Chapter 1043 – Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole (Part 4)
Jiang Pengji happily ran a few laps with her beloved Big White and its little companion, Xiao Bai, her face flushed and covered in sweat.
“Lord, quickly put this on—”
Wei Ci frowned as he raised a hand to drape a cloak around the returning Jiang Pengji.
After running in the cold wind, even her robust body could not withstand it.
Jiang Pengji obediently let Wei Ci cover her with the cloak.
“Lord, have you had breakfast yet?”
“Not yet. I was just out exercising with Big White and Xiao Bai, and now my stomach is empty—Zixiao, did you bring anything in your sleeves?”
Ancient people’s clothing had no pockets, which were seen as unseemly, so they preferred to hide things in their wide sleeves instead.
Jiang Pengji’s keen nose detected a meat fragrance from Wei Ci’s sleeve.
Wei Ci chuckled softly, pulling out several meat buns wrapped in special oil paper.
“There’s also a pot of meat porridge and some chopped pickled vegetables inside the tent. If you’re still hungry, I can prepare more.”
Jiang Pengji smiled, her cheeks puffed out by the meat bun.
“Zixiao, you really are getting more considerate!” After saying this, she quickly asked, “Is there any news from the scouts?”
As soon as business was mentioned, Wei Ci set aside everything else.
“There are signs of movement among the defenders at Han Chang Pass; we expect some activity in the coming days,” Wei Ci said. “The Guard Commander has shown remarkable patience, holding on for more than twenty days. If they continue to drag this out, our army will easily fall into a passive position.”
No matter how glorious Jiang Pengji appeared, the reality of long-distance warfare remained unchanged.
After all, why did she need to establish granaries in Chongzhou when attacking the northern frontier?
Wasn’t it to shorten the supply lines?
The longer the supply line, the more food is wasted, increasing risks and multiplying military costs.
Jiang Pengji had to feed tens of thousands of mouths, and even one day’s worth became a staggering number, not to mention over twenty days.
“No matter who they are, they’ll have a gambler’s mentality, the difference lies in how much they gamble,” Jiang Pengji said. “After twenty-plus days of lax defenses at the camp, initially the Guard Commander might suspect it’s a tactic to lure the enemy, but as time passes, his resolve will waver. If he seizes an opportunity, he could achieve tremendous merit. But alas, he hesitates, missing one chance after another. With time, even the most cautious will feel compelled to take a gamble.”
As the audience put it—
“Give it a shot, and a bicycle may turn into a motorcycle.”
You’ve got to give things a try; you might just win!
Jiang Pengji was playing a psychological game, tempting the enemy to take action.
Only then would the defenses at Han Chang Pass be at their weakest, minimizing breach losses.
Jiang Pengji wasn’t lacking in confidence to break through directly, but the potential casualties were too great; she didn’t want the soldiers to sacrifice themselves uselessly for Han Chang Pass.
Wasting food was fine; it was better to lose fewer lives.
After having breakfast and drinking a full pot of meat porridge, Jiang Pengji finally felt comfortable in her now-full stomach.
With the New Year came fresh sentiments; the military camp still held remnants of festive cheer, but over at Han Chang Pass, things were different.
Han Chang Pass wasn’t short on supplies, but the Guard Commander was stingy; why would he splurge his wealth to let the soldiers celebrate the New Year?
On New Year’s Eve, the soldiers at Han Chang Pass could only watch enviously as the distant orange bonfires lit up the night, their mouths watering from the scent of barbecued meat and fine wine. They celebrated joyously while the guards on the city wall endured the cold wind all night.
With the enemy taunting for over twenty days, their general refused to engage, affecting the spirits of the soldiers at Han Chang Pass; they looked dispirited.
After hesitating for many days, the Guard Commander finally resolved to take a gamble.
His subordinates grumbled, affecting morale and dragging down his standing within the army.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Liu Xi and Jiang Pengji’s camp was disorganized and lacked discipline; if they seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack, there would undoubtedly be lucrative gains. But the Guard Commander stubbornly missed opportunity after opportunity, igniting frustration in people’s hearts!!!
Initially indecisive, the Guard Commander began to lean toward action under the urging of his men.
“Gamble it!”
Maybe that bicycle would really turn into a motorcycle.
With gritted teeth and a firm heart, the Guard Commander decided to deploy his troops.
Once the order was given, the previously sluggish morale instantly surged, and the soldiers were eager to take flight and fight the enemy.
Little did they know, their troop movements were fully observed by the cavalry scouts.
“Finally can’t sit still—” Li Yun had been feeling restless these days, exhausted from busying around; once he relaxed to eat and drink, he sensed something was off, as if all his energy found nowhere to vent. Now that they could finally battle, it felt exhilarating!
Unable to hold back, Huang Song was also restless.
If they successfully breached Han Chang Pass and crossed the treacherous Song River, they could dive straight into the heart of Cangzhou.
Jiang Pengji was firm, saying, “Act according to plan—remember not to let anything slip.”
Huang Song understood the stakes and nodded solemnly.
The Guard Commander chose to act on the first day of the New Year, that very night.
As usual, both camps lit roaring bonfires.
The camp guards were lax, and the tents were in disarray; anyone with a bit of experience could tell that such a setup was poorly executed. If an ambush occurred, messengers wouldn’t be able to notify all soldiers in time, let alone organize an effective counterattack.
The Guard Commander felt a bit uneasy, but upon seeing the chaotic camp, he sneered in disdain.
If he had known Liu Xi was only capable of this, he wouldn’t have been so on edge for so long.
Sighing inwardly, the Guard Commander concentrated on his mission, leading his troops towards the enemy camp.
“Liu Xi, just this much—if I had known she was so incompetent—”
The Guard Commander murmured to himself, clearly filled with regret.
Little did he know that regardless of his timing for the ambush, hidden within what seemed like a loose camp, there lay traps ready to ensnare him.
Jiang Pengji might be confident, but that confidence was built on a solid foundation.
Over the past twenty-plus days, while it looked like the camp was just having fun, in reality, a significant portion of the forces remained concealed, ready for battle.
To keep the soldiers in top condition, she had them rotate through three shifts, acting like it was a game.
Right now, though the camp outwardly seemed lax, most of the military force lay in ambush, waiting for the opportunity.
The Guard Commander brought five thousand soldiers to attack; they aimed for a quick engagement and withdrawal.
But would the soldiers, so eager for combat after a long drought, let them escape entirely?
Just as the Guard Commander was about to step into the trap, Jiang Pengji and her contingent took a shortcut, heading straight for Han Chang Pass.
“Ah woo—”
Sleepily yawning, the guard on the city tower rubbed his eyes.
It was the third watch of the night, and drowsiness was strong, with yawns flowing like water.
“What’s that noise?”
The soldiers faintly heard something.
