As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 355 Destiny Lies in the North
Mingchen was just a weak scholar, not a born general.

He's quite adept at taking shortcuts and using underhanded tactics.

But if he were to command a large army and oversee the main battlefield, he would be somewhat hesitant.

It's not that they lack the courage and talent to take unconventional approaches, but rather that being a commander requires considering far too many factors.

There are too many people; they can't simply charge together like eight hundred men and kill the enemy.

Logistics, weather, terrain, morale, changes in the enemy situation, etc., the slightest negligence could lead to the annihilation of the entire army.

The larger the army group, the more complex these problems become.

Human energy is limited.

Therefore, Mingchen prefers to join the army with Lingyu.

Ling Yu was in charge of commanding the army, while he was responsible for assisting him.

This time, Xiao Xinyue allocated 8,000 elite troops to Mingchen to restrain Tian Hong.

Eight hundred people and eight thousand people are two different concepts.

It was indeed the first time he had managed such a large-scale operation, and the opponent was no pushover either.

He's a theorist, but his practical skills are still lacking.

So, just to be on the safe side, he brought along another old guy.

"You brat, you've finally remembered your old man?"

A cool breeze brushed against my face.

The tattered flag, which had stood for countless years, trembled slightly, and a robust old general, invisible to ordinary people, appeared gracefully in front of Mingchen.

It's quite rare for Mingchen to address him respectfully as "teacher."

The Ghost General Guo Chongyun.

In recent days, I returned to the old capital, then went north to trick the enemy out of a strategic pass, and returned to the city to defend the capital... There are just too many things to do.

Even someone as carefree and unrestrained as Mingchen was quite busy and didn't have time to pay attention to his cheap teacher.

The old man was left in his mansion to watch the little mice farm; he was so bored he couldn't stand it anymore.

This time, Mingchen finally took him with him on his expedition.

"That's because... this student's skills are far from sufficient; how could I possibly stand on my own!"

"Only with a teacher like myself, a peerless hero, a general of unparalleled renown throughout history, guiding me, would I dare to take on the affairs of this nation."

"What Tian Hong, what military genius? How could he be a match for our Southern Liang's Grand General?"

"Without the teacher's help, even if I had a hundred times the courage, I wouldn't dare to do it."

Mingchen may lack other things, but he must provide maximum emotional value.

When they can speak, they are exceptionally eloquent.

She's practically the teacher's sweetheart.

The old ghost's flattery left him completely bewildered, leaving him utterly disoriented.

Is this still his sharp-tongued disciple?

What medicine did you take wrong?
I recommend eating more of it!
Old Ghost hasn't eaten such good food since he came down from the mountain with Mingchen.

Being constantly pampered is fine.

Unfortunately, Mingchen was initially unruly and never took his teacher seriously.

That creates a strong contrast.

He puffed out his chest, trying to appear profound, but his mouth was already stretched to his ears in a wide grin.

"Since that's the case, I'll reluctantly lend you a hand."

Some things you hear are obviously false.

But I just love listening to it!

Mingchen feigned delight and said, "With someone as capable as my teacher helping me, we'll definitely beat Tian Hong to a pulp!"

In a sense, Cheap Teacher is another 'Ling Yu' of Mingchen.

That is to say, she is not good-looking and is not as pleasing to the eye as her older sister.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side.

“Mingchen…”

In Chengjin City, Tian Hong sat in his military tent, looking at the sand table with a furrowed brow.

With the troops withdrawing here, the plan to launch a surprise attack on Yueyang City has completely failed.

He was unwilling to retreat, and his army remained stationed in Chengjin City, seeking other opportunities.

Thanks to his high-level command and military strategy, even after the brutal siege, Bei Lie's army currently numbers 20,000. They have also plundered some of the forced laborers and surrendered civilians from Qian Yuan. Cheng Jin City has a considerable amount of grain stored up, and Bei Lie can send reinforcements from time to time...

These resources are enough for him to establish himself in the chaotic East during the Qian Yuan era and seek opportunities.

Once the three passes in the north are officially engaged in war, and the northern frontier forces break through two of them, they can move south to form a pincer movement with the northern forces, coordinating an attack from both inside and outside.

Now that Qian Yuan is surrounded by enemies on three sides and has limited troops, he has no choice but to drink a cup of poison.

If the choice is to launch a large-scale attack on him, Tian Hong would be happy to accept it. His defense of the city and his efforts to hold back the enemy's main force would also be a merit.

If he were to send a large army to do something else, he could seize the opportunity to expand rapidly and continue his encroachment.

He's a troublemaker, always stirring things up.

However, he has now encountered the situation he least wanted to see.

