Two

Bogu Mountain's Bo nodded foolishly

Beigu Mountain's Lord was taken aback for a moment, then revealed a hint of disdain. Upon realizing the intention of Gu Yueyi, he immediately felt a sense of relief. He had originally thought that the Duke of Jin had come to seek justice, blaming him for the fish delivered to Qiuyeshan City last month being stale. Last month, the tides were too strong, and the fishermen in the city dared not venture out to sea, so Beigu Mountain's Lord could only secretly bury the dead fish in ice to make up the numbers.

The ancient bronze horn sounded once more, resonating through the heavens and the earth. The burning sails in the harbor cast a red glow upon the water's surface, and the Izumo cavalry, yet to rest and regroup, mounted their horses again. This fortress awakened to the sound of the horn; seven hundred years later, it transformed once again from a small fishing town into the vanguard position of humanity and the feathered tribe.

That is the proudest warship of the feathered people—the Mulan longship

The soldier standing at a high vantage point suddenly shouted, his voice distorted, as he trembled and pointed towards the horizon where the sea meets the sky

With a multitude of crossbows ready to fire, Gu Yueyi looked around and saw only a few soldiers lazily wandering about, not carrying bows and arrows, but merely slinging standard-issue, outdated sabers. "I really do not know how many archers are here."

"There are thousands of people on those burning fishing boats, all of whom are your soldiers, aren't they?" Gu Yueyi asked

Should we be grateful for the accuracy of the lord's intelligence, or should we be concerned for ourselves? What lies ahead is the feathered people, who take pride in their bows and arrows. " Gu Yueyi said lightly, patting the shoulder of Lord Beigu Mountain, "My lord, staying by the fire cauldron, you must be prepared with kindling.

"General Gu need not worry about this," said Lord Beigu Mountain with a confident demeanor regarding defense. "This city is as solid as a rock, and the Yuyuan Strait outside is a natural barrier. My family has guarded this place for generations, and every day I climb high to survey the area, my eyes always on this harbor. I am well-acquainted with the terrain. If the Yuren dare to cross the sea, the currents will not spare their lives, and I shall take theirs as well"

Oh dear, it is the two scoundrels from the Sima and Chen families! The moment he glanced over, he understood.

Since the enemy knows to use fire attacks to open the way into the port, they must also be aware of the location of the wave-breaking cone, which has stood there for seven hundred years. The pattern on the sails is that of the Azure Wing, the family crest of the Wing Clan's Stark family. Those are warships equipped with crossbows at the bow, and they are here to attack. " Gu Yueyi said softly, turning to his deputy, "Send the order, everyone check their bows and horses, prepare to set off. " Those are warships equipped with crossbows at the bow, and they are here to attack. " Gu Yueyi said softly, turning to his deputy, "Send the order, everyone check their bows and horses, prepare to set off.

In the center of Beigu Mountain City stands a small hill, at the highest point of which a formidable fortress overlooks the entire city. When Bai Yin ordered the construction of this fortress, there were no fishermen residing nearby; within the fortress were elite warriors skilled in naval combat, fully equipped with bows and crossbows. At that time, this fortress was Beigu Mountain City, standing alone in front of the bay, cloaked in the northern winds and snow, like a silent giant

"A ship, even if it catches fire, shouldn't burn that quickly, right?" Gu Yueyi said softly, "Unless someone set the fire intentionally"

The large cauldron is three feet taller than Gu Yueyi, requiring a ladder to ascend. Gu Yueyi saw that a shallow layer of water was pooled inside, with the charred coal soaked in kerosene piled in the water.

Compared to the Tiantuo Strait, the Yuyuan Strait is much calmer. Although it is narrower, it has icy currents flowing through at high speeds, never ceasing. Only the Mulan longboats of the Yu people can navigate the waters in this area, yet even with the Mulan longboats and the Yu people's innate ability to harness the wind, sailing in the Yuyuan Strait remains a tense endeavor. The boat could be dragged to the depths by whirlpools formed by the currents at any moment, or it could be blown into nearby cliffs by stormy weather, turning into a pile of floating debris on the sea surface. The Eastern Land people say that this strait was cleaved by the gods to protect the Eastern Land, and for the Yu people, it is as insurmountable as the abyss, hence it is named "Yuyuan Strait".

