Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 419 Death
"What are the conditions of the chieftain Dorje?" Xue Sui asked directly.

Li Zhaodao said, "There are no conditions. As long as the court can open the passes, allow Daliang to trade with the thirty-six villages, and exempt them from customs duties, he will send five thousand village soldiers to cooperate. The other villages have also expressed their support. Baiyan Village will send three hundred archers, and Yueya Village will be responsible for leading the way... All villages will obey orders."

His words were like a branding iron, burning Xue Sui's eyes.

"Xiao Yan's death day has come."

The danger of Yunling lies in its crisscrossing ravines, poisonous miasma, and steep mountains, which form natural barriers everywhere. Without the guidance of the Thirty-Six Villages, a direct assault on the stronghold would not only take time and consume supplies, but also result in significant troop losses that would be painful for Li Zhao.

Now, by relying on the strength of the village troops and following familiar routes, minimizing losses and setting up ambushes according to the terrain, this is undoubtedly the optimal solution to annihilate the remaining enemy forces.

Li Zhao slightly gathered the letter, his eyes burning with fury.

The chieftain of Dorje has won over the hearts of the people, and the alliance of the thirty-six villages has been formed.

This sharp blade has finally been honed to a shine.

"Send word to all generals! Let's have a meeting in the main tent."
-
Inside the central command tent, the generals arrived one after another.

A huge topographical map was hung in the middle of the tent wall, clearly marking mountains, rivers, passes, and villages.

Qi Mingyang stood in front of the map, his brow furrowed as he analyzed the battle situation.

"In my humble opinion, Xiao Yan's main force is holed up in Eagle's Beak Cliff, relying on the natural barrier of the plank road. A direct assault would result in heavy casualties. It would be better to use a large force to hold off the eastern entrance, while sending a surprise force to scale the cliffs from the back of the mountain, launching a pincer attack from both inside and outside..."

Li Zhao raised his hand, interrupting him.

He walked to the map, pointed to the narrow plank road at the eastern entrance of Eagle's Beak Cliff, and his sharp gaze swept over the generals.

"General Qi, your main force has advanced to this point... You must arrive before noon tomorrow. Once the vanguard has captured the plank road, then attack the cliff top... Remember, once you begin, there can be no hesitation. Your blades must be swift, your arrows precise; you must catch them off guard..."

Qi Mingyang clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general obeys the order."

"Yu Qianshan." Li Zhao turned his gaze to the other side. "You will lead a thousand elite soldiers of the Eastern Palace Guard, lightly armed and simple, to circle around to Yehu Ridge. At three quarters past dawn, ambush Xiao Yan's reinforcements. Remember, defeat is the only option, victory is not allowed."

Yu Qianshan was taken aback: "What does Your Highness mean?"

"Lead them to Laoxionggou." Li Zhao pointed to Laoxionggou on the map.

"Yes, sir!" Yu Qianshan clasped his hands in a fist salute.

Li Zhao nodded slightly.

The gaze was directed toward Dianzhou, the territory of the virtuous Prince Li Shao.

"General Qi," he said in a deep voice, "select one of your men who is familiar with the terrain, eloquent, and discreet, and send him immediately to Dianzhou to inform the Wise King..."

After a moment's thought, Qi Mingyang said, "Chief Xue is the safest option."

Li Zhao nodded. "Tell him the net is set, the fish are about to be caught. Ask him to follow the plan... tighten the sack, don't let a single fly out..."

"I will obey your orders!"

The military orders were clear and decisive.

The generals readily accepted the order.

The atmosphere inside the tent instantly became tense.

Li Zhao suddenly waved his hand, and his black cloak stirred up a gust of wind.

"Beat the drums. Raise the tent. Review the troops."
-
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

"Thump! Thump! Thump—"

The war drums thundered, each beat more urgent than the last, powerful and desolate. They shattered the tranquility of the snow-covered morning, and the murderous aura of clashing swords and galloping horses reverberated in every corner of the Shili Slope camp.

