knife

Chapter 148 Whoever grabs it gets to keep it, that's what I said.
Lengge stood on the mountain ridge, looking down at the endless stream of people fleeing the famine.

"How many villages have been affected?" he asked Shulu, the lieutenant beside him.

"According to the scouts' reports, Li Dachui's force consisted of only two thousand cavalrymen, led by Li Dachui and Gu Xiaoman. They came to Qingtongxia almost without any concealment. On their way here, they drove away more than five thousand people from seven villages, and burned the villages to the ground."

"No one was killed this time?"

“Li Dachui and Xiao Changche seem somewhat different. This bandit didn’t kill anyone, he just drove them away! But he may not have had any good intentions. Are there any spies among these people who were driven away? We need to settle these people here. We were already just getting enough food in the spring, and now we have a huge shortage.” Shulu said.

"The food supply won't be bad. Don't forget, the Third Prince is eyeing our area covetously. Send a message to Yandu demanding grain, and I guarantee he'll be very accommodating this time!" Lengge said.

Shulu nodded, glanced at Lengge, and whispered, "General, we only have two thousand men. Are we really not going to give it a try? We still have three thousand iron cavalry here! I've sent scouts to test the waters, and it's either Xiao Changche's men or Li Dachui's bandits! Besides, we can bring over the Wild Boar Ridge troops. It only takes a day for them to come from Wild Boar Ridge on horseback. If we can't save Shaliewen, keeping Li Dachui is an equal exchange. No, I think we've gotten a great deal!"

Lenger smiled and said, "That's what you think?"

Shulu nodded: "General, that old codger Shaliewen is not one of us. His defeat will cause those behind him to lose face in the court, which is a good thing for the Second Prince. On this basis, if we can win another battle, the difference in strength will be immediately apparent. Isn't everything better when compared?"

“What if we lose?” Lenger asked.

“How could we possibly lose?” Shulu said confidently. “Three thousand cavalry, seven thousand infantry, and if needed, we can bring in more men from Wild Boar Ridge.”

“We’ve never directly fought Li Dachui,” Lengge said. “But don’t forget, a few years ago, Wutu suffered a great loss at his hands. I don’t think I’m stronger than Wutu. After that battle, Wutu was devastated and demoted by Astu to guard the mines. He drank heavily all day and became a complete mess.”

When the topic turned to Xiao Changche's famous battle, Shulu fell silent.

“He only showed you two thousand men, but we don’t know if he has other methods hidden in the shadows!” Lenger said. “Now we are basically certain that Sharvin will fail. Compared to a loser, we are already much better off just by not failing. As for victory, which is icing on the cake, if we are 100% sure, then of course we should do it, but if there is only a 10% chance of failure, why should we take the risk?”

Shulu swallowed hard, thinking to himself, "Can accounts be settled like this?"

Patting Shulu on the shoulder, Lengge laughed, "I'm old. You young people are the pillars that the Second Prince will rely on in the future. You need to have a broader perspective and a longer-term vision. What I just told you are some political matters concerning the power struggle between the Second Prince and the Third Prince in the court. As for us, we are the Second Prince's henchmen, and Shaliewen is naturally the Third Prince's. Remember, only if the Second Prince wins can we rise to prominence. Don't you want to ride south and drink from the Yellow River? But if the Second Prince doesn't take the throne, will you have that opportunity? You might end up like Wutu, a mining foreman, or spend your life as a minor lieutenant, charging into battle, only to die one day at the hands of an unknown enemy."

"I have learned a lot!" Shulu bowed and said, "Thank you, General."

Lengge smiled and nodded: "Now that we've covered the political aspects, let me talk about the military ones. We might not be able to defeat Li Dachui, that's one thing. Another thing is, have you considered the army of the Andong Protectorate?"

Shulu was taken aback: "General, didn't you say that Linghu Ye was on the same side as us in this matter? They also wanted to eliminate Xiao Changche, but they just didn't want to do it themselves."

"It's true he wanted to use someone else to do his dirty work, but did he ever consider smashing that knife afterward?" Lenger said, "Have you thought about that possibility?"

"Really? How can you be so fickle? How can you expect people to trust you in the future?"

"Gaining people's trust?" Lengge chuckled. "People like Linghu Ye don't need to gain people's trust; they only need to exchange benefits. As long as the benefits exchanged are sufficient, that's enough. Because now the court has confirmed that as long as chaos breaks out within the Great Qin Pass, Linghu Ye will inevitably withdraw, and then we can easily take over the area outside the pass without lifting a finger. Based on this, the life and death of us insignificant people, and the failure of a local battle, are simply not within the scope of consideration for the big shots."

"As long as this premise exists, will Yandu tolerate Linghu Ye?"

