Tangli Fried Snow

The frost and snow came particularly late this year, and the grasslands are still lush and green, with lakes of all sizes scattered across them, which spared the soldiers from much suffering.

This fertile land is located at the southernmost tip of the grassland, with a major river running through it. More than a hundred rivers branch off from a water system to irrigate the surrounding grassland. The pasture is lush, and the grass waves everywhere, making it a place where "the wind blows the grass low and cattle and sheep can be seen."

Jin Cheng and his main force were situated on flat terrain with flowing streams and lush forests. Looking down into the distance, they saw a vast wilderness. Only when they looked into the distance did they see the distant mountains shrouded in mist and layered beauty.

The soldiers set off fully equipped, the sun shining brightly, yesterday's cold rain seemed like just a dream.

Teng Jie led his army northwest. Jin Cheng was now his most promising young talent in the army. General Teng was trying to build up his forces everywhere. To show his closeness, he called Jin Cheng to his side, and the two rode side by side, exchanging a few words from time to time.

This Jin Cheng is a remarkable man. He is highly skilled in martial arts, meticulous, and possesses both the charisma of a general and the humility of a lowly soldier. His previous victories were entirely due to his keen observation skills.

Teng Jie asked him with a smile, "Have you ever been to the grasslands?"

Jin Cheng said, "This is my first time here."

Teng Jie exclaimed, "Luckily it's winter now, and the mosquitoes on the grassland are gone. If you came to the grassland in the summer, the mosquitoes would be bigger than bees, and they would suck your blood so much that you wouldn't be able to fly."

"My hands were covered in blood when I slapped my thigh, and I couldn't sleep at night at all," General Teng described vividly.

Jin Cheng felt a chill run down his spine.

Teng Jie asked him, "Jin Cheng, do you know Ying Longhua?"

Jin Cheng smiled and said, "I know, he is Ying Xuanhua's younger brother and the commander of the Mongol army this time."

"General Teng, do you know him? Have you ever fought him?"

Teng Jie sighed, "I have fought him a few times, with some wins and some losses, but I have suffered more defeats than wins. You have never met him, have you? This man is indeed a peerless talent. Whether it is his skills or his magnanimity, he is unparalleled. If we were not currently at war, we would all say that he is one of the top heroes in the world today."

Jin Cheng said in surprise, "He's just a prince. He's good at leading troops into battle, but how come he has such a charismatic personality?"

Teng Jie nodded and said, "Fortunately, he is not yet the Mongol Khan and cannot yet display his grand ambitions. If he had become the Mongol Khan, our Northern Army and Southern Army would have been crushed by his Mongol cavalry. I heard that when he led his army on a westward expedition, he even reached West Asia and Anelia. He was invincible along the way and gained countless riches and territories."

Jin Cheng scoffed, “He’s only fighting foreign barbarians. The people in those places are uncivilized and eat raw meat and drink blood. We don’t even know if they have a regular army. If their cavalry marches south, we’ll make sure they get what’s coming to them.”

Teng Jie said, "We still shouldn't let our guard down. Facts have long proven that all people and countries that underestimate the Mongols have either been wiped out or massacred in the end."

As they were talking, the army arrived at a valley. The mountains and fields on both sides were still in the depths of winter. The valley and trees blocked the cold wind, and the soldiers were warmed by the sun. The coldness disappeared from their bodies, and everyone relaxed. Most of them were talking to each other, and the atmosphere was relaxed.

Jin Cheng and Teng Jie exchanged a few more words, and Teng Jie suddenly felt uneasy. He recalled the scene of being assassinated three years ago.

Their army was about to pass through a narrow valley surrounded by dense forests, which would be a natural trap if anyone were to launch a surprise attack.

They could trap their tens of thousands of troops like turtles in a jar.

Teng Jie frowned and stared ahead. "This entrance is narrow and dangerous. I feel uneasy."

Before Jin Cheng could send men to investigate, a sudden and alarming change occurred: a mournful neighing of a warhorse came from ahead.

The sound of hooves approached. They were only a hundred paces from the valley entrance, but the horses of the scouts ahead were moving slowly. Teng Jie shouted, "Not good! Turn around immediately!"

Jin Cheng also saw clearly that the horse had run back on its own, but the rider was no longer there.

Screams echoed faintly, and everyone's expression changed. Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves thundered through the valley, followed by a charge of countless enemies. Each of them was a valiant and skilled Mongol warrior, armed with crossbows, their bowstrings drawn taut. The sound of arrows cutting through the air filled the air as they covered a hundred meters in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the powerful crossbows were upon them. Dozens of men in front were caught off guard and fell from their horses, struck by arrows. At the same time, horns resounded through the valley, and countless burly men emerged from the dense forests on both sides. They were all ferocious Mongols.

The Mongols' arrows were incredibly powerful, and they had the initiative. Before their soldiers could even react, countless were killed or wounded, and chaos ensued.

Several skilled men were still in the tree, wielding bows and arrows to reap lives.

In the chaos, Jin Cheng reacted swiftly, ducking to avoid two powerful crossbows and quickly grabbing his shield to block the enemy's attack from above.

Jin Cheng shouted, tucked his feet into the horse's back, and with a burst of strength, lunged at General Teng in front of him, landing together in the grass beside him. He then raised his shield to block several powerful arrows shot from the sky. General Teng reacted quickly, drawing his sword the moment he landed, protecting Jin Cheng, and engaging in a fierce battle with the enemies around him.

Shouts of battle echoed all around, and all that could be seen were burly men.

Jin Cheng's personal guards were all sent to him by Jin Yan. Ever since he was captured by Duan Jingyu last time, Jin Yan sent him twelve guards in one go. Each of them was highly skilled in martial arts and had been through countless battles. After dodging the first wave of attacks, they quickly recovered and formed a fan shape to protect the two people in the middle.

The most formidable among them was Hu Sihai, whom his father had sent to protect him. Hu Sihai rushed to Jin Cheng's side to protect him closely. Jin Cheng drew his longsword, and two people were instantly cut down. He was young and vigorous, and seemed to have inexhaustible strength. Wherever he went, he was invincible.

Teng Jie and several skilled fighters cut down the enemies who were close by, but those around them continued to fall one by one. The enemies in the trees were like divine archers, reaping lives with every arrow.

Jin Cheng immediately ordered several strong archers to shoot down some of the archers in the big tree, and the battle was temporarily brought under control.

The soldiers on the ground fought fiercely for a full quarter of an hour. Everyone was covered in blood, panting heavily, and several had suffered serious knife wounds. Hu Sihai had also been shot in the shoulder with an arrow. Everyone was just struggling to hold on.

Teng Jie and Jin Cheng fought relentlessly against the enemy, and the situation was extremely dangerous.