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"Xi Lan, aren't you cold?" I asked, my voice strained. His outer robe was probably soaked through and unwearable, and it was quite cold at night. Wouldn't he catch a cold wearing only his undergarments? And how many people would speculate about us returning to camp like this?

"Mmm." He continued to gently dry my hair, responding casually.

"Xi Lan, are you familiar with the terrain of Sihe Pass and Sizhou?" I suddenly remembered the question that had come to mind while I was taking a bath, and hurriedly asked.

"I went there before the New Year, so I shouldn't be mistaken," he replied without hesitation.

"Xi Lan, let's get back to the military camp quickly. I have urgent business to attend to, the sooner the better!"

I called Ye Feng and Mu Mo to the tent, and together with Xi Lan, the four of us studied the map on the table.

"Night Wind, did you see clearly? Tomorrow, the Moon Gazing Army will be drawing water from the Si River bend. You're responsible for putting something there. Remember two things: First, choose the right time and don't let anyone discover you. Second, the Si River is also the source of drinking water for the people of Sizhou, so the poison you put in must be sufficient in quantity to retain its potency, but don't use anything lethal. Just make the soldiers have diarrhea and weak legs." I instructed Night Wind in a deep voice. Being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself, but I cannot do anything similar to "massacring the city."

Night Wind obeyed the order and disappeared from the tent in an instant; I had complete confidence in his ability to handle things.

"Mu Mo, tell General Mu that Qianqian will wait for him in Sizhou City with the Tianqing army. He will have to take care of those cowards at Sihe Pass. Go to General Mu tonight and make sure to deliver my message before dawn."

Mu Mo accepted the order and left the tent. I turned to look at Xi Lan, who was also smiling at me. "Xi Lan, before dawn tomorrow, leave half the men behind and let's attack the city first!"

With 100,000 troops defending Qingzhou and Qizhou also heavily guarded, plus the armies of Long Yao and Han Xing, how could the 200,000-strong Wangyue army stationed at Sihe Pass, weakened by illness and lack of strength, possibly stand a chance? If Xi Lan leads another 100,000 Tianqing troops to attack the city first, it will not only speed up the pace of the attack, but also make it much more difficult for the Wangyue army to retreat if they wish.

"Qianqian is so impatient?" There was a hint of admiration in his eyes, but his smile remained as gentle as ever. It was hard to imagine that such a person was actually the marshal of an army of 200,000.

"Didn't Xi Lan already go to scout out the Wangyue military camp?" I smiled at him. The hot springs he took me tonight should be not far from where the Wangyue army is stationed. When Xi Lan flew me through the woods, what else could those densely packed lights not too far ahead be but the Wangyue military camp? Actually, he should have thought of the same thing as me a long time ago.

"I still can't hide it from Qianqian." He looked down at the map on the table again, his smile unchanged.

I know that Xi Lan has found a shortcut that is both fast and undetectable. If the 200,000-strong army were to desperately flee back to Sizhou City and have a chance to catch their breath, the city gates would not be so easy to breach. Wouldn't it be a shame not to launch a perfect surprise attack while Wangyue Kingdom is caught off guard, thus betraying the good intentions of the Wangyue King? Furthermore, even if they cannot capture the city, they should at least cut off the retreat of the 200,000-strong army, trapping them like turtles in a jar and annihilating them in one fell swoop.

"Qianqian, you should stay here tomorrow," he said suddenly, looking up.

"Didn't Xilan say that you can only feel at ease when I'm by your side?" This kid wants to leave me here? No way! I was planning to welcome Erlinzi, whom I haven't seen in a long time, with drums and gongs at the gates of Sizhou.

Clouds Drunk, Moon Slightly Asleep (Revised Edition) Volume Three: If Life Were Only As Beautiful as Our First Meeting - First Victory at Sizhou (Part Three)

Chapter word count: 5029 Update time: 08-12-23 14:35

First Victory at Sizhou (Part 3)

Before dawn the next day, an army of 100,000, led by Tian Xilan, secretly marched towards Sizhou. Although Ye Feng and Mu Mo were absent, I was still surrounded by quite a few people. I can't say they were protecting me, because three of them were sent by the Azure King, and I couldn't be sure whether they were monitoring me, protecting me, or something else. Besides, I was wearing the Heavenly Silk Soft Armor, and I also carried a dagger and other self-defense items, so my safety level was quite high.

With an hour and a half left before the agreed-upon attack time, Xi Lan said that within that time, they should be able to reach the outskirts of Sizhou City, which is the rear of the Wangyue army. The Wangyue army probably didn't expect Tianqing to make any moves at this time. The battle at Chenshi (7-9 AM) likely meant that they lined up and waited for orders after breakfast. Even if they were alerted by this sudden mass diarrhea, they would still rely on the support of the Tianqing and Hanxing armies and wouldn't want to delay the agreed-upon battle opportunity.

As dawn broke and we drew closer to Sizhou, I took a deep breath, preparing myself mentally for the impending carnage.