The gate, watchtower, barracks, drill ground...

The soldiers, clad in armor and armed with weapons, stood in neat rows.

The crows circling in the sky were startled and scattered in all directions, even Black Eighteen, who was beside Xue Sui, became alert.

Xue Sui sat by the charcoal brazier, holding an old book in his hand, but he couldn't read a single word.

Xiao Zhao went to see Guan Ya, and she was alone in the tent at the moment.

The drumbeats resonated in her heart as she waited quietly...

As dusk settled, familiar footsteps could be heard outside the tent.

Li Zhao lifted the curtain and strode in.

"You've arrived?" Xue Sui put down his book and stood up to greet him.

When Blackie saw Li Zhao, it immediately pounced on him excitedly, rubbing and jumping around him, wagging its tail happily, completely losing the wariness it had shown in the morning.

Li Zhao was very satisfied. "Changing the name really made it more lively. A reward is due!"

Xue Sui remained silent, watching the affectionate interaction between the man and the dog, a quiet tenderness stirring within a corner of her heart.

Blackie seemed to sense her gaze and ran back to rub against her leg, looking at this and then that, completely reverting to the dependence of a puppy on its owner...

Laifu followed behind, carrying a food box. The rich aroma of mutton could be smelled from afar.

"Your Highness, Miss, the kitchen just finished making mutton soup, it's piping hot. Drink some while it's hot, it'll help ward off the chill..."

As the army set off, this mutton soup served as a pre-battle consolation.

Xue Sui smiled and took it, scooped up a spoonful and tasted it; it was indeed not as good as "Liu's" in town. She didn't have much of an appetite, but Hei Shiba became excited, running to Lai Fu's legs and circling around him.

Laifu's face looked much rounder from smiling.

"You're craving something, but there's none for you."

Li Zhao sat down opposite Xue Sui and accepted the soup bowl handed to him by Lai Fu. The two drank the soup quietly, separated by the rising steam. The atmosphere seemed peaceful, even giving the illusion of a homely gathering, but the heavy weight of the impending battle pressed down on their chests, a feeling that neither dissipated nor dissipated…

Li Zhao slowly finished the last sip of soup, put down the bowl, suddenly looked up, and said, "After this battle is over, I'll take you to Dianzhou."

Xue Sui paused, puzzled: "What are you going to Dianzhou for?"

"Didn't the Princess Consort invite you?" He picked up a towel and wiped his mouth, his tone casual. "I heard that the flowers and trees there are lush and the food is unique. You should like it."

She suddenly laughed: "Your Highness certainly holds a grudge."

Li Zhao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What grudge do you hold against me?"

"That day, Princess Xian praised me for my gentle and intelligent nature, and my unparalleled elegance." She deliberately dragged out her words, "Is Your Highness dissatisfied and wants me to go to Dianzhou to compete with the daughters of those chieftains?"

Li Zhao was amused and stretched out his arm to tap her forehead: "What nonsense are you talking about? I just think you should take a rest."

Take a break? Where can you find a place to rest in this war-torn western frontier?

Xue Sui didn't reply, but lowered his head and took a sip of soup.

The mutton was stewed until very tender, but it had a strong gamey smell, which made her frown.

The tent fell silent for a moment.

Black Eighteen lay down at Xue Sui's feet, licking his fur. Gradually, his breathing calmed down, and he miraculously began to snore.

"You fell asleep so quickly." Li Zhao looked up and met Xue Sui's clear gaze. He smiled and broke the silence first. "Ping An, go to Yongding City for temporary refuge. Although the city has been through war, it is still safer and more comfortable than the main camp. There are guards stationed in layers to ensure your safety."

Xue Sui gave a soft "oh" and said nothing more, then lowered his head to stir the soup in the bowl.

The sound of the spoon hitting the side of the bowl, one tap after another, was unsettling.

Laifu stood to the side with his head down, wishing he could shrink into the corner of the tent, when he heard her speak.

