The Demon-Slaying Grandmaster

Chapter 161 You fight your way, I'll fight mine.

It turns out that the tens of thousands of Tatars in Liaodong were indeed a smokescreen by the Tatars.

It was indeed difficult to keep the fact that the Great Zhou had begun preparations for war after receiving the news last winter from the Tatars.

After all, the Liaodong region has the most open horse markets.

With so many people from the grasslands coming to trade, Liaodong Town strengthened its defenses, making it impossible to keep it a secret.

Therefore, the Tatars saw that if they continued to attack Goryeo, they might be attacked from the side by the Great Zhou.

Without the opportunity for a sneak attack, the likelihood of failure increases significantly.

They were hoping that Lord Jinyang would really cooperate with them, which is why they kept delaying.

When they could no longer contact Jin Yangjun, they simply switched to the second plan.

Instead of going to Liaodong, we went to the Datong-Xuanfu area.

If the defenses in these two places are weak and the preparations are insufficient, then the strategy should shift from plundering to a full-scale attack.

Now that Li Jingxiao's three thousand cavalrymen had returned, the emperor, without even allowing Li Jingxiao to rest, issued an edict ordering him to lead his troops directly to Xuanfu.

Li Jingxiao objected, arguing that although his three thousand men hadn't traveled very fast on their way back to the capital from Liaodong, their horses hadn't consumed much fuel.

However, the journey from Jizhou to Xuanfu, which is the future Xuanhua District of Zhangjiakou, is more than 500 li.

By the time they arrived in Xuanfu, they were exhausted and their horses were worn out; they had no fighting spirit left.

Moreover, even though he had no experience in leading troops into battle, he knew he couldn't let the Tatars lead him by the nose.

We can't just lead our men to support the Tatars in Xuanfu the moment we hear they're there.

If the Tatars run to Datong tomorrow, should I lead my men to chase after them?

In a short time, Li Jingxiao thought of going out of the Great Wall of Ji, heading north, and attacking the Tatar tribes.

I don’t believe that if we send them out one tribe at a time, the Tatars in Xuanfu and Datong will still be able to stay.

They might even be able to steal something and make a fortune.

Moreover, some of the captured cattle and sheep were used as military rations, while the rest were transported back to Jizhou.

If we can't take them all with us, then we'll slaughter them all.

Moreover, Li Jingxiao quickly realized that he had an inventory, and he could put all the slaughtered cattle and sheep into his inventory.

Then even logistical support won't be needed.

Upon hearing this, the eunuch became extremely anxious and hurriedly said, "My lord, His Majesty and the cabinet have decreed that you lead troops to support Xuanfu."

Have you considered the consequences if you head north from Jizhou?

Seeing that the eunuch's tone was urgent yet polite, and that his words were well-intentioned, Li Jingxiao naturally wouldn't argue with him.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Father-in-law, the army has been marching for seven or eight days."

Even if they were to support Xuanfu, they would need to rest for a night and bring enough food and supplies.

My horse is fast; I will soon travel to the capital to meet His Majesty.

You will stay in Jizhou City and assist in preparing provisions, horses, and weapons, shall we?

The eunuch immediately fell silent. He was willing to do Li Jingxiao a favor.

Moreover, after Li Jingxiao arrives in the capital, the emperor's decision is beyond the comprehension of a mere eunuch.

However, eunuchs who made a name for themselves in the palace were first and foremost adept at shirking responsibility.

The man looked to Zhou Yanfu for help, but Zhou Yanfu ignored him completely.

He cupped his hands and said to Li Jingxiao, "My lord, I went to Liaodong to deliver an imperial edict, which orders you to bring your troops back to the capital."

Now that there's another imperial decree, my mission is complete, and I must return to the capital to report as soon as possible.

Although he didn't explicitly say that he wanted to return to the capital with Li Jingxiao, the meaning was quite clear.

Moreover, Zhou Yanfu did not oppose Li Jingxiao, allowing the army to rest and replenish supplies of food and weapons in Jizhou, which was actually helping him.

The eunuchs and guards who delivered the imperial edict were at a loss for words.

Anyone else would definitely not be so polite, but the man in front of him was not only the commander of three thousand cavalry.

Without any explicit order to strip him of his military power, he said he would take a day off, and so he did.

Moreover, Li Jingxiao is a god-like figure. If you offend him, who knows if he will perform a ritual and kill you and your ilk.

When faced with this dilemma, Li Jingxiao smiled and said, "Eunuch, since the decree has been read and I have accepted it, I will not keep you any longer."

The eunuch and a dozen guards were stunned for a moment, then their faces lit up with joy.

Li Jingxiao has already received the imperial decree, so our mission is now complete.

He returned to the capital to report, and no one could say anything about it.

As for Li Jingxiao riding back to the capital, that's his business.

He hurriedly bowed to Li Jingxiao, then led his men onto their horses and turned to head towards the capital.

Li Jingxiao laughed and said to Zhou Yanfu, "Please help me, Eunuch, to present those two Ferghana horses to His Majesty and the Emperor."

