Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 286 The Fourth Prince's Perfect Plan
Although the Northern Di had often harassed the border in the past, they had never invaded the territory of the Great Zhou on such a large scale.

Zhao Wenguang recalled the battles with the Northern Di over the years and had never seen an attack of this magnitude. The barbarians had always fought small battles, robbing and running away, but this time they suddenly came out in full force.

The border defenders were caught off guard.

Under such circumstances, His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince actually made some arrangements in advance...

Zhao Wenguang's eyes were full of disbelief. He looked Chu Shizhao up and down as if he was meeting this prince for the first time.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that this method is worthy of being called supernatural, right?

It was simply too unbelievable. Zhao Wenguang touched his nose unconsciously, but anyone who heard such news would probably find it difficult to remain calm.

In the past, Zhao Wenguang would definitely not believe it. But thinking about what Chu Shizhao did after the Northern Di army approached.

From calmly leading more than a hundred Ice Wolf Riders to harass the enemy camp with ease, to cleverly arranging defensive fortifications, to today's abnormal military orders... everything is explained.

There is really no more reasonable explanation except that there is an undercover agent there, and a very high-ranking one at that.

Zhao Wenguang's frown gradually relaxed, and his tense shoulders also relaxed. Since His Highness had already made arrangements, what did he, as a subordinate, have to worry about?
This blind trust is built up through victory after victory.

After accepting this, Zhao Wenguang still had one question that was not resolved: "But Your Highness, the Northern Di will not attack the city, wouldn't it be more convenient for us to repair the city wall as soon as possible?"

Worry appeared in his eyes again. As a defender, seeing the city wall damaged and unrepaired was more painful than cutting his flesh.

Chu Shizhao had a smile on his face that showed he had calculated everything. It seemed that the only thing between him and Zhuge Kongming was a folding fan.
He adjusted his sleeves slowly and leisurely, this graceful and calm movement formed a sharp contrast with the tense atmosphere of war preparedness outside. It seemed that everything was under control, even time was slowing down for him.

"The reason why I don't let you repair the city wall is because I can use it. Come closer..." Chu Shizhao waved his hand, with a cunning look in his eyes.

Zhao Wenguang looked at Huo Qinghuang and Li Batian in confusion. Huo Qinghuang obviously knew His Highness's plan, and was looking at him with a half-smile, as if expecting his reaction.

There was a mischievous gleam in her beautiful almond-shaped eyes, and her red lips were slightly raised. She was obviously enjoying seeing Zhao Wenguang's confused look.

As for Li Batian, he didn't care about this kind of thing at all. This burly man was concentrating on wiping his saber, his thick arms were muscular and knotted.

For him, His Highness's orders did not need to be understood, only executed.

Zhao Wenguang leaned over suspiciously, and Chu Shizhao whispered something in his ear.

Just one sentence made Zhao Wenguang's pupils shrink suddenly, and then a look of ecstasy appeared on his face.

His mouth was open wide enough to fit an egg in. His young face first showed shock, then disbelief, and finally ecstasy. He was so excited that he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Your Highness... So... So that's how it is, I..." Zhao Wenguang was so excited that he couldn't even utter a complete sentence. His throat seemed to be blocked by something, and his voice became sharp and thin.

The hand holding the sword was shaking uncontrollably.

No wonder, it now makes sense, those seemingly ridiculous arrangements now have a perfect explanation.

His gaze involuntarily turned to the damaged part of the city wall, and the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably.

As expected of His Highness, he treated the 100,000 invincible Northern Di cavalry as fools. Zhao Wenguang thought of the Northern Di people's arrogant look and couldn't help but sneer in his heart. Those barbarians probably never dreamed that they were walking step by step towards a carefully designed dead end.
Once the Northern Di cavalry fell into the trap, even if they were not completely wiped out, they would definitely suffer heavy losses.

Just imagining the scene of their defeat made Zhao Wenguang's blood boil.

At that time, even if Xueyuan Pass was really lost, it would not be a big deal.

Thousands of words finally came together into one sentence: "Your Highness...mighty!"

Zhao Wenguang knelt on one knee and saluted with his fists clasped. His voice trembled with excitement, and his eyes flashed with almost fanatical admiration.

