Patrol Captain

"A thousand horses galloping through the forest must leave a trace!"

"What does the general intend to do? Your subordinate is willing to lead men to search!"

Seeing that Chen Yuan looked unhappy, Yun Tiansheng volunteered to help the general solve his problems.

Chen Yuan tapped the armrest lightly with one finger, his expression thoughtful, his eyelids slightly lowered, and finally he said softly, "No need."

"A powerful figure has secretly intervened to help. The situation is unclear, so be careful as it may be a trap!"

"He Lianshan cannot escape, so how can I move? I must hold back! Send messages to the prefectural governments along the way, and have people keep an eye on all the passes. If this army goes into the deep mountains and deserted places, turn north and send messages to the front-line passes, and have the soldiers guarding the city be careful, especially at Tianxiong Pass, lest they be surrounded."

Chen Yuan, the commander of the Jin army, did not alarm his own troops or launch a major attack because of this matter, and decided to remain inactive.

Huo Zhen was involved in plotting against me, so he deserves to die and will be settled sooner or later. However, I am no longer alone. The King of Liang has gone all out and just came to demand blood debts from me. Huo Zhen escaped from Helian Shan's hands, and someone secretly helped him.

The timing is somewhat coincidental!

If someone uses a feint, a diversionary tactic, to lure you into taking action, you might be playing right into their hands, harming those close to you. Then it will be too late for regrets.

Although Chen Yuan is bloodthirsty and dislikes anyone threatening his or those around him's interests, he often nipps any danger in the bud as quickly as possible. However, he is also frighteningly calm and discerning when caution is necessary.

"Yes!"

Yun Tian clasped his hands in greeting, ready to listen to the general's words.

"Alright, instruct your men to draft a letter to convey my message. You may continue your discussion."

Chen Yuan waved his hand, signaling them to continue, while he leaned to the side, pretending to sleep, closing his eyes and remaining silent.

Inside the hall, a steward went out to convey Chen Yuan's orders and sent someone to draft a letter.

Everything continues.

Yun Tiansheng and his companions discussed with Lian Nishang the idea of ​​having troops guard several sections of the river mouth and mountain roads, strictly controlling all entrances and exits into the city, and rigorously screening outsiders. Lian Nishang felt that this was only a temporary solution and would only cause panic among the people. It might be fine for a day or two, but it would lead to resentment in the long run. She suggested that the people of the Ninth Mountain should remove their armor and conduct covert patrols. Ideally, they should have the ability or treasure to see through others' hidden martial arts cultivation, which would be much more effective...

Looking at the two sides' approaches, we can see the differences. One side comes from a military background and prefers directness, preferring a confrontational approach. The other side consists of patrol officers who conduct covert investigations, have a deep understanding of local customs, and act with more subtlety.
Both sides had their own viewpoints and disagreements, but they discussed it calmly. Yun Tiansheng, Liu Qing, and others did not look down on Lian Ni Chang, a woman who had been on the battlefield for a long time and was gradually becoming capable of standing on her own. Putting aside her close relationship with their general, this Captain Lian had once led a troop to the front line alone to participate in the battle to rescue the general. She was a true heroine with a heroic spirit!
After discussing for a while longer, Lian Ni Chang and Yun Tian Sheng finalized their strategy, combining suggestions from both sides, which were then recorded by their subordinates.

"General!"

"brother"

Several people stood up.

"I have already discussed how to handle this matter with Captain Lian!"

"This is the draft; please take a look, General!"

Yun Tiansheng took a piece of paper, quickly stepped forward, and presented the draft to Chen Yuan for his review.

Chen Yuan opened his eyes, took the paper, and only glanced at it briefly. He had been listening nearby and naturally understood what he was hearing.

This is nothing for him to worry about.

"Just do it!"

"Considering your concerns that some people might conceal their cultivation levels and infiltrate the city, I have bestowed upon you supernatural powers to facilitate your actions!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and tapped his forehead, drawing out a wisp of divine light from his Heavenly Eye. His body transformed into more than a dozen wisps, which then entered the eyes of these people one by one.

All the generals present felt a sharp pain in their eyes, as if a hard object had pierced them. The pain was unbearable, and they couldn't help but shed tears. However, this process was very short. Soon, an extremely cool sensation flowed through their eyes, the pain disappeared, and their eyes shone with a golden light. Their vision became incredibly clear, and this coolness persisted.

The generals, their faces beaming with joy, were immensely pleased that their general had bestowed such divine power upon them, given his current abilities. They bowed deeply and said in unison:
"Your subordinate (Ni Chang) thanks the general (elder brother!)!"

Chen Yuan stood up, looking at the team that had grown up under his command, his eyes sharp as piercing stars, his voice carrying authority.

"That's settled then. You handle the remaining details. I don't want today's events to happen again under my nose!"

"Yes!"

Everyone bowed in response.

