A lowly soldier becomes king, I slaughter my way through the late Tang Dynasty!

The whole city.

The sun was shining brightly, but the stench was overwhelming.

Piles of horse manure were scattered in the corner, emitting an alluring smell.

Niu Ben, with his nose plugged, laughed like the village chief's silly son.

"Hehe, hehe..."

Li Rui walked over and said irritably.

"Stop laughing. The battle report is finished. Send someone to Yangcheng."

Niu Ben took it and glanced at it, then asked in confusion.

"We captured 1,400 warhorses, but the battle report only says 300?"

Li Rui glanced at him and said bluntly.

"I need to maintain a private army, and I can't do without warhorses."

Niu Ben was speechless!

This Li Rui, right in front of him, actually stopped acting!

They were openly uttering words that would lead to execution for rebellion!

"Well, three hundred horses it is, but what about the Khitan armor?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Niu Ben shut his mouth.

No need to ask any more questions!

It must have been embezzled by Li Rui again!

In times of war, warhorses and armor are always the most valuable military equipment.

A qualified warhorse costs 25 strings of cash!

A set of cavalry armor costs 30 strings of cash!

It's important to know that for an average family of five, the annual cost of living is only around 20 guan.

In other words, even if a family of five didn't eat or drink, they would still have to work hard for three years.

Only then can you gather the basic equipment for an elite cavalryman!

No wonder Niu Ben was grinning and drooling as he looked at the warhorses and armor.

You've struck it rich!

"Then I'll send someone to deliver the battle report. Should we request the commander to send reinforcements?"

"No need. Even if reinforcements come, they won't arrive. They'll be wiped out by the Khitans on the way."

"OK."

Li Rui sat down on the city wall, basking in the warm sunshine, pondering how to upgrade his skills.

After yesterday's battle, the number of enemies killed has reached 213.

There are currently four skills: Riding Mastery, Archery Mastery, On-the-spot War Judgment, and Overall War Insight.

The first two are intermediate level, and the last two are beginner level.

You only need 100 kills to level up.

Which two should be upgraded?

As Li Rui pondered, the exhaustion from fighting all night came over him.

My eyelids started to droop, and before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

……

at the same time.

Yelü Deguang, who had been sulking all night, was unable to fall asleep again.

Finally, the results of Zhao Yanshou's investigation were released.

Several Khitan generals lined up, all staring at the document in Zhao Yanshou's hand.

"Have you figured it out?"

Yelü Deguang asked with a stern face.

Sweat beaded on Zhao Yanshou's forehead as he whispered.

"I've figured it out."

"Still not going to tell?"

Zhao Yanshou's face was full of sorrow.

It is precisely because I have investigated and found out the truth that I dare not speak!

But I can't not say it.

"Your Majesty, according to the statements of some Jin prisoners and the reports from scouts, the number of troops guarding the city is indeed not large."

"Tell me the number of people!"

Zhao Yanshou felt extremely guilty.

"Well, about... around a thousand people."

"What!?" Yelü Deguang suddenly stood up and said angrily.

"A thousand men? A thousand men wiped out Xiao Pudu's five thousand cavalry?"

Zhao Yanshou broke out in a cold sweat, but had no choice but to explain.

"The city's garrison is about a thousand strong, but the force that launched the night raid on Xiao Pudu's camp last night was only... three hundred to five hundred men."

The words fell.

quiet……

The entire room fell into a deathly silence.

It was so quiet that even Yelü Deguang's rapid breathing could be clearly heard!

Yelü Balide's tiger-like eyes widened, and he stepped forward, grabbing Zhao Yanshou's arm and shouting.

"What nonsense! How could three or five hundred men have killed Xiao Pudu so miserably?"

Zhao Yanshou said helplessly.

"I don't believe it either, but last night Xiao Pudu's remnants kept escaping back. The Jin army's strength was gathered from their reports, and that's about it."

Yelü Jieli quickly grasped the key information and asked.

