Chapter 006: The Great Fire of Thirty Li, A Monumental Achievement (Part One)

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On a dark and windy night, it is indeed the perfect time for murder and arson

They swiftly landed on the shore, each brandishing their weapons, and slowly made their way towards the rear of the Qin army's camp

As Su Jie spoke, Wang Jian furrowed his brows, his eyes shifting, as if he had faintly come to an understanding

It will absolutely not be wrong

Wang Ben saw Su Jie and immediately rejoiced, clasping his hands and calling out: "Elder Brother!"

Gao Hu wanted to speak further, but was stopped by Wang He

Su Jie, after several twists and turns, arrived at the entrance of the wounded soldiers' camp. He turned back to glance at the encampment of tens of thousands of soldiers and sighed softly: "No, absolutely cannot sit idly by."

Wang Ben was taken aback and said foolishly, "Are you asking me to call you uncle?"

Su Jie chuckled and interjected, "I wonder what brings you two to seek me?"

The leader's expression was one of great joy as he said in a low voice, "Good, very good. After sunset, we will act under the pretext of a shift change. You, over three hundred men, will kill all the hundreds of Qin soldiers in this place. Be sure not to let any word leak out. If this battle succeeds, it will be credited to you as the primary achievement"

"Yes, Commander." Su Jie did not look back and left the central military camp

As soon as Su Jie finished speaking, the expressions of the Wang father and son changed drastically; discussing military matters recklessly could lead to execution according to the law.

Wang He glanced around and said: "Su Jie’s words are not without reason, but there are two points that I cannot comprehend. First, how can Su Jie be so certain that the Zhao army will launch a surprise attack tonight? Second, how can Su Jie be sure that there are Zhao troops mixed in with the Luoshui garrison"

Su Jie, your words today must not be spoken carelessly in the army, otherwise it will affect the morale of the troops, and I will be unable to save you. You may leave now, as I have important matters to discuss with the generals.

Wang Ben said: "Father, although this matter sounds mysterious, if it is indeed as my elder brother says, does it not mean that the Zhao army will launch a surprise attack on our forces tonight? If we are unprepared, we will surely face great disaster"

Su Jiedun glanced over and first noticed the person beside Wang Ben. This individual had a formidable physique, with eyebrows that met his hairline, exuding an imposing presence even without showing anger

Wang Jian displayed a look of surprise and then said: "I, Wang, was merely a humble general of one hundred before, how could I have long admired you?"

General, my subordinates have received information that tonight the commander will dispatch 20,000 troops to stealthily approach this location from Lushui. At that time, we only need to set fire to the main camp, and the forces within the city will launch a strong assault. The Qin army will surely be caught off guard and, in their panic, will inevitably suffer total annihilation

At this moment, Wei Jing's mind was still occupied with Su Jie’s words. He held a considerable admiration for Su Jie. Although he was equally shocked, he secretly resolved to reorganize his subordinates upon returning, just in case.

Wang He's expression was slightly somber, his tiger-like eyes fixed intently on Su Jie. Although he did not verbally reprimand him, the pressure on Su Jie was considerable.

Previously on the battlefield, although Wang Ben had announced his name, Su Jie had not considered this matter. Now that both father and son have appeared simultaneously, it is naturally possible to conclude that these two are the future generals and Marquis who will help Qin Shi Huang conquer the entire Six Kingdoms.

No ... ...

Only about ten people gathered in an inconspicuous earthen hole.

I have long admired you, I have long admired you, you are indeed Wang Jian

Brother Su, do you have a good strategy to defeat the enemy? Although I, Wang Jian, am currently a commander of five hundred, I am also willing to serve your command

Upon seeing Su Jie inquiring, Wang Jian smiled and said: "Previously, Brother Su risked his life to save my son. I have come here to invite Brother Su to my tent for a brief discussion, and to offer a modest drink as a token of my gratitude. I wonder if Brother Su would do me the honor of accepting this invitation"

Wang Jian said: "Brother Su, I only knew you for your bravery, but I did not expect that you also possess such strategic talent and learning."

Previously, Wang He reminded that Su Jie should not speak recklessly in the army, but at present, although the Wang father and son were newly acquainted, Su Jie was well aware that the two were not superficial individuals

Su Jie laughed and said: "You call me elder brother, as I am a few years older than you, yet your father calls me brother. Wouldn't that confuse the hierarchy of our relations"

Wang Jian suddenly said: "At that time, Su brothers were summoned by the generals, presumably because of their great achievement in being the first to ascend the city tower, which caught the attention of the generals. General Wang He is one of the three great generals of Qin. If you can gain the attention of the generals, promotion within the army will surely be much smoother."

Su Jie understood that he could not speak much at this moment, for he feared that he would be immediately subdued. He believed that as a person of little influence, it would be difficult to persuade the crowd on such significant military matters.

