Chapter Six, the Barbarian Young Master Helan Que

Lai San was startled by this and was about to cry out, but he saw a face filled with joy leaning over, cheerfully saying, "Your Grace, we have been waiting for you for several hours!"

He tightly gripped the sword at his waist, which could emit a dragon's roar, to bolster his courage, and shouted with his neck straightened: "A soldier can be killed but cannot be humiliated! No, wait! He also cannot be killed! In any case, you need to calm down! Your eyesight is quite good; it is true that my official rank is higher than that of my companion. What do you want to do? Just say it to me!"

Lai San dismounted from the horse, already feeling somewhat stiff in his limbs, and it took him a while to be able to speak after moving around a bit

The gentleness of the voice and the content spoken are so disparate that after Lai San landed, his legs went weak, causing him to sit down again.

When Jing Chi arrived, He Lan Que was no longer smiling; only the people on his side were still laughing and shouting threats.

"Is this a dead end?" Lai San asked anxiously

At this moment, Jing Chi had already caught up with the lagging Lai San. Along the way, he called out to everyone he saw, "Flank to the right! Flank to the right! Everyone, stop chasing!" He shouted until his voice was hoarse, yet no one paid him any heed

At this moment, two muffled horn sounds came from behind, followed by a response from the front. Soon, another horn sounded directly to the north. Apart from the mountain ridge leading directly to the west, there was no other way to go

At the sound of a command, thousands of troops surged into the mountains, pursuing the direction in which the red horse had fled

Helan Que was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of what to say.

"Draw your sword! If you draw your sword, you may still be able to contend with me; if you do not draw your sword, you are certainly no match for me in a single clash!" Helan Que interrupted his nonsense in a deep voice, "As a man, facing death, will you not at least try to resist once?"

He had to exert all his strength to control himself from throwing this head away, yet his hands were already trembling uncontrollably.

Although he has stood up, both his thighs and calves are cramping, and his entire body feels quite weak, making it impossible to run far. Third Brother understands this principle as well, so he does not intend to run.

Lai San let out a cry of distress. Currently, the situation is that the two of them are facing a dangerous individual, and neither of them is in uniform, making it difficult to discern which one is more important. If Lai San wishes to increase his chances of escape, what would he do

He had bet correctly; the hand gripping his throat did not exert any force. Helan Que's gaze condensed into a sharp, narrow slit, glinting coldly like the edge of a blade.

This howling north wind, this resounding horn, this whistling arrow, this galloping army of thousands... Lai San was merely a young lad who had just turned twenty; such scenes had only been heard of in tales before, and he had never imagined that one day he would experience it firsthand. The nature of men is inherently combative, and such scenes easily stir a man's blood, especially since he was the type who would rush over to watch the excitement whenever a fight broke out. Moreover, he knew that the opponents were only two and had already been driven into a corner. His emotions were becoming increasingly exhilarated as he ran, shouting loudly: "Brothers, chase them!"

My most esteemed friend, I entrust the sacred relic of my clan into your hands, expressing my sincerity to you

Have you encountered so many teams in the previous few times

"Do not blame me for not giving you a chance! Now draw your sword and attack; you still have the opportunity to fight for your fate. Otherwise, I will shatter you into pieces!" A fierce glare suddenly appeared in Helan Que's eyes, and his voice was as cold as the waters of a deep winter lake

The pursuing soldiers from Dingxi are all elite troops carefully selected from the Dingxi army, each one proud and arrogant. However, at this moment, as they reached the edge of the cliff, they could only rein in their warhorses, none of them confident enough to leap across such a great distance like Helan Que. For a moment, the scene became eerily quiet.

He Lan glanced ahead and, seizing the opportunity, urged his horse to gallop towards the high ground on the left. His horse was indeed exceptional; while the soldiers from Jingzhou could still manage to keep pace on flat ground, as they ascended, the horse struggled, revealing a clear distinction between the capable and the incapable, and the distance between them only widened.

Lin Sucheng became somewhat anxious upon hearing this and said, "What is going on? Duke, let us hurry there!"

The corners of that person's mouth held a smile as he looked at him without speaking. His brows and eyes were exceptionally gentle, his gaze carried a casual indifference. He appeared to be full of mirth, seemingly devoid of malice, yet the overall impression he conveyed was one of extreme danger

Jing Chi helplessly said, "Duke, the barbarians have already left. I mean, look at the traces left by the barbarians' camp!" Why didn't you say so earlier? You startled me.

My lord! I do not know the specific situation. This team of mine was originally stationed in the southwest, but the higher-ups have just issued an order for me to lead the team to converge from the southwest towards the west, with a deadline of three quarters of an hour to arrive! This is already the seventh repositioning order tonight. I can only lead my brothers back and forth, and by now, the distance we have traveled could circle around the Qilan encampment half a time, yet we have not even caught a glimpse of that scoundrel!

Lai Sanming knew that his personal safety was absolutely guaranteed, and that he was destined to win the battle. Therefore, anyone would dare to fight in such a situation, making it a rare opportunity to showcase one's abilities. Thus, he displayed unparalleled bravery and charged forward at the forefront.

The sound of the sword being drawn from its sheath resonates with an unparalleled dragon's roar, seemingly seizing the momentum of half the world with this lifeless yet fierce object. As the sun just begins to rise, the sword, which already appears to contain a beam of light, flickers unpredictably when drawn, and at this moment, under the early sunlight, it shines even more brilliantly, truly resembling a dragonfly ready to pounce.

With a slight gritting of his teeth, he fiercely struck the horse with a whip. The horse neighed loudly, its front hooves rising into the air, and it lunged forward, swiftly catching up to Helan Que's red horse "Liefeng".

Xiao You, feeling anxious, said: "Brother, you took a great risk to return. If you do not appear by dawn, the brothers may launch an attack. There is no time to delay. If there is truly no other way, then..." He Lan Que remained silent.

Lin Sucheng pondered for a moment and felt that although the Duke's words were rough, they contained some truth.

Is it considered great wisdom and courage if I, Laozi, dare to stay alone in the woods without fear of ghosts? Wouldn't the old man guarding the righteous hall then be referred to as a celestial being descended to earth, a reincarnation of a diamond warrior?

The leap over this cliff is exceedingly difficult, yet the distance does not prevent the sound from being heard. As soon as he spoke, Helan Que heard him. "Boss, boss, the great official, I see you again!" His voice was filled with a strong sense of joy, "Continue!"

Helan did not need to look back at all; he was very confident in his own abilities. He bypassed the tripwire and began to observe the terrain on both sides.

"It is not considered so; that is where the mountain stream flows, and it is not very deep. The Tiger Mouth Gorge is the highest point. Following the terrain downhill, one can circumvent to the opposite side after half a day's journey. However, it is somewhat troublesome, as the prince usually prefers to hunt on the opposite side of the Tiger Mouth Gorge by moving southwest while hunting."

Lin Sucheng clapped his hands in admiration and said, "During the day, the Duke intentionally pointed a deer to shoot a bird. I had once harbored doubts in my heart about the Duke's martial skills. Who would have thought that the Duke was deliberately concealing his abilities, defeating Helan Que so thoroughly! I am truly in awe! Alas, I, old Lin, am clumsy and not very bright. Even the Grand Historian has said that the Duke's martial arts are remarkable! How many masters has he seen with his own eyes? What the Grand Tutor said cannot be false."

