Chapter 1045 – Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole (Part Six)
Jiang Pengji listened to the desperate shouts of killing ringing in her ears, and as she calculated the time, a thought flickered across her mind, causing her lips to curl into a faint smile.
“Meng Xiaowei’s side should be nearly ready, right?”
For this surprise attack on Han Chang Pass, Jiang Pengji brought along fifteen thousand troops, while Huang Song gathered another fifteen thousand.
Jiang Pengji led a thousand elite soldiers ahead to consult with the guards on Han Chang Pass, buying time as best as she could.
Following close behind were the main forces, applying further pressure on Han Chang Pass.
As it was the first time the two armies collaborated, some misalignment was inevitable. To avoid hindering each other, Huang Song generously relinquished command, allowing his men to cooperate smoothly with Jiang Pengji’s forces. Cheng Jing, as the strategist, followed along, ready to heed Jiang Pengji’s orders.
He observed the improved siege ladders and the coordination of the archers from Jiang Pengji’s army, and a glimmer of unusual interest passed through his dark eyes.
Cheng Jing said, “Calculating the time, it should be about right.”
At the same time, the guard commander at Han Chang Pass launched a surprise attack on the two armies’ camp, but—
Those soldiers, upon hearing the cries of battle, not only did not rush forward to fight but grabbed their belongings and scattered in a panic, leaving behind two empty camps.
The guard commander at Han Chang Pass was left stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. In a fit of rage, he threw aside several camp tents only to find them completely empty!
“We’ve been deceived—watch out for ambushes—”
A chill ran down the guard commander’s spine as he quickly ordered the army to retreat!
He had originally thought the enemy would set an ambush outside the empty camps and launch a sneak attack as he entered, but to his surprise, even as he led his troops away from the empty camps, the expected ambush never materialized. Realizing this, the guard commander felt a cold shiver and a thought flashed through his mind—
Liu Xi and Huang Song are pouring their entire forces into a desperate assault on Han Chang Pass!
Though the pass was easy to defend but difficult to attack, the combined forces of the Liu and Huang families were formidable, and if they recklessly launched a full-scale attack, Han Chang Pass might just fall.
“Quick—quick, rally back—”
If he managed to return in time and the enemy had not yet captured Han Chang Pass, then he could lead a surprise attack on their rear, catching them off guard.
The commander hurriedly led his troops back, focusing only on reaching the battlefield as quickly as possible, disregarding any stealth or caution.
They had arrived carefully, taking their time, but as they left, they wished they had more legs and could sprout wings!
In their haste, the army’s formation became increasingly disorganized.
Less than a quarter of an hour away from Han Chang Pass, the guard commander could already see smoke rising from the walls, which only fueled his anxiety.
Then the unexpected happened—
In the darkness, a shower of arrows pierced the air, carried by a fierce wind, raining down on the army, resulting in countless casualties among the soldiers.
“Enemy attack—there’s an enemy attack—”
At the front, the guard commander was the first to spot the ambush.
Though he had not been killed, an arrow struck his shoulder, embedding itself in the joint and causing him excruciating pain, enough to make his eyes bulge.
“Form ranks—face the enemy!”
He had never imagined that the enemy had not laid an ambush outside the empty camps but rather set one midway.
If they had been lying in wait outside the empty camps, there would have been a lingering sense of unease, but with his troops still organized, the ambush wouldn’t have had much effect.
But now?
In their desperation to return, his army was so focused on the road ahead that they had neglected their disarray.
Meng Hunyun had ambushed them midway, intercepting the returning forces of Han Chang Pass, quickly leaving them dazed.
In this alliance battle, Meng Hunyun also had Huang Song’s troops on his side.
However, they did not relinquish their command; instead, they fought independently.
Huang Song’s family had a long line of military generals, and though the burly general Yuan Xin was older, he fought fiercely and held nothing back.
Alongside him, several other generals from the Yuan family also performed admirably in combat.
