Chapter 286

If Chen Wuji could smoothly take the position of Commandant, he could definitely muster two thousand troops.

But the most important thing is not troop numbers, but combat effectiveness.

Currently, the combat strength of the Chen clan's MainVein and the Tianchi Guan Militia is the strongest.

But combined, they barely amount to four hundred people.

The remaining forces are more than inadequate, utterly insufficient.

The Chen Clan Troops have only just begun to show some drill, while the other Provincial Troops of Yunan are infamous for their corroded discipline and neglected martial arts.

The Qiang People won't wait for Chen Wuji to finish training these troops before attacking.

The outbreak of war could happen any day in the coming days.

Having Chen Wuji lead such a unit to clash head-on with the Qiang People's several-thousand-strong, even tens-of-thousands-strong army is no joke.

Even if the tactics are brilliantly devised, if the combat effectiveness is too poor, it won't help much.

"Brigade Commander Chen need not be anxious," Mr. Xu chuckled lightly.

"The key to this battle lies in whether the enemy's morale falls into chaos; if the enemy's troops are in disarray and the soldiers scatter and flee, we can advance on three routes and seize the opportunity to slaughter them."

"If the enemy's morale wavers but shows no sign of collapse, we can throw rolling stones and logs, shoot a few arrows, then retreat. The next day we can emerge from the mountain path for a feint attack; the following day we climb the mountain and shout, repeating this several times. The enemy will surely dispatch troops to pursue our rear, at which point Brigade Commander Chen should spring the traps he has set in the mountains."

Chen Wuji suddenly realized there was still a hidden plan.

"You almost gave me a fright," Chen Wuji said with a wry smile.

"Harassing the enemy, luring them to split forces, fighting in the forests—that doesn't pressure me too much. Even with two thousand poorly trained soldiers, I wouldn't dare to directly pit them against the Qiang People, no matter how precise your tactics are."

Mr. Xu tugged at his few sparse whiskers and chuckled, "I have already agreed to help Brigade Commander Chen leave the mountains; how could I dare place him in such danger? I also wish to use his hand to fulfill my ambitions and slay that dog of the Western King."

At that moment, Wushuang, standing beside the rocks, suddenly crouched and said in a low voice, "Family Head, troops are coming down the mountain; they seem to be the Qiang People!"

"Huh?" Chen Wuji started, hurried over, and pressed himself against the rocks to look down.

Indeed, on the narrow mountain path below, a column of cavalry rode three abreast, dragging a long line as they came around the bend ahead, with neighing horses and a mighty spectacle.

This cavalry showed no trace of the solemnity of marching to war; instead, they had an air of outing for leisure, occasionally a knight whooping out, drawing bow and shooting at birds in the sky.

Among the troop were many women, either tied to the horses or held in the knights' arms; while galloping, they still did other things to stave off boredom.

Chen Wuji and a few others crouched silently, observing.

"Mr. Xu, your tactics may need to be trimmed," Chen Wuji said solemnly. "The Qiang People have already arrived, and the Qin County Magistrate's forced appointment of me as Commandant hasn't been finalized—I can't muster two thousand troops, only a thousand!" He had just been worrying about this, and now it was confirmed so quickly.

Mr. Xu shrugged and said, "No problem; tactics are inherently about adapting to the land and the moment. On the battlefield, situations change in an instant—no one knows which way the tide will turn next. Anticipating the enemy and drafting tactics is merely outlining the framework; trimming and adjusting are inevitable."

Chen Wuji acknowledged the lesson, and indeed he truly felt taught.

At that moment he felt the weight of the two words "advisor," and suddenly understood why Liu Bei had been so excited upon meeting Xu Shu, and so reluctant when Xu Shu went to Cao's camp.

In the valley, the Qiang People's cavalry kept pouring through, so many that you couldn't see the front or the rear.

Chen Wuji roughly counted and found the number already exceeded two thousand.

"Something's off," Chen Wuji muttered. "The Qiang People don't seem to have sent any scouts at all, and these folks are overly lax—they don't look like they're here to fight."

"Could it be that they look down on Nan Jun's forces, hence this attitude?"

"Quite likely!" Mr. Xu said. "The Qiang merchants constantly travel to and from Nan Jun; they probably already know exactly what that place is like."

Chen Wuji curled his lip in a cold, grim smirk: "If that's true, it's good news for us—the more arrogant they are, the more opportunities we have."

Mr. Xu nodded, "On the battlefield, such an enemy is the most amiable."

Chen Wuji and two companions hid on the mountain for about an hour before the Qiang People's troops finally passed through the valley. This massive column had soldiers at the front, followed by tens of thousands of head of cattle and sheep, and many ox‑carts laden with tents and