"Do not panic! Do not rush! Slowly press forward, he has nowhere left to escape!" Jing Chi gathered his energy in his dantian, his voice resonating far and wide, requiring no messenger; everyone in this team, both above and below, clearly heard him.

Lai San smiled and said, "Thank you, brother, you should go now"

He Lan, whose surname is He Lan, this form of address "Brother He" is truly the first I have heard of it. I looked at him with great interest, and when my gaze slipped to the sword at his waist, it suddenly halted, my eyes slightly narrowing.

The cheers surged like waves, coming one after another, further boosting the soldiers' morale. The cavalry, which had already exhausted much of their strength from the uphill charge, had been slowing down involuntarily. At this moment, however, they seemed to be infused with newfound vigor, and everyone unconsciously quickened their pace

He Lan, after a brief contemplation, chose to evade the sharpness and ran towards another direction away from the group of people

His voice was quite hoarse from shouting

The young man looked at him with a somewhat greenish expression and smiled, saying, "If my brother hadn't spoken just now, you would have taken three more steps and ended up just like him now." As he spoke, he skillfully hooked his foot, hanging upside down from the treetop, examining Lai San's head and whistling, seemingly very interested in playing with that head.

This... is merely less deep compared to those towering cliffs, yet it still has a height of nearly 100 zhang, and is filled with sharp and strange rocks. Not to mention humans, even monkeys would undoubtedly perish if they jumped down!

Helan Que stared at Lai San, still shaking his head

He looked at Lai San again, his eyes resembling two fire dragons leaping out, filled with bone-deep hatred. The nonchalant demeanor he had just displayed was completely gone; at this moment, he resembled a ferocious beast driven by hunger, his sharp teeth and claws barely able to restrain themselves as they lightly scraped, as if wanting to tear Lai San into pieces

Such a tremendous force struck, causing Lai San's entire arm to feel as if it were being torn off in excruciating pain, making it impossible to grip the hilt of the sword. With a loosening of his hand, the treasured sword fell abruptly to the ground, producing a loud clatter against the stone.

Helan frowned and looked at Lai San, saying, "Isn't this what you can see? I think he is more agile." "No, he doesn't understand anything; it's all seen by someone of this height. Brother, you insist on staying to meet that hero who set the ambush, and it is this one!"

It took nearly the entire night to encircle them! Ahead lies the Tiger Mouth Gorge, and it seems that the efforts of the night are about to bear fruit, as the greatest enemy of Dingxi is on the verge of being captured. The Duke is still behind, howling for recognition and rewards; what a significant achievement this would be! This opportunity is truly rare, and no one wishes to fall behind.

Everyone understands his intention; he wants to retreat, then charge forward, and finally leap over on horseback

"Five hundred and twenty-seven people!" Suddenly, a voice淡淡 interrupted.

"Forget about him! Brother, there is no time to waste. While the others are still far away, let us quickly deal with them and leave." Helan Que raised his chin and gestured towards Lai San's waist, saying, "Xiao You, take a look for yourself."

"Ah? How did he get over there?" Lai San exclaimed in astonishment, unable to help but point at the opposite shore and ask out loud.

Brother! If you want to shout, at least do it louder; is this the time to show off? What good is it to be so quiet? Lai San almost wanted to kick him, but suddenly he felt a surge of heat in his heart, and he widened his eyes, pointing at He Lanque, shouting, "Not good! There’s a ghost behind you!" Before he could finish his sentence, he had already grabbed Jing Chi and fled, not even bothering to see if He Lanque turned around.

From the southwest, Lai San and Lin Sucheng were galloping on horseback. Upon hearing the sound of the horn, they quickened their pace and soon arrived at the location ahead where Helan Que had crossed the horse-tripping rope. The soldiers who were pulling the horse-tripping rope recognized him and immediately reported:

I will say it once more, draw your sword

There is nothing particularly special about it! Lin Sucheng thought for a moment and said, "If we are talking about a place located fifty to sixty li southwest of here, there is indeed a place called Hukou Gorge."

Lai Sanyi was startled and quickly said, "Brother Jing, I certainly do not possess the ability to infiltrate the enemy camp without being discovered! You should consider it yourself; bringing me along will surely be a burden to you, rather than a benefit. Let us just leave it at that."

Oh, Lai San felt somewhat relieved. Chen Dinglei said that he would single-handedly lure Helan Que into the ambush. Having both courage and strategy, he could accept that; that would be called quick-wittedness! If he were to boast that he could defeat Helan Que, that would be truly shameless! Fortunately, this was an idea that Lin Sucheng came up with himself, not something Chen Dinglei suggested; otherwise, Lai San would have found it hard to accept.

So this is Helan Que, the mortal enemy of Yuetian Yi, truly a figure of extraordinary valor. That little fool with a snowflake-like appearance, will she have to be adversaries with this person in the future

The sound came from the treetops in front of Lai San and the others, in the direction they were preparing to escape. The voice was rather teasing, somewhat similar to Lai San's. It spoke of wanting to pluck someone's brain for fun, and it was said with a chuckle, very much like a joke. However, Lai San felt a tingling sensation rising from his tailbone, and he involuntarily stopped in his tracks, joining in with a dry, awkward laugh.

Before the words had left his mouth, a silver flash cut through the sky, heading straight for Lai Sanfei. It was the long-handled battle knife he had seized from a certain deputy general in Dingxi on the way. The materials were not particularly remarkable, but due to its long handle, the tall Helan Que had snatched it up during the charge. It was this very weapon that had just severed the tethering rope on the road. Now, having crossed the cliff, it felt somewhat cumbersome, so he threw it over from the edge of the precipice.

How could the captain dare to have the Duke call him brother? Although time was pressing, he still jumped off his horse and repeatedly expressed his unworthiness before leading his men away

Lai San was having difficulty breathing, his toes slightly off the ground, yet he still struggled to laugh heartily and said, "He Lan Que turns out to be quite the chatterbox; I really didn't know this before. When I return, I must tell everyone about it in detail"

The voice sounded right beside him; if it were not for the fact that the voice was incorrect, Jing Chi would have thought it was Lai San speaking. However, there was no one beside him except Lai San

He was furious and shouted loudly: "He, let’s speak frankly! You guessed correctly, I am a high-ranking official! A very high-ranking official! Don’t snort with your nose; I know you’re not afraid, you are incredibly bold! However, I will make it clear here, my position is substantial! So substantial that without me, those more than 1,000 people outside cannot bear the responsibility. Don’t think that just because those people are making a fuss and can’t be found, it will be over..."

