Chapter 143: Chapter Fifty-Two: The Wolf Girl

Plan for ten parts, hope to reap three. That's what the wise say, but in fact, reaping even one part is already fortunate.

Her promise to let the soldiers sleep on Count Lesweil's bed at dawn seems like mere boast.

According to usual practice, they should now hold the fort, pretend nothing happened, then wait for night to move out; but if Count Lesweil is so oblivious to his lands…… if the count is even slightly sensitive to the movements of his territory, she and the White Harbor Cavalry will have to face off against thousands of soldiers—something never originally anticipated.

She does not want to fight such a battle.

She absolutely does not want the troops she leads to engage in a meaningless war of attrition.

The cavalry galloped south, the bone‑chilling wind whistling past their ears, the night like thick ink, and she led her cavalry charging headlong into the unknown darkness.

The cavalry has arrived here, yet not going down to Changxi City would leave her unwilling. It's not pure adventure—her actions still retain suddenness and unpredictability, as long as the time limit is tonight until tomorrow morning.

Things have come to this—does she have any better option?

If she passes through Border Forest Town by day, word of her appearance will reach the count before she even gets to the fort; but if she waits near Border Forest Town for night to fall…… that is a route commonly taken by border hunters, and secrecy might be impossible.

She lay on her horse, pouring her spirit into the hungry, weary night hawk, continually flying southward.

The farther the bird is from her, the more violently it struggles, and she nearly exhausts her spirit doing so.

But the bird cannot break free of her control.

In the bird's sight, Changxi City is encircled by the waters of Changxi Lake, forming a natural, tranquil moat; the water splits at the city gate, flows along both walls, reunites on the far side, then follows the winding river away from the city and merges with the south‑flowing stream.

The soldiers conscripted by Changxi City are stationed beside the stream.

Only when the sun rose again in the east did she personally see Changxi City towering over the plain.

"Raise the banners of Bolton, Lesweil, and whatever the Moss Family." Mei Yi sat on her horse and ordered George.

"Raise the Skinning People's banner!" George turned and shouted at those behind him.

After the banners were raised, Mei Yi turned again and advanced toward the eastern plain until she could no longer see Changxi City, then turned south, veered west, and once more headed straight for Changxi City; after lowering her pace, she proceeded toward the target at a walk in the rising morning light.

No wonder some love to gallop along the stream—it's truly exhilarating.

As they slowly approached, the troops stationed outside Changxi City let out a bright bugle call at that moment.

"What does this mean?" Mei Yi asked Luobu Geluofo beside her.

"One blast means allies have arrived." He pressed his lips, waiting for the subsequent horn, but the second blast never came—"Two blasts mean the enemy is attacking; I think they've mistaken us for allies."

"Ha, it seems the Skinning People's banner has had some effect." The cavalry coming from the east are either enemy troops from Tolunfang City or forces from the riverside across the Honeywine River.

"Maybe we should rest a while." Luobu Geluofo said.

Mei Yi didn't feel she had time to rest. Without surprise, soon the camp outside Changxi City would send cavalry to inquire about the newcomers' identity—by then anything done would be too late.

"Send word back, slowly approach the enemy camp." Mei Yi said to those behind her.

"Send word back, slowly approach the enemy camp." George repeated, turning his head.

"Your Highness, should we sound the horn requesting approach?" Sir Luobu asked.

"The approach horn—what is that?"

"When two forces draw near, it's a short, sharp blast used to signal harmlessness and greeting—like some birds' courtship call." Sir Luobu said carefully, "Getting closer before attacking would be safer." His voice held restrained excitement.

"Oh, Lord Luobu, you're not so timid either—I thought you'd be afraid!" Mei Yi laughed at him, "No need for courtship; saves them blaming me for trickery if they lose later."

The camp beside Changxi City had its anti‑cavalry obstacles scattered haphazardly, the infantry's encampment set on the beach, placed completely at random with no order whatsoever.

"You haven't thrown away your torches, have you?" Mei Yi turned then and shouted at her cavalry, "Light them!"

"This?"

"Lord Luobu, you lead the left‑wing cavalry to strike along the riverbank; I will make a frontal assault, driving the infantry into the cavalry camp."

"Your Highness, take care!" Luobu turned his horse's head, "Left wing, follow me!"

Mei Yi's cavalry, at a distance of one li from the camp, gradually accelerated; upon drawing nearer, no one could hold back, and they began to howl recklessly.

Mei Yi's hundred scattered cavalry suddenly charged the unprepared infantry camp, throwing torch after torch at the tents.

The main camp, in an instant, began to descend into utter chaos.

Some soldiers stumbled out of their tents, unaware of what was happening, only to be cut down by the incoming cavalry. Soon, panicked cries rang out throughout the camp as the troops fled like headless flies.

Luobu's hundred cavalry, attacking from the stream's flank, slaughtered and thoroughly disrupted the riverside encampment.

Mei Yi paid no heed to the fleeing soldiers; she continued to lead her cavalry swiftly through the infantry camp, then surged onward into the adjacent cavalry camp.

The so‑called cavalry camp was not much different from the infantry's; at least, while the cavalrymen were still unmounted, they were hardly distinguishable from the infantry.

They could not mount their warhorses, for the furry dogs had thrown the stables into chaos.

The warhorses in the stables panicked for no reason; the riders could not control them, and without the tether they would have scattered and fled.

Mei Yi shouted to the nearby knights, weaving through the anti‑cavalry obstacles, and swung her sword at any enemy soldier in her path.

Before long, the cavalry camp likewise collapsed; Mei Yi led her cavalry to withdraw and charge again, doing this twice, after which the infantry gathered outside Changxi City and some scattered horsemen dispersed across the wide plain.

"Raise the Ice Plain Wolf banner!" Mei Yi shouted to the cavalry behind her.

Mei Yi led her cavalry to the cavalry camp's stables, effortlessly seized control of the warhorses; the cavalrymen eagerly dismounted, mounted the newly captured steeds, and continued to enhance their mobility.

They encountered hardly any resisting groups; hundreds of cavalry led a vast host of horsemen before the wide Changxi City, continually routing the fleeing soldiers.

Mei Yi directed her cavalry flood to surge back and forth against any group that might gather, until the infantry was completely dispersed from the plain.

Mei Yi glanced at the astonished defenders on the city wall and burst out laughing.

George and Beilun, the two youths, kept close at her side, faces alight with excitement.

"Kill every resisting soldier." Mei Yi intended to declare, but the knights beside her, like tigers, could not hear her order and were already indiscriminately slaughtering the fleeing soldiers nearby.

"Follow me." Mei Yi told the nearby cavalry, charging into the crowded area and cutting down every soldier organizing resistance.

Some soldiers, heedless of danger, leapt into the moat and swam toward the walls, but some obviously forgot they were wearing thick leather armor.

"Round up the warhorses!" Mei Yi yelled left and right as she sprinted across the battlefield at the scattered cavalry.