Druid Fairy

Chapter 156 Military orders are like mountains
As the battle progressed, Li Yuanhu gradually rose to fame.

"Hey, did you guys see that? Lieutenant Li wiped out another group of the Crimson Flame Army, and I heard he injured three of our brothers!"

"Really? Those guys are tough nut to crack. Last time Captain Wang fought them, he lost almost half his men!"

In the military camp, the soldiers were talking amongst themselves.

War is the most demanding test of character. Li Yuanhu's guerrilla tactics of "retreating when the enemy advances and attacking when the enemy is tired" were unique in the army and became the object of respect for countless soldiers.

Who wouldn't support a leader who can lead them to victory?
To motivate the army, Li Yuanhu was promoted to captain, commanding a thousand men, based on his outstanding military achievements. His troops were increased tenfold, and his equipment was also replaced.

Looking at his brand-new captain's armor, Wang Lie felt a mix of emotions. He was jealous, but more than that, he was impressed.

After being rescued last time, he changed his opinion of Li Yuanhu and their relationship gradually became closer, often exchanging martial arts skills.

A rare moment of leisure in the afternoon.

"You bastard, you really did go easy on us back then."

Wang Lie was knocked down by Li Yuanhu's punch. He grimaced and cried out in pain, then laid his broadsword down and rolled on the ground, pretending to be dead.

Li Yuanhu's boxing style has been deeply appreciated by him in the past few days. It is truly a fist-to-flesh technique, yet it is also unpredictable and elusive, with graceful movements and feints that leave people bewildered and amazed.

"Your swordsmanship is also very impressive," Li Yuanhu said. This was not a compliment; Wang Lie was indeed quite skilled and not to be underestimated.

"Don't be ridiculous." Wang Lie took Li Yuanhu's words as comforting, and suddenly sighed, "I really don't know when this war will end."

Li Yuanhu remained silent. He had witnessed too much bloodshed these past few days and had even become somewhat numb to human life.

He didn't speak, but instead took out a topographical map scroll and recorded the mountain's terrain. A glint of light flashed in his eyes as he looked at the area marked in red on the map.

It was a narrow valley known locally as "Yanwangchou" (meaning "the King of Hell's Sorrow"). On both sides were steep cliffs dozens of feet high. Strange rocks stood in the valley, and the road was rugged, only wide enough for three or five riders to ride side by side.

"Brother Wang."

Pointing to the valley on the map, Li Yuanhu said, "I have an idea, I wonder if you'd be interested?"

"Tell me about it!" Wang Lie suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Li Yuanhu leaned close to his ear and explained his plan.

Wang Lie's eyelids twitched as he listened. He looked at Li Yuanhu and slapped his thigh.

"Let's do it! Damn it, what's there to be afraid of!"

"Even a dead bird faces the sky, it will live ten thousand years! I'll go crazy with you, kid!"

…………

Another small-scale battle is coming to an end.

The Great Yu King was no match for him, and Wang Lie fled in panic with a small, defeated supply convoy.

"Pass on my order: pursue them at full speed, leave no one alive!"

"Boom!"

The Crimson Flame Army's iron cavalry, like a red torrent, stirred up clouds of dust as they relentlessly pursued the routed soldiers.

Wang Lie glanced back at the billowing dust, his face showing no sign of panic, but rather a triumphant smile.

"Fish, you've taken the bait."

With a wave of his hand, he led his twenty men and plunged into the seemingly hopeless "King Yama's Sorrow" without looking back.

The Crimson Flame Cavalry pursued the enemy to the valley entrance. Looking at the deep and narrow valley passage, the leading general frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing through his mind.

But the thought of the "military merit" that was within reach instantly replaced any hesitation with greed.

"Chase!"

He shouted sternly, "They're already trapped like turtles in a jar, how can they possibly fly away?!"

Eight hundred iron cavalrymen filed in.

But as soon as they stepped into the valley, they sensed that something was wrong.

The roads in the valley were more rugged and difficult to traverse than they had imagined. Strange winds whistled from the stone walls on both sides, making their warhorses begin to grow restless.

“Something’s not right!” A lieutenant approached, a hint of unease on his face.

The general was also a little uneasy, but it was too late to turn back now.

"What are you afraid of! Keep chasing! I refuse to believe they can sprout wings..."

Before he finished speaking, there was a loud "boom" and dozens of huge rocks rolled down from the mountain walls on both sides!
The boulder, carrying immense force, crashed heavily into the ranks of the Crimson Flame Cavalry.

"Om~"

A ripple of blue light spread out, and the Crimson Flame General lit several talismans in his hand, covering everyone.

The boulder rolled on the cover, its downward momentum abruptly halted.