"And incidentally, please help me deliver some local specialties and 18 horses safely to my home."

Zhou Yanfu naturally wouldn't refuse such a small favor.

Besides, although those two Akhal-Teke horses were presented by Li Jingxiao, taking them back with me would surely make me look good in front of His Majesty and the Emperor, and I would receive some praise and rewards.

He hurriedly clasped his hands in agreement.

Then Li Jingxiao mounted his pure black Akhal-Teke horse and gave a few instructions to the Palace Guard, the chief commander Tang Zhijie, and Chang Rui.

Then give Zhao Junming and Jia Rong some more instructions.

Finally, he bowed to Jia Zheng before riding Zhuifeng at full speed.

In a short while, Li Jingxiao's figure grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely.

It's clear that a horse with a speed bonus of +3 is far faster than other horses.

In just over ten minutes, they caught up with the eunuchs and others who had come to deliver the imperial edict.

However, Li Jingxiao had no intention of going with them.

After a series of hoofbeats, a dozen guards and the eunuch stared in disbelief at Li Jingxiao, who sped past them.

He thought to himself, "No wonder the Marquis said his horse was fast."

This is more than just fast; it's an unprecedented BMW.

The distance from Jizhou to the capital is more than two hundred li.

Normally, even riding a horse would take two days.

If you don't mind the horse's speed, or change horses at the post station, you can indeed reach the destination in five or six hours.

In addition to Speed ​​+3, the Wind Chaser also gains Physique +3 and Stamina +2.

Along the way, Li Jingxiao only rested at the post station twice, for half an hour each time, and had someone feed Zhuifeng water and some black beans and grass.

It only took three hours to see the capital city.

In other words, Zhui Feng actually only ran for 2 hours to cover 200 miles.

If this were in modern society, this horse would definitely win countless championships and be worth tens of millions of dollars, or even one or two hundred million dollars.

When we entered the city, it was still early before dark.

The soldiers at the city gate saw a magnificent horse, as black as a lump of charcoal, carrying a man dressed in dragon-scale armor and wearing a five-jeweled purple-gold crown.

A military general dressed in a bright red robe with tiger patterns rushed toward the city gate.

He was about to shout to make the knight stop.

Then, from inside the city wall above the city gate, came a thunderous shout from the city gate guard.

"It's Marquis Xing'an! Make way! Make way!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers and officers inside and outside the city gate immediately drove away the crowds.

This man broke through the barrier twice, once using his divine speed technique to rush out of the city gate to chase down the traitor.

On one occasion, he even flew directly off the city wall, supposedly to rescue members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Afterwards, not only did he escape unscathed, but he was also successively promoted and ennobled.

Therefore, the guards and soldiers on the city gate dared not stop Li Jingxiao.

Besides, Li Jingxiao, with only one horse, couldn't possibly attack the city by himself, could he?

After a series of shouts and rebukes, Li Jingxiao rode his horse and charged into the city without stopping.

They rode swiftly along the central axis of the capital city to the outside of the palace.

He then dismounted, took out the gold token given to him by the emperor, and shouted to the imperial guards, "I have urgent business to attend to and request an audience with His Majesty. Please inform His Majesty immediately."

Although he had the gold medal given to him by the emperor, he could actually enter the palace directly.

Moreover, Li Jingxiao himself was the Deputy Commander of the Palace Guard, and entering and leaving the palace was as easy as clocking in and out of get off work.

But Li Jingxiao wasn't stupid; he was commanding troops outside when he suddenly appeared outside the palace.

If we don't inform the emperor, who knows what he'll think?

Several imperial guards merely glanced at the gold plaque in Li Jingxiao's hand before quickly running into the palace to inform the eunuch.

While waiting, Li Jingxiao simply had the Imperial Guards bring him a chair.

He threw over another five taels of silver, instructing the Imperial Guards to give Zhuifeng water and a little horse feed.

Then he sat down, took the purple-gold gourd from his waist, and gulped down several mouthfuls of spiritual wine.

The imperial guards immediately smelled a rich aroma of wine, along with some wafting spiritual energy. They felt a surge of energy, and their physical fatigue was relieved somewhat.

Secretly, this wine is definitely a treasure.

Unfortunately, no one dared to ask for it, and no one even dared to approach Li Jingxiao to speak.

About ten minutes later, Niu Zhanpeng, accompanied by a eunuch and two imperial guards from the Shangzhi Army, came running over, panting heavily.

Before Xia Shouzhong's godson Changshun could speak, Niu Zhanpeng said casually, "My lord, His Majesty summons you to an audience."

Li Jingxiao then got up and followed Niu Zhanpeng and Changshun into the palace. Along the way, Niu Zhanpeng said a lot of flattering things.

The implication was that she still wanted to go on the expedition with him.

Last time Li Jingxiao refused, and I thought he would give up. But this time, supporting Xuanfu is obviously more dangerous.

But he still begged me to take him there.

Li Jingxiao couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's wrong with staying peacefully in the capital?"

