Chapter 68

For the Han army, setting up camp every day was a major task. Not only was the selection of the campsite a matter of great importance, but after the horses were settled, they had to dig trenches, set up the outer walls and watchtowers of the camp, and use supply wagons as fortifications. Finally, they had to set up tents and arrange for numerous patrols and night watches. If they were on a campaign, they would have to spend a good part of the day on these tasks.

The Hu army, on the other hand, was much more casual in this regard. Just like their ancestors who roamed the grasslands, they could settle wherever there was water and grass. With just a command from their general, they could make do even in the open sky. The horn that sounded from the Hu army's center was a signal for the entire army to stop advancing and gather at the location of the horn.

At this moment, Lu Yao and his companions had approached the enemy's center to gather intelligence. When thousands of Hu soldiers turned around, these few people were immediately exposed. Without further delay, they spurred their horses and fled.

The Hu army's vanguard indeed began to turn back. On the way, they several times traveled parallel to the Hu army on the other side of a hill, and even once passed the same cliff one after the other. If the Hu soldiers had suspected the nearby hoofbeats, they could have easily discovered these few Jin army scouts.

Thanks to divine protection, they finally managed to escape safely. When they finally returned to the forest where the rest of their troops were hiding, everyone felt so tense that they were almost on the verge of collapse.

The forest was quite a distance from the main road and was situated between two hills. The eastern exit was covered by dense shrubs, leading to a gentle slope where a small stream flowed into the Zhaoyu River. The western exit was winding and led to a small road to the capital. It was indeed a very well-hidden and good place.

Several riders entered the forest one after another. The soldiers waiting in the forest were well-prepared and quickly moved the scattered plants to cover the small path leading into the forest.

The tension of the previous chase had also drained Lu Yao's energy. He was drenched in sweat, and his hands holding the reins were trembling. However, he did not dismount to rest but instead said to the soldiers, "The enemy situation is clear. We cannot delay any longer. We must immediately return to report to our lord!"

The soldiers responded in unison. They had been waiting in the forest for over an hour, and both men and horses were full of energy.

Following Lu Yao's command, all the cavalry mounted their horses and headed for the western exit away from the main road.

Not long after leaving the forest, someone in the group shouted, "General, we can't go on!"

Lu Yao frowned and turned to look.

The one who shouted was a young officer with a sallow face named Zhu Sheng. Zhu Sheng was a captive who had been conscripted into the army after the Battle of Banqiao. Lu Yao had once saved his life during the raid on Guo Family Fort. Before serving the Xiongnu, Zhu Sheng had been a bandit in the You and Bing provinces, skilled in archery and horsemanship. More importantly, he had read books and was fair in his dealings, earning the respect of his peers. He was selected to join the personal guard and recently promoted to a squad leader.

Zhu Sheng called out again, "General, we can't go on! Listen! Listen!"

Lu Yao raised his hand, and the slightly restless group immediately fell silent. Lu Yao listened carefully, and in the quiet forest, only the sound of the evening wind rustling through the treetops could be heard.

Something was wrong. Lu Yao took a deep breath and exhaled.

There was something else in the wind.

What was that sound?

"Damn it!" Shen Jin suddenly cursed, his face changing.

Immediately, Lu Yao shouted, "Everyone dismount! Be quiet! Get back! Quickly! Quickly! Quickly! Quickly!"

Many of the soldiers were still confused but followed the orders.

When the scout cavalry re-entered the dark forest, the sound of iron hooves thundering in the distance was clearly heard. Although they could not see anything, every soldier knew that it was the sound of hundreds or even thousands of cavalry surrounding them from all sides!

The soldiers retreated into the forest in a panic, looking quite disheveled.

These over a hundred soldiers were all tough men who had fought in countless battles and had long put life and death aside. However, the current situation, being surrounded by thousands of enemy troops, made everyone uneasy. Even the squad leaders and squad commanders were momentarily at a loss.

Lu Yao was the last to lead his horse back into the forest. Shen Jin glared at Lu Yao and said fiercely, "Why did we come back? To wait for death? We should charge out and fight a good battle!"

"Don't panic. We haven't been discovered yet," Lu Yao said without even looking at Shen Jin. He looked at his subordinates and said calmly, "The Hu are not coming for us."

He pulled Shen Jin's shoulder and walked to the edge of the forest. "Go and look carefully. Do they look like they are preparing for battle?"

The group cautiously approached the edge of the forest and were surprised to find that the Hu were not preparing for battle. They were clearly setting up camp.

Perhaps due to the favorable terrain, the Xiongnu gathered their entire army and headed straight for this place. The land in Bingzhou was mountainous and rugged, especially in the southern part of the Taiyuan Kingdom, with a complex and varied terrain. There were many suitable places for camping, but the Xiongnu had coincidentally chosen the same area as them!

The soldiers looked at each other, all cursing their bad luck.

Shen Jin hid behind a large tree, watching the enemy camp, his teeth grinding in unease. He felt that his small unit was like a small animal hiding in the grass next to a bloodthirsty giant. Any movement of the giant could mean death for the small animal.

"Tell everyone to be careful. Both men and horses should be muzzled. Do not alarm the enemy," Lu Yao ordered in a low voice, then focused on observing the enemy camp through the gaps in the branches, remaining silent.