The Crimson Flame General breathed a sigh of relief. If it weren't for such a talisman protecting his life, he wouldn't have dared to venture into the valley and risk danger.

However, just when they thought they had escaped a calamity, several earth-shattering thunderclaps suddenly rang in their ears, the boulder exploded, the talisman quickly burned out, and the cyan light shield cracked with countless fissures.

"Boom!"

"what!"

Screams erupted instantly as several cavalrymen and their horses were blown to pieces.

The entire column was thrown into chaos instantly. The warhorses were startled and neighed mournfully as they charged wildly through the narrow valley.

"Hold on! Everyone, hold on!" the general shouted, his voice filled with a mixture of shock and rage.

"Fire arrows!"

Seeing the Crimson Flame Iron Cavalry in disarray, Li Yuanhu stood on the high ground on both sides and gave a command, and a rain of arrows poured down from the sky!

Although the Crimson Flame Iron Cavalry were heavily armored, their warhorses became easy targets.

For a moment, people and horses fell to the ground and screamed in agony.

"rush!"

Seeing that the time was ripe, Li Yuanhu no longer hid and suddenly attacked like a tiger from above!
In an instant, the shouts of battle shook the heavens. He took the lead and was the first to charge into the enemy ranks. Wherever his blade flashed, heads rolled.

The Chiyan Army general was terrified. He knew better than to pursue a cornered enemy, but he couldn't escape, he couldn't leave...

"I surrender...I surrender!"

Finally, he dropped the spear in his hand and dismounted.

The battle is over.

Li Yuanhu annihilated the 800-strong Crimson Flame Iron Cavalry with only a dozen casualties, and the captured armor, weapons, and warhorses piled up like mountains.

The entire camp was in an uproar.

"We win! We win!"

"Hahaha! Following Captain Li is so much fun!"

The soldiers cheered and jumped for joy, their faces beaming with happiness.

Only Li Yuanhu stood in the valley path strewn with corpses, looking at the young faces lying in pools of blood. He silently stepped forward and gently closed the wide-open eyes of a fallen soldier. "Brother, rest in peace."

He said softly, his voice weary and hoarse, "I will take good care of your families."

…………

Li Yuanhu rose to fame in the Battle of Luanshigang.

But this glory also brought him unexpected trouble.

On the throne, his superior, General Zhao Kuo, had a furrowed brow.

Zhao Kuo was nearly fifty years old. Born into a military family, he had a square face that exuded an air of authority. Years of pampered living had made him slightly overweight, but his hawk-like eyes remained sharp.

He always emphasized "stability" in warfare, employing conservative tactics and preferring to overwhelm opponents with sheer numerical superiority rather than relying on cunning and deception, as Li Yuanhu did.

The sudden rise of this young man surnamed Li was like a thorn in his side.

"Tell me everything."

Zhao Kuo's voice was cold and harsh, like two pieces of iron rubbing together. "A mere captain wiped out eight hundred elite cavalrymen from the other side. And you, with thousands of troops at your command, are suffering heavy losses here in this rocky hill, unable to advance an inch. I'd like to hear why."

His gaze slowly swept over the crowd, and the tangible pressure caused several generals to break out in a cold sweat.

Everyone knows that General Zhao is launching an attack.

Zhao Kuo's battle tactics have always been steady and methodical, using a righteous army to overwhelm his opponents.

He despised those so-called "ingenious schemes and tricks," believing them to be opportunistic and not the behavior of a great general.

But now, this young man, whom he regarded as "opportunistic," has achieved a resounding victory.

How could he not be furious?
"General, calm down!"

A general stepped forward with a stiff upper lip and bowed, saying, "This humble general believes that Lieutenant Li's victory this time was due to favorable timing and location, and she was simply lucky. The Crimson Flame Iron Cavalry underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, mistakenly entering a dangerous place, which allowed Li to seize the opportunity. Such tactics can only be used once and cannot be repeated; they are ultimately not the right path."

"Yes, General!" another quickly echoed, "Our army should prioritize stability and proceed cautiously step by step; this is the safest course of action!"

"enough!"

Zhao Kuo coldly interrupted their explanations.

He was agitated, but he knew this wasn't the time to talk about these things.

"Send the order to summon Li Yuanhu to see me," he said calmly.

…………

When Wang Lie found Li Yuanhu, he was in the wounded soldiers' camp, changing the dressing of an injured soldier.

"Yuan Hu!" Wang Lie stepped forward quickly, his face full of anxiety.

"What's wrong? You look so flustered." Li Yuanhu didn't even look up, his hands still moving steadily.

