Chapter 100: I order you to divide the troops into three routes

Midnight, Maple Leaf Mountain.

General's tent.

A faint tea fragrance permeated the tent.

The general of the North River Army, Yu Fei, was brewing tea for Shen Qing; his burly figure was surprisingly nimble when making tea.

"Come, Young Master Shen, this is rock tea; although it doesn't compare to the capital's, it's still a famous tea, please try it."

Shen Qing lifted the tea cup and took a sip; the clear fragrance spread, like the wind of a mountain morning flowing: "It's indeed good tea, but please sit down first; I didn't come to you just for tea."

Shen Qing didn't demand that a general brew tea for him; it was this Yu Fei who insisted on doing so.

He was still muttering something; the Yu family's ancestors had also brewed tea for the Shen family's patriarch.

Yu Fei gave a hehe laugh, took a lower position: "Young Master Shen is right; the important matter comes first, the important matter comes first."

"We also need to thank Young Master Shen for the intelligence; otherwise, our North River Army would surely suffer more losses than gains this time."

As he spoke, Yu Fei turned his head to glance at the map hanging in the tent: "Just how did the Black Snake Army know that our North River Army retreated here?"

"But it's fine now; with Young Master Shen's information, they are destined to come up empty."

"I will immediately order people to pack up the tent and withdraw from Maple Leaf Mountain at once."

Shen Qing shook his head: "General Yu, don't be anxious."

"Have you heard the saying: 'If they have come, then let them settle'?"

"Do you know what it means?"

Yu Fei shook his head: "I, Yu, am dull; I hope Young Master Shen will instruct me."

"The meaning of this saying is: since they have come, let them be buried here."

Shen Qing set down the tea cup, a hint of killing intent surfaced.

"Since they dare come to Moongazing Valley, let this place be their burial ground."

Yu Fei froze for a moment, swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Although he had little education, he had learned a bit.

"Is 'If they have come, then let them settle' understood this way?"

Soon, Yu Fei came to his senses; Shen Qing meant not only not to flee, but to launch a counterattack against the Japanese pirates!

"But are the numbers enough? Including the wounded, they only number two thousand; adding the Embroidered Uniform Guard brings it to no more than three thousand."

"But before he could voice his concern, Shen Qing tapped the table: 'Are you worried about insufficient manpower? Rest assured, it's not just us.'"

"Moreover, they have already arrived."

Before his words even finished, two people rushed in anxiously from outside the tent.

"The Golden Spear Army's Li Zan pays respects to Young Master Shen the Third!"

"The Yang Family Army's Yang Hu pays respects to Young Master Shen the Third!"

Yu Fei's eyes showed some surprise: "General Li! General Yang! How are you here?"

Li Zan was somewhat slender, with a hint of scholarly air between his brows; obviously he had read books, he gave Yu Fei a white-eyed glance.

"I told you to study more, but you insisted on raising pigs."

"As soon as we entered, we paid respects to Young Master Shen the Third; you say how we are here."

Yu Fei's face showed a hint of excitement; he also realized that Li Zan and Yang Hu were summoned by Shen Qing to suppress bandits.

With this, it's now a sure thing.

Li Zan's Golden Spear Army is not much different in strength from his North River Army at its peak.

But the Yang Family Army is formidable; it is a force funded by the Yang clan of Nine Mountains, the Yangs being a true prestigious clan; the army they funded has an establishment of seven thousand, and its equipment surpasses that of our North River Army by a great margin.

Unexpectedly, Shen Qing's single order summoned the entire Yang Family Army; moreover, looking at Yang Hu's appearance, his true qi flows throughout his body, his attire disheveled.

It is obvious they arrived here after a forced march.

Yu Fei could only sigh; even among prestigious clans there are differences.

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Enough, idle chat can wait until after the battle."

"Now come quickly."

"Yes!"

Shen Qing probed with his true qi, directly pulling the map to the center of the tent.

"I captured two hundred Japanese pirate traitors in North Cloud City, as well as a foot soldier officer of the Black Snake Army."

"The commotion is not small; if the news reaches the Black Snake Army, there will inevitably be changes, and if they escape, it would be bad."

"Therefore, our operation this time is urgent; we must complete the attack before dawn."

Subsequently, he looked toward Li Zan and Yang Hu.

"Two generals, did you bring your thunder cannons?"

"Brought! All are present."

Shen Qing nodded: "The Black Snake Army hides in Moongazing Valley; our first wave of attack will be carried out by the thunder cannons."

"Fire as much as we have in stock; don't worry about consumption."

"However much is expended, I will replenish that amount."

Subsequently, Shen Qing pointed at the two exits of Moongazing Valley: "After the thunder cannons finish their first round, then comes the main show."

