Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 842 The First Fire in the Western Regions
The army rested overnight in the oasis and set off before dawn the next day.

The stench of yesterday's blood seemed to linger in the Gobi Desert winds, but the soldiers' eyes were vastly different. The naiveté on the recruits' faces had been largely washed away by the brief skirmish. The veterans were even more silent, their occasional actions of wiping their gun barrels or checking their blades revealing a knowing yet indifferent attitude towards the impending battle.

Xia Lin rode at the head of the procession, his face showing little sorrow, as if the Xia Lin who played mournful music by the lake last night was merely an illusion. But the guards and generals beside him could feel the oppressive aura that had always been present in their commander, now sharpened even further, like a sword drawn from its sheath, stained with blood and covered in frost.

In truth, Guo Shuai's passing was like a thorn in the heart of every general who knew the inside story. But no one dared to speak of it openly, much less ask Xia Lin. Everyone understood that the only solace at this moment was to commemorate that military genius with a resounding victory.

"General, at the current pace, we will reach Camel Ridge, fifty li outside Shanshan City, in three more days. General Wang sent the latest news the day before yesterday that he has dispatched troops to control the Camel Ridge pass to receive the main army." The guide reported earnestly, holding a map.

Xia Lin nodded, but his gaze turned to the northwest: "What's been happening with Liu Min's Northern Han army lately?"

"Reporting to the commander, according to the scouts, Liu Min's main force is still stationary in the old territory of Cheshi, but his cavalry's range of activity has obviously expanded. Recently, they have appeared within a hundred miles of Shanshan and have had several small-scale conflicts with our Northwest Army scouts, with casualties on both sides."

“He’s waiting,” Xia Lin said calmly, his expression revealing a deep understanding of his opponent: “He’s waiting for us and He Lu to make the first move, waiting for us to be both severely injured, or waiting for us to enter the city and establish a firm foothold. He’s certainly playing his cards right.”

"What about Helu's side..."

“These clowns are nothing to worry about. Order Zhuo Heng to guard the pass. Without my command, not a single soldier is to leave Shanshan City. We need to make He Lu think we're afraid.” Xia Lin was holding a flatbread with soybeans and fatty meat rolled up from a can. “Let him jump around all he wants. They'll see.”

After another day of marching, they were less than eighty li from Camel Ridge. As they set up camp at dusk, Xia Lin finally received detailed news from Fuliang.

The princess's letter was brief. Besides informing that the funeral arrangements for Marshal Guo were being handled jointly by the court and Fuliang, with the utmost honors, she unusually added: "Everything is well at home. The children will recognize their father. Don't worry, I look forward to a swift victory."

Compared to his wife's letter, Old Zhang's was much more substantial. He detailed Guo Shuai's condition before his death, saying that he passed away peacefully without much suffering, only gazing westward in his final moments. He also mentioned some undercurrents in the capital caused by Guo Shuai's passing, but these were all suppressed by Prince Teng. Finally, he wrote: "His Majesty has returned to the capital, deeply grieved, and has suspended court for three days. However, the affairs of the state are arduous, and he hopes that you, brother, will act decisively on the front lines. We will take care of things in the capital and along the way."

Xia Lin carefully folded the letter and put it in his pocket. He walked outside the tent, looked eastward towards Fuliang, and stood silently for a long time.

He knew that everyone in Fuliang and the capital was working to stabilize the rear for him. He couldn't let them down.

Of course, he was the one who was most heartbroken by Guo's passing, but at this moment he could not show any sadness or anxiety, otherwise any unusual movement of his could be seized upon by the enemy.

When commanding a large army in battle, you can't reveal your mental state, or even what you eat or how much you eat for each meal.

Just then, Sun Jiuzhen rushed over with a hint of excitement on her face: "General, my men from the Sixth Intelligence Department have succeeded!"

"Oh?" Xia Lin turned around: "Tell me more details."

"Our men infiltrated the envoy group sent by Helu to contact the Northern Han. Last night, they successfully intercepted and killed the real envoy fifty miles outside Liu Min's camp and replaced our men. Helu's envoy should have already met Liu Min."

"What is the content of the letter?"

"According to the commander-in-chief, the wording was arrogant, exaggerating Helu's strength to the extreme, claiming that he had united with the three kingdoms of the southern route and implying that the Tang dynasty would also make a move at the appropriate time. He demanded that Liu Min immediately send troops to attack Shanshan, to cooperate with him from within, and promised that after the success, he would respect the Northern Han as the suzerain and divide the Western Regions. The letter also 'inadvertently' revealed information about the deployment of some of Helu's troops."

After listening, Xia Lin finally showed a genuine smile: "Liu Min is inherently suspicious, but the arrogance of this letter and the so-called secrets it reveals are exactly what a Turkic nobleman with burgeoning ambition and about to gain power would think. He may not believe it completely, but he will definitely be tempted. Once he is tempted, he will take action."

"Great General, your calculations are divine!"

"Let our men act according to the situation, and if necessary, use some extraordinary means to make this play more realistic." Xia Lin's tone was calm. At this moment, he seemed more like a commander who had been tempered by time than before: "Now that this fire has been lit, we cannot let it be extinguished easily."

At noon on the third day, the army arrived at Camel Ridge as scheduled.

