The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

Youzhou, Panlong Valley.

Inside the central command tent, it was warm and cozy, like springtime.

The commander of an army of 500,000, the veteran general Zhao Kuo, was sitting around a huge brazier, slowly sipping a cup of hot tea.

His face showed no tension of impending battle, but rather a calm composure as if he had everything under control.

"General, the capital is urging us again, asking when we can be ready to pacify the northern border in one fell swoop after the spring." A lieutenant handed over an official document.

Zhao Kuo didn't even bother to glance at it, waved his hand, and said, "Tell them that everything is proceeding according to plan. Let them have a peaceful New Year in the capital and don't bother me."

"Yes," the lieutenant replied, then added with some worry, "But Commander, that Xiao Jingchen is no ordinary person. If we remain inactive, what if he..."

"What if he...?" Zhao Kuo sneered, interrupting him, "What if he dares to lead his tens of thousands of defeated soldiers out to their deaths in this heavy snow?"

He stood up, walked to the map, pointed to the white expanse in the north, and spoke with utter contempt.

"Xiao Jingchen is a capable fighter, I don't deny that. But war isn't just about bravery; it's also about national strength and logistics!"

"How many people does he have in the North? At most, he can muster 100,000 combat-ready soldiers! What will those 100,000 eat and wear in the freezing cold? How can they possibly fight against my 500,000 well-equipped and well-supplied army?"

"All he can do now is to cower in Shuobei City and pray that he can hold out for a few more days when we attack the city in the spring."

The other generals in the tent all nodded in agreement.

"The commander-in-chief is right! Using troops in winter is a major taboo in military strategy. If Xiao Jingchen had even read a few military books, he wouldn't be so foolish."

"That's right. We're currently in a state of rest and waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out. When spring arrives and our army marches out, won't the northern border be utterly crushed?"

As Zhao Kuo listened to the praise from the crowd, a smug smile appeared on his face.

He admitted that he had lost to Xiao Jingchen on the grasslands last time. But that was because he was unfamiliar with the terrain and had been outmaneuvered by the barbarians.

Now, the battle is being fought on the territory of the Great Yan Dynasty. He has the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support, and his forces outnumber the enemy by several times.

He saw absolutely no possibility of losing this battle.

"Pass down the order," Zhao Kuo waved his hand, "have all camps strengthen their defenses, but there's no need to be overly tense. Eat and drink as usual. When spring comes, they'll have plenty of battles to fight."

"Also, send more scouts to keep an eye on the north. I want to see what tricks Xiao Jingchen can pull. Report back immediately if there's any movement."

"yes!"

After the order was given, the entire Panlong Valley camp remained peaceful and tranquil.

The soldiers from the south were completely unable to adapt to the harsh northern cold, spending most of their time gambling and drinking in their tents. Little did they know that a catastrophic disaster was about to befall them.

However, two days later, Zhao Kuo's composure began to be disrupted.

The first batch of scouts he sent out, a total of ten teams and one hundred men, all disappeared without a trace.

"What's going on?" Zhao Kuo frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

"Reporting to the commander, it's possible...it's possible they encountered a blizzard and got lost?" the lieutenant cautiously guessed.

"A blizzard?" Zhao Kuo scoffed. "A hundred elite scouts getting lost at the same time? Do you think they're three-year-olds?"

He knew in his heart that things were anything but simple.

Scouts are the eyes of the army. If those eyes are blinded, danger looms.

"Send more!" Zhao Kuo's voice turned stern. "This time, send five hundred men! Divide them into fifty teams! Tell them they must bring me definite news from the northern border within five days! Alive or dead!"

"yes!"

Five hundred scouts disappeared once again into the vast snowstorm.

Zhao Kuo sat in the large tent, the hot tea in his hand had already turned cold.

He began to feel a sense of unease.

This feeling is very similar to the heart palpitation I felt back on the grasslands when I was about to be surrounded by Xiao Jingchen.

Impossible, absolutely impossible...

He shook his head, trying to shake the absurd thought out of his mind.

He must be overthinking it.

Even if Xiao Jingchen had the greatest courage, he would never dare to launch an attack on his 500,000-strong army in winter.

This is illogical.

Just as he was trying to comfort himself, a guard suddenly burst in.

"Commander! Urgent report from Blackwind Pass!"

"Black Wind Pass?" Zhao Kuo's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "What happened over there?"

"The garrison commander of Blackwind Pass has...has not sent us any routine military reports for three days. All the people we sent to make contact have also gone missing."

"What?!"

Zhao Kuo suddenly stood up, and the color drained from his face instantly.

Heifengkou is the northern gateway to Youzhou. Although the garrison is small, its strategic location is extremely important.

He knew better than anyone what it meant to lose contact there.

"Quick! Go investigate! Find out what happened at Blackwind Pass at all costs!" Zhao Kuo's voice trembled slightly.

The ominous premonition in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

He felt as if he had fallen into an invisible net. And the one who wove the net was watching him silently from the shadows with a cold smile.

A bold guess, so audacious that even he found it crazy, began to surface in his mind.

Could it be... could it be that Xiao Jingchen really...

No, he dared not think any further.

If that guess is true, the consequences will be unbearable for him.

He could only hope that it was just a false alarm.

However, the second group of scouts he sent out also brought him no good news.

Five days have passed, and there is still no news of the five hundred people.

An invisible panic began to grip the Panlong Valley camp.

Zhao Kuo could no longer sit still. He paced back and forth in his tent all day long, like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

"Useless! All of you are utterly useless!" He angrily swept the teacup off the table. "You can't even catch a glimpse of the enemy! What use are you lot to me!"

Just then, a general rushed in looking flustered.

"General! General! The scout... the scout is back!"

"You're back?" Zhao Kuo's spirits lifted, and he quickly grabbed him. "Tell me quickly! How did it go? Did you find them?"

The general's face, however, showed no joy, but rather was filled with fear.

"No...it's not one of ours..." he said, trembling. "It's...we found this in a valley thirty miles east of our camp..."

As he spoke, he stepped aside.

Two soldiers carried in a huge frame made of wooden planks.

The shelves were densely packed with hundreds of blood-stained military flags.

Those were all the flags of the Imperial Guards and the Youzhou Army of the Great Yan Dynasty.

At the very top of the shelf, something was being carried on a long spear.

A human head.

A human head that Zhao Kuo knew all too well.

That was the highest-ranking commander of the scout unit he had sent out, a trusted captain who had followed him for many years.

Looking at the head that remained open in death, Zhao Kuo felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

His legs went weak, and he slumped into a chair, his eyes filled with nothing but endless fear.

provocative!

This is blatant provocation!

The enemy is already at his doorstep!