The Empress Kneels in Her Palace to Admit Her Mistakes After Slaying Her Ways in the Female-Oriented

Previously, Zhang Shi was a guerrilla general who knew a little about divination and wanted to use it to gain merit.

Spurred on by Wang Ming, he was tasked with a blitzkrieg against the barbarians on the grasslands. Through countless life-or-death battles, he honed his swift and powerful fighting style, sweeping away enemy strongholds and earning a formidable reputation.

When he returned, Zhang Shi had changed.

The scars on his face couldn't conceal his sharp and piercing aura; he exuded a confident and radiant confidence that was so intense it was impossible not to admire him.

Unfortunately, after attacking Yunjing, Zhang Shi suffered repeated defeats, and all the credit went to Wang Ming. Zhang Shi's sharp edge faded completely, and he seemed to have become just another face in the crowd.

At that time, Ren Tianye was actually worried for Zhang Shi.

Who goes around the back every day?

Shouldn't we adapt to local conditions and use different military methods?

With so much anticipation, Ren Tianye discovered that Zhang Shi... had returned!

Or, to be more precise... it has been tempered!

He now exudes a sharp and intimidating aura that is impossible to look directly at, and his eyes reveal a confidence that can conquer mountains and cross seas!

"Zhang Shi..."

Ren Tianye laughed and said, "Your harvest is quite substantial, which makes me very pleased. This time, we will launch an attack on the Yun Jing Jiangbei Fortress Complex."

"I wonder if you dare to be the vanguard?"

Zhang Shi answered without hesitation, "I dare!"

"My lord, if you are willing to give me another chance, I will take over the Jiangbei fortress complex as quickly as possible."

After saying this, Zhang Shi glanced at Wang Ming and said leisurely, "If General Wang Ming is willing to have another match with me, I will be even more confident in taking down the Jiangbei fortress complex at a faster pace!"

Ren Tianye was delighted when he heard this!

Wang Ming has become Zhang Shi's inner demon!

He chuckled and asked Wang Ming, "Wang Ming, General Zhang Shi wants to have another match with you. Do you have the guts?"

Wang Ming quickly replied, "Lord Duke, General Zhang Shi, you think too highly of me. I am just a deputy general, and all I do are trivial matters."

"How dare we compare?"

"Moreover, how can he be compared to General Zhang Shi, whose reputation for sweeping away enemy forces is so formidable?"

Wang Ming's humility is consistent.

Zhang Shi was well aware of this, but he was still somewhat displeased and said, "Wang Ming, stop pretending. Was what you did really just some trivial matter?"

"If what you did was trivial, what about what others did? Something out of a dream?"

"snort!"

"That cry of 'husband' you uttered on the battlefield is still widely known in the military camp. If it weren't for the involvement of Lord Su Jin, it would have been a legend throughout the land!"

"...and now they will remain a legend in the military camp."

"You're strong enough already, so stop pretending."

"Today, I, Zhang Shi, take the initiative to challenge you. Do you dare to fight me to the death? Let's see who takes down the Jiangbei Fortress Complex first!"

Seeing the lively atmosphere, Ren Tianye immediately said, "Wang Ming, since Zhang Shi has made this request, I think you don't need to refuse. Let Zhang Shi see who is truly superior in Yunjing!"

Ren Tianye had given the order, and Wang Ming had no choice but to agree, saying, "Yes, Your Excellency, I will obey you."

"Good!" Ren Tianye stood up, his heart surging with excitement, and said, "The Jiangbei Fortress Complex is not simple."

"It guards the waterway at the mouth of the river, has a garrison of elite naval forces, and has been preparing for many years. It has set up numerous water barriers, used iron chains to block the river, and, in addition, has a complex terrain, it can block tributaries, drive piles into shallows to prevent ships from getting close, and has ambushes on all sides."

"Extremely difficult to overcome!"

"If we allow the two of you to split your forces and attack together, it will be disadvantageous to our army."

"Therefore, I have an idea."

"I have two tasks for you two. Whoever completes them first wins. Are you two willing?"

Zhang Shi immediately replied, "Your Excellency, I am willing."

Wang Ming also said, "Lord Duke, I will obey your orders."

"Alright!" Ren Tianye said, "My two tasks are, firstly, to gather military intelligence."

"I urgently need information about the Jiangbei fortress complex, so I need the two of you to find it for me, the more detailed the better."

"Secondly, it is..."

"One person has been brought back."

"This man is called Lu Chaosheng. He is the supreme commander of the entire Jiangbei Fortress Group. It can be said that the Jiangbei Fortress Group operates under his command."

"Therefore, once we capture him, the Jiangbei Fortress Complex will be a toothless tiger."

"And my second task is him!"

After Ren Tianye finished speaking, his intentions were clearly revealed: he wanted Zhang Shi and Wang Ming to be the vanguard to break through the core of the Jiangbei fortress complex, and then he would lead the main army to defeat it.

They did not intend to place the heavy responsibility of attacking the Jiangbei fortress complex entirely on Zhang Shi and Wang Ming.

Zhang Shi and Wang Ming, in addition to understanding this layer, also discerned the implied meaning in Ren Tianye's words.