Not everyone has keen eyesight, as the speed is truly too fast for most to clearly see that it was Helan Que who actively threw off target. Instead, many believe that the Duke managed to evade the lethal strike due to his agile skills

About half an hour later, a series of noisy sounds came from the distance, with shouts from people and the whinnying of horses echoing continuously. Lai San's spirits lifted, and he almost clapped in approval. Jing Chi truly had some skills in certain aspects. Judging by the situation, he must have at least found a trace of He Lan Que; otherwise, so many people would not have been stirred up. He stood on a higher vantage point, gazing as a large group of people and horses rushed towards this direction

Demons will linger on our shoulders, while our kin will endure oppression, living in destitution and poverty

Jing Chi smiled and said, "No, Your Grace. If there are only a few people, then it is naturally not a problem. However, when the number of people increases, setting up camp comes with many restrictions. The terrain cannot be too low, nor too high; it must be close to a water source, and it should not obstruct the line of sight too much"

The man, with one hand resting on the tree, looked down at Lai San and said with a smile, "Here’s something for you to play with! Catch it!" After saying this, he patted the tree trunk, and a round object fell from the tree, resembling a coconut that had ripened and dropped to the ground. Lai San instinctively reached out, and the round object landed squarely in his arms; it was the head of a soldier, with wide-open eyes expressing extreme fear.

"Hey, wait a moment!" Lai San shouted, "Did I defeat Helan Que in a state of utter chaos? Is this what Chen Dinglei said?" Lin Sucheng replied, "All twenty soldiers brought by the Duke have perished in battle, which shows how fierce the conflict is! The Duke remains unscathed, while that scoundrel Helan Que panicked and rushed straight into our encirclement, proving that the Duke's martial skills far surpass his! What need is there for the Grand Tutor to state this explicitly? The Duke should no longer be modest! Now, throughout the entire army, who does not know that the Duke possesses extraordinary martial skills and is both wise and brave, truly a pillar of our Dingxi!"

He will stand resolutely in front of another, shouting loudly, "My lord, you must leave quickly! You are of great worth, while I am insignificant. My lord, I will hold him back, you must go!" Just as Jing Chi is doing now

At the moment he placed his hand on the hilt of the sword, the gazes of Helan Que and Xiao You suddenly brightened, all four eyes locked onto Sanzi, shimmering with light

"My lord, do you not know? If Helan Que were to charge straight at us, how many men would it take to hold our uneven ranks, which are at varying distances and staggered? Who is the fool that issued the order for the soldiers to pursue? I am filled with rage."

You coward! Are you about to die and yet lack the courage to resist even once?

"Is there even a need to ask?" Lai San shouted with his head held high, "Of course I wouldn't dare!"

Jing Chi smiled faintly and led him into the woods, circling the entire forest. Jing Chi silently calculated and said

The gaze in Lin Sucheng's eyes was intensely fervent as he said, "Who would not be astonished and impressed by the Duke's design to trap that scoundrel Helan Que? Who would not lament and be captivated?"

It has become urgent for Xiao, and it has become urgent for Lai Sang as well. For quite some time now, whenever others speak to him, they only say half of what they mean, leaving him confused about what these people truly want. It is the same with Yu Tianyi, the same with Mu Yanling, and now these two are also like this! What is it? Just say it outright! It is not something unrelated to him; you are still gripping my neck, and this relationship is a matter of my life, alright? How can there be a ghost that is half confused and half clear? All of you leaders, either say nothing or make your words clear!

Jing Chi felt a surge of warmth in his heart and said to the soldiers following behind, "Please make way."

The soldiers here in Dingxi refuse to show weakness, and they also shout loudly. Although they cannot jump over, it is still good to compare who can shout louder!

Lai San felt weak under his feet and sat down on the ground. In the past twenty years of his life, he had seen a few dead bodies, but none had died in such a manner, nor had he ever held any dismembered parts of a corpse in his hands. The shock brought to him by this decapitated head was far greater than that of a body that had honestly succumbed to cold and hunger while lying on the ground.

His formidable spirit once made the Ese Nai clan the leader among the barbarian tribes, yet he never anticipated that many years later, after the hero was gone, the sacred artifact of the clan would be seized by a general under the Yue family, which rose in the west. The Ese Nai people, with all their might, managed to kill that general but could not reclaim the sacred artifact, which thereafter vanished without a trace. Generations of their people have been taught from a young age to remember the appearance of the sacred artifact, the hilt of the sword engraved with the image of the unicorn beast representing the origin of the Ese Nai, a likeness that no Ese Nai person is unaware of.

Helan nodded slightly, his expression grave

You see, you are not listening to what Confucius said, and that is not good! Even if you want to fight, you should first discuss who is being unreasonable! I greeted you politely as soon as we met; I was just lost. If you know the way, just let me know, and I will certainly remember your kindness. If you don't know, just say you don't know; that is also fine. Everyone gets confused sometimes, and I won't make fun of you! One must be reasonable, right?

Two individuals and a horse stand against the wind, neither moving nor avoiding, gazing provocatively towards the opposite shore

"Bringing along twenty people, not a single expert among them, how boring!" As he spoke, a light sound resembling the rustling of leaves came from above, and a nimble figure gracefully emerged from the treetops, landing without a sound. In the moonlight, the face appeared very young, indeed bearing some resemblance to Lai San's usual monkey-like features, but there was a certain nonchalant attitude towards life in his expression that Lai San lacked. Although both had a rogue-like demeanor, this rogue exuded a more dangerous aura.

Lin Sucheng was so enraged that he stamped his feet and scolded, "How outrageous! How outrageous! This is a grave error that jeopardizes military affairs! If I catch sight of that official, I will surely have his head severed!"

He Lan Que looked for a while, knowing that someone was approaching, let out a long laugh, and urged his horse to leave. On the opposite side, a solemn atmosphere prevailed as over a thousand soldiers watched the two riders on their red horses, resembling a cluster of flames, burning layer by layer across the endless mountains of Qi Lan's arena, until they vanished into the vast sea, disappearing without a trace

"No need to be polite! A name is not a person's head. We are so familiar with each other, so why be courteous? Just take it and use it!" Lai San patted his chest loudly.

Jing Chi's mention of riding for half an hour was based on his own equestrian skills, not anticipating that the Duke's horsemanship was so poor. Upon inquiry, it was revealed that he had always had someone leading the horse, and he merely sat on it to put on a show. Without anyone to protect him, he dared only to let the horse trot a few steps, never daring to gallop.

"Your Excellency! I apologize for my tardiness, I hope Your Excellency is in good health?"

"Observe the reality and illusion of the barbarians! It is not far from the eastern shore of the lake, merely a journey of about half an hour on horseback from here"

"You should ride horses more often instead of always climbing up and down the trees! It's not that the horse is bad, but rather that your horsemanship is too poor"

Helan Que, for reasons unknown, does not hide or conceal itself, constantly appearing in places devoid of tree cover, while the horses gallop lightly along the ridges. As the sky brightens a little more, amidst the morning mist, the red steeds flicker in and out of sight, resembling ethereal spirits.

"How much is out there, not enough to play?" Helan Que asked casually.

Thus, they did not head towards the camp, but instead turned directly westward. As they proceeded, the number of people increased; the teams stationed in various locations were being rapidly recalled, converging from several directions towards the Tiger Mouth Gorge. The front was narrow and pointed, while the back was oval, forming a gradually shaping pocket, just waiting to tighten the opening and place the prey inside.

In the tranquil black night, two individuals, completely focused and tense, jumped up in place and shouted, "Who is hiding over there?"

