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

The war drums in the training ground had stopped, but the shield formation in front was still crowded among the logs.

Several vanguard soldiers heard the commotion behind them, turned around and glanced back, their wooden spears gradually drooping.

With the commander withdrawing, the drummer and messenger all shot, and even the main flag pulled away, there was no need to continue the exercise.

Tang Su raised his right hand.

"stop!"

The border patrol envoy's personal guards immediately entered the training ground and separated the two sides in the battle.

Xiao Hongluan led the Black Stone Fortress infantry to re-form their ranks.

Fifty people participated in the drill, and only four had to leave because their vital organs were covered in white ash. When the remaining soldiers returned to their original positions, the formation remained neat.

Large areas of space were empty on the vanguard camp side.

The commander, squad leader, messenger, and drummer all left one after another, leaving only a few guards to protect the flag. Many soldiers at the front had fallen and bruised themselves on the logs.

Zhao Wu stood outside the arena, his face grim.

"The practice of burying logs in advance in the training ground is a trick that cannot be considered a real military contest."

Xu Qingshan asked, "When Commander Zhao leads troops into battle, will the enemy tell you the locations of the traps and barricades in advance?"

"This is a military inspection at the drill ground!"

"It tests whether soldiers can survive on the battlefield."

Xu Qingshan pointed to the vanguard battalion's front line.

"When your shield bearers see the enemy, they only know to follow the drumbeats forward. When the drums stop, they can't even tell whether to continue attacking or turn back to protect the flag."

"Barbarians won't just stand there and wait to be killed just because they're well-armored."

Zhao Wu said coldly, "The vanguard battalion was defeated because they were unfamiliar with the terrain. If both sides had formed a frontal line, the fifty infantrymen of Black Stone Fortress would not have been able to withstand three rounds of attacks."

Hou San stood to the side, supporting his back.

"Then why didn't you let Zhou Tong win head-on?"

Zhao Wu turned and glared at him.

"Did I, the captain, speak to you?"

"You keep talking about Blackrock Fortress, it sounds like you're calling me."

Qin Yuenu placed the medicine box at her feet.

"If you laugh again, the thread on your waist will really come undone."

Hou San immediately composed himself.

I didn't laugh.

His mouth was stretched all the way to his ears.

"It's innate."

Qin Yuenu picked up her medicine box and walked towards him, while Hou San hurriedly retreated behind Xu Qingshan.

After Tang Su finished counting the number of people who had withdrawn from both sides, he went into the training ground to inspect the scattered logs and crossbows.

The blunt arrows were all wrapped in burlap, and the wooden spears also conformed to the training regulations.

Blackrock Fortress was able to capture the flag within nine breaths by utilizing the terrain, unit types, and timing.

In a real battlefield, the vanguard would have lost its commander and leadership, and the rear guard would be directly scattered by the cavalry.

Tang Su turned to look at Zhao Wu.

"You lead the vanguard battalion out of the training ground first."

"Sir, this drill..."

"A loss is a loss."

Tang Su interrupted him.

"After we return, we will rearrange the order transmission method. If the commander-in-chief is killed in battle, we must also decide in advance who will take over command."

"I hope that when I see the vanguard next time, they will at least know what to do after the flag has been taken down."

Zhao Wu's lips twitched.

"This subordinate obeys."

The vanguard battalion soldiers began to leave the training ground.

Zhou Laoqi carried the main flag and walked to Zhao Wu's side.

"Commander Zhao, where should we put this flag?"

Zhao Wu reached out to take it.

Zhou Laoqi stepped aside.

"Lord Tang hasn't said whether he can repay it."

Zhao Wu's face darkened further.

Tang Su said, "It's just a drill. Return the flag to them."

Only then did Zhou Laoqi hand over the flagpole.

"If it's inserted too deep, it'll be harder to pull out. Next time, bury it half a foot less."

Zhao Wu snatched the main flag and led the vanguard battalion away.

Once the 150 people had gone far away, uncontrollable laughter came from the direction of the city wall.

Tie Niu carried the wooden shield on his shoulder.

"The Yunzhou regular army isn't as powerful as people say."

