Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 55 Bet
In the past three days, they captured a total of 500 antelopes, more than 100 wild deer, more than 60 alpacas, and many small animals such as hares.

It was impossible to kill and eat so many animals at once, so in addition to slaughtering more than twenty antelopes, the remaining animals were fenced together and prepared to be taken back to serve as a snack for the soldiers.

"Prince, there are so many wild animals here. How about we wait until the troops return from the exercise and then go hunting for a few more days?"

The Central Plains is densely populated, and villages have been built in many mountains and forests that are not suitable for living. Most of the wild animals that were originally numerous have disappeared. Li Dawei's heart can't help but become excited after capturing so many prey in one hunt.

"In a dozen days, the troops will leave, and we can't waste time on hunting." Li Mingyuan flatly rejected Li Dawei's request.

"Sir, we can't move in right after the exercise. It will take a few days to arrange the logistics of the troops. Why not take advantage of the few days of free time to arrange for the cavalry brigade to go hunting. The captured antelopes and wild deer can be used as food for the troops."

What Li Dawei said made some sense. The cavalry brigade would hunt on the grassland for a few days before moving in. According to Li Mingyuan's hunting experience over the past few days, they would be able to capture at least two to three thousand prey before the troops set out. These living animals were easy to move and did not require a large number of people to transport like food.

"After the exercise, I can give your cavalry brigade three days to hunt, but you cannot go beyond the control of our army." Li Mingyuan said after thinking for a moment.

"Yes, Your Highness." Li Dawei replied, and suddenly found that Li Mingyuan had hung a cloth bag on his back, and something was moving inside.

"Prince, what's in the cloth bag?" Li Dawei asked curiously.

"Just a few wild rabbits," Li Mingyuan said as he handed the bag to the guard beside him, "Take them to my tent."

Li Mingyuan was worried that Li Dawei would take advantage of the four little guys after seeing them, so he quickly asked the guards to take them away.

Li Dawei was very satisfied with catching two cougars. He did not ask what kind of animals were in the bag. After a brief rest, he left with his troops and the captured prey.

"Dawei, who do you think will win this exercise?" Li Mingyuan asked on the way back.

"Zheng Guosheng has a greater chance of winning." Li Dawei thought for a moment and gave his answer.

"Tell me your reasons."

"First, Zheng Guosheng and Sun Yanming are veterans with rich combat experience, while Commander Feng was originally in charge of the reconnaissance battalion and lacks experience in commanding large forces.
Secondly, Commander Feng had just joined the cavalry regiment and had not yet had a deep understanding with his soldiers. In a head-on battle, he was no match for Zheng Guosheng. Just for these two reasons, it would be difficult for Commander Feng to win. "

"Well, what you said makes sense, but I still think Feng Changqing has a greater chance of winning."

"Since the prince acknowledges my point of view, why do you still think that Captain Feng has a greater chance of winning?" Li Dawei asked puzzledly.

"Come, I'll tell you the reason." Li Mingyuan waved to Li Dawei, closing the distance between them. When Li Dawei was much closer to him, Li Mingyuan suddenly changed his mind.

"Dawei, I won't tell you the reason yet, how about we make a bet?"

Li Dawei was speechless for a while. It seemed that the prince was addicted to betting. Last time, he made an ambitious bet with him to occupy the land near the Andes Mountains. He didn't know what he would bet on this time.

"Dawei, are you scared and don't dare to bet with me?"

"No way! What are you looking for, Prince?" Li Dawei came to his senses and replied immediately.

"Let's bet on who will win this time."

"What's the point of just betting, Prince? How about we set a prize?" Li Dawei came up with an idea and said with a smile.

"Okay, what do you want to bet on?"

"Use the mountain lion you captured this time. Whoever loses will give his mountain lion to the other party."

