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墨書 Inktalez
The Xu Zhen and Yin Zong, along with several riders, ascended the high ground and gazed into the distance. Indeed, they saw a large contingent of Tang troops approaching with great noise, banners flying, unmistakably the five thousand cavalry of Duan Zan!
The Tang Dynasty was powerful and had greatly supported horse breeding, producing many fine steeds. This was the reason for the Tang's long history of conquests with few defeats. However, raising a good horse required significant investment, far beyond what money and grain could measure. It was commonly said in the army that horses were more valuable than men. Even during the initial campaign against the Turkic tribes, five thousand cavalry would be considered an elite force.
As Duan Zan's troops formed their attacking formation, their momentum was formidable. Zhang Jiunian felt a sense of foreboding and immediately leaned close to Xu Zhen to whisper, "My lord, their intentions are not good; they aim to flatten Salar and seize the credit!"
Xu Zhenxin was alarmed, while Hou Junji secretly rallied his supporters. Duke of Bao Duan Zhi Xuan, though in his prime, was afflicted by illness. His son Duan Zan had achieved nothing in the military and would inevitably rely on Hou Junji's influence. With their forces advancing now, it was clear they had been incited by the Hou family to compete for glory in defeating the Tang during the Tuguhun!
Yin Zong and Ulyet also changed color at this news. Salar was a vassal tribe of Murong with a sparse population; they had vast pastures but lacked strong soldiers and often suffered from bullying and exploitation. In the past, during the Tuguhun, they had willingly submitted to the Tang Empire, offering tributes to avoid conflict. Trade flourished as caravans moved freely, exchanging tea, horses, and textiles.
However, Salar grew dissatisfied with their subservience and began to harass Tang territory, leading to heightened tensions between both sides. Salar also participated in cutting off trade routes, viewing each other as enemies. Now that the Tang army was advancing en masse, how could they let Salar escape unscathed?
The four or five hundred cavalry that Salar painstakingly gathered were like mere chickens before Duan Zan's five thousand riders; they would be crushed in an instant!
Duan Zan led the charge with Hou Polu and Zhang Shenzhi flanking him closely behind. The former wore a confident smile, clearly having received guidance from the Hou family. To him, Salar represented not fertile pastures and thousands of people but rather countless military achievements—stepping stones for his rise!
Xu Zhen had knowledge across various fields but lacked depth in any one area. Her greatest strength was knowing a little about everything; her greatest weakness was also knowing only a little about everything. Seeing the enemy's forces so numerous and fierce left her unsettled and confused. She turned to Zhang Jiunian for advice: "The situation is dire; what should I do?"
Zhang Jiunian gazed into the distance, pondered for a moment, stroked his beard with a faint smile, and said: "In matters of strategy and leadership, fools attack cities and plunder lands; lesser strategists kill generals and soldiers; true strategists strike at plans and hearts. Do you not recall Zhuge Liang's empty city strategy? My lord should do thus..."
Hearing this, Xu Zhen felt great joy and quickly instructed Yin Zong and Ulyet to act according to his plan. The two exchanged glances but trusted Xu Zhen wholeheartedly without hesitation; they mounted their horses and hurried back to their tribe to prepare.
Zhou Cang and Gao He Shu had already gathered one hundred brothers who stood atop a high ground behind Xu Zhen. The brothers had enjoyed a night of revelry; they were satisfied both physically and mentally, full of energy as they prepared for battle!
Duan Zan halted his horse on the flat ground below the high ground and gazed at Xu Zhen's troop. As it is said, "A soldier's worth is recognized after three days." Xu Zhenbu's men looked fierce as dragons or tigers; they exuded an aura that commanded respect!
Xu Zhen rode down alone from the slope at a slow pace until she stopped five paces away from Duan Zan. She bowed slightly with clasped fists and called out loudly: "I am Xu Zhen from the Department of Diplomatic Negotiation; I greet Colonel Murong Xiao!"
