You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

[Please complete the garrison control order as soon as possible. This will greatly increase loyalty, and the garrison can be converted into your own city-state or liberated and returned to its original owner.]

The first to enter Midoriya will be king.

If the gateway to the Western Regions valleys is controlled by the Great Qian Dynasty, then there is a basis for both advance and retreat, and the strategic initiative is gained.

Conversely, in the era of cold weapons, if terrain like Green Valley Pass fell into enemy hands, even Xia He, with her superb micro-management skills, would suffer. Even though she was considered a master in combat in "Civilization Evolution," she still had to consider the terrain.

The mountain path was treacherous and remote, easy to defend but difficult to attack; once the gates were closed, it became a "stone fortress" for defense.

Although the Great Qian was not the Great Tang, and the valley was not Tibet, the disgusting terrain often had similarities, which could easily block development space.

This is something Xia He cannot tolerate.

She was prepared to pay with lives if the robbery failed.

The same reason.

The city of Green Valley Pass is not large, but the powerful state has developed the vast farmland around it for many years, creating numerous small villages and towns. A considerable portion of its surplus grain is sold to other neighboring states, which is crucial to their food security.

Over the years, under Feng Tianyin's planning, Cuiwei and Lvgu have become their grain trading and transportation hubs.

Both belong to the Great Qian Dynasty, which is a crisis of hunger.

Therefore, the enemy has every reason to launch a desperate attack, even if it means attacking with the entire nation.

Xia He had a clear view of the movements of the allied forces:

"Faster, faster!"

The frontline commander-in-chief, Ge Mo, urged his horse forward, kicking up dust as he pointed toward the city of Lvgukou, with a group of light cavalry galloping beside him.

They carried only the bare minimum of rations, both to reduce their load and as a form of self-motivation, urging them to get there first. Once they reached the destination, there wouldn't be any problems, as supplies could be replenished anywhere, and they could simply "borrow" some from the local villagers to fill their stomachs.

Although everyone came from different city-states and even spoke different dialects, they shared the same interests.

The door must not be lost.

"According to your calculations, can we make it in time?"

Ge Mo looked at Ke Rong, the young man accompanying him. It was thanks to Ke Rong's persuasion that the allied forces were able to be formed. Such a talented person should stay in the rear, but without him, the group might not be willing to unite. He is an indispensable helper.

The two were of one mind and trusted each other implicitly. This raid was a life-or-death test, as they had to face the Great Qian army head-on.

"Zhuguan will likely send out reconnaissance troops first to take control of the outskirts of Green Valley."

"This batch is the fastest."

"But they are not capable of taking control of the entire Green Valley Pass; they need to wait for the main force to arrive. This group is small in number but absolutely formidable, and they will arrive by joining forces downstream from Xiayi. If I'm not mistaken, the High Priest will personally go to the battlefield."

Upon hearing this, Ge Mo nodded solemnly.

“I think so too, so Feng Tianyin must return victorious with the spoils of war. This battle is not a race, it must be a fight to the death.”

"Yes, even if we occupy Green Valley Pass, we will still have to fight the Great Qian Army."

"Only by occupying it can we have a chance of winning."

"Considering our familiarity with the terrain, the distance over land, and the advantages of our horse breed... we will definitely be faster."

Korong's voice was resolute and always inspiring.

The allied forces continued to accelerate, speeding along the city's roads, which had been maintained and reinforced over the years. Dust obscured the sky as they trudged through the gravel and wind, their swords aimed at Green Valley Pass with the resolve to fight to the death.

I don't know.

With its shipbuilding technology constantly evolving, Daqian has taken a significant lead in waterway technology.

Over the years, Feng Tianyin has not allowed craftsmen to figure things out on their own; instead, she has directly advanced the technology tree from canoes to paddle-powered sailboats.

It is still a movable triangular sail.

Aside from a shortage of resources to supply large ships, the hardware components were large enough to be scaled up proportionally for early navigation, making full-speed travel on inland waterways no problem at all. At this moment, they hoisted their sails, filled the wind with all their might, and propelled themselves forward with the waves.

"High Priest, may Heaven bless the Great Qian, a favorable wind blows."

The adjutant stood at the bow of the flagship, laughing heartily into the wind; his cheerful voice won cheers from the soldiers.

"...The water surged like a torrent, yet the boats moved as if flying, and the entire army seemed as light as a feather. The journey to Zhuguan was long, but one could depart in the morning and arrive in the evening."

Feng Tianyin couldn't help but sigh.

She usually just nods, but I didn't expect her to even comment a couple of times, so she was clearly in a good mood.

"Sir, you have a fine literary talent, unlike us who are just rough men."

The gray-haired girl shook her head slightly, as if to say that you, who came in second place in your first assessment, shouldn't be modest; she truly had praise as an instinct.

The adjutant for this operation was Deng Kaixuan, who had been in charge of military supplies. He had accumulated rich experience and often accompanied the army in combat. He had previously served as the garrison commander of Zhuguan, so he became the best choice.

