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墨書 Inktalez
As Feng Quji followed Governor down the mountain and saw the West Rampart bustling with flags and people, his earlier worries dissipated. The Zhao Army had come with a fierce momentum, and if King Zhao of Qin did not arrive in time, their small force would vanish like smoke at the slightest breeze.
From this, Feng Quji understood why Lu Zigang remained calm despite the overwhelming presence of the Zhao Army. It turned out that their own Tenth Legion had arrived just in time! Although he was unsure why the king did not adopt a more advantageous battle plan, he felt reassured by their numbers.
"My lord! I have yet to meet our king, which makes me quite anxious! I have nothing of significance to present..."
Hearing this as they slowly descended the mountain, Luzi glanced at the numerous flags within the West Rampart and realized that this Centurion had misunderstood. It was not a misunderstanding about meeting King Qin, but rather about the arrival of the Qin Tenth Legion! However, he chose not to clarify and instead said, "It doesn't matter about formal greetings; such customs are not observed in Qin State! As long as you have talent, even if you are just an ordinary citizen, our king will personally come to invite you!"
In fact, even without Luzi saying it, the common people were well aware of the saying that in Qin State, the king valued talent over status. For instance, at that moment, the chancellor of Qin State, Fan Ju, was a living example! With just a few words, he completely impressed King Zhao of Qin, ultimately becoming a highly sought-after figure in Qin State. If one were to consider his status, he was merely a typical commoner!
Every diligent student who studies hard does so not for fame or fortune; their persistence is solely to showcase their talents and prove their existence to the common people. They are all ambitious individuals who would rather starve than accept charity. If they could gain recognition from the sovereign and be entrusted with important responsibilities, it would be a matter of great honor for a lifetime. They would work tirelessly to repay Your Majesty for such recognition.
Thus, there are scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. These individuals are what later generations refer to as scholars. They are a group of people with steadfast beliefs and serve as the backbone of Chinese civilization. A country with loyal ministers is indeed blessed. The loyal ministers who dare to speak truth to power often emerge from among them.
Feng Quji not only studied military texts and martial arts but also immersed himself in literature. Consequently, he naturally identified himself among the scholars. He too had ambitions; he harbored a dream that could not be shared with outsiders: one day, he wished to be welcomed by the sovereign. If he could encounter such a benevolent Your Majesty, even if it meant sacrificing everything, it would be worth it!
"Scoundrel... Scoundrel without name or title, yet a sinner of Qin State..."
Hearing this from someone who could face a thousand troops without batting an eye made Luzi quickly rein in his warhorse. "Brother Feng thinks too much! In our Qin State, there are no eternal enemies! As long as you have contributed to Qin State, everything from before is inconsequential!"
"Mm!" Feng Quji nodded heavily and smiled in response to Governor's reassurance.
Looking at the flags swaying in the wind within the fortification, Luzi raised his hand and pointed toward the stone wall hidden among the dense forest on the opposite hillside. Changing the subject, he said, "General Feng! The slope across from us is the East Wall, while this side is the West Rampart. Come take a look; do you see anything amiss?"
Not right!? What’s not right?
Feng Quji compared the situation repeatedly according to Luzi's finger direction, feeling something was off, and suddenly realized there was definitely something wrong! After comparing again, he couldn't help but gasp in shock.
At this moment, the flags at West Rampart were fluttering, with each flag representing a different unit. This indicated that dozens of armies were stationed within the Fortification. However, there wasn't a single flag at the East Wall; moreover, it was eerily deserted. The construction pattern of the East and West Fortifications was designed to support each other, and this layout was also meant to prevent being trapped by enemy forces.
"That's not right! As far as I know, the Tenth Legion has an establishment of at least One Hundred Thousand! How could they all gather here and abandon the east!? If we get trapped in the city by the incoming Zhao Army, our ambush plan will completely fail!"
Luzi, though equally perplexed, could only nod helplessly. "Let’s go! We can discuss any issues once we return to the Fortification!" With that, he squeezed his legs against the horse's belly and urged it forward.
Seeing the Governor speed up, Feng Quji, filled with doubts, felt it inappropriate to ask further. He took another look at the truly empty East Wall and signaled for the reconnaissance team behind him to catch up.
Inside the Fortification, chaos reigned as numerous Soldiers were using branches to set up scarecrows. They dressed these dummies in Qin Army Military Uniforms and placed them atop the City Wall. Upon seeing General Lu ride in, they all paused their work to salute him.
Finally realizing how harsh reality could be, Feng Quji followed closely behind Luzi. It turned out that all those Soldiers he had seen standing on the city wall from the mountaintop were merely scarecrows! Thus, it became clear that they had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the main force from Qin State in vain.
Dismounting his horse, Luzi handed the reins to a Soldier and led Feng Quji into the enemy command center. He introduced Old General Li Li to Feng Quji before officially convening a pre-battle meeting.
In dealing with matters, one must always be prepared for two outcomes; taking initiative is a hundred times stronger than being passive. According to their original plan, which accounted for worst-case scenarios, Luzi ordered all defending troops to return to West Rampart and spread confusion. They needed to fill the City Wall with their flags and add more scarecrows to create an illusion that the city was already overcrowded.
He informed the Generals that they could not retreat even a step further. To ensure that no Zhao Army soldiers escaped once trapped, the units responsible for finalizing operations were right behind them. If they lost Bastion City, it would be those stationed at Dan Shui River Boundary who would bear the brunt of it.
"Faced with a Zhao Army that can easily construct a bridge over Dan River with just a whip crack, our twenty thousand Qin Army soldiers have no chance against them. What will happen next is clear in everyone's mind!"
The generals present looked at each other and nodded in agreement. The reinforcements led by Zhao Shengjun only needed to cross the Dan Shui River, after which they would appear on the outskirts of the Daliang Mountain encirclement. By then, the Qin Army would be caught in a pincer movement. The entire siege would be thoroughly broken, allowing Zhao Kuo's Army to successfully break through.
Luzi glanced at the generals standing before him. "Since General Li Xin, who went to scout for information, has not returned, we are currently unaware of how many troops Zhao has brought this time. However, just before I returned with General Feng, we saw the Zhao Army. Optimistically estimating, their numbers will not be less than one hundred fifty thousand!"
Nearly one to three hundred!
Upon hearing the ratio of enemy to friendly forces, everyone except Old General Li Li grimaced. But such a small gesture was followed by silence as they all turned their attention to the highest-ranking officer present, the Governor, who had stopped speaking.
Unaware that he had understated the number of Zhao Army's one hundred thousand cavalry, Luzi looked at the generals and said solemnly, "Who are we!? We are the invincible main force of the Qin Army! Let our enemies tremble before us!"
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