At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Yuzhou City, the prefectural government office.

The main hall was brightly lit by candlelight.

"Your Highness, the news should be arriving soon."

"It's time for us to wrap up our gains in this game."

Sikong Yu cupped his hands and said.

Tuoba Han put down his wine cup, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"What's the rush? The worst thing in chess is to be impatient. With this move of mine, Xu Shigui's piece has already walked into a dead end."

Sikong Yu smiled, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Highness's strategic planning is admirable. But is that old man named Su Mu really that important? Is he worth Your Highness going to such lengths for?"

Tuoba Han stood up, put his hands behind his back, walked to the map on the table, and looked down at the location of Qinghe County.

"The strategist is a centenarian who can kill Chi Lie with three strikes and chase down hundreds of cavalrymen of the Canglang tribe single-handedly. He would be a pillar of strength in any army."

"Sometimes, such a person can be more effective than a thousand troops."

"We must eliminate him first, otherwise he will be a great threat if we meet on the battlefield in the future."

He turned around, looked at Sikong Yu, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"Now, Xu Shigui has done what I wanted to do most, driving that old man to the brink of despair."

"He was hunted down as a traitor, and with nowhere else to turn, he became an outlaw. Even if Xu Shigui wanted to use him in the future, there would be no chance."

"In the Great Qian Army, there is no one I can be afraid of anymore."

Sikong Yu clapped his hands and laughed: "Your Highness's plan kills two birds with one stone, both sowing discord among the generals of Daqian and eliminating a major threat. Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Tuoba Han waved his hand, about to speak...

"Report!"

A Northern Di soldier rushed in excitedly, knelt on one knee, and looked overjoyed.

"Reporting to Your Highness!"

Tuoba Han's eyes lit up. He quickly walked back to the main seat and sat down, suppressing his excitement, and calmly asked, "Tell me, what's going on?"

The soldier took a deep breath and spoke rapidly, "Your Highness, a great upheaval has occurred in the Great Qian army! That old man named Su Mu has been ordered to be arrested by General Xu Shigui on charges of treason. Su Mu refused to be arrested and led more than two hundred men from the cookhouse out of the camp, fleeing north!"

"Su Mu led his cooks into Qingfeng Village, becoming an outlaw! Xu Shigui sent Zhou Huchen with three thousand elite troops to pursue them, surrounding Qingfeng Village and attacking several times without success!"

Tuoba Han and Sikong Yu exchanged a glance, both seeing barely suppressed excitement in each other's eyes.

"Anything else?" Sikong Yu pressed.

The scout continued, "When Xu Shigui saw that Zhou Huchen couldn't take Qingfeng Village, he ordered Qin Hao to send another 3,000 elite troops as reinforcements. Qin Hao refused to send troops and had a heated argument with Xu Shigui in the central command tent."

"But Xu Shigui insisted on sending troops, and Qin Hao had no choice but to dispatch another three thousand soldiers to Qingfeng Village overnight!"

The scout looked up, his voice full of joy.

"Your Highness, the Daqian army camp is currently sparsely populated, and the defenses of Qinghe County are lax. This is the perfect opportunity for our army to attack!"

Tuoba Han suddenly stood up, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted:

"Good! Good! Good!"

"This is a golden opportunity, we must not miss it!"

He turned around, strode to the map, and slammed his finger into the location of Qinghe County.

"Xu Shigui is short-sighted. For his own personal grievances, he drove away a fierce general and wasted his troops on Qingfeng Village. How can such an opponent possibly stand against me?"

He turned around abruptly and shouted towards the outside of the hall.

"Guards! Summon General Yeruchi to see me!"

……

Before long, General Yeluqi strode into the main hall.

He was clad in armor and helmet, with a long sword at his waist, exuding a fierce and valiant aura.

"Your Highness! Is war about to break out?" Yeluqi asked loudly as soon as he entered the room, his eyes shining.

Tuoba Han looked at him and said in a deep voice, "General Yale, I order you to immediately lead 30,000 soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the Daqian army camp tonight and take Qinghe County as quickly as possible!"

Yeruzi's eyes lit up immediately.

"Your Highness, I have waited far too long for this day!"

"This humble general hereby pledges that within three days—no, within two days—Qinghe County will be handed over to Your Highness!"

Tuoba Han shook his head, a confident smile playing on his lips.

"No, I will give you one night."

Yeluzi paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Very well! One night it is! I'm off!"

He turned and strode out of the main hall, his steps as light as the wind.

Before long, horns sounded throughout Yuzhou City, and war drums thundered.

Thirty thousand Northern Di soldiers poured out of their barracks, a dark mass like a flood bursting its banks.

Warhorses neighed, and swords, spears, and weapons stood side by side.