The intelligence regarding the Junhou is absolutely precise

Alas! Beigu Mountain's Bo waved his hand, saying, "It sounds as if our little place is of great importance. My dear brother, look at this city; in fact, it is a location that is easy to defend but difficult to attack. The feathered people simply cannot come over!"

So how many people and how many ships do you have available to call upon

Most of the fishermen in Beigu Mountain City use military ships for fishing. These military vessels disguised as fishing boats are constructed from high-quality timber, with sturdy keels and thick planks. Once the sails are raised, their speed far exceeds that of ordinary fishing boats. The sides of the ships have openings for archery, and they are always stocked with weapons, ropes, and iron hooks. Each ship carries dozens of fishermen, and when battle ensues, those who are to handle the sails do so, those who are to shoot arrows do so, and those who are to prepare for foot combat don their armor, all without any confusion. The sides of the ships have openings for archery, and they are always stocked with weapons, ropes, and iron hooks. Each ship carries dozens of fishermen, and when battle ensues, those who are to handle the sails do so, those who are to shoot arrows do so, and those who are to prepare for foot combat don their armor, all without any confusion

This sea is abundant, producing half of the fish for the northern state of Jin. The area is not particularly poor, but it is too remote; women from other regions are unwilling to marry here, and the local young men often yearn to venture out. The gentleman from Beigu Mountain gazes at the sea, much like a vegetable farmer looking over his fields, filled with emotion. "In my youth, I also aspired to serve in the court of the Duke of Jin, to become a warrior and live a glorious life. I admired handsome figures like generals the most back then. But now I am old, unable to part from this sea. If there is a night without a bowl of fresh fish soup, my heart feels as if it is being scratched by a cat. In fact, thinking back to my youth, I couldn't even draw a fifty-pound bow, so what was I thinking about serving? I would only be seeking my own suffering. Everyone is born with a different fate; in this life, I am just a fisherman.

Gu Yueyi ascended to the highest point of the fortress and was the first to see the bronze cauldron weighing several thousand pounds. This cauldron was cast from materials sourced from Qiuye Mountain City as per Bai Yin's instructions, transported here to Beigu Mountain City by a team of forty slow horses, and has remained in place for seven hundred years. Inside, regardless of rain or snow, there is always a pile of charcoal soaked in oil, which, when burning, releases thick smoke that can be seen clearly from several miles away, resembling a volcanic eruption.

He found this young general quite amiable, not displaying the airs of a special envoy from the Jin Marquis, and felt a sense of closeness, which led him to change his address to "little brother"

On the 11th day of the 12th month in the 5th year of the reign of Emperor Yincheng, in the northern region of the Jinbei Kingdom, at the coastal city of Beigu Mountain.

Indeed, the fishing boats gathered together raised their sails, completely obscuring the two boats in the middle. The fishermen began to shout loudly, seemingly cheering for those fighting inside. With dozens of fishing boats, there were likely over a thousand fishermen combined, and when a disturbance arose, it was indeed something that the official of Beigu Mountain could not manage.

"Very well, General Gu, a renowned general from Jinbei, has come to our small place. First, we will see the sea, and then we will have a meal, which is only reasonable." North Gu Mountain Bo kindly gestured, "Please."

"How... how could this happen?" Bei Gu Shan Bo was taken aback, his eyes wide open, at a loss for what to do.

The cavalry swiftly formed ranks in front of the city gate, and the leading warrior presented the handwritten letter from the Duke of Jin.

"It has been raining these past few days," explained the cheerful Lord of Beigu Mountain, "a bit of water has accumulated, and the soldiers probably forgot to remove the wooden plugs for drainage below. But it’s nothing to worry about; these coals are soaked in oil, so even if there is water, they can still be ignited. What we should be concerned about is fire prevention; spreading false information would be quite troublesome."

