Chapter 1018

Chen Wuji lightly tapped the table with his fingers, his gaze deep and inwardly collected, he looked around at everyone, then gave a light chuckle: 'Gentlemen, we are cavalry, and moreover light cavalry with one man two horses; our warhorses have sufficient endurance, and our soldiers are all elite selected from various units.'

If I remember correctly, we seem to have never fought an evenly matched battle; we usually win with the weak against the strong, the few against the many. Even if the enemy outnumbers us tenfold, if we can't beat them we can still run, right?

We also have no need to hold a dead-end position!

If our main force here draws the Uyghur army's attention and leads them in a circle, while Yang Pojun leads his troops straight to attack the Uyghurs, what do you think?

Everyone was badly stunned.

They were very familiar with this tactic; in past battles, their lord had used this set of tactics an unknown number of times.

Feint east, strike west—not to attack cities and seize land, but to aim at destroying the enemy's living forces.

The Qiang People initially lost because of this tactic.

But now they face a completely unfamiliar enemy.

They do not know how many troops the Uyghurs have, nor how they are deployed; aside from the three military forts that Chen Li obtained by leading men on a raid over two hundred li, everything else can be said to be pitch black.

In such a situation, can we really pull off a feint east, strike west?

Everyone began to weigh in their hearts the feasibility of this set of tactics.

'My lord, I still believe intelligence should come first!' Kong Fang said, clasping his fists.

Chen Wuji nodded, 'That is natural.'

'I just suddenly thought, you should not go to Yǐnmǎchuān to probe their reality; instead you should go around Yǐnmǎchuān and make a circuit on the Uyghur frontier.'

Kong Fang's eyes lit up, 'My lord, excellent insight; I indeed need to consider further.'

'Consider further, refine your plan to detailed specifics.' Chen Wuji said, 'Once you've considered it well, your thousand men will serve as Yang Pojun's eyes; you will display your talents in the Uyghur heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, while I here lead the men as deserters.'

'When three hundred thousand enemy troops gather together, we are mere ants they look down upon; but if we split them into several strands, we have the possibility to swallow this elephant.'

'We need not hold onto land; people are alive, and tactics can be alive too.'

Chen Wuji's words drew full agreement from everyone.

The tactic to counter a sudden Uyghur offensive was simply settled in a few words.

After so long, this is the first time Chen Wuji's proposed tactic has not drawn opposition from everyone.

This also counts as an explanation for having studied those military texts for so long.

……

Three days later, a unit with an exaggerated gait, averaging three sways per step, arrived at Luoying Camp.

Chen Wuji ordered preparations of a hearty meal for the soldiers, and brought Chen Li and Kong Fang to sit together.

Chen Wuji and his companions casually sat down there, causing these soldiers to be at a loss; they sat uneasily, holding their bowls, not knowing how to wield their chopsticks.

'Eat, what are you staring at? You're all big shots, tough as iron; why be shy about a meal? Eat, if it's not enough there's more, just add another bowl!' Chen Wuji commanded loudly.

The soldiers forced unnatural smiles at the corners of their mouths, finally relaxing a bit, but they lowered their heads and shoved their chopsticks forward, each faster than the next, like wind sweeping away lingering clouds.

'Eat slowly, there's no enemy behind you chasing with a knife, so eat slowly.' Chen Wuji said again, looking at the spirit of this brigade's soldiers, which truly became more pleasing to the eye the more he looked.

Each of these soldiers possesses an intense, inwardly gathered strength.

Called 'brothers in arms,' they look more like fellow disciples of the same sect.

The distinctive aura of martial people cannot be concealed.

After the meal, Chen Wuji ordered a large pot of tea boiled, and together with the soldiers they took bowls and sat in the shade to drink.

'Do you know why I suddenly called you over?' Chen Wuji sat on the mat, raised his tea bowl to signal the soldiers.

Everyone shook their heads; Brigade Commander Cui Ying asked cautiously, 'My lord, is there any special task for us to accomplish?'

'No task, just let you come; mainly to see you, get to know you!' Chen Wuji laughed.

'The last time the army compiled past merits and achievements of each unit, your brigade stood out remarkably, being especially conspicuous; I must get to know you.'

'As lord, I only just learned of the merits your brigade has created after so long; I am sorry. I have been somewhat inadequate as lord, needing self‑examination.'

Examining this newly coined term has long become the norm in the Nan Jun army.

The soldiers instantly sat up straight and solemn.

Faced with Chen Wuji's self‑examination, they felt panic in their hearts, yet did not know how to express it, so they could only remain solemnly silent.

'Brigade Commander Cui, the officers of the central army's various camps will come over shortly; you must give them a good talk about your brigade's glorious past.' Chen Wuji said with a smile, 'Show them your spirit of slaying the enemy, so they can all listen carefully.'

Cui Ying's face suddenly flushed, 'My lord, this matter, I…'

'Why are you blushing?' Chen Wuji looked astonished.

This guy, when he goes into battle, is also a complete disaster; just a little more merit and he could be promoted to military marquis.

And he has only been brigade commander for a few months.

Such a fierce fighter in battle, yet he blushes when speaking.

Cui Ying choked on a mouthful of tea, coughing repeatedly for a while before, face flushed, stammering, 'My lord, I come from a farming family; I am truly inept with words, I don't know how to speak.'

Chen Wuji firmly patted his shoulder, 'I too come from a farming family; among those present, I suspect few are from noble or wealthy houses, right?'

Everyone shook their heads; indeed, not a single one of them had such a background.

'Just speak.' Chen Wuji said.

'If you don't speak well, I'll take away your brigade's designation number! With a designation number, your rations and rewards will double, and you'll be equipped with a separate supply battalion, attendant troops, and Huotou Army; by then, aside from fighting, you won't need to worry about anything else—have you thought it through?'

Cui Ying's eyes instantly widened like an old ox's, 'My lord, I will speak! I can speak well!'

His breathing grew heavy!

Double rations and rewards, plus a separate supply battalion, attendant troops, and Huotou Army—what kind of divine treatment is this? They're just a brigade!

Just then, Chen Wushuang and others arrived with their respective subordinates.

'Everyone sit, this is Brigade Commander Cui; you first get to know him.' Chen Wuji personally acted as introducer, giving a very solemn introduction of Cui Ying's brigade to the officers of the central army's various camps.

Chen Wushuang and the others' expressions were all somewhat surprised.

They did not understand why Chen Wuji would so solemnly introduce them to such an ordinary brigade.