Xi Lan signaled the army to halt. From our current position, we could already see the gates of Sizhou City in the distance, and it was approaching Chen Shi (7-9 AM). Several figures in blue robes flew towards us, arriving in a few seconds and kneeling before Xi Lan. Xi Lan stepped forward, and the figures rose to speak softly to him. Although I was close, I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I guessed they were highly skilled scouts reporting back to Xi Lan. We were now close to the Wangyue army's sentry line; perhaps they hadn't just gone to gather intelligence, but also taken care of enemy spies. Judging from Xi Lan's expression, his gentle smile remained unchanged; it seemed everything had gone smoothly.

A deep, resonant bugle call echoed from ahead—the battle cry of the Wangyue Army. Close behind, a faint bugle call followed—the bugle of the Tianqing Army. Though I couldn't hear the bugle of the Hanxing Army, I knew it must have already sounded—the unified call from the Wangyue Army's marshal, pledging an attack. But this call, meant to signal an alliance and a united front, became, from this moment on, a declaration of impending confrontation. The Wangyue King would not tolerate Tianqing and Hanxing betraying him and manipulating him. Therefore, in this battle, one side would inevitably fall, and that side would be the Wangyue Kingdom.

Xi Lan sat high on her white horse, waving her hand. General Zhan Yan led the vanguard forward, while General Duan Sheng's main force quickly moved to the left. Zhan Yan was responsible for attacking the city, and Duan Sheng was responsible for cutting off the Wangyue army's retreat. The Right General and the Rear General, along with their nearly 100,000 troops, remained at Qi Qing Pass, ready to attack the Wangyue army. Xi Lan glanced at me, then spurred her horse and galloped off towards Duan Sheng. I stayed put, obediently avoiding trouble, with the same few people protecting me as before.

The ground beneath my feet was slightly elevated, and I was mounted on horseback. Looking out, I could see the battlefield ahead in a general sense. The Azure Sky Army wore azure uniforms, and Xi Lan, dressed in white, stood out so gracefully and dazzlingly against the azure sea, making it hard to believe he was riding a horse across the battlefield. Qing Lin should be clashing with the Moon Gazing Army by now, and Fox—I heard from Night Wind that he's currently in the Cold Star Army's camp, but I don't know if he's mixed in or sitting openly in his tent.

Watching the army surge forward like a tidal wave, my heart pounded even faster. Although I was only observing the battle from afar, the heavy, oppressive atmosphere made me feel breathless. Sitting on my horse, I could feel the ground trembling. I didn't know if it was my imagination, or if the sounds of horns, drums, shouts, and the fighting, along with the rushing advance of hundreds of thousands of people, had awakened this land that had slumbered for hundreds of years.

He spurred his horse forward, allowing himself a clearer view of the battle, with those around him following closely, protecting him closely. Suddenly, a stream of people appeared ahead, the soldiers of Wangyue beginning their retreat. Presumably, Long Yaohanxing and the three armies of Tianqing left at Qiqing Pass had already clashed with Wangyue. But realizing the danger only now, and thinking of retreating, it was too late. Xilan and General Zuo's 50,000 troops were already on high alert. Even if they were weak in the knees now, even under normal circumstances, if Xilan's side could hold out for an hour and join forces with the pursuing three armies, the mere 200,000 Tianqing troops would be utterly defeated.

Looking again at where the former general had extended his troops, the city gates of Sizhou were indeed tightly closed. A whole row of archers on the city walls were constantly firing arrows. Fortunately, one-fifth of the vanguard soldiers held shields and stood at the front of the formation, deflecting the flying arrows. However, the arrows were too powerful, and the siege ladders and battering rams could not get close to the city gate for a while, making it impossible to breach the city.

I looked at Xi Lan again. He was still sitting on his horse. Although I couldn't see his face clearly, his haughty demeanor made him seem like a born king. I had never imagined that Xi Lan could give off such an aura. The war drums were beating, telling the Wangyue army that they had nowhere to retreat. Those scattered, disorganized, and weak-legged squads of Wangyue soldiers were no match for the Tianqing soldiers; they only idly stained the earth with blood.

More and more of the Wangyue Army soldiers retreated. For them, breaking through to the front meant certain death, so they could only run back, hoping to survive and reach the city gate, avoiding total annihilation. But that was just hope, a hope that would ultimately be dashed. The fighting ahead was not in doubt, but as more and more people lay on the ground, and more and more blood stained the earth, everything before them seemed far too cruel and tragic.

A black figure swiftly flew towards me. The three guards of Zhilan Palace instantly protected me. As the black figure got closer, they retreated to the left and right sides. It was Ye Feng!

"Young Master." Ye Feng knelt before my horse and bowed.

"Get up quickly." I hurriedly helped him up, a big smile on my face. Judging from Ye Feng's first words, I knew he had successfully completed his mission. Otherwise, he would have said something like, "This subordinate deserves to die for failing to complete the task assigned by the young master."