"General Zhao wants to see you!" Wang Lie lowered his voice. "I just came from the central command tent and heard from some brothers that the general looked very grim and specifically asked to see you. Yuanhu, you must be very careful. That Zhao Kuo is notoriously stubborn and can't stand anyone being better than him!"

He poured out his heart to Zhao Kuo's situation and his own worries.

After listening, Li Yuanhu simply tied the last knot in the bandage before standing up and dusting off his hands.

"Thank you," he said earnestly, looking at Wang Lie.

That "thank you" warmed Wang Lie's heart.

"You...be careful." That was all Wang Lie could say in the end.

Li Yuanhu nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the central command tent.

This trip is likely to be difficult.

Upon arriving at the tent, after being informed by his personal guards, Li Yuanhu straightened his armor, took a deep breath, lifted the curtain, and stepped inside.

"This humble general, Li Yuanhu, pays his respects to the general!" He knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in salute.

Zhao Kuo didn't ask him to get up. He just held his teacup and slowly blew on it, as if he hadn't seen him at all.

Inside the large tent, all was deathly silent, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.

After a long silence, Zhao Kuo finally spoke calmly: "You are Li Yuanhu?"
"Yes."

"Keep your head up."

Li Yuanhu slowly raised his head, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Not bad, it's a good piece of material."

Zhao Kuo's face was unreadable. "I heard you've done a great service this time?"

"I dare not accept such praise," Li Yuanhu said in a deep voice. "It was all thanks to the soldiers' bravery; I was merely lucky."

"lucky?"

Zhao Kuo put down his teacup. “There are no such things as luck in this world. You are young and promising, intelligent and brave, a rare talent. My troops are in dire need of someone like you who can stand alone.”

"This humble general dares not accept such praise." Alarm bells rang in Li Yuanhu's heart, but his face remained respectful.

His third uncle's words of advice still echoed in his ears; this praise might not be Zhao Kuo's true feelings.

"No need to be modest." Zhao Kuo waved his hand, a respectful smile on his face. "The capable should do more. The war is currently at a stalemate, and I have a very important task to complete. After much thought, I think no one else is more suitable than you."

He stood up, walked to the map, and pointed heavily at an area marked "dangerous".

"Although the main force of the Crimson Flame Army has retreated, their supply lines and scout camps behind the lines remain a huge threat to our army. I hereby order you to lead your troops deep behind enemy lines to ascertain their troop deployments and grain storage locations. This matter is crucial to our army's next strategic move; success is not an option."

These words sound grand and noble, but they are tantamount to sending Li Yuanhu deep behind enemy lines for reconnaissance, a mission with a near-certain death!
"What's wrong?" Zhao Kuo asked, a cold smile playing on his lips as he saw Li Yuanhu remain silent. "Does Li Yuanhu think this mission is too difficult?"

"The last general takes command!"

Li Yuanhu no longer hesitated and clasped his hands in acceptance. Any explanation or hesitation now would become ammunition for the other side to attack him.

When the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die; a higher-ranking official can crush a lower-ranking one.

However, there is also the saying that a general in the field may not obey orders. Anyway, Li Yuanhu agreed first. If the mission is really dangerous... if he can't solve the mission, then he'll find a way to deal with the person who issued the mission!
"very good."

Zhao Kuo nodded in satisfaction, then said, "After you complete your reconnaissance mission and return to camp, there is an even more important task awaiting you. Our army is about to launch a general offensive against Black Wind Pass, and you will be responsible for covering the rear and buying time for our main force to withdraw."

Cover their retreat!

With only a thousand men, how could they possibly hold off the pursuit of the enemy's main force?!

Li Yuanhu sneered inwardly, clasped his hands in a fist salute again, and said in a steady and powerful voice, "This subordinate obeys!"

As he stepped out of the central command tent, Wang Lie was already waiting at the door. He grabbed Li Yuanhu, his usually rugged face now filled with barely suppressed rage.

"Yuan Hu! Have you gone mad?! That old scoundrel is clearly trying to use someone else to do his dirty work! Scouting behind enemy lines and providing rear-guard cover are both deadly tasks, how could you agree to them!" Wang Lie roared in a low voice.

"Brother Wang, be careful what you say." Li Yuanhu patted his shoulder, signaling him to calm down. "Military orders are absolute."

"Military orders my ass!" Wang Lie kicked the stone block next to him in anger. "He's using his position for personal revenge, he's jealous of talent! I'm going to confront him right now! I want to ask him what his intentions are in ostracizing and suppressing meritorious officials like this!"

"do not go."

Li Yuanhu stopped him and shook his head. "If you go to him now, what good will it do except give him something to use against us both? Don't worry, Brother Wang, he won't kill me so easily."

(End of this chapter)