Lai San's actions unexpectedly caused He Lan Que to burst into a long, hearty laugh, a sound that was utterly joyful and genuinely refreshing

The sound of the sword striking the ground was so loud that Lai San nearly fell off his horse, quickly grabbing the sword to inspect it. The Duke was unharmed, and the officials and soldiers from Dingxi, who had just thought the Duke was doomed, all breathed a sigh of relief and began to cheer.

Brother, your horse is excellent, I cannot keep up!

Xiao You had been hanging above his head. Upon hearing this, the spirit fox jumped down like a flash and glanced at Lai San's waist. Her expression immediately changed drastically as she exclaimed, "This is..."

The two guards received the order, abandoned Lai San, and rushed away. Their equestrian skills allowed them to gallop along the mountain path with one hand holding the reins, a feat that ordinary people could not match. They quickly caught up with Jing Chi, who was going in circles, and shouted according to Lai San's instructions.

After running for some time, the soldiers had already developed a sense of admiration for this temporary commander, and they all responded in unison, their voices echoing across the mountains and hills

"Elder brother, how about..." Xiao You appeared to be somewhat eager to try.

This black steed was just seized from an officer; although it cannot compare to the red horse ridden by Helan Que, it is still a rare fine horse

Jing Chi's face turned pale, filled with regret for bringing Lai San along. He had assumed that the barbarian had already left; otherwise, he would never have risked bringing the Duke out.

Seeing him so serious, I was indeed somewhat surprised. In my view, these two individuals are not worth my brother's concern. I couldn't help but say, "Brother, indeed, twenty of them have already been dealt with"

In fact, he was not mistaken; Jing Chi was entirely preoccupied with He Lan Que and had truly forgotten about him. However, the Duke had gone out for a stroll in the middle of the night and returned with only Jing Chi after visiting twenty-two places. He had not yet had the chance to report on He Lan Que's matters when someone had already seized him to ask where the Duke had gone, making it difficult to forget.

"Let's go, let's go!" Lin Sucheng waved his hand irritably

The corner of that person's mouth curled slightly as he smiled and said, "Helan Que"

He stood on the hilltop, clenching his fists and motivating himself, completely absorbed in the moment, gritting his teeth and jumping up and down, unaware that someone was looking for him. It was not until the guard Lin Sucheng called out to him several times loudly that he finally came to his senses

When a person is in a state of extreme tension and fear, encountering sudden life-threatening danger, drawing a weapon should be an instinctive action. Moreover, Lai San's hand was already resting on the hilt of the sword, so upon hearing that sharp command, it would be even more appropriate to draw it instinctively.

However, he was unaware that after Lin Sucheng returned, he boisterously proclaimed that the Duke of Chang'an had defeated Helan Que, and this reputation eventually reached the court of the Daxing dynasty, which later led to the imperial decree summoning this individual to campaign.

As he ran to the ridge, thousands of troops were pursuing him, yet only a few remained by his side; it seemed that there was no need for him to charge into battle anymore. From behind, the dispatcher Jing Chi was in a state of urgency, shouting, "Surround them! How can we all chase after them? Stop quickly!" But how could his single voice reach every corner? Originally, he lacked legitimacy, and at this moment, there were very few who still listened to him, each one rushing straight towards the goal of victory.

The soldiers lowered their heads in shame and led the Duke to the edge of the cliff. Helan Que did not rush to leave; instead, he calmly gazed across the chasm, standing alone against a thousand, exuding an even greater aura of superiority.

Well... Lai San moved his neck a bit in his hand and said with a grin, "I don't know right now, let's see when the time comes to really die!"

Xiao hummed a tune softly, her gaze, like Helan Que's, was fixed on the distant hills

"Ah ha ha... ha ha." Lai San's suspicions were confirmed; although he was still trying hard to laugh, his voice was already very off-key, and the expression on his face could barely be described as a smile.

Lai Sanyi, still unsatisfied, inquired, "How is Helan Que doing now?"

Lai San recognized him and exclaimed excitedly, "Brother Jing! We have captured Helan Que! Brothers, charge!"

His voice was loud and deep, and his horses were exceptionally spirited. Lai San could only watch as he galloped ahead and ran back, unable to keep up. Along the way, some soldiers listened to him while others did not, but ultimately, the captain was far more effective than a mere clerk. Still, there were some who hesitated and stopped, unsure of what to do.

Oh, my most esteemed friend

Jing Chi turned around and looked at his own Duke with a speechless expression, unsure of how to evaluate this person! Truly deserving of disdain! Truly worthy of contempt! In the face of someone like He Lan Que, can you at least show some presence? What are you even saying? It's utterly embarrassing!

Jing Chi held the reins tightly, biting his lip as he gazed across, unable to articulate the feelings within. Unexpectedly, He Lan Que seemed unfazed by such a dead end, leaping over it effortlessly. In this light, he had every reason to laugh; he possessed the ability to leap over the cliff, and all his meticulous arrangements were nothing but a farce

"Not counting those who will come later, there are at least five hundred and thirty people hidden in the Qilan encampment in the early stages!"

After approximately half an hour, we had circled the entire surface of the lake, and the camp across the lake was now merely a scattering of flickering lights. Jing Chi pointed to a clearing beneath the trees ahead and said, "That is the place."

However, Lai San remained unfazed in the face of the imposing figure that lunged at him, towering over him by a head. Not only did he make no attempt to evade, but he also declared with pride, "You want me to draw my sword just because you say so? I only listen to my wife; are you my wife?"

His mind was a chaotic mess, gripping the knife handle, only thinking about how to protect the Duke. On the other side, Lai San heard Helan Que refer to him as "that thing too scared to stand up". Although this person was not wrong, as he had indeed been frightened and sat on the ground just moments ago, it did not mean he could not stand up. Underestimating him! San Ge exerted strength from his feet, pushed with his legs, and with a shaky effort, he truly managed to stand up.

"The big boss, the big official..." He Lanque revealed a faint smile at the corner of his mouth and said softly, "Wait for me, I will definitely kill you!" He loosened his grip, throwing Lai San to the ground, and waved his hand to Xiao You, "Let's go"

Lai San did not expect that setting up a tent could involve so many intricacies; it seems that every field has its own expertise. Jing Chi had already led him to the slope below, and to Lai San, everything appeared as usual, with nothing amiss. However, he saw Jing Chi's eyes shining brightly as he pointed out various things one by one. At times, he pointed to the traces on the ground, and at other times, to the small holes nearby, explaining their formation. A piece of open ground that seemed ordinary to Lai San was filled with flaws in Jing Chi's eyes, and soon he was able to roughly estimate the number of people present, indeed around five hundred.

"What the hell!" Jing Chi shouted in anger, only to realize who was speaking to him. He struggled to suppress his inner agitation and, panting heavily, said, "Your Highness, chasing him only lets him lead us by the nose. Surrounding him forces him to move according to our predetermined positions. Ahead lies Tiger's Mouth Gorge; as long as we encircle him and continuously pressure him with arrows to change his direction, he will have no escape.

On one evening, a soldier who was greatly displeased by being ordered around found himself in a moment of unspoken understanding, standing resolutely both in front of and behind him, and in unison exclaimed, "My lord, think thrice!"