"Are you planning to go to Laoxionggou yourself?"

Li Zhao replied frankly, "I must go. How could I not be there to catch the thieves in the net?"

Xue Sui remained silent.

Li Zhao looked at her lowered neck, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, and softened his tone: "If you don't want to go to Yongding City, you can wait for news in the camp."
-
After nightfall, the vanguard battalion set off.

The sound of horses' hooves, muffled by the felt covering them, was dull.

Li Zhao stood on the high platform, watching the heavily armed troops disappear at the end of the mountain path, his expression as solemn as iron.

Over the next three days, good news kept pouring back to the camp.

Qi Mingyang led the main force to sweep through the outskirts of Yunling, eliminating many hidden sentries and supply points carefully set up by Xiao Yan. They pressed forward step by step, reaching Eagle Beak Cliff, and, in coordination with the vanguard battalion, destroyed the plank road and launched a strong attack on Xiao's main camp, completely compressing their place of survival...

Yu Qianshan led his elite guards like ghosts, stealthily moving through the dense forests and deep valleys, constantly ambushing reinforcements, and feigning a rout as they retreated towards Laoxionggou, luring the enemy's main force into a trap.

In the crucial direction of Lao Xiong Gou, after Li Zhao and Heishi Village reached an agreement, Hachi personally led the soldiers of the thirty-six villages of Yunling. With their familiarity with the terrain, they transformed into the most terrifying hunters in Yunling, using traps and poisoned arrows to harass Xiao Yan's remnants, intercept and kill their messengers, and relentlessly pursue Xiao Yan's remnants who were fleeing towards Lao Xiong Gou...

The trapped beast still fights.

In a desperate situation, Xiao Yan unleashed a final burst of madness, personally leading his remaining troops to abandon their baggage, deploy them in battle formation, and prepare for a decisive battle with the Liang army at the mouth of Laoxionggou...
-
Three days later, at dawn, before the sky was fully bright, the morning star hung high in the sky.

After the snow melted, the ground at Shilipo Camp was muddy and cold to the touch.

Li Zhao, clad in armor and with his cloak fluttering in the wind, stood on the high platform in front of the gate, his upright figure facing the morning breeze, his eyes piercing.

"Set off."

A brief and powerful command, like a sword drawn from its sheath.

The soldiers' responses rose and fell, echoing through the sky.

"Your Highness!"

A clear, cool female voice came from behind.

Li Zhao suddenly turned around.

Inside the gate, Xue Sui stood there.

She wore a light leather armor, the standard uniform for ordinary soldiers. It looked unusually large on her slender body, giving her a somewhat empty feeling. Perhaps it was her first time wearing armor, as her movements were a little stiff. She looked heroic, yet also somewhat uncomfortable.

Xiao Zhao, standing beside her, was also dressed in soft armor, tightly gripping a long sword in her hand.

Blackie appeared out of nowhere, circling around the two of them, its tail swishing rapidly, as if urging them to do something...

The two people and the dog stood stubbornly and resolutely in the thin mist.

"We will go with Your Highness."

"Nonsense." Li Zhao's brows furrowed instantly. He took a few steps down from the platform and walked up to her, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.

"Didn't I tell you to wait at the main camp or go to Yongding City?"

He reached out to untie her nail strap.

Xue Sui nimbly took a half step back, tugged at her collar, raised her face, and met Li Zhao's gaze with bright eyes.

"Your Highness has forgotten? I was taught by the Old Mausoleum Swamp. Putting aside everything else, I'm quite skilled at hiding and tracking." She patted her chest, her brows revealing a heroic spirit that rivaled any man's, and her face was full of a spirited laugh.

“The more people there are, the more strength we will have. Your Highness, rest assured, Xiao Zhao and I will not enter the battle. We will not be a burden to Your Highness.”

　Li Zhao: Everyone, please help me persuade Ping An not to cause trouble.

　　Reader: ...Your writing looks rather messy...

　　(End of this chapter)