Xu Zhen was clever; she took the initiative to declare her military rank first. If her opponent attacked first, it would disregard military law and put her comrades in grave danger!
Seeing that Xu Zhen showed no signs of fear despite facing him boldly like Mount Tai before her, Duan Zan couldn't help but feel respect rising within him. However, this mission was meant for him to achieve great merit and impress his entire army; he could not allow Xu Zhen to obstruct him. Thus he did not return her greeting but coldly rebuked her: " Xu Zhen! You are stationed by the river; why do you not see the Barbarians? Do you dare not urge your troops to attack?"
At these words, his entire army erupted in shouts; the sound of clashing armor was deafening as their morale surged!
Hou Polu felt pleased upon witnessing this development. Ever since he heard some news from his father, he had grown increasingly disdainful toward Xu Zhen while becoming more concerned about Li Mingda. He wished he could kill him amidst the chaos so that he could settle this matter once and for all without any further complications in Chang'an!
Yet Xu Zhen snorted coldly in response: "It is said that chaos does not harm civilians. I have pursued them here because Salar has already been trampled by the Murong Clan; those remaining are merely old or weak individuals. Our great Tang is a nation of etiquette and virtue; Colonel Murong Xiao cannot possibly believe slanderous words intending to slaughter innocents for military glory!"
Xu Zhen's words were quite disrespectful to Superior, yet they struck true, exposing the shady dealings between Hou Polu and Duan Zan. Duan Zan immediately felt a flush of embarrassment, while Hou Polu sternly shouted, "You dare! Who are you to offend Colonel Murong Xiao of the thousand-strong army! Salar is a vassal of the Murong Clan, harboring the fugitive Murong Xiao. Such audacity cannot be tolerated any longer!"
Duan Zan, being composed, knew that if he lost his temper, it would only reveal his guilt and confirm Xu Zhenzhi's malicious suspicions. He suppressed his anger and respectfully gestured towards Chang'an, saying, "As a military leader, I must serve my country loyally. The heavens can witness that I would never seek personal glory at the expense of innocent lives. However, as a military commander, I cannot overlook any threats to my homeland. Whether Salar complies or not, I will personally investigate!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhen ceased her arguments and turned her horse around. As Duan Zan waved his hand, the cavalry unit moved forward with a rumble, passing over the high ground and facing the Salar camp across the river. There, they saw the camp in disarray, with sickly horses and emaciated sheep scattered about. Hundreds of elderly and injured individuals lined the riverbank, holding wooden sticks and peeling knives, glaring at them with fear evident in their trembling bodies—a truly pitiful sight.
At this moment, Yin Zong and Ulyet were following their plan, leading young men and women from their tribe to lie in ambush on the left flank. If Xu Zhen failed to sway them psychologically, they would counterattack as soon as Duan Zan dared to cross the river.
Earlier, Hou Polu had already received intelligence indicating that Murong Xiao had not escaped even to Salar, and was certainly in Xu Zhen's hands. It was likely that he had revealed all the inside information; otherwise, she would not have acted so forcefully. Now seeing her use the old and weak as a pretext made him feel frustrated and resentful.
Duan Zan, aiming for great military achievements, felt dissatisfaction towards Hou Polu. After all this mobilization, such results were disheartening.
He was well aware of Xu Zhenzhi's scheme but could only play along. He could not truly step over the bodies of these innocent herders to capture the fleeing Salarian.
Thinking of this made him sigh inwardly; his expression darkened. Seeing that Hou Polu's plan had failed and new malicious thoughts arose, he pointed at Xu Zhen and asked, "Colonel Murong Xiao has military oversight responsibilities. Does Xu Zhen have any leads on executing military operations? Surely you have grasped the precise location of the Murong Clan; why not lead us to trample them?"
Upon hearing this, Duan Zan felt delighted; his gloomy expression instantly brightened up. However, he feigned calmness and pressed on with his inquiry: " Xu Zhen, do you have any news about the Murong Clan?"
