newbobooks Chapter 457 Military Orders Urgently Pursue Generals Lei and Ye; Xiao Ruofeng's Handwritten Let
Chapter 457 Military Orders Urgently Pursue Generals Lei and Ye; Xiao Ruofeng's Handwritten Let
May 19th, 3:45 AM.
Before dawn, candles were already lit in Xiao Ruofeng's central command tent.
Xun Yichuan stood in the tent, his face solemn:
"Your Highness, the scouts have brought back the latest intelligence from the southwest. There is indeed unusual activity in the direction of Qiandong City."
Baili Luochen was still in Yunzhou preparing for war, while his son Baili Chengfeng led a small force back to Qiandong City.
Recently, the Broken Wind Army has been frequently seen entering and leaving the Ironthorn Ridge area, seemingly transporting something in secret.
Furthermore… Wen Yanzhao from Lingnan arrived in Qiandong before May 14th, and he brought with him several poison masters from the Wen family…”
Xiao Ruofeng stood in front of the map, his finger resting on the three characters "Qiandong City". After listening to Xun Yichuan's words, he remained motionless for a long time.
Wen Yanzhao...
He knew that name all too well!
When we first met, I was impressed by his swordsmanship and character. Although we became sworn brothers, that brotherhood seems to have vanished now.
Xiao Ruofeng sighed bitterly to himself, then looked at Xun Yichuan:
"Are you sure... Wen Yanzhao really created a medicine man?"
Xun Yichuan shook his head: "This humble general dares not be certain, but based on the scattered intelligence from the Shadow Sect, plus our scouts' reconnaissance in various parts of the southwest, we can be certain of seven or eight out of ten!"
Moreover, the Iron Thorn Ridge in Qiandong is shrouded in poisonous miasma year-round, making it impossible for ordinary people to enter.
But in the past two weeks, the Breaking Wind Army has been frequently coming and going, and it seems they've even set up a camp in the mountains. If they weren't doing something shady, why would they need to be so secretive?
Xiao Ruofeng fell silent again.
Drug user!
If it is true as the legend goes, in the ancient capital of Western Chu, Luosang, the brothers Gu Chen and Gu Mo led three thousand medicine men in a bloody battle against the 100,000 Pofeng Army under the command of Zhenxi Hou. Even Baili Luochen, who was invincible, almost wiped out the elite of the Pofeng Army before he was able to win a Pyrrhic victory!
The outcome of that battle will be unpredictable...
“Your Highness,” Xun Yichuan said in a low voice, “General Lei and General Ye have been on their way for a day and a night. Judging by their pace, they should have already entered the outer perimeter of the Micang Road by now.”
If the story of the drug user is true... there might be an ambush on the Rice Warehouse Road.
Without a second thought, Xiao Ruofeng abruptly commanded, "Pass on my orders!"
The guards outside the tent responded and entered.
"Select ten of the best riders, prepare fast horses, and bring plenty of dry rations and water." Xiao Ruofeng spoke rapidly. "Set off immediately to catch up with Lei Mengsha and Ye Xiaoying's forces!"
Upon seeing the two, convey my royal decree from the King of Langya: the reconnaissance of the Micang Road is to be suspended. Lead your troops back immediately and rejoin the main army!
"Yes!"
The guards obeyed and left.
Xiao Ruofeng then looked at Xun Yichuan: "Yichuan, go and do something personally."
"Your Highness, please give your orders. This humble general will certainly not fail in your trust!"
“Send someone to Lingnan,” Xiao Ruofeng said thoughtfully. “No, we can’t send troops…we should find someone from the martial arts world, preferably someone who has a past relationship with the Wen family.”
Find a way to find out Wen Yanzhao's background—what methods did he use to create the medicine mannequins? What are the weaknesses of the medicine mannequins? Who is controlling them? The more detailed the better.
Also... check the whereabouts of the Confucian Immortal Gu Chen. Remember, you must not reveal your whereabouts. The Wen family is the supreme master of the unorthodox path. Although Wen Yanzhao is not in Lingnan, the Poison Bodhisattva Wen Hujiu and the old patriarch Wen Lin are both extremely difficult characters to deal with...
Even if our men find no news, they must not lose their lives in vain!
Xun Yichuan frowned: "Your Highness, this...is a bit difficult for me. I joined the army at the age of sixteen and have little contact with the affairs of the martial world. Moreover, the Wen family of Lingnan has always been closed off, and there are not many people in the martial world who dare to provoke them..."
“I know that, which is why I’m asking you to do your best!” Xiao Ruofeng interrupted him. “The key to this battle may lie with these medicine men. If we don’t figure out their strength, our 200,000-strong army may really be doomed in the southwest.”