As soon as Su Jie entered the infirmary, he saw Wang Ben and another person standing in front of him, looking as if they had been waiting for quite some time

No ... ...

Three people drink another cup

In the central military tent, the generals watched as Su Jie departed.

Su Jie was momentarily taken aback and responded, "To act as a private soldier is indeed a grave sin; how dare you offer your full support?"

"Elder brother, I am grateful for your life-saving grace, and I pay my respects to you!" Wang Ben raised his wine cup and said loudly

Su Jie nodded slightly and said, "I ask both of you to listen carefully and not to share this with others." Immediately, Su Jie recounted the events that had occurred in the central army camp one by one

Within Wang Jian's military tent, there were only three individuals: father and son, along with Su Jie. After the three of them had a few cups of turbid wine, they began to speak freely.

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Thank you, General

Gao Hu replied: "General, you must not trust Su Jie’s words at all. The troops stationed at Lushui are under my command, and every day scouts report on the situation at Lushui. It is absolutely impossible for it to be as Su Jie claims. Moreover, this document contains our military's secret code, making it even more impossible for anyone to forge it. I am willing to guarantee with my head that Lushui is absolutely secure."

Upon hearing this, Su Jie felt a whirlwind in his mind. This person is none other than the renowned Wang Jian? Then this little brat who is snatching heads is Wang Ben?

Su Jie was overjoyed upon hearing this and praised, saying: "Well said, when in the field, military orders must be obeyed. Knowing there is an enemy, if we do not risk our lives to break the enemy, it would be a disgrace to the great Qin monarch. Since this is the case, let this great achievement be shared among the three of us."

No ... ...

Wang Jian rose and looked outside the tent. After confirming that there were no outsiders, he turned back and inquired, "Brother Su, what exactly is it that you wish to discuss? Could you please elaborate?"

The visitor scrutinized Su Jie for a moment and clasped his hands, saying: "I am Wang Jian. Thank you, young brother Su, for risking your life to save my son."

Wang Jian laughed heartily and said: "Back in the day, when Lord Xinling secretly took the command to rescue Zhao, he privately mobilized 80,000 troops. Why did King Wei not punish him? If one achieves merit, there is reward; if one does not achieve merit, there is punishment"

Wang Jian's meaning is very clear; as long as one achieves merit, privately mobilizing five hundred troops will not attract any accountability. The courage in this lies in betting on the night raid mentioned by Su Jie

Wang He simultaneously issued an order: "Generals, in three days, prepare the troops for the siege. This battle must secure the capture of Shangdang Commandery."

Wang Jian let out a deep sigh and said: "The exhaustion of the Zhao army is already evident, and this is precisely the moment when our army may become complacent! This strategy closely resembles the plan of the Marquis of Wu'an when he launched a surprise attack on the states of Wei and Han at Jing River. If Brother Su is this certain, upon further reflection, the possibility of a surprise attack by the Zhao army could be as high as 60 percent"

Wang Jian said: "The soldiers in the army, each should take care of their own matters!"

In the midst of a dense jungle, several heads stealthily slipped into the foliage while others were not paying attention

After a few breaths, in a hidden outpost of the Deer Water, suddenly the water surged, and one by one, figures emerged from the depths.

General Wang He waved his hand and said: "General Gao, do not speak too seriously. I have spent my life in military campaigns, having participated in over a hundred battles of various scales. I have encountered this kind of surprise attack strategy no less than a dozen times. However, while Su Jie’s words cannot be fully trusted, they should not be taken lightly either. General Gao, immediately send someone to Lu Shui to conduct a thorough investigation of the one thousand troops stationed there."

With a sigh, he said: "You two are unaware that, previously in the main tent, I proposed a strategy to defeat the enemy. However, my lowly status renders my words untrustworthy, which has also caused dissatisfaction among the generals. Yet, if this strategy fails, our army will be in grave danger"

"Alright, count me in," Wang Ben said as he stood up

Su Jie and Wang Jian both began to laugh

Are you sure it is the secret sign of the head coach

Truly a remarkable general capable of sweeping across the six states, Su Jie thought to himself

A series of calls echoed through the jungle.

Wang Jian's words made Su Jie secretly admire him as well

Wang Ben said: "Could it be that elder brother is unaware that before a military expedition, one may drink once, and after achieving merit, one may drink once more"

Gulu... gulu... The same call echoed near the deer water, leading one to believe it was the unreturned birds.

To the east of Lushui, over one thousand Qin soldiers are scattered in various locations, with many soldiers lying in the shade of the trees

As Wang Jian mentioned this, Su Jie immediately wore a look of distress. Seeing Su Jie's expression, both of them thought to themselves, could it be that it is not as such?

Is it permissible to drink alcohol in the army? Su Jie’s expression brightened.