A veteran of the frontier army, after marrying a wife, fought his way through the northern border.

Liu Yu was the governor of Youzhou, holding the rank of second grade official. He was stationed in Ji County and governed the entire territory of Youzhou.

Although the Zhou and Wuhuan allied forces are currently at war, Liu Yu still hopes to gain the Wuhuan's approval through peace negotiations and a policy of appeasement.

Gongsun Zan was Liu Yu's subordinate and came from a border general background.

Originally the Chief Administrator of the Liaodong Dependent State, he was promoted to General of Valiant Might due to his military achievements, reaching the rank of third grade, and was under the control of the Governor of Youzhou.

However, Gongsun Zan, with his military power, disobeyed Liu Yu's orders and had become a separatist force.

He fought against the combined forces of the Wuhuan and Xianbei for a long time and achieved considerable success, ensuring the safety of the border.

He was known to the world as the White Horse General.

His White Horse Cavalry were skilled warriors, and even the Tartar cavalry were afraid of them.

However, Gongsun Zan's military actions often disrupted Liu Yu's overall strategy of appeasement.

He despised Liu Yu's policy of appeasement and leniency from the bottom of his heart, believing it to be a sign of pedantry and incompetence.

Liu Yu, having reached his limit of tolerance, began to reduce supplies to Gongsun Zan's army.

Gongsun Zan had no choice but to requisition rations from the border troops.

Although the two were superior and subordinate, they had a deep-seated grudge and a long-standing animosity, and could not stand each other.

At this time, Liu Yu was preparing his troops for war against Gongsun Zan.

The messenger said to hold out for three months.

But who knows how long the war will last?

The two forces cannot simply start fighting on a whim.

Preparing for supplies, vehicles, weapons, and recruiting soldiers takes several months.

If the two sides are evenly matched, it could very well turn into a protracted war.

"What?! Half the pay and rations? And they're only giving us three taels of silver as compensation? Are they trying to fetch beggars?!"

Li Dakai, his neck stiff and eyes red with anger, shouted loudly.

"Exactly! Why should they cut the border troops' rations and pay while they're fighting? It's unfair!"

"We're stuck in this godforsaken place every day, starving and freezing."

Now even rations and pay have been cut in half! I'm quitting!

Wang Shitou, Zhou Hanniu, Sun Tieshou, and others had anger and incomprehension in their eyes.

Luo Yunxiao thought Liu Yu had something wrong with his head.

In the face of foreign invasion and a devastated country, they actually launched an attack on Gongsun Zan, who was resisting the Tartars.

Isn't this self-destructive?

Or perhaps he was bribed by the Tartars?

unknown.

Moreover, although he claimed that military rations were being halved, he knew the truth in his heart.

If Wang Kui deliberately withholds rations and pay, he won't get a single grain of rice.

He might be looking forward to seeing me make a fool of myself, or he might want me to beg him for food and provisions.

...

...

Stop complaining, we're the same!

The message has been delivered. Take it or leave it, that's all!

"Farewell, I must hurry to the next beacon tower to report!"

Li Si pulled a heavy cloth bag from beside the saddle and threw it on the ground.

He mounted his horse and rode away in a cloud of dust.

Luo Yunxiao picked up the bag, opened it, and saw that it contained twenty-one taels of silver.

There is also a small bag of chestnut seeds.

Luo Yunxiao distributed the silver to Li Dakai and the others.

"Take it, it's better than nothing."

After venting their frustrations, the beacon towers still need to be guarded.

If someone deserts, their whole family will suffer.

As long as I'm here, I'll find a way to make sure you're well-fed.

The group, who had been frowning, all looked up at Luo Yunxiao with bewildered expressions.

Only Li Ergou, the Liu siblings, and Qin Hongxiu had eyes full of trust.

"Squad leader, we admit you're capable, but every day, food for the people and horses, weapon maintenance, everything costs money."

"If the higher-ups don't provide rations or pay, they'll leave us to starve and fend for ourselves. Who can stand that?"

Sun Tieshou sighed repeatedly.

Luo Yunxiao entered the beacon tower, took out a large bundle, and threw it in front of everyone.

"Do you know why I bought the clothes and hats of the Hu people?"

Everyone still looked confused and shook their heads.

Li Dakai looked disdainful; what was there to discuss about a bunch of clothes and hats?

The new squad leader always keeps things mysterious.

"Who says we'll starve if they don't pay us rations?"

We not only need to eat our fill, but we also need to eat well.

We'll divide the gold with a large scale, feast on meat with gusto, and continuously expand our ranks!

Everyone stared at Luo Yunxiao as if he were an idiot, wondering if the section chief had suffered some kind of shock.

"Squad leader, what exactly are you planning to do? Tell the brothers what you're up to."

Zhou Hanniu asked, puzzled.

"We need to disguise ourselves as bandits from the Western Regions and take the initiative to attack."

The grain-collecting teams that plundered the Tartars, the scouts and rangers, the supply lines, and the smuggling caravans.

Only by fighting to sustain the war and seizing the Tartars' food supply can we survive!

