Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

After dinner, the Fourth Prince discussed the details of various matters with Li Jing. As the sun set and night fell, the Fourth Prince left the camp. With Li Jing's respectful farewell, the Fourth Prince set out on his journey home to the Protectorate.

At this moment, one of Li Jing's men, Shi Lei, panted heavily and asked with a puzzled look on his face, "Are we really going to war with the Xiongnu?" Upon hearing this, Li Jing tilted his head slightly and glanced at Shi Lei. His resolute face was expressionless. He replied coldly, "Of course it's fake." With that, he turned and strode away.

Seeing the Marquis gradually walk away, the other men swarmed towards Shi Lei. One of them even grabbed Shi Lei without hesitation, wrestling with him and scolding him, "You fool! There's no such thing as falsehood in war! How dare you ask such a tricky question of the Marquis! If the Marquis didn't know your straightforward and inflexible nature, I'm afraid I would have spanked you to pieces long ago!"

Shi Lei was surrounded by the crowd, but he remained steadfast, constantly defending himself, "Isn't it just that I wasn't mentally prepared? Who knows if this fight is real or just a sham? Seeing you all so nervous, as if you were facing a formidable enemy, I thought it was just like usual, just a little defensive preparation and a minor skirmish!"

Upon hearing this, the rage within the crowd intensified, their eyes widening in anger, their hands rubbing with anticipation as they rushed forward. In an instant, the person who had infuriated the crowd was tightly surrounded by the surging crowd and mercilessly pinned to the cold, hard ground.

This seemingly intense scene was actually just a childish brawl. People exchanged blows, but none of them used full force, more like a group of innocent children arguing over a disagreement. This kind of scene is so common in this area, it's become a unique part of daily life.

You know, for these tough soldiers, when disagreements arise, a direct exchange of blows seems to be the accepted way to resolve them. After all, in this environment where strength reigns supreme, whoever has the strongest fists and the most effective in the fight holds the ultimate say and persuasive power. They are all men of steel, and daily brawling is commonplace, not only strengthening their bodies but also deepening the deep bonds of camaraderie.

Li Jing stood at a distance, taking in all this. Although she could clearly hear the clamor and sounds of fighting behind her, she made no move to stop the soldiers, who were unleashing their full energy. In her view, if a soldier lacked even the basics of temper and physical fitness, how could he truly be considered a qualified soldier? So, she chose to let them run wild. While others might see this as overly permissive, only those who experienced it understood the profound meaning of this "indulgence"—it not only provided the soldiers with ample training but also unknowingly brought them closer together.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the clouds onto the military camp, casting a faint golden glow across the grounds. Clad in exquisite armor, Li Jing stood before the main tent with a dashing presence. With a determined, sharp gaze, she commanded the guards around her to quickly gather the elite officers from various departments and the generals for this crucial meeting.

Soon, everyone rushed into the tent. Li Jing looked around and saw that everyone was present. She said, "You are all the pillars of our army. I have gathered you here today to discuss the strategic plan of defense." Then, she gestured to her deputy general to unfold a detailed military map before the group.

Pointing to the various fortress locations on the map, Li Jing continued, "First, we need to deploy elite troops at these key fortresses and equip them with heavy weapons. For example, the powerful large crossbows can inflict heavy damage to the enemy from a distance. And the rolling logs and rocks can effectively block the enemy's attack, turning it into an insurmountable barrier. This way, we can greatly strengthen the stability of our defense line."

Li Jing then emphasized the importance of intelligence work: "In addition to direct military deployments, intelligence is also crucial to victory. To this end, we need to build a multi-dimensional intelligence network. First, we need to train a group of professional scouts. They must not only be proficient in various camouflage techniques, but also skilled in tracking, able to penetrate deep into enemy territory and quietly gather accurate military intelligence. Second, we must establish deep relationships of trust with residents in border areas, encouraging them to actively report any suspicious signs to us. Furthermore, those merchants who frequently travel across the border can be developed into our eyes and ears, providing us with valuable information."

