Frost for a Thousand Years

"Your Highness, the left flank of the army has been attacked by rebel forces, led by Wu Jue!"

Within the main camp, a military intelligence report arrived on the left flank.

All the generals were on edge because of this intelligence.

"How many people are there, and what is the situation?" Wei Wusheng asked from his seat.

"The number of soldiers should be three or four thousand, and their attack is particularly fierce. They led their troops straight at our positions, but fortunately we were already prepared for battle, and we have repelled several of their attacks." The scout said urgently, "The rebel soldiers are especially brave and well-equipped. For every two of our soldiers who die, we can barely exchange one for the other."

"These Qinzhou soldiers are truly formidable," Wei Le couldn't help but exclaim.

Although there were no cities to serve as a defensive line, the garrison troops were definitely on the defensive. They were even outnumbered and outmatched when the enemy charged. The difference in individual combat capabilities between the two sides was indeed too great.

There's no way around it; the reason the military garrison was called a military garrison was because of its own reasons.

The saying goes, "Good fruit shouldn't be juiced, because juicing ruins the good fruit."

Soldiers stationed in the countryside could never be strong in combat.

There's a scene like this in the TV series "Soldiers' Sortie," where Xu Sanduo's Fifth Platoon on the grasslands is described as a paradise for weak soldiers. Of course, this doesn't necessarily reflect the morale or ability of the soldiers building roads or responsible for infrastructure, but it does highlight the far greater disparity in combat effectiveness among soldiers than one might imagine.

“Casualties are secondary, but if casualties continue, there is a risk of mutiny,” a general had to admit. “After all, these soldiers haven’t experienced many wars.”

Two for one is not a problem, but two thousand for one thousand is troublesome.

The left side could potentially collapse completely.

“They’re launching a major attack on the left, while the right remains inactive, and there’s no sign of any troops being deployed from the front,” Wei Le analyzed. “Is this a tactical maneuver, or is there something wrong with them?”

The generals on the left are Wu Jue and Wu Lin, both of whom are men of the Duke of Li and are considered his personal guards.

But the rest of the soldiers were private troops from other families.

Everyone fell into serious thought.

It was only then that Wei Wusheng spoke up, saying, "Zhao Yi has become slick too."

"Does Your Highness mean that he is observing the situation and preserving his own strength?" Wei Le asked.

The others also looked over.

"Seeing the Emperor Emeritus here, he dares not act rashly, fearing the charge of regicide and disloyalty. Since he has been intimidated head-on, he can only use the pretext of attacking from the flanks to distract our army and shift the blame onto others," Wei Wusheng said. "Wu Jue and Wu Lin are Wu Qing's private soldiers. In this battle, they will surely lead the charge to serve their bandit leader."

Wei Wusheng never expected that the passionate man who once dared to speak with Chen Kefu to the emperor in court, each leading a thousand soldiers to aid Beiliang, would now become so worldly, cowardly, and hypocritical.

He's becoming more and more like those old nobles.

But this is an inevitable path.

Because he succeeded the old nobles and became a noble himself.

Many second-generation and third-generation descendants exhibit this symptom when they are young and passionate.

Ultimately, they will all become the 'backers' that others both fear and respect, and desperately want to befriend.

“In that case, why don’t we just send a large army to help?” someone said. “Anyway, Zhao Yi doesn’t dare to attack first. As long as we don’t withdraw all our troops, he’ll be stuck here.”

Zhao Yi was so terrified when he saw the ID "Emperor Emeritus" in the mid lane that he didn't dare to lane or provide support. Taking advantage of his cowardice, a surprise attack came from the shadows, supporting his teammates and securing the kill on the side lane – wouldn't that be wonderful?

“Yes, the left flank must be saved,” a general said. “The left flank is already weak. If the enemy continues to attack, and it goes on for a long time, once a breach is made, there could be a stampede among the soldiers and civilians. One person could lead to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand. Even our central army might be affected.”

Trampling is the most terrifying thing.

Anyone who trades stocks knows that sometimes a stock can suddenly collapse without any negative news, largely due to a collective sell-off by retail investors.

