I asked you to go hunting, and you ended up wearing a yellow robe?

Qingyang County

Zhao Bingkun was shocked to learn that Qi Shan was determined to travel a thousand miles alone and attack the enemy's rear with only 200 cavalrymen.

"Although it is very dangerous, with Brother Qi's bravery, I believe we can succeed. If Brother Qi trusts me, I will stabilize the morale of the people and the army in Qingyang County in the rear. I, Zhao, will personally be in charge and will never retreat a single step, much less abandon the city and flee."

Only by launching a surprise attack on Yelü's tribe could he break the siege, and only then could Qingyang County have the possibility of further development.

If a small force of 3000 men could defeat a special forces soldier like him, then he wouldn't need to continue living in this era, and he wouldn't have a chance to compete for the Central Plains in the future.

However, it is indeed difficult for 200 people to attack 3000 people, but he is determined to create a legend step by step and reach the peak step by step.

Qi Shan and Zhao Bingkun took their leave; there were more important things to prepare, and now they were racing against time.

Yelüda estimated that troops had already been sent to attack this area, so he had no time to wait and had to muster his troops immediately.

He turned to Meng Da beside him and said, "Are you going to take this opportunity to make a great contribution?"

Meng Da: "Qi Shan, stop keeping me in suspense, what great achievement is it?"

Qi Shan told him about the attack on the enemy camp.

After a brief hesitation, Meng Da finally replied, "This subordinate is willing to go!"

His brief hesitation stemmed from his awareness of the risks involved.

Two hundred cavalrymen attacking the enemy camp? That was utterly delusional. If anyone else had said that, he wouldn't have believed it for a second; it was tantamount to suicide.

But the person who spoke was none other than Qi Shan. He had witnessed Qi Shan rise step by step from a rustic villager to a high-ranking official in a county, and even killed the fierce general Yelü. Following such a person, he was sure to achieve great military exploits.

If he could kill a few more Northern Barbarian soldiers in this raid, or even return safely, he would have something to brag about.

He had once been a border soldier, witnessing both the ferocity of the northern barbarians and the cowardice of their own troops. His home was outside the county town, and he had repeatedly suffered humiliation at the hands of the northern barbarians. Now that he finally had a chance for revenge, how could he easily give it up?

Qi Shan nodded: "In that case, you should quickly go to the county garrison camp to select 20 men with decent skills to join us in attacking the enemy camp."

It's not about quantity, but quality. That's right, this flanking maneuver requires elite troops.

They are few in number, which makes them easier to maneuver. It will be extremely convenient for them to flank, launch ambushes, and burn supplies.

Once the number of people has gathered to a sufficient extent...

Now we face an important question: how do we get around them?

There's only one path they can take. Going straight ahead is impossible, let alone flanking, and going to the side is fraught with scouts; they might be intercepted by the enemy forces before even reaching their supply depot. In that case, their 200 men wouldn't be enough to make the enemy's 3000 men pick their teeth.

Qi Shan pondered for a moment before saying:

"Meng Da, go and find all the old hunters from the back mountain."

Meng Da paused for a moment, then turned and left the tent.

Less than half an hour later, he dragged in a thin, bony old man.

The old man wore a tattered sheepskin coat, his face was deeply lined, and his hands looked like withered tree bark.

"Lord Qi, this is Liu Laogen from Liujiagou in the back mountain. He has been living in the mountains for forty years."

Qi Shan glanced at him, then took out the leather map from his pocket and spread it on the table.

"Is that path on the back hill still passable?"

Liu Laogen leaned closer to take a look at the map and shook his head.

"Sir, that road was washed away by a flash flood three years ago. Now it's all rubble. Not even monkeys can get through, let alone people."

Meng Da's face darkened.

"Then the plan to flank them falls through?"

Qi Shan didn't speak, but stared into Liu Laogen's eyes.

"You used to collect herbs when you were young, right? You've explored all the cliffs and precipices in this surrounding area, and this is the only path you've taken?"

Liu Laogen's cloudy eyes flickered, and his lips trembled as he spoke.

"Yes, there is... but that road is more dangerous than death."

Danger?

Qi Shan was immediately delighted. Could anything be more dangerous than those 3000 troops?

It's just that the road is a bit more difficult to travel. As long as we can get around it silently, we have to go through it no matter how dangerous it is.

"explain."

"It's called Ghost's Sorrow, located south of Eagle's Beak Cliff. It's half the width of the original one, and at its narrowest point, only one foot can fit. Below is a bottomless abyss, and when the wind is strong, it can throw a person off."

The old man paused, his voice trembling.

"I went there once when I was young and almost didn't make it back. Nobody dares to go there anymore these days."

Meng Da said anxiously:

"What about the horse? Can the horse cross?"

Liu Laogen gave a bitter smile.

"A person is lucky to survive, as for a horse? Don't even think about it."

The camp fell silent, with the torches crackling softly.

"My lord, how can we charge into battle without horses? If we two hundred men cross the line, we can't outrun the cavalry on foot. If we run into the main force of the Yelü people, we'll be committing suicide."

Qi Shan rolled up the map and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Who says you can't charge into battle without a horse?"

"Cross the mountain and steal the enemy's horses."

"Steal the enemy's horse?" Meng Da's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Lord Qi, this is no joke. Those are Yelü cavalry. In the open field, our two hundred men wouldn't be enough to cover their round trip."

The last time we won, we had the advantage of the terrain of the barbican.

This time, we'll have to face off against the cavalry head-on in the open field.

Trying to steal someone's horse on two legs?

What's the difference between that and actively going to the City God Temple to report to the King of Hell?

"Who said we were going to fight head-on?"

Qi Shan carefully put away the blood-stained cowhide map.

His gaze swept over the two hundred county soldiers who had assembled outside the tent.

These men were personally selected by him from among the five hundred county soldiers.

They were all lean and wiry with high cheekbones.

His eyes looked like those of a wolf that hadn't eaten for three days.

But when their gaze swept over Qishan, that wolfish nature subsided into an almost submissive awe.

Qi Shan saw it very clearly.

This is no ordinary soldier.

Even a seasoned ordinary soldier would have his legs cramping at the thought of using two hundred men to cut off the rear of three thousand.

On these people's faces, besides the lines etched by the elements, there was also a deep-seated, suppressed hatred.

Qi Shan did not ask about their origins.

He could guess.

Qingyang County is located on the border.

The number of households and families whose homes and villages were destroyed by the Yelü clan was far more than just one or two.

These people didn't join the army for pay and rations.

They came for revenge.

An army seeking revenge needs no mobilization.

"Set off."

Qi Shan uttered two words.

They were the first to leave the camp.

Two hundred silent figures followed behind him, merging into the night.

An hour later, the group stopped at the southern foot of Eagle's Beak Cliff.

The mountain wind felt like a knife.

The wind made my cheeks sting.

Before us lies what the old hunter called "the place that even ghosts fear".

That's not even a road.

A stone path carved out of a nearly vertical cliff face.

At its widest point, it is no more than two feet wide.

In the narrowest part, only one foot can fit.

Beneath my feet lay unfathomable darkness.

The sound of the wind echoed in the abyss.

Don't mention horses.

Even a monkey would probably turn back if it saw this road.

Even these men who had seen bloodshed were now pale-faced.

His breathing became heavier.

Meng Da looked at the road.

I felt a sudden dizziness.

"My lord... this..."