"I agree, but if you lose, I don't want your cougar either. Just promise me that you will learn a hundred new words before transferring in, how about that?" Li Dawei frowned. As one of the few major generals in the Chinese Independence Army, he had to spend a lot of time every day learning to read and study military knowledge. If he learned a hundred more words, he would have no time to rest every day.

"Dawei, are you worried that you can't do it and don't dare to bet with me?" Li Mingyuan said with a smile.

"Let's compete. Is Old Li afraid?" Li Dawei changed his mind and thought that the possibility of Li Mingyuan winning was very low, so he said simply.

“Prince, if you lose, don’t be reluctant to give up the little lion.” Li Dawei laughed.

"Don't worry, I won't regret it."

It was already evening when Li Mingyuan and Li Dawei returned. Feng Changqing, Zheng Guosheng and others also returned to the military camp, waiting for Li Mingyuan to come back.

"Haha, you're back so soon. How was it? Who won the exercise?" Li Mingyuan walked into the big tent and asked with a smile when he saw Feng Changqing, Zheng Guosheng and others standing together.

Zheng Guosheng and Sun Yanming have more seniority than him, so Feng Changqing did not speak first.

"Old Zheng, did you win?" Li Dawei, who followed Li Mingyuan in, asked Zheng Guosheng directly.

"Brigade Commander, I'm sorry to disappoint you. Old Zheng and I were not as skilled as them and lost to Commander Feng." Zheng Guosheng lost the exercise and was too embarrassed to speak. Sun Yanming beside him had no choice but to speak.

"What? You two actually lost, how did you fight the battle!" Li Dawei didn't quite believe it at first, but when he saw the bitter faces of Zheng Guosheng and Sun Yanming, he knew it was true and couldn't help but shouted angrily.

Zheng Guosheng and Sun Yanming lost the exercise and thought that Li Dawei was angry with them, so they lowered their heads and accepted Li Dawei's scolding.

"Okay, the exercise results are out. Let them talk about why they lost the exercise." Li Mingyuan stopped Li Dawei from scolding.

"Last night, when the soldiers in the camp were fast asleep, Captain Feng's troops suddenly arrived and surrounded the camp before Lao Zheng and I could react." Sun Yanming briefly recounted the attack on the camp.

"You must have been discovered by Captain Feng in advance, which led to the attack on our troops. Captain Feng, is that right?"

"Yes, Prince. When the exercise just started, I sent out more than 30 reconnaissance teams to check the terrain around the exercise, and then sent out reconnaissance personnel to guard near the water source that was discovered. That's how we found the traces of Deputy Brigade Commander Zheng's troops."

"Changqing did a great job of just sitting back and waiting." Li Mingyuan smiled and praised Feng Changqing, then turned around and asked, "Old Zheng, Old Sun, do you understand why you failed now?"

"It was because we were careless and did not guard against the enemy's sneak attack." The situation was stronger than the people, Sun Yanming whispered.

"Old Zheng, what about you?"

"I...I admit defeat." Zheng Guosheng was not convinced but didn't dare to show it, so he said in a humming voice.

What war is about is results. No matter what means you use, as long as you defeat the enemy, you win.

"Zheng Guosheng, let me ask you, defeating you fairly is a victory, but does a surprise attack and capturing the enemy not count as a victory?"

Li Mingyuan's eyes were sharp, and Zheng Guosheng lowered his head and did not dare to look at him.

"The reason for the failure of your exercise is not carelessness, but over-reliance on past experience. You thought you were too powerful and did not take the young people seriously. What was the result? You were captured by the enemy in a surprise attack. Doesn't this explain the problem?" Li Mingyuan said in a stern voice, scolding Zheng Guosheng and Sun Yanming so much that they dared not say a word.

"Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Time is running out before the transition. I hope you will learn from this lesson and not make similar mistakes again."

"I obey your command." After being defeated by a young man who was a dozen years younger than them and being scolded by Li Mingyuan, Zheng Guosheng and Qun Yanming were embarrassed and immediately expressed their opinions.

(End of this chapter)