreds of them. His curiosity was understandable, and it was also a measure of how much I valued the Northwest – someone willing to spend their own money to maintain the Northwest's security couldn't be a superficial playboy just looking to gain prestige.
Since I was going to use them soon anyway, telling Wang Guowei wouldn't hurt. I lowered my voice: "Two thousand in total, all at a 10% higher price. I've emptied the Thunderbolt Hall's ten-year secret stockpile; I've brought one thousand with me, and the rest are in Xiliang City for backup."
"Two thousand?"
Wang Guowei's eyes widened. "Where did they get so much stock?"
"The Thunderbolt Hall has become half-merchants now. With money, they'll do anything. Uncle Wang, do you really think they can only produce a hundred a year? That's a super-profitable product, worth ten thousand gold coins each!"
My family is also partly from a merchant-official background, so I understand the Thunderbolt Hall's mentality better.
In fact, Xiang Ting had indeed bought up all of the Thunderbolt Hall's Thunderfire stockpile.
According to Xiang Ting's letter, Thunderfire is extremely difficult to preserve, and its effectiveness diminishes significantly over time. Therefore, Thunderbolt Hall dared not produce too many; these two thousand were already a forced sacrifice of all their usable stock.
Of course, they dared to sell so many to Xiang Ting not only because of the 10% markup and the use of iron notes from the First Silver Bank of the Great Yuan, but also because Xiang Ting was from the Liufeng Kingdom. Otherwise, if she were from another Great Yuan Kingdom, they wouldn't dare sell so many; if someone were in a bad mood and threw these two thousand Thunderfire into the palace, Thunderbolt Hall would have no choice but to flee.
To ensure Xiang Ting wouldn't use them within the Great Yuan, Thunderbolt Hall even sent ten family members free of charge to escort Xiang Ting and her party out of the Great Yuan border.
Wang Guowei's expression constantly shifted. He had seen people with extravagant spending, but never anything like this. The Wang family was undoubtedly wealthy, but spending twenty million gold coins on some low-class gunpowder weapons was something he, Wang Guowei, would never do.
But from this, he also saw my emphasis on the Northwest. Wang Guowei nodded secretly, realizing that his full support for this Lord Lanting had been the right move.

Chapter 3: A Night Raid
As night fell, carrier pigeons continuously flew into the canyon.
The opening at the canyon entrance was an irregular "人" shape, more than three meters wide, now completely hidden by dense trees. These trees had just been transplanted from the canyon and extended five meters further inside, making it impossible to tell from any distance whatsoever that there was another world inside.
The Wang family's carrier pigeons were quite interesting; they were paired, with the male in one person's hand and the female in another's. This way, regardless of whether they moved, they could contact each other as quickly as possible.
Wang Miao'er had brought ten female carrier pigeons to Xiliang City, and now the mates of these ten female carrier pigeons were in Wang Guowei's hands, which was why Wang Guowei had arrived so quickly.
A while after noon, a large number of grassland cavalry appeared about ten miles outside Xiliang City. They then slowed down, circled the city once, and displayed their military might with great fanfare.
According to information relayed by carrier pigeons from those hiding in the city, the invading enemy numbered at least 200,000, all elite men aged 20 to 40. Their clothing was not uniform, but rather divided into two styles, confirmed to be the attire of the two major tribes of the Northern Desert, the Geluo and the Guligan. The
200,000-strong Northern Desert army circled around Xiliang City for a while, firing tens of thousands of arrows at the city walls. About 20,000 troops then halted about five miles outside Xiliang City, seemingly setting up camp. The remaining 180,000 troops surged into Xishuo County like a tidal wave.
Gao Qimeng and Feng Wei, both veteran generals, immediately began large-scale destruction of the roads after receiving my orders.
As the saying goes, building a house is difficult, but destroying one is very easy.
Repairing roads requires a great deal of effort, but digging a few large pits and dumping in stones, trees, and other debris is quite effortless.
After a month of running training, the reserve corps had thoroughly mastered the terrain for dozens of miles around, developing increasingly sophisticated and incredibly fast running maneuvers.
Later, they even had time to drive sharpened wooden stakes into the road, placing them every few days, scattered around the roadside like bamboo shoots sprouting from the mountains.
Cavalrymen are most vulnerable to sudden obstacles while running; otherwise, a single horse falling can trigger a chain reaction.
The northern cavalrymen soon experienced this firsthand.
The road was riddled with potholes of varying sizes; a single misstep could send a horse tumbling into one, throwing its rider and injuring the horse's leg!
The stones and logs on the road weren't significant obstacles, but the abundance of trees made it uncomfortable for the horses to step on or leap over, even at a slower pace.
While horses could overcome the difficulties of wood and stone, barbed wire was beyond their comprehension. Thousands upon thousands of barbed wire caltrops were everywhere, seemingly free, mostly covered by a thin layer of mud, only felt by the horses treading on them.
Even more despicable were the sharpened wooden stakes; on the short ten-mile stretch, more than half of the five thousand wounded soldiers and horses perished on these, most severely injured.
Finally, with no other option, they spurred their unmanned steeds forward as trailblazers, sacrificing horses in the process to carve a bloody path and continue their advance.
Of course, these weren't the most despicable or infuriating aspects for the northern cavalry. What truly
enraged these uncouth steppe barbarians was the constant tumbling of large and small rocks and logs down the hills as they traversed them, along with the mocking laughter of the Xiliang city garrison above, challenging them to a duel to the death.
Most people in the three northwestern prefectures had a basic understanding of the grassland language, so they were adept at cursing. It didn't matter if one person couldn't hear it; if dozens or even hundreds of people cursed the same thing together, they could hear it.
From insults against family and ancestors to calling grassland men cowards and lacking fertility… there was nothing the grassland people couldn't hear.
Dozens of hot-tempered cavalrymen charged up the hillside, only to be crushed to death by stones, attracting even more ridicule.
These hills weren't particularly high or treacherous; if the grassland cavalry concentrated their forces and launched a fierce attack, their rate of fire and combat prowess would allow them to capture one in less than an hour.
But how many hills were there on the road from Xiliang City to Huaiyuan City? If they fought them one by one, how long would it take?
The leaders of the northern cavalry weren't fools; they knew this was all a delaying tactic by the enemy. The more elaborate the tricks, the more it proved the weakness of the three northwestern prefectures and the accuracy of their intelligence.
The thought of breaking through this obstacle and wreaking havoc filled the generals with excitement, their hearts pounding.
They ordered their men to ignore the disturbances and charge forward into the northwest, where women, money, and food awaited!
Compared to the annoying harassment, the women and treasure were far more appealing. The steppe barbarians pretended not to hear the provocations from the mountains, carefully following the path cleared by their horses.
Even so, it took them two hours to traverse the forty-mile-long obstacle course. Looking back at the thousands of fallen horses, the leaders gritted their teeth, secretly vowing to kill tens of thousands more to appease their beloved steeds. Then
, they encountered a combined force of 2,500 city guards and members of the Wang family led by Wang Miao'er.
A large-scale charge against untrained martial arts masters was tantamount to suicide for the steppe cavalry, a fact best demonstrated earlier in July outside Xiliang City, where most of them witnessed the tragedy firsthand.