Fuck billions of dollars in debt are tied up there, and my whole family is locked up in the cruelest prison in El Salvador.

Wei Wusheng was deep in thought, and they were all waiting for his response.

"If our army were to send troops to rescue them now, our front would be completely exposed. What if Zhao Yi suddenly mobilized his entire army and launched a direct attack on the Emperor Emeritus's carriage?" Wei Wusheng asked.

He didn't spell it out clearly, but everyone else understood.

Public opinion and propaganda are things that can be transformed into one another.

What you won then may turn into what you lose now.

What's headwind now may become a boomerang in the future.

While Wei Wusheng is currently in a position of great righteousness as the retired emperor, Zhao Yi could very well launch a significant surprise attack under the pretext of rescuing His Majesty from being held hostage by the bandit king.

Ultimately, whether you win or lose depends on your own abilities and the opponent's weaknesses.

“Zhao Yi is already so scared. Even if he had two times the courage, he wouldn’t dare to attack first,” said a burly general. “With the Emperor Emeritus here, he can be kept in check.”

"Yes, he has never had any experience leading troops on his own. He was just a greenhorn under His Highness the King of Qin."

"If he tries anything rash, we'll just place His Majesty's imperial carriage in front of the battle lines and see what he does!"

Because of his performance on the battlefield, Zhao Yi had been labeled a weakling. So they were gambling, and gambling with great confidence, that if they won, they would swiftly annihilate the army on the left flank. Throughout, Zhao Yi dared not make a single move.

Even if reinforcements were sent, Wei Wusheng's army would be the first to surround that army, leaving them only able to create an opening on the outside for a tentative rescue.

Even if he's locked up inside, the deed is done. Even if he arrives late, it will inevitably create a rift between the allied forces in Qinzhou.

If you don't participate, I won't participate either; if you do participate, I'll just observe.

In the end, they simply dragged it out.

And isn't this 'delay' exactly what Song Shi'an wanted?
Everyone looked at him, and in each person's eyes was a clear "Let's do it!"

This vote was indeed very profitable.

but,
Why gamble everything when you've already reached the end of your rope?

Wei Wusheng immediately rejected the idea, and then said, "Gentlemen, keep the army stationary. Then, write letters to Zhao Yi's colleagues who are on good terms with you to advise them not to become accomplices of the villain."

Since Wei Wusheng had said so, they had no choice but to comply.

But they were still somewhat uneasy.

Wei Wusheng was indeed a decorated general, but without Song Shi'an, his only major victory was the forced relocation of Qi people to Yu. Now that Song Shi'an is gone, does he truly possess the ability to lead independently?
And so, they left the camp with some doubts.

"Your Highness, we are saved!"

After everyone had left, Wei Le stepped forward and analyzed the pros and cons for Wei Wusheng, saying, "They each have their own ulterior motives, which is exactly what we can use. But if our army also doesn't get any assistance, it will damage morale."

Wei Wusheng raised his head and looked at him.

"Why not secretly send out troops at night, circling around the mountains to confuse the enemy scouts and make them think that our troops are twice the size, thus making them make the wrong deployment?" Wei Le asked again.

Dong Zhuo used this method before. When entering Luoyang, he deliberately released his soldiers at night and did this several times to make others mistakenly believe that he had tens of thousands of soldiers.

In reality, there were only three thousand from beginning to end.

It was these three thousand that allowed him to take control of the entire city of Luoyang.

Zhao Yi might realize what's happening, but being tricked like this now will only confuse him more, at least at this crucial moment.

Wei Wusheng nodded, agreeing with Wei Le's point.

Then he continued, “These military commanders who are stationed in the fields are indeed under Your Highness’s command, and they certainly hope that Your Highness will win. But if the troops on the left are defeated, and a retreat ensues, then the letters they are writing to their colleagues on the other side may not necessarily become letters of surrender… Of course, Your Highness, I am just saying this.”

He didn't want to gossip or speak ill of his colleagues, but after all, he was a man of impeccable lineage and the commander of the Imperial Guard, so naturally he looked down on these generals of the state and county troops.

