Chapter 416: Turning the Luo River

Both Shangdang and Qinghe sent scouts to follow this unit, but they were too slow—no one managed to catch up. By the time they arrived late, they missed all the excitement in Fanyang; when they finally caught up, they instead ran into the Snow Cavalry just emerging from Fanyang City.

Not far outside the city there was a smoky big pit that let them be sure something had definitely happened in Fanyang—too bad they had no chance to investigate.

Around the pit there were many Fanyang City guards keeping watch, but they also had no time to go over and confirm; seeing the Snow Cavalry emerge, these people fell behind and followed them south to Pengcheng, and this time they witnessed the Snow Cavalry attacking Pengcheng.

In the scorching summer heat, the two groups felt a chill in their chests at what they saw before them.

If these cavalry were to attack Shangdang or Qinghe, what could we do?!

Having been shocked enough, they immediately sent someone back to report the news.

The Youzhou Silver-armored Cavalry entered the city, and within half a day familiar smoke rose again, bringing a familiar scent. When they disguised themselves as commoners and mixed into the city, the two groups of scouts finally understood what that big pit outside Fanyang City was for……

As it turns out, all the rumors circulating among the people were true!

Everyone says the Northern Border King wages war ferociously, with an extremely strong competitive spirit; after winning a battle he still isn't satisfied, and only considers it finished after burning the enemy corpses together, so the enemy can never find peace. There have long been rumors that he burned a hundred thousand Xiongnu cavalry in Liangzhou, and now it looks like those rumors are definitely true.

Anyway, the faces of the people from Shangdang and Qinghe grew paler and paler.

The Snow Cavalry's return speed slowed to a crawl—not to mention the Lu clan's carriages and horses stretching out of sight—and they were also escorting over a thousand prisoners on foot.

Fortunately, although the timeline had been stretched long, all expenses on the road were covered by the Lu clan.

This trip to Changli didn't bring a dedicated logistics battalion; the Snow Cavalry personally carried their individual combat rations, plus feed supplements for the warhorses—this too was a genuine drill. In future lightning strikes, they may always stay not far from a logistics battalion.

To avoid affecting the horses' speed, each person could only carry a limited amount, so they brought enough provisions from Youzhou to reach Yizhou City, then topped up at the supply depot in Yizhou for the stretch to Luoshui Pass, and made a final replenishment at the Luoshui Pass depot. By the time they reached Fanyang, the food was exhausted, and there was nothing left for the return trip.

The Lu clan took responsibility for all return-trip expenses—just ordinary rations. The people adapted fine, but the warhorses, after picking at food for two days, resigned themselves to hunger.

Fanyang had no compressed alfalfa bean cakes, that kind of luxury good, so before setting out they still had alfalfa bean cakes from the Mu Chang Ji Ranch as a supplement; on the way back they had nothing, and the warhorses longed to return even more eagerly than the cavalry, but there was no choice—they were too much of a burden.

In the scorching summer heat, dragging so many prisoners along with over a thousand people from the Lu clan, the speed required the cavalry to constantly pull on the reins—those precious horses of the Great King had never before walked such a slow road……

Upon entering Qinghe territory, as usual they encountered cities and knocked on gates, but this time with so many people they could not take any detour routes.

"Commander, how do they seem to know we're about to pass through? It's like they've cleared the road. At this time there's not a single person at the city gate—are no commoners entering the city?"

Changli adapted well: "When we were in Pengcheng, there were several groups of people lurking outside; we can't just let them idle for nothing."

"People of the King of Qinghe?"

"Of course there are. When cavalry pass through someone's territory, they'll definitely come along to see what we're up to."

Anyway, no one thought of themselves as that flood‑beast.

Good news stays at home, bad news travels a thousand miles; the return‑trip scouts moved countless times faster than them, and the Snow Cavalry's doings in Fanyang and Pengcheng have already been spreading like wildfire throughout Qinghe.

Knowing they would pass through, the townspeople who had previously lent them the road all stayed indoors to avoid going out. The elders would also warn their families to keep an eye on the youngsters, lest they go out and be struck by the evil aura.

This time the Snow Cavalry once again bypassed the Qinghe capital; upon entering Shangdang they could finally see townspeople on the streets, and funnily enough the local city defenses would clear the way for them.

"This Prince of Shangdang is rather interesting."

After the Great King had already conquered Bingzhou and was idly looking at the map, he finally caught sight of his beloved Snow Cavalry's figure.

The unit finally entered Luoshui Pass, and that very night the Great King summoned Changli to his residence.

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Taking the lower spot, will update normally tomorrow. After switching to Yin-nourishing Lung-clearing Pill, Montelukast Sodium, I feel much better, but still decided to take leave and rest at home for two days; see you tomorrow!