Therefore, instead of a direct confrontation, they relied on the fact that each of them had two or three horses and were familiar with the terrain to frequently charge out from hilltops, side roads, and forests, attacking the flanks and rear of the steppe army. Each time, they would first hurle a large number of iron balls in all directions, creating loud explosions that terrified many horses, sending them scattering in panic.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Wang Miao'er and her group surrounded the surrounding cavalry, relentlessly cutting them down. They didn't linger, killing or wounding hundreds of cavalrymen before fleeing, disappearing from sight no matter how hard they were pursued.
Wang Miao'er's army was extremely cunning, always attacking the cavalry's weakest points, causing them considerable trouble. While casualties were minor—total losses amounted to only three to five thousand—the inability to catch this wretched loach, along with the powerful and even more frightening iron ball, fueled their frustration and dampened morale.
Due to the constant attacks of this venomous snake, the army slowed their pace several times in an attempt to capture Wang Miao'er and her forces. However, in the Northwest, ambushing the martial arts practitioners and members of the Wang family was utterly futile; they failed every time, only slowing their advance. Later,
they were willing to invest heavily, leaving a ten-thousand-strong force specifically to engage and fight Wang Miao'er and her troops, gradually shaking off the harassment and allowing them to advance at full speed.
By the time they finally achieved their first truly unimpeded gallop, time had already passed, dusk had quietly arrived, and they hadn't traveled far. After another hour of riding, darkness fell.
At this moment, several generals commanding the army pointed to a small river on their maps.
"Ten more miles ahead, there's a small river there. We'll rest here tonight and begin our Northwest feast tomorrow morning!"
The message quickly spread throughout the army. The steppe cavalry, who had been marching for three days and three nights, suddenly became incredibly energetic again, covering the ten miles in the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn.
The once tranquil plain suddenly became bustling with activity. Thousands upon thousands of horses surged towards the riverbank. Except for those setting up tents, almost all the steppe barbarians simply lay down on the ground, too lazy to get up.
A huge yellow tent was the first to be erected. The four leaders of the two major tribes who had set out on this expedition were already sitting inside, drinking mare's milk wine, and issuing a series of orders.
Several thousand-cavalry commanders, upon receiving the orders, immediately led their weary men on patrols within a twenty-mile radius. They could not return until someone came to relieve them; everything was for the sake of the main force.
They also feared being ambushed, so they had to eliminate any potential threats immediately.
It's not without reason that the steppe barbarians are known for their "unparalleled cavalry."
The harsh environment of the steppe forged their resilient character and the principle that only the strong survive. Thus, through the test of time, they have become increasingly powerful.
Take their resilience, for example: three days and three nights without sleep, only taking short naps on horseback when tired, or slowing down occasionally, never even dismounting. This is how they achieved the miracle of covering 2,700 li (approximately 1,850 kilometers) in three days and three nights.
Ordinary people would be too exhausted to even crawl by then, but they could still patrol, cook, and set up tents, everything in perfect order. This made us, watching from the top of the canyon, abandon our plan to attack before they had a firm foothold and choose to wait.
Two more hours passed in the blink of an eye. The noisy riverbank had calmed down considerably. Apart from the occasional campfire still burning, most of the steppe cavalry had fallen asleep.
The patrolling cavalry outside had rotated three times, and their reconnaissance range had expanded to over thirty li. However, there weren't many reconnaissance forces within ten li of the camp. The grassland barbarians' camp occupied five li, and since we were only five li away, if we were quick, we should be able to get as close as possible and then launch our attack.
"Is it time?"
Little Turtle and Little Bird asked excitedly.
"No,"
I said without hesitation.
"Why? Young Master, didn't you see they're all fast asleep? We can almost hear them snoring!"
"You refuse to study military strategy, all you do is play!"
I said sternly, "When tired people fall asleep, they're still in a light sleep. They need to wait another hour to enter a deep sleep. Only then will their reactions be slowest, making it the perfect time for our ambush."
The two asked, seemingly understanding, "Young Master, is this knowledge mentioned in military texts?"
"What do you mean, 'not'?"
I pointed behind me. "Isn't it recorded in the Japanese ninjutsu that the two young mistresses brought?"
"Oh, that's a cruel book of torture, isn't it?" "
Idiots, any book is fine, as long as it's useful to us, right?"
I glared at them and said, "Go back and copy this book ten times, or don't even think about going out for drinks."
"Okay!"
Under my forceful pressure, Little Turtle and Little Bird had no choice but to give in.
Wang Guowei, who had been watching coldly from the side, couldn't help but smile. In the eyes of the nobles in the court, this was disrespectful and had no concept of hierarchy, but in the eyes of the martial arts world, it was a sign of good master-servant affection. What
I just said was exactly what Wang Guowei was thinking. He originally wanted to explain it to me, but now he realized that it was unnecessary. Lord Lanting was very clever.
Although the waiting time was long, an hour slowly passed.
It was already midnight. In terms of the day, this is when ordinary people are most prone to fatigue. With the combined effects, it could only be said that God wanted us to give these invading bandits a good stab.
After eating their rations at dusk, the eight thousand royal family members began to rest, most of them meditating cross-legged.
This revealed them not only to be elite cavalry but also skilled martial arts practitioners—a well-trained cavalry composed of martial arts masters could be considered the king of cavalry.
Even in the moments before the life-or-death struggle, the eight thousand royal family soldiers maintained their indifferent expressions and composed eyes, waiting for their men to remove the trees at the valley entrance.
The biggest concern now was the ten thousand patrol soldiers sent out. If our first wave of attack failed to strike at the heart of the enemy, and they became entangled in a desperate struggle, the sixteen thousand steppe barbarians inside could quickly regroup and launch a counterattack.
The horses had rested thoroughly for half a day, and Wang Guowei had fed them stimulating fodder, making them a third faster than usual.
Their hooves were already wrapped in soft cloth, and all unnecessary items like bells had been removed. Every moment later the patrols discovered them increased our chances of success.
Of the three hundred Thunderfires I brought, I gave two hundred and ninety to Wang Guowei, who distributed them long ago, naturally to those who knew when to use them.
As per our discussion, the eight thousand royal cavalry were divided into eight thousand-man squads, each led by myself, Wang Guowei, Little Turtle, Little Bird, and four royal elders, to infiltrate the enemy camp from various directions.
The aim was to create as much chaos as possible, tearing the camp into dozens of pieces to prevent them from regrouping, thus allowing for repeated attacks and annihilation to maximize enemy casualties.
This tactic is also called the wolf pack tactic, invented by a great chieftain of the grasslands. Thousands of years ago, he used this tactic to conquer the entire Sea Mi Continent with only two hundred thousand men.
Even now, the wolf pack tactic remains the most powerful tactic on the grasslands; on the plains, it represents invincibility. Now, we are using the wolf pack tactic to retaliate against them, a case of giving them a taste of their own medicine.
"I've said it before, today we're not fighting for high-ranking officials in the court, but for our own homeland. Now, it's time for us to prove it with our actions!"
My voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout the entire ranks. "Kill!"
With that, I took the lead, charging out of the cleared valley entrance. Close behind me were the Jinggong sisters, wearing demon masks.
Their armor was quite interesting; it wasn't the full-body armor used on the mainland, but rather detachable armor that only protected vital areas. It was kept in their packs, ready to be changed at any time—if I hadn't given them the Golden Silk Armor, I really wouldn't have felt comfortable letting them wear this more decorative than practical Hezakh armor.
I was also fully armored at this moment, with only my eyes showing through my helmet. Little Turtle and Little Bird went even further; their armor was custom-made in Xiliang City, with even the eye area encased in a layer of polished brass, designed to be impenetrable by arrows.