The torchlight stretched out in a continuous line, turning half the sky red.

Yeluqi rode a tall horse, a saber at his waist, a long spear in his hand, his eyes piercing.

"Brothers! Tonight we'll storm Qinghe County, capture Xu Shigui alive, and raze the Daqian army camp to the ground! Gold, silver, and Daqian women—we'll have as much as we want!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The 30,000 soldiers shouted in unison, their voices deafening.

"Set off!"

Behind them, 30,000 soldiers surged out like a tide, with 10,000 cavalry charging at the forefront, heading straight for Qinghe County.

On the city wall of Yuzhou, Tuoba Han stood with his hands behind his back.

"Your Highness, do you think General Yale can take Qinghe County before dawn?" Sikong Yu asked, standing beside him with his hands clasped in respect.

"With General Yale's bravery, leading our 30,000 elite troops, and with the Daqian army camp currently empty of troops and leaderless, we will surely receive good news before dawn."

"Having captured Qinghe County, all five prefectures and thirteen cities in the north will fall to our Northern Barbarians. After a month of rest, we will march south and seize the Central Plains of the Great Qian Dynasty..."

Tuoba Han paused, his voice full of ambition.

"This world will sooner or later be mine."

The night wind blew, making his cloak flutter loudly.

In the distance, towards Qinghe County, all was pitch black.

A storm is coming.

……

Qinghe County, Daqian Military Camp.

Qin Hao did not sleep in the central command tent.

He stood in front of the map, his finger moving back and forth between Qinghe County and Yuzhou City, his brows furrowed.

He had a premonition that news of Su Mu's defection should have reached Yuzhou City by now.

It's time to make a move against the Northern Barbarians.

"Report!"

A scout rode into the camp on horseback, rushed into Qin Hao's tent, and shouted breathlessly.

"General! The Northern Di army has moved out! Thirty thousand troops, led by Yeluqi, are heading towards Qinghe County! They are less than fifty li from our camp!"

Qin Hao's pupils suddenly contracted, and he grabbed the sword on the table.

"They're here!" His voice held no fear, but rather a hint of long-suppressed excitement.

He had waited for this day for far too long.

"Guards!" Qin Hao shouted.

Several captains rushed in from outside the tent, clasped their hands in greeting, and awaited orders.

"Immediately send men to Qingfeng Village tonight to inform Commander Zhou Huchen that the Northern Di have already mobilized. Tell him and Elder Su to proceed with the original plan and be ready to fight back at any time!"

"yes!"

A messenger leaped onto his horse and disappeared into the night.

Qin Hao stood at the tent entrance, gazing at the dark night sky to the north, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"Tuoba Han, you've finally taken the bait."

He took a deep breath, turned to face the generals in the tent, and spoke in a voice as firm as iron.

"All troops, listen to my command! Prepare for battle! Tonight, either the Northern Barbarians will die, or we will perish!"

"yes!"

The shouts were deafening, and the war drums thundered.

The Daqian army camp was brightly lit, with swords and spears unsheathed and arrows nocked.

Soldiers poured out of their tents and lined up in preparation for battle.

……

Meanwhile, outside Qingfeng Village.

Zhou Huchen didn't sleep either; he paced back and forth in his tent, waiting for news.

He fought the battle during the day.

At this point in the play, it all depends on whether the Northern Di people will take the bait.

"Report!"

A messenger galloped into the camp, dismounted, ran into the tent, knelt on one knee, and his voice was full of excitement.

"Reporting to the Commandant! The Northern Di army has mobilized! Thirty thousand troops, led by Yeluqi, are heading towards Qinghe County. General Qin orders your unit to proceed according to the original plan, ready to return to reinforce at any time!"

Zhou Huchen suddenly stopped, his eyes lighting up.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, his face full of joy, and slammed his fist on the table.

"Old Su's plan succeeded!"

He strode out of the tent and looked towards the direction of the stockade wall.

"Liu Wu!" Zhou Huchen shouted.

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Immediately assemble the troops! Three thousand elite soldiers, rise, don your armor, and take up your swords, ready to march at any moment!"

"yes!"

Liu Wu turned and ran. The bugle sounded in the camp, and the sleeping soldiers woke up one after another, making the camp lively.

Zhou Huchen beckoned over and summoned one of his personal guards.

"Go and shout a message at the gate of Qingfeng Village, telling Elder Su that the Northern Di people are here, and we should prepare to fight them!"

"yes!"

The guard mounted his horse and galloped toward the gate of Qingfeng Village.

Zhou Huchen stood in front of the tent, gazing at the dark night sky to the north, a smile playing on his lips.

"Tuoba Han, you've finally fallen for it."

The night wind howled; a great battle was imminent.