Chapter 777

Lord Xiao Jin scattered grass scraps all the way as he ran straight to the canteen; the enemy‑attack horn blew, lights flickered on one by one, and the whole camp stirred.

Ling Yin, assign the personal guards to watch a few exits; you personally watch the two gates nearest the Xiongnu camp, and your cousin follows me!

Da Wang hesitated for a moment, then this guy flung open the stable. The war horses, startled by the guardian beast and rearing with neighs, charged out; soldiers ran and shouted, and the scene quickly devolved into chaos.

Chang Li stood in the darkness, gauging the distance between him and his lord, then glanced at the familiar busy figure in the night, and he knew.

Chang the Commander retreated further into the shadows, then completely washed his hands of the situation, handing control over to the other officers below.

The scene was in utter chaos, shouts rising and falling. Some shouted to protect the armory, some grabbed the war horses that had bolted out, and some cried to form ranks and resist the enemy. Yet nothing was sorted out, when a huge crash came from the granary.

It must be Lord Xiao Jin clearing away a few obstacles.

Chang Li helplessly rubbed his forehead; tonight this person is done for.

Over there, Da Wang had already knocked down the armory guard, and with ease he chopped the wooden door down with his sword and rushed inside.

This guy stood there with arms crossed, waiting for Colonel Li under Changli to bring men and surround him. Infuriatingly, he shoved over a weapons rack with a single shove—his provocation level five stars.

Finally here?! It's not that I don't want these weapons, but you came too late—they've already changed hands!

Limited by living conditions, ancient people were short on average; many adults in the southern lands of the Jin dynasty were about the King's current height, and some were even shorter. The King was wrapped from head to toe, and honest Colonel Li never imagined this person could be the emperor, not even considering that possibility.

At that moment, publicly provoked like this, his face flushed red, he let out an angry roar and charged forward.

You little thief! Your arrogance is premature!

After shouting, he commanded the nearby soldiers, "Quickly seize these little thieves for me! Don't let a single one escape alive tonight!" The Northern Border troops are strictly disciplined; no one dared to slack off, they grabbed their swords and fought alongside the King and Wei Shen.

Meanwhile, the Xiongnu camp also sprang into action, and the thoughts of the people in both camps became complicated.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Have the rebel kings from the Central Plains broken in?! That little emperor summoned us just to suppress rebellion—has someone actually broken in?"

"... What about us?"

"Should we give it a shot?"

"Have you forgotten the walls of Youzhou? They broke in without making a sound?!"

"Yes, that's impossible! With such high, sturdy walls, even the steppe iron cavalry can't breach them—how could these weak southerners take them?"

"Could it be a ruse?"

"... Hudu, you're sharp—what do you think?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Hudu, should we make one last gamble? Are you willing to let that little emperor use us as cannon fodder, making us the vanguard for his southern assault?"

The man called Hudu, tall and sturdy, was observing the outside from the window corner; hearing this, he moved to shut the window tightly.

"Don't want to be his vanguard? Do you want to drag iron chains for him and farm for life? Pick one!"

The room fell silent all at once, the earlier excitement cooling instantly.

"Damn! We struggle to swing a knife, yet he can drag prisoners with chains made of such huge chunks of iron…"

"Hudu, such a good opportunity, and we're just going to let it go?"

"Yeah, yeah!"

Hudu clenched his fist, then gritted his teeth and said: "Who doesn't want to escape and be completely free? But the reality is, you've seen how strong the Northern Border cavalry are; if this is a trap and the little emperor did it on purpose, we'll lose our only chance to change our fate. I've heard that Bai Li Jing has sent over battle armor and warhorses; combined with our skills, it's not certain who will end up as the cannon fodder! You need to know: once we work for him, our enemies will be other people, not the Northern Border mysterious-armor cavalry." Hudu figured that fighting for Bai Li Jing would make it easier to rise.

"The royal capital has changed hands; if you escape now, you must not only get out of here but also flee Youzhou City. Even entering the steppe beyond isn't safe—you have to cross Gudulun Mountain and keep heading north. I don't even know where the capital is, let alone crossing Gudulun in winter. Never mind possibly freezing or starving to death on the way—don't you care about your families?"

"Exactly! After repeatedly checking our identities, they know we two brothers are from the Baiyang tribe."

"They couldn't afford to linger in thought; outside, the noise grew louder as soldiers pounded on the door, shouting for them to come out and meet the enemy."

"It doesn't matter who we fight for—this place isn't bad. I'm not leaving; you go if you want!" After saying that, Hudu charged straight out.

"You're scared, but I'm not!" Some gritted their teeth and slipped into the shadows.

Seeing Xiao Jin burst out of the warehouse with a sack of grain on his back and another clenched in his mouth, Changli thought it was time to end the chaos; otherwise, the grain-laden glutton would run off.

The drumroll for the full camp assembly sounded; the King shoved the person in front of him with the back of his blade, pulling off the veil.

Opposite, Colonel Li stared at that delicate, pale little face for a moment, his mind taking a while to catch up.

Heavens!

He had a person in mind, but he didn't dare to guess.

The King gave a haughty cold snort, glanced at him with disdain, then sheathed his sword and walked away with arrogant little steps. At the doorway he tossed out: "Everyone, come out and assemble!"

"Yes, yes, obey the order!" After that, he realized he'd guessed right.

Colonel Li wiped his face, desperately trying to recall his performance just now.

Updated!

After exchanging dozens of moves, he hadn't achieved anything! Heaven knows why the emperor, at his age, has such strength—his strikes are fast and fierce; his performance can be described as embarrassing, with no redeeming points. He'd never appeared before the emperor before; it was Commander Chang who promoted him exceptionally from the East Main Camp. This time… won't he be sent back to his original post?!

The King strode out of the armory with confident, square steps; outside, lights were already blazing. Before he could lead his unlucky detachment to the drill field, Xiao Jin darted over with a furtive look.

Its black headscarf had loosened from biting the sack, now the black cloth rested on its shoulder with the sack in its mouth, and it came charging over like that.

The King halted his step, scoffing: "What are you doing? You look like a chicken thief!"

Wei Shen replied honestly: "Isn't it?"

The King: ……

"Put it down quick! I still need to save face!"

Xiao Jin instantly felt endless regret: "Don't want it? Then didn't I come here for nothing?"

Upon seeing the King, Changli immediately stepped forward, leading the bow to His Majesty the Emperor. Hudu, standing in the front rank of the Xiongnu camp, slowly exhaled; his wavering, anxious heart finally settled.

He had guessed correctly.

The King climbed onto the martial arts platform with arrogant little steps, hands behind his back, an air of old-fashioned superiority as he surveyed the tens of thousands without a word. The atmosphere tightened gradually; tens of thousands stood silently in the moonlight, giving off a faintly eerie, gloomy vibe.

Only when Ling Yin appeared, leading a string of bound deserters, did the stagnation break.

With one sentence the King dispelled the gloom: "Where is my little bee?"

Changli: ……

Wei Shen: ……

Great King raised the small trumpet he had paid a huge sum for the toll: "Do you know what punishment deserters deserve under the northern border military regulations?"