Eight thousand men swiftly surged out of the valley entrance, then, as previously divided, we split into eight teams, charging rapidly and resolutely from different directions towards the grassland army camp five miles away. The horses

'
hooves, wrapped in soft cloth, made little noise as they galloped, but with nearly ten thousand cavalrymen at their pace, the ground still trembled considerably.
Fortunately, most of the grassland barbarians were fast asleep at this time, and even those sentries near the camp were still drowsy and unable to react immediately. While
most of the grassland allied forces' sentries were ten miles away, that didn't mean there weren't any here. In fact, we had only charged three miles when several sharp whooshing sounds rang out, followed by brilliant fireworks exploding in the sky.
I continued forward without stopping, completely ignoring the sudden clamor of battle cries.
The direction from which the fireworks indicated that at least three thousand-cavalry units had been discovered. Regardless of their outcome, all I could do was keep charging forward, breaking through the camp before the enemy could react.
The closer we got to the main camp, the more torches were lit, and the chaotic sounds filled the air. Some men had already run to their horses, climbed onto their mounts, and charged out with weapons in hand.
"Screech! Screech!"
The sharp whistles rang out incessantly, waking more and more steppe barbarians.
At this moment, my group was only a few hundred meters away from them, and we encountered the scattered cavalry charging out.
"Kill!"
I roared, my voice, filled with true energy, nearly knocking several oncoming cavalrymen off their horses.
In that brief moment of hesitation, I had already passed them, several heads shooting into the air with pillars of blood. Before they could even react, they were sent to the underworld.
Over the course of three hundred meters, we passed dozens of groups of people, some large, some small. The smaller ones were all dealt with by my twin swords, while the larger ones were taken care of by my wife and me. The thousand Wang family members behind us, watching the hundreds of steppe cavalrymen being slaughtered along the way, were filled with utter admiration.
I had long anticipated the day I would directly confront the steppe cavalry, so my weapons were two large swords, somewhat similar in style to the Japanese katana of the Keimiya sisters, but much wider and thicker. These were also divine weapons crafted by Japanese artisans of the Keimiya family, capable of cutting through iron like mud, and now they came in handy.
As we fought our way through, we found ourselves before a dense mass of tents. Behind the simple wooden fences, countless steppe barbarians scurried about, some screaming in terror as they saw us approaching.
Suddenly, everything went black, and a particularly burly steppe barbarian charged at me, wielding a spiked club, his ferocious face radiating murderous intent.
"Get out of my way!"
I shouted sharply, slashing down with one hand. A white blade of energy flashed out like lightning. Seeing the danger, the man raised his club horizontally to his chest, but the blade's energy sliced through it without resistance, cleaving him and his horse in two.
"Bang!"
Blood mist filled the air. The steppe cavalry following behind him were terrified, but this only fueled their ferocity. Shouting in a dialect I couldn't understand, they swarmed towards me, hacking and slashing.
I laughed and spurred my horse forward, hacking and slashing through the crowd. Heads flew everywhere like gourds, enraging the twin beauties following closely behind. Their sharp katanas, like demons, relentlessly reaped lives.
Suddenly, my vision cleared. Just two meters ahead was a makeshift wooden fence. Once I crossed it, the unprepared steppe barbarians inside wouldn't stand a chance against my iron cavalry.
In this critical moment, my mind remained calm. I unleashed my Heavenly Demon Art to its fullest extent, my two broadswords flashing with power, my energy surging through my arms. Two massive white streaks reappeared, striking the fence squarely.
"Bang! Bang!"
The fence exploded, splintering countless pieces of wood into deadly weapons, piercing the bodies of over a dozen steppe barbarians.
All the people within a fifty-meter radius of the northern steppe were drawn to this scene. Such destructive power was beyond human capability! But this was only the beginning of the nightmare.
I spurred my horse over the fence, my twin swords flashing as I grabbed two cloth bags from under the saddle. With an arc, the bags landed precisely where the largest group of people was.
"Boom! Boom!"
Two violent explosions rang out, sparks flying and screams echoing. Dozens of grassland soldiers trying to mount their horses were sent flying by the blasts, their horses bleeding profusely and neighing in panic. Some of the more aggressive horses even bolted to the side.
Charging past the explosions on either side, I saw rows of tents before me. As I relentlessly hacked and slashed, tent after tent fell, their supports collapsing. Some tents were empty, while others still held people trapped inside. They were in dire straits; how could the royal family soldiers following behind not seize such a golden opportunity? They spurred their horses, trampling the collapsed tents, many dying within their tents before they even had a chance to resist.
Within moments, I had charged ten meters into the tents, and the explosions began to resound from all directions, proving that the other thousand-man squads had also stormed into the northern grassland army's camp.
As the spearhead of the thousand-man squad, the Jinggong sisters and I, relying on our profound skills, were unmatched in combat. No matter how fierce the enemy, they were all swiftly and cleanly killed by us. The white light of our blades flashed constantly, sending these bandits to their doom.
The enemy wasn't without ways to deal with us; I encountered more than ten arrow attacks. But when my Heavenly Demon Art was pushed to its limit, I remained calm as I slashed at the enemy. No sound escaped my notice, and I was able to defuse danger in advance or simply shatter the incoming arrows with my true energy. The incredibly alluring Jinggong Mei and Jinggong Cai were no less ruthless than me. Their katanas danced lightly yet fiercely in the air, and enemies who had been overlooked because of my rapid advance were all cut down by them, leaving the royal cavalry behind us with almost nothing to do.
Before I knew it, my vision opened up, and I realized that we had passed through the camp and reached the riverbank.
"Whoa!"
I reined in my horse, turning it around. The men behind me saw the river and, like me, brought their horses to a halt.
Looking at the remaining men, many were wounded, but it seemed not many had been lost. My two little darlings were clean, their clothes spotless, their breathing barely labored.
"Do you dare charge with me again?"
My voice boomed, drowning out the shouts and screams from the camp, reaching the ears of the Wang family cavalry.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
They responded without hesitation, brandishing their blades.
"Good, truly heroes of the Northwest!"
I laughed. "Make way, I'll lead the charge again, follow me!"
As soon as I finished speaking, a path opened before me, and my two concubines and I charged forward. The remaining Wang family cavalry regrouped and began their second charge.
If it were daytime, those standing on high ground could see that within a five-mile radius, fires and explosions rose and fell, tents were constantly burning, and the steppe soldiers, whether mounted or not, were in a state of chaos. Even if they resisted, the effect would be very limited.
These eight thousand elite royal cavalry were different. They were the pride of the millennia-old Northwest royal family, their strongest mobile force. Each one selected was chosen with utmost care, as evidenced by their minimal losses while fighting alongside me amidst the vast army.
Furthermore, having rested and recuperated for half a day, and fighting to defend their homeland, they naturally had the upper hand against the exhausted and underestimated Northwest army.
Eight sharp blades carved lines into the massive camp, all stained with blood; and three hundred powerful lightning bolts accompanied our attacks, constantly adding new pain to the camp.
The ten thousand cavalrymen patrolling outside had long since returned, but they were too hesitant. Wherever they charged, their own men were there, preventing them from fully utilizing the cavalry's advantages and instead making them appear to be a hindrance.
During the back-and-forth charges, I encountered Little Turtle and Little Bird several times. I instructed them to try to go where there were more people, and to charge immediately wherever they saw signs of cavalry gathering. The key was to prevent them from gathering, otherwise, hundreds of thousands of enemy soldiers would crush us.