Gu Yueyi looked up, and in the center of the group of fishing boats gathered together, there was a sail engulfed in flames. The fishermen continued to shout loudly, their voices filled with panic. The fishing boats were so tightly clustered that they could not disperse in time, and soon the fire would spread to the surrounding vessels. The boat in the middle was burning rapidly, and in an instant, it was completely surrounded by flames, like a piece of wood soaked in oil. The flames spread swiftly to the other boats, and at that moment, the wind unexpectedly picked up, fanning the flames, making them unstoppable. The boat in the middle was burning rapidly, and in an instant, it was completely surrounded by flames, like a piece of wood soaked in oil. The flames spread swiftly to the other boats, and at that moment, the wind unexpectedly picked up, fanning the flames, making them unstoppable.

"General, is there something happening over there?" said a deputy general following Gu Yueyi, pointing towards the sea.

He looked up at the soldier responsible for the lookout and said, "Sound the horn, the winged men are attacking!"

This is a port, and also a snow city. Every year, the first snowfall in Lanzhou falls upon the city of Beigu Mountain. To the north of Beigu Mountain is the Yuyuan Strait, which separates Ningzhou and Lanzhou. The cold ocean currents from the outer sea pass through here day and night, flowing into the vast Weihe Sea. The cold winds and rain clouds from the sea create a gloomy atmosphere year-round, making sunlight as precious as gold. It is precisely this dreadful weather that protects this remote small city. Looking north from here, one can see Ningzhou, belonging to the Yu people, which is one hundred and twenty miles away. The Yu people have built a sturdy stone fortress called "Ke Yin City" there. The narrowest part of the Yuyuan Strait is even narrower than the Tiantuo Strait, and for thousands of years, the eastern dynasty has relied on these two straits to encircle its borders.

At Beigu Mountain, the elder pointed at that cauldron, "This big fellow is indeed an antique, made of pure bronze, weighing several thousand pounds; even a dozen strong men cannot lift it. The old general observed that there are poems by Emperor Qiangwei inscribed on it..."

The lord of Beigu Mountain felt a sense of pride, having filled his large belly with fish soup. "To enter this harbor, one must first cross the Yuyuan Strait. The waves in the Yuyuan Strait are quite high, and the current is swift; you know this as well as I do, brother. Even if the feathered people manage to cross the sea, we can simply block the entrance to the harbor with ten fishing boats, douse them in oil, and fill them with firewood. When the feathered people come to engage, we will set them ablaze, and with the wind at our backs, the flames will roar. Even if the fire attack fails, it will still be of no concern. This sea is not deep, and beneath it lie two hundred wave-breaking cones, buried during the reign of Emperor Rose. They were crafted by skilled river artisans, using iron known as crystal essence, which does not rust for hundreds of years. Even if the feathered people manage to cross the sea, we can simply block the entrance to the harbor with ten fishing boats, douse them in oil, and fill them with firewood. When the feathered people come to engage, we will set them ablaze, and with the wind at our backs, the flames will roar. Even if the fire attack fails, it will still be of no concern. This sea is not deep, and beneath it lie two hundred wave-breaking cones, buried during the reign of Emperor Rose. They were crafted by skilled river artisans, using iron known as crystal essence, which does not rust for hundreds of years. Only we locals know the locations of those wave-breaking cones, and when navigating, we naturally steer clear of them. The feathered people's boats are light, and their hulls are not thick; they will sink upon collision. Even if not all the wave-breaking cones manage to sink them, the feathered people must still come ashore. Once they land, their abilities in the water will count for little. Here, my city walls are tall and thick, and with a thousand crossbows ready to fire, heh heh!" Only we locals know the locations of those wave-breaking cones, and when navigating, we naturally steer clear of them. The feathered people's boats are light, and their hulls are not thick; they will sink upon collision. Even if not all the wave-breaking cones manage to sink them, the feathered people must still come ashore. Once they land, their abilities in the water will count for little. Here, my city walls are tall and thick, and with a thousand crossbows ready to fire, heh heh!