"Should we save them?" Wei Wusheng asked.

"Your Highness, we must save them," he insisted.

“Then I have made up my mind,” Wei Wusheng said. “Now, you will go alone to rescue the flank.”

"Yes, Your Highness! Oh no... ah?"

Wei Le had no idea what he had done to offend him, that such words could come out of his mouth.

Sending one of your troops to rescue the flank is practically sending him to his death.
"General, just kidding, how could you be the only one here?" Wei Wusheng said with a smile.

"Your Highness, your joke has gone too far."

"Of course, at the very least, they should be accompanied by a dozen or so guards and attendants."

"what?"

Wei Le was completely bewildered, not understanding what the other party was up to.

Taking these people with me can only be described as bringing leadership, but relying on the people I currently have to fight against the enemy is a bit too much for a clever woman.

"General Wei." Wei Wusheng stopped joking, stood up, and walked to the map. The other person followed, and together they observed the situation.

"The left flank, with its more than 3,000 soldiers, is the weakest link in our army, so it's impossible for them to withstand the offensive," Wei Wusheng said, pointing to the passes. "That's why we allocated the only terrain available to the left flank."

The Central Plains are indeed flat, but it's impossible for them to be completely flat without any undulations in the terrain.

Even in the Jianghan Plain of Hubei, there are some mountainous areas.

Wei Le nodded and began to think seriously.

“Go alone and take over command there. Once you arrive, launch a surprise attack at night first,” Wei Wusheng said. “You can suffer a minor defeat, but it must be a genuine one.”

"It was like attempting an attack, but realizing the enemy was as solid as a mountain, they retreated voluntarily. And, they may have lost some men," Wei Le said.

“Then, the other side will definitely take the initiative to attack,” Wei Wusheng said.

Wei Le tested the damage and found that he couldn't hurt Wu Jue at all, so Wu Jue must be full of fighting spirit.

“You can fight them, lose, and then retreat voluntarily, giving up the position,” Wei Wusheng said. “You will lose every battle and retreat every time. You will continue to retreat until you reach this valley.”

"Your Highness, are you setting up an ambush?" Wei Le said very seriously. "If I act well, he might believe it, but if I don't act well, he won't fall for it. If he doesn't fall for it, then we've essentially given up the entire left flank."

That's a bit of an assumption.

The strategy of ambushing in the valley is based on the premise that it can frighten the other side.

But what if the other party doesn't take the bait and doesn't walk straight in?
"The ambush is for winning," Wei Wusheng said seriously, staring at him. "But what if we ambush them and still don't win?" Wei Le was stunned for a long time before saying, "Then, wouldn't we lose?"

.........

"Captain, our camp has been attacked!"

On Zhao Yi's right flank and Wei Wusheng's left flank, Wu Jue's army launched daily attacks on the garrison troops, achieving considerable success and showing signs of crushing their flank.

However, suddenly, this news came.

Wu Jue, now in armor, got out of bed and asked very seriously, "How is it?"

"We put up a fight immediately, but their armor and weapons weren't very good. They retreated in panic before even reaching our camp," he said. "I just don't know if there will be another attack!"

Wu Jue became suspicious.

A while later, another man came to report, excitedly saying, "Captain, when the enemy retreated, our troops did not pursue them. However, we fired arrows and killed nearly forty people!"

"Hahaha." Now Wu Jue understood and said, "This is overestimating oneself and making a desperate struggle."

"Yes, Captain, it's not easy for those people to even put together a few sets of armor," the messenger said. "And they're all old, weak, sick, and disabled; they're truly pitiful."

“Yes, that’s the kind of person he is. Even Zhao Yi didn’t dare to send troops.” Wu Jue’s face darkened, and he said unhappily, “The Duke was right after all. We should be prepared for this kid’s fighting spirit to wane.”

True sages have already seen the future completely.

And he even predicted the weaknesses of his own people with remarkable accuracy.

“But that’s fine too,” Wu Jue said. “Although he didn’t move, Wei Wusheng didn’t move either.”