However, while they could suppress many tribes in the southern desert, the northern desert cavalry were not to be trifled with.
Even though we were desperately cutting through their camps and dispersing their gathered resistance, after half an hour, we could clearly feel the increasing pressure.
Dozens of small cavalry units seemed to have gone mad, relentlessly pursuing us, preventing our cavalry from advancing, and even directly attacking us, risking their lives to force us to slow down.
Later, they disregarded their own casualties, raining down arrows wherever we went, often causing heavy losses among the royal cavalry.
Then, immediately afterward, at least five or six thousand cavalrymen surged towards our most lethal enemy force from all directions. They had no intention of engaging in a head-on battle; instead, they charged towards the left, right, and rear of our column, trying to scatter our thousand men just as we had done. Once their forces were dispersed, they could use their numerical advantage to surround and kill us.
Realizing their trick, I decisively led my men to change direction and charge from the side.
Upon encountering the enemy on the flank, their leader skillfully nocked an arrow and fired at me and the two twin beauties.
"Whoosh!"
A sharp sound pierced the air, followed by a dense barrage of arrows.
The steppe people's mounted archery had its own set of tactics. Generally, the commander of a thousand cavalry would designate a target, and wherever his arrows were fired, his men would follow. So, suddenly, countless terrifying arrow blades appeared before us.
If they had fired such arrows from about 300 paces away, I would have definitely turned and run, because distance amplifies the power of the arrows.
But now the steppe cavalry were less than 30 meters away, and the arrows were less than half their maximum power. I wasn't afraid of such weak arrows. My eyes flashed with a sharp light, and I wielded my two broadswords like spinning wheels, shredding all the approaching arrows to dust.
The Jinggong sisters were no less formidable; their katanas formed an impenetrable barrier around them, preventing even a drop of water from getting in.
But even with such a high density of arrows, the three of us couldn't intercept them all. Although the royal elites behind us were also desperately trying to intercept them, many were hit by arrows. The suppressed cries of pain and the sounds of horses falling clearly reached my ears.
At a distance of just over twenty meters, with both sides charging desperately, the two sides collided almost instantly, and by then their arrows had only managed to fire two volleys.
Unexpectedly, my monstrous strength allowed me to block the most arrows and charge forward without slowing down. The centurion quickly drew his saber, yelling as he swung it down.
I coldly snorted, charging straight at him, my broadsword unleashing a white streak, the blade's energy, imbued with my rage, piercing his body and cleaving the two knights behind him in several pieces.
"My God!"
The steppe knights behind were terrified. After they had charged forward with gritted teeth only to be slaughtered by me, the cavalry behind lost the courage to intercept and scattered with a thunderous roar.
Once they were gone, the pressure on us instantly lessened, and the enemies surrounding us, who were trying to surround us, didn't even have time to change formation before we broke through and fought our way out.
These northern cavalrymen were very clever. Once we escaped the camp, they stopped chasing us and instead formed an even larger force to pursue the elite royal troops still trapped inside.
After running about a hundred meters, I noticed this and quickly stopped my horse. I leaped off like a white crane, soaring several meters high, and saw the fierce battle inside the camp.
Two groups had broken through the encirclement like us, but the rest hadn't made it out. The most dangerous group was a cavalry unit on the east side. Due to the urgency, I couldn't see who was leading them, but I could see that they were surrounded by at least 20,000 men, completely immobilized.
I glanced at my own force of 1,000 royal men; only about 800 remained, with over 100 wounded and looking very exhausted.
The battlefield is a place where weakness is unacceptable. I had no choice but to harden my heart and raise my twin swords: "Brothers, do you dare to follow me in and rescue your besieged comrades?"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The answer was still a resounding roar. Although they were somewhat exhausted, their blood was still burning.

Chapter Five: Charging Back
and Forth. Turning my horse around, my steed once again galloped forward.
Before the attack, Wang Guowei had given me a fine horse, a treasure from their Wang family, far superior to the ones in the army. Now, the horse finally proved its worth, still full of energy despite having fought for at least half an hour.
A black current, led by me, surged back into the camp, causing panic among the already assembled Northern Desert cavalry. While shouting in a local language I couldn't understand, some of the cavalrymen we had fought before began to retreat imperceptibly, but many more surged forward fiercely. The two sides clashed instantly again.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Where the Heavenly Demon True Qi erupted, several thousand-cavalry commanders coming straight at me were simultaneously torn apart by the blade energy. The royal family members behind me could still feel the blood mist dissipating in the air.
Not only did I possess the eighth level of the Heavenly Demon Technique, but I also had a sharp treasured sword, a steed with excellent endurance, and beautiful young wives guarding me on both sides. This allowed me, at the forefront of the arrowhead, to focus solely on slaughtering everything in my path.
The snow-white blade light flashed continuously in the firelight. No matter how powerful the grassland generals were, they could not stop my advance. Even when they sent three or five men to surround me, I could cut them down in just a few moves.
As the spearhead, I had to break through the enemy's obstacles with the sharpest speed. Otherwise, if I stopped, the Jinggong sisters and the royal family members behind me would slow down. This would undoubtedly diminish our momentum—an unstoppable force—as we wanted to break through the defenses and continue our attack.
Today, my use of dual swords was absolutely correct. Even when I was slaying the enemy general, many sharpshooters tried to shoot at the horses and men, but I blocked them with just one sword. And one sword was more than enough to kill the enemy.
The Northern Desert army did not expect that we, who had already charged out, would launch a counterattack, especially since they had already formed their complete ranks. Therefore, they only sent two thousand men to guard this direction, while the soldiers who had participated in the siege of us had already gone to support other battlefields in the main camp.
In the chaotic battlefield, people's minds were filled with only the thought of killing the enemy, and frenzied killing was everywhere.
Our slash from behind completely disrupted the constantly moving enemy army. My excellent judgment often allowed us to break through the enemy's ranks and then continuously kill the leading generals.
"Young Master!"
I was riding fast, taking the lead and cutting off the heads of two fleeing grassland centurions, when suddenly I heard a familiar cry amidst the clamor of battle shouts and cries of pain. I looked up and saw a little bird flying over from the front with great joy.
The dozens of cavalrymen surrounded by us were instantly slaughtered. Little Bird's horse turned around and joined me. Without Little Bird saying anything, the royal elites behind him naturally joined us, and the ranks immediately grew stronger.
"How many are left?"
"Damn it, these bastards are too fierce, shooting arrows indiscriminately without regard for their own lives. Now there are only a little over five hundred left."
"Where is Little Turtle?"
"I don't know. I saw him a few times when we first started charging, but I couldn't see him after the number of barbarians increased."
"Alright, you stay with the young mistress and come with me to rescue them."
"Understood!"
While we were constantly reaping the lives of the enemy, we still had time to chat and discuss intelligence. However, Little Bird knew that his strength was not enough to be my spearhead, so he obeyed and retreated behind me, forming a line with the Jinggong sisters. The three of us followed me, charging into the enemy's camp.
A five-kilometer-long camp seems large, but if tens of thousands of people were fighting inside, the space would be insufficient. This is one of the biggest reasons why we could take advantage of the chaos; otherwise, they could simply keep clearing space and then regroup at a distance, leaving us completely surrounded.
We charged towards the most tightly surrounded group. With the addition of Little Bird's team, our formation became much thicker. In the fighting, I could selectively kill the highest-ranking soldiers before charging forward recklessly, leaving any survivors to my two concubines and Little Bird to finish off.
