Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

April 10th!

A cavalry unit of nearly four hundred men passed through Pingcheng Pass and headed north.

After passing through Pingcheng Pass, the towering mountains and ridges in front of us disappeared instantly, and the boundless plains stretched to the horizon.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, it seemed as if heaven and earth were connected.

Due to the long journey, the armor of the four hundred Han cavalrymen was covered with a layer of yellow dust.

Each person's face was covered with a black cloth to protect them from the sand, revealing only their sharp eyes.

Zhang Xun, carrying a long spear in one hand, led the procession at the head of the column, accompanied by two village chiefs.

In the middle of the procession was a white warhorse, on which rode a middle-aged man completely shrouded in a black robe.

He was surrounded by nearly a hundred elite cavalrymen.

Further on, two more garrison leaders led over a hundred cavalrymen.

"Commander, we've been heading north all this way... We've already passed Pingcheng Pass, why do we still need to go north? If we go any further north, we'll enter the territory of the Xiongnu and Xianbei."

Meng Ji covered his mouth with a black cloth to prevent the north wind from blowing sand into his mouth if he opened it.

Zhang Xun raised his hand to wipe the grit from the corner of his eye, then looked back at the team behind him.

It has been three days since I left the Yin Guan.

At the beginning, there were about a hundred horse-drawn carriages in the procession.

However, after reaching Pingcheng Pass, the hundred or so carriages turned east and headed along the Sanggan River towards Gaoliu in Dai County.

Zhang Xun was also puzzled.

In the past, when searching the border, we would usually walk to Pingcheng Pass, inspect the Great Wall on both the east and west sides, and then return.

Why is it that this time, after leaving Pingcheng Pass, we still have to head north?

Hearing Meng Ji's words, Zhang Xun raised his hand.

The cavalry behind him immediately spurred his horse forward.

"You wait here, I'll go ask the prefect," Zhang Xun said.

Meng Ji nodded, his eyes filled with anxiety.

His wife was about to give birth.

At this moment, Meng Ji was preoccupied with his wife at home.

Zhang Xun pulled on the reins of his warhorse, then turned and walked towards the middle of the group.

The standard equipment for county soldiers was leather armor and bamboo armor.

But the nearly one hundred riders walking in the middle of the procession were all wearing iron armor.

These were all the personal guards of Prefect Wang Rou, and also the elite cavalry of Yanmen Commandery.

Zhang Xun rode his horse to the middle of the group to the middle-aged man who was completely covered in a black robe.

It was nearing evening, and the north wind was strong.

The middle-aged man riding a white horse pressed the black cloth wrapped around his head.

"My lord," Zhang Xun greeted with a cupped hand.

The man on horseback glanced at Zhang Xun.

Then one of the men following him rode forward and shouted to Zhang Xun, "The Prefect is unwell and unable to speak. What is it, General?"

The middle-aged man speaking was Wang Rou's chief secretary; Zhang Xun could tell just by his voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xun bowed slightly and replied, "Minister Chen, this humble general would like to inquire about the purpose of your trip, sir."

"It's not that I want to know, but my soldiers have some opinions."

"Because he was in such a hurry to leave, he was afraid that his family would worry."

"Please, sir, show us the route to reassure the troops."

It's perfectly normal for Zhang Xun to ask that question.

When troops are deployed abroad, morale is just as important as supplies.

If the soldiers' morale is unstable, their fighting spirit is unusable.

If we fight, we will surely be defeated.

At this point, the group had already passed Pingcheng Pass and could encounter Xiongnu or Xianbei cavalry at any time.

Zhang Xun wasn't afraid, after all, they were all cavalrymen, and they weren't far from Pingcheng Pass.

If you encounter small groups of Xiongnu or Xianbei cavalry, just fight them all.

Even if they encounter a large army of Xiongnu or a large force of Xianbei cavalry, they can retreat to Pingcheng Pass.

The clerk surnamed Chen nodded, then said to Zhang Xun, "Sir, the purpose of this trip was already decided beforehand: to inspect the area outside Pingcheng Pass."

