Chapter 6

Ye Zeng nodded slightly, then quickly scanned the small area of the battlefield shrouded in smoke.

The blazing sun beats down like a boiling broth, scorching the armor to the point of cracking, the hilt of the sword at the waist feels scalding hot, and the feathered arrows with sharp tips seem to be lightly emitting wisps of blood smoke

Meng Shouwen remained silent for a long time before slowly saying: "I think of Pei Zhen, who initially bribed Liu Renhan and forced Emperor Xuan to abdicate in order to establish himself as emperor, believing that by changing the title of the world, he could secure his imperial career forever. Who would have thought that he would now be betrayed by Liu Renhan, his imperial title abolished by his own biological son, and he would die in the army, becoming a laughingstock for the world. It is truly lamentable, truly lamentable"

This location is situated at the northeastern corner of the ancient Gobi Desert. It is an essential passage for the quickest route from the Yanzhong River to Tianqi. As Ye Zeng had anticipated, due to the death of Pei Zhen, the advance of the 10,000 troops from the south has been sluggish. Furthermore, it has been reported that the troops in the Yanzhong camp have all retreated back into the city, leading to a sense of unease among the soldiers. After more than twenty days, they have yet to cross the Qishui River

He wishes to lead over a thousand troops southward to risk their lives, and you do not offer a word of advice, allowing him to go recklessly

Ye Zeng did not raise his eyes, lightly twisting his wrist, he completed the last stroke, and then asked: "Do you all trust me, Ye Zeng?"

Meng Shouwen was slightly taken aback

Xu Hong suppressed a smile and replied, "I accept the order!"

I originally thought that Ye Zeng only understood military affairs, but to my surprise, he perceives me with such clarity

As the expressions of the crowd gradually changed, Ye Zengcai continued: "Most of you hail from the elite units of Xichuan and Jiange, and this time you have been ordered to march south to reinforce our camp in Hebei, all of you must harbor the intention of defeating the enemy and achieving victory. A good man should strive for military merit to earn a distinguished name. I, Ye Zeng, merely achieved a fortunate victory over General Liang Yin in one battle, and thus received such a promotion from His Highness. How could any of you not desire to be conferred titles and appointed as generals?"

Meng Shouwen stood still, his anger still simmering. Upon hearing the words, he was about to rebuke, but suddenly recalled that night above the Smoke River when blood and fire surged into the sky. He remembered the young lieutenant, covered in dirt and blood, who calmly carried him down from the enemy ship and then informed him that only a little over a hundred of his personal guards had followed.

Meng Shouwen glanced at him, "You have only been back under the command of Ye Zeng for a few days, yet you have already learned to speak on his behalf!"

The surroundings fell silent for a moment, when a person named Cui Xian spoke: "General Ye's words are reasonable. The current army can be said to have the numbers of ten thousand troops, yet lacks the spirit of even a thousand soldiers. If we were to launch a surprise attack with unconventional troops, it is not impossible to make them retreat in battle."

This statement can be said to resonate with the thoughts of everyone. Although these valiant soldiers from the elite troops of another town hold great respect for Ye Zeng, there is not a single one among them who does not yearn to be recognized by the world through a single battle like Ye Zeng.

Meng Shouwen let out a cold snort after hearing this, "The rations for ten days are enough to go but not enough to return. If he cannot catch up with the army, I will end up starving to death in the ancient Gobi myself!"

After a while, Meng Shouwen furrowed his brow slightly again, the anger in his eyes having diminished by more than half, and he simply asked, "How many days' worth of rations did the Eagle's cavalry take when they left the camp?"

Meng Shouwen suddenly raised his eyes and said angrily, "Advance lightly!" He stood up and quickly paced a few steps in the tent. "Does he really think that his reputation is so great that the troops would not dare to engage him upon hearing the name Ye Zeng? He has only led a mere one thousand men out of the camp, yet he dares to act so presumptuously! Is he tired of living, or does he have no fear of death?"

The crowd was momentarily taken aback, and then they all nodded in agreement.

Zhang Mao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, bent down to flip over several corpses of soldiers, and scavenged a small amount of clean rations. Only then did he turn and walk back to the hillside not far away, where Ye Zeng shouted from atop: "General, there is nothing to worry about!"

Ye Zeng then raised his head and said: "Today, the troops of the vanguard have not yet passed noon, and the outcome has already been determined, which indicates the decline in the morale of their soldiers. Although the reinforcements number over ten thousand, they lack a strong commander to lead them, and their hearts are unsettled, akin to scattered sand. They will collapse at the slightest push. My elite troops are resting here, waiting for their army to arrive. We will ambush them at two or three key locations, and they will surely believe that our hidden forces are numerous. How could they dare to linger and engage in battle?"

