Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 461 Night Raid (Part 1)

At General Situ's command, the number of guards patrolling the imperial camp doubled tonight. Each guard, armed with a sharp blade, tirelessly patrolled inside and outside the camp. Not even a fly could get close, let alone cavalry.

That night, General Situ tossed and turned, unable to sleep, until the fourth watch of the night before he finally managed to close his eyes and fall asleep.

In my sleep, a blaze of fire illuminated the scene. The provisions were burned, and the soldiers in the camp erupted in chaos, drawing their swords and hacking at each other amidst a terrifying commotion. Countless lives were lost, and the firelight and blood mingled together, creating a scene resembling hell.

"General!" Someone pulled and shook him violently. "General, something terrible has happened! The Pei family army has launched a night attack and burned down our camp! The camp is in chaos!"

It wasn't a dream after all!
The firelight was real!
The chaos is real!
The screams and cries I heard were real!
General Situ felt a chill run down his spine. He shoved aside his personal guards, drew his long sword, and rushed out of the central command tent. Surrounding him were his elite personal guards, who were relatively safe. But as far as he could see, many others, fully dressed and armed, were already charging out.

The real chaos was in the northwest corner of the military camp, where provisions were stored.

General Situ's mind went blank for a moment, and he roared, "Last night I issued strict orders for the camp to strengthen its defenses to prevent enemy attacks. How could the grain supplies have been burned?"

A trusted general blurted out, "There's complete chaos right now, we don't even know what's going on! The camp has been blown up, and many soldiers are wildly hacking and slashing at each other. General! It's not wise to make any sudden moves now, otherwise it would be such a shame to die by our own men!"

Another general hurriedly said, "Exactly! It's good that things aren't chaotic here in the central camp. Let's stay put for now and wait until dawn, when the camp is more settled, before discussing our next move!"

An army riot is every commander's nightmare. Perhaps the Imperial Guard is too exhausted from the long march, perhaps the soldiers are unwilling to fight the renowned elite Pei family army, or perhaps it's simply a widespread psychological problem caused by excessive killing. In any case, tonight is going to be a riot!

In this situation, the only option is to remain calm and not allow panic to spread and escalate to an uncontrollable level. The chaos in the northwest corner is best left to fate.

When dawn broke, the soldiers, who were like people in a nightmare, were gradually calmed down and sobered up as the sun shone on them.

General Situ gritted his teeth so hard they almost ground them to powder: "Then let's wait a bit!"

After fighting for more than half a month, the number of soldiers killed and wounded combined does not equal the number tonight!
It's one thing to be defeated by Pei's army, but what's this about your own camp being destroyed?
Could it be that destiny truly favors Pei Qinghe?
The moment this thought crossed his mind, General Situ felt a chill run down his spine and his entire body went cold. He screamed inwardly, "No, absolutely not! How could fate possibly favor a woman?"
This empire originally belonged to the Xie family. He was a loyal minister of two dynasties and the father-in-law of the King of Wei. The King of Wei was burned to death in the palace by the rebel army in Jiangnan. In recent years, he led the imperial guards in a desperate struggle to recapture Luoyang. He even personally beheaded King Qiao, avenging his son-in-law's death. This empire should rightfully be his.

He didn't want to waste a single day. After defeating the rebel army in Jiangnan, he immediately reorganized his troops for a northern expedition, determined to unify the country in one fell swoop.

How could destiny possibly be with Pei Qinghe?

This world should belong to Situ Xi!

General Situ exhaled a deep breath and stared at the chaotic northwest corner.

The fire didn't spread too far; it burned for about half an hour before being extinguished. Immediately afterward, a faint light appeared on the horizon. Soon, a red sun rose from the east, its rays dispelling the darkness.

Its daybreak!
The soldiers, immersed in the frenzied screams of slaughter, were gradually awakened from their chaotic nightmare as the sunlight shone on their faces.

They opened their eyes, staring blankly at the bloody scene around them. Some couldn't bear the shock and fainted. Many more collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

The commotion finally stopped!

Several military officers led their troops over to take stock of the casualties from the night before. The dead were dragged aside, and those still breathing were carried to the wounded soldiers' tents. They also took stock of the burned grain and stables. It took almost half a day to arrive at the exact figures.

One-fifth of the grain and fodder was burned, and about one-tenth of the warhorses in the stables were either frightened away or burned to death. More than two thousand soldiers died at the hands of their comrades in the ensuing commotion. Another thousand or so were left mentally unstable and unlikely to be able to fight again.

This is an extremely large and heartbreakingly terrible number. Just as General Situ had thought, the losses from more than half a month of fighting were not as great as the losses from the surprise attack that destroyed their camp in one night!

"General, are we still sending troops to fight the Pei family army today?"

General Situ's face turned green with rage, and he angrily berated, "What are you talking about? With morale so low and demoralized, how can we send troops out?"

The general, who had been sprayed in the face with spittle, shut his mouth and retreated in annoyance.

General Situ roared again, "Issue my order: a truce today! Everyone, settle down and rest! A truce tomorrow as well! We will not move unless the Pei family army launches an attack!"

……

On the city gate of Mo City, Pei Qinghe gazed intently southward.

At this time, the sun was high in the south, and the heat was intense.

Pei Yun, who was injured, was resting in the city. Mao Hongling, who was looking out from the city gate with Pei Qinghe, said softly, "Judging by the time, Pei Yan and Yang Huai should be back by now."

Pei Qinghe frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "If everything goes smoothly, we should indeed return." After a pause, she sighed, "I was too hasty. The cavalry are exhausted from the long journey and should rest for a few days before fighting again. However, with the Imperial Guard army at our front, if we launch a full-scale attack, our forces will be insufficient and we will be at a disadvantage. To boost morale, we must take a risk first."

The night raid was a last resort. She appeared calm and composed, but in reality, she hadn't slept a wink all night. She arrived at the city gate early this morning and had been waiting for half a day.

It was already noon, and the cavalry battalion still hadn't returned. On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes. Leading troops into battle carries the constant risk of injury or even death.

How could Pei Qinghe not be worried?

Mao Hongling was equally worried about Pei Yan and Yang Huai, and softly comforted them, "This isn't the first time Pei Yan and Yang Huai have led troops in a night raid on the enemy camp. Especially Pei Yan, whom you personally trained. You should know her capabilities best. Even if she didn't achieve much merit last night, she can still protect herself. She will definitely return safely..."

The city gate suddenly trembled slightly.

Pei Qinghe's eyes suddenly lit up.

Mao Hongling quickly realized what was happening and excitedly looked at the dust cloud in the distance: "The cavalry battalion is back!"

The sound of horses' hooves, like muffled thunder, grew clearer and louder.

Pei Qinghe's brows relaxed, her smile as bright as the sun in the sky: "Let's go welcome Pei Yan and Yang Huai!"

(End of this chapter)