The Young Swordsman of Dalu

When the various tribes of the Western Regions invaded the northeastern border, Yin Shuo, as the first general of the border garrison, immediately issued an order to protect the safety of the border people at all costs. The soldiers were also full of enthusiasm, but they couldn't stop a useless teammate. The vanguard officer Niu Duo was so frightened by the overwhelming Western Regions army that he abandoned his armor and weapons, and the important border area was handed over to the Western Regions army.

The border people lost their protective barrier, and the Western Regions army persecuted the unarmed civilians. The people fled at the first sign of trouble, and those who did not escape were seized by various tribes in the Western Regions and enslaved. Therefore, the border people were very disappointed with the Northeast Border Army.

In a fit of rage, Yin Shuo beheaded Niu Duo. He then reorganized his troops and launched several large-scale operations against the Western Regions army. Without reinforcements, his troops were being worn down day by day, and he was losing more and more territory. Pingcheng, the garrison on the northeastern border, had already fallen. The Western Regions army was about to take advantage of the situation to move south. Yin Shuo decided to lead five hundred soldiers in a desperate fight.

In the canyon south of Pingcheng, Yin Shuo and his five hundred soldiers hid, quietly waiting for the second half of the night to arrive. In front of them, the lights in the tents of the Western Region army slowly dimmed, with only patrol squads walking back and forth outside the tents.

Yin Shuo closed his eyes and leaned against the valley floor. At this moment, his subordinate walked up to him and said softly, "General, it's time."

Yin Shuo immediately opened his eyes and stood up. Everyone gathered around him. Yin Shuo gave the order to advance, and under the cover of night, the five hundred soldiers quickly arrived at the outer perimeter of the Western Regions army's tents. Yin Shuo gestured for them to split up, and the five hundred soldiers divided into five squads, each attacking in a different direction. They quietly set the tents on fire, and with the help of the northeast wind, the fire gradually grew larger. The patrolling soldiers shouted, "Fire!"

Yin Shuo led his soldiers to kill the Western Regions patrol team. The fire burned brighter and brighter, and many people were awakened by the smoke. They hurriedly came out of the tent and became victims of the Lu soldiers' swords.

Yin Shuo knew that it was futile for his five hundred men to fight against a two hundred thousand-strong army from the Western Regions. He knew that it was best to withdraw when things were going well.

Yin Shuo gave the signal to retreat, and the five small detachments withdrew into the valley from different directions.

Yin Shuo's first task was to have each detachment report their numbers. This raid on the Western Regions army had resulted in the loss of more than fifty soldiers, leaving more than four hundred. Yin Shuo knew that he had to minimize the number of soldiers killed and wait for the arrival of the imperial reinforcements.

In Yulu City, Wei Qiao, as the vanguard of the army, was ready to depart. Zhou Muyao and his son Zhou Shiyao led the ministers of the Great Lu Kingdom to personally see the army off outside Yulu City.

Wei Qiao led his army toward the northeastern border. Zhou Muyao and his son climbed the city wall and watched the army depart. Zhou Muyao said, "The Crown Prince's vanguard has already set off, but we still haven't chosen a commander-in-chief to lead the thousands of troops. This makes me very anxious!"

“Father! Your Majesty, I have already visited the Dowager Consort at Prince Wen’s residence. Her condition has improved considerably, and Prince Wen will be able to attend court soon,” Zhou Shiyao said.

“It is truly lamentable that my great Lu Kingdom does not have a Grand Marshal of the Army who can command respect throughout the world!” Zhou Muyao said.

"Father, please calm down!" Zhou Shiyao comforted him.

“Our Great Lu Kingdom has come to this state, alas!” Zhou Muyao said regretfully.

Before his death, the late emperor instructed Zhou Muyao that the Great Lu Kingdom had a superior geographical location, and the various tribes in the Western Regions and the northern desert tribes coveted it. The Great Lu Kingdom should be prepared to fight them at any time. As the ruler of the Great Lu Kingdom, he must have a sense of crisis and pay attention to both civil and military affairs, and not neglect one aspect for the other.

