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A magnificent horse galloped across the vast white snowfield, followed closely by a troop from Zhao. As the cavalry reached a high ground, they pulled on the reins and paused to gaze at the boundless land ahead.
The cold winds of the past no longer felt so biting; with each gentle breeze came a hint of warmth. The heavy snow from the first month of the year had yet to melt, but it could not conceal the impending arrival of spring. Perhaps beneath that thick layer of snow, greenery was already preparing to stretch out its delicate form and embrace the melody of life.
Following the customs of filial piety, Zhao Kuo was still at home. This was his first time riding out on horseback. After months without riding, the inner thighs had begun to feel loose. Although his daily martial arts practice had not ceased, the lack of hardship from a military life had made his once gaunt cheeks appear fuller. The once rugged man, as sharp as a knife, now seemed somewhat plump.
Captain of the Guard Zhao Guangyi rode up beside Zhao Kuo, gazing into the distance at the tall pools of Handan City. Though they had only just left, it felt as if they had been apart for a long time. It was a deep sense of nostalgia, akin to returning home. He took a deep breath, feeling an overwhelming surge of emotions within.
"General! We are finally back!"
Zhao Kuo continued to stare at Handan City, merely nodding in response to his Captain of the Guard's words without answering. Just yesterday morning, after finishing his martial arts practice and before he could even wipe his face, he received a summons from King Zhao.
Even though he had been stationed far behind, he remained concerned about the situation on the front lines. To that end, he had sent someone to find Li Mu, who had just returned from the front lines, but he missed the opportunity to meet him due to Li Mu being quarantined for examination. Fortunately, Sima Shang's personnel were not restricted, allowing him to gather many real and relatively timely pieces of information.
Due to certain reasons and an ideology that only reported good news while suppressing bad news, many battle reports were distorted. This led to domestic announcements often highlighting how Zhao Army achieved victories and how many Qin Army troops were annihilated. However, there was no mention of Zhao Army's casualties in these reports.
Even if the news about annihilating Qin Army were true, there must be significant exaggeration involved. Without discussing how much Zhao Army paid in terms of casualties, even the figures regarding Qin Army's losses were questionable.
Zhao Kuo had spent some time on the front lines and knew how battles were fought under Commander Lian Po's leadership. The front line reports even mentioned our troops charging bravely!? It was more likely that they were desperately breaking through!
In truth, what Zhao Kuo most wanted to see was Li Mu, who had been suppressed again. Despite always being out of sync with the times, Li Mu dared to speak out for justice. If it weren't for this reason, he would never have accepted the Royal Decree to return to Handan City. As for excuses, they were simple enough—just claim illness!
Zhao Kuo turned to his personal guard Captain of the Guard and asked, "Is there anything wrong with us going directly to the dungeon?"
Zhao Guangyi was originally a soldier under Zhao She, a Guard, known for his intelligence and exceptional martial skills. However, due to the abundance of older members in the Guard, he remained at the bottom without any opportunity for promotion. Later, he was assigned to follow his young master and was thus promoted to Captain of the Guard. He naturally could not forget this kindness, willing to sacrifice his life if necessary. At this moment, hearing his master's question, he squinted and looked at the large city in the snow.
"General! We have always fought for the country, not for personal gain. If there is still a mistake in doing this, then what is not a mistake!?"
Zhao Kuo smiled slightly and raised his right hand to point forward decisively. "Set off! Target: the Heavenly Prison! We are here to retrieve Li Cihou!"
"Yah~ Ha! Go! Go!"
The twenty-member Cavalry Unit approached the city gate along the main road. Zhao Guangyi became furious when he saw the soldiers guarding the gate attempting to intercept them. He swung his whip fiercely and shouted, "Zhao Kuo, General Zhao is returning to the city! Get lost!"
Among the guards at the city gate were also older soldiers who recognized Zhao Kuo in the team. They pulled the young soldiers aside to clear the way and quietly reminded them, "Anyone can be provoked, but not this Zhao Family General!"
When the gate officer hurried out of his warm house upon hearing the commotion, he found that the cavalry had already disappeared into the distance. After learning that Zhao Kuo had returned, he pointed at the clueless young soldier and then waved his sleeve, returning to his house to warm himself by the fire.
Every soldier held deep respect for Zhao She and his son in their hearts. This was not due to any abuse of power but because they had led Zhao State to victory in battles. It seemed like a long time ago now, but it still made all those soldiers who did not participate in The Battle of Aiyu regretful. The scene of King Zhao welcoming the victorious army ten miles outside the city felt like it had just happened yesterday.
The Zhao Army needed victory! A victory that could be recorded in history!
This was a soldier's lifelong honor, a dream they wished to witness come true. They originally thought that General Zhao Kuo would be able to lead everyone to create brilliance like his father did and achieve a remarkable turnaround for Zhao State. However, they never expected that Old General Zhao She would pass away, preventing Zhao Kuo from engaging in a decisive battle with the main force of Qin Army currently stranded in Shangdang Region.
Heavenly Compassion! Our opportunity has finally arrived! Zhao Kuo's return to the capital must mean that the king has taken action to Seize the Initiative!
As this news spread rapidly, it became increasingly exaggerated within Military circles. Eventually, it turned into a rumor that the king had ordered General Zhao to march out. The condition for accompanying him was whether each unit's personnel and weaponry were in good condition.
The news reached the stationed troops around the capital, who began to prepare eagerly and requested a large number of reallocations and replacements for old weapons and equipment. Consequently, the logistics office became overcrowded and overwhelmed, mistakenly believing that King Zhao was preparing to send troops to support Shangdang. Thus, under the unaware circumstances of King Zhao and the highest military department of Zhao, the previously lax and idle troops were now enthusiastically gearing up for action.
Upon learning that the Army was about to deploy, the Ministry of War was also extremely busy, as the preliminary work for a military campaign required coordination among various departments. This created a tense atmosphere over Handan City, and the ministers who were indulging in leisure at home dared not be negligent, hastily returning to their posts to organize relevant materials.
Was the Army really heading to the front lines to support the Shangdang Region? Wasn't that a bit hasty?
When Zhao Wang Dan, waiting in the palace for Zhao Kuo's arrival, saw Zhao Sheng rushing in, he suddenly realized an important truth. Our great Zhao State needs a victory! A decisive victory! If we continue to suffer defeats like this, both morale and public sentiment will dissipate!
Receiving news of the Army's deployment, Plain King Zhao Sheng was filled with confidence. He believed that the unaware king had already received assurances from various Feudal States during last night's meeting with their envoys.
They all expressed that as long as Zhao State was willing to strike hard against the Qin Army, their respective countries would surely provide strong support. Considering various reasons, each nation would first secretly dispatch logistical support troops. Meanwhile, the main forces within the country were actively preparing for battle; once ready, they would immediately rush to the Shangdang Region to engage in combat with the Qin Army.
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