Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Xu Zhen heard Zhou Cang sound the alarm and hurried over to take a look. In the southeastern night, she saw a string of torches glowing like a silver ringed snake moving slowly across a black cloth, roughly estimating that there were about twenty people.
"Extinguish the fire!"
Although the bonfire was behind the rocks of High Slope, out of caution, Xu Zhen ordered Zhou Cang to put it out. Gao He Shu galloped out from behind the slope and soon summoned Zhang Jiunian and the other Red Armored Brothers, along with more than thirty Rouran Warriors.
Though the enemy was not numerous, it could not be ruled out that they were laying a trap. If these twenty or so were merely bait, then leading her team into battle would only lead them into a snare.
Seeing that Xu Zhen did not rashly engage in battle, Zhang Jiunian felt somewhat relieved. He immediately commanded his brothers to occupy the high ground, hiding their weapons and waiting. Everyone held their breath in silence; the surroundings were eerily quiet, as if one could hear the dew hitting the thin blades of their swords!
As the enemy drew closer, Xu Zhen narrowed her eyes and was able to see their situation clearly. In the light of the flames, what stood out most was the standard horizontal sabers at their waists!
"It’s the Tang army!"
After confirming their identity, Xu Zhenxin was taken aback. This small group of Tang soldiers disguised themselves as a merchant caravan. Although they wore Barbarian Attire and had Scarves on their heads, they did not carry Outer Curved Blades. Their appearance was rather careless.
As the convoy passed by the high ground, Zhang Jiunian and Xu Zhen guarded for a moment longer and noticed that no reinforcements were following. They understood that this Tang army was not bait. With an immediate command, thirty to forty brothers rushed down silently from the high ground and quickly intercepted the convoy!
"Disarm and don’t kill!"
Under Zhou Cang's leadership, the brothers revealed their weapons, and the murderous aura instantly dispersed the night dew and light frost. The members of the convoy stopped in panic, drawing their swords defensively. Calmly and composedly, they formed an offensive and defensive formation, relying on each other for support, displaying an air of seasoned veterans who had seen many battles!
Xu Zhen lazily dragged her long sword out, looking like a rogue bandit. She glanced sideways, spat out a stalk of grass from her mouth, and spoke in a voice that was not loud but carried great weight: "Let your leader come out to speak. If you dare to act recklessly, I will make sure you can't move!"
Seeing Xu Zhen's imposing demeanor and realizing her group was formidable, sweat broke out on the foreheads of those in the convoy. The leader clearly recognized Xu Zhen's voice and asked with a hint of surprise and tremor: "Are you not our great Tang's Shanshan Road Imperial Guards commander Xu Zhen?"
As he inquired, he pulled off his scarf to reveal a small mustache that gave him a charming appearance; it was none other than our great Tang's Craftsman Li Deqian!
Zhang Jiunian, Zhou Cang, and the other Red Armored Brothers had a past filled with adventures and secret tunnels in the mining area with Young Master Li of the Duke of Wei. They held Young Master Li's character in high regard and immediately relaxed their attack stance, sheathing their weapons.
Xu Zhen approached quickly, and the young men in the convoy actively sheathed their swords. Li Deqian, feeling somewhat excited, grabbed Xu Zhen's wrist and said, "Brother Xu, I finally found you!"
Seeing that Li Deqian hesitated to speak, Xu Zhen gently patted his shoulder and smiled lightly, saying, "Li Shaojiang, you've worked hard. Let's talk when we get back."
Zhang Jiunian waved his hand, and the brothers promptly put away their weapons and crossbows. However, he glanced at Li Deqian's accompanying carriage, which seemed to be heavily loaded. This raised suspicions in the mind of this chief strategist, so he discreetly instructed Zhou Cang and others to keep a close watch.
Upon returning to the camp, they stoked the fire. Xu Zhen had someone prepare wine and warm dishes to warmly welcome her guests. Yet Li Deqian was too preoccupied to eat or rest; once they dispersed a bit, he lowered his voice to ask, "Is my foolish brother and that nobleman in the camp?"