Mingchen arrived, bringing a small number of people to confront him, which left him frozen in place.

According to Tian Hong's idea, he should be allowed to stay here and hold the line, at least to contain 50,000 of Qian Yuan's troops, only then would he be considered qualified.

If the number is less than this, he will take the initiative to seek opportunities to invade.

Mingchen only had eight thousand men, so their objective was clearly not to annihilate Tian Hong, but rather to hold him off, buy time, and prevent his capture.

Delaying the process is advantageous to Qian Yuan.

If it were any other general with only 8,000 men, Tian Hong would definitely have tried to wipe out the enemy, demoralize Qian Yuan, and then continue the invasion to expand the spoils.

However, the person opposite him was Ming Chen, a monstrous talent that was difficult to see through, and Tian Hong needed to give this name some face.

The two lost passes in the North are a bloody example.

He needs to be careful; if he is not careful, his lone journey could lead him to utter ruin.

Mingchen's resume is remarkable, but when it comes to leading troops, a closer look reveals that he once led eight hundred men across the grasslands. Such a record certainly proves that Mingchen is a brave and extraordinary person, but it does not necessarily prove that he is a peerless military genius, nor does it necessarily mean that he can command a large army.

However, judging from the intelligence gathered by his scouts, the location the enemy chose to encamp, the size of their army, their marching style, their military discipline... Tian Hong felt that he might have underestimated the enemy again; this person was truly a man of both literary and military talent.

Even if you bring a large group, the more the merrier, and the order is impeccable.

Now that Mingchen has brought these eight thousand men, it's like a collar around the neck of Tian Hong, this tiger. If he wants to achieve anything and realize his strategic goals for staying here, then he must remove this collar.

His brows were furrowed as he gathered various pieces of information, his mind racing with a multitude of thoughts.

"General."

Just then, a guard rushed into the tent and reported to Tian Hong, "General, a strange guest has entered the city and requests to see you."

The military was strictly disciplined, and it was difficult for ordinary people to see the commander-in-chief.

Meeting Tian Hong's gaze, the guard explained the situation in detail: "That man used some kind of magic, and we guards could not get close to him. He was clearly within arm's reach, but no matter how fast we ran, we could not touch him. No one could stop him. He entered the city without making a fuss, only saying that he requested to see General Tian."

"Strange guest?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Hong paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up.

Having witnessed the methods of the six brothers of Kuxing, he now also values ​​these strange and unpredictable people.

Although they cannot participate in the main battlefield, they can have a huge impact in other aspects.

The reason why the troops withdrew from Yueyang City and gave up a favorable situation was partly due to the presence of the strange man.

These extraordinary cultivators are our trump card; we can use them, but we can't be without them.

It can harass, discuss intelligence, counter enemy cultivators, and make the enemy hesitant to act... Its methods are endless and impossible to defend against.

The six brothers of Kuxing were defeated.

They no longer have any trump cards left among the supernatural cultivators. This is also Tian Hong's hidden worry.

Hearing that another strange guest had arrived, he couldn't help but get a little excited.

Has His Majesty sent people to support him again?

"Invite him in."

"Yes!"

A short while later, the guards led a monk carrying a tin staff and wearing a mask into the room.

"This humble monk feels it is unfair and has met with General Tian."

Despite serving the emperor.

However, cultivators who master supernatural powers are no longer ordinary people. They rely on supernatural powers and magical treasures, so they are naturally superior to others, and they are arrogant and unruly.

Although the six brothers of Kuxing were sent by His Majesty, they put on an unfathomable show when they first met, elevating their status considerably.

They claimed to have come to help Tian Hong defeat the enemy, but instead of following Tian Hong's orders, they launched an attack on their own and were sent to their deaths.

However, this time the monk was very polite.

They did not overstep their bounds or pretend to be supernatural; they went directly to see Tian Hong.

Instead, they followed the standard procedure, having a servant announce their arrival, and then bowing respectfully upon meeting.

This feeling is completely different from that of the six brothers who had suffered hardship before.

It was as if one side was a wilderness and the other side was a powerful clan.

"unfair?"

Was this sent by His Majesty?

The name sounds somewhat cynical and doesn't seem like the kind of name a Buddhist monk who meditates and cultivates wisdom would choose.

Tian Hong looked the man up and down.

The person wore a mask to cover their mouth and nose, and their eyes were open and closed. They had a rather delicate appearance, but also a somewhat otherworldly air about them.

He immediately asked, "May I ask where the venerable monk comes from, and why he has come to see me?"

With his hands clasped together and bowing, Bu Gong said, "This humble monk comes from the south. I have a karmic connection to offer you, General, which can help you break the deadlock."

south?

