To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

With their feet firmly planted in the stirrups and their thighs taut, they slowly rose to their feet on the galloping horse, supported by the Takahashi saddle.

My hands are now free.

Then came the second, the third, the tenth, the hundredth...

that moment.

The edge of the camp fell completely silent.

Luan Diyun's mind went blank. He just stared at the ten thousand cavalrymen on the grassland, watching them charge with their halberds held high and their stirrups firmly in place.

Luan Diyun was a princess of the Xiongnu and a general who commanded 60,000 elite troops.

She knows better than anyone else!

The Xiongnu's horsemanship was a survival instinct accumulated over generations.

Every boy on the grasslands begins riding a horse soon after he learns to walk.

It takes them ten, fifteen, or even more years to integrate balance, speed, and combat before they can finally let go of their hands on the back of a galloping horse.

This was the fundamental reason why the Xiongnu were able to roam the grasslands and resist the Central Plains dynasties.

It is an innate advantage that no other race can replicate in a short period of time.

However, just now, she watched as a group of Central Plains infantrymen who were staggering yesterday accomplished the same thing in less than a day.

Two iron rings.

These two small iron rings, nailed to the sides of the horse's belly, completely eroded the horsemanship barriers that the Xiongnu had painstakingly honed over generations in a single day.

What is this...?

Luan Diyun's lips trembled slightly, but no sound came out.

She suddenly remembered a saying her brother Maodun had once said.

"The truly terrifying enemy is not someone stronger than you, but someone who can turn your advantages into worthless paper."

At that time, she thought her brother was talking about that so-called immortal master!

I never expected Mo Feng to be like that!

A gust of cold wind blew by, and Luan Diyun shivered before finally coming back to her senses.

She looked down and saw the piece of roasted mutton that had fallen at her feet. Silently, she bent down to pick it up, held it in her hand, but didn't eat it.

Zhang Fan turned his head and glanced at her.

He didn't say anything!

There's no need to say anything!

The objective has been quietly achieved!

The sound of horses' hooves on the grassland gradually faded away, and the 10,000 cavalrymen, after turning back, lined up again and stopped neatly on the training ground.

The soldiers dismounted and gathered in small groups, their faces beaming with barely suppressed excitement as they loudly discussed their experiences during the charge.

"It feels like standing on solid ground!"

"I didn't know today that riding a horse could be so stable!"

"The Immortal Master is truly a divine being! Just two iron rings, only these two iron rings!"

"..."

Hearing the commotion of the soldiers, Zhang Fan put down the empty bowl in his hand and turned to walk back to the tent.

He stopped as he passed by Luan Diyun.

"Why aren't you eating?" Zhang Fan looked down at the piece of roasted meat covered in dirt in her hand.

Luan Diyun did not answer or look at him; her silence spoke volumes.

Zhang Fan didn't ask any further questions, but simply stepped inside.

Inside the main tent.

Fusu, Mofeng, and several generals had been waiting for a long time, their faces filled with eager fighting spirit.

Zhang Fan sat down in the main seat, looked around at everyone in the tent, and spoke in a calm and decisive tone.

"The entire army has completed its new uniforms and training is in place."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over each face.

"Give the order to the entire army!"

Zhang Fan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone inside the tent.

"Tomorrow morning, the entire army will break camp and advance straight to the Wuyao River!"

The soldiers inside the tent immediately erupted in cheers.

Zhao Ben slammed his hand on the table, his eyes reddening. "Immortal Master! My brothers have waited too long for this day! This humble general is willing to be the vanguard and avenge our comrades who died at Gaoque Pass!"

Another general, his eyes gleaming, shook off his listless demeanor of the past few days and loudly echoed, "Immortal Master, I volunteer for battle! With stirrups, each of my cavalrymen can do the work of three!"

Inside the tent, the generals chatted amongst themselves, their fighting spirit burning like a raging fire.

Zhang Fan looked at the crowd, raised his hand, and suppressed the noise.

"Don't rush!"

Zhang Fan stood up, walked to the sand table, and slowly traced his finger across it, stopping at the location of the Wuyao River.

"I made a decision during this river crossing."

He looked around at everyone and said calmly, "The army will be divided in two."

The tent fell silent instantly.

Zhang Fan continued, "I will personally lead 10,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry, lightly armed, across the river, and strike directly on the north bank."

He paused, then shifted his gaze to Fusu: "The remaining soldiers, under Fusu's command, will not cross the Wuyao River, but will advance southeast to join General Meng Tian's army in the central route, providing support from the flank!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the tent erupted in chaos.

"Immortal Master! How can this be?"

Zhao Ben was the first to step forward, his face filled with anxiety. "Twenty thousand men are crossing the river, and the main force of the Xiongnu is on the other side! If we get surrounded, we won't even have time to send reinforcements!"

Mo Feng quickly spoke up, "Immortal Master, 30,000 men is already a small number. If we divide the troops further, wouldn't the 20,000 men crossing the river be fighting against overwhelming odds?"

The other generals echoed this sentiment, and the tent was filled with noise, doubt, and unease.

Zhang Fan didn't explain much, but simply waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Act according to orders! Each battalion should make proper marching arrangements tonight and depart on time tomorrow morning."

The generals looked at each other, still having doubts, but intimidated by Zhang Fan's abilities, they clasped their hands in obeisance and left the main tent one after another.

Most of the people in the main tent have left.

Fusu stood still, without moving.

He walked up to Zhang Fan, his brows furrowed, his expression filled with barely suppressed anxiety.

"teacher."

Fusu lowered his voice and spoke solemnly, "It's not that I don't trust your instructions, Master. But you're only leading 20,000 men across the river deep into enemy territory. If we get caught by the main force of the Xiongnu..."

"Fusu!"

Zhang Fan called out to him, interrupting him.

Fusu raised his head and met Zhang Fan's gaze.

There was no tension or apprehension in those eyes, only a confident and assured assurance.

Zhang Fan leaned down slightly, got closer to Fusu, and whispered a few words in his ear.

There are only two sentences.

After hearing this, Fusu stood there stunned.

His eyes went from confusion to shock to disbelief, filled with utter astonishment.

He stood there quietly for several seconds before slowly coming to his senses.

Fusu took a deep breath, raised his head, looked at Zhang Fan with a firm gaze, and nodded heavily.

"The student understands!"

His voice calmed down, "The student promises to arrive on time! I will not delay anything!"

Zhang Fan patted him on the shoulder, said nothing more, turned around, lifted the tent flap, and went out.

……

Outside the tent, dusk had fallen.

The wind on the grassland was much calmer than during the day, but the chill was even more penetrating.

In the distance, a cold moon hangs behind low-hanging clouds, casting its silvery-white halo across the boundless snowfield.

As far as the eye could see, there was a vast expanse of white.

Zhang Fan stood alone at the edge of the camp, motionless.