Chen Yuan glanced at Lian Ni Chang, nodded to her, then stepped down from the main seat and walked through the middle, intending to see Old Man Dong and ask him to play a role. He thought that since she was already a top-tier fighter, he shouldn't waste her potential. He also wanted to ask about the Dragon Girl's sudden departure.

Thinking about this matter, he stopped in his tracks before even leaving the front hall, his gaze shifting.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out outside, and the person who had gone to draft the letter returned, his hands gleaming with silver.

The man walked to the door and was startled to see Chen Yuan standing there. He quickly realized what was happening, bowed his head, and at the same time raised his hands, revealing the true form of the silver light in his hands.

It's a silver leaf bigger than the palm of your hand!
"General, we were just about to send a message to Tianxiong Pass via the Sacred Tree when, coincidentally, the Sacred Tree acted strangely and a message came from the other side. Please take a look!"

The messenger reported.

The sacred tree has interconnected branches that can transmit messages through silver leaves, a truly convenient and mysterious system.

Chen Yuan's eyelids twitched slightly. He raised his hand and grabbed the silver leaf. Then, with a slight tremor in his hand, the sacred tree silver leaf transformed into silver light spots, which then turned into lines of small silver characters.

Chen Yuan glanced around quickly, snorted coldly, and then flicked his sleeve, brushing away the silver characters from the void.

Upon hearing Chen Yuan's cold snort, his subordinates immediately surrounded him. When they learned that the message came from Tianxiong Pass and heard the general's cold snort, their expressions changed and their eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"General, is there any situation at Tianxiong Pass?" General Lu Ming whispered from the side.

Chen Yuan looked out of the hall, put his hands behind his back, and said, "The Great General Qi Tian sent a letter saying that the King of Liang has gathered 100,000 iron cavalry, taken the Yinping Road, entered Baishui Pass, and is pressing his army towards Tianxiong Pass. He has launched the campaign under the pretext of punishing the traitors and has also issued a proclamation to the world to punish the traitors!"

"And this thief is none other than myself, who claims that I am tyrannical, bloodthirsty, and a ruthless thief who has stolen the country's private army!"

Upon hearing this, the subordinate officers' eyes blazed with fury, their fingers tightening on the swords at their waists, and they roared:

“This is outrageous, General! How can we tolerate this? Your martial arts are unparalleled, how can we allow those northerners to run rampant? Please give the order, General, to let me lead five hundred elite troops into battle. We will kill them until their heads roll and they will shut up in front of Ninth Mountain.”

“That’s right. A subject should die for his master. I am willing to bring their heads to you with my sword.”

"."

The clanging of armor echoed as everyone was filled with rage. They knelt down on one knee, eager to fight and use the enemy's blood to uphold their general's dignity.

In contrast, Chen Yuan remained calm, his gaze deep and thoughtful, saying, "We must not act recklessly!"

"It's just a matter of words. Let them talk. After all, I killed his son and his soldiers." Chen Yuan said calmly, then turned his head. "I know your loyalty and courage, but my Ninth Mountain being so easily summoned to fight might be exactly what that Liang King wants. First, there was the bloody massacre at the inn with the death squad, then Huo Zhen led his troops to escape, and now they're challenging the rebels. It seems that all of these are trying to provoke my anger and lure me into taking action."

"No matter what his purpose is, we cannot be led by the nose. We cannot let him disrupt our rhythm. We must remain unchanged in the face of all changes."

"I have a feeling that this matter is not so simple!"

At this point, the faint golden light in Chen Yuan's eyes turned into a glint of lacquer, making him appear like a ferocious beast, his tone filled with domineering and murderous intent.
"When Xiao Zhongtian fled from Liangzhou in a sorry state, he made some harsh words, but I didn't believe him. In just two days, does he really dare to fight me?" This stemmed from absolute confidence in his own strength.

Unless, this rebel king has found new allies, or has other plans!
The golden spots in Chen Yuan's eyes were frighteningly bright.

"Reply to General Qi Tian and have him send scouts to investigate whether Xiao Zhongtian's army has any new allies, or whether there are any unusual troop movements in other directions besides Yinping Road!"

"Yes"

Just as Chen Yuan gave the order, they traveled nine thousand miles north to Tianxiong Pass, where Xiongzhou was shrouded in mist.

"when"

"when"

"when"

The urgent tolling of the bells echoed incessantly over Tianxiong Pass, creating a somber atmosphere that caused the wind and clouds to shift, with the wind howling, the rain pouring, and a curtain of rain descending.

"drive"

"drive"

"drive"

Inside the formidable pass, troop after troop of soldiers surged out like a raging torrent, breaking through the rain and shooting out in streaks of white as they sped toward the northern city wall. The streets were deserted, save for the noisy sounds of doors and windows closing and locking.

At this moment, on the towering northern city wall, raindrops pounded against the cracks in the bricks, splashing up fine mud that trickled down the crenellations, leaving dark streaks on the surface. Above the wall, the crisp clanging of armor mingled with the sound of rain, as thousands of armored soldiers stood in formation, their cold glints pointing northward.