He turned around, seemingly asking Xu Hong, yet also appearing to speak to himself: "If he had known that today would end up like this, would he have been content to be his consort back then, and no longer harbored the ambition to dominate the world?"

Meng Shouwen, with a cold expression and without speaking, turned his gaze back to the few sheets of paper on the table. After observing them for a long time, he finally said: "You should prepare sufficient provisions, arrows, and armor, and take these 2,000 troops to pursue him." After saying this, he thought for a moment and added: "Since you are carrying supplies, you will definitely not be able to catch up with him, so there is no need to rush. After all, he does not intend to use these 2,000 troops. Consider it a precaution against any enemy troops that may ambush him from behind. If he truly cannot catch up with the main army, he will not starve to death out there." He reiterated: "Since you are carrying supplies, you will definitely not be able to catch up with him, so there is no need to rush. After all, he does not intend to use these 2,000 troops. Consider it a precaution against any enemy troops that may ambush him from behind. If he truly cannot catch up with the main army, he will not starve to death out there."

To set an ambush for an army of ten thousand with the strength of a thousand is indeed an unprecedented event in history

Xu Hong knelt honestly on the ground, allowing his anger to rise. After a while, he could not help but whisper, "General Ye is certainly not an ordinary military figure; Your Highness should be more aware of this than others..."

By evening, Ye Zeng gathered the various captains under his command in the tent. On the ground, he hastily drew the nearby terrain with branches and marked the directions from which the soldiers and horses had come. Then, he meticulously outlined where he intended to position over a thousand troops for ambush.

Xu Hong secretly glanced at him and said: "Moreover, General Ye has instructed his subordinates to report to His Highness on his behalf! If His Highness truly wishes to gain the hearts of the people in the court through military achievements, this is a once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity that must not be missed"

The wind blows into the ears, bringing a scorching heat

Even Zhang Mao, who has always been quite aware of his intentions, has now become hesitant, pondering on the side: "Is the general being a bit too... hasty this time?"

In the end, Ye Zeng ordered a few survivors to be left alive, inquiring in detail about the situation of Jun's successor and his troops. He then commanded his subordinates to scavenge the remaining supplies on the battlefield and to rest in place while awaiting further orders

Everyone observed with equal scrutiny, yet by the end, they found themselves exchanging glances in silence, looking at one another without speaking

Gentlemen, do you wish to be conferred titles of nobility and appointed as generals

Xu Hong, upon hearing the words, immediately said: "Your Highness would certainly not sit idly by while General Ye heads south. There are still 2,000 troops remaining in the camp under General Ying that have yet to be deployed"

Xu Hong nodded and said: "The army of Jun would never fabricate such matters that are detrimental to themselves. Moreover, the Jun army has not engaged in battle for several months, and now they have burned their grain depot; it is likely that this matter is not false."

He straightened up, extended his arm to point at the drawing on the ground, and finally asked in a heavy tone:

Xu Hong knelt on one knee, bowed his head and said: "I have advised and persuaded, but General Ye has made up his mind, and it is beyond my ability to influence his decision"

After another two days, the vanguard of eight hundred troops finally arrived, but before they could catch their breath, they were completely ambushed by the Chu army, which had long been waiting in an established trap.

Xu Hong hurriedly lowered his head and said, "This subordinate does not dare."

Ye Zeng scrutinized the expressions on everyone's faces and continued: "With Pei Zhen dead, his troops will have no strict orders to follow, which presents a rare opportunity for our army to advance. If any of you today harbor private concerns and are unwilling to engage in battle, then the vast territory of our Chun State, as well as your wives and families, will be at risk; however, if you can defeat their ten thousand troops with just a thousand of our own, then no one within the four provinces will dare to underestimate our Chun army again"

Ye Zeng led his troops southward in light gear, advancing rapidly both day and night. After eight days of swift riding, he crossed ahead of the Jun army, then chose a hill to establish camp, waiting steadily for the Jun army's arrival

The lamp's light was faint, subtly illuminating his ink-black brows, while his face was taut and rigid, his gaze fixed straight on the several sheets of paper spread out on the table.

Meng Shouwen's voice was neither cold nor warm, slowly emanating from behind the handsome desk.

Once Meng Shouwen's anger subsided, he turned to inquire: "Could the words of those two soldiers be false? Did Pei Zhen truly die in the army?"

Xu Hongdao: "General Ye has always been adept at planning; the provisions prepared for this expedition should last for at least ten days."