"I have long admired you! Your reputation is as resounding as thunder and as bright as the full moon! Brother He, I am truly delighted to see you! It feels like a breath of spring, and my heart is blooming with joy! Unfortunately, there is no food or drink; otherwise, I would certainly enjoy a hearty drink with you, Brother He! Haha! Haha!" Lai San said as he stepped forward, seemingly wanting to pat He Lanque's arm to show intimacy. Of course, he did not dare to actually do so, but his expression and gestures were already quite on point.

Helan nodded slightly and said, "Heroes and brave men reside beneath others; this has always been the tradition of the Han people in Dingxi. Among the two of them, it is actually this one who is so frightened that he cannot stand up who holds a higher status. Just look at the way this one is protecting him with all his might; his official position must not be small!"

"What happened... what happened?" The Duke, not needing to maneuver around, simply followed straight ahead, arriving even faster than Jing Chi. Seeing that everyone in front was piled up and standing still, blocking his view, he couldn't help but shout loudly, "Have you caught He Lan Que? Step aside and let me see!"

After he had run a dozen steps, Helan Que's voice coldly came through: "Xiao You, stop him."

Old Lin opened his mouth and replied readily, "Yes!"

Jing Chi had only called out to Lai San twice when he could not help but sigh. He pushed the two carefully selected guards with excellent horsemanship beside him and said, "Do not mind me, quickly catch up to Jing Chi, tell him not to go in circles, and to go wherever he needs to. You all shout—The Duke has issued an order! Everyone, put in more effort and keep up! Cut off the retreat and capture He Lan Que alive!"

Lai San let out a sound and asked, "What is it?"

He threw it with such force, how could its speed be inferior to that of lightning? Here, thousands of troops are protecting a duke, yet no one had the time to block it even once. As the blade was about to strike the duke, countless mouths could only let out a simultaneous gasp of surprise. The long knife collided with the hilt of Lai San's sword.

Although he can only evade one or two steps at this time and cannot escape at all, evasion is a human instinct. To not evade at all requires great courage to sustain! Lai San is gambling with his life!

"It's nothing, nothing at all. How could there be any trouble?" Lai San felt quite happy to see someone coming to find him. Just a moment ago, he had doubted that Jing Chi would forget about him after returning, only to remember him once he had captured He Lan Que and taken care of his important matters. Fortunately, Brother Jing still had some conscience; by the time he calculated, it seemed that he must have called someone to pick him up as soon as he returned.

No, there was only one instance of passing by another team, and the rest were all solitary defenses

The squad leader said, "However, Lord Guo, the infantry commander, ordered a pursuit, but the officer disagreed, stating that the barbarian tribes excel in mobile assaults, and even if we catch up, we may not be able to capture them. It would be better to encircle them and seek victory steadily. He established a military order, stating that if he could not capture Helan Que, he would take the blame and be executed! Lord Guo then complied with his suggestion.

"Do you think I dare not kill you?" Helan Que tightened his grip, lifting him up.

Jing Chi has already grown quite tall, but under the moonlight, that person is even taller than Jing Chi by a head. If Lai Sanruo were to walk over, he would probably only reach the height of that person's chest

Draw your sword!" As he lunged towards Lai San's ear, Helan Que shouted sharply.

Yet I saw Lin Sucheng with a beaming smile, clasping his fists and bowing, saying: "Your Grace possesses great wisdom and courage, capable of standing against a thousand troops! I truly admire you immensely!"

He pointed to the dense forest at the top of the hillside ahead and said, "If the camp is set too high, it can easily be discovered, and the trees obstruct the line of sight, making it difficult to observe enemy movements. If it is too low, the humidity by the lake can cause illness, and if it is too far from the water source, it will be a problem for the horses and men to drink. The entire Qilan hunting ground has already been thoroughly surveyed, and there are only three to five suitable places for camping, with only three locations capable of accommodating more than five hundred people. The largest and best of these is the very place where we are currently camped, as it is frequently used by the old prince and is maintained by patrols, so I believe the barbarians will not choose that spot! After discovering traces of the barbarians, I ordered the felling of many logs and piled them in a suitable camping area. By doing this, if the barbarians truly have several hundred people, this will be the only suitable place for them to camp!" He spoke these words with immense confidence, as if he had transformed into a different person.

"Am I trapped in Helan Que?" Lai San opened his mouth wide, "Who told you this? Can't you see that I am still trapped here?"

The aura of this person is truly intimidating; even when smiling, there is an inescapable sense of murderous intent. He does not need to become angry or wear a stern expression; at this moment, merely the slight retraction of his smile makes the air feel as if it has suddenly turned cold.

"I am not familiar with Qilan Weichang. What place is fifty miles directly west of it?" Lai San asked Lin Sucheng

Jing Chi did not possess the ability to establish connections through meetings like Lai San. He remained tense, his gaze fixed, and when he saw Lai San approaching, his anxiety reached its peak. At that moment, seeing He Lan Que's smile vanish, a sense of danger surged within him, akin to a fierce tiger poised to pounce. He leaped forward, pulling Lai San behind him, and whispered, "My lord, I will hold him off, you must leave quickly"

However, if it were himself, he would probably not even be able to say these words. Jing Chi suddenly felt that this Duke was, in fact, very bold

"Alright!" Jing Chiyuan looked far ahead, let out a long sigh, and turned over the mountain ridge. The Tiger Mouth Gorge was already in sight, and this Helan Gap had finally been trapped by him

Listening to the conversation between Helan Que and that little fellow, Lai San couldn't help but want to laugh out loud. You come to scare me in the middle of the night, and on my own territory no less! Now you've really messed up, haven't you? You've gone too far, haven't you? Deserved it!

"Only twenty?" Helan Que glanced at Lai San and the other person, saying, "That hardly counts as many! With so few people to protect, is that all who can uncover my whereabouts?"

However, Helan Que did not appreciate his smile. He suddenly leaped, raising one hand to grasp at Lai San's vital throat. This strike was as swift as lightning and as powerful as a soaring eagle, with his fingers cutting through the air, producing a brief "buzz" sound akin to that of an arrow piercing through the void.

Lai San was speechless, seeing that this old Lin did not seem to be lying. He thought to himself, could it be that Jing Chi had said this to give me some face? No, that can't be right! If Jing Chi had the ability to turn black and white upside down, he would have long since stopped being in such a miserable situation, unloved by both his grandmother and uncle. Thus, he asked again, "Did the Grand Tutor say this?"

I am also unable to ascertain exactly how many of them there are, which has led them to camp on the east side of the lake. It is the perfect time to go and see for ourselves! The Duke will accompany me to take a look, so that in the future, I will have a clearer understanding for military training and deployment.

On the other side of the mountain where the soldiers of Dingxi can no longer be seen, "The Gale" gradually slows down, and Xiao You hums a song softly on horseback

As he had anticipated, Helan indeed showed signs of distress at this moment. He was riding on the back of a chestnut steed, and although the area within sight was already dotted with flickering flames, indicating that a large number of pursuers were closing in, he did not display any signs of anxiety or panic. Instead, after galloping a few paces, he patted the horse's back and said, "Liefeng, don't rush, wait for Xiaoyou!" The horse seemed to understand his words, trotting a couple of steps before coming to a halt, impatiently shifting its feet as it waited for Xiaoyou, who was riding a black stallion, to catch up.