Xu Zhen was slightly taken aback but quickly masked it; after all, it was impossible to hide the fact that Qibi Tribe warriors had been killed. She nodded in acknowledgment.
Li Deqian sighed lightly and felt relieved. He raised his Kumis and drank it all in one go, wiping his mouth before clarifying his intentions.
It turned out that Duke of Wei Li Jing had already arrived at Western Sea Road to oversee matters. He summoned Vice Generals Li Daozong and Hou Junji along with many officers to discuss military affairs regarding the campaign against the Tuguhun. It seemed that war was not far off.
Master Yan Yan Lide decided to report his design plans for Xu Zhen to Chief of Military Operations Li Jing. Once approved, it would spark a significant revolution in military equipment. In return, Yan Lide secretly ordered a batch of crossbows to be made for Xu Zhen's brigade.
Xu Zhen did not comment on this but inquired about how to handle Li Dejiang and Li Mingda from Liangzhou. Li Deqian shrugged with a hint of arrogance and replied, "My lord is still a Duke; he is not inferior to that little old man Hou Junji. If those two want to trip us up, they should weigh their options carefully. This matter isn't too concerning; my father has already suppressed it. However, Brother Xu should still be cautious; Hou Junji has always wanted to win over Qibi Helix. This time you accidentally killed Qibi Tribe Cavalry, which has already offended Qibi Helix!"
"This old fox is truly cunning; he’s always scheming for his own benefit regardless of how events unfold. Although these Qibi Cavalry pursued my brother and the nobleman first, the nobleman's status cannot be publicly acknowledged yet. Thus many hidden forces can only choose to endure silently. However, there’s no doubt that after this incident, Hou Junji's chances of winning over Qibi Helix have increased!"
"After returning from Western Sea Road, I estimate Hou Junji will lead troops back to Jishi Road while Li Daozong Commander continues to support military affairs on Shanshan Road. His attitude then will determine your fate, Brother Xu. My father is already aware of the nobleman's identity but does not wish to intervene due to the far-reaching implications of this matter. This time I’m just here to remind you and bring my foolish brother back; from now on you’ll have to act accordingly..."
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhen felt a pang of sadness in her heart. Although Li Jing was praised as the Great Tang War God, he had never shown interest in court disputes; even during Li Zhi's reign, he chose neutrality. Perhaps this was part of his self-preservation strategy that allowed him to stand firm.
Li Dejiang was remarkably skilled in martial arts; losing such a protector left Xu Zhen somewhat disappointed. She thought about how Li Mingda, as Your Highness, had fallen into common life while none of these Dukes had the courage to send her back to Chang'an. Xu Zhen began to realize that her thoughts might indeed have been too naive.
In the current situation, even if Li Shimin knows that his daughter is still alive, does he really dare to bring Li Mingda back and announce to the world that his daughter did not die of illness? Perhaps he is already aware of the signs, but if he truly had the courage to investigate this matter further, the entire court would likely be engulfed in chaos. With external wars about to begin, provoking internal strife at this critical moment would put him in a precarious position as a father.
After realizing all this, Xu Zhen could only bitterly smile at herself and ordered for Li Dejiang to be summoned. This young man possesses a heroic spirit and is reluctant to comply, yet he cannot defy his father's orders and must bid farewell to Li Mingda.
After returning from the funeral, Li Mingda did not sleep soundly. Upon hearing that Zhou Cang had come to summon Li Dejiang, she followed him out of the camp, only to find that it was actually Li Deqian looking for his brother to return home, which left her feeling somewhat disappointed.
Li Dejiang is bold and straightforward, with exceptional martial skills, which makes him quite favored by Li Mingda. This farewell also made her feel the undercurrents within the court; she felt like a drifting leaf, uncertain of when she would return to Chang'an. She was also worried about potential conflicts among her many brothers, fearing that things might not end well.
