If I made you cannon fodder, how did you manage to achieve your goal of conquering the wolf's l

"I can only hold out until tonight at most!"

After the messenger finished speaking, his tense body finally relaxed.

Qin Yuenu supported his shoulder.

"You've said your piece; leave the rest to us."

The scissors sliced ​​through the seams of the armor, revealing swollen flesh around the two arrows, one of which was still stuck near the shoulder blade.

The messenger's teeth chattered from the pain.

Xu Qingshan looked north, where three plumes of smoke were still rising in the sky.

Zhao Wu walked out from behind the crowd.

"Qingya Fort has been attacked; we should first send someone to Yunzhou to deliver the news."

"Xu Qingshan is still on trial, and the troops in Heishibao are under the control of the border patrol commissioner. No one can move them without authorization."

The messenger forced himself to lift his head.

"Once the message reaches Yunzhou and reinforcements arrive, Qingya Fort won't even need anyone to collect the bodies."

Zhao Wu's expression darkened slightly.

"The army has its own rules; how can we send troops out arbitrarily just because of a few words from you?"

"The signal fire has been lit."

Xu Qingshan pointed into the distance.

"Qingya Fort was attacked, and all the forts along the north wall were responsible for its rescue."

Zhao Wu said coldly, "Then it should be the Yunzhou Vanguard Battalion that sends troops."

"OK."

Xu Qingshan stepped aside.

"Your vanguard is outside the city. Commandant Zhao, take your men there now."

Zhao Wu's expression froze.

His military power had just been temporarily taken away by Tang Su, and he couldn't even approach the military camp outside the city.

Moreover, all three hundred men of the Vulture Tribe were cavalrymen.

The Yunzhou Vanguard Battalion is mainly composed of infantry. If they were to encounter them in the wild, it would be difficult to say whether they could even reach Qingya Fort.

Tang Su stood by the city wall, gazing at the three plumes of smoke.

Once the beacon line on the north wall is breached, several nearby border forts will be affected.

However, Xu Qingshan is currently on trial. If we let him go, Chen Huaishan will inevitably find a way to use him against us in the future.

Seeing Tang Su hesitate, Zhao Wu said again, "My lord, the loss of Qingya Fort is indeed regrettable, but military law cannot be violated. If Xu Qingshan takes this opportunity to leave with his troops, who can guarantee that he will return?"

Xu Qingshan chuckled.

"Black Stone Fortress, the Northern Cavalry, the Armory, and over four hundred warhorses are all here. Where can I escape to with only fifty men?"

Zhao Wu said, "You might also take this opportunity to defect to the barbarians."

Hou San, standing to the side, couldn't help but say, "Commander Zhao is really thoughtful."

"The centurion just killed Ashina. If the barbarians in the north saw him, they would probably draw their swords first."

Tie Niu nodded.

"Before seeking refuge, we must first ask the barbarians if they dare to accept us."

The veins on Zhao Wu's forehead throbbed.

Tang Su rubbed his temples.

"I dealt with the assassins last night and didn't sleep a wink. I'm not feeling well today."

Zhao Wu was taken aback.

"grown ups?"

"I need to return to the post station to rest."

Tang Su turned around and walked down the stone steps.

But after taking a few steps, he stopped again.

"The stables at Blackstone Fortress are too large; I cannot oversee them all today."

Xu Qingshan's lips curled up slightly.

"Lord Tang, please get some rest."

"I assure you, I will not bother you with such trivial matters."

Tang Su did not stop walking.

"I heard nothing."

Zhao Wu finally understood what he meant.

"My lord, if Xu Qingshan mobilizes troops without authorization..."

"Commander Zhao".

Tang Su turned around and glanced at him.

"You are still under investigation, so take care of yourself first."

After those words were spoken, Zhao Wu was unable to speak again.

Xu Qingshan immediately gave the order.

"Hou San, muster fifty Zhenbei cavalry."

"Xiao Qi, take your repeating crossbows and prepare thirty arrows for each of you."

"Ah Man will lead the way."

"Qin Yuenu selected five people who knew how to stop bleeding and remove arrows to accompany the army."

Xiao Hongluan asked, "I'll take my infantry with me."

"Blackrock Fortress needs you more."

Xu Qingshan lowered his voice.