Finally, Li Jing emphasized the role of psychological warfare: "In war, psychological factors often have unexpected effects. We can spread false information through caravans and messengers to confuse the enemy and lower their vigilance. At the same time, we must vigorously publicize the strength of our military to psychologically intimidate potential invaders. Only in this way can we be invincible in the coming war!"

After Li Jing finished his strategic plan with a solemn expression, he slowly turned and cast a sharp gaze at Shi Lei and his deputy, Jiang Ye. He spoke in a steady and resolute voice, "Shi Lei, Jiang Ye, this mission is crucial! I need you to carefully select a group of elite cavalry from the army and establish a comprehensive rotation system. This will ensure that our troops maintain high combat effectiveness, enabling them to strike quickly at critical moments and deliver a fatal blow to the enemy."

Li Jing paused briefly before continuing, "We must fully utilize the cavalry's advantage in speed and adopt a strategy of using speed to defeat slow forces. Once we discover a flaw in the enemy's rearguard or lootable supplies, we must decisively attack and disrupt their formation. At the same time, we must also pay attention to our own safety and not linger in the fight."

Li Jing then turned his attention to the infantry. He said seriously, "We can't neglect the infantry either. We must strengthen their training and make them proficient in various tactical combinations. For example, the Bagua Formation and the Mandarin Duck Formation. These formations have unique functions and can support each other on the battlefield, forming a solid line of defense to withstand the enemy's sharp attacks."

At this point, a fierce look flashed in Li Jing's eyes. "Besides this, we must also implement a series of measures to deplete the enemy's resources. First, we must burn the land and clear the fields. Before retreating, we must completely destroy all usable resources in the surrounding area, including farmland, houses, and so on, leaving nothing useful for the enemy, making it extremely difficult for them to resupply. Secondly, we must establish a food blockade and cut off the enemy's food and fodder transportation routes. To this end, we must dispatch light cavalry to continuously harass the enemy's transport lines, minimizing their food supply and forcing the enemy to fight for a long time due to lack of supplies."

After Li Jing had carefully instructed all matters, his subordinates hurriedly took the order and left, and began to prepare the subsequent work arrangements and implement them.

At this moment, Li Jing stood alone on the empty and desolate battlefield, gazing at the vast, desolate scene before him. An endless sense of sadness welled up in his heart. When will this war ever end? He couldn't help but wonder.

Having spent years on the battlefield, Li Jing understood the hardships and difficulties of military service. Yet, high-ranking officials and royal relatives enjoyed the peace and tranquility earned through the blood and sweat of ordinary people and soldiers. Furthermore, they often accused the army of being useless, which was absurd! Without the bloody battles of these brave soldiers and the hard work of the common people to grow food, how could they have such a privileged and prosperous life?

These people spent their days in debauchery, squandering money, enjoying the fruits of the people's labor, while in turn slandering and abusing the common people and the army. Every time Li Jing thought of this, he felt indignant and wanted to just let it go, plunging the world into chaos. Then, he would let the high-ranking dandies and idle nobles experience the hardships of the people at the bottom of society. But in the end, Li Jing, a kind and compassionate man, could not bring himself to take such an extreme action. After all, if the world were in chaos, the innocent people would suffer the most.

Li Jing sat alone in the large tent, his eyes wandering, his mind racing like a wild horse. Meanwhile, outside the tent, a different scene unfolded: the soldiers were bustling with activity, a scene of frantic activity. Some were meticulously cleaning and preparing their weapons, ensuring they would be at their most effective in battle; others were rapidly gathering and rehearsing complex battle formations in an open field. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, their chants deafening.

A cacophony of noises mingled, constantly filtering into the tent. Amidst this clamor, Li Jing's wandering thoughts were suddenly brought back to reality. He suddenly realized that he couldn't remain so pessimistic. As the commander of this army, he shouldered an immense responsibility. He had to lead these brave and fearless soldiers to protect the countless civilians and their families.

Although the army is currently short of supplies and everyone is struggling to get enough food, we must not allow these soldiers to lose their lives to those brutal and hateful enemies, nor destroy their deep-seated longing and desire for a peaceful life. No matter how difficult the days, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we must grit our teeth and persevere, resolutely defending this hard-earned peace.