Chapter 289: Battle of Martial Might

Tang Qian's account was that he indeed saw the supporting Southwest Army at Jade Gate Pass; later the Western Regions withdrew troops, and Everlasting Peace gave Bright Prefecture to the Xiongnu, so they withdrew from Bright Prefecture.

"The last time I saw Wei Peng and Wei Ke was at Jade Gate Pass; they haven't returned to Prosperous Prefecture? Based on the timing, they should have gone back..."

Tang Qian thought it over and found nothing unusual: "When we withdrew troops, the Xiongnu hadn't yet come to take over; the Southwest Army should have been ahead of us, so could it be… that the Xiongnu plotted something?"

The Southwest Army didn't suffer any mishap on the battlefield; that number of twenty thousand shouldn't easily encounter danger.

Because the main force of Bai Ze was trapped by the prophecy in the Northwest, the Wei family gritted their teeth and didn't let the old master go; Wei Peng also only brought his son and the twenty-thousand Southwest Army, following the court's order to support Jade Gate Pass.

When Tang Qian heard that the Wei family hadn't returned to Prosperous Prefecture, he also felt concerned; after all, they were people who came to support Jade Gate Pass.

The Great King again compared the retreat route with Tang Qian, analyzing the route they now need to take to Jade Gate Pass.

The Great King immediately wrote a letter to Prosperous Prefecture's third maternal uncle, ordering Zhetian to deliver it, as a final confirmation of information. Here it's close to Prosperous Prefecture; they had a meal in Han Yang, and Zhetian took the reply back.

This also counts as some news; the old master had sent a letter back a few days ago saying they would next go to Blazing Beacon to search. He also said that, to avoid encountering the Xiongnu main force, they had traveled along the Qiang people's border.

The Great King wryly said, "Fine, Blazing Beacon it is! At least we have some news, a concrete location, and the old master is safe." He didn't dare delay any further, and was about to strike camp and march straight to Jade Gate Pass.

No matter your schemes, we'll march all the way to Jade Gate Pass; digging three feet deep, I don't believe we can't find those twenty thousand!

Seeing Wei Shen worried, the Great King also comforted him: "It's fine, your uncle is alive and well."

Wei Shen looked at the Great King with newfound respect: "I didn't realize you could also tell fortunes?"

The Great King thought, I don't, Bai Ze will do just fine.

The Great King and Tang Qian reached an agreement; they would together attack Jade Gate Pass, then Northern Direction, and after capturing it, the original garrison of Jade Gate Pass would be left to defend it.

With the Southwest Army matter settled, neither side wasted any more time; Tang Qian also struck camp and followed behind the Great King's cavalry, continuing northwest. At this point Tang Qian learned that the Great King's ten thousand cavalry were all equipped with identical Black Wind horses and identical iron armor, and furthermore, the Great King had set out from You Prefecture with ten thousand cavalry, not merely having ten thousand left.

The Great King is more than just eating too well.

Probably because his resentment had substance, the Great King noticed; he rode his Little Date over to Tang Qian's side, skillfully drawing a pie (making promises): "Tang Uncle, when I return to You Prefecture, I'll have people send you a few Black Wind Horses. No more than that, the shares for the other uncles are still there. I have a horse farm in You Prefecture dedicated to breeding warhorses; give it a few more years and our cavalry will all be able to ride Black Wind Horses."

Tang Qian didn't know whether he had eaten his fill, but the few officers beside him were pleased by the Great King's coaxing, obviously already beginning to fantasize about the wonderful future of possessing cavalry like the Great King's.

When they stopped to camp, another difference showed up: the Great King dismounted to feed his horse, then skillfully took out his rations packet and began to eat.

Tang Qian's people had to wait for the carts to bring the millet, then bury the pot and cook rice.

They finish a meal in a quarter hour, while they need an hour and a half, half of which is spent waiting for the rear logistics troops to catch up.