He stood up, then reached into his robes and respectfully handed me an extra-large, bright yellow sachet-like object. I then smelled a faint scent of ambergris.

As I reached out and took the large sachet, I looked at Ye Feng with a questioning expression. The boy's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly before he spoke in his usual indifferent yet extremely respectful tone: "Master said that Young Master is afraid of blood and insists on not leaving before the battle, so he told Young Master to stay away from the battlefield and carry this sachet with him. Master also said that if Young Master dares to laugh or casually throw it away, Young Master will be in for a world of trouble when he gets home."

I stared at the sachet in my hand, which was about the size of my palm, and finally couldn't help but burst out laughing. Good heavens, this sachet had neither embroidery nor any finesse; the stitching on the edges clearly showed it was sewn by someone who couldn't do needlework. Add to that the scent of the sachet, and considering the fox's warning, could this thing have been made by that fox herself?! Even that narcissistic person with a good family background, good conditions, and good looks finally has something they can't show off! Hahahaha!

Fox, I'm no longer the Qianqian who faints at the sight of blood, but I'm still so happy and blessed to receive this sachet made from your fox paw. Next time, I'll definitely have you dress up in red and hold an embroidery needle to impersonate Dongfang Bubai, hehe.

Holding the sachet in one hand and bringing it to my nose, I grinned and continued watching the battle unfold. Suddenly, I saw Xi Lan, who had been sitting on her horse throughout the battle, leap up and charge forward like an arrow. Ahead of her was the surging tide of Wangyue's deserters, and behind them, I seemed to see a dark red hue, as well as the fluttering Dragon and Mu banners!

As Xi Lan dashed towards the fleeing Wangyue soldiers like an arrow, my heart tightened, and I quickly focused my gaze, wondering what this kid was up to. To my astonishment, I saw him lightly tap a few times, soaring through the air above the crowd, his white robes flowing like a celestial being. In the blink of an eye, he was already at the fluttering Wangyue army flags. I couldn't see how he moved, only that the two large flags danced in his hands, several men falling around him. He then used the two flags to wrap up one man before swiftly returning to his white horse. I spurred my horse, and it galloped towards the safe zone between the Tianqing vanguard and the left flank, my guards following closely behind.

Looking to the left, the Mu banner became increasingly clear. Looking further to the sides of the less than a quarter of Wangyue's remaining troops, the dark blue Hanxing army and the Tianqing army, originally stationed at Qiqing Pass, were closing in, shrinking the area around Wangyue's forces. The encirclement was complete; it was simply a matter of annihilating them. However, at the nearby Sizhou city gate, Zhan Yan's vanguard had not yet captured it. The defending general, seeing the imminent annihilation of the 200,000 troops inside Sihe Pass, dared not open the gates to relieve the siege. Tianqing, Hanxing, and Longyao together had 600,000 troops—far beyond their capabilities to break the siege.

Seeing me charge into the battlefield, Xi Lan spurred his horse toward me, carrying a person on its back—the very person who had been brought from the Wangyue army earlier, wrapped in two military flags. Reaching me, he casually tossed the person to the ground. The man, clearly immobilized, lay sprawled before my horse. Looking down, I saw it was the Wangyue envoy!

He was sent as an envoy to the Azure Kingdom, and now he's on the battlefield. His identity remains a mystery, given his silver armor. I looked at Tian Xilan with disbelief. Capturing the enemy leader alive from among thousands was such an easy feat for Xilan! That old tortoise, the Azure King, is willing to use any means necessary to force Xilan to succeed him; it seems it's not just out of personal affection.

"Xi Lan, do you want to know how valuable, or rather, how distinguished, the person you captured?" I glanced at the gates of Sizhou City, the arrow formations and stone arrays on the walls. This hurdle had been holding Zhan Yan hostage for almost an hour; the soldiers defending Sizhou seemed quite formidable. I then looked down at the Wangyue Kingdom envoy lying on the ground, unable to move or speak. His arrogant and domineering air remained even in this situation, but his eyes were fixed on me with fierce disbelief. I ignored him and turned to Xi Lan with a charming smile.

His face still held that gentle smile, and his white clothes seemed as spotless as ever, but his eyes held a knowing smile as he said to Zhan Yan, who was riding over, "Try using him to attack the city."

"General Zhan," I called out loudly as Zhan Yan bent down to settle the envoy from Wangyue Kingdom onto his horse, "Arrange the shields in an arc formation, place the ladders on both sides, lift the wooden stakes vertically, and tie him to the top of the stakes."

Zhan Yan turned around and looked at me, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He then looked at Tian Xilan, who smiled and nodded. He then rode away.

The shield formation in an arc is far more flexible and effective than the current straight-line arrangement. Arrows will not bend when they come, and the arc-shaped shield formation will protect the people carrying the ladder more safely. If the soldiers on the city wall shoot the people carrying the ladder to death, then sorry, the ladder will fall and the envoy will be hard-pressed to survive.