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Published at 29th of August 2023 10:53:37 AM


Chapter 205

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Yan Ge adjusted himself to a comfortable position on a tree branch and waited for the battle to begin. He took out a rolled pancake from the system backpack and ate it, then ate by xiaolongbao and steamed dumplings, not feeling bored at all.

After about a cup of tea, Youji Kingdom’s army moved, charging silently towards the Great Han Kingdom’s garrison like mute dogs and holding their weapons.

Yan Ge’s brows furrowed at the sight.

On the Great Han Kingdom’s side, the sentries who were already closely monitoring the enemy’s movements beat the war drum, shouting, “Enemy attack!”

Soldiers grabbed their weapons, leaving their unfinished lunch, and followed the generals’ commands to meet the enemy head-on.

Only then did Youji Kingdom sound their war drums, beating louder and faster. Their soldiers fearlessly charged forward without the fear of death.

“Attack!”

The drumbeats were intense, and the battle cries echoed. The two forces quickly clashed, swinging their swords and spears, engaging in a chaotic melee.

Yan Ge’s brows furrowed even tighter. Even without understanding military tactics, he could tell that Youji Kingdom’s approach was reckless and lacked any strategy. Their unorganized attack was like a desperate move, bringing no advantage to either side. Moreover, since the soldiers of the Great Han Kingdom began training in a new way, their physical strength, endurance, and agility were far superior to those of Youji Kingdom. Even if Youji Kingdom managed to kill eight hundred enemies, they would lose a thousand troops in the process. Did the Youji Kingdom’s generals take the wrong medicine?

“Boom, boom!” The sound of Great Han Kingdom’s gas grenades rang out.

The melee continued for about half an hour, during which Yan Ge observed closely. Youji Kingdom still hadn’t changed its strategy, so the Great Han Kingdom was unable to break away.

At this moment, Youji Kingdom’s war drums suddenly stopped, then after a short while, they rang three times in succession. Nearly ten thousand soldiers and horses surged out from the rear of Youji Kingdom’s camp, rushing towards the battlefield.

“Attack!”

The Great Han Kingdom also sent out ten thousand troops, dividing them into four squads to encircle Youji Kingdom’s army from both sides.

From afar, Yan Ge saw Jun Xiang and Lu Fei courageously fighting in the enemy ranks. Gao Feng and Gao Yun followed closely behind Yunxi, who was fighting alongside Wei Hao.

After about an incense stick’s worth of time, Jun Xiang and Lu Fei returned to Yunxi’s side. Gao Feng and Gao Yun flew up one after the other, displaying their bravery as their sword energy swept through the enemy ranks like they were cutting wheat.

Nearly an hour later, Youji Kingdom finally ordered a retreat.

Wei Hao seemed to be pondering something and did not order a pursuit. Instead, he commanded soldiers to clean up the battlefield, recovering all the swords, arrows, and other items. They also collected the money and belongings from the fallen Youji Kingdom soldiers.

Yan Ge watched from afar and estimated that Youji Kingdom wouldn’t attack again anytime soon before he rode his horse back to the Great Han Kingdom’s main camp.

“Stop! Who goes there?”

Yan Ge didn’t dismount and pulled out a golden token with the character “Huang” clearly visible. “My name is Qin, I am a noble from the capital here to meet General Wei Chi. Take me to him immediately.”

“Oh, it’s Lord Qin. Please come this way!”

Yan Ge dismounted and followed the soldier to the commander’s tent.

Inside the tent, Wei Chi was writing a military report to promptly inform the emperor of the latest situation.

“General, Lord Qin from the capital requests an audience.”

“Lord Qin?” Wei Chi immediately thought of Yan Ge. “Please let him in.”

“General, are you alright? I came here of my accord,” Yan Ge greeted with a smile as he entered the tent.

Wei Chi dismissed the others and bowed to Yan Ge.

“I’ve seen Huang Guiqing. Thanks to His Majesty and Huang Guiqing, everything is well.”

Seeing the paper and pen on the desk, Yan Ge asked, “General, are you writing a battlefield report?”

“Indeed.”

“Don’t rush with the report for now. Please, take a seat,” Yan Ge waited for Wei Chi to sit before he took his seat. “Just now, I observed the battle between the two armies from the shadows and noticed some strange aspects. Do you feel the same, General?”