This immediately increased our effectiveness; the four of us became a large arrowhead. I handled the most difficult part, while the remaining gaps were left to the three behind me. The ordinary soldiers charging from the front were handled by the elite royal guards behind the arrowhead.
After advancing two hundred meters, we spotted another thousand-strong Wang family unit on our left, trapped in a newly formed encirclement. Countless arrows were being rained down on them, seemingly without restraint. Although at least a thousand Northern cavalrymen were still engaged with the Wang family elites, they too were subjected to the arrows of their own comrades.
Such tactics were despicable, but undeniably effective. In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn after our initial charge, only two or three hundred of the encircled Wang family elites remained.
After scattering the archers, I didn't have time to ask any questions. The leading Wang family elder had already been struck by hundreds of arrows. Without their commander, they could only join our ranks and continue their march.
Seeing the Wang family elites' miserable state, I felt a pang of worry. I hadn't seen Little Turtle yet; was he still fighting inside, or had he already escaped?
Frustrated, I intensified my attacks, raising my Heavenly Demon True Qi to a new level. Every strike unleashed a powerful blade aura, tearing the grassland generals apart like paper. Our charge grew faster and faster.
"Young Master, over there!"
While the little bird had time to look around, he suddenly pointed, and I saw another elite thousand-man squad of the Wang family rushing towards us from behind. Leading them was the imposing Little Turtle, wielding two swords. His armor was covered in blood, but he was still full of energy and was in front of me in the blink of an eye.
"Young Master, why did you come back?"
Little Turtle asked while helping me fight the enemy. "We ran out behind you, just wanting to get far away, when they told me you were back. This time I brought seven hundred of them in, it'll be hard to break out!"
"Enough nonsense! If I saw you hadn't gotten out, I would have come back to save you. Do you think their brothers inside would just stand by and do nothing?"
I snapped. "All you do is shirk your responsibilities! You and Little Bird, go to the back of the column and block those arrows! Damn it, these guys are inhuman, they even kill their own people!"
The casualties in front of us weren't too high, and the left and right sides were easy to block, so the Wang family experts didn't have much trouble blocking the arrows. But when they encountered arrows from behind, most of them couldn't hold them off. Although dozens of the most powerful experts had taken the initiative to cover the rear, it was still very difficult to hold them off, and casualties continued.
"They're just uncivilized barbarians, what do they know about the concept of brotherhood?"
Little Turtle said dismissively, but still obeyed my orders, moving in the opposite direction with Little Bird, one on each side. They quickly reached the back of the column, just as a new volley of arrows began to rain down. Hundreds of arrows killed over a hundred enemies following behind us and then rapidly rained down on us.
The two commanders' Heavenly Demon Technique had recently improved significantly; wielding their twin swords like mine, they deflected most of the arrows. Only a few escaped, but this did little damage to the elite royal guards at the back of the column—a world of difference compared to the previous volleys.
With the addition of three more thousand-man squads, my forces had grown to two thousand, and with the addition of Little Turtle and Little Bird, two true generals, our ranks were stronger than ever before, with increased depth, making our charge even more ferocious.
Gradually, the pressure on us increased. I was often confronted by dozens, even hundreds, of men attacking me relentlessly. Many leaped from their horses and pounced on me when they were still five or six meters away.
I understood that the enemy had shifted their focus to us.
But as the dignified sect leader of the Heavenly Demon Path, how could I fear these ordinary cavalry?
My two greatswords, already slain at least a hundred generals, continued their relentless cutting down of the enemy. Those who charged forward, horse and rider alike, were instantly cleaved in mid-air with a single slash.
Many more were cut down before my swift advance could even land, their bodies trampled under the hooves of the approaching Wang family cavalry.
The shouts grew louder, and the arrows of the Northern Desert Allied Army rained down from the sky like a storm, just as they had done with the nearly annihilated Wang family thousand-man unit—a relentless barrage.
I knew that if we slowed down by this relentless attack, they would pounce like wolves, surrounding us and trapping us in a confined space, using sheer numbers to starve us to death.
"Open!"
I roared. Before the twenty cavalrymen could even close in, my blade pierced their bodies. I amplified the attack power of my Heavenly Demon True Qi again, relentlessly slaughtering every enemy that appeared before me. None of them escaped unscathed; they were all cut into five or six pieces, limbs and heads flying everywhere in my path. If it were daytime, it would surely terrify a large number of people.
Even with their fearlessness, facing an unstoppable master like me, their courage faltered, and their willingness to charge forward to their deaths noticeably decreased.
To them, I was the greatest demon, impervious to swords and arrows. Against such an enemy, there was no need to deliberately seek death.
Most importantly, the Northern Desert Alliance is composed of two tribes. Under favorable circumstances, they would be unstoppable, but now they've encountered a group of formidable ferocious beasts. Anyone who tries to intercept them will surely die. Therefore, the best outcome is for one tribe to go forward while the other remains behind.
Unfortunately, both tribes share this idea, so my pressure is constantly decreasing. They are focusing their efforts more on archery and attacks on the flanks and rear.
Fortunately, I've assigned Little Turtle and Little Bird to guard the rear. As they charge forward with us, anyone who enters their attack range will be slaughtered by the Heavenly Demon Blade Technique like watermelon slices, leaving them screaming in agony.
Little Turtle and Little Bird have practiced combined attacks since childhood. Both are at the sixth level of the Heavenly Demon Technique, but when they combine their attacks, their perfect coordination elevates them to the seventh level, making them unparalleled masters. In a charge of dozens, only five or six can retreat, and Little Turtle and Little Bird never break away from the front, maintaining the integrity of the formation.
The enemy's numbers were simply too great. Even though they slowed their encirclement for fear of weakening their forces, our casualties continued to rise—this was unavoidable. The enemy
ranks before me had become quite sparse, with only a few hundred arrows intermittently raining down. But this situation suddenly changed after I had sprinted another five hundred meters.
One after another, tightly packed square formations, guided by shouts and drumbeats, adjusted their direction and charged towards us.
By calculating the distance, I knew that inside this dense enemy encirclement were our own men, the ones I had seen from the outside, trapped inside.
"Brothers, those are our Wang family brothers trapped inside! Just one last step! Kill!"
I roared, my voice brimming with inner strength, and charged into the dense herd of horses once more.
My shout was meaningful. If we were to fight in the dark for too long, even the highest morale would gradually wane. And once morale was lost in a tight encirclement, all that remained was death.
Now I told them that the opportunity to rescue their brothers was imminent. With an immediate goal to achieve, their fighting spirit would instantly rise.
Charging into the encirclement, I immediately sensed the difference from before.
Previously, those who intercepted us were fighting with blades against blades, their only purpose being to slow our advance. But this was different. The encirclement was at least twenty meters thick, densely packed with people.
The instant I charged in, my left and right sides were filled with enemy swords and spears, seemingly blocking all my escape routes.
However, these cavalrymen were just ordinary steppe people. They might be skilled in mounted archery, but against a super expert like me in close combat, they had no room to utilize their strengths, only instinctively swinging their weapons.
My Heavenly Demon True Qi once again proved useful. My sword, capable of cutting through iron like mud, was now as easy as slicing tofu under the infusion of my true qi. The bodies of the steppe barbarians flew into the air, not hindering my advance at all. Their cries and screams were cut through by my bloody path, and in the blink of an eye, I had pierced through this thick square formation.
