Under One Person: Starting from the Inheritance of Gods

Chapter 469: Defeat More with Less
The snowstorm had not yet completely stopped, but the stench of blood on the battlefield had already attracted circling crows.

Jia Yu stood alone at the camp gate, the sheepskin map he had taken from the Tatar officer trembling slightly in the cold wind.

The marker above points to a river valley in the south called "Yehuyu". It is not a military stronghold, but a secret shortcut connecting several grain routes and leading to the heart of the capital region.

"Issue the order: the entire army should be lightly equipped, carrying only three days' worth of rations, and set off immediately." Jia Yu's voice broke the post-battle silence, and he made the immediate decision.

Zhao Da was taken aback and subconsciously said, "Sir, we have just gone through a fierce battle, and the brothers need to rest. Moreover, they were transferred without orders from the Ministry of War..."

Jia Yu raised his hand to interrupt him, his gaze still fixed on the south: "Ministry of War? By the time their orders arrive, the Tartars' iron hooves will already be at the gates of the capital. We can't afford to wait."

He paused, then looked at Zhao Da and the officers who had gathered around him, his eyes sharp as knives.

"This battle is not for personal gain, but for national salvation. The main force of the Tatars will surely be feigning attacks on various passes. The real killing move will be this force, or even more surprise troops, which intend to penetrate deep into our territory, cut off our supply lines, and even strike at our heart."

"If Wild Fox Valley is lost, the northern frontier will be attacked from both sides, and the capital will be shaken!"

He raised the parchment in his hand: "This is the evidence! And the opportunity!"

The officers exchanged bewildered glances. Although Jia Yu was usually taciturn, his judgments were always accurate, and he had built up a great deal of prestige over the years.

Seeing his unwavering resolve, and recalling their recent great victory and high morale, they no longer hesitated and clasped their hands in unison, saying, "We will obey your orders, sir!"

That night, this border army, with only four hundred men remaining, buried their comrades, took the captured warhorses, and disappeared silently into the snowy night like ghosts, heading straight for Yehuyu.

Meanwhile, in the Land of Illusion.

The scene of the Jia family's decline, which was originally clearly reflected in the Mirror of Love and Lust, suddenly rippled violently, as if a stone had been thrown into the water.

The wisp of black energy in the mirror, representing the Jia family's fortune, should have dissipated completely soon after being involved in a lawsuit about "colluding with foreign officials and plotting treason," but it suddenly froze at this moment.

Even more faintly, a tiny golden light emanated from the north, like a tiny blood vessel, struggling to keep the lifeline from breaking.

Fairy Jinghuan brushed her slender fingers across the mirror, trying to smooth out the unusual ripples, but the mirror only blurred, revealing a hazy scene of snow-covered northern lands and an army silently marching.

The leader's figure was shrouded in a faint aura of imperial authority and ruthless killing intent, making it difficult to discern his true appearance.

"It's him again!"

A fierce glint flashed in Fairy Disenchantment's beautiful eyes. "Who on earth is it that can repeatedly disrupt fate and even forcibly continue the Jia family's destined downfall?"

She tried to calculate with her fingers, but the secrets of heaven remained a mystery.

The variables originating from the north not only involved the warring factions of the dynasty, but also carried a trace of "order" power that she could not fully comprehend, tenaciously resisting the web of fate she had woven with love and entanglement.

"A foolish dream, a devoted love!"

She summoned the two fairies again, her tone now tinged with urgency, "There's been a change in the northern border of the mortal realm. A member of a collateral branch of the Jia clan has joined the army, and their fortunes are extraordinary."

"You shall immediately obey my command and dispatch the Great Master of Vastness and the Immortal of Boundless Emptiness to investigate. If necessary, use those philandering demons to trigger their love tribulations. You must bring this variable under control or eliminate it as soon as possible!"

The two fairy maidens accepted the order, their figures transforming into streams of light as they left the Realm of Illusion.

