After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

……

When leading troops into battle, generals usually do not choose to camp in places with too many dead bodies, such as cemeteries or ancient battlefields.

When setting up camp, it is important to divide the camp into separate sections as much as possible, with a distance between each tent and firebreaks in place.

In addition, the stables should be located downwind and piled with thick sand.

To prevent horseshoes from making a harsh sound when stepped on stones.

Night patrols will use a "password + token" format, with a question every three steps and an answer every five steps; if the answer is wrong, the person will be arrested.

If you are patrolling between tents and suddenly hear a noise coming from inside, do not draw your sword immediately. Instead, crouch down and shout, "Silence!"

Such a sound could be someone waking up from a dream, someone talking in their sleep, or even just someone turning over too loudly.

If there are veteran soldiers in the tent, they will immediately turn over and cover the mouth of the new recruit who has suddenly woken up and is shouting.

All of these measures are aimed at preventing a terrifying situation in the military camp—

A whistle!

Blood, exhaustion, disease, injury, harsh military orders, and... death.

The fear of these things, like a knife cutting into the bone, has been eroding the soldiers' hearts for years.

Sometimes, all it takes is a single sentence from a new recruit in his sleep to drive everyone hysterical in the darkness, causing them to break down emotionally, grab whatever weapons are at hand, and start hacking away indiscriminately, friend or foe.

Once this happens, it will spread from one tent to another, with inexplicable shouts of battle erupting everywhere, with soldiers killing each other, ultimately leading to the collapse of the entire army.

Once a whistle blows, it will trigger an avalanche.

Even the most authoritative superiors and generals were powerless to reverse the situation at this time, and could only flee in panic, or they would be hacked to death by their bloodthirsty subordinates in the dark...

……

Tonight, the moon shines brightly.

Chang Rui, one of the deputy commanders of the guard battalion, felt a fear as loud as a riot on a plain near Shuijing Township.

He was originally accompanying Lord Alin, the head guard of the Sticky Rod Office, to escort the Southern Kingdom envoy named Ning Baixuan to capture Han Qing.

After Ning Baixuan and Lord Alin arrived at Shuijing Township ahead of them, they slowed down their pace and stopped their cavalry three miles away from where Lord Alin had indicated.

As soon as Lord Alin gives the signal, they will rush to Shuijing Township like arrows released from a bow, and defeat the Heavenly Principle Sect thieves who may be lying in ambush there.

Just in case.

Following the advice of the beautiful maidservant beside Ning Baixuan, Chang Rui ordered the entire army to tie red ribbons to their left arms to distinguish friend from foe.

When he heard the sound of a large troop of horses' hooves coming from the west, his eyebrows shot up and his heart sank.

He immediately ordered the cavalry to change formation, setting up a wedge formation to face the cavalry rushing from the west.

Marching in the dark is inherently difficult, and the time before dawn, approaching Mao Shi (5-7 AM), is the most painful and unbearable moment for everyone.

The 30-mile night march, filled with anxiety and trepidation, left the cavalrymen feeling utterly exhausted.

At that moment, the sounds of fighting suddenly drifted from the west. The nerves of everyone, which had been tense all night, were now like a taut bowstring, ready to be released.

But as they prepared longbows and muskets, the torches gradually went out, and darkness began to engulf the cavalry.

The cavalrymen couldn't help but feel a slight panic, and their legs gripping their horses' bellies tightened slightly, causing a commotion to gradually rise in the ranks.

The command flags were not clearly visible in the darkness, and the horses' hooves were crowded together.

Chang Rui was positioned at the rear of the cone formation. He ordered the messenger to raise the command flag high and illuminate it with torches, but to little avail.

The formation still relied on a group of experienced captains. Under their commands, the cone formation, which could both attack and defend, was finally formed.

But in this process.

The cavalrymen's fatigue, restlessness, impatience, panic, and lurking bloodlust still reached Chang Rui's ears through bursts of complaints, curses, and the chaotic sound of hooves.

Chang Rui gripped the reins tightly.

Whether the person approaching was friend or foe was unclear, so he sent out scouts ahead.

He raised a red and yellow flag used to distinguish friend from foe, and illuminated it with a torch to show that he was a true member of the Eight Banners Army.

He ordered eight scouts to position themselves in front of the wedge formation, and they all gritted their teeth and roared:

"We are Chang Rui, the deputy commander under Tian Ye, the commander of the Plain Red Banner Guard! Riders, halt immediately!"

The eight voices, as loud as thunder, carried far and wide.

They were immediately drowned out by the sound of horses' hooves ahead.

As the hooves of the approaching horses drew ever closer, Chang Rui felt a chill run down his spine.

Because he heard something was wrong with the sound of hooves coming from the opposite direction.

In the pitch-black sky.

The sound of the hooves of the several dozen riders galloping towards them seemed to be just the vanguard of the approaching force.

About a hundred paces behind this vanguard, there seemed to be a large chorus of hoofbeats.

After riding a little closer.

Chang Rui squinted and, sure enough, saw a dark line following closely behind the vanguard, holding up a faint flame.

The bearded general, who was about to be promoted to the rank of captain of the Plain Red Banner, immediately raised his eyebrows and ordered the three hundred cavalry to raise their muskets.

The order was passed down through messengers and sergeants.

The cavalrymen at the front took off the flintlock muskets they were carrying on their backs, and the cavalrymen stood in several rows, one after another, raising their muskets.

A sense of restlessness and unease was brewing within the team.

I originally thought I was going to face nothing more than a bunch of chickens and dogs without horses or armor.

But hearing the orderly hoofbeats and seeing the shimmering black line pressing towards them under the moonlight, the riders couldn't help but feel their mouths dry and their palms sweating as they held their spears.

Panic rose in his heart, along with a bloodthirsty instinct.

The old soldier spat out, "Damn it, why aren't you stopping?"

"Could he really be a thief from the Heavenly Principle Sect?"

"Where did all these horses come from?"

"Can't you see the command flag?"

"Didn't Commander Chang Rui send someone to make a message?"

The procession began to stir, and the horses started to pound their hooves.

The sound of hooves grew closer in the distance, and the vanguard of riders never stopped, like a thunderclap that was getting closer and closer to them!

Under the moonlight.

Suddenly, the vanguard on the opposite side flashed with points of silver light, like arrowheads.

Chang Rui felt a cold sweat break out on his back, but his tone remained calm and resolute:

"All troops, prepare! Let them within thirty paces. If they still don't stop... fire!"

"All troops, prepare!..." The messengers in front of him, sweat beading on their foreheads, began to shout.

Eighty feet.

Chang Rui still held onto a sliver of hope and ordered the scouts to report his home address again.

The sound was transmitted.

Sixty feet.

As the dark figure fell, the vanguard of riders bent over on their horses, flashing silver light.

The messenger beside him exclaimed in a low voice, "General, they're drawing their bows!"

Chang Rui's back felt as if it were slicing through ice, yet his figure on horseback was like a black mountain, without even the slightest sway.

Fifty feet.

The enemy and our side have been distinguished.

The enemy's vanguard drew their bows and fired arrows at them.

Arrows rained down, killing several scouts, one of whom was holding a torch, and another was holding a command flag.

The command flag fell into a pool of blood as the scout cried out in his dying breath.

Thirty zhang (approximately 33 meters).

"kill!"

Chang Rui's neck was red, veins bulging on his temples, and he shouted out a murderous syllable from his throat!

"Bang bang bang bang bang!"

The trigger was pulled, and rows of flames shot out!

On the once quiet plain.

Shouts of battle erupted from both sides, suddenly mingling with gunfire!