At this moment, Zhao Wenguang felt that no adjective could describe the shrewdness of the Fourth Prince... No! It should be called foresight.

Chu Shizhao was annoyed and kicked Zhao Wenguang lightly on the skirt armor: "It's no use to flatter me, get back to work."

The kick was very light. There was a helpless smile on Chu Shizhao's lips, but there was a bit of relief in his eyes.

"By the way, this matter must be kept secret and you must not tell anyone. Otherwise, I will skin you alive." Chu Shizhao's tone suddenly turned cold and his eyes were as sharp as a knife.

After being scolded, Zhao Wenguang not only did not complain at all, but instead felt as happy as if he had eaten honey.

The corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise, his eyes were shining, just like a child who got candy.

He cherishes this feeling of being trusted more than any reward.

His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, even such an important secret was told to him, what does this mean?
This means that His Highness has truly regarded him as one of his own. A warm current surged in Zhao Wenguang's heart, and his fingers tightly grasped the hilt of his sword. The coolness of the metal came through his gloves, but he couldn't suppress the excitement in his heart.

Moreover, His Highness trusted him so much that he even told him this shocking secret...

You know, such important information, once leaked, could affect the outcome of a war.

Zhao Wenguang was well aware of the importance of this secret. If it was discovered by the Northern Di spies, not only would all his previous efforts be wasted, but thousands of soldiers might also die in vain.

If I didn't trust him absolutely, how could I tell him?
Zhao Wenguang's eyes swept over everyone. Huo Qinghuang smiled, and Li Batian was concentrating on wiping his knife. Obviously, even Li Batian didn't know the secret completely.

This special trust made him feel both fearful and proud, and his back unconsciously straightened.

"Your Highness, please rest assured. Even if I die, I will never reveal a word to anyone. If anyone breaks this oath, let me be cut into pieces by the swords." Zhao Wenguang swore solemnly, his voice deep, powerful and solemn.

His Highness values ​​him so much, how could he let His Highness down?
He would never betray that trust.

Unexpectedly, Chu Shizhao kicked him again in annoyance, this time with greater force, causing Zhao Wenguang's armor to rattle.

"Is your head full of water?" Chu Shizhao's voice was somewhat helpless as he rubbed his temple.

"Although this news is important, in my heart, it is not as important as your life." Chu Shizhao's voice suddenly softened, and the sharpness in his eyes was replaced by softness.

“If something unexpected happens in the future, and I say if, although this will not happen, the situation on the battlefield is unpredictable, and even I don’t know how the war will turn out in the future.

"But if one day you need to use information like this to exchange for your life, do it without hesitation."

"Remember, this is my order." Chu Shizhao's tone turned serious, staring at Zhao Wenguang's eyes. "Zhao Wenguang, recognize your own value for me." Chu Shizhao suddenly raised his voice and slapped Zhao Wenguang on the shoulder.

"Don't even mention a mere Xueyuan Pass. This prince is willing to exchange ten cities for your life." Chu Shizhao's voice was soft, but every word was sonorous.

This statement was not an exaggeration, but a well-thought-out decision. He looked past Zhao Wenguang and looked at the map in the distance, where the vast mountains and rivers of the Great Zhou were marked.

He said this not to win people's hearts, but he really meant it.

Chu Shizhao's eyes were as clear as spring water, without a trace of pretense.

I have restarted the system countless times. Every simulation made Chu Shizhao realize the value of each general more clearly.

Except for the beginning, when I didn't know about Zhao Wenguang, since then, as long as I made use of this guy, he almost never let me down.

Recalling those simulated scenes, Zhao Wenguang's composure when he was ordered to take charge in times of crisis, his decisiveness in counterattacking in desperate situations, and his brilliant command that turned danger into safety time and time again.

All of them left a deep impression on Chu Shizhao.

In terms of martial arts alone, Zhao Wenguang could not even beat some second-rate generals, let alone compare with Huo Qinghuang and Li Batian, who were brave enough to take the heads of generals in the midst of thousands of troops.

But when it comes to commanding troops, five Li Batians put together are not enough to defeat one Zhao Wenguang.

This guy is absolutely an unparalleled genius in commanding troops. No matter how many soldiers he is given, he can manage them in an orderly manner.

This is what makes Zhao Wenguang so powerful.

