Isolated town in northern border region

On the night the coal mine was discovered, Xiao Lie sat in the Cangnan City government office for three whole days.

The map covered the entire table, densely covered with lines.

He meticulously studied every mountain, river, and road in Cangzhou and Youzhou countless times.

The candlesticks were replaced countless times, but Xiao Lie's brows remained furrowed.

At daybreak, Xiao Lie slammed his teacup onto the table.

"Someone come here. His name is Qian Wanli."

Qian Wanli arrived very quickly.

Since being promoted by Xiao Lie to president of the Cangzhou Chamber of Commerce, this businessman has moved to live next to the government office and waits for orders day and night.

He came in covered in dew, clearly having just rushed back from outside.

"Your Highness, news has arrived from Youzhou City."

Qian Wanli took out a secret letter from his pocket and handed it over with both hands.

Xiao Lie took the letter and unfolded it.

The letter was written by Zhou Shi'an, an old acquaintance of Qian Wanli. After the Northern Barbarians occupied Youzhou, his shop was looted and his family was killed. Because he was good at accounting, he was kept by the Northern Barbarians as their accountant, and he counted the looted property for them every day.

The letter stated that there were approximately one thousand Northern Barbarian troops stationed in Youzhou City.

Tug's 50,000 cavalry were stationed outside the city, divided into two large camps in the north and east of the city.

The city had about 30,000 inhabitants of the Great Chu state. The able-bodied men were confined to several large courtyards in the north of the city to do hard labor, and were given only one meal of thin porridge a day.

Zhou Shi'an had already made the arrangements in secret and was just waiting for the prince's order.

Xiao Lie put down the letter and remained silent for a moment.

"Manager Qian, tell Zhou Shi'an..."

"My men have already entered Youzhou City. Go back and meet him. The token is a jade disc with dragon patterns."

"Tell him that upon hearing the news that I have agreed to peace talks with the Northern Barbarians, he must act immediately!"

Qian Wanli nodded and immediately went down to write a letter.

Xiao Lie picked up his teacup and took a big gulp.

"Hmph! Peace talks? Peace talks my ass!"

Since the Tengri Conference, the Northern Barbarian envoy has been staying in Cangnan City, arguing back and forth with Xiao Lie.

Timur changed the terms countless times.

From ceding territory and paying indemnities to lowering tariffs, and from lowering tariffs to opening up trade, each move was increasingly lenient.

Xiao Lie shook his head every time, saying he was not satisfied.

This time, Xiao Lie finally nodded.

"Go back and tell your Khan."

Xiao Lie leaned back in his chair, speaking in a lazy tone.

"I can agree to the conditions he proposed."

"But there is one condition... When the Northern Barbarian tribes trade with Cangzhou, the tariff will be increased from half a percent to one percent."

"This one percent is not what I want, but what His Majesty wants!"

The envoy was overjoyed and rode back to the grasslands overnight to report the news.

Timur received the news and laughed heartily.

"Xiao Lie? Nothing special!"

"I thought he was so tough, but it turns out he doesn't dare to declare war on my grasslands with the strength of just one province!"

He immediately ordered a grand victory banquet, and tribal leaders gathered at the royal court, slaughtering cattle and sheep and drinking for three days.

On the grassland, there were bonfires and songs everywhere, and no one mentioned war anymore.

Early the next morning.

Xiao Lie dispatched Chen Hu as an envoy, carrying a peace treaty document stamped with the seal of the Prince of Ning, to the Northern Barbarian King's court.

Before leaving, Xiao Lie called Chen Hu to his study, closed the door, and took out an unsealed letter from his pocket.

"Open this letter when you arrive in Youzhou."

Chen Hu took the letter and saw four words written on the envelope.

"Activate if attacked."

His pupils contracted slightly, but he didn't ask any further questions.

"This subordinate understands."

That noon, Chen Hu and his group of thirty men, escorting three carts of "gifts to reward the northern barbarians," stepped into the territory of Youzhou.

Not long after entering Youzhou, Temur's eldest son, Gri, came to greet them with a cavalry unit.

Just then, a troop of cavalry suddenly appeared on the plain and charged directly at Chen Hu.

Just as Chen Hu was about to draw his sword, he suddenly remembered the letter Xiao Lie had given him before he set off.

Upon opening it, there were only eight large characters—

"A legitimate reason for the attack, but a frame-up!"

Chen Hu's eyes darted around as he looked up at the approaching masked cavalry, a subtle smile creeping onto his lips.

"mean!"

"You couldn't defeat the northern barbarians on the battlefield, yet you sent troops to assassinate the envoys during peace negotiations!"

"Brothers, draw your swords!"

Tug's expression changed drastically, and he quickly explained.

"Envoy, do not be afraid! The Great Khan has absolutely no intention of disrupting the peace talks!"

"Let our warriors of the grasslands arrive, and we will ensure that not a hair on the head of the messenger is harmed!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Tuge immediately dispatched his personal guards to the Youzhou camp to mobilize troops.

Upon seeing this, Chen Hu almost burst out laughing.

It turns out... those cavalrymen in black armor were not bandits from the grasslands at all.

They are the Wolf Riders.