"There are still three hundred Yunzhou soldiers outside the city. Zhao Wu hasn't really calmed down yet. After I leave, there can't be any problems with the city gates, the armory, or the prisoners."

Xiao Hongluan glanced at Zhao Wu, who was not far away.

"If he dares to touch the city defenses, I will hang him next to Ashina."

Zhao Wu heard it.

"Xiao Hongluan, how dare you threaten the Imperial Guard?"

Xiao Hongluan turned to look at him.

"I was just talking about the rules of Blackrock Fortress."

"Whoever touches the city defenses, I will kill them."

Zhao Wu opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed the rest of his words.

Golden words appeared before Xu Qingshan's eyes.

[Emergency Legion Mission Triggered.]

[Rescue Qingyabao and preserve the beacon fire line on the north wall.]

The mission's outcome will be determined based on the number of survivors at Qingya Fort, enemy casualties, and the integrity of the beacon fire line.

The text disappeared quickly.

The sound of rapid hoofbeats could already be heard inside the city gate.

Fifty cavalrymen from Zhenbei gradually assembled.

They had just returned from the battle at Luoyan Valley, and all of them were more or less injured.

Xiao Qi distributed bundles of crossbow bolts, while Hou San inspected the saddle and reins.

Qin Yuenu arrived with five medical staff.

Each of them had a medicine box, linen cloth, and two leather bags filled with hot water hanging on their horses.

Xu Qingshan glanced at the short knife at her waist.

"Are you also planning to join the fray?"

Qin Yuenu said, "If we encounter barbarians, we can't exactly throw our medicine boxes at them, can we?"

"When it really comes down to it, protect yourself first."

"You should remember this sentence too."

The city gates slowly opened.

The north wind swept into the city, making the Zhenbei Banner flutter loudly.

Zhao Wu stood in front of the post station and said coldly, "Xu Qingshan, you are still a criminal. If you leave the city without permission, you will only face more charges when you return."

Xu Qingshan mounted his horse.

"You can take your time with my trial."

The horse's head turned north.

"But barbarians don't wait to kill."

Fifty riders charged out of the city gate.

Mud and water splashed to both sides with the horse's hooves.

…………

The official roads become exceptionally difficult to traverse after the onset of spring.

The snow had just melted, and the road surface was turned into mud by passing vehicles.

Every time the warhorse ran a certain distance, its hooves would be covered in wet mud.

Two hours later, the team's speed slowed down more and more.

A warhorse lost its footing in a mud pit, its front hooves sinking deep into the mud, and the rider on its back was nearly thrown off.

Hou San reined in his horse.

"At this speed, we won't reach Qingya Fort before dark."

Aman looked up and discerned the distant mountain range.

"There is a quarry path ahead."

Xu Qingshan asked, "Can it cross the horse?"

"The road is narrow and has some steep slopes, but it's faster than the official road."

"lead the way."

Aman turned his horse around and was the first to leave the official road.

An abandoned quarry path winds between two mountains.

The road surface was covered with gravel, and some parts were covered by weeds.

The cavalry can only stretch out into long lines.

While traversing a steep slope, Qin Yuenu's warhorse crushed a loose rock, and its hind hooves slid outwards.

Xu Qingshan reached out from the side, grabbed her reins, and pulled the horse's head back onto the path.

Qin Yuenu settled herself into a seated position.

"I thought you were only looking ahead."

"If you fall, five medical staff will have to save you first."

"Commander Xu is quite caring these days."

"Are all the soldiers in the wounded soldiers' camp so difficult to talk to?"

"It depends on the person."

Hearing their conversation from behind, Hou San turned to Xiao Qi and said, "I have a feeling something's up here."

Xiao Qi asked, "What is it?"

"You're too young, you wouldn't understand even if I told you."

Xiao Qi raised her hand and pointed behind Hou San.

"If you keep not watching where you're going, you'll soon know what it feels like to fall down a mountain."

Hou San quickly tightened the reins.

The horse's hooves had already reached the roadside, and gravel was rolling down the hillside.

"Who built this lousy road?"

Aman's voice came from ahead.

"No one repaired it. After the quarry was abandoned, this was the only road left."

Hou San shut his mouth.

As the sun began to set in the west, the group finally emerged from the mountain pass.

A narrow valley appeared ahead.

Just as Aman was about to urge his horse on, he suddenly raised his hand.