On the observation platform of the city gate tower, a majestic figure stood atop it, clad in purple-gold armor with flying clouds, his eyes gleaming like cold stars, his eyebrows as black as if painted with lacquer, and his broad chest exuding an aura of invincibility. This was none other than General Qi Tian.

Unaffected by wind and rain, his gaze was like a knife honed over decades, sharp and unstoppable, piercing through the heavy rain curtain to gaze into the distance.

Behind him, several generals had solemn expressions and eyes as cold as stars. Among them were Pei Yanhu, the Seventh Lieutenant General, and the Eighth Lieutenant General.
The atmosphere was somber and desolate, with only the clanging of armor and the patter of rain filling the air.

Just as the wind howled and the bells tolled urgently, outside the north gate of the city, amidst the vast expanse of rain, a long shout pierced through the stormy rain.

"Report!"

A sharp cry rang out, and soon a silver light pierced the rain and flew close to the north city wall. It was a Skyhawk, carrying a scout sent out to gather intelligence on the enemy's movements.

The scout flew into the city wall, landed, and flew to the gate tower. He knelt on one knee and reported to his commander, General Qi Tian.
"Reporting, General!"

"The Northern Liang army has already passed Baishui Pass and entered Guiku Mountain."

"There are still over nine hundred li to go. At the enemy's marching speed, if we advance at full speed, we should arrive at the city gate around 9 PM!"

As soon as he finished speaking, General Qi Tian frowned slightly. In four hours, the Northern Liang cavalry would be at the city gates. One hundred thousand troops—that was no small number.

I heard that the King of Liang is personally leading the expedition, with the slogan of "Kill the rebels!"

"Have you seen the rebel king's carriage among the army?" he asked the scout.

The scout bowed his head and said, "General, with thousands of troops, I can only scout nearby and cannot find an opportunity to investigate further."

Qi Tian remained silent, then raised his hand. "Pass down the order: get ready!"

Suddenly, several rows of large red-lacquered drums were struck at the inner corner of the city gate.

"dong dong dong"

The rapid drumbeats heightened the tension.

On the north gate, on the wide city wall, banners fluttered, and messengers rode swiftly on horseback to deliver orders.

"The general has given the order!"

"The enemy is still nine hundred li away!"

"Everyone, perk up and get ready!"

As the order was relayed, the sound spread across the city walls with the beat of the drums.

On the city wall, the deep clatter of armor rose up. The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, the patterns on their spear shafts and swords gleaming from the rain, and their breathing gradually became rapid.

At the same time, a loud "buzzing" sound rang out.

The city walls began to tremble, and a layer of eerie blue light spread from the walls, shooting upwards and tearing through the leaden clouds in the sky. The city's protective array was activated, blocking the rain.

Preparations for the great battle were gradually being completed.

About half a cup of tea's time later, Wei Zhong, the General of Tianxiong Pass who was guarding the inner city, came to report from below the city gate tower.

"General, General Chen has sent a message through the sacred tree!"

Qi Tian heard that it was a letter from Chen Yuan, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed. He thought of what Gongsun Yang had said before he came, that seeing Tianxiong Pass really allowed him to directly contact Chen Yuan, and the tension in his heart eased a lot. "Read it!"

"General Chen mentioned two things in his letter!"

"Firstly, Huo Zhen, a general of Northern Liang, has led his troops in a defection and may head north. We remind the general to be on guard to avoid being attacked from both sides!"

"Secondly, we should send scouts to investigate whether any new faces have appeared in Xiao Zhongtian's army, or whether there are any unusual troop movements in other directions besides Yinping Road?"

Upon hearing this, the officials of the Daofu Division changed color in shock. Had the general of Beiliang also betrayed them?
They were unaware of the inside story; only Qi Tian, ​​being of high rank, knew some details, but even he frowned.

With Huo Zhen's defection, wouldn't all the troops of Northern Liang lose the control of the imperial court?

However, Qi Tian quickly focused his attention on the second point. The second point meant that Chen Yuan felt the rebel king dared to press against Tianxiong Pass because he had a new ally, or perhaps there was another meaning behind it: this was just a decoy, and their real target was not Tianxiong Pass!
Qi Tian knew that Chen Yuan's high position meant he wasn't speaking without reason, and he began to take him seriously.

"Pass my orders!"

"Send more men out of the city to scout and do everything in our power to find out information about the invading Northern Liang army and whether their commander is the King of Liang!"

"We will also divide our forces into several routes to see if Beiliang has any other troops moving around."

"Yes!"

Soon after, a series of howls rang out from the north city wall, and streaks of silver light flew out from the wall, breaking through the rain curtain. The cold, gleaming iron armor was quickly swallowed up by the wind and rain, a vast expanse filled with a sense of desolation and the unknown.

Not long after, a scout turned back.

"Report!"

"The Northern Liang army has halted!" (End of Chapter)