Meng Hunyun did not rush for quick achievements; instead, he commanded his army to surround and annihilate the foes.
Meng Hunyun’s command style differed from Fu Wang’s; Fu Wang was like a ferocious wolf, exuding an air of dread whether attacking or defending. Meng Hunyun, however, cared less about personal glory and sought to maximize gains while minimizing losses.
In other words, while Fu Wang was a sharp blade, Meng Hunyun was a heavy shield.
Yuan Xin fought until his vision blurred, drenched in the blood of his enemies, losing count of how many heads he had claimed.
“Bah—yahoo—”
Yuan Xin spat and roared, using sheer force to counter the enemy’s attacks, pushing them back repeatedly.
He fought relentlessly, bodies strewn around him until, finally, when the enemies were almost wiped out, Yuan Xin begrudgingly sheathed his deadly weapon.
He hadn’t slain enough—
His eyes still ablaze, he put away his bloody scythe with lingering desire.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Meng Hunyun, and he sneered contemptuously, spitting on the ground in disgust.
Why was that?
Meng Hunyun had only taken down a few enemies, and even those were mere leftovers from the enemy’s rout, all while his armor remained spotless.
Was this how a battlefield commander should be?
“Tsk—what skill in battle he lacks, but his words sure are smooth up there leading people—”
Yuan Xin murmured in disdain, glaring at Meng Hunyun.
Meng Hunyun, having devoted himself to Jiang Pengji’s command, spent most of his time drilling the troops, and almost every batch of new recruits had experienced his rigorous training, giving him a high reputation within Jiang Pengji’s camp. However, due to a lack of glaring achievements, Meng Hunyun’s fame had not spread far beyond that.
Now on the battlefield, he hadn’t claimed many enemy heads, his weapon barely stained with blood, and his armor remained pristine—how could this be right?
For military generals, the heads of enemies and scars on their own bodies were their true achievements!
Yuan Xin showed no restraint in his dissatisfaction, and the supervising Nie Xun caught sight of it.
“Yuan Xiaowei—now that the two armies are cooperating, you shouldn’t—”
Before Nie Xun finished speaking, Yuan Xin fixed his gaze ahead, brushing past Nie Xun’s shoulder, refusing to heed his words.
As they passed each other, Yuan Xin gruffly muttered, “Hmph—do I need you to manage my affairs? Who is Liu Xi for you to pander to?”
Meng Hunyun’s lackluster performance was undeniable in Yuan Xin’s eyes.
Letting someone like him hold command was an utter disgrace to Yuan Xin.
It was unacceptable that Nie Xun, who didn’t stand by him, was now helping Meng Hunyun speak up.
With that thought, Yuan Xin recalled how Nie Xun was close with Meng Heng from Jiang Pengji’s camp—their relationship seemed too familiar for comfort—
Yuan Xin’s gaze darkened, a sneer escaping his lips.
He never trusted Nie Xun to begin with, and now doubts piled up more than ever.
Nie Xun, dressed in scholarly robes, collided with Yuan Xin, who was clad in heavy armor. The impact left Nie Xun’s left shoulder pained, likely to bruise.
Without looking back, Yuan Xin strode away, not offering a single word of apology, his attitude foul.
For a moment, a look of embarrassment crossed Nie Xun’s elegant face.
Yuan Xin, presuming upon his seniority before Jiang Pengji, had not even glanced at the battle situation—how foolish!
For the sake of the greater good, he swallowed his anger and temporarily pushed this little episode to the back of his mind.
Meng Hunyun looked up at the sky, calculating the time in his heart, preparing to follow the plan and bring reinforcements to Han Chang Pass.
Even though the guards had taken away the elite, there were still about twenty thousand troops left behind at Han Chang Pass.
The terrain of Han Chang Pass was treacherous; no matter how capable the Lord was, it was impossible to breach it in such a short time.