Fairy Jinghuan stared at the treasure mirror, watching the faint golden light representing Jia Yu flicker like a wildfire in the ashes of fate, and for the first time felt a little uneasy.

She had been planning this for millennia, and she would not allow anyone to disrupt her plan to steal the Heavenly Emperor's power and restore order to the world.

Wild Fox Valley.

This place is flanked by two mountains with a winding river valley in between. Although it is winter, the river is not completely frozen and the current is rapid.

The valley was narrow, making it unsuitable for large-scale troop deployments, but it was an excellent passage for surprise attacks. Jia Yu led his army day and night, finally arriving at the northern entrance of Yehu Valley at dusk on the second day.

He did not enter immediately, but instead sent his most astute scouts, along with their tamed sand foxes, ferrets, and falcons, to infiltrate the valley and investigate.

The news sent a chill down everyone's spine. The valley was not deserted; nearly a thousand elite Tatar troops had arrived ahead of time and were logging and building rafts, clearly preparing to head south along the river.

The enemy outnumbered us, and their troops were well-rested and ready to fight.

"Sir, what should we do? We definitely can't just charge in!" Zhao Da said urgently, looking at the faint smoke rising from the chimneys in the valley.

Jia Yu's gaze swept over the steep cliffs on both sides and the rushing river in the valley, his mind racing with calculations.

His perception of the laws of nature gave him an extraordinary grasp of terrain, climate, and even the state of enemy forces.

"Neither will I go, nor will I back down."

A cold glint flashed in Jia Yu's eyes, "We'll lure you into a trap, then flood the seven armies!"

He quickly issued a series of orders.

Two hundred men were dispatched, carrying all the bows and crossbows, to silently climb up the cliffs on both sides and ambush the enemy above their likely route, with plenty of rolling logs and rocks.

Another soldier familiar with water was sent upstream to find a suitable location to block the river and create a small barrier lake.

The remaining troops followed him to set up roadblocks at the strategic pass of the valley, deployed many crossbows, and prepared to meet the enemy head-on to draw their attention.

"At midnight tonight, use fire as a signal to launch the attack simultaneously!"

Jia Yu said in a deep voice, "In this battle, no prisoners will be taken."

As night deepened, campfires flickered in the Tatar camp in Yehuyu Valley. Most of the soldiers, exhausted from days of trekking and logging, had fallen asleep, with only a few sentries patrolling the perimeter of the camp.

As midnight approaches, the mountain wind grows stronger.

Jia Yu stood behind a huge rock at the mouth of the valley, his black cloak blending into the night. He slowly raised his hand, and behind him, archers drew their bows, ready to fire.

"Fire arrows!"

At a command, oil-soaked rockets shot like meteors toward the Tatar army's grain storage areas and tents in the valley.

Almost simultaneously, a muffled bang came from upstream, as soldiers blasted away some of the riverbank rocks, temporarily blocking the river channel.

The Tatar camp in the valley was thrown into chaos, with fires raging and shouts of men and neighing of horses filling the air.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The Tatar general hastily organized a resistance, only to find the valley entrance blocked and arrows raining down.

They tried to climb the cliffs on both sides to break through, but what awaited them was a torrent of boulders and logs that crashed down, knocking them over.

Even more terrifying, the river water, which had been temporarily blocked upstream, rose rapidly and finally broke through the temporary dam. The accumulated river water, mixed with ice and silt, formed a huge mudslide that roared down towards the Tatar camp downstream.

The flood was merciless, instantly swallowing up most of the camp. The Tatar soldiers who managed to escape the flood's arrows and stones were also slaughtered by Jia Yu's army, which had been waiting in battle, as they charged in from the valley entrance.

The battle was almost entirely a one-sided massacre. By dawn, the Wild Fox Valley was littered with corpses, and the river was stained red.

Nearly a thousand elite Tatar troops were wiped out.

(End of this chapter)