Chapter 200: Chen Yan: Should I Dodge His Edge First?

Yes, Father, rest assured....

Two streams of clear tears traced across Hongye's cheek, a whimper like a dying cub escaping her throat; even the strong she reddened her eyes, "My daughter will definitely protect Lord Chen Yan!"

Even if I die, I will die before him!

As a daughter, Hongye knows better than anyone what her father cares about...

He changed his name and surname and lay low for many years, all to avenge the unjustly dead, to restore justice, and also to repay the people of Jingzhou, a bright world!

She will definitely fulfill his dying wish!

Alright... that's good...

Si Tu Hui, cradled in Hongye's arms, nodded satisfactorily, shifted his gaze to Chen Yan, and called softly, "Lord Chen Yan...."

I'm here, what orders do you have?

Chen Yan hurried forward, crouched down, bowed his head close to the soon-to-die Si Tu Hui, and spoke respectfully.

Whether or not this person is the Prefect of Jingzhou, based on all he has done, he deserves Chen Yan's highest respect.

Si Tu Hui grasped Chen Yan's fingertip; even though his breath was like a wisp, he mustered his last breath and insisted, "Lord Chen Yan.... you must.... save the people of Jingzhou!"

I, the little daughter... also... entrust... to... you... now...

Summoning his remaining strength to finish the last word, Si Tu Hui swallowed his breath.

His right hand hung limply on the ground, and his eyes still held earnest longing.

"Lord Si Tu, rest assured, I will never disappoint you!" Chen Yan nodded, promising solemnly.

He paused, steadied his emotions, turned his head toward Hongye, and continued, "Your father's murderer, I'll leave it to you to handle!"

Hongye heard this, first stunned, then a light sparked in her eyes, and she exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you!"

She never imagined the man before her could be so clean and decisive.

Having said that, her peripheral glance drifted toward Ming Shaoxia.

The taste that seeped through was like Emperor Chongzhen donating his blood to Li Zicheng, hatred to the bone...

Hahaha!

Ming Shaoxia was already fearless, laughing loudly, "Chen Yan, even if you kill me, so what?"

You have already held my funeral; all my achievements are sealed, my posthumous fame will be passed down through generations, spoken of by all later people!

Obviously, Ming Shaoxia is deliberately provoking Chen Yan, and also provoking Hongye.

After all, this kid, to prevent his resurrection, directly held a funeral...

A prefect who died while in office—who could believe that after death he is still plotting rebellion, colluding with foreign enemies, trying to ruin the whole Jingzhou?

Even if we kill Ming Shaoxia now, what does it matter?

Chen Yan and the Court also have to, pinching their noses, acknowledge his achievements, constantly disgusted yet powerless... (referencing Director Qi who died on Goying Ridge, still an anti‑drug hero because he was never tried and convicted).

At this moment, Ming Shaoxia, like Kennedy in an open‑top car, was grinning from ear to ear.

Having received approval, Hongye closed her father's eyes, stood up, her gaze cold, and walked toward the laughing Ming Shaoxia, sword in hand.

"Is that so?" Chen Yan heard, a slight curve at the corner of his mouth, murmuring.

Ming Shaoxia's speculation was correct; for the greater picture and the Court's face, an official of this era would indeed have to compromise.

But unfortunately, the one he met was Chen Yan...

He, Chen, who would avenge any insult, could first catch the whole Ming clan off guard, then author a chronicle, and nail them onto the pillar of historical disgrace.

Having witnessed the whole scene, the imprisoned Liu Mu Zhi shouted, "Lord Chen Yan, now is not the time to babble about useless things!"

"Three thousand Turkic Iron Cavalry are now approaching An Ding in the capital!"

He used all his strength, urgently reminding what the immediate priority is...

I understand.

Chen Yan followed the voice, nodded calmly without haste, and said, "My subordinates Kuo Luo and Liang Shiyan have already led two thousand Liangzhou troops, stationed on the road they must take to An Ding!"

Obviously, Chen Yan wasn't missing the point; he had been prepared, so he wasn't frantic.

Yuwen Ze: "???"

Dou Luling: "???"

Zu Ting: "???"

"Brother Chen, you already knew Ming Shaoxia colluded with the Turks?" Wang Xiong heard, was stunned, looked at Chen Yan with great surprise, and couldn't help asking.

When Chen Yan divided the elite Jingzhou troops into six units, he also assigned each of the six men a separate mission, and they were kept unaware of each other.

For example, Wang Xiong and Dou Luling's task was to accompany Wang Mu Gong Mountain, and together with the Embroidered‑clothing Envoy, launch a surprise attack on the old stronghold...

And Feng Xiao Yan, after the Great Army of the Jing Hong Assembly reached Cangfeng, quietly turned back, lurked in secret, waiting to reap the fish that slipped through the net.

But no one expected that Kuo and Liang were taken directly to guard against the Turks?!

Could they truly foresee the future?

"I don't know that he colluded with the Turks..." Chen Yan shrugged, saying casually.

"Then how did you pre‑emptively, specifically deploy?" Dou Luling heard, grew more puzzled, and couldn't help asking.