Xun Yichuan's heart tightened, and he clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This subordinate understands! I will make the arrangements immediately!"
He left in a hurry, leaving Xiao Ruofeng alone in the tent.
The flickering candlelight cast his shadow on the tent wall, revealing that the once spirited young prince was now somewhat hunched over.
Xiao Ruofeng walked to the desk and began to write rapidly.
After writing, he sealed the letter in a wax ball and summoned another guard:
"This letter is to be delivered to Snow Moon City by express courier, and given to City Lord Baili Dongjun. Remember—deliver it to him personally, without passing it through a second person! If he asks, tell him it's a letter from a junior disciple of the Jixia Academy!"
"As ordered!"
The guards carefully put away the wax pellets and left the main tent.
Xiao Ruofeng slowly sat down and rubbed his temples.
Dongba... I hope you, as his cousin, still have some old feelings for him, and I also hope you can help your junior brother...
If they really ended up on the battlefield, with the medicine-using people facing off against the Northern Li soldiers... Xiao Ruofeng dared not think about it anymore.
Outside the window, the sky was just beginning to lighten.
Bugles sounded in the camp, signaling the army's imminent departure.
Meanwhile, a hundred miles away.
The entrance to the Micang Road is thirty li away.
Lei Mengsha and Ye Xiaoying's four thousand elite troops were resting in a flat area in a mountain valley.
All the men and horses rested, leaving only a few sentries on guard.
Lei Mengsha leaned against a rock, holding a water bag in her hand, drinking it sip by sip.
Ye Xiaoying sat opposite him, sharpening his twin swords with a whetstone.
"Old Ye, do you think Seventh Brother is being too cautious this time?" Lei Mengsha suddenly said. "Although the Micang Road is difficult to traverse, our four thousand men are the elite of the elite. Even if there is an ambush, if we can't win, we can't just run away, right?"
Ye Xiaoying didn't even look up: "Your Highness's caution is naturally for a reason."
Jianmen Pass is a natural fortress; a direct assault would be too costly. If we could discover a secret passage to outflank the rebels, the battle would be much easier.
“I understand the logic,” Lei Mengsha sighed. “It’s just that I feel…frustrated. It would be so much better to fight a fair and square battle, instead of having to go through all this trouble.”
Ye Xiaoying stopped what he was doing and glanced at him: "Meng Sha, you come from a martial arts background and are used to fighting alone."
But this is a national war; the lives of two hundred thousand people are in His Highness's hands. One wrong move, and the whole game is lost.
Lei Mengsha remained silent.
He understood perfectly well. It was just his personality; he always felt that he would deal with whatever came his way, and he didn't bother with so much scheming.
In the midst of the silence, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from afar.
"Report——"
A sentry came running up and knelt on one knee: "Generals, twenty riders are chasing us from behind. They say His Highness has an urgent military order!"
Lei Mengsha and Ye Xiaoying exchanged a glance and stood up at the same time.
"bring it here!"
A moment later, ten weary riders arrived.
The leader was a young captain whose legs were trembling as he dismounted—they had been galloping almost nonstop.
"General Lei, General Ye!"
The captain took out a secret letter from his bosom and presented it with both hands, saying, "His Highness has issued an urgent military order. Please, Generals, take a look!"
Lei Mengsha took it, tore off the sealing wax, and unfolded the letter.
His expression changed drastically after just one glance.
Ye Xiaoying sensed something was wrong and leaned closer to take a look. When he saw the contents of the letter, even this battle-hardened general gasped in shock.
The letter contained only a few words:
"The scouts report that the Qian Dong medicine man has been completed. Be careful not to enter the rice warehouse and return immediately."
Xiao Ruofeng.
The inscription reads "Seal of the Prince of Langya" by Xiao Ruofeng.
"A drug person? A drug person...!"
Lei Mengsha murmured the two words repeatedly, her hand holding the letter trembling slightly.
He had certainly heard the legend of the Medicine Man, this extremely sinister and evil secret art that used living people to create killing weapons that were unafraid of death and pain.
But that has always been a legend. Apart from the Marquis of Zhenxi and the Broken Wind Army who fought the earth-shattering battle in Losang, no one in the world has ever truly seen it.
Now... it's actually true?
"What else did His Highness say?" Ye Xiaoying asked urgently.
The captain, panting, said, "His Highness has decreed that the two generals must immediately lead their troops back to rejoin the main army. The reconnaissance of the Rice Granary Road... is suspended!"
Lei Mengsha closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was resolute: "Order—the entire army to break camp and return by the same route!"
"Order!"
Once the military order was given, the valley immediately became a hive of activity.
Although the four thousand elite troops were puzzled as to why they had suddenly turned back, military orders were absolute and no one questioned them.
……