Xiao Hongluan said, "Just now, during the third charge, you were a step ahead of the flanks."

Tie Niu's smile immediately vanished.

"Why punish someone when you've already won?"

"Run ten laps around the training ground first."

"Can this shield be put down?"

What do you think?

Tie Niu started running, carrying the wooden shield.

The foot soldiers following behind him, who had been laughing, immediately straightened up when they saw Xiao Hongluan's gaze sweep over them.

Tang Su looked at it for a moment.

"They just finished one match, and now they're back to training?"

Xu Qingshan said, "They beat their own people today."

"The next time we encounter barbarians, if we're even a step too late, people will die."

Tang Su withdrew his gaze.

"Follow me to the council chamber."

…………

A map of the north wall was spread out on the table.

The edges of the sheepskin have turned yellow, and traces of ink from past revisions remain along several mountains and roadsides.

Xu Qingshan stood in front of the table.

Blackstone Fortress is located in the middle section of the northern wall, slightly to the west.

Qingyabao was located to the northeast and was responsible for observing the movement of the grassland and transmitting beacon fires.

Further east are Iron Gate Fort and Broken River Fort. One fort blocks the north-south trade route, while the other guards the river valley's water source.

If any one of these points falls, the barbarian cavalry can bypass the northern wall defenses and strike directly at the rear villages and towns.

Tang Su's finger landed on Qingya Fort.

"You've already seen the situation at Qingya Fortress."

"The army roster lists 120 men, but there are only 35 in reality. The north wall has collapsed, the granaries are empty, and arrows and medicine are also in severe shortage."

Xu Qingshan asked, "How many people are Yunzhou preparing to send?"

"Cannot be replaced at the moment."

Tang Su's finger moved eastward.

"Iron Gate Fortress blocks the trade route from White Wolf Market to Yunzhou, and the military register lists sixty soldiers."

"The last verification was two years ago."

"The garrison commander Sun Kui stayed there for eight years, and the documents he sent to Yunzhou always stated that there were enough soldiers and provisions."

Xu Qingshan looked at Tang Su.

"You believe it?"

"The documents at Qingya Fort also state that there are 120 people."

Tang Su continued pointing towards Duanhebao.

"This place guards the only river valley with water all year round on the eastern section of the north wall."

"Nominally, there are 80 troops stationed here. Last winter, they reported a barbarian incursion into the border, and since then, they have only sent back two peace letters."

"Even Ping An's official documents have stopped being issued in the last two months."

Xu Qingshan frowned.

"Didn't Yunzhou send anyone to investigate?"

"It was dispatched twice."

"The first time we encountered bandits on the way, three of us died. The second time we arrived outside Duanhe Fort, the garrison inside refused to open the gate, citing an epidemic."

"What did the person who came back say?"

"Soldiers can be seen on the city wall, but their numbers are very small."

Tang Su paused for a moment.

"The four forts on the north wall are ostensibly under the command of Yunzhou, but in reality, they have long since gone their own way."

"Qingya Fort is about to be breached by the barbarians, and the petition for help has been sent for half a year; Tiemen Fort guards the trade route, but no one knows how much grain it has stored; Duanhe Fort has not been heard from for two months, but Yunzhou is still issuing it rations and pay in the military register."

Xu Qingshan looked at the map.

"What does Lord Tang want me to do by telling me all this?"

"Take over Sanbao."

Tang Su's answer was very direct.

"Black Stone Fortress, Green Cliff Fortress, Iron Gate Fortress, and Broken River Fortress form the central section of the northern wall defense line."

"You will temporarily serve as the garrison commander of the four forts, responsible for reorganizing the troops, repairing the city walls, and keeping the beacon fires running."

Xu Qingshan asked, "How many soldiers will you give me?"

"Yunzhou cannot send reinforcements at the moment."

"Where's the grain?"

"You'll have to figure it out yourself."

"Armaments and medical supplies?"

"First, allocate resources from the existing supplies in Sibao."

Xu Qingshan looked at Tang Su.

"You want me to take over three dying fortresses, but you won't provide any soldiers, food, or weapons?"