“Yes!” Lengge said, “Shulu, this is not just about the area outside the pass, but also about the Second Prince’s plan to use one enemy to devour another. Do you think the Second Prince is satisfied with just taking over the area outside the pass? His ambition is to conquer the Central Plains. Chang’an is known as the number one city in the world. Don’t you want to go and see it?”

As the two were talking, a horse galloped up.

"Reporting to the general, the Qin army in Yuntai Wilderness has made unusual movements." A messenger took out a secret report from his pocket and handed it to Lengge.

Shulu was stunned. Lengge held up the letter and waved it at Shulu. "Look at them, they all really want to gain something from this war! If we leave, that Chen Wuliang will definitely come to cut off our retreat. If the people of Wild Boar Ridge make a move, do you think Andong will turn a blind eye?"

"General, you are truly wise; I underestimated the problem!" Shulu said with some shame.

“There’s still so much to learn!” Lengge laughed. “Don’t think I’m old. Some things take time and experience to accumulate.”

At the foot of Yuan'an City, another round of attacks ended, and the Yuan army retreated like a receding tide. Ding Ergou sat down directly in the blood. Beside him, Lü You was panting heavily, like an old ox. Their battalion of three hundred men was now reduced to about half. Hu Kan's other battalion was in a similar situation. The only ones in better shape were Xia Zhi's central army, a force of four hundred men, now with just over three hundred remaining. The central army moved to the front, and Lü You and Hu Kan retreated to the rear of the central army to reorganize and merge into one, forming a new battalion. Lü You became the new commander of this new battalion.

On the city walls, the situation wasn't much better. Yuan'an City wasn't large, and Shaliewen launched an attack from three directions simultaneously. Xia Zhi held off one side, while Xiao Dongwei commanded the remaining two from the city walls. The ferocity of the people in Yuan'an City truly impressed Xia Zhi and his companions. Young and old, men and women, everyone was fighting on the walls, and they all seemed quite skilled in tactics and maneuvers.

By this point, Charlevin had long forgotten his true purpose for coming out this time, and all that remained was a gnashing hatred. He would not be able to quell his anger until he had chopped everyone here into mincemeat.

He thought it would be an easy victory, but he ended up kicking a hornet's nest. These were just a bunch of half-farmers and half-soldiers, but they managed to block his elite troops from advancing an inch.

If we continue fighting like this, even if we manage to capture Yuan'an City, the losses will be unbearable. But if we just admit defeat and retreat, it will be even more embarrassing, and I will lose my position as the acting commander, which I just recently assumed. More importantly, if I ruin the Third Prince's important plans, I might end up joining Wutu in the afterlife. Wutu will only be a mine foreman, while I might have to herd sheep in the Western Sea.

Schallvin has decided to launch the final offensive.

The unease in my heart grew stronger over time.

I don't know how to put it, but I just feel that this matter should be resolved as soon as possible.

As Lü You watched the enemy's central banner begin to move forward, the enemy general, who was even fatter and larger than him, rode a tall horse and carried two enormous hammers at the front. His fat face jiggled several times.

Can General Xia withstand the Yuan general Shaliewen?

A general with high martial arts skills alone cannot withstand the attack of a large army or change the course of the battlefield, but when he combines with the army and becomes the vanguard of the army, the situation is different.

Xiao Changche's three thousand iron cavalry were renowned beyond the Great Wall, and the most formidable asset was naturally Xiao Changche himself, an indestructible force.

From the top of the city wall, a dense and continuous drumbeat resounded, and Xiao Dongwei, atop the city wall, also issued the signal for the decisive battle.

"Where are the reinforcements?" Lü You stood up, picking up two axes. "Hu Kan, you take command. I'll go and lend General Xia a hand!"

"Go!" Hu Kan, equally covered in blood, carried a cleaver riddled with nicks and chips. "This Yuan army is much tougher to fight than the one from four years ago!"

Lu You stepped forward and stood next to Xia Zhi, side by side with her.

Xia Zhi turned her head and glanced at him, then nodded: "Fatty, hang in there, Xiao Changche will be here soon!"

Lü You nodded vigorously.

"I'll be right there!"

Suddenly, horns sounded atop the city walls, the rhythm of the drums changed abruptly, and cheers erupted deafeningly.

"Reinforcements have arrived, and the chariots are back!"

On the city wall, Xiao Dongwei roared and jumped around, running from one end to the other, kicking the soldiers who had collapsed on the ground, shouting, "Get up, get up, prepare to pursue the enemy!"

A robust woman surnamed Wei came running over, dragging a large, blood-red pole: "General Xiao, if you manage to snatch it, it's yours, isn't it?"

"Whoever grabs it gets to keep it, that's what I said!" Xiao Dongwei laughed.

In the distance, plumes of dust rose into the sky.

Shalievin turned around, his face full of disbelief.

(End of this chapter)