Chapter 69

The forest was not very large, and the soldiers quickly gathered. Apart from a few scouts monitoring the enemy's movements at the edge of the forest, over a hundred others surrounded Lu Yao in the center. Most of them were seasoned veterans originally from the Bingzhou army, while some were mixed barbarian soldiers who had been incorporated into the army as captives in recent months.

These were warriors who had faced countless life-and-death situations, with extremely rich battlefield experience. In the short half-moment just now, each of them had used dry grass and branches to camouflage themselves. Lu Yao stood in the center of the soldiers and looked around, almost feeling as if he were surrounded by a cluster of moving hay bales.

Lu Yao could see that many of them now wore expressions of bewilderment, and some even had a hint of fear in their eyes. However, Lu Yao was very clear that all they needed was a confident commander to point the way, and they would immediately become fearless and valiant warriors.

Lu Yao raised his hand to signal for everyone to pay attention. He then quickly squatted down to avoid being spotted by the barbarians.

He carefully controlled his voice, making it neither too loud nor too soft, but loud enough for every soldier to hear: "Brothers! There's no need for me to elaborate on the current situation. Everyone knows that we've run into the barbarians. Fortunately, they haven't discovered us yet, but we can't move either. This is a bit scary, not just for you, but even our Commander Shen was flustered just now!"

Shen Jing stared in disbelief and said, "General, don't belittle me like that! I wasn't flustered; I was... just anxious!"

Seeing the usually strong and bold Shen Jing in a bind, the soldiers burst into low laughter, and the tense atmosphere was instantly lightened.

Lu Yao also chuckled and continued, "But Old Shen is a smart man. He quickly realized that it's not difficult to get out of this situation; there's no need to panic! We've already noticed that the enemy is lax, setting up a large camp without even a proper sentry. You brothers are cavalry who can move like the wind. Breaking through under the cover of night is as easy as pie!"

As he spoke, he looked around, paying attention to each soldier's reaction: "Old Shen's idea is good, but I disagree!"

Lu Yao paused and continued, "Why? Because a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a great achievement are within reach, and it all depends on whether we have the courage to seize it!"

At this point, every soldier was captivated by Lu Yao's words, listening intently as he continued, "The enemy surrounding us is led by Qiao Xi. This man is a bandit by origin, with no talent for leading troops. He has risen to the position of Champion General of the Xiongnu solely through his cruelty and bloodthirstiness, his hands stained with the blood of countless civilians. Many of you have seen him; even those who haven't have surely heard of his reputation. For example, Old Shen..."

"Old Shen, don't panic, I'm not mocking you this time..." Amidst the second round of low laughter, Lu Yao pointed at the wide-eyed Shen Jing: "For example, Commander Shen, who has even faced Qiao Xi in battle multiple times. Unfortunately, he always fell short, letting this butcher escape!"

"Brothers!" Lu Yao raised a finger and gently waved it, "The opportunity is here! Less than a mile away is the camp of this so-called Champion General Qiao Xi, and they are completely unprepared! Tonight, if we launch a surprise attack, we can slaughter them like pigs!"

"Although the enemy has several thousand troops, they are divided into Xiongnu, Wuhuan, Jie, and other mixed barbarians. They were hastily assembled for this battle and lack coordination. By killing their commander, the enemy will be thrown into chaos in the darkness, losing their command center and inevitably collapsing without a fight. A single battle to defeat a force ten times our size would be an unprecedented glorious victory since the court began fighting the Xiongnu. Only such a glorious victory would be worthy of the brave men of the Bingzhou army!" Lu Yao waved his fist, speaking firmly.

"Brothers, many of you have followed me for years. They know what kind of person I, Lu Daoming, am, and they trust and follow me... Now, I hope you do the same! I hope you trust my judgment and follow me to defeat the enemy and achieve great deeds!" He looked around at the focused eyes of the soldiers and lowered his voice slightly, "What do you say? Are you up for it?"

"Up for it!" "Up for it!" The response to Lu Yao was a series of low roars.

The pre-battle mobilization was successfully completed. If not for the fear of being discovered by the barbarians, the soldiers' shouts would have already reached the sky. These were the elite of the Bingzhou army, known for their bravery and combat skills, and their commanders never lacked the determination and courage to defeat strong enemies.

Lu Yao then ordered the entire army to rest for two hours, ready to launch a surprise attack at the third watch. Several main officers were gathered by Lu Yao for specific instructions.

"The current situation is not as optimistic as I just said, but one thing is certain: only by launching a night raid on the enemy's main camp and destroying the Xiongnu's command center can we gain a chance to safely withdraw." After a brief introduction, Lu Yao pointed to the rough map of the enemy camp he had drawn based on his observations and assigned tasks:

"Although the enemy is lax and unprepared, they outnumber us by dozens of times. Once they react, we will be surrounded, with no escape except death. Therefore, what we must do is to distract them, forcing them into chaos so they cannot focus on their main camp. Shen Jing!"

"Here!"

"The northern camp of the enemy is where the Jie and Wuhuan soldiers rest. Compared to the Xiongnu, they lack discipline and are more prone to chaos. I give you thirty men to harass them, delaying their response so they cannot come to the aid of the main camp in time!" Lu Yao paused and continued, "I only need one moment. After that, whether or not we have killed Qiao Xi, you must bring your men to join me and break through together."

Shen Jing stepped forward and solemnly said, "Understood!"

"The southern camp of the enemy mainly houses the rear army's supplies, including captured women, gold, and livestock. Zhu Sheng, you take twenty men to go there and create chaos by killing and burning. Make sure to cause a commotion so the enemy's rear army is too busy to pay attention to anything else! Like Shen Jing, you must buy us one moment. After that, you must join me and break through."

"Yes!" Zhu Sheng, perhaps not expecting such a heavy responsibility, was so excited that his voice was hoarse. Lu Yao looked at him and said sternly, "If the enemy from the rear army comes to your aid within one moment, you might as well die there and don't need to join me."

"Understood, General!" Zhu Sheng nodded solemnly.

Lu Yao's branch stabbed fiercely into the center of the map: "This is the enemy's main camp. I will personally lead a hundred cavalry to directly assault it and cut off Qiao Xi's head!"

"Chu Kun! Yang Ruo! Wei Ping! Tao Yan! You four will join me in the assault. Once we enter the enemy camp, Chu Kun will cover the left flank, Yang Ruo the right flank, and Wei Ping and Tao Yan will follow me closely. Everyone must push forward resolutely, without worrying about the rear. Our survival and victory depend solely on Qiao Xi!"

These four were the other four squad leaders in Lu Yao's personal guard, apart from Zhu Sheng. Chu Kun, who had brought several soldiers to join Lu Yao's command during the reorganization of Jicheng, was young but steady and capable, effectively serving as the leader of the personal guard after He Yun's transfer. Yang Ruo, a native of Bingzhou, had lost his family at a young age and was known as "A Ruo" by his peers. He was a skilled archer and cavalryman. Wei Ping and Tao Yan were also brave and capable officers.

The four of them said in unison, "Understood!"

The new moon had not yet reached the zenith, and there was still a long time before the third watch. The soldiers scattered in the forest were resting, with some taking the opportunity to eat some dry rations. Lu Yao looked around and clapped his hands, "Alright, everyone, rest for a while. When we defeat the Xiongnu, I will certainly recommend all of you to the lord for commendation! Whether or not we can bring glory to our ancestors depends on this battle today!"

******

To add some pressure on myself and not slack off, I will update twice daily this week. I hope for your continued support, and I am eager for clicks, favorites, and red tickets. I bow in gratitude.

Finally, thank you to my friend Heng Heng Sa for your support.

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