Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Inside the tent, the atmosphere quieted down.

Gongsun Yi's eyes narrowed slightly as he weighed the pros and cons.

Especially considering the slow depletion of morale caused by continuing to passively deal with the harassment, and the strategic consideration of heading north to support the Tang state, the hesitation in his eyes was gradually replaced by decisiveness.

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over the generals under his command.

Finally, the gaze settled on the eager, bald man's body, and a deep, resolute command was given:

"Alright! Let's proceed with this plan!"

"The bald-headed one obeys!"

"Your subordinate is here!" The bald man was greatly encouraged and stepped forward.

"I order you to immediately muster the 30,000 most elite cavalrymen of the headquarters! Remove unnecessary baggage and carry only five days' rations, essential arrows, and simple siege equipment."

"Let the men and horses eat their fill, rest well, and recharge their energy!"

Gongsun Yi walked to the map and traced a winding route with his finger:

"At midnight tonight, depart from the hidden exit on the west side of the main camp, bypass the main front of Youzhou and the areas where the Chu army may be lying in ambush or patrolling, take the route through the northwest wilderness, then turn southeast and head straight for Jicheng!"

"When marching, we must be discreet. Scouts should be sent fifty li ahead. If we encounter a small group of enemy, we should avoid them if possible. If we cannot avoid them, we should annihilate them quickly. We must never entangle them or reveal the whereabouts of the main army!"

He stared at the bald man, his tone becoming more serious: "Your mission is not necessarily to conquer Ji City, but to arrive at the city gates with overwhelming force, launch a fierce siege, and create maximum panic and pressure!"

"We must make sure the alarm fires of Jicheng reach the walls of Youzhou! We must force Chu Xuan to come to his aid!"

"To the rest of the units," Gongsun Yi turned to the other generals, "from today onwards, the main camp shall be on high alert to prevent the Chu army from launching a large-scale attack while we are dividing our forces."

"At the same time, each battalion dispatched more scouts to conduct reconnaissance and eliminate any possible Youzhou cavalry raids."

"Make it appear that our main force is still intact and is even more actively searching and suppressing, to mislead the Chu army and cover the actions of Tuoba Hun's tribe!"

"A bald head? You think you can do that?"

The bald man straightened his chest and said in a voice like muffled thunder, "General, rest assured!"

"This humble general will certainly live up to your trust! I will make that city of Ji witness the might of my Scorpion Clan's iron cavalry! I will make that Chu Xuan unable to eat or sleep in peace!"

"Go! Depart promptly at midnight tonight!" Gongsun Yi waved his hand.

"As ordered!"

Bald Hun excitedly clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, turned around and strode out of the tent to begin intensive preparations.

A long-range raid aimed at turning the tide of the war on the northern front and penetrating deep into the heart of Youzhou was thus decided.

The cover of night will be the best concealment for this force of 30,000 cavalry.

As midnight approached, a secluded gate on the west side of the Black Stone Fortress camp, originally used for transporting supplies, was quietly opened.

The heavy door hinges were coated with a lot of grease, and when opened, they made only a very slight creaking sound, which was instantly drowned out by the howling north wind.

Outside the camp gate lay boundless darkness and a silent wilderness.

The cold wind was like a knife, swirling up the fine snow and withered grass on the ground, making a strange howling sound.

The sky was moonless, with only a few cold stars occasionally twinkling through the gaps in the thick clouds, providing extremely faint light.

The bald man was already fully armored and held a heavy spiked club, standing beside an exceptionally fine black horse.

Behind him was a dense array of cavalrymen, almost blending into the night.

The entire force consisted of 30,000 elite soldiers, all clad in dark leather armor or iron armor dyed in a dark color. Their warhorses had gags in their mouths and their hooves were wrapped in thick cloth to minimize noise.

The soldiers had solemn faces, their eyes reflecting suppressed excitement and endurance of the bitter cold.

They did not carry torches; only a very few officers held faint, extinguished lanterns covered with thick cloth, used for minimal communication.

The ranks were eerily silent; apart from the sound of the wind and the occasional pawing of the horses' hooves, there was almost no other noise.

All unnecessary metal parts are secured or wrapped to prevent impact damage.

This is an army meticulously prepared for covert marches.

The bald man turned around and took one last look at the camp, where a few lights were still lit, seemingly no different from usual, before suddenly waving his hand.

There were no rousing bugle calls, no earth-shaking war drums.

Only brief, hushed commands from officers at all levels were rapidly transmitted through gestures and whispers.

"set off!"

Bald-haired Hun took the lead, like a ghost blending into the night, urging his black horse out of the camp gate.

Immediately afterwards, the 30,000 iron cavalry, like a silent yet surging black current, began to slowly writhe, then gradually accelerated, merging into the boundless darkness outside the camp.

Their route was carefully chosen.

They avoided the main official roads leading to Youzhou and the mountain passes where Chu troops might have sent out observation posts, instead taking desolate grasslands, dry riverbeds, and sparsely populated hilly valleys.

The scouts, like the most vigilant night owls, had already ventured twenty miles ahead, constantly relaying back information about the terrain and potential obstacles ahead.

The group marched in a tight column, maintaining precise distances between each other.

The horses' hooves, wrapped in thick cloth, pounded on the frozen ground and snow, making a dull, repetitive "thump-thump" sound that was mostly drowned out by the wind.

Only when you get close can you feel the vibration, like muffled thunder from the ground.

The cold wind was biting, and it felt like a knife cutting into my face.

The soldiers wrapped themselves tightly in their fur coats and scarves, leaving only their eyes showing, and followed closely behind their comrades.

The white breath exhaled by the warhorse instantly condensed into frost, clinging to its mane and armor.

This is a severe test of willpower and endurance.

But the nomadic people's inherent adaptability to the cold and their familiarity with raiding warfare allowed them to silently endure all of this.

Many people even take this opportunity to take turns resting on horseback to recover their strength.

The column, like a giant, silent arrow, shot resolutely towards the southeast under the cover of night.

If they encounter scattered villages or herder camps along the way, the scouts will detour or control them in advance to ensure that no one can send messages out.

Between heaven and earth, it seemed as if only this massive army, lurking in the darkness, and the ceaseless north wind remained.

Time passed in the silent yet swift march.

A faint glimmer of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, and the darkness began to recede.

The bald man looked up at the sky, estimated the distance and speed, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

He gave the order for the troops to slow down temporarily and take a short rest.

The soldiers took the opportunity to feed their warhorses some beans and water, and also nibbled on some frozen jerky and milk curds to loosen their almost frozen hands and feet.

No one started a fire, and no one made a loud noise.

After resting for less than fifteen minutes, Bald Hun ordered the troops to set off again.

As dawn broke, the morning mist began to rise, enveloping the wilderness and providing them with another layer of cover.

The team increased their speed again and launched a final sprint toward their ultimate goal—Jicheng.