Gu Yueyi knew that it was futile to communicate with the earl who considered himself a fisherman, so she could only smile.

However, the defense has never relaxed. The founding emperor Bai Yin conferred a count in Beigu Mountain City, known as the Count of Beigu Mountain. This military family has guarded this small city for generations, enjoying the privilege of collecting taxes in this fishing port city under the jurisdiction of the Jin Marquis. To the east or west of this small city, within hundreds of miles, there are steep cliffs facing the roaring sea, where waves crash against the cliffs, splashing water foam dozens of feet high, and no ships can dock. However, Beigu Mountain City is located at a gap in the cliff terrain, making it a natural harbor. Between the two extending sea capes lies a calm water area where people can even fish in the near sea. Bai Yin once ascended to a high point in this city and observed for a long time before stating that the future attacks from the Yu people would inevitably begin here. Therefore, he set up a fire beacon at the highest point of Beigu Mountain City. If one day this fire beacon is ignited, it would signify that the Yu people have captured Beigu Mountain City. The signal fire would transmit for six hundred miles, reaching Jinbei Qiuyeshan City, where the Jin Marquis would simultaneously alert the imperial capital and mobilize the national army to resist.

This indeed requires consultation with Lord Beigu Mountain. Gu Yueyi spoke respectfully, as if a student was seeking guidance from a teacher

Gu Yueyi, the Deputy Commander of the Cloud Cavalry from the Northern State of Jin, pays a visit to Lord of Beigu Mountain Gu. Gu Yueyi dismounts and approaches to pay respects.

"The Sima family and the Chen family?" Gu Yueyi inquired

"Indeed, Lord Jin, you are strategizing with great foresight." The lord of Beigu Mountain dared not say anything further, "The general has many subordinates, and it is truly difficult to arrange a banquet for several thousand people. I can only prepare food and water for the soldiers of the Yunyun Cavalry. I have prepared a separate feast of seafood for you at my humble abode. We do not produce much else here, but the fish we catch is the best in Lanzhou, all deep-sea fish. The last time I took people out to sea, we caught a dragon king spotted catfish, which was this big... We do not produce much else here, but the fish we catch is the best in Lanzhou, all deep-sea fish. The last time I took people out to sea, we caught a dragon king spotted catfish, which was this big..."

Beigu Mountain's Bo was taken aback, scratching his head, "Well... I won't hide it from you, my dear brother, even Lord Jin Hou knows that we haven't fought a war here for hundreds of years. Those families with military records have all turned to fishing. Nowadays, we can't even gather people to train soldiers. Moreover, look at this sea surface; it's not wide enough for naval exercises, and as for archery practice... it would be of no use. Shooting at seabirds? It would be better to go fishing instead"

Gu Yueyi glanced at the Count of Beigu Mountain beside her, whose legs were trembling, as if his soul had been lifted away. His face was deathly pale, and he was unable to utter a word

The two prominent families here each possess around one hundred fishing boats. During the time of Emperor Qiangwei, there were four surnames stationed here for defense; nowadays, the Sima and Chen families have grown stronger, while the other two families have dwindled in number. The members of these two families are all military personnel, and they have quite a volatile temperament. They often cause disturbances over issues like "you damaged my fishing net" or "I encroached on your fishing grounds." When conflicts arise, they gather their fishing boats together, raise their sails, and fight amongst themselves. When I inquire about it, none of them admit to anything, and since I did not witness it firsthand, I find it difficult to intervene. But I mentioned that today the envoy of Lord Jin is coming to inspect the coastal defense, and these rascals!" Lord Beigu Mountain slammed his fist into his palm. "But I mentioned that today the envoy of Lord Jin is coming to inspect the coastal defense, and these rascals!" Lord Beigu Mountain slammed his fist into his palm.

Gu Yueyi looked out, and dozens of fishing boats near the sea surface raised their sails, gathering towards the center of the harbor. There, two fishing boats faced each other, and faintly, there were people standing at the bow of each boat, shouting angrily.

When Gu Yueyi arrived at the city of Beigu Mountain with two thousand five hundred cavalry archers from the Outland, it was a cloudy day following the rain. The current lord of Beigu Mountain awaited anxiously at the city gate, and from a distance, he saw a large group of archers galloping through the mud, all dressed in white clothing and riding white horses. Each of these young warriors wore light clothing and had only a horn bow with them, not even a waist sword. The leading warrior appeared to be just over twenty years old, equipped with a long knife in a black sheath, adorned with gold, resembling a weapon meant for a commanding officer. Each of these young warriors wore light clothing and had only a horn bow with them, not even a waist sword. The leading warrior appeared to be just over twenty years old, equipped with a long knife in a black sheath, adorned with gold, resembling a weapon meant for a commanding officer.

It is truly unexpected that so many distinguished guests have suddenly arrived in our remote Qiuye Mountain City, given its youth and potential, which leaves one feeling quite apprehensive. I received a message from Lord Jin and hurriedly instructed my subordinates to arrange accommodations for the general's subordinates in the civilian houses. The general is aware that our small city has a population of only a few tens of thousands, and it is simply impossible to provide barracks for several thousand soldiers all at once. Lord Beigu Mountain rubbed his hands together, smiling ingratiatingly, and asked indirectly, 'Usually, when Lord Jin sends someone to inspect the defenses, it is only a few dozen people...'

Gu Yueyi chuckled, "Isn't the family of the Lord of Beigu Mountain a military lineage for generations? The Emperor in Tianqi City is still thinking about how to have the great man secure the Yuyuan Strait for him."

Gu Yueyi nodded slightly, descended the wooden stairs, and turned to look at the sea a mile away. It was a calm day, with fishing boats coming and going on the expansive sea, creating a scene of bustling activity. In a few days, the nearshore waters might freeze over; although it would only be a thin layer of ice that could not support a person, the fishing boats would be unable to venture out to sea. The fishermen were seizing the last opportunity to stock up on fish in preparation for the New Year.

Is the ancient General Gu Yueyi of the Outcloud Cavalry?" The lord of Jin, who came from Qiuye Mountain City, was not quite convinced that this envoy was so young.

This is the best way, then take me to have a look, so that I can feel at ease." Gu Yueyi said with a smile

"General, a fire has broken out over there!" the deputy general suddenly said

Gu Yueyi knew that she could not ask anything further; asking a fisherman what he should do at this moment would only be a waste of time

"In light of the warm hospitality of Lord Beigu Mountain, I must certainly try this large Dragon King flower-spotted catfish. However, my primary purpose for coming this time is to ascertain whether the Feather Clan intends to launch an invasion across the sea, as this matter is of great concern to Lord Jun. Could Lord Beigu Mountain take me to the seaside for a look?" Gu Yueyi said

Who? Who dares to set fire to the ships in this Beigu Mountain city? Those are military vessels!" The Lord of Beigu Mountain was greatly enraged

Gu Yueyi's body trembled as he looked out and saw enormous sails slowly rising on the sea, not just one, but dozens, arranged in a neat formation. Waves as high as a person propelled these giant ships, racing towards Beigu Mountain City at high speed, with the current and wind direction highly favorable for those vessels, akin to warhorses charging down a slope, unstoppable. Gu Yueyi had no experience in naval battles, but he knew how to discern the size of objects from a great distance; at this range, the patterns on those sails were still clearly visible, indicating that those ships were large three-masted vessels capable of accommodating hundreds of people.

Beigu Mountain Bo stood there, shaking his head in a daze

This is not an ordinary time said Gu Yueyi淡淡地

Gu Yueyi watched as he spread his arms wide, conjuring a precious sea fish about two feet long out of thin air. With wide eyes and a tempting expression, he resembled a vendor at a fish market enticing customers to buy their fresh catch, which made her smile slightly. In the past seven hundred years, there had been no wars between the Eastern Continent and the Feather Clan, and this period of tranquility was sufficient for the descendants of this noble family to forget the piercing arrows of the feathered people, transforming into an ordinary rural aristocracy

Gu Yueyi nodded silently