"That's not all."

Tang Su picked up a draft document from the side.

"The beacon fires at the four border forts must be kept operational for the next three months."

"If any barbarians cross the border during this period, you are responsible for sending troops to intercept them."

"If any fortress falls, your guilt in the Blackrock Fortress case will be combined with the guilt of its fall."

Hou San stood at the door listening for a long time, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Lord Tang, are you asking us to be garrison commanders, or are you telling us to choose a place to bury ourselves?"

Tang Su glanced at him.

"I haven't let you in yet."

"The door was open, so I thought I could hear you."

"go out."

Hou San retreated outside the door, then peeked back through the crack in the door, revealing half of his face.

"Has it been calculated yet?"

Qin Yuenu grabbed him and pulled him away.

The door closed again.

Xu Qingshan picked up the document.

Three-month period.

Yunzhou refused to send troops or guarantee supplies, and he was held fully responsible for the fall of the four forts.

Such a condition would be tantamount to suicide for any general.

Tang Su said, "You can refuse."

"What happens after you refuse?"

"This envoy will continue to investigate your crimes of unauthorized killing of Commander Chen, seizing the official seal, and forming the Zhenbei Cavalry."

Who will take control of Blackrock Fortress?

"Yunzhou will be guarded by another general."

Xu Qingshan chuckled.

"Zhao Wu?"

"perhaps."

"What about Qingya Fortress?"

Tang Su remained silent for a moment.

"Yunzhou will do its best to allocate grain."

Xu Qingshan put the document back on the table.

"Qingya Fort has been waiting for half a year."

"If we wait any longer, the next people who go will only be able to collect their corpses."

Tang Su asked, "So you're answering?"

"Let's look at the things first."

Xu Qingshan pointed to the map.

"I need the military registers, ration distribution documents, topographic maps, and list of generals from Sanbao over the years."

"Iron Gate Fort controls the trade route, and the records left by caravans when they pass through must also be sent here."

"I want to see the last document sent back from Duanhebao two months ago, as well as the statements of the two groups of inspectors."

A hint of surprise flashed in Tang Su's eyes.

"I thought you would ask about promotion first."

"An official seal cannot defend a city."

"I need to find out what's left in these three fortresses before I know how many people to take with me."

Tang Su ordered his personal guards to bring all the relevant documents.

Soon, more than a dozen documents were piled up on the table.

The Iron Gate Fortress army has a roster of sixty men. In the past two years, there have been no deaths or desertions, yet the food supply has been increasing every season.

Sun Kui reported that the trade routes were busy and that it was necessary to store grain to prevent barbarians from blocking the roads.

The documents at Duanhebao were even simpler.

Before last winter, they would request arrows, salt, and medicine every month. After spring arrived, all the requests for help disappeared, leaving only the four words "Safety in the fortress".

The last document sent back two months ago bore the personal seal of Ma Rong, the deputy commander of Duanhebao.

Xu Qingshan raised his head.

"Where is the fort commander?"

"It was still there at the end of last year."

Tang Su said, "Subsequent documents were always signed by Ma Rong, claiming that the fort commander was ill and unable to handle military affairs."

"Yunzhou believed it too?"

"Chen Huaishan is in charge of military affairs on the north wall."

Xu Qingshan understood.

A person who would tolerate his cousin embezzling Blackstone Fortress supplies would certainly not take the initiative to investigate what problems had arisen with the three border fortresses.

Tang Su looked at him.

"Should we continue accepting the call now?"

"The interiors of the three fortresses may have been completely rotten by now."

"Qingya Fort is short of food, the situation at Tiemen Fort is unclear, and Duanhe Fort may even have been taken over by others."

"After you take over, the first thing you might face isn't the barbarians."

Xu Qingshan spread out the military registers of the three forts side by side, pressing his fingers on the green cliff, the iron gate, and the broken river in turn.

"I'll take over all three fortresses."

Tang Su said, "Once the document is signed, you will have no chance to go back on your word."

"Can."

Xu Qingshan raised his head.

"But how to use people, how to distribute food, and how to appoint generals are all up to me."