The Great King strolled over to look at their food; well, it's just porridge, little rice, lots of water.

Tang Qian lifted his bowl and drank half a bowl in one gulp: "Being able to drink porridge now is not bad; we don't even know how we'll manage to hold out until the autumn harvest."

The Great King smiled narrowly: "So, Tang Uncle, you choosing to stand on the side of justice is also being responsible for the soldiers. Cousin, let the supply corps distribute some compressed biscuits to the brothers at Jade Gate Pass; just drinking porridge won't do—compressed biscuits have oil, salt, and sugar, that's how people get the strength to march!"

Cousin: … What a thick face.

How did you become righteous? Even if so, do you yourself think it's appropriate!

Soldiers who had been eating plain congee with pickled vegetables discovered that there were still You Prefecture cavalry eating this well while serving!

Tang Qian, while eating compressed biscuits and drinking water, said, "Old Tang has figured it out—Prince of You is here to undermine morale!"

The Great King shoved a packet of sugar into his hand: "In the future, if you follow me, I'll starve before letting the border troops guarding the frontier go hungry; Tang Uncle, just rest easy."

They marched together for a morning, and would split in the afternoon.

Now there are very few cavalry at Jade Gate Pass, almost all infantry; looking after them would waste too much time, and the Great King still has an uncle to find.

Tang Qian still couldn't imagine how ten thousand of the Great King would cope if they met the Xiongnu main force; finally he decided to bring Jade Gate Pass's few cavalry to fight at the vanguard alongside the Great King, while the remaining infantry would follow behind the Great King's supply corps.

From then on Tang Qian lived on inhaling the exhaust of Black Wind Horses.

To be frank, the other cavalry's horses at Jade Gate Pass might be ordinary, but as a commander guarding the Western Regions, the mounts he's managed to obtain are also quite impressive. Still, he can't even talk about the vanguard cavalry ahead—he simply can't keep up with the ordinary cavalry of You Prefecture!

For the first time he doubted the identity of his mount, a Western Regions precious steed; this also… falls far short.

In the pursuit, they soon reached Martial Might.

This famed place, the Great King had never come before, yet felt familiar, having heard the name countless times in texts.

His father was captured here, and ultimately unexpectedly lost his life in this battle.

The Great King felt complex inside, but remained calm on the surface.

Because he had already seen the archers densely packed on the walls of Martial Might.

Compared to before in Soldier Prefecture, there are many more; it looks like there are quite a few troops stationed here?

The Great King took out a spyglass to start observing whether there was anyone like Lan He; this place is also close to the Xiongnu, so there must be a great general, right?

"Stop beyond arrow range, I'll first feel things out."

Tang Qian: … So casual?

Seeing the vanguard ahead charging straight for the gate, he hurriedly asked the Great King: "Should we fall back a bit and wait for the infantry to arrive before saying anything? We're less than twenty thousand; this is too rash, isn't it?"

The Great King waved his hand, his remarks quite conservative: "Let's just try an attack; we can't rely on infantry, we have to do it ourselves to be well-fed and well-clothed, Tang Uncle."

Wei Shen: …

Put on an act.

Tang Qian hadn't figured out this relationship, and the Great King sped nonstop to the front, raising his little face and shouting loudly: "May I ask who the commander above is? Is Lan He present? I have a matter of life and death to discuss with him!"

The Martial Might guard Hu Yan Kun pushed aside the archers before him and walked forward, "Heh~ Looks like Lan Yi Zhi is still alive."

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Halfway through the night I bolted upright, having forgotten to update; my domestic routine became even more chaotic…

Here we had a heavy snowfall; the nearby road ended up with the highway closed, I sat in a car doing twenty miles per hour for a day returning home and fell asleep until now; don't wait for me tonight~ I'll come back tomorrow morning.

Have you ever driven a car at twenty miles per hour where you can't see the road, needing double flashers the whole way? I guess that's what I'm like too (／_＼) big grievance seed.