Niu Zhanpeng sighed and said, "My dad nags me all the time, saying that I'm almost 30 and I've accomplished nothing."

Moreover, my father was only a first-class earl.
And you are a hereditary marquis, a senior general, a general of Huaihua, a deputy commander of the palace guard, and a pacification commissioner of the left garrison.

"If I don't improve myself, my dad is driving me crazy."

Li Jingxiao chuckled, about to refuse again.

Suddenly, another thought struck him: the Niu family was still the supreme ruler of the war effort.

But Niu Zhanpeng became the emperor's personal guard, serving as a centurion in the Imperial Guard.

The father and son were, one a man of the retired emperor, the other a man of the emperor.

The fact that the emperor and his son had no objections shows that the retired emperor did not simply suppress the emperor.

He was confident that he could earn a lot of military merits this time he went north, and if he was lucky, he might even make a great contribution.

Instead of taking all the credit for himself, it would be better to bring along some noble sons to share in the credit.

He pulled Niu Zhanpeng to a stop, then waved for Changshun to get away.

Changshun knew that even his godfather fawned over this man.

He hurriedly walked more than ten meters away and waited.

Li Jingxiao then whispered to Niu Zhanpeng, "Among your old relatives, who else is bold and capable?"

Niu Zhanpeng was overjoyed at first, then frowned and began to think.

He could tell that Li Jingxiao meant more than just asking who else wanted to make a name for themselves.

He glanced into Li Jingxiao's eyes and saw him nod affirmatively.

Niu Zhanpeng immediately understood and whispered, "There are many fellow villagers who think the same way as me."

After all, the sage was already quite old.

But I can only guarantee that it's Chen Hongsheng, the son of the Duke of Qi.

They must be like me, wholeheartedly aligned themselves with His Majesty from the very beginning.

After saying that, Niu Zhanpeng looked around before continuing in a low voice, "Moreover, the Duke of Qi's family currently has a third-rank Weizhen General."

When Chen Hongsheng inherits the title, he won't get a single hair.

That kid is even more anxious than I am, he's betting everything on His Majesty.

What he seeks is merely the title passed down from his ancestors, one that will not be lost in his hands.

So that I won't be too ashamed to face my ancestors in the future.

Li Jingxiao nodded. The Chinese people's sense of clan is so strong that it sometimes even takes precedence over the nation.

The concept of "family, country, and the world" is perfectly normal in feudal society, with family taking precedence over country.

Chen Hongsheng's eagerness to make a name for himself is understandable.

Moreover, Niu Zhanpeng, in front of himself, a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Commander of the Garrison, said that the Emperor Emeritus was old.

It wouldn't be unjust to kill him.

It's clear that this kid is genuinely leaning towards me.

"Alright, I'll speak to His Majesty after I see him. But I can't guarantee whether His Majesty will agree."

Niu Zhanpeng was overjoyed; if it were anyone else, the emperor might indeed have refused.

But Li Jingxiao was asking for people, and these were two heirs to the dukedom who had already aligned themselves with His Majesty. It would be strange if he didn't agree.

Perhaps His Majesty is eager for Li Jingxiao to help him and that kid Chen Hongsheng gain some credit.

This will make it easier for them to get promoted and occupy important positions in the future.

Li Jingxiao followed Changshun into the Imperial Study, where he saw Xia Shouzhong and the old eunuch Dai Quan standing outside the Imperial Study waiting for him.

It seems the retired emperor has also arrived.

Sure enough, upon entering, they saw the emperor and his son sitting on either side of the main seat.

Seeing Li Jingxiao bow, the Emperor Emeritus quickly raised his hand to help him rise, and asked in a somewhat urgent tone, "Minister Li, why are you in such a hurry to return to the capital for an audience?"

Li Jingxiao didn't mince words and explained his plan to head north from Jizhou to attack the Tatar tribes on the grasslands.

The retired emperor reigned for decades and personally led troops out of the pass to conquer the grasslands in the north.

He had a good eye; after hearing this, he knew that Li Jingxiao was using a strategy of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao," forcing the Tatars to withdraw their troops from Datong and Xuanfu.

Otherwise, Li Jingxiao would have led three thousand cavalrymen to slaughter people one by one on the grasslands, while able-bodied men were conscripted to tribes at the front lines.

The plan was good, but there were very few people who dared to lead three thousand men north out of the grasslands.

In the eyes of the emperor and the retired emperor, this was no different from risking one's life.

I have immense respect for Li Jingxiao's courage and boldness.

At the same time, he felt that Li Jingxiao's loyalty to the Great Zhou was countless times stronger than that of the nobles and generals in the court.

Looking into Li Jingxiao's eyes, she couldn't help but feel tenderness and gratitude.

Those who dare to risk their lives are the rarest, especially in critical moments.

However, three thousand people are too few, and they are likely to be entangled by the united Tatar tribes.

Even after a battle, the losses were so great that Li Jingxiao had no choice but to retreat.

Furthermore, once outside the Great Wall of Ji, the journey of hundreds or even thousands of miles would pose a significant challenge to the horses and provisions.

(End of this chapter)