There were still about ten meters between the square formation and the besieged elite Wang family members. When I appeared before them, exuding murderous intent, they, who had been given a chance to escape, erupted in fierce shouts. Their previously mechanical resistance instantly regained its former strength.
"Your Highness, you've come!"
A knight covered in blood rushed forward. If it weren't for the precious sword he wielded, I wouldn't have recognized him as the elegant and distinguished leader of the Northwest Wang family.
"Uncle, it was you who was trapped?"
I was taken aback, but there was no time for catching up. "Hurry and break out with me, or we'll run out of time."
"Alright! Let's advance side by side!"
Wang Guowei nodded and began to move forward beside me. "Wang family sons, follow me and His Highness out!"
In terms of strength, Wang Guowei was definitely a super expert. The head of the thousand-year-old Wang family was at least a peerless expert, and it was very likely that he had reached the same level of unparalleled master as me, just like the patriarch of the Nangong family.
So with the two of us leading the charge, it was as if our power to penetrate the enemy lines had doubled!
The Wang family experts led by Wang Guowei were definitely the most elite group. Under the fierce attack of the Mobei cavalry, they still had about four hundred men left by the time we arrived, which showed their resilience and martial prowess.
I led the remaining eighteen hundred elite Wang family soldiers. Hearing Wang Guowei's voice, their tired bodies burst forth with potential again. Thinking that they had saved their own patriarch, they felt a sense of honor mixed with a huge sense of responsibility.
All eight thousand soldiers could die in battle, but their patriarch could not be sacrificed here. The Wang family still needed him, and the Northwest still needed him!
If at the beginning it was a fight for survival, now a strong sense of responsibility has been added. With everyone's strength greatly increased, our charge outwards became much smoother.
Wang Guowei, as expected of the Wang family head, wielded his broadsword relentlessly, his blade even exceeding my attack range, slicing through all obstacles in our path.
Wang Guowei and I charged forward side by side, about five meters apart on either side. Wherever we passed, no one survived. The blades relentlessly reaped lives, and no matter how many meters of obstacles blocked our way, they did not stop our progress in the slightest.
Realizing our unstoppable momentum, the two allied forces, still exhausted from their journey, began to retreat. In such a confined space, they had nowhere to hide, feeling extremely frustrated.
They came here to rob and kill, not to be killed meaninglessly.
The number of soldiers from the two tribes directly in front, whom we had slaughtered, had decreased considerably. However, the pressure from our flanks and rear had doubled. Arrows, blades, and even spiked clubs rained down upon us, desperately trying to reduce the thickness of our ranks.
Thankfully, this time the arrival of the elite royal family, even superior to the "Silver Tiger Legion," allowed them to maintain their formation despite the hail of arrows and spears, striving to keep pace with us, advancing ever forward.
Fortunately, Little Turtle and Little Bird possessed profound demonic arts, protecting the rear of the column, maintaining a long, continuous line, tightly bound to the main force.
I fought my way through, my armor even fogged with blood, but this did nothing to stop me from slaying steppe cavalry and horses one by one.
Wang Guowei, the Jinggong sisters, and I were like tigers charging into a flock of sheep, each unleashing our strongest power. Whether we could break through now depended on the four of us at the front, so we held back no longer. I pushed my Heavenly Demon Technique to its limit, unleashing powerful, sweeping attacks that exerted immense pressure on everything around us. Against my grassland enemies, they couldn't even muster half their strength.
"Thump-thump!"
The steed suddenly surged forward, and before us lay a vast, open plain. A refreshing evening breeze caressed us, and I was overjoyed to discover that we had broken out of the enemy camp!
The elite Wang family soldiers, following closely behind, galloped across the open plain, their cheers deafening.
Although enemies still lay ahead of us, they were now only scattered cavalrymen. Seeing us break through, they adopted a harassing tactic, firing arrows as they retreated.
"Uncle Wang, you lead them forward, I'll cover the rear!"
Without waiting for Wang Guowei's reply, I turned and galloped away from the side. Following behind me were, of course, my two beloved concubines, Jing Gongmei and Jing Gongcai, who would always be by my side.
As we sped away, the elite royal guards, their shields whizzing past, looked on with reverence and admiration. However, time didn't allow them to express their gratitude; they could only retreat as quickly as possible, not wanting us to waste too much time holding off the enemy.
In a few breaths, the thousand-strong force quickly passed us. My two concubines and I reached the rear, unleashing another flurry of powerful attacks, routing the vanguard of the northern cavalry.
This ambush was a wake-up call for the enraged steppe allied forces. Some pointed at me and shouted, and the shouts grew louder. Many even pulled on their reins in fear, slowing their horses.
One side accelerated their retreat, the other deliberately slowed, naturally widening the distance between us.
As for the thousands of arrows that rained down upon us, they were nothing to us; they were all blocked outside the ranks. This time, not a single member of the royal family was harmed.
As the distance between us increased to three hundred meters, the steppe cavalry behind us simply gave up the chase.
This meant our breakout was successful!

Chapter Six: The Cunning
Wang Family Elite troops were all protected by iron armor; anyone who could escape could basically hold out.
Therefore, Wang Guowei and I discussed it and decided to forgo stopping to rest, heading straight for our agreed-upon location to rendezvous with the other Wang Family cavalry who had broken through.
By this time, an hour and a half had passed since we began our operation, and we could see the fires and smoke constantly burning in the five-mile-long camp.
Our chosen location was at the foot of a small mountain only one hundred miles from Huaiyuan City, and only fifty miles from the small river where the enemy had set up camp. With only
fifteen hundred men remaining from the four thousand-man squads, Wang Guowei felt a heavy weight in his heart. When he saw his remaining men waiting at the agreed-upon location, he was startled again.
The initial report indicated only two thousand men had arrived, and we were certain that no more Wang family members would survive after us. This meant that of the eight thousand elite Wang family cavalry, only three thousand five hundred remained—less than half of the original force. Of these, one thousand were wounded.
The three thousand five hundred men were able to fight their way out because we chose the best time to attack, the exceptional combat skills of myself, Wang Guowei, and the other leaders, and the three hundred incredibly powerful Thunderbolts we carried. The Northern Desert cavalry were exhausted and poorly organized, and the cramped encampment hindered their performance.
This demonstrated just how formidable the two Northern Desert tribes, who had consistently suppressed the Southern Desert tribes, truly were.
Even with the entire Silver Tiger Legion charging into battle on the plains, they only managed a draw.
However, while our losses were heavy, the rewards were exceptionally rich. My two wives and I killed at least two thousand steppe soldiers, including at least five hundred cavalry commanders of one hundred or higher.
Eight thousand cavalry units split into several directions, charging back and forth through the camps of the Northern Desert army. More than five thousand men lost their lives in their sleep, and we slaughtered countless more along the way. Of the
150,000 enemies who remained in the camp, plus the 10,000 who returned as reinforcements, a total of 160,000, they should be overjoyed if 100,000 survived.
Before they could even begin their plundering feast, they had already lost nearly a third of their forces. These ambitious leaders of the two tribes, who wanted to take advantage of the Northwest's vulnerability to plunder extensively, must be furious right now.
While the Wang family cavalry rested and treated their wounds, Wang Guowei, who had completely given up, simply sent another message by carrier pigeon, on the one hand, ordering Wang Miao'er to lead her troops to join us, and on the other hand, summoning other experts from the Wang family to come.
According to him, there were 10,000 men who could come this time. Although they were not as strong as the 8,000 super elites today, they were still first-rate fighters and highly skilled individuals who had undergone long-term training.