Zhuo Heng personally greeted him at the pass. Years of hardship in the Western Regions had transformed him from a somewhat naive young general into a dark-skinned, calm-eyed, and unsmiling border general.

The moment he saw Xia Lin, his eyes welled up with tears. He quickly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said in a voice filled with suppressed excitement, "This humble general, Wang Zhuoheng, pays his respects to the Commander-in-Chief! This humble general has troubled the Commander-in-Chief in leading the expedition; please punish me!" Xia Lin dismounted, first tapping his forehead, then forcefully patting his armor: "Get up! You've learned to play these tricks now, kid? The letter made you sound like you were about to die, but you look perfectly fine to me!"

He looked Zhuo Heng up and down a few times, then nodded: "You've lost weight and become more muscular, like a real man now. You've worked hard these past few years."

The word "hard work" almost made Zhuo Heng lose his composure, which stemmed from years of exhaustion and grievances. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, saying, "I chose this path myself back then. It doesn't matter if it's hard work or not. I just want to have a clear conscience."

"Alright, stop standing there. How's the situation in Shanshan City? Is that kid Helu already itching to give me a hard time?" Xia Lin asked as he walked toward the makeshift central command tent.

Upon entering the main tent and dismissing his attendants, Zhuo Heng immediately unfurled a detailed sand table depicting Shanshan City and its surrounding areas.

"General, the situation is slightly better than described in the letter, but it is by no means optimistic." Zhuo Heng pointed to the sand table: "He Lu's main force has about 20,000 troops, and with the addition of vassal tribes, they can muster more than 30,000 cavalry. They are currently stationed at Langshan Grassland, 70 miles west of Shanshan City, guarding the main road to Khotan and Shule in the south. He is using the pretext of defending against the Northern Han, but in reality, he has formed a semi-encirclement of Shanshan."

"What's the situation inside the city?"

"The city is relatively stable, with ample food and military supplies. However, the local factions are restless. Ashina Helu is, after all, a descendant of the Turkic royal family, with deep roots in the Western Regions. Many tribal leaders are secretly colluding with him. Although I am in control of the overall situation, it is difficult to completely eliminate these problems. A few days ago, I also arrested several spies who were trying to spread rumors in the army and undermine morale. They have been dealt with according to military law."

Zhuo Heng paused, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "General, if He Lu is not eliminated, Shanshan will never have peace, and the Western Regions will be difficult to pacify! This humble general requests to be the vanguard and flatten Wolf Mountain!"

Xia Lin did not answer immediately, but tapped the edge of the sand table lightly with his fingers, his gaze shifting back and forth between the red flag representing He Lu's military strength and the blue flag representing Liu Min of Northern Han.

"Zhuo Heng, what do you think we lack most right now?" Xia Lin suddenly asked.

Zhuo Heng paused for a moment, then replied after a brief pause, “Time? Our army has come from afar and needs time to rest and adapt. Moreover, Liu Min of the Northern Han is watching us closely. If we go to war with He Lu, he will definitely take advantage of our situation.”

“No.” Xia Lin shook his head: “What we lack most is an opportunity to win in one battle. He Lu is entrenched in Langshan, a strategically important location. A direct attack would result in too many losses. Even if we win, it would be a Pyrrhic victory. What would we use to deal with the well-rested Northern Han cavalry then? Liu Min wants to watch a show, right? Then we’ll put on a show for him.”

He pointed to Shanshan City on the sand table: "We won't go out, let Helu come in."

"Luring the snake out of its hole?" Zhuo Heng's eyes lit up: "The commander-in-chief means..."

"Doesn't Helu want to be the King of the Western Regions? Doesn't he think we're too far away to fight him?" Xia Lin sneered. "Then we'll feign weakness and let him think he has an opportunity. You immediately return to Shanshan City and arrange a mutiny."

"mutiny?"

“Yes. Find a few reliable people, pretend they can’t stand my harshness and suspicion, or that they’ve been bribed by Helu, and create chaos in the city. Ideally, they should capture a section of the city wall. Then send someone to Helu to invite him to cooperate from within and without to take Shanshan.” Xia Lin’s tone carried a cold mockery, just like when he led the Northern Han in a surprise attack on the grassland royal court: “The play must be convincing. We must make Helu believe that the opportunity he’s been dreaming of has arrived.”

Zhuo Heng instantly understood Xia Lin's intention: to lure the enemy into a trap and then trap them! He suppressed his excitement: "This subordinate understands! However... He Lu is inherently suspicious and may not be willing to attack with all his might."

“So we need to add fuel to the fire.” Xia Lin turned his gaze to Sun Jiuzhen: “Jiuzhen, have our He Lu envoy in the Northern Han army send another letter to Liu Min. Say that He Lu is ready to take action and ask the Northern Han army to follow the agreement and launch a feigned attack on the northeast of Shanshan to tie down our forces.”

Sun Jiuzhen understood perfectly: "Your subordinate understands! We will make sure Liu Min sees this as a golden opportunity to reap the rewards, and he will not let it slip by easily!"

"Zhuo Heng".

"The general is here!"

"Go back and prepare. Remember, the bigger the commotion, the better, but the core area must be firmly under your control. Wait for He Lu, that venomous snake, to emerge from his hole and burrow into Shanshan City." Xia Lin slammed his hand on the sand table, and the small red flag representing He Lu's forces fell to the ground: "I will make sure he never returns!"

(End of this chapter)