“But if Wei Wusheng suddenly moves, I can’t defend myself against four hands with just my two fists,” the subordinate said. “After all, he can get to us faster.”

“Therefore, we must keep a close eye on that side at all times, and report to me as soon as they make a move,” Wu Jue said solemnly. “If Zhao Yi still doesn’t dare to provide support, then he has no reason to be the commander-in-chief.”

Wu Jue possesses strong determination and carries an important mission.

We must use Duke Li to restrain Wei Wusheng.

Ideally, we should break through their defenses and go directly to the land reclamation ceremony.

Therefore, on the second day, after learning that the other side had changed its commander and replaced him with Wei Le of the Imperial Guard, he finally understood.

Wei Wusheng had no troops to spare, so he could only send someone else instead.

This guy is his attempt.

Sorry, but changing players won't help.

Taking advantage of the momentum gained from repelling the attacking troops the previous day, Wu Jue launched another offensive.

This battle resulted in the complete capture of the enemy's position.

Wei Le had no choice but to retreat.

Wu Jue used Wu Lin as the rear guard to protect himself, steadily leading his troops into battle while maintaining the stability of his formation at all times.

They won battle after battle.

Wei Wusheng did not send troops, thus allowing the fierce fighting on the left flank to continue.

Until they reached a rare valley in Huaiyang, Xiekou.

Wu Jue's army stood at the valley entrance, watching for a while before suddenly bursting into laughter: "Hahaha!!"

"Why are you laughing, Captain?" the officer beside him asked curiously, puzzled.

“Look, isn’t this a suitable valley for ambushing our troops?” he said, pointing ahead.

“Sir, I do feel something is a bit strange,” he said.

“We have been winning every battle, and the enemy is indeed no match for us. However, their army has never been completely routed. Even though there were a few times when they deliberately let some men slip through our lines and suffered heavy losses, when have they ever really fled in disarray?” Wu Jue asked.

“Indeed,” he said. “So even though the commander was pursuing and the battle lines were stretched out, they didn’t break apart. Wu Lin was always there to cover the rear, monitoring Wei Wusheng’s army.”

"Why would Wei Wusheng send this man to carry out such a military order when he has so many men under his command? He is the commander of the Imperial Guard, the only capable person he can use," Wu Jue judged. "It's because feigning defeat is an art. Some people, after a series of defeats, actually lose, and their troops and laborers collapse in disarray. So, he had the commander of the Imperial Guard perform in front of me to ensure that the defeat wouldn't turn into a real one."

"Your Excellency is truly illustrious!" his deputy said with particular admiration.

"Wei Wusheng thinks he's very clever, but he's not clever at all!" Wu Jue laughed again. "If he had used an unknown junior officer to do this, I might have believed him, and I might have underestimated him. But he sent Wei Le, the Imperial Guard commander who remains composed even after defeat, to fight me. How could I not be on guard?"

The truth is so simple.

If you have an advantage against Faker, you'll feel like he's making a mistake, like someone is lying in ambush around him.

If you have an advantage in going to bed early, and you gain a pure profit from several exchanges of health, you will definitely be unable to resist diving the tower.

Going to bed early is my motto. I used to play Kennen in Hextech ARAM and decided to return to the basics.

These people are just making assumptions!
"Then, Captain, what should we do?" the deputy beside him asked. "Since there's an ambush, why don't we retreat, take control of the positions we've already captured, and order Zhao Yi to send troops to launch a joint attack?"

"We can't count on Zhao Yi; he doesn't have the guts."

After Wu Jue finished speaking dismissively, he said, "Since you know there's an ambush inside, then this ambush won't be able to ambush me!"

.........

In Zhao Yi's camp, he was with several generals and captains, and they were all in a state of great distress.

Because Wu Jue was winning, but the pursuit was very deep, almost reaching the valley.

Even with a solid formation, the battle lines were still stretched too long.

During this period, he had ordered his troops to rest in place and coordinate with the main force. However, the enemy claimed that the King was engaged in a fierce battle and had no intention of avoiding the battle to protect himself, so they would not stop. They also ordered him that if Wei Wusheng's army moved and there were no reinforcements to help, he would have no choice but to have his entire army commit suicide.