Was he not sent by His Majesty?
Upon hearing this, Tian Hong frowned, becoming more wary of the person.

If it wasn't sent by His Majesty, then it's hard to say.

After all, Mingchen is still outside!
This person is full of evil intentions, and his schemes and tricks are unpredictable. It's hard to say whether he's a bait sent by someone else.

"Please speak, esteemed monk."

Bu Gong smiled and handed a piece of paper to Tian Hong.

"I wonder if General Tian is familiar with our Great Qi?"

"kindness?"

He knew about the Great Qi, of course.

Wang Huai's brilliant meteor shower left the most intense mark on this era.

The rise of the common people, with a magnificent and spectacular display, led to the destruction of a country, the occupation of Yueyang, and allowed the monarch to hear the roar of the common people.

But it vanished in an instant with the death of Wang Huai.

What we have now is nothing more than a motley crew of remnants creating chaos in Dongqianyuan.

Tian Hong was aware of this force.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

In his plan, if there is an opportunity to continue infiltrating and causing trouble, he will try to contact and absorb this force.

He's stirring things up here, doing whatever he can to make Qian Yuan uncomfortable.

Unexpectedly, before he could even finalize his plans, the other party approached him first.

Moreover, he is a cultivator with special abilities.

Are these remnants not just a mob?

Or is all of this a conspiracy by Mingchen?

Tian Hong did not open the letter; instead, he looked at the injustice and his mind raced with thoughts.

Ungrateful didn't mind Tian Hong's probing gaze, and simply said in a calm voice, "General, the Grand Marshal of Qi, Du Yun'an, wishes to form an alliance with you to jointly resist Qian Yuan. He will soon send troops to Xinhuo Ridge to meet you, General Tian."

"At that time, Beilie and Daqi will be united and support each other, which will be equivalent to the thousands of troops of Qianyuan."

"What is General Tian's opinion?"

Tian Hong frowned: "Du Yun'an? Xinhuoling?"

This is good news, so good it's almost strange.

After all, Bei Lie did nothing, yet this group of bandits from the south were about to come north to help?
The pressure on them was already immense when Qian Yuan marched south.

Instead of defending properly and borrowing troops from Tian Hong, they sent troops northeast to support Tian Hong.

Tian Hongshang could understand if these people were Bei Lie's loyal followers, but they were just a group of remnants, and their relationship with Bei Lie was only that of potential allies.

I'll prioritize saving my own things!
This is not in their best interest!
"What do you want me to do? Send troops?"

"No!"

"This humble monk has come only to convey our intention to unite with the general."

As if he could guess Tian Hong's thoughts, Bu Gong smiled at him, his words seemingly pointed: "General Tian, ​​destiny lies in the north."

Those who crave pleasure, wealth, and glory will ultimately find it difficult to achieve great things.

"The incompetent can do the work for me."

"Once linked, the group is leaderless and disorganized, and the powerful can take control of the whole situation and do whatever they want."

This monk had a shaved head, but the things he said were increasingly unlike what a Buddhist practitioner should say.

Upon hearing this, Tian Hong was startled and abruptly stood up.

"Master, what brings you here? Are you here to help Bei Lie?"

Listen and listen.

Although the monk came representing the Great Qi, his statement that "Heaven's Mandate is in the North" was practically a direct message to Tian Hongming.

What does the following sentence mean?

Perhaps it needs to be carefully considered.

Upon hearing this, Bu Gong smiled and shook his head: "General Tian, ​​it cannot be said! It cannot be said!"

"You've broken the rules."

Some things cannot be said openly.

Upon hearing this, Tian Hong narrowed his eyes.

Everything we say, hear, and see today needs to be carefully considered and examined.

If this person is not part of Mingchen's conspiracy, then it might be a great thing for him.

The injustice then asked, "I wonder if the general would be willing?"

Tian Hong smiled and said, "General Du's sentiments are so deep, how could I, Tian, ​​refuse?"

"Qian Yuan is cruel and Ming Chen is cunning. He secretly plotted against the Qi Emperor. Our dynasty is willing to make peace with the Great Qi and jointly attack Qian Yuan."

Regardless of what the other party means.

Anyway, Bei Lie doesn't need to do anything now; Da Qi will take action to support them.

Why would one refuse a benefit that is given away for free?
"Good good!"

Upon hearing this, Bu Gong clasped his hands together in a gesture of rudeness, and nodded with a warm smile: "Please, General Tian, ​​write a letter so that this humble monk can take it back to Daqi to report."

"It should, it should."

Compared to the injustice's statement that "Heaven's mandate lies in the North," the alliance now seems secondary.

(End of this chapter)