Isolated town in northern border region

Chapter 38 Hooked Up

"You dare?"

Xiao Lie casually blew on the foam in his teacup, his tone calm and confident.

"When I first arrived in the northern frontier, only the half-ruined Cangwu City remained!"

"Within a year, I have recovered the entire five prefectures of the Northern Frontier."

"Now, my forces are even stronger and more numerous!"

Xiao Lie took a sip of tea, gently put down the teacup, and the clinking sound was like a heavy drum exploding in Tu Ge's heart!

"Tug, I'm giving you a choice..."

"First, you might get some initial benefits from being my enemy, but I guarantee that in this lifetime, I will trample the grasslands, wipe out the northern barbarian descendants, and exterminate their race and roots!"

"Secondly, do me a favor. If this is done, there will be no more distinction between the Northern Frontier and the Northern Barbarians. I will ensure that everyone on the grasslands lives a good life!"

"And you will be the greatest Khan in the history of the Northern Barbarians!"

Tug stared intently into Xiao Lie's eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing.

After a moment of silence, he made the wisest decision.

"What kind of help?"

"acting."

Xiao Lie explained the plan. Tuge listened, his brows furrowing.

"In doing so, you are essentially declaring war on the Emperor of Great Chu!"

"It's only a matter of time. Even if I swallow my anger, this cheap uncle will never spare my life."

Tug remained silent for a long time.

"Xiao Lie, aren't you afraid I'll eat you up on the grasslands?"

Xiao Lie smiled.

"Khan, you may give it a try. I will certainly not let you down!"

Tug stared at Xiao Lie, his gaze complex.

"You're gambling with your life."

"From the day I arrived in the northern frontier, I never thought I would survive."

Xiao Lie stood up.

"Tug Khan, shall we bet?"

Tug remained silent for a long time, then picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

"bet."

The next day, at the trade fair, Xiao Lie and Tu Ge had a big argument in front of Xiao Yu.

"Tugh, you're pushing your luck! Do you really think I can't use my sword?"

"Xiao Lie! You keep talking about peace talks and ending the war, yet you still ask the court for reinforcements. Isn't your aim to completely control the grasslands?"

"We, the sons of the grasslands, have lived on the grasslands for generations. How can we give up the land bestowed upon us by the Eternal Heaven?"

"If you don't dismantle the border fortresses and send that so-called First Prince back to the capital, I, the Khan, will lead my steppe warriors to trample the northern frontier!"

"You dare!"

"You'll see if I, the Khan, dare to challenge you!"

The two men slammed their fists on the table and drew their swords at each other.

Xiao Xiong led his Canglang cavalry to draw their swords, and Tuge's guards also drew theirs, creating a tense atmosphere.

Xiao Yu stood aside, dumbfounded.

He never expected that Xiao Lie and Tu Ge would have such a falling out, and he never expected that Xiao Lie would dare to turn against Tu Ge.

But after a moment's thought, he understood the key to the matter.

This Tug had just inherited the Khanate and originally intended to feign compliance with Xiao Lie so that he could have time to control the grasslands.

But by leading his troops there, he completely shattered Tug's trust, so he turned against him!

Xiao Yu's eyes darted around, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.

"Xiao Lie, oh Xiao Lie!"

"It's truly heaven's will to destroy you!"

"Trade suspended!"

Xiao Lie flicked his sleeve.

"From today onwards, no one from the grasslands is allowed to enter the border region!"

"If you want to fight, then fight!"

Tug sneered, his gaze passing over Xiao Lie to look at Xiao Yu behind him.

"Xiao Lie, you'll regret this."

The two parted unhappily.

Three days later, Xiao Lie summoned his generals to the government office.

"Tug has gone too far! I have decided to send troops to the grasslands!"

Xiao Xiong, Chen Hu, and Shen Chongyuan responded in unison.

Xiao Yu sat to the side, a smile playing on her lips.

This is the moment he's been waiting for.

"Xiao Lie, I am the Grand Marshal personally appointed by His Majesty. You don't need to overstep your bounds and give orders."

Xiao Lie frowned and reluctantly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Brother, the credit is yours!"

"But you are unfamiliar with the tactics of the Northern Barbarian cavalry and your troops are not well-known to me. If you deploy them arbitrarily, wouldn't that just lead to the soldiers dying in vain?"

Xiao Yu raised her eyelids and looked at Xiao Lie with a mocking expression.

"Xiao Lie, I don't need to command any soldiers; I only need to command you!"

As he spoke, Xiao Yu took out a map from his pocket and tossed it to Xiao Lie.

"I don't want a single one of your men!"

"I only ask that you lead your troops to the red dot on the map and set up camp within three days."

Xiao Lie unfolded the map, and Xiao Xiong craned his neck to get closer.

"Damn it! Your Highness! This bastard is going to kill us!"

Xiao Xiong only glanced at it before he started cursing.

"This place is the largest pond on the grassland, with a very low-lying terrain, and it's located near some of the most formidable tribes of the Northern Barbarians!"

"If we set up camp here, we're just waiting to be surrounded!"

Xiao Lie turned to look at Xiao Yu.

"With foreign enemies at our doorstep, do you really intend to do this?"

Xiao Yu looked completely innocent, even feigning surprise.

"Hmm? Xiao Lie, you are a prince of the Great Chu, and you have repeatedly performed outstanding feats in the Northern Frontier!"

"Now, you won't be afraid to fight, will you?"

"If you're afraid to fight, that's simple. I am the Grand Marshal personally appointed by His Majesty. Although I cannot bear to kill my own brothers, in order to pacify the Northern Barbarians and protect the millions of people in my northern border region, I have no choice but to deal with you according to military law!"

Xiao Lie gripped the map tightly, his knuckles cracking from the force.

"Xiao Yu! Now that I've led my troops straight into the heart of the Northern Barbarian lands, what about you?"

Xiao Yu laughed and directly raised his finger to swear an oath in front of everyone.

"I, Xiao Yu, the eldest prince of the Great Chu, hereby swear an oath."

"I will lead my troops to defend the northern border to the death, and live and die with the central army!"

"May I be struck down by heaven and earth if I break this oath!"

Looking at Xiao Yu's smug smile, Xiao Lie took several deep breaths before he could barely restrain himself from drawing his sword.

"good!"

"Xiao Yu, I'll settle things with you after my triumphant return!"

Three days later.

Xiao Lie personally led the Trapped Camp, the Azure Wolf Cavalry, and 120,000 new recruits into the grasslands.

Xiao Yu stood on the city wall, a sinister smile creeping onto his lips.

"You bastard, you should have died long ago."

He turned around and whispered to his adjutant beside him.

"Pass down the order: the army shall remain stationary. We'll go and collect the corpses after Xiao Lie has finished fighting the Northern Barbarians."

On the grassland, Xiao Lie reined in his warhorse and looked back at the city wall.

Xiao Xiong rode up to Xiao Lie's side.

"Your Highness, that place is absolutely unacceptable!"

"Going there is tantamount to suicide!"

Xiao Lie smiled.

"Who told you I was going to my death?"

Xiao Xiong was taken aback.

Xiao Lie lightly spurred his horse and leisurely rode forward, as if he were not marching into battle, but leading a group on a spring outing.

"My purpose in going there is simply to take everyone sightseeing."

"You've been working so hard, shouldn't you get some rest?"

As he spoke, Xiao Lie took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Xiong.

Xiao Xiong unfolded the letter, which was written in a scrawled, dog-like script called Da Chu.