After hesitating for a moment, Li Dejiang walked up to Li Mingda, cupping his fists in salute with a look of guilt on his face. However, Li Mingda smiled brightly and reassured him; although her words were simple, they came from the heart.
After taking a few steps away, Li Dejiang suddenly turned back, half-kneeling down. He drew a short dagger from his waist and strapped it onto Li Mingda's boot while softly saying, "Your Highness, take care!"
Watching Li Dejiang turn and leave warmed Li Mingda's heart. Although he seemed reckless and fierce, he was actually bold yet meticulous. By virtue of their height difference, he had effectively performed a kneeling salute to acknowledge her status as Your Highness. For Li Mingda at this moment, nothing could be more precious than this recognition.
After sending off the Li brothers, dawn was breaking. Xu Zhen ordered the carriage to be opened. Inside three horse-drawn carriages lay one hundred steel crossbows that emanated an intimidating cold gleam!
These crossbows were enormous and heavy, measuring about four feet in length and width. The bow arms spread wide like great wings—smooth and glossy black. Even Zhou Cang, who possessed extraordinary strength, couldn't help but admire these crossbows!
Gao He Shu was just a head shorter than Zhou Cang; the crossbow was nearly half his height. The Rouran brothers were particularly obsessed with bows and crossbows; without needing Xu Zhen's instruction, they each took a crossbow and began trying to familiarize themselves with it.
Xu Zhen ordered wooden targets to be set up one hundred paces away. Zhou Cang was the first to step forward; he cocked the bowstring and loaded an arrow automatically into place. His muscular arms flexed as he pulled the trigger—the bowstring snapped back violently!
"Thwack!"
The bowstring continued to vibrate as Zhou Cang quickly reloaded another arrow; the mechanism clicked repeatedly as arrows flew out in rapid succession. Ten arrows were released simultaneously, shattering the wooden target that was two fingers thick into pieces!
"What a powerful crossbow!"
Zhang Jiunian and others applauded in approval, and the young men were reluctant to put down the Crossbows, examining them as if they were treasures. After everyone had taken a shot, their gazes towards Xu Zhen were filled with increased respect.
Xu Zhen did not show joy; although Yan Lide had enlarged the model of the Crossbow, making it more powerful, it also became heavier. For the Rouran People, who excelled in mounted archery, such a large Crossbow was somewhat cumbersome and would slow them down.
However, if they could shoot ten arrows in quick succession during a charge, the enemy would likely suffer as well. There are always pros and cons to everything; one must be willing to sacrifice to gain something.
Manufacturing military weapons is a serious crime. Even Master Yan would not dare to act recklessly. It seems that this batch of Crossbows was approved by Li Jing, so in a way, he owed someone a favor.
While everyone was pleased, Xu Zhen couldn't help but ponder. Although the Salar Tribe had expressed their intentions, their entire elite cavalry numbered only four hundred. Coupled with her own one hundred troops, it was nearly impossible to shake the Murong Clan's elite forces of over ten thousand—like an ant trying to shake a tree.
For now, she could only closely monitor the movements of the Murong Clan, contact other smaller tribes for support, and send word to Duan Zan in anticipation of the main army's arrival before plotting their next move.
With military affairs and training handled by Zhou Cang and Gao He Shu, and logistics managed by Zhang Jiunian, Xu Zhen found herself once again at leisure. She decided to go to the Salar Tribe to seek out Yin Zong and Ulyet, asking them to send their warriors to Zhou Cang and Gao He Shu while she accompanied Yin Zong and Ulyet to persuade other tribes to gather strength together.
However, what troubled her was that besides Caesar accompanying them, they also had an extra tail—Li Mingda from the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
Just as she was preparing to mount her horse and set off, scouts returned with urgent news: a large number of Tang cavalry had been spotted in the southeast!
Comment 0 Comment Count