"It is early spring, and the Xiongnu and Xianbei are facing a food shortage. Your Excellency is worried that a large group of Xiongnu or Xianbei cavalry may be gathering outside the pass, waiting for an opportunity to plunder."

"That's why I came here specifically to take a look."

"Don't worry, General. We'll pass by Daqingshan again one more time to take a look at Mo Nan, and then we'll turn back."

Zhang Xun felt relieved after receiving a definite answer.

"Thank you, sir. I will take my leave now."

After riding back to Meng Ji's side, Zhang Xun told Meng Ji the purpose of his trip.

Hearing that they would return after crossing the Daqingshan Mountains, Meng Ji finally felt relieved.

"Thank you, General," Meng Ji said with a smile.

The village head next to Meng Ji chuckled and joked, "This kid's heart has already flown home."

He was just thinking about whether his wife could give him a big, healthy son.

Zhang Xun smiled knowingly and patted Meng Ji on the shoulder, saying, "Don't worry, if there are no special circumstances when we go back, I will ask the prefect for permission to let you return first."

"You'll definitely make it, don't worry."

Meng Ji nodded gratefully: "Thank you, General."

After a brief rest, the team set off again.

...........

The next day.

The four hundred riders who had traveled north from Pingcheng Pass finally arrived at Daqingshan.

If you keep going forward, you'll reach the southern grasslands.

It's approaching evening.

Four hundred riders began to set up camp at the foot of Daqingshan Mountain.

Because they set off in a hurry and the entire force consisted of cavalry, they did not carry any supplies for setting up camp.

Fortunately, it's no longer as cold as it was in March.

Furthermore, the border troops had long since adapted to the harsh and cold environment.

Along the foot of Daqingshan Mountain, dozens of bonfires were lit, and the soldiers gathered around them, eating dry rations and drinking cool water from their water bags to relieve their fatigue.

Zhang Xun sat beside a campfire, the flames crackling and popping in front of him.

Beside him were two platoon leaders and several squad leaders.

In the distance, near the very center of the group, were Wang Rou's elite cavalry guards.

Zhang Xun, having untied the leather pouch from his waist, opened the wooden stopper.

Meng Ji, who was sitting to the side, immediately sniffed.

His eyes lit up instantly.

Zhang Xun smiled slightly, lifted the water pouch, took a big gulp, and then breathed a satisfied and comfortable sigh.

“Marshal, I’d like to have a taste too,” Meng Ji said with a chuckle.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xun threw the water pouch in his hand over.

Meng Ji took it and held it in his arms like a precious treasure, then unscrewed the cap and smelled it with great relish.

The aroma of wine overflows.

Meng Ji smiled and narrowed his eyes.

He then lifted the water pouch and gulped down a large mouthful.

"Have a bite each, to help you relax. When we get back, I'll slaughter a sheep to treat everyone," Zhang Xun said with a smile.

"The military commander is mighty!"

"The general is mighty!"

The soldiers beside the bonfire immediately shouted.

Zhang Xun raised his hand and pressed it down: "Alright, everyone get some rest. Remember to rotate shifts tonight."

"We'll be heading back tomorrow, so we mustn't let our guard down."

"This place is close to the southern Gobi Desert, and the Xiongnu and Xianbei tribes often come here. Protecting the safety of the governor is the purpose of our trip."

Hearing Zhang Xun's words, everyone nodded seriously.

Meng Ji rested his head on his hands, leaning against a tree stump, his eyes closed and the corners of his mouth still curved upwards.

"Lord, if my wife really gives birth to a son, what should we name him?" Meng Ji asked with his eyes closed.

"You?" Another platoon leader chuckled and teased, "What decent name could you possibly come up with? You'd have to rely on our garrison commander."

"That's right, with the military commander here, you don't need to worry about such a small matter."

A group of people joked around the fire as they drifted off to sleep with the setting sun.

However, while almost everyone was gathered around the fire to sleep,

Standing in the very center of the camp, the clerk surnamed Chen kept his eyes wide open, as if waiting for something.