Xu Zhenxin cursed inwardly; who among the Tang army did not know that during the Tuguhun there was only one royal city—Fushi City? The nomadic cavalry roamed the grasslands either seeking pasture for survival or becoming bandits raiding everywhere. Yet during wartime they could gather together into a formidable force.
After being captured, all information from Murong Xiao had been thoroughly extracted. Scouts in the army had already gone out based on his intel but returned empty-handed because all strongholds mentioned in his reports had vanished; thousands of riders from the Murong Clan had already departed.
If an army pressed forward, those outside would surely gather in one place; there would be no need for extensive searching. Asking Xu Zhen to locate the whereabouts of the Murong Clan's riders was clearly asking too much. Initially dismissive of this task, she now found herself being held accountable!
With a troubled expression on her face, Xu Zhen caught sight of a knowing smile exchanged between Duan Zan and Hou Polu. Though reluctant to admit it, any goodwill she once felt towards Xu Zhenzhi had completely dissipated. Remembering her initial admiration for Xu Zhen, she found it laughable and further solidified her resolve to align with the power of the Hou Family.
Inwardly weighing her options, Zhang Jiunian subtly gestured for Xu Zhen to adopt a delaying tactic. Understanding his hint and combining it with information sent by Li Deqian, she gritted her teeth and replied: "When I accepted my military orders, the Chief of Military Operations instructed me that enemy chieftains are cunning as foxes; searches should not be aggressive. Under Colonel Murong Xiao's supervision, how could I afford to be careless? I will venture deep into the grasslands immediately. Once General returns to camp, I will certainly present you with the location of the Murong Clan!"
"Good! Colonel Xu truly has determination! I shall accept this military order from you. On General Li's return day, I will await good news from you! However," he added with a warning tone, "let me make it clear: there are no idle words in military matters. If Colonel Xu fails to accomplish this task, do not blame me for acting according to military law!"
Seeing that Xu Zhen had fallen into a trap but her mood had improved somewhat nonetheless, Duan Zan, no longer polite with her, turned his horse around and led his riders away with a rumble.
At this point, there was no other option for Xu Zhen. She could only withdraw her camp and cross the Salar River with her brothers to join forces with Yin Zong and others behind their camp. After some discussion, they gathered both teams and advanced deeper into Kuber Prairie.
Having long adapted to military life, Li Mingda had once considered assigning either Zhou Cang or Caesar as her personal guard but was rejected by the young girl instead; thus she could only bring them along every day.
Fortunately, this young girl showed none of the preciousness expected from royalty; she endured hardships like any resilient prairie girl. This significant change made Xu Zhen regard her with newfound respect.
Several hundred people galloped freely across the grassland, feeling a sense of vastness and freedom, as if the sky and earth were boundless, allowing them to roam without restraint. It was truly a joy of life.
As dusk fell, the group finally came to a halt, setting up camp. They ate, drank, and rested without further mention. Although the horses were not yet unbridled, they were allowed to roam freely, grazing on the lush grass in this fertile area without worry about their care.
Xu Zhenxin felt conflicted about the future. After hastily satisfying his hunger, he let his horse wander near the camp, with Caesar naturally following as a guard. Of course, little tail Li Mingda was also present.
Under the bright moon and sparse stars, with the night breeze blowing gently and accompanied by a foreign beauty like Caesar, it would have been truly enchanting if not for Li Mingda's interference.
The three of them immersed themselves in the night, speaking little but enjoying the moment. Unknowingly, they allowed their horses to lead them to the edge of a large lake.
The lake shimmered with light, reflecting the stars and moon in a dazzling display that resembled a pool of broken silver, breathtakingly beautiful!
When the horses reached the lakeshore and began licking the white stones along the bank, Xu Zhen was surprised to discover that this place was not a true lake but rather a Salt Lake!
Looking out over the vast surface of the lake, her eyes sparkled with greed as if she had stumbled upon a treasure trove. She murmured, "Oh my goodness, we’ve struck it rich this time!"
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