Chapter 149
Chinese line: translate as earlier.
Interpretation: After a mobilization of knights ennobled in the Northern style, Mei Yi began to drive away the onlooking herdsmen, especially the overly curious children, and then repeatedly explained battle tactics to all the knights present, patiently answering every question they raised.
note
Make sure each clause present.
Chinese
Already English: "After ensuring everyone knew how this battle would be fought, the cavalry withdrew from Fish Beam Wood Island." Ensure no Chinese. It's fine.
Chinese
"As Mei Yi withdrew, three youths not yet fully grown had already donned leather armor and swords, riding equally immature horses, waiting at the crossroads."
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Chinese
"The cavalry behind Mei Yi, seeing this, drew their longswords; as soon as Mei Yi nodded, they would launch a charge against the young cavalry."
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Chinese
"Mei Yi waved at the cavalry. The three youthful cavalrymen were clearly not intending to provoke or seek battle."
Chinese
"If you don't stay quiet, my cavalry will shoot you full of quills like a hedgehog." Mei Yi said with a smile to the three youthful cavalrymen. She saw some houses open their doors, and some eyes were peeking at the great army and the three youthful cavalrymen.
We need to keep quotes. Use English quotes.
Chinese
"Your Highness, please let us join your army. We can fight." Said one of the leading youthful cavalrymen, raising his longsword. His leather armor was obviously too big and worn, but it could be seen that it had been carefully maintained.
Chinese
"The other two youths likewise looked at Mei Yi with hopeful eyes."
Chinese
"Mei Yi smiled; she could not refuse such a request, especially one coming from within the enemy camp, bearing obvious enthusiasm."
Chinese
"Why join us? Know that if I fail, you will die as well, and it will also drag down your families nearby."
Chinese
"Our families are already dead, and even if they were alive they would agree to our joining. We are southern orphans brought back to the North by Lord Edd; we should fight for Stark, not for the black-hearted Blackland."
Chinese
"Are you not afraid of failure?"
Chinese
"Afraid," "not afraid,"...
Chinese
"They did not reach agreement."
Chinese
"They glanced at each other."
Chinese
"Being afraid or not afraid are both right; that doesn't matter. However, since you are orphans, I don't believe you would have—well, three youthful horses and leather armor and swords."
Chinese
"We just killed someone; the three horses were taken from Kennan Blackland's courtyard, where he hid them, but the leather armor was left by our parents."
Chinese
"If we left you behind, the herdsmen would likely kill you. I agree to let you join. My time is short, so I won't ask your names for now—there's still a big battle later, but I stress: follow orders, or else don't blame me for not giving you a chance." Mei Yi turned to George, "Later I will prepare suitable leather armor and warhorses for you. Winter has come; from this moment you must become adults—not just in body, but in heart as well."
Chinese
"Mei Yi led the large cavalry north along the lakeside, following the apple grove road northward, crossing two shallow stream beds, then advancing west along a deeper stream, following the hill's edge, circling; after ensuring they were out of everyone's sight, she began to turn back south."
Chinese
"Mei Yi left most of the cavalry here under Sir Glover's command, stationed in the hills and apple grove; she herself took the remaining cavalry south, crossing hills and several streams, then hid in the wilderness between mountains and streams, with the entire apple grove separating them from the grassland settlement entrance."
Chinese
"Her strategy is simple."
Chinese
"Feigning that the whole army turns west to lure pursuers, they pass through the passage between the pond and the apple grove; when they cross, the main force and the hairy dog at the front cut off their passage, after which Mei Yi ambushes the enemy from the rear; the planned battlefield is the narrow strip between the apple grove and the lake."
Chinese
"Whoever dreams of bringing six or seven hundred cavalry to seek a decisive battle with Mei Yi and hopes to win is merely indulging in fantasy."
Chinese
"Horses are timid creatures, and fortunately she has the aid of an ice plain wolf."
Chinese
"Although the ice plain wolf sometimes does not obey, when necessary Mei Yi can directly control it to intimidate the stream-land cavalry; if the enemy falls into confusion, Glover's cavalry and hers from behind can then launch a killing strike."
Chinese
"The apple grove can allow horses to pass, but it cannot tolerate most horses passing at once; if the enemy, in confusion, jumps into the lake, that is naturally a path to death."
Chinese
"In Mei Yi's view, a large cavalry entering the apple grove is likewise a path to death."
Chinese
"Mei Yi had long seen that most of the apple grove, where it meets the mountains to the west, ultimately becomes impassable; thus, if they flee into the apple grove, they will either wander confused in the woods or head south along the hills, then break southwest at the hill‑stream junction."
Chinese
"If the Lesweir cavalry faced ordinary enemy soldiers, they might still have a chance to survive, but their opponent is Mei Yi, a person with all‑round vision. At the right moment, she can have someone blow a special sound, allowing Glover to send some cavalry back, threading through the northern mountains to attack from the direction the enemy is retreating, while Mei Yi can likewise re‑enter the apple grove, cross the shallow stream, and cut them off from the south."
Chinese
"At that time the battlefield will be the narrow passage between the hills and the shallow stream. No matter what, Mei Yi's two hundred cavalry will always face the breaking‑out enemy with superior numbers."
Chinese
"And if victory is won in the decisive battle, Mei Yi's remaining task is merely to drive the routed troops from the apple grove, just as a hunter drives game from the forest."
Chinese
"The key now is to wait for the stream‑land cavalry to enter the expected route as planned; since they do so as expected, Mei Yi cannot imagine any further surprise."