Gathering intelligence?

It's difficult, but only relatively so!

The most difficult task is to capture Lu Chaosheng, the commander of the Jiangbei fortress complex!

The difficulty is similar to capturing Ren Tianye from one's own army.

and so……

The Duke assigned two tasks to the two of them to compete against each other, but the difference in difficulty between the two tasks was like heaven and earth!

So...

How will the Duke allocate them?

Ren Tianye's gaze slowly swept over the two of them before he slowly spoke, "What I mean is..."

"Wang Ming, go and capture Lu Chaosheng for me."

"Zhang Shi, go and gather intelligence for me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Ming suddenly realized.

"My lord, is this a deliberate attempt to let General Zhang Shi win? Well, General Zhang Shi isn't in a good mood anyway; letting him win should cheer him up!"

He immediately knelt down and shouted, "Yes, Your Excellency, I'm going to arrest Lu Chaosheng..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Shi interrupted loudly, "No way!"

"My lord, I disagree with this plan!"

"Lu Chaosheng, I'll go arrest him!"

"As for gathering military intelligence, leave that to Wang Ming. Besides..." Zhang Shi's eyes gleamed with intense confidence: "I will definitely complete the mission faster than Wang Ming!"

Ren Tianye looked at Zhang Shi with a hint of helplessness and said, "Zhang Shi, are you sure?"

"Absolutely, definitely, and without a doubt!"

Ren Tianye looked at Wang Ming again and saw that Wang Ming also looked helpless, so he had no choice but to say, "Alright, if that's the case..."

"Zhang Shi, I order you to arrest Lu Chaosheng."

"Wang Ming, you go and gather intelligence!"

When their eyes met, Ren Tianye deliberately gave Wang Ming a meaningful look.

Wang Ming had spent the most time with Ren Tianye, and immediately understood Ren Tianye's thoughts.

"The Duke is telling me that even if I have already gathered the military intelligence, I must not make it public."

"We must save face for General Zhang Shi."

He immediately replied, "Yes, Your Excellency, I will go and gather intelligence!"

"Alright!" Ren Tianye finished giving his instructions and dismissed the group.

Zhang Shi and Wang Ming walked out together.

The two stood side by side, seemingly having a good relationship, but in reality, Zhang Shi had something to say to Wang Ming.

"Old Wang..." Zhang Shidao said, "Your mission is not simple. You need to gather intelligence on the Jiangbei Fortress Group. At the very least, you need to capture a high-ranking general of the Jiangbei Fortress Group."

"Ideally, it should be the defense of the many passes in the Jiangbei fortress complex."

"How many passes are there in the Jiangbei fortress complex?"

"By the way, there are seven or eight, with Zhenjiang City as the core, controlling five passes: Tiemenguan, Langyanbao, Suojiangwu, Hengjiangzhai, and Linjiangdu."

"Zhenjiang City will definitely be the most difficult."

"What remains are five passes, including Iron Gate Pass. Which one do you plan to start with?"

Wang Ming laughed and said, "I don't know either!"

"Let's see, whoever gets the chance to go there and grab someone's tongue..."

"However, I reckon it won't be easy for any of them!"

"Sigh, this mission is going to be tough!"

Wang Ming's tone and demeanor made Zhang Shi feel comfortable, and he smiled and said, "Don't be discouraged. With your skills, you can handle it easily."

"I..." Zhang Shi, brimming with confidence, finally offered Wang Ming a blessing: "I wish you good luck!"

"Thank you, General Zhang Shi!" Wang Ming quickly replied.

Before the words were even finished, a messenger came running over from a short distance away: "Report!"

"Report!"

"Report!"

"Generals, something terrible has happened... No, thank goodness, everything's alright!"

"The garrison at Iron Gate Pass has voluntarily surrendered!"

"And it also carried the complete set of confidential blueprints and military intelligence for the Jiangbei Fortress Complex, including all the water fortresses, hidden defenses, hydrographic systems, warships, and military equipment."

"The person is right outside the door. Shall we invite them in?"

Zhang Shi: "???"

Immediately, the confidence on his face turned into a mournful expression.

"Damn it, I'm such a smart aleck!"

"Why would I offer blessings for no reason?"

Wang Ming was also somewhat embarrassed at this moment.

No, he planned to secretly obtain the information and then secretly report it to the Duke about the defenses of the Iron Gate Pass.

Why did you surrender?

He surrendered before he even put up a fight?

So you're just surrendering, why did you even bring intelligence with you?

And... all the intelligence!

Doesn't that mean he won before he even made a move?!

Where does this leave General Zhang Shi?

So Wang Ming said, "General Zhang Shi, this must be a misunderstanding, or else..."

"Shall we switch again?"

"I'm going to arrest Lu Chaosheng, and you're going to intercept intelligence?"

What do you think?

Zhang Shi immediately and coldly refused: "No need!"

"Wang Ming, the intelligence mission ultimately serves to capture the Jiangbei fortress complex... I, Zhang Shi, have lost, but not completely!"

"Before the Duke launches his final assault on the Jiangbei fortress complex, I, Zhang Shi... will surely achieve further merits, and I will absolutely not be inferior to you!"

……