Wei Chi nodded, his brows slightly furrowing. “Indeed, it’s strange. I’ve been leading troops in battles for many years, and this is the first time I’ve encountered such a situation.”

Yan Ge wasn’t in a hurry to ask for Wei Chi’s opinion. “How many reports have you sent up to now? Are there any copies?”

“This is the sixth report, and all the previous ones have copies. Please wait, Huang Guiqing,” Wei Chi said as he opened a drawer and handed Yan Ge the previous reports.

These were made to facilitate a focused analysis of intelligence and aid in the formulation of the next battle plan.

After carefully reviewing each report, Yan Ge raised his head. “Up until now, Youji Kingdom has lost nearly ten thousand troops, and in the six battles, they haven’t gained any advantage, and judging from their disposition, they still have no intention of retreating. General, when you said something was ‘strange,’ what did you mean?”

Wei Chi pressed his brows, days of fighting had affected his spirit. “Based on various signs, the Youji Kingdom’s commanders seem indifferent to the life and death of their soldiers. Their conduct is not in line with the manner of General Qin Ke, and the Youji Kingdom’s forces are insufficient to support such a forceful attack. I once sent someone to infiltrate their camp for intelligence, but to no avail. While our losses are still smaller than theirs, if this continues, we might have to redeploy troops from other areas. However, doing so means guarding against their feints and diversions.”

“Your thoughts align with mine. Their offensive is devoid of strategy. Their actions show no strategic thinking; it’s like they are urgently trying to achieve something other than conquering the Great Han Kingdom,” Yan Ge pondered while touching his face. “In that case, divide the content of this report into two parts: the first part objectively describes the situation, and the second part includes our speculations. Aso, report my safety.”

“Yes.”

Wei Chi continued writing the report, and Yan Ge thought for a moment. “If they don’t retreat by nightfall, I will sneak into their camp and investigate.”

Wei Chi was surprised. “Huang Guiqing plans to go there by himself?”

Yan Ge smiled. “Rest assured, since the emperor agreed to let me come alone, he has confidence in me.”

Wei Chi had no choice but to hold back his words. He finished the report, and called a soldier. “Deliver this report to the capital, urgently.”

“Yes!”

Yan Ge took out a bottle of pills from his sleeve. “General, you don’t look too good. Take this pill daily for half a month, and it will help you recover from any hidden injuries and strengthen your body.”

Wei Chi gratefully accepted the pill. “Thank you, Huang Guiqing!”

“No need to be polite.” Yan Ge waved and smiled. “The southwestern border relies on General Wei Chi.”

Yan Ge waited in the camp until it was dark. Youji Kingdom didn’t launch another attack nor withdraw their troops. When it was getting dark, Yan Ge informed Wei Chi not to worry even if he returned late, then he disappeared into the night.

With his high-level cultivation, it was easy to enter the enemy’s camp. He entered silently and headed directly to the tent with the most guards.

Inside the tent, General Qin Ke and Deputy General Shi sat expressionless. Neither of them spoke and they seemed lost in thought.

*Yan Ge met General Qin Ke and his deputy when they entered Youji Kingdom to steal gold.

This was indeed strange. Yan Ge had some understanding of these two, and it wasn’t their style to be lost in thought like this. He waited for a long time, but they still didn’t say a word. To avoid arousing suspicion, he quietly left, feeling somewhat frustrated. Suddenly, he thought of the report, and had a flash of inspiration.

The other party would definitely send a battle report to the palace. It he intercepted the report….

He didn’t return to Great Han’s camp but turned and found a place to hide behind the Youji Kingdom’s camp.

As dawn broke, the Youji Kingdom launched another attack.

Yan Ge continued to watch from the shadows, occasionally using his spiritual sense to flip over a few Youji Kingdom’s soldiers, making it easier for Great Han’s soldiers to kill them.

Surprisingly, this attack lasted only half an hour before General Qin Ke ordered a retreat.

Yan Ge was delighted; the concealment offered by the shadows was advantageous. He waited for the soldier carrying the report back to the palace.

To his surprise, he waited for half an hour and didn’t even catch a glimpse of the person. He waited patiently for about an incense stick, but the soldier bearing the report still hadn’t appeared on this vital route.

Yan Ge’s expression gradually grew solemn as he rose from behind the thicket. The battle report recorded urgent military information, allowing the emperor and the court to keep track of the battlefield situation, including the battle results, resource transportation, and even requests for reinforcements. Normally, a report would be sent immediately after a battle ended. However, the Youji Kingdom’s generals didn’t do so, indicating that there must be a significant problem.