Some Hu were searching for firewood at the edge of the forest and cutting down trees to drag away. The soldiers lay on the ground, not even daring to breathe loudly.

The Hu worked very quickly. They stripped the branches from the felled trees, making them into poles about ten feet long. They took felt and leather ropes from their backpacks, used the poles as supports, and connected and tied them together. In no time, they had set up hundreds of felt tents, forming several camps that spread out over a wide area, extending for three or four miles and encompassing several small hills and patches of forest.

From the forest, the various tents stretched as far as the eye could see, and the fluttering military flags blocked the sky.

The shouts of the soldiers, the calls, and the neighs of the horses mixed together, forming a noisy wave. Among them, there were even the screams and curses of women, undoubtedly from Han women captured by the Xiongnu to serve as camp prostitutes. At this moment, some soldiers were just teasing them, but their tragic fate would begin at night.

A look of compassion flashed across Lu Yao's face, and he continued to observe the Hu's movements. He soon noticed a well-organized camp on a gentle slope to the west of the forest, about a mile away.

Usually, the Hu camps were simple and loose, but this camp was different. It was surrounded by several layers of wooden stakes and had several entrances. It could accommodate about a thousand people. In the center of the camp, the flag of "Champion General" was flying high, indicating that this was the main camp of Qiao Xi. On the other side of the camp, a small stream flowed, and on both sides of the stream, thousands of warhorses were grazing, clearly indicating that the main camp was entirely cavalry.

After a while, a group of Hu officers arrived, and the soldiers bowed in respect wherever they passed. At the center of the group was the bearded giant Qiao Xi.

Lu Yao watched intently until Qiao Xi waved his hand to dismiss the officers and strode into the main tent. He then signaled for the soldiers to retreat into the forest, staying behind as usual.

Shen Jin walked a few steps and then turned back, seeing Lu Yao squinting and observing the Hu camp, seemingly deep in thought.

"Daoming!" Shen Jin sighed and called out softly, "We can't stay here! This place is hidden, but the forest is too small to hide us. Even if we aren't discovered tonight, we'll be dead by morning."

Lu Yao nodded slightly, "I know."

"We must break through at night!" Shen Jin clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth, "The Hu camp is loose, and the night patrols are not strict. This situation might not trap us. We can set out at midnight and sneak out from the eastern path. If we're lucky, we have a thirty percent chance of getting out... maybe twenty percent... Even if we're discovered, we can fight our way out! Our men are all brave and fearless. Killing one is worth it, and killing two is a bonus!"

"Um, um!" Lu Yao continued to look out of the forest, nodding.

After saying so much, Lu Yao still showed no reaction, and Shen Jin became impatient, hissing, "Daoming! You..."

Before he could finish, Lu Yao grabbed his arm and pulled him over. The strength in Lu Yao's hand was so great that even Shen Jin's iron-like arm felt a pain.

Lu Yao shook his head, "Breaking through? Even if we manage to break out, what are the chances of surviving the pursuit by the Hu cavalry?" Without waiting for Shen Jin to answer, Lu Yao said firmly, "In this situation, retreating means becoming a hunted dog, only to be chased and killed. But if we advance, we can achieve great deeds!"

Shen Jin's heart raced, hesitating, "Daoming, you mean...?"

Lu Yao turned his head sharply, and in the dim twilight, his eyes almost seemed to glow, radiating a compelling force. He pointed to the enemy's main camp about a mile away and said sternly, "In my opinion, at the third watch of tonight, we will first attack the enemy's main camp and kill the general Qiao Xi! With the general dead, the Hu will be in chaos. We will charge out, and who will dare to stand in our way!"

Lu Yao planned to raid the enemy camp with just 150 cavalry and take the head of a general from among thousands of enemies! Such a bold plan had an irresistible charm, making Shen Jin's blood boil and almost dizzy.

He thought intensely, saying unconsciously, "But..."

"Since I joined General Yue Shi, I have deeply felt his generosity and extraordinary demeanor. However, his old subordinates often look down on the remnants of our Bingzhou army. I'm sure you have also experienced many frustrations."

Lu Yao looked at Shen Jin and said slowly, "Now that we are trapped in the enemy camp, it is dangerous, but it is also a heaven-sent opportunity, a time for great men to achieve great deeds. If we succeed in this battle, we will not only regain our honor, but also be celebrated by thousands. From then on, who will dare to look down on us! I know you are renowned for your bravery in the Bingzhou army, but I wonder if you have the courage to help me achieve this feat?"

Shen Jin was a brave man with the strength to fight a hundred, and he was also an expert in cavalry tactics, making him a capable subordinate of Lu Yao. However, he was not as close as Xue Tong or as loyal as Guo Huan, and he had a somewhat rebellious nature, which required a challenge to persuade him.

Hearing Lu Yao's words, Shen Jin clenched his fist and said fiercely, "I am willing to follow the general into battle!"

"Good!" Lu Yao strode back into the forest and ordered, "All soldiers, assemble!"

******

Upon hearing the news of the earthquake in Ya'an, Sichuan, I sincerely pray for the safety of the people in the affected area.

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