Since the Northwest Royal Family was going to such lengths, I naturally couldn't be stingy. The letter, carrying my imperial envoy's seal, was sent to the prefectural governor's mansions in the three Northwest prefectures via carrier pigeons carried by Wang Guowei. This time, Wang Guowei brought ten pigeon feeders and eighty carrier pigeons, which finally came in handy.
My order was simple: the prefectural governors of the three prefectures were to send all their most elite troops to Huaiyuan City. If I didn't see them within twelve hours, I would let them know that "the guillotine of the Duke of Lanting doesn't care who you are." With Wang Guowei around, I already knew the military strength of the three prefectures like the back of my hand. The prefectural governors' military strength was indeed not large, but they still had about 50,000 troops to protect their own prefectural governor's mansions, bringing the total strength of the three prefectures to 150,000.
The capital of Xishuo County is Huaiyuan City, so they don't need to move. However, Gan Kunzhong, the prefect of Xishuo County, has a lot to do, including city defense, food, and the resettlement of the displaced people.
The reason we won't enter a safe city to rest tonight is to see if the Mobei cavalry will be desperate and launch a full-scale attack of 100,000 men to retaliate against the Northwest.
If that happens, we don't mind stabbing them in the back again—like what Wang Miao'er and her group did near Xiliang City. The darkness is the perfect time for the native Wang family cavalry of the Northwest to harass and attack.
When a group of people bursts forth with the passion to protect their homeland, their strength is terrifying. I saw many wounded men pour the wound medicine they carried onto their wounds, then tightly wrap them with clean strips of cloth, quickly eat their dry rations, and begin meditating to regulate their breathing, clearly preparing for the war that could come at any moment.
The 3,500 men who survived were the elite of the elite. This fierce battle in the dead of night had greatly enhanced their experience and abilities. Compared to the county soldiers who had never experienced large-scale battles, they were now seasoned soldiers who had successfully survived life-or-death situations.
Their seasoned experience and mindset were the difference between fierce soldiers and rookies.
As the commander-in-chief, a few of us, along with Wang Guowei, sat alone to the side, our tables still laden with rations and drinks.
The looks I received from everyone during the day had transformed into fervent admiration and respect.
A general who could lead them through thousands of enemy troops, effortlessly slaying hundreds of enemy generals, and ultimately bringing them back from the encirclement, was already a god of war in their eyes.
In truth, Wang Guowei's abilities were no less than mine, yet his individual achievements in leading the enemy were far inferior to mine. The reason was simply that I had the Jing Gong sisters, two exceptional helpers, behind me. They were almost in perfect harmony with me, so our combined assault was far more effective than Wang Guowei fighting alone.
"Uncle Wang, thank you so much for today!"
I raised a bottle of wine and offered him a toast.
"Your Highness is too kind. I should be the one thanking you,"
Wang Guowei replied with a smile, raising his bottle and downing it in one gulp.
I thanked Wang Guowei because Wang Family Fortress was located in Longliang County and was protected by countless skilled warriors. Even the rampaging grassland coalition couldn't do anything to them, yet he still respected my authority and brought his elite cavalry here.
Of course, the head of the Wang family wasn't trying to curry favor with me, a newly appointed noble of the court, but rather demonstrating his magnanimity towards the people of the Northwest. Without him, the Wang family's elite cavalry, mobilized almost entirely, would have absolutely failed in tonight's raid.
If the Northern Alliance continues its rampage of killing and plundering in the Northwest, I, the Governor-General of Military and Political Affairs of the Northwest, will have no choice but to slink back to the capital, facing the ridicule of the Tang King, the Zhennan King, and even the Chu King… This is something that Young Master Ri, who has never liked failure, absolutely does not want to see.
His gratitude towards me is naturally for my leading the charge back to the camp in the crisis, rescuing him and his fellow royal family members who were trapped there.
I took a rolled-up meat pie from Jing Gongcai, took a bite, and said, “Uncle, I won’t offer empty words of thanks, but this time, you led a total of 30,000 members of your family and martial arts practitioners to raid the enemy camp with me, ultimately suffering the tragic loss of only 3,000 men. I will definitely report this truthfully to the court and apply for compensation for them.”
30,000?
Hearing this number, the Jing Gong sisters exchanged a glance, their faces showing surprise, but they wisely refrained from asking; as for the little turtle and little bird, who were familiar with my thoughts, they understood my intentions, paused slightly, and then continued eating.
Wang Guowei, a seasoned patriarch of a powerful family, understood my reciprocation in the blink of an eye.
The Wang family of the Northwest had always been a force feared by the imperial court, not only because of their deep roots in the Northwest, but also because successive emperors knew that the Wang family possessed no fewer than 50,000 elite cavalrymen. This formidable army, composed entirely of Wang family members, was even stronger than the empire's most elite "Golden Dragon Legion."
Had it not been for the lack of manpower to rebel and the fear of causing a major upheaval in public sentiment, the emperors would have long ago dispatched the "Golden Dragon" and "Silver Tiger" legions to jointly annihilate the Wang family.
Now, I reported killing 60,000 enemies, while the Wang family suffered more than half of its elite troops dead or wounded. While the court was pleased with the enemy's setback, it would probably also be pleased with the significant loss of the Wang family's elite forces.
With the loss of nearly 30,000 elite cavalrymen, the Wang family's threat was greatly reduced, and the court's desire to eliminate them would naturally diminish considerably.
Moreover, the Wang family lost so many soldiers protecting the Northwest, and the court, standing idly by, even dealt with them—wasn't that forcing the Northwest to rebel?
If I were to honestly report that the Wang family mobilized 8,000 men in the Northwest, with nearly 5,000 killed or wounded, the court officials probably wouldn't even feel the slightest bit moved. Therefore, the difference between 8,000 and 30,000 lies precisely in this.
"Your Highness, it is our honor that you have come to the Northwest!"
Wang Guowei nodded, raising a bottle of wine with both hands and offering it to me—for him, this was an expression of utmost respect.
Seeing me take the wine bottle, Wang Guowei lowered his voice: "Your Highness, won't saying this affect you?"
"No,"
I said seriously. "If I can't even befriend these brave warriors who genuinely protect their country, then I don't know what else in this country is worth my loyalty. Let those old bastards make a fuss. As long as we defeat the enemy and surpass Chen Fuyue's achievements, they won't be able to deny it."
I felt a pang of emotion. The Wang family truly lived up to their name. Look at their eight thousand iron cavalry. If Wang Guowei and the elders had led them, even ten times the size of the Liufeng Kingdom's army would have been defeated, not to mention their other hidden forces.
But so what if the Wang family was so powerful? As long as they were willing to serve and sacrifice for the people in crucial moments, I, Liu Ri, would tolerate them and take care of them. Those generals and officials with millions of soldiers who only cared about their own safety were the ones who deserved to die!
"Your Highness's noble character is truly admirable,"
Wang Guowei flattered again. He had sacrificed his family's most elite cavalry, all for the approval of this promising young Duke Lanting, and the expectation that he and Empress Ren would become his backers.
"Uncle, don't thank me yet. I also have a question for you,"
I said thoughtfully. "If I report 30,000 casualties, the court will definitely investigate. We still have 3,500 men left. Could bad news be leaking out from among them?"
Wang Guowei understood my meaning. He said confidently, "Absolutely not. They are all members of the Wang family, or at least dependent clansmen who have lived near our Wangjiabao for two or three generations. Their families and relatives live with us; they would never betray the Wang family."