Therefore, if Chu Shizhao needed to exchange a few cities for Zhao Wenguang, he would do it without blinking an eye.

This is not a momentary impulse, but the optimal solution that has been verified through countless simulations.

Perhaps this exchange will involve many people.

But with a qualified general like Zhao Wenguang, more people can be saved.

This is not about making a choice, it's just about finding the less bad option between two bad options.

Chu Shizhao sighed and rubbed his temples. The loneliness of being a king is that you must always stay awake and often have to make cold-blooded decisions.

Zhao Wenguang's eyes instantly turned red. This young general who could handle a hundred thousand cavalrymen calmly was now at a loss like a child.

He wanted to say something, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, so he could only nod heavily. His chest under the armor rose and fell violently, and his heart seemed to be about to jump out, letting Chu Shizhao see his loyalty clearly.

Despite His Highness's assurance, Zhao Wenguang also believed in Chu Shizhao's judgment.

However, as a general's habit, he would often worry about whether the Northern Di cavalry would suddenly attack.

This worry was like a thorn in his heart, making him restless. Every half an hour, Zhao Wenguang would go to the city wall for a tour. Otherwise, he couldn't concentrate on anything he did.

Not long after he came down from the city wall, he put down the documents irritably, stood up and walked towards the city wall again.

The personal soldiers behind him exchanged helpless glances and followed silently.

As it turned out, Zhao Wenguang's worries were unnecessary.

As the sun rose higher, the Beidi camp remained dead silent. Even the usual training calls could not be heard, only a few wisps of smoke drifted lazily into the sky.

A whole day passed, and the Northern Di cavalry had hardly moved any troops, let alone attacked the city.

"Could it be that something serious has really happened in Beidi?" Thinking of this possibility, Zhao Wenguang finally breathed a sigh of relief. His shoulders, which had been tense all day, finally relaxed.

"As expected of His Highness, every move of the Northern Di people is under his control." Zhao Wenguang looked towards the direction of the central military tent, his eyes full of admiration.

Thinking of Chu Shizhao's confident look, I now truly understand what it means to plan and win the battle from thousands of miles away.

It was because of this one day's buffer that the soldiers at Xueyuan Pass finally got a rare chance to catch their breath.

Almost everyone, as soon as they lie down, will start snoring within two breaths.

On and below the city walls, soldiers from Xueyuan Pass were fast asleep everywhere.

They were indeed too tired.

Even the Ice Wolf Riders needed a long rest to recover their strength after a series of bloody battles.

From sunrise to sunset, people began to wake up because of hunger.

A young soldier rubbed his rumbling stomach and opened his eyes dazedly. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground. He vaguely thought he had slept through the entire day and night.

Before I even opened my eyes, an extremely tempting fragrance entered my nose.

The sleepy soldiers suddenly became alert. They sniffed hard like cats smelling fish. Some even walked out with their eyes closed, bumping into the door frame, causing a burst of laughter.

But the laughter was soon drowned out by the protests of my stomach.

"Fuck, why does it smell so good? Could it be meat?" An old soldier with a stubble on his face sat up suddenly. He moved so quickly that he pulled his wound. He grimaced in pain but didn't care.

He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten meat, and his mouth was watering just thinking about it.

Thinking of this possibility, the soldiers didn't care about anything else, they all got up and ran towards the direction of the fragrance. Some even put their boots on backwards and tied their belts while running.

In the distance, people can be seen queuing up for food. The cooks in the kitchen are sweating as they stir the big pot, and the thick steam is shining golden in the sunset.

The people in line stretched their necks to look forward, swallowing their saliva. The line moved very slowly because everyone was reluctant to leave after getting their meal and just stood by and wolfed it down.

Seeing today's meal, the soldiers who woke up had their stomachs beating like drums, making deafening sounds. Large pieces of stewed meat were rolling in the pot, and the fat and lean pork belly was shining with tempting oil. In the large wooden barrel next to it was snow-white rice, and there were baskets of hot steamed buns just out of the pot.

This is not military rations, it's a feast only available during the Chinese New Year!
"Don't push! Everyone gets a share! If you don't line up, you'll be punished by military law." The fat cook shouted, waving a big iron spoon.

(End of this chapter)