"Disguised as a bandit from the Western Regions?"

Everyone stared at Luo Yunxiao in astonishment, their worldviews completely shattered.

"No, no, pretending to be a bandit won't work."

Let alone whether the caravan could be seen at night in complete darkness.

The guards accompanying the caravan were all martial arts masters hired at great expense.

Even a few of us might not be able to defeat them.

If we really encounter a Tartar scout team or a grain requisition team.

With so few of us, what's the difference between us and sending them to their deaths?

Li Dakai shook his head vigorously, "If the Tartars find out it was our border troops who did it,"

They will probably send their main cavalry force to wipe us out beforehand, then launch a strong attack on Liuhebao and take Pinglu County.

I think it's best not to provoke the Tartars.

Luo Yunxiao calmly looked at Li Dakai: "Are you questioning my decision? You don't trust me?"

If you're so afraid of the Tartars, then don't go. Stay here and guard the gate.

"It's not that I don't trust you, but the Tartars have sorcery; they're invulnerable to swords and spears. The border troops simply can't defeat them!"

Li Dakai said with a serious expression.

Luo Yunxiao pointed at the Tartar head hanging on the wooden stake in the distance and sneered, "What's with those three heads? Did the Tartars cut off their heads themselves and give them to me?"

The Tartars are also made of flesh and blood; they will bleed and die when faced with a white knife going in and a red knife coming out.

We developed incendiary bombs, the "wildfire bombs," precisely for them!

The crowd's eyes gradually brightened, revealing a fervent enthusiasm.

"The squad leader is right, I'm willing to work for you!"

I want to test if the Wildfire Thunder can kill the Tartars!

Zhou Hanniu looked excited and couldn't wait.

Li Da opened his mouth, but had nothing to say.

He couldn't refute the facts.

"Squad leader, the number of clothes for these Hu people is wrong. There are ten of us, and you only have six sets of clothes."

Wang Shitou asked in confusion.

"Someone has to guard the beacon tower."

I only bring five people with me on each hunt.

They robbed the Tartar scouts during the day.

Looting caravans, a nighttime operation.

Even if it's just an act, we should still be professional.

Let me first determine who will be hunting with me for the first time.

Zhou Hanniu, Wang Shitou, Sun Tieshou, and Qin Hongxiu are the team leaders.

The rest of the people stayed behind to guard the beacon tower.

Before the hunt, everyone followed me to learn the intonation of the Hu people speaking Chinese.

You must obey my commands and not act without authorization.

This concerns the lives of the entire team!

Did you understand?

"clear!"

"Squad leader, my sister and I also want to join you in killing the Tartars."

"Squad leader, take us with you."

The Liu siblings were unwilling to stay behind at the beacon tower.

"You all stay home for now and focus on cultivating your border defense techniques."

"When you've mastered the first level, I'll lead you to kill the Tartars."

The two nodded firmly.

The next three days were relatively peaceful.

Although one could see from the lookout window that groups of Tartar cavalry could be seen roaming around ten miles away.

However, they did not approach the beacon tower.

Only then would everyone have time to work non-stop.

Sixty incendiary bombs were made in three days.

The Liaoyuan Leibi incendiary bomb was more technologically advanced, and only forty of them were made.

Luo Yunxiao looked at the firearms stacked in the box and nodded in satisfaction.

We'll start with this batch for now, and expand production when we have more funds.

These past few days, Liu Qinghe has been going to the neighborhood with Qin Hongxiu every evening.

Learn the Seven Secrets of Border Defense and the art of lightness and agility.

The master taught diligently, and the apprentice learned diligently as well.

To help Liu Qinghe recover, Qin Hongxiu often added processed Solomon's Seal to her porridge to replenish her qi and blood.

Thanks to the decent food, Liu Qinghe gradually gained weight and was able to keep up with Qin Hongxiu's teaching pace.

People with insufficient Qi and blood in their bodies cannot practice martial arts.

Liu Qinghe does indeed have a photographic memory.

In just three days, he memorized the seven secrets and twenty-four sword techniques for border defense.

Qin Hongxiu secretly praised her, thinking that this woman was indeed a promising talent.

"You have good talent and are a good prospect for martial arts. You have already learned the moves, but you lack strength."

"Only after you have mastered the basics of the border defense techniques can you be considered to have achieved minor mastery of these seven sword techniques."

"Thank you for your teachings, Master. I will certainly cultivate diligently!"

Liu Qinghe knew that the Tartars could attack at any time.

The only way is to learn the skills as quickly as possible.

Only then can I protect myself, protect my brother, and fight alongside my master.

That afternoon, Luo Yunxiao gathered Liu Honghe and his sister, Qin Hongxiu, and others to build a warm hut on a gentle slope behind the beacon tower.

At this moment, Li Dakai, who was on duty on the second floor, hurriedly ran down to warn everyone.

"Squad leader, twelve Tartar scouts have been spotted five miles to the northwest."

They're heading in our direction!

(Chapters 4, 5, and 21 have been revised; please enjoy.)