Everyone stopped. A mountain breeze blew in from the valley entrance, carrying with it a few short bird calls.

Aman dismounted and squatted by the roadside to examine the tracks.

Several fresh hoof prints remained in the mud.

Two of the strings stopped near the high slope, while the others extended northward.

"The Vulture Tribe's vigilant cavalry."

Xu Qingshan looked at the hillsides on the left and right.

How many people?

Five to seven.

Hou San licked his lips.

"Leave it to me."

He selected ten riders to circle around the eastern hillside.

Xu Qingshan led the remaining men into the forest, while Aman stayed at the valley entrance to observe.

Not long after, two steppe cavalrymen appeared on the high slope.

One person was sitting on a horse, while another was squatting by the fire roasting meat.

Three more warhorses were hidden at the edge of the woods further away.

Hou San led his men to approach from the back of the hillside.

Several riders from Zhenbei dismounted in the woods and waded through the soft mud to the edge of the high slope.

As soon as the barbarian soldier who was roasting meat raised his head, a hand covered his mouth from behind.

The dagger then slashed across his throat.

Hearing the commotion, the barbarian soldiers on horseback turned around to grab their bows and arrows.

A short crossbow bolt pierced his chest.

The remaining scouts arrived to investigate, but were also surrounded by the Zhenbei cavalry who were lying in ambush at the edge of the woods.

After a brief clash of weapons, the high ground fell silent again.

Hou San returned quickly.

"Seven, all resolved."

"Not a single one escaped?"

"One of them tried to run away, but Xiao Qi shot it down."

Xiaoqi said, "He's riding too slowly."

Hou San glanced at him.

"Could you leave me some credit?"

The team resumed their journey.

As darkness fell, the outline of Qingya Fortress finally appeared in the distance.

That border fortress was built between two mountains.

Several sections of the city wall have collapsed, and the gap on the north side has been barely plugged with planks, stones, and broken furniture.

Several corpses lay across the gap below.

Outside the fortress, hundreds of Vulture Cavalrymen formed a semi-circle.

Dozens of barbarian soldiers were preparing wooden ladders, while another group of archers kept firing arrows at the city walls.

There are not many arrows left in Qingya Fortress to retaliate.

An arrow occasionally shot from the city wall would be quickly suppressed by a denser rain of arrows.

Xu Qingshan and his men hid behind a grove of low trees.

Hou San counted it several times.

"Close to three hundred."

"Their horses are all in the rear; if they charge in head-on, it will be difficult for them to get out."

Aman said, "The Vulture Tribe is better at cavalry than the Black Wolf Tribe. Once they discover that we only have fifty men, they will surround us from both sides."

Xiao Qi looked towards Qingya Fort.

"They're already burning wooden planks inside."

A plume of black smoke rose from the gap.

The Qingya Fort defenders poured oil onto broken wood, preparing to ignite it once the barbarian soldiers rushed into the breach.

That was the last resort.

Xu Qingshan observed the surrounding mountain terrain.

The slopes on both sides of Qingyabao are relatively gentle, and the valley is very open, so the sound will echo continuously in the mountains.

"We can't fight them head-on."

Hou San asked, "Then what should we do?"

Xu Qingshan pointed to several hillsides.

Divide the people into five teams.

"Each team carried a dozen or so torches and dispersed to different hilltops."

"The remaining torches were tied to tree branches and dragged back and forth by people."

Aman quickly understood what he meant.

"Let them think that the main force of Blackrock Fortress has arrived."

Xu Qingshan nodded.

"Bring out all the horns we captured from Luoyan Valley."

Night fell completely.

The first torch was lit on the eastern hillside.

Immediately afterwards, flames also appeared to the west, north, and valley entrance.

In the dimly lit mountains, torches moved constantly, as if a large cavalry force was completing an encirclement.

woo-

The desolate horns of the Black Wolf tribe drifted from the east.

A moment later, another sound rang out from the western hillside.

The sounds echoed back and forth along the valley, making it impossible to determine exactly how many people were there.

Outside Qingya Fort, the cavalry of the Bald Vulture Tribe all looked up.

The leader of the Vulture Tribe, who was stationed at the rear, stood up and stared intently at the increasing number of fires on the hillside.

"How did Blackrock Fortress's main force arrive so quickly?"