Chapter 977 – Battle of the Northern Border (Fourteen)
The Northern Border camp was brightly lit, and nobody had any desire to sleep.
Dai Wang anxiously awaited the news, currently too distracted to pay any attention to his lovely wife or beautiful concubines, completely ignoring their resentful glances.
“Is there still no word?”
He paced back and forth in the main tent, as if trying to scrub two holes into the animal skin carpet beneath him.
“Reporting to Dai Wang, there’s still no news,” the guard respectfully responded.
Dai Wang’s anxiety grew; the battle with Wu Libai was of utmost importance. If they could strike a decisive blow, the pressure on the Northern Border would lessen significantly.
“What time is it now?”
After a while, Dai Wang slumped back onto his throne, his heartbeat strong and steady, yet his mind raced uneasily.
“The time is currently the first quarter of the Tiger hour, my lord.”
The first quarter of the Tiger hour?
“It’s already this late…” Dai Wang mumbled to himself, “In half an hour it will be dawn, why hasn’t Wu Libai returned yet?”
The guard remained outwardly calm, internally scornful of Dai Wang.
Waging war isn’t like some leisure activity; you can’t just say “I’ll be back when I’m back”—
There has to be a limit to such arrogance!
If Wu Libai could hear this Dai Wang’s thoughts, he would surely explode.
The battered troops of the Northern Border had been driven to the water’s edge, now with no retreat left, caught in a desperate situation.
Wu Libai felt despair bubbling within, but didn’t show any negative emotions, still encouraging the soldiers to fight to the death against the enemy.
Normally, fighting against the odds could lead to extraordinary feats of strength.
However, with morale already low, the Northern Border troops were in disarray, pushing and shoving each other as they scrambled for the boats to cross the river.
There was no semblance of order, only the single-minded thought of “survival.” How could they listen to Wu Libai’s commands?
Ignoring orders, refusing to comply.
In the chaos, not many managed to escape, and instead, it led to even more casualties.
Many reached the boats, but one misstep pulled a comrade down, plunging him into the icy, chilling waters.
Finding the boarding process difficult, some relied on their swimming skills and jumped straight into the water, hoping to swim back to safety.
Wu Libai watched helplessly as they crumbled, diving into the water like dumplings, and sighed heavily, a sorrowful expression on his face.
“General, don’t hesitate any longer; you should board the ship and retreat—”
The Vice General had prepared the boats. If they could cross the river, Wu Libai would be safe.
This was just the beginning of the battle; if Wu Libai died here or got captured, it would be a disastrous blow to the Northern Border’s morale.
Wu Libai understood the severity, forcing himself to endure the pain of his wounds, while he was shielded by several Vice Generals as he boarded the ship.
“Jiang Captain, the archers are ready—”
Jiang Nongqin looked coldly at the enemies on the riverbank and ordered, “Fire—”
The battlefield doesn’t concern itself with etiquette or restraint; it’s all about seizing the opportunity to trounce the enemy!
Jiang Nongqin directed over a thousand crossbowmen, arranged in three rows, to take turns unleashing barrages at the riverbank and surface of the water.
The water was already bone-chillingly cold; most of the Northern Border soldiers were injured. Even if they swam to the other shore, they’d be left with barely half their lives.
Jiang Nongqin sent several waves of arrows their way, and before long, the water was dotted with corpses, blood staining the surface red.
“Report—”
At the Northern Border camp, Dai Wang finally received the much-anticipated battle report.
“Quick, tell me—did General Wu Libai capture the Liu clan leader?”
Dai Wang’s gaze was locked onto the messenger, hoping to hear the good news he desired most.
With an almost tearful expression, the messenger replied, “The general was defeated—”
“My army achieved a great victory, so… what?” The smile on Dai Wang’s face froze halfway; he could hardly believe his ears. What do you mean “the general was defeated”? Who lost? Which general…
Dai Wang had spent the night imagining how Jiang Pengji would suffer defeat, how Wu Libai would claim victory, and how he could reward Wu Libai without threatening his own rule… He never expected the messenger to say that Wu Libai lost!
“How could Wu Libai lose? After all those years of fighting, did he lose to a mere girl, Liu Xi?”
Dai Wang roared in anger, smashing anything within reach.
Even though he didn’t particularly like that Wu Libai relied on Halencha more, Wu Libai was the backbone of the Northern Border; how could he lose?
“Where is he? Where is Wu Libai?”
After venting his frustrations, Dai Wang finally stabilized his emotions and shouted at the messenger.
The messenger replied, “General Wu Libai has been rescued and is currently receiving treatment from the Young Doctor.”
Dai Wang roared, “Have that old fool come here to see me! Losing to a woman, does he still have the face to receive treatment?”
As these words escaped him, a chill swept through the guards and messenger, an unwelcoming cold settling in.
Regardless of the situation, Wu Libai was a faithful minister to the Northern Border, aiding in the conquest and consolidation of various tribes.
Wu Libai had toiled for the Northern Border; how could the Ninth Prince treat the elder statesman with such disgrace?
As time passed, the sounds of battle along the riverbank grew faint.
All around, the water was littered with countless floating corpses, blood dyeing the surface crimson.
Jiang Nongqin directed the soldiers in cleaning up the battlefield, extracting the still-living from the heap of bodies and sending them to the infirmary.
Jiang Pengji wiped the blood trickling down her face, gradually calming the surge of killing intent and her breathing.
With a clatter, she tossed aside the large blade in her hand, just as Sun Wen stepped forward to see.
The blade was coated in blood, with chunks of flesh and internal organs sticking to the back, some parts dried and dark, while others remained fresh.
Not only that, but the blade was chipped in several places and dulled extensively, likely to be hard to use again.
Though she hadn’t witnessed her lord slaying enemies firsthand, the condition of the blade indicated a fierce battle had unfolded.
“Did I scare you?”
Jiang Pengji loosened the straps of her armor and pulled out two napkins, wiping her face clean. With one swipe, she was covered in thick blood and bits of internal organ.
If it weren’t for Jiang Pengji’s distinctive armor, Sun Wen would hardly believe that the person sitting before him was a woman, and his lord at that—this wasn’t just an extraordinary lord; the female battalion he’d seen was extraordinary too.
She could wield a sword in battle and also act as a medic while cleaning the battlefield.
Perhaps this is the kind of soldiers you get with such a leader.
“My lord, your words seem a bit too much like you’re a delicate flower,” Sun Wen forced a wry smile.
After all, he was from the previous generation, much older than Liu Zhi, yet here he was being treated like a child.
“I didn’t mean you specifically; scholars are often more tender than men of arms who are all rough and tumble.”
Just then, Li Yun arrived.
“Are you injured?”
Jiang Pengji noticed Li Yun’s left arm had a wound, probably quite deep.
Li Yun dismissed it casually, “It’s just a wound on my left arm, no big deal.”