Thinking of this, he didn’t delay any further. He immediately used an invisibility technique and flew openly back to the Great Han Kingdom’s camp to inform Wei Chi. Wei Chi was an experienced general and likely had more insight than him.

Sure enough, when Wei Chi heard the news, his expression changed drastically as he paced back and forth in the tent. “Could it be that General Qin Ke started the war without authorization? That’s impossible; it’s a grave crime punishable by the extermination of nine clans. He wouldn’t do that. Moreover, he must have mobilized a considerable number of troops from elsewhere. It’s impossible not to alert his king. What on earth is going on?”

“Indeed…” Several deputy generals present were also puzzled.

“General, regardless of the situation, we must report this to His Majesty,” A staff officer He said. “The emperor has more information in hand, and by combining everything, we might find the answer.”

“Yes,” one deputy general added, “Their continuous fierce attacks have clearly affected the morale of Youji Kingdom’s soldiers, yet General Qin Ke persists relentlessly. It is truly puzzling.”

Yan Ge devised a plan in his mind. As the main general, Wei Chi was several years away from retirement, so if he intervened hastily, it could affect Wei Chi’s reputation within the military.

However, a pre-battle mobilization was still feasible.

“General, I need you to gather the soldiers. I have a few words to say,” Yan Ge said.

Wei Chi’s eyes flickered, “Understood.”

“I’ll go change into the royal attire first.”

By the time Yan Ge appeared in his imperial clothing, the soldiers were already assembled.

He slowly walked up to the commanding platform.

“Huang Guiqing has arrived—”

“We pay our respects to Huang Guiqing—”

“No need for formalities.”

“Thank you, Huang Guiqing.”

Yan Ge swept his gaze below and smiled slightly, then his clear voice resounded in the training ground, “The Emperor has learned about the unrest in the southwest border. He is angered by the audacious actions of Youji Kingdom and is concerned about the soldiers guarding the border. Therefore, he specially dispatched me to comfort and convey his decree to all of you. In this battle against Youji Kingdom, promotions and rewards will be granted based on merit. Killing an ordinary soldier will be rewarded with 5 copper coins, killing a sergeant with 1 silver tael, killing a company commander with 2 silver taels, and killing a hundred-man commander with 3 silver taels… For killing more than ten enemies, an extra 1 silver tael will be given, and for exceeding twenty, an additional 2 silver taels will be granted. The specific details will be posted by the general in the public notice. In short, those with merit will be heavily rewarded. I hope that you, my fellow generals and soldiers, will not disappoint me, nor will you disappoint the Emperor.”

The tens of thousands of soldiers were moved and shouted in unison, “Long live the Emperor, long live!”

Seeing the high morale of the soldiers, Wei Chi was touched and stepped onto the platform, “Initiate the attack immediately!”

Yan Ge praised him with a glance; he truly deserved to be an experienced general.

The intense sound of war drums resounded, and the soldiers of Great Han charged fiercely towards the camp of Youji Kingdom.

“Charge——”

“Kill——”

Yan Ge said, “Someone, bring me pen and paper.”

“Yes.”

As Yan Ge observed the distant movements, he improved the reward system in his mind and dictated, “Write this down. Killing an ordinary soldier will be rewarded with 5 copper coins; killing a sergeant with 1 silver tael, killing a company commander with 2 silver taels…”

The clerk’s pen flew quickly on the paper.

Yunxi walked to Yan Ge’s side and looked at the contents on the paper thoughtfully.

Gao Feng and the others shouted together, “Young Master, it’s time.”

Yan Ge understood what they were talking about and nodded, “Go.”

“Yes.”

Gao Feng and the others rushed into the battlefield excitedly.

Inside the main general’s tent of Youji Kingdom, General Qin Ke heard the shouts and stood up abruptly, “What’s going on?”

The curtain was suddenly lifted, and a soldier rushed in, looking flustered, “General, it’s bad. Great Han has launched a full-scale attack!”

General Qin Ke’s face turned cold, and he slapped the soldier with a loud “smack.”

The soldier’s face instantly showed a clear palm mark.

“Why panic! Worthless trash! Can our sixty thousand troops not defeat their fifty thousand?”





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