"I think Ming Shaoxia, lacking internal power, must rely on external force..."

Chen Yan exhaled a breath of foul air, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, calmly explained, "So I added an extra layer of defense, also keeping an additional mobile reserve."

Chen Yan neither practices divination, nor has a strategist, nor any visual map...

He only analyzed the fundamental nature of that fellow Ming Shaoxia, and the cards he could play, making the utmost dissection and worst‑case plan.

And he also kept in mind that person's tactics, leaving the general reserve unmoved...

"A Xiong, you're literally a god!"

"Who on earth did he learn his warfare tactics from?"

"His skill is truly godlike!"

Yuwen Ze sighed in awe; the eyes he cast at Chen Yan were filled with indescribable admiration, and he thought to himself.

What does it mean to have a flawless plan?

This is it!

His A Xiong, in his eyes, is the most formidable existence...

Wang Xiong silently raised his thumb and praised, "Brother Chen, impressive!"

At that moment, Wang Xiong, who had observed Chen Yan all the way, was completely won over by Chen Yan...

Such a pillar‑state's legitimate grandson is worthy of the loyalty of father and son and their entire clan!

Following such a figure, how could one worry that the future won't be soaring?

"Why does the Duke of Wei abandon a son like this and instead choose Chen Cijiu and Chen Gubai?" Dou Luling stared at Chen Yan, utterly baffled.

Not even the blind can tell; anyone with a brain knows how to choose...

Having such a son, and a legitimate one at that, how could the clan not prosper?

"Enough, now's not the time for this; head to Helian Shi's camp at once!"

Chen Yan pressed his hand, glanced toward the northwest, and said gravely.

Then he pointed at the imprisoned Liu Mu Zhi and instructed You Xian, "Take him along as well..."

"Yes!"

The crowd answered in unison.

Liu Mu Zhi was ecstatic, but not merely because of regained freedom and safety...

When dusk fully settled, the blood‑red setting sun stained Great Zhou's dark banners a deep crimson.

The Turkic People's Iron Cavalry's curved blades loomed like black clouds.

Kuo Luo and Liang Shiyan led the Jingzhou troops, whose shield formation quivered amid the clatter of iron hooves; the taotie pattern on the cowhide shields was shattered into fragments by moonlight.

The spear‑tips of the front‑line infantry had not yet fully risen when the wolf‑skinned cavalry surged forward with a scorching gust.

The curved blades' muffled slash across necks blended with the warhorse's whinny, instantly tearing the infantry's carefully built line.

"Form the formation! Form the formation!" the commander's roar was drowned by the whistling of arrows.

The Turkic People's whistling arrows screeched across the evening sky; the barbed wolf‑tooth arrows easily pierced leather armor, and the struck soldiers shrieked as they fell, convulsing in the mud.

The infantry clutched bronze halberds, fighting to block, but could not withstand the cavalry's overhead slashes; splattered blood droplets formed a dark‑red mist in the afterglow.

Ten miles away, on a mound, Helian Shi's cavalry was stationed.

"Lord, the Turkic vanguard cavalry has engaged the two—Kuo and Liang—already..."

"The disparity in combat power is considerable!"

Helian Shi gazed far, surveyed the battle there, assessed the Jingzhou troops' disadvantage, and reported.

"Mm."

Chen Yan also stared that way and replied softly.

The infantry‑cavalry gap is magnified infinitely under these conditions; not even a victory is likely, and they probably won't hold out long.

"Lord Chen Yan, three thousand Turkic Iron Cavalry surge like the wind, still under the command of their special‑duty leader, morale high..."

Zu Ting stepped forward, phrased it briefly, and suggested, "Shall we strategically withdraw, rely on favorable terrain, and fight step by step?"

As the Colonel of Jingzhou, the chief military officer, Zu Ting knew that plain battles were extremely unfavorable to his side, especially given their manpower disadvantage.

Though his words were courteous, under the Turkic People's overwhelming force he entertained the thought of avoiding battle...

After all, they only had three thousand cavalry and no follow‑up logistics; at worst the Turkic would raid once and then withdraw, so there's no need for a head‑on clash.

"Colonel Zu, that's easy to say!" Wang Xiong retorted, "If we retreat, what about the hundreds of thousands of households in An Ding City?"

"Indeed!"

Dou Luling did not hesitate, echoing, "Do we just watch as Jingzhou's people are trampled by the Turkic Iron Cavalry?"

Zu Ting glanced aside, unwilling to argue pointlessly, and looked straight at the ultimate decision‑maker Chen Yan, urging again, "Lord Chen Yan, the enemy is strong and we are weak; temporarily avoiding the blade is the best strategy!"

The plain is cavalry's arena; infantry without numerical superiority charging up is, bluntly, a death sentence.

And here at their garrison, they have only a hundred cavalry...

One hundred against three thousand, the numbers are too disparate, like an egg striking a stone!

Chen Yan listened, half‑smiling, raised his hand and pointed at himself, "Should I first avoid his blade?"

"Fetch the horse‑spear!"