Such a long knife, such a great distance, and such a small sword tightly pressed against the body, He Lanque's aim was astonishingly precise; his target was the sword at Lai San's waist. With this throw, he effortlessly knocked the sword down without injuring a single hair on Lai San.

Is it not very deep? Can a person jump down into it?

Jing Chi was anxious and restless, not caring about what was being said. After receiving permission, he focused his energy in his dantian and began to run in circles among the soldiers ahead, shouting as he ran: "To the Commander of the Fruit, there is an order, soldiers ahead, halt and stand by!"

My lord! That thief's horse is exceptionally swift. We received the news and arrived here in a moment, but the situation was urgent. We only managed to set up two tripwires, yet he leaped over them and escaped

Jing Chi and Lai San both felt a tightening in their hearts; this person moved with a grace that was almost indistinguishable from that of a squirrel. Such a large individual, yet the sound of the leaves rustling was as light as the wind passing by. It was likely that the noise was made intentionally, as there was no intention to evade them. If there had been a desire to hide, there would have been no flaws to detect. Regardless of one's understanding of the matter, anyone could tell that this individual possessed exceptional agility and skill.

Lai San was not very willing to hear this and advised, "I say, Lord Lin, can you please hold on a bit? As for military arrangements, I do not understand, so I cannot comment on whether Jing Chi's arrangements are correct. What I do know is that at least right now, He Lan Que has not disappeared without a trace; otherwise, our people would have nothing to do, right? As long as He Lan Que is still within the boundaries of Qi Lan Wei Chang, it means he cannot escape easily. If he could have run away, he would have done so by now, wouldn't he? At this moment, we are at an advantage; we have more people, and even if we get tired, we can take turns to rest. Where is he going to find someone to replace him? If he hides and does not move, as soon as it gets light, we will definitely find him! The more he moves, the easier it is for him to be discovered, making it even harder for him to escape. Daylight is approaching, and dragging this out is suffocating; it may not be beneficial for us, but it is definitely detrimental to him. Don't you think that makes sense? If we follow your suggestion and everyone rushes directly after him, it would be fine if we catch up, but if we don't, we will have no chance at all!"

Jing Chi walked away, and San Ge, alone, involuntarily tightened his collar. It was not only cold, but also a small wind blew persistently, passing through the gaps of branches and leaves in the woods, particularly resembling a ghost wailing. Lai San felt somewhat strange; he was afraid of ghosts, darkness, death, and danger. He had thought he would be very scared, but in fact, he was not. In the dead of night, left alone in this dark forest where many had died, he felt little unease in his heart.

"Why say it out loud, brother?" A voice came forth, carrying a playful tone, "I was just thinking that if this person took three more steps forward, I would take his head off and play with it."

Lai Sang laughed and said: "Let's hurry... alright, let's hurry."

When Jing Chi's voice reached him, he had already run a considerable distance: "They are retreating towards the direction where my subordinates are ambushed! Go and summon the troops now; we will definitely be able to intercept these two! Duke, please wait a moment; I will return and immediately send someone to escort you!" Lai San stared blankly as he disappeared without a trace, glancing down at the round-eyed head that accompanied him, and looking around at the increasingly frightening woods in the deep night. He truly felt like crying but had no tears. Should he stay here for a while? Was heaven preparing to let San Ge practice his courage?

In the distance, He Lanque heard something, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. At this moment, he had circled around the ridge and saw that there was no path ahead, with a bottomless chasm separating him from the mountain pass on the opposite side.

The Duke went out to relieve himself in the middle of the night, but returned with someone else. He then expressed a desire to ride around, which startled a few soldiers. After some negotiation, the conclusion was that since the Duke wanted to ride, there was no reason to stop him, even though it was the middle of the night, so they had no choice but to let him go. However, he and Jing Chi walked in front, while a group of twenty soldiers and attendants followed behind on horseback for protection.

Jing Chi said: "I speak, but the soldiers refuse to listen. The Duke of the County is indeed the Commander of the Imperial Guard. May I borrow the Duke's name for a moment?"

Wait! Just as the squad leader was about to leave, he heard this voice and had to stop and look back. He saw Lai San sticking his head out and asking, "Brother, you changed shifts seven times in one night; did you go in all directions: east, south, west, and north?"

Lai Sanxin thought that Jing Chi only regarded the military training as a means to defend against the barbarian tribes, without realizing that his true purpose had nothing to do with them. However, upon reflection, he considered that Jing Chi took this matter seriously, waiting tirelessly for him here, which made Lai Sanxin feel quite appreciative of him. It was merely a journey of more than half an hour by horse; regardless of what impact his visit might have, at least it would provide reassurance. Lai Sanxin chuckled and readily said, "Alright! Brother Jing, take me to have a look." It was merely a journey of more than half an hour by horse; regardless of what impact his visit might have, at least it would provide reassurance. Lai Sanxin chuckled and readily said, "Alright! Brother Jing, take me to have a look."

Although Jing Chi had no skill in military formations, his ability to inspire and rally people was unmatched, even surpassing those with higher emotional intelligence. The number of supporters gradually increased, reaching around one hundred. Only then did Jing Chi feel confident. Instead of aligning with the direction of the red horse faintly visible in the dawn, he led his men down the mountain ridge at an angle, approaching from the right.

He Lan frowned and shook his head, Xiao You immediately became anxious, looking restless: "Elder brother, we cannot delay for too long, otherwise..."

Yet the Duke did not even blush, and spoke with righteous indignation: "Brother Jing is right; there will always be those who do bad things. Let us not pay them any mind. You only need to say, what should we do now? Wherever my brothers are needed, I will not hesitate to help!"

Helan clenched his teeth and remained silent

It is this person! He is now looking at this vast army as if he were gazing at a swarm of ants

I will say it again, absolutely not! Brother Jing, you need not come over, I say he does not dare to kill me, do you believe it?

This is a long poem that has been passed down for a long time among the Ese'nai clan, and the story it tells about the nation is well known to all. It recounts the tale of a certain generation of clan leaders who, in order to leave behind an elite from a rival nation of the Ese'nai, entrusted a sacred object to him, thereby retaining the war god of this enemy tribe within the Ese'nai clan

Just a glance was enough to perceive the hostility emanating from this person. He merely walked out under the moonlight and cast a fleeting look at him, yet Lai San immediately felt the urge to urinate

His changed voice echoed in the forest, carrying a certain momentum

As Lai San suddenly took off running, two skilled cavalry guards beside him quickly spurred their horses to give chase. They positioned themselves one on the left and one on the right, each holding the reins with one hand while using the other to protect the Duke on both sides, preventing him from accidentally falling off the horse. After observing the Duke's horsemanship, Lin Sucheng arranged it this way, and they had been returning like this all along. This formation could not run too fast, so the three of them soon found themselves continuously overtaken by others, falling behind.

Lai San and Jing Chi exchanged glances, both feeling a sense of trepidation. They had only brought twenty people, and given the tone of the situation, shouting loudly would be of no use.

He Lan Que rode on "Liefeng," continuously winding up the mountain, feeling exhilarated and completely disregarding the pursuing soldiers behind him. Having emerged from countless grand battles, he only needed to glance back and see that the pursuers were becoming increasingly scattered, realizing that the government troops from Dingxi were likely to have made this trip in vain.