"What if?"
"Even if there is a 'what if,' we're not afraid. We just need to spread the news beforehand, letting all the people of the Northwest know that the Wang family lost 30,000 elite soldiers for their safety. Once the people accept this, no amount of rebuttal from the court will convince them. Because the court has a fatal flaw: when the Northwest was in its most critical moment, they didn't send a single soldier. Everyone in the Northwest knows this. Your Highness, do you think the people of the Northwest should trust the Wang family, who sacrificed so many for them, or the high and mighty court officials?"
Wang Guowei's words were simply brilliant. I couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder, disregarding my status, and praised him with the etiquette of the martial world, "Uncle Wang, no wonder you can lead the Northwest Wang family. Your cunning is no less than that of those in the imperial court."
Wang Guowei was both amused and exasperated, thinking that as a first-class duke of the imperial court, he should at least call me shrewd and calculating, not so bluntly call me cunning and treacherous
. At the same time, he was also pleased because my words were devoid of any formality, and I spoke to him as if we were friends.
Wang Guowei's mind raced. He considered offering his daughter in marriage to this young and dashing Duke of Lanting, but he felt it was too mercenary. All three of his daughters were his treasures, and he couldn't bear to use them as political tools for marriage.
Besides, the Northwest Wang family also had its own dignity, and sacrificing a woman's happiness for profit was something a man would despise.
"Hoofbeats... clatter clatter..."
A faint tremor came from the ground. With our keen intuition, we knew that a large herd of horses was galloping towards us.
All armies send out scouts when camping in the wild, and we were no exception. The elites of the Northwest royal family, in particular, were a hundred times smarter than ordinary scouts, adept at concealing their movements and sure enough to issue timely warnings. The fact that
the sharp, brilliant fireworks hadn't risen into the night sky meant the approaching party wasn't the enemy.
Sure enough, less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a herd of horses charged towards our temporary camp. A young girl at the head of the pack leaped far ahead of the main force, causing many of the royal family members who had gripped their weapons to breathe a sigh of relief and sit back down.
"Miao'er, I'm here,"
Wang Guowei stood up and called out loudly.
Upon hearing his voice, the girl turned her horse, leaped dozens of meters, and reined in her horse about five meters in front of us. She leaped off the saddle.
"Father!"
Wang Miao'er ran to Wang Guowei, carefully examining him. Coincidentally, Wang Guowei was also looking at his daughter with concern. After a while, the father and daughter nodded in satisfaction. What could be more gratifying than seeing one's loved ones safe and sound?
"You've worked hard, Miao'er!"
Wang Guowei pulled his daughter to sit down beside us. "To be honest, your mother and aunt don't want you to lead the troops against the grassland army. Shuang'er even ordered me in a carrier pigeon to bring you back to Wangjiabao. She doesn't want you, a girl, on such a dangerous front line."
Hearing her family's concern, Wang Miao'er smiled gently, adding a touch of tenderness to her delicate face.
Just then, Jing Gongmei brought her a bowl of water, which Wang Miao'er took and drank in one gulp. "Father, I'm nothing compared to you all, you displayed incredible might, striking fear into the hearts of the two northern tribes. They suffered heavy losses and are now discussing whether to retreat!"
Wang Guowei was taken aback: "Retreat?"
Wang Miao'er nodded slightly: "Yes, we just killed two squads of sentries and captured several prisoners, including a centurion. According to the interrogation, our Wang family cavalry displayed tremendous power this time, killing at least 70,000 of them, and leaving over 30,000 wounded or disabled—almost a third of their entire expeditionary force."
"Wait a minute,"
I interjected, "Miss Wang, wasn't it only 200,000? Where did the extra 100,000 come from?"
"Hmph! These cunning steppe barbarians have hidden the numbers of ten 10,000-strong units. They are all herders from affiliated tribes of the Geluo and Guligan tribes. Those responsible for containing us in Xiliang City and those dealing with us are all these ragtag troops. We only learned the secret of the 300,000-strong force after capturing a few thousand-cavalry commanders while dealing with the ragtag troops at night."
Wang Miao'er's attitude towards me had also changed significantly, becoming gentle and soft: "Your Highness, you've hit a tough nut to crack. There are 250,000 of the two tribes' strongest elite troops there."
"Damn it!"
Little Bird slapped his thigh: "I was wondering why it seemed like we couldn't kill them all! It wasn't 150,000, but 250,000!"
Little Turtle also looked frightened: "If we had known they had so many people, we wouldn't have dared to charge in so boldly and then repeatedly crush and sprint, right?"
Wang Guowei and I nodded in unison. No wonder we were under increasing pressure even after killing tens of thousands of people, and no wonder even the elite Wang family cavalry suffered heavy casualties.
The difference between 150,000 and 250,000 is indeed too great. If we had known in advance that it was a coalition of 250,000 grassland barbarians, we would have at most split into two groups, killing from east to west and from south to north, breaking through the camp, and then quickly escaping. Why would we still want to annihilate them at all costs?
"It's alright. Ignorance is bliss, and we were brave enough to show some courage today."
Thinking about it, my mood improved. "Whatever. We suffered over five thousand casualties, but we killed nearly one hundred thousand enemies. We truly demonstrated the tenacity of the Northwest. It's just that your Wang family sacrificed too much."
"Just as General Gao Qimeng said today, our Wang family is not afraid of sacrifice, only of sacrifice without effect."
Wang Miao'er said calmly, "Now that they have sacrificed themselves, they have preserved the vitality of the Northwest. Our Wang family will be proud of them."
"Alright, Miao'er, the dead are gone. Let's talk about what's next."
Wang Guowei glanced at the Xiliang City cavalry who had already sat down in a group and asked, "How many men do you have? What were the results?"
"In the afternoon's harassment, we killed or wounded about five thousand Mobei cavalry; in the evening's maneuver, we killed another five thousand of them."
A trace of melancholy flashed across Wang Miao'er's face: "Two thousand five hundred men came out, and now less than two thousand remain."
"So, including those lightly wounded, the Geluo and Guligan tribes still have 200,000 men left; of them, 20,000 in Xiliang City are unusable, leaving 180,000 usable men."
I calculated in my mind: "If I had another 20,000 elite Wang family soldiers like the 8,000 we have today, I could definitely kill half of them if I went to charge the camp now!"
"You knew it, didn't you, Your Highness? Don't be fooled by my father's calm demeanor; he doesn't know how much pain he's in."
Wang Miao'er said playfully, "For our Wang family, their loss is not just a matter of 5,000 men, but represents the collapse of our greatest reliance. It will take at least twenty or thirty years to rebuild those 8,000 iron cavalry."
"Miao'er, how can you speak like that? For the sake of the Northwest, it's our Wang family's duty to contribute. Even if I were to die in battle, it wouldn't matter, let alone their sacrifice!" Wang Guowei angrily rebuked his daughter.
To me, they seemed to be putting on an act, but they truly risked their lives to fight alongside me, so these little tricks were tolerable.
I smiled and said to them, "Uncle Wang, you don't need to scold Miao'er. I remember your efforts this time. Once the crisis is over, I guarantee you'll receive tenfold rewards!"
Wang Guowei said righteously, "Your Highness is too kind. Our Wang family doesn't need any repayment."
Though he said he didn't need it, the smile on his face betrayed his true thoughts.
Wang Miao'er was also very happy for her father and family; their long-standing worries and fears could finally be alleviated.

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