Zhao Yi also wanted to win, but he felt it wouldn't be that simple.

He could see it very clearly on the sand table.

“Wu Jue is in a fog, so he can’t see the situation clearly,” Zhao Yi said, pointing to the pass. “What if the enemy sets up an ambush here, then turns around and launches a sudden counterattack?”

“Yes, in order to keep an eye on Wei Wusheng’s army, Wu Lin’s troops are quite far away from him. If this really happens, they won’t be able to join forces immediately,” someone said seriously.

"Fortunately, although we didn't move, we did send reinforcements from the right flank, forming several layers of protection for them." Ran Tuo took the initiative to boast to them.

I didn't fight, but I did contribute.

But that is indeed the case.

If the right-wing front line is stretched out, the number of vanguard troops will decrease. Wu Lin will then be forced to remain stationary at the rear to provide escort, while they will then go to the rear to escort Wu Lin.

Such cover has served its purpose.

"If we're ambushed, I'll cut off his head!"

Zhao Yi said excitedly.

Just then, a scout rushed into the tent and reported, "General! A great victory at the front! A great victory at the front!"

These words shocked everyone in the camp.

"Tell me, what was the great victory?" Zhao Yi asked.

"Captain Wu personally pursued the enemy to Xiekou, knowing there was an ambush. Therefore, he gathered all the shields of the entire army together and, pushing empty supply wagons ahead, took the initiative to enter the valley. At the same time, he quietly sent out several hundred men to flank them via side paths and sneak up the mountain." He reported with great enthusiasm, "Seeing that we had traversed more than half the valley, the enemy finally couldn't sit still and attacked our army with arrows, rolling logs, and stones. Fortunately, we had armor and shields, and the supply wagons provided cover, so our casualties were minimal! The surprise attack from the mountain also took advantage of the situation to launch a pincer attack. Unable to defend themselves, they suffered a great defeat at the hands of Captain Wu!"

The process was so detailed that it felt incredibly real.

Hearing this, everyone's spirits rose.

"We won."

"Such a resounding victory will absolutely lead to the collapse of the right wing."

"At this point, our army can launch a frontal attack and reinforce the right flank. Wei Wusheng will be left with no choice but to defend his own position, finding himself in a desperate situation!"

Zhao Yi thought the news was a good thing.

But he was somewhat doubtful: "What were the results?"

"Reporting to the general, we have killed over 700 enemy soldiers and captured or killed nearly 3,000 civilians. The right flank is completely collapsed."

If there are truly 700 combat units, then it would definitely be a great victory.

Because the army on the right only numbered three or four thousand.

After so many battles, with over a thousand killed, how could the enemy possibly still have any fighting capacity?
"Is the result of the battle true?" he asked.

"The captain cut off a thousand of the bandits' right ears," he said, as he had a cart pushed in.

Seriously, a whole truckload of rotting, stinking ears—it was disgusting.

"General, we may attack!"

One of the generals spoke up.

Zhao Yi also thought it was a good idea, so after hesitating for a moment, he said, "Let Captain Wu Jue rest on the spot, and our army will attack later!"

"Reporting to the general, Lieutenant Wu said that there is no time to lose, and fearing that the battle opportunity will be missed, he has already sent all his cavalry to pursue them!"

"What?!" Zhao Yi exclaimed in shock.

"General, please send out the troops." The man who came to report said firmly, "Wei Le has really suffered a great defeat, a crushing loss! You don't know because you haven't fought him, but those garrison troops are no match for my Qinzhou troops!"

Zhao Yi wanted to send troops.

He felt that Wei Le's elaborate feigned retreat was simply a ploy to inflict a major defeat, which made no sense.

However, he sensed that if Wu Jue led his cavalry in a strong pursuit, the battle line risked complete collapse.

But these rational thoughts were completely irritated by the phrase "You haven't tried it, so you don't know".

"At your command, advance the troops!" (End of Chapter)