Reliable.

Such a comment in Feng Tianyin's letter of appointment is the highest praise.

Back then, Deng Kaixuan ranked second and was directly pulled into charge of military affairs, because she wanted to put key talents in the military field.

Zhang Zhongsi, who came in first place, was at Zhuguan.

They were both top scholars and role models, both involved in military affairs, and in recent years they had mainly been in charge of the garrison troops. Their training had never faltered, and they had consistently annexed scattered small barbarian camps in the surrounding area, proving remarkably reliable.

"...This boat is indeed fast, but it makes me a little seasick."

Deng Kaixuan couldn't hold on any longer either. He rubbed his head with a bitter expression, and the wrinkles on his face became even more prominent.

Although he is strong, he is not as young as he used to be.

"You've been working so hard all this time. People age faster when they're overworked. You're only in your forties, right? You don't seem to have enough energy anymore?"

"The High Priest would be better."

The oldest person present was actually Feng Tianyin, a well-known 57-year-old beauty, at the age of fifty. But time has left no trace on her face; she was frozen in time the year she was resurrected at eighteen, with a face as beautiful as an angel and eternal youth.

The most direct manifestation of the divine power of Heaven's will is in the agents.

He is the only one favored by heaven.

The favors she received were so generous that no one could even feel jealousy, and frankly, no one envies a super-worker who works 24/7.

"High Priest, Commander, we are almost there."

At the bend of a tributary of the Jianxia River, bathed in the setting sun, stands a majestic pass, and the inland harbor is filled with ferries.

In Xia He's eyes, the "Xiangfan defense line of the Daqian era" was ready. Under the command of the commander, it was orderly and well-organized, with a large number of troops gathered, and they were already lined up neatly on the shore to welcome them.

Zhang Zhongsi, who was fully armed, led the group and greeted them.

"My lord, the spare horses have been brought."

"Alright, our soldiers will each have two riders and switch mounts for a rapid attack. Your infantry will follow shortly after."

Feng Tianyin didn't waste any words and proceeded with everything according to plan.

Chapter 48 Surrender of the City

Decisive enough!

Xia He was amazed after she understood Feng Tianyin's plan.

This doesn't actually align with the usual cost calculations for artificial intelligence, because having 500 elite soldiers, each with two horses, take turns driving straight in seems inefficient.

However, tactical costs give way to strategic interests.

As a "human-machine leader," she has actually grown, possessing both the cold calculation of cyber life, accurate and incisive, and the decisiveness to seize opportunities, firmly grasping the time dividend.

Moreover, the extra horses weren't wasted; they were more like being ridden to the front lines of the battlefield ahead of time.

After all, once Zhang Zhongsi led his infantry to the entrance of the Green Valley, they would become proper cavalrymen once they mounted their horses.

You calculated it correctly.

Feng Tianyin insisted on being the first to occupy the transportation hub.

This is something she inherited from her creator; after all, Xia He is the type who can't sit still when she encounters a strategic location. She's willing to launch a fierce attack and occupy it at all costs in the short term, because the feeling of being squeezed and restricted in development in the long term is much more unbearable.

The lesser of two evils.

The Daqian army, determined to target Green Valley Pass, moved much faster than expected.

She hadn't expected that Xiayi's inland waterway shipping technology would achieve such efficiency, allowing them to leave in the morning and arrive in the evening, thus saving them two days.

Now, even with one person and two horses, they are more efficient than the Allied forces on land.

From a god-like perspective, Xia He witnessed the Daqian army galloping into the target area.

Green Valley Entrance.

The rapid hoofbeats pounded across the dense network of rivers, splashing water as they swept over farmland, galloping swiftly along the trade routes established over many years with the river valleys of the Western Regions, startling birds in the fields along the way.

The initial fervor of the crowd gradually subsided.

They cheered and gave a warm welcome as they looked at the banner of the Great Qian Dynasty.

In fact, the effects of Xia He's manipulation of faith power have already come to an end. Once an army arrives to maintain stability, it will be quickly subdued, which is now a testament to the power of the Heavenly Dao.

Ta-da!

The sound of horses' hooves echoed throughout the valley.

Feng Tianyin, who was in the lead, yanked the reins hard, with her personal guards closely surrounding her, and they sped across the main road.

Soon, a city nestled in a valley and hilly highland came into view, with flags fluttering and the crowds gradually calming down from their frenzy.

It is not a square block blocking the main road in the usual sense, but rather a multi-layered distribution.

It is clear that the project was built in several phases, and there are signs of relocation. One can see that the city walls are built around the hills and ridges, even covering the terraced fields, and are stacked up layer by layer to build a fortress on the high ground.

Majestic and towering.

You can say that the entire walled area is the main city, or you can say that only the fortress at the top overlooking the valley is considered the main city.

"...Anyway, we've arrived."

Deng Kaixuan recalled the bumpy ride and felt his back hurt, but once he arrived, he felt relaxed and full of energy.

He gestured for his men to disperse and quickly take over the various defensive lines.