Xiao Xiong personally led the team, and everyone's face was covered with a black cloth.

They took a detour from the northern route of Cangzhou and lay in ambush for a full day and night, waiting for Chen Hu's convoy.

This "bitter trick" was performed flawlessly.

Under Xiao Xiong's special arrangement, the Canglang Cavalry failed to annihilate the small cavalry squad led by Tuge for a full half hour, until a series of booming sounds came from the horizon.

Fifty thousand cavalrymen from the Northern Barbarians left the Youzhou camp and rushed to rescue the envoy Chen Hu!

But just as Tug's cavalry appeared in sight on the northern front of Cangzhou, thousands of Chu soldiers waiting behind the fortress defenses shouted at the same time:

"The northern barbarians have broken the peace treaty! They've led their troops to invade the south!"

"Brothers of Cangzhou! Follow me and kill them!"

The drums thundered, and arrows rained down.

Within the fortress complex, archers unleashed a volley of arrows, instantly turning the hundreds of Northern Barbarian cavalrymen at the forefront into pincushions.

Tug's face turned ashen. He reined in his horse and stopped, waving his sword to block arrows while cursing angrily.

"Xiao Lie, you bastard!"

Only now did he fully understand.

The peace talks are a lie! The attack is a lie!

Xiao Lie never intended to cooperate from the beginning; his goal was to draw the main force of the Northern Manchuria away from Youzhou City!

"Retreat the entire army!"

Tug wanted to retreat, but the Wolf Riders had already caught up with him.

Xiao Xiong led three thousand Canglang cavalry, who, like a pack of hungry wolves, entangled his rear guard.

A total of 40,000 cavalrymen were firmly pinned to the border by the fortresses of Cangzhou and the Canglang cavalry.

Meanwhile, in Youzhou City, a storm was brewing.

Three days ago, three hundred elite soldiers of the Trapped Camp disguised themselves as refugees and infiltrated Youzhou City.

Dressed in tattered clothes and with their faces smeared with ash, they pretended to be refugees scattered by the northern barbarians, appearing in twos and threes outside the gates of Youzhou.

The northern barbarian soldiers guarding the city were too lazy to check them and simply waved them into the city.

After entering the city, the three hundred men dispersed and infiltrated several large courtyards in the north of the city, where they made contact with Zhou Shi'an.

Zhou Shi'an had thoroughly investigated the backgrounds of the young and middle-aged men in the city, noting in a small book which ones were trustworthy, which ones were useful, and which ones had weapons.

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves outside the city signaled the time had come!

Ma Cheng, a squad leader in the Trapped Battalion, stood in the courtyard north of the city, silently counting in his mind.

Three. Two. One.

"kill!"

He kicked open the courtyard gate and was the first to rush out.

Behind him, three hundred elite soldiers from the Vanguard Camp filed out.

The young men locked up in the courtyard in the north of the city were stunned at first, and then they heard Zhou Shi'an shouting.

"The prince's men have arrived!"

"Let's fight them!"

The entire city of Youzhou instantly erupted in excitement.

The Northern Barbarian garrison numbered less than five hundred, and was distributed among several strongholds within the city walls and city.

The three hundred men of the Trapped Camp moved as if they were in an empty field, their swords drawing blood with every strike, pressing forward relentlessly.

"South Gate! Hurry to the South Gate! The Prince wants to enter the city through the South Gate!"

Zhou Shi'an led a group of young men towards the city gate.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the northern barbarian soldiers guarding the city hurriedly tried to close the city gate, but it was too late.

The city gate was crowded with people, including soldiers from the Trapped Camp, civilians carrying kitchen knives, and old men holding torches.

The bolts were removed, the city gate was pushed open, and the north gate was completely exposed.

Given such a golden opportunity, Xiao Lie certainly wouldn't remain idle.

Xiao Lie personally led the remaining 2,700 soldiers of the Trapped Camp, boarding a cargo ship and sailing down the Cang River.

The river bends five miles south of Youzhou City, making it impossible for large ships to dock.

Two thousand seven hundred people waded barefoot through the icy river to reach the shore.

Two thousand seven hundred men silently advanced toward Youzhou City.

But what Xiao Lie didn't know was...

Tug reacted faster than he had anticipated.

Tuge abandoned all his baggage and even sent five thousand cavalry to cover his retreat!

He led only the remaining cavalry on a lightly armed and fast-paced run.

Like a hurricane on the grassland, it swept all the way from the border of Cangzhou back to Youzhou.

Xiao Xiong's Canglang cavalry gave chase for a while, but were blocked by five thousand cavalrymen who fought desperately.

As for the infantry of Cangzhou, they could only watch Tuge disappear into the distance.

Tug's cavalry were too fast.

When Xiao Lie led the Trapped Camp to within three miles of Youzhou City, the pebbles on the road began to bounce incessantly.

Then came the sound of thousands upon thousands of hooves!

Luo Daniu moved closer to Xiao Lie.

"Your Highness, the Tartar cavalry are here!"

On this boundless plain.

On one side were 2,700 soldiers of the Trapped Camp!

On the other side are 45,000 Northern Barbarian cavalry from Tuge!

A great war is about to break out!