"Inside Moongazing Valley there are many rocks; there must be many hiding places; even after the bombardment, many Japanese pirate remnants are likely to remain, and their assault will surely be fierce; the main feature of Moongazing Valley is its north and south exits."

"At that time, you three, leading the Yang Family Army, will block the northern exit; not a single Japanese pirate may be allowed to escape."

"And the southern exit will be handled by me leading the Golden Spear Army."

The several generals exchanged glances; Yang Hu spoke: "Young Master Shen, this may not be proper."

"If the Japanese pirates mainly charge the southern exit, wouldn't you be in too much danger?"

Why not let me go with you, or let the Yang Family Army accompany you?

Shen Qing chuckled: "No need; as far as I know, the Black Snake Army's commander also comes from a major clan among the Wokou, and his strength is decent. This time we'll overwhelm them with force, so we should do our best to reduce casualties."

You three will be safer together.

These three generals have just entered the Grand Master level of cultivation.

The scholar softly spoke up: "Reporting to the three generals, our boss literally beat Yuan Zhenshan to death three nights ago, so you don't need to worry about our boss's safety."

Who? That Broken Qi Staff Yuan Zhenshan?

The scholar nodded solemnly.

The generals exchanged a glance, all seeing shock.

Although their talent surpasses Yuan Zhenshan's, after all their ages are set; even the oldest among them, Yu Fei, is still several decades younger than Yuan Zhenshan.

They believed that none of them could face Yuan Zhenshan alone in a duel; only by working together could they stand a chance.

But Shen Qing is only twenty years old! He actually took on Yuan Zhenshan single-handedly?

They previously thought Shen Qing became a Commandant at twenty because of his family's influence, but now it seems that's not the case.

Everyone in Great Martial says the Shen family loves producing monsters, but the Shen family's monsters in the past were never this fierce.

Shen Qing tapped the table: "We've gone off topic, continue."

Besides the two main exits, the Wokou will surely try to flee over the mountains; the ones on the mountain can be left to us, the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

In open-field clashes of large forces, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would surely lose to a regular army, but if the enemy is broken and flees into the forests...

Then it's too bad for them—the Embroidered Uniform Guard's home turf has arrived.

Yang Hu and Li Can kept nodding; after a brief discussion, they too understood.

This newly risen monster of the Shen family is stronger, more violent, more arrogant, and more cautious than before; most importantly, he likes to exterminate the root—just a few words and he's practically nailing the Wokou's coffin shut.

Yu Fei exclaimed: "Young Master Shen, Young Master Shen! Have you forgotten our North River Army? Although we have casualties and aren't at full strength, we're not afraid to fight the Wokou—you can't forget us!"

You just arranged the Golden Spear Army, the Yang Family Army, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard—you can't forget our North River Army either.

Shen Qing calmly said: "Look, you're getting worked up again."

It'll be useful; I found a hunter in the city familiar with Wangyue Valley, and I know there's actually a hidden path there.

At that time, your two thousand will guard the exit of that path; whoever escapes through it will surely be a key figure.

Only then did Yu Fei calm down.

Just then, a Commander of a Thousand walked into the camp outside, holding a Commander of a Hundred in his hand.

Yu Fei glanced and asked: "What's going on?"

The Commander of a Thousand clasped his hands and produced the carrier pigeon he'd been holding.

"Sir Shen! Generals! This fellow has been sneaking around sending messages to the Wokou."

The scholar stepped forward, took the pigeon, untied the message tied to its leg, and handed it to Shen Qing.

Shen Qing glanced at it, his icy gaze conveying to the three generals.

Yu Fei read it and sprang to his feet; the note read: "Situation changed—withdraw troops at once."

It's obvious this Commander of a Hundred was the one who leaked the North River Army's garrison location.

Yu Fei's eyes blazed with fury: "You beast! How have I treated you normally? How dare you!"

The Commander of a Hundred kept kowtowing on the ground, knocking his head until it bled.

"General! General! I was momentarily bewitched—I was wrong, I was wrong—give me a chance!"

Yu Fei gritted his teeth, wanting to slap him to death.

At that moment Shen Qing's calm voice came: "A chance? Of course it'll be given—it just depends on whether you can seize it."

The Commander of a Hundred's eyes flickered with joy; he hurriedly kowtowed to Shen Qing, saying: "Sir, tell me what to do—I'll definitely manage it."

Shen Qing raised his hand: "Simple—I order you, alone, to split into three routes and ambush Wangyue Valley; succeed and you'll live."

The Commander of a Hundred froze, bewildered: "How can one person split into three routes?"

The next instant, an overbearing true qi flashed—his head flew high, and he saw his own body severed into two pieces.

A final thought flashed through his mind.

"So that's how you split into three routes—damn!"