Chinese
"Mei Yi and Luo Fu parted at the rocky hill. The hairy dog gazed far at Mei Yi, then lowered its head and went far away, the wind scattering its fur."
Chinese
"It also had to stand alone."
Chinese
"All it needed to do was lie low by the lake, appearing at the right moment."
Chinese
"Mei Yi was not entirely sure whether it could fully understand her commands, or carry them out."
Chinese
"In fact, Mei Yi prepared to directly control it at any time."
Chinese
"Mei Yi went south along the rocky hill, with George and the youth from Toren Fangcheng closely at her side; behind them also came the mercenary Bolun, the three newly joined youths, and other soldiers tasked with assault."
Chinese
"Mei Yi quickly reached the destination. Here, simply passing through the apple grove would allow her to cut off the enemy's retreat."
Chinese
"Mei Yi dismounted, handed the reins to George beside her, and projected her spirit once more into the bird's body."
Chinese
"The stream‑land cavalry halted far off beside the stream, gazing toward the grassland settlement."
Chinese
"They did not rashly advance."
Chinese
"Mei Yi felt slightly anxious. If the enemy were this cautious, her temporary arrangements would come to nothing."
Chinese
"After a while, three cavalry leapt out from behind, riding warhorses and bearing small flags; they were the first to ford the small stream, heading straight north. Upon reaching the northward passage and the path onto the herdsmen's small island, they hesitated a moment, then two went north while one turned toward the island road, waving flags as if communicating something."
Chinese
"Not long after, the herdsmen lowered the drawbridge, the cavalry turned about, and blew the horn."
Chinese
"At that moment, the stream‑land army began to cross the stream slowly along her predetermined line, yet they remained cautious, summoning some herdsmen onto the island's passage for questioning."
Chinese
"Mei Yi did not know what they were saying, but from the herdsmen's gestures it seemed they were indicating their direction of advance."
Chinese
"Two forward scouts had already moved ahead along the lakeside road; Mei Yi had no choice but to withdraw her spirit from the bird and enter the hairy dog, directing the ice plain wolf along the lakeside toward the side channel that connects to the stream."
Chinese
"The ice plain wolf's feeling made Mei Yi's heart sink."
Chinese
"To Mei Yi, the hairy dog was not a well‑fitting boot; she was more like an observer, and when necessary she had to exert a coercive force to seize control, much like some exceedingly proud hawks."
Chinese
"At this moment the hairy dog sensed only the beating hearts and surging blood in the chests of the scout cavalry."
Chinese
"It wanted to hunt at once."
Chinese
"Mei Yi had no choice but to let the hairy dog cross the channel and continue north, away from the battlefield."
Chinese
"When she felt the position was far enough, she again directed her energy to the birds."
Chinese
"At this moment the Lesweir cavalry's main force had already proceeded along the lakeside road, its vanguard completely past Mei Yi's ambush point."
Chinese
"Mei Yi was about to continue observing when the hairy dog from above let out a high, mournful howl so close that the Lesweir cavalry instantly panicked, their horses neighing in terror."
Chinese
"The scout cavalry sensed an unknown danger, turned their horses about, and returned from the front."
Chinese
"Unexpected."
Chinese
"Mei Yi could not understand why the hairy dog would suddenly… it is not an animal that likes to cry, ever since Rickon died."
The fluffy dog is not the tundra wolf that grew up with her; perhaps she could never truly become the "Young Wolf Lord".
Hardly a moment after the wolf howl, Mei Yi felt an inexplicable chill on the tit; it seemed a fierce cold wind was blowing south from the north along the road, following the lakeshore, the wind sweeping across the vast apple orchard, making Mei Yi, standing on the wasteland, feel the same chill.
Strange chill.
The chill made the surrounding warhorses whinny as well; the cavalry understood their duty, quickly soothed them in low voices, and while doing so also looked to Mei Yi, awaiting her command.
The Lesweil cavalry had not yet entered the divided, cut-off position, and most had not even entered Mei Yi's assault position; launching an attack now could at best destroy only part of the cavalry, allowing the bulk to retreat calmly, and moreover Luo Fu's ambush would have no effect.
Weird cold wind.
Mei Yi signaled the soldiers to remain calm, listened closely, and the warhorses of Lesweil in the distance likewise neighed, similarly reacting to the eerie cold current.
The cold wind ceased, and snow began to fall from the sky.
Strange snow.
Mei Yi once again focused her spirit on the bird perched on the branch, expending considerable energy before she could again drive the bird to spread its wings and fly into the cold wind.
After a brief hesitation, the Lesweil cavalry chose to continue advancing and redeploy the returning scouts.
Another wolf howl.
Then a gust of cold wind passed; Mei Yi could no longer hold on, she slumped and slid off the bird's body, feeling the bird fall from the sky toward the cavalry.
Mei Yi felt a headache, supported her forehead, then took the reins from George's hand and mounted the horse in one motion.
"Pass the word, mount up!"
Three young cavalrymen, oblivious to the situation, loudly assented, immediately drawing many sidelong and angry glances.
The three youths' faces instantly flushed red, and they gripped their swords tighter.
Even their bodies tensed.
"Mount up." They passed the word back one by one.
She felt things turning strange, especially the sudden weather; she didn't know how long 'Heaven' would continue to aid Lesweil, but for now she could only take the risk, in case the enemy began to prepare.
They had already entered the designated position.
Mei Yi gestured with her hand.
"Sound the horn!"
End of Chapter