Jing Chi shouted loudly, swinging his blade to strike. A small figure slightly raised an arm, and a glimmer of cold light suddenly flew towards Jing Chi's face. It was unclear what kind of hidden weapon it was, but its speed was astonishing. No matter how fast his blade was, it could not match the speed of the hidden weapon. He had no choice but to turn the blade around to block it in front of his face, and the hidden weapon barely struck the blade, producing a spark.

The Duke was filled with a fervent fighting spirit, and the morale of the soldiers, which had just been suppressed by Helan Que's astonishing leap, suddenly surged. The soldiers felt invigorated and began to shout at the opposing side. Only the soldiers who were close enough could hear the Duke, who was fixated on his treasured sword, repeatedly exclaiming: "That startled me, but thankfully it didn't break!"

In a moment of urgency, Jing Chi suddenly squeezed the horse's belly. The horse he rode was the exceptional steed Yuhua Cong, specially selected by Mu Yanling for the Duke. Mu Yanling spared no expense in supporting Lai San, showcasing his commitment in front of everyone. With the resources of an entire nation dedicated to one person, one could almost obtain any fine item desired. This horse was not merely a rare find among a thousand; it was virtually one in ten thousand. After galloping for a while, the soldiers at the front erupted in cheers as they caught sight of He Lan Que in the distance. He Lan Que, for some reason, did not proceed along the slope but instead wound through the mountains for a while before directly charging up to the mountain peak. This mountain was not particularly high, and the ridge was devoid of trees, making it quite flat. Thus, his figure was exposed, allowing the pursuing soldiers behind to see him.

Jing Chi breathed heavily under the rising sun, with Helan Que standing tall like a mountain, exuding the might of a fierce tiger. Countless corpses appeared before Jing Chi's eyes, and this person across from him had slaughtered several villages near Guyuan, sparing neither the old nor the young, nor women and children.

"I have been standing here all along; it is you who have not seen me." A shadow took a small step forward, appearing before them

The squad leader clearly recognized it was Lord Lin, the garrison commander of Jingzhou. He quickly halted, clasped his fists in salute, and said: "Reporting to you, my lord, a message has come from the front, stating that support is needed." His manners were respectful, yet he did not dismount, clearly eager to leave. There were only two enemies, yet support was still required at the front?

"Haven't met, so why are you all out of breath?" Lin Sucheng noticed that the horses ridden by these individuals were also drenched in sweat.

This is the divine object bestowed upon my clan by heaven. Without it, the livestock of Esernai will not thrive, and the population will dwindle

The words of the Duke have lingered in my mind for quite some time. You mentioned that military affairs do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Grand Tutor, which is indeed the case. However, military matters are under the authority of the two Commanders! Since that is the case, and the Grand Tutor is not in a position to intervene, Duke, why don't you accompany me to take a look!

He couldn't help but exclaim: "Brother Jing is truly remarkable; wherever you suggest the barbarian to camp, that is precisely where he sets up his camp!"

Jing Chi smiled apologetically and said softly, "I requested an audience, but the guards said that the Duke has already retired and refused to relay my message. They also would not allow me to wait there, so I had no choice but to hide. Duke, I have matters to discuss with you."

At this speed, dawn would not arrive, so Jing Chi could only apologize and reached out to pull himself onto Lai San's back to ride together. This jade-patterned steed was indeed a fine horse capable of traveling a thousand miles, but it had long been used by Lai San merely as an ornament, and now, with two riders, it was invigorated. With just a shake of the reins, it gracefully leaped forward, running faster and faster, gradually leaving a troop of soldiers behind.

"Who commanded the cavalry?" Lin Sucheng jumped up, "Wasting the brothers' strength for nothing, how are we supposed to fight later?"

It seems you are also unaware ... ... Hehe, no worries, now that the beautiful scenery is here under the dark moon and strong winds, meeting is indeed a fate, let's have a chat. My brother's surname is Lai, and you need not be formal with me, just call me Sanzi. How shall I address you, my friend?

Lai Sanxin said, are you challenging me? Thirty thousand people have never competed with your two thousand, do you think I don't know?

Lai San, still shaken, patted his chest and said, "Brother Jing, it's the middle of the night, are you trying to scare me to death? Why didn't you make a sound while hiding here? I almost urinated on you, do you know that?"

Seeing that team looking quite disgruntled, it was evident that they were also very dissatisfied with this situation

"Are you an official from Dingxi?" He Lanque slowly spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, "Dare you draw your sword and compete with me?"

Jing Chi had already made a move as if to pounce, but upon hearing the words, he stopped and looked at He Lan Que with suspicion. At this moment, he also felt that something was amiss. He Lan Que clearly wanted to kill both of them, yet seemed to be holding back for some reason.

"Xiao You, stop playing!" Helan Que slowly walked over, his expression unusually serious, "Are you sure there are only twenty people outside?"

"Hurry up, hurry up! They must have seen the traces of Helan Que!" Lai San became excited and, disregarding his poor horsemanship, took the initiative to give the horse's rear a pat.

Hehe... Lai Sang laughed heartily and greeted warmly, "It's the middle of the night and I can't sleep, so I got up to take a stroll. I didn't expect to get lost while walking. This gentleman, do you know the way out?"

He Lan Que tightened all the muscles in his body, and although he was riding on horseback, he felt as light as a feather, adding no weight to his beloved horse. As "Liefeng" landed firmly, a long black rope flew from his arms straight towards the opposite side. Xiao, who had been waiting at the edge of the cliff, leaped from his horse and caught one end of the rope in mid-air. Following the momentum of He Lan Que, he soared over the cliff like a black swallow, and in a matter of moments, they stood one in front of the other on the other side of the cliff.

Lin Sucheng sighed, "That rascal is truly formidable, making it exceedingly difficult to approach! Fortunately, we came prepared for the hunt, with an ample supply of arrows! Brothers, let us take turns shooting, forcing him to gradually retreat. Our forces have now begun to shrink the encirclement, driving him towards the cliff. Once he exhausts his strength and has no way to retreat, we should be able to capture him! When I left, the situation was still at a stalemate, but if we go now, I believe we will soon catch Helan Que. My lord, would you like to go and take a look? To bolster our soldiers' morale?"

The "Fierce Wind" seemed to understand, letting out a long whinny. It had already run with great enthusiasm, its four hooves moving as if riding the wind, growing faster and faster. When it reached the edge of the cliff, it did not need its master's command, and without the slightest hesitation, it leaped into the air, like a red arrow streaking across the sky, and then landed steadily on the opposite side

Along the way, several groups of cavalry passed by, brandishing torches. Although no one was injured, each of them was panting and drenched in sweat, as if they had just endured a fierce battle. Their expressions were serious, and after hastily paying their respects to Lai San, they were eager to continue on their way

Holding the reins with one hand, his two attendants naturally recognized that this fool was the Duke. Upon hearing this, they all turned to look at him, their expressions peculiar.

In just a glance, he roughly estimated the distance between the two mountains. Weighing the situation, he patted the horse's hindquarters and laughed, "(Fierce Wind), look, these Han people think they can trap you and me with a ditch.