Who was the commander-in-chief of the Jin army?

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately looked at Zhao Yanshou.

Even Yelü Deguang forced himself to suppress his temper and cast a glance at him.

Because the Jin army was so small, yet it managed to rout five thousand cavalry, leaving them in a sorry state.

Ninety percent of the reasons!

That's the mysterious young general from the Jin army who pierced Xiao Pudu with a single spear thrust!

If it weren't for that young general from the Jin army who swiftly and decisively killed Xiao Pudu on the spot...

With only three to five hundred men, the Jin army could not possibly win even if they launched a night attack!

Once Xiao Pudu takes on the role of commander, he will be able to organize his disorganized subordinates.

There's a high probability they could wipe out this small group of Jin troops who launched the night raid on the spot. Even if they couldn't retaliate, at least they wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat.

The reason for the crushing defeat lies entirely with that young general of the Jin army!

Zhao Yanshou read it slowly.

"According to the soldiers who escaped, the young general of the Jin army was not old, probably not even twenty years old. He was a skilled horseman, a skilled archer, and had superb martial arts skills."

According to some Jin army prisoners, the Jin troops in Mancheng came from the Yiwu Army's Trapped Camp, and their commander was named Niu Ben, but they didn't know who the junior Jin general was.

Yelü Deguang could no longer sit still and stood up angrily.

"Don't know? An unknown nobody was able to charge into an enemy camp of five thousand men and kill Xiao Pudu in battle?"

If the Jin army is full of people like this, what's the point of fighting? They might as well all surrender to Jin!

Zhao Yanshou hurriedly lowered his head, sweat pouring down his face.

At this moment, Yelü Balide spoke up angrily.

"Your Majesty, do not worry. Send me there, and I will surely capture this unknown young general from Jin alive and make him dance for Your Majesty!"

Yelü Deguang made the decision on the spot.

"Very well! Balidre, I grant you ten thousand elite troops. Can you breach the city within a day?"

Yelü Balide grinned and pounded his chest, shouting loudly.

"I don't need ten thousand elite troops! I'll only bring five thousand, and I can slaughter the entire city in a single day!"

Yelü Jieli opened his mouth, but ultimately did not stop him.

He really wanted to say that the most urgent task at present was to deal with the main force of the Jin army of over 100,000 men in Yangcheng.

The main force of the Jin army fled all the way and finally managed to establish a foothold in Yangcheng.

This is the perfect time to send a large army south, catching the Jin army off guard and forcing them to hastily engage the enemy.

It's really not right to waste precious time on such a small city!

But the problem is that His Majesty himself is here.

Xiao Pudu's crushing defeat was originally insignificant.

But His Majesty was right there, and this crushing defeat was tantamount to a slap in His Majesty's face, causing him to lose all face.

The emperor, a man of great dignity, cannot tolerate the slightest challenge to his authority.

The small city of Manchuria, and that mysterious young general of the Jin army, actually dared to extend their hand.

A slap landed on His Majesty's face!

If the city isn't completely massacred.

Where is His Majesty's dignity? Where is his authority? Where is the morale of the army?

So, it was a minor, insignificant defeat.

Because Yelü Deguang himself was present, the matter had to be escalated into a major issue affecting the morale of the army.

Even though Yelü Jieli knew he shouldn't waste time in Mancheng, he couldn't bring himself to offer any advice.

They could only watch helplessly as Yelü Balide mobilized his troops.

Zhao Yanshou also realized the problem.

He gestured with his lip, just about to advise Yelü Deguang not to waste his time on the entire city.

But then he thought again, Xiao Pudu, who had suffered a humiliating defeat, was the one who had been commanded by him.

His Majesty the Emperor is still angry!

Zhao Yanshou sighed inwardly and dared not speak again.

The Khitan cavalry marched south with overwhelming force!

But today, it has strangely stopped in Taizhou City.

Only Yelü Balide led his 5,000 elite cavalry.

Dragging a trail of dust, they headed towards the entire city.