Zhou Muyao never liked governing the country by force, especially after seeing his younger brother Zhou Moyao's arrogant attitude, which made him even more dislike military generals. After he ascended the throne, he deliberately neglected the military generals in the court. In his eyes, civil officials were the treasures for governing the country and making a fortune. Many military generals in the court were idle for many years and eventually had no choice but to retire and go back to their hometowns to farm.

It's true that you only realize how few people you have when you need them most. Now that war has broken out, it's surprising to find that there are very few people in the court who can lead troops into battle.

Zhou Muyao thought of Li Chaoyang again, and he was very annoyed. The late emperor had once instructed him to keep a distance from Li Chaoyang, not to push him aside all at once and then pull him back when he needed him. That would not win people's hearts.

Last time, during the crisis in the northern frontier, Li Chaoyang returned to the battlefield and led the army into battle. Zhou Muyao was worried that Li Chaoyang would take the opportunity to seize military power. Unexpectedly, as soon as Li Chaoyang returned to the capital, he handed over the military seal to him. This made Zhou Muyao feel ashamed, as he had underestimated Li Chaoyang.

In this crisis, Zhou Muyao really had no face to ask Li Chaoyang to do anything for the court again. In front of Li Chaoyang, he always felt that he was too insignificant, and sometimes he felt that he was not worthy to be the king of the Great Lu Kingdom.

A message was circulating throughout Wenxian Pavilion: the Northern Desert had begun its attack on the Great Lu Kingdom, and the Northern Desert army had already led various tribes from the Western Regions across the northeastern border of Great Lu and past Pingcheng.

The number one swordsman of the northern desert wandered around Wenxian Pavilion for several days without anyone paying attention to him. When he took the initiative to challenge people to a duel, they acted as if he didn't exist.

Upon hearing the news of the Northern Desert army's attack on the border of the Great Lu Kingdom, the number one swordsman of the Northern Desert felt a surge of pleasure. He boasted loudly in the Wenxian Pavilion, "The dignified Wenxian Pavilion is nothing more than this! Our Northern Desert army will soon be at your doorstep. Just wait for me, the number one swordsman of the Northern Desert, to humiliate you again! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Some hot-blooded young men in Wenxian Pavilion couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to go out and have a match with the number one swordsman in the northern desert, but they were stopped by the older men.

"Master! The number one swordsman of the Northern Desert has gone down the mountain!" the boy reported as he entered.

"Send someone to follow him and see who he contacts and where he goes next," Li Chaoyang said.

"Old Pavilion Master, a letter from Prime Minister Yun of the court to you."

Li Chaoyang took the letter and immediately opened it. In the letter, Yunze wrote down the current situation in the court and mentioned the Emperor's conflicted feelings of wanting to see him but being too embarrassed. Li Chaoyang couldn't help but find it a little funny. The Emperor was actually embarrassed to see him; it seemed that His Majesty also felt he had been a bit too harsh on Li Chaoyang.

"Back then, I followed the late emperor in his campaigns, all for the sake of a powerful nation that could protect its people and ensure their peaceful lives. Now that the late emperor has been gone for many years, my original intention remains unchanged. As a citizen of the Great Lu Kingdom, I am still willing to dedicate everything for the Great Lu Kingdom. Why doesn't Your Majesty understand my good intentions?" Li Chaoyang muttered to himself.

“The court is currently lacking a marshal to lead the troops. Who do you think is suitable?” Nangong Xun asked.

"Now we can only choose a general from among the lame," Li Chaoyang said helplessly.

"Does the mighty Lu Kingdom not have a single person capable of leading troops into battle? Who are you referring to?" Nangong Xun asked.

"It can only be him," Li Chaoyang said.