The Duke is truly humble! The Duke pretended to be drunk, taking twenty men with him to venture into danger and lured that scoundrel out. That scoundrel fell into the trap set by the Duke, and after a fierce battle with the Duke, he was unable to prevail and fled. Now his whereabouts have been revealed, and he certainly will not escape!" Then Lai San cautiously asked: "Lord Lin, are you saying that I already knew the whereabouts of Helan Que, and then pretended to be drunk, taking only twenty men with me to go out alone while everyone was not paying attention, deliberately luring Helan Que here?" Lin Sucheng vigorously nodded and said: "The Duke is exceptionally wise and brave! Both his courage and strategy are unparalleled!"

Indeed ... ! ... Grandma's? ! Lai Sanxin said, Chen Dinglei, can I call you my dear father? !? You are exaggerating too much, even if you are eager to establish your authority over me, it is not this outrageous!

The squad leader, panting beside him, urgently said: "My lord, this officer not only set the military order himself, but also instructed all of us brothers to strictly adhere to it, declaring that we must arrive within three quarters of an hour; if we fail, it would be a grave offense! May I take my brothers and set out? If you have any instructions, I can report back after returning."

It is the Chief Officer of the Courageous and Resolute Commander's Office, Jing Chi! When Helan Que revealed his tracks, we should have concentrated our forces to pursue him swiftly, why divide our troops to encircle? Now, it turns out well, he has broken through one of our defenses and escaped. We followed the words of that Chief Officer, exerting ourselves to encircle and exhausting ourselves, spending an entire night playing hide and seek with Helan Que, and as dawn approaches, there is still no result! "How can this be reasonable!" Lin Sucheng exclaimed, "Even if I am not present, there are still General Guo of the Infantry Guard and General Liu of Military Supplies, why should you listen to the words of an eighth-rank Chief Officer?"

Another small team passed by, and Lin Sucheng could no longer contain himself. He stopped the team leader and asked, "How is it?"

If this were to be put in the mouths of the Han people, it would be a significant loss for Jingzhou! This tall one thinks we have all left, bringing this thin one over to take a look. Brother, did you not hear? They have been looking around all the way, and they have almost recognized every place we have passed through!" After saying this, he pointed at Jingchi, his tone filled with astonishment

He curiously asked: "Brother Jing, I have been pondering all the way. You said you led the barbarian tribes to camp here, how did you manage to do that? The Qilan encampment is so vast, where could they not set up camp? How would they listen to your orders?"

Look! Of course, look! With the spirit of Lai San lifted, seizing the rare opportunity at Helan is naturally a once-in-a-lifetime event. Quickly, he calls out to everyone: "Let’s go, let’s go! Let’s go see the excitement. With me here, no one needs to be afraid!"

Before this time, we had been moving within a range of twenty miles, consistently heading southwest. The current order requires us to proceed due west for fifty miles, with nearly twenty miles still to cover.

The team was watching him and thought to themselves, why don't you try catching him yourself! Of course, they did not dare to say this out loud and could only report: "Replying to the esteemed one, this humble servant has not met with the thief. If I were to meet him, I would certainly exert my utmost effort!"

At that moment, a long laugh suddenly echoed from a distance, unmistakably the voice of Helan Que. However, that voice was filled with a sense of unrestrained joy, devoid of any hint of anxiety or fear. It was nothing like someone in a perilous situation; rather, it resembled a proud and superior tiger facing a group of rabbits.

The performance of the Duke of Suijiang further boosted the soldiers' morale, as he seized his sword and immediately drew the long sword against the sunlight, the blade pointing directly at the Helan Cliff on the opposite shore

Then simply ... ...

However, as he followed the contour of the mountain and approached the summit, he noticed a distant group of soldiers that, no matter how fast he ran, remained out of reach. Instead, they continuously absorbed more troops, forming a beautiful encircling wall that slowly pressed toward him. This made him feel displeased, and he intended to unleash a massacre in that direction to break through. But as he drew slightly closer, arrows began to rain down upon him, and he saw that a few of his companions were already panting heavily, struggling to keep up. He feared that while he might be unharmed, it would be difficult to ensure their safety.

The horse was galloping when suddenly two tripwires appeared on the road. Helan Que tightened the reins in his hand, lowered his center of gravity, and with his sword hanging down, shouted: "Get out of the way!" "Liefeng" leaped into the air, astonishingly clearing the two tripwires that were more than ten feet apart. The long sword he was dragging swept through, severing both tripwires at once, causing the soldiers holding the ropes to tumble in a heap. A small figure followed closely behind, running past and turning back to make a face at the soldiers who had revealed their hiding spots. He dragged his long sword through the air, severing both tripwires at once, causing the soldiers holding the ropes to tumble in a heap. A small figure followed closely behind, running past and turning back to make a face at the soldiers who had revealed their hiding spots.

That's right! Lai San laughed happily, "My lord Lin, look, I used to have some neighbors who were old hunters. In their spare time, they would tell me that to catch those fast-running animals that you can't chase down, you have to surround and scare them, leading them to run into the traps themselves. It takes some effort, but the chances of success are much greater. If you just chase after them blindly, there's a 90% chance you won't catch them, and even if you do catch up, you won't be able to overpower them. They just flit about, exhausting the animal's strength, and when you suddenly pounce, that's when you have a chance! You see, they have been flitting about all night, but now they are running directly west. Isn't that a sign that the encirclement is tightening? The main target is likely to be caught soon. Let's hurry and take a look!"

What? Lai San was quite puzzled. He had heard many flattering words these days, but terms like great wisdom and great courage should not be used lightly!

What are you looking at?" Lai Sanyi was somewhat lost in thought at that moment

Lin Sucheng exclaimed in anger: "This is utter nonsense! Just two enemies, yet so many people were mobilized, they could have easily been crushed! Even if it was difficult to capture them, is it not possible to kill them? Did Lord Taishi not issue an order that life or death is of no concern? A bunch of useless individuals! It must be that you people are afraid of death and unwilling to exert yourselves!"

He looked at the two people without haste, their calm backs causing cold sweat to pour down his body. After much effort, he finally struggled to stand up and called out: "Brother Jing, let's hurry up, won't you come and help me a bit? This is really inconsiderate!" However, he saw Jing Chi staring intently at the two until they disappeared from view, and suddenly shouted: "Duke! Please wait for me here, I will be right back!" Saying this, he ignored Lai San, dashed a few steps, and with a leap, mounted the back of the jade flower steed and rode off. Suddenly he called out: "Duke! Please wait for me here, I will be right back!" Saying this, he ignored Lai San, dashed a few steps, and with a leap, mounted the back of the jade flower steed and rode off. From the looks of it, he was actually preparing to leave the Duke alone in this dark forest while he made his escape! Lai San could hardly believe his eyes and shouted at Jing Chi: "Hey! What are you doing?"

If everything were going smoothly, these people would not have such expressions. Lai San inexplicably began to feel a bit anxious, and when he turned to look at Lin Sucheng, the previously confident smile had also vanished, replaced by a look of considerable urgency.

Lai San laughed and said: "We come from a nation of etiquette! Confucius said... hmm, he said... fighting and getting physical, a person is not as good as a dog! Look, you can't even move your hands, how can you wield a weapon? If you want to compete, let's engage in a gentlemanly discussion instead. Come, come, let's talk this matter over properly today..."