Chapter 6

Tiger Pass!

"Clang, clang, clang, clang...!"

The sound of metal clashing to signal the retreat of troops echoed outside Tiger Pass.

Tiger Pass was a massive fortress nestled between two steep cliffs. At this moment, both atop the fortress and outside Tiger Pass, the ground was littered with corpses, countless flaming arrows, and smoke billowed everywhere. Along the fortress walls, numerous cloud ladders were now engulfed in flames.

Gu Qin, with his hair dyed white, stood at the entrance of the fortress, looking down at the large number of Song soldiers retreating below.

Behind Gu Qin stood Chen Tian Shan and Chen Liang Yi.

"Phew, that was close. A while ago, we received news that Gao Xianzhi's army was intimidated by Gu Hai and halted to reorganize. I never thought it was a trick. He came much faster than expected, and all of them were elite soldiers. If you hadn't been prepared, Tiger Pass would have almost fallen!" Chen Tian Shan said with a lingering sense of fear.

Chen Liang Yi also nodded in agreement, "Fortunately, you prepared the oil. When their cloud ladders came up, you burned them with oil. Otherwise, it would have been unimaginable. They are truly a ferocious army. Just one of them could match five of our soldiers. This, this...!"

Gu Qin did not look at the two of them but gazed into the distance, softly saying, "Gentlemen, no matter what, don't slip up. Remember, I am now Gu Hai!"

At this moment, Gu Qin's hair was dyed white, and his face was covered with many wrinkles. Although he did not look much like Gu Hai, very few people had seen Gu Hai, and even fewer had seen Gu Qin in recent years. Moreover, Gu Qin's appearance had changed significantly, making it difficult for ordinary people to recognize him. His loyal subordinates in the Gu Mansion would never expose him.

Chen Tian Shan and Chen Liang Yi looked at Gu Qin and nodded solemnly.

When Gu Hai made the arrangements, Chen Tian Shan was initially reluctant, worried about accidents. But now, he had no resentment. At least, Gu Hai had anticipated the enemy's moves. The continuous five-hour attack had been repelled, leaving Gao Xianzhi empty-handed.

"I will follow your lead. Whatever you do, I will support you, as long as we can hold off Gao Xianzhi!" Chen Liang Yi said firmly.

"Master Chen, my father wants to defeat the Song Empire as quickly as possible. Therefore, do not reveal his movements to prevent any accidents," Gu Qin said solemnly.

Chen Tian Shan nodded, "I will keep it a secret. However, just one attack cost us three thousand men, and Gao Xianzhi only lost three thousand. This is just a small part of his army. When his main forces converge on Tiger Pass, how will you defend it?"

"Don't worry. I trust my father. He will bind them soon," Gu Qin said after a moment of silence.

"Oh?"

"The one who led the charge just now was Gao Xianzhi's vanguard general, Lin Chong. He is a fierce warrior and needs close attention. Have an artist draw his portrait and show it to all the soldiers on the walls. If they see him, they should immediately fire at him with all their might," Gu Qin said solemnly.

"Understood!" Chen Liang Yi responded.

---

Outside Tiger Pass.

In a large tent within a camp.

A refined man in his forties, dressed in red, held a cup of hot tea and carefully examined a large sand table. The sand table detailed the terrain outside Tiger Pass.

A group of guards stood quietly beside him, not daring to disturb the refined man holding the teacup.

The man had a handsome face with a certain indescribable heroism, making people feel a surge of spirit upon seeing him.

He took a sip of tea and gestured on the sand table.

"Report!"

Suddenly, a muscular man, covered in blood, rushed into the tent.

"Thud!"

The muscular man knelt down, his face filled with guilt.

The refined man holding the teacup continued to look at the sand table, his back to the kneeling man.

"General, Lin Chong is incompetent. I failed to capture Tiger Pass. The commander of Tiger Pass seemed to know we were coming and had prepared oil in advance. We suffered heavy casualties, with three thousand soldiers losing their lives and two thousand more injured. I am incompetent and have caused such great losses. Please punish me, General!" the muscular man pleaded.

The general holding the teacup did not turn around, continuing to look at the sand table.

"Please punish me, General. I am incompetent and failed to capture the fortress!" Lin Chong, the muscular man, bowed his head and pleaded again.

"You failing to capture the fortress is normal. If you had succeeded, that would be abnormal!" the general holding the teacup said calmly.

"Huh?" Lin Chong looked at the general in confusion.

The great general of the Song Empire, Gao Xianzhi!

Gao Xianzhi slowly turned around, holding the teacup, and looked at Lin Chong, smiling slightly, "I didn't expect you to capture Tiger Pass in one go. I just wanted the vanguard to test the strength of Tiger Pass. You don't need to blame yourself. The defenders are not someone you can easily overcome!"

"General, you don't blame me?" Lin Chong asked in surprise.

Gao Xianzhi took a sip of tea and nodded, "I have already had the terrain around Tiger Pass thoroughly investigated. As expected of Gu Hai, his defenses are impeccable. He even collapsed the cliffs at the narrow pass to cut off one of our routes!"

"But, but our three thousand brothers...!" Lin Chong still looked troubled.

"Enough. In war, there will always be casualties. Gu Hai is different from anyone we've encountered before. Don't underestimate him. You must treat him as an extremely powerful opponent, remember, even stronger than me!" Gao Xianzhi said solemnly.

"Huh? How is that possible, General? In the Song Empire, I only respect you!" Lin Chong said, disbelieving.

"In this world, I only respect him!" Gao Xianzhi said solemnly.

"Huh? What?" Lin Chong asked in surprise.

"Although I respect him, I still intend to defeat him. So, you must be careful!" Gao Xianzhi said seriously.

"Yes!"

"Gu Hai's strategies are unpredictable, and many of his moves are unexpected. In the future, even if it's not on the battlefield, if anything unusual happens, report it to me immediately!" Gao Xianzhi said solemnly.

"Yes!"

"Attack for three more days. Even if we lose a batch of soldiers, it doesn't matter. When they die, a batch of soldiers inside Tiger Pass will also die. The inferior soldiers inside, seeing their comrades die, will surely be demoralized. After three days, we will retreat. When we return with a massive army, they will be in a state of panic and self-destruct!" Gao Xianzhi said coldly, finishing his tea.

"Yes!"

---

Three days later.

On the walls of Tiger Pass.

"They are retreating, they are finally retreating!" Chen Liang Yi said, tears welling up in his eyes.

"But we lost ten thousand men in these three days!" Chen Tian Shan said, his face grim.

There were only a hundred thousand inferior soldiers in total. Losing ten thousand was a terrifying blow to morale, especially with Gao Xianzhi's massive army of seven or eighty thousand still pressing down.

"Are you worried about unrest in the camp?" Gu Qin asked with a light laugh.

"Will there be?" Chen Liang Yi asked, worried.

"Yes!" Gu Qin said confidently.

"Huh?"

"Gao Xianzhi learned psychological warfare from my father. If he can do it, my father can do it too. Don't worry, leave it to me. I will change the narrative. This ten thousand deaths will not make them timid like sheep; instead, it will ignite their ferocity and make them fight to the death!" Gu Qin said with a smile.

"Huh?"

---

Gao Xianzhi rode a black horse, leading ten thousand wounded soldiers, slowly heading towards a massive city not far away.

Although he did not capture Tiger Pass, Gao Xianzhi was satisfied because he had planted a seed of fear in the hearts of the remaining Chen soldiers at Tiger Pass.

The Chen army lost ten thousand men, which might ignite their ferocity, but so what? When the eighty-thousand-strong army arrives, the seed of fear in their hearts will quickly take root and shatter their newfound ferocity.

Before him was the largest stronghold of the eighty-thousand-strong army, and also the second-largest city of the former Chen Empire, called "Shangcheng," where the richest man of the six kingdoms had made his fortune.

It had already been captured by him, and from there, he was expanding his influence to the surrounding cities.

"General has returned!" soldiers came to greet him from a distance.

"Are there any merchants in Shangcheng acting suspiciously?" Gao Xianzhi asked.

"No, General, rest assured. We have been monitoring them. Not only in Shangcheng, but in other cities as well. No merchants have dared to act out of line!" the leading officer said.

"Hmm!" Gao Xianzhi nodded.

The army slowly entered the city, heading towards a large parade ground in the city center. The parade ground was also a gathering place for the army, and at least three hundred thousand soldiers were stationed there, excluding those on campaign.

As they approached the parade ground, Gao Xianzhi suddenly frowned, hearing the sound of fireworks in the distance.

"Crack, crack, crack!"

The fireworks continued without pause, creating a loud noise.

"What's going on?" Gao Xianzhi frowned.

"General, these are some wealthy merchants from our Song Empire, coming to comfort our troops!" the officer said with a smile.

"What? Wealthy merchants?" Gao Xianzhi's face changed.

He immediately thought of the richest man of the six kingdoms, Gu Hai.

"Ride!"

Gao Xianzhi spurred his horse, and the black horse galloped away.

He quickly arrived at the parade ground. There, a group of men in brocade robes were bowing respectfully to a middle-aged man in a splendid robe.

"Your Highness, we merchants are incompetent and can only show our respect in this way. It's really nothing, just our sincere intentions. Seeing our Song Empire grow stronger, we are truly happy. Therefore, our city's chamber of commerce has decided to send supplies to support the army, to prevent Gu Hai from exploiting any weaknesses!" the leading wealthy man said respectfully.

The middle-aged man in the splendid robe was the Crown Prince of the Song Empire, standing before the group of wealthy merchants with a satisfied look in his eyes.

"General has returned!" a soldier suddenly shouted.

"Whoosh!"

Everyone, whether soldiers, the Crown Prince, wealthy merchants, or servants, turned their heads.

They saw Gao Xianzhi riding his horse, quickly approaching.

In the distance, fireworks continued to explode. Gao Xianzhi's eyes flashed with a cold look.

"General!" the Crown Prince smiled.

"Pay respects, General!" the group of wealthy merchants bowed slightly, excited.

"What's going on?" Gao Xianzhi asked coldly.

"Oh, these are the merchants from Pengcheng, our Song Empire. They heard that you ordered the supervision of granaries and medicine stores to prevent Gu Hai from disrupting our supplies, so the Pengcheng chamber of commerce organized themselves to bring a large amount of grain and medicine to support the country and assist our army!" the Crown Prince smiled.

"Hmm?" Gao Xianzhi was slightly surprised.

Upon hearing that Gu Hai was leading the army, Gao Xianzhi's first reaction was that Gu Hai would use commerce to cut off resources, and he had already taken precautions. He did not expect the Pengcheng chamber of commerce to be so proactive.

The leading wealthy merchant also smiled, "Congratulations, General, for your continuous victories, even defeating the King of Chen. We received the news and were all deeply moved, sincerely admiring you. Therefore, we brought some supplies, partly to show our respect and partly to offer our sincerest congratulations. Please allow us, General!"

Gao Xianzhi stared at the group of wealthy merchants with a furrowed brow. With his caution, he immediately suspected they might be spies sent by Gu Hai with some ulterior motive. However, seeing the mountains of grain and medicine, he was puzzled. It didn't seem like it!

However, if they were genuinely offering congratulations and supplies, there was no need to discourage them.

"I will thank you all on behalf of the entire army! I am a bit tired from the continuous campaign, so I won't entertain you further!" Gao Xianzhi said.

"Of course, of course!" the group of wealthy merchants laughed.

"General, you go rest. I'll take care of things here!" the Crown Prince smiled.

Gao Xianzhi nodded.

---

In the evening, Lin Chong entered Gao Xianzhi's tent.

"General, I have inspected the grain and medicine. There are no problems; they are all of the best quality! It seems these wealthy merchants have no connection with Gu Hai!"

"All of the best quality?" Gao Xianzhi frowned.

"Yes, these merchants are very enthusiastic. There will be a fireworks show later to celebrate our great victory!" Lin Chong smiled.

"Send people to keep an eye on these merchants!" Gao Xianzhi said solemnly.

"General, I heard they are leaving early tomorrow. Why...?"

"I have a bad feeling. Keep an eye on them to prevent any accidents!" Gao Xianzhi said solemnly.

"Yes!"

---

The next day, Gao Xianzhi got up and freshened up.

"Crack, crack, crack!"

Outside the camp, the sound of fireworks echoed again.

"Hmm? Lin Chong!" Gao Xianzhi called out coldly.

"Here!" Lin Chong quickly entered the tent.

"Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on the wealthy merchants from Pengcheng? Is there a problem?" Gao Xianzhi asked solemnly.

"No, they left early this morning. Oh, but today, wealthy merchants from Yuncheng are here to comfort the troops. The fireworks have been going off from outside the city to the camp. They also brought a large amount of medicine and grain. It doesn't seem to be a trick!" Lin Chong smiled.

"Yuncheng wealthy merchants?" Gao Xianzhi looked puzzled.

"Yes, all the best grain and medicine. We sent people to check, and it's all genuine. Ha, now we don't have to worry about Gu Hai interfering!" Lin Chong smiled.

Gao Xianzhi looked puzzled.

---

In the capital of the Song Empire, Songcheng, Tian Mansion.

Gu Hai was playing a game of Go with himself, with his adopted son, Gu Han, standing beside him.

"Father, the chambers of commerce from Pengcheng, Yuncheng, and Huicheng are continuously sending large amounts of grain and medicine to Shangcheng, as you instructed. The chambers of commerce, under our instigation, are on their way. But what's the point of sending so much grain and medicine?" Gu Han asked, puzzled.

Gu Hai placed a white stone on the Go board and smiled, "What's the point? Can't you figure it out, Gu Han?"

Gu Han's expression changed, "Oh, I see. Father, because Gao Xianzhi is wary of us, he has already prepared enough grain and medicine. So, the grain and medicine we send are useless. If there were a shortage, they would be invaluable, but with enough supplies, more is just surplus, stored and unused, requiring people to guard and transport them. They are less valuable than money, which can be distributed to the troops to boost morale. But grain is hard to distribute, especially during war, and the soldiers can't take it with them. Grain and medicine are like waste, but they can also serve as a cover!"

"This is called 'fullness leads to loss.' When something is too much, it not only becomes useless but can also be harmful!" Gu Hai said solemnly.

"Yes, the soldiers will feel unbalanced seeing large amounts of gifts arriving at the camp without any personal benefits," Gu Han smiled.

"Anything else?" Gu Hai placed another black stone.

Gu Han knew Gu Hai was teaching him and tried to analyze. After a moment, his eyes lit up with surprise.

"Fireworks and firecrackers?" Gu Han asked in surprise.

Gu Hai smiled, "Go on."

"Shangcheng has three hundred thousand troops, and the other five hundred thousand are divided into multiple routes, continuously capturing cities. Shangcheng is the headquarters and also a place for recovery. Elite soldiers are constantly dispatched, and wounded soldiers are continuously brought back to Shangcheng for treatment. Some have lost limbs, are covered in injuries, and are deeply saddened, feeling hopeless about their future. But at this moment, others are celebrating with fireworks and firecrackers, creating a huge contrast. This is like rubbing salt in the wounds of the wounded soldiers!" Gu Han said.

"Continue."

"At night, the fireworks, though beautiful, seem to mock the wounded soldiers and their future. With the large amounts of grain and medicine not distributed to each person, the wounded soldiers will feel even more unbalanced. Why should others enjoy the glory of victory while they face a hopeless future?" Gu Han said.

Gu Hai nodded, "Anything else?"

Gu Han thought for a while and his expression changed.

"Father, are you talking about the people of Shangcheng?" Gu Han asked in surprise.

Gu Hai stopped placing the stone and nodded, "Yes, Gao Xianzhi killed six hundred thousand Chen soldiers. These six hundred thousand were the pillars of countless families. They were sons, husbands, and fathers, the spiritual pillars of their families. Their deaths have left their families in deep sorrow and despair, unable to resist the invaders. But now, these invaders are celebrating daily, laughing and acting like devils trying to assimilate them. Though forced, the people will only harbor more and more hatred in their hearts."

"When this hatred reaches its peak, it will be a terrifying force," Gu Han took a deep breath.

"Remember, no one can resist the anger of the people. When the wave of anger surges, it will be like the sky collapsing, unstoppable!" Gu Hai said solemnly.

"Phew!" Gu Han drew a sharp breath.

"Father, I never thought that these small fireworks and firecrackers could have such a dangerous effect, influencing people's hearts!"

"Hearts are the most powerful! But they are also the most fragile! Attacking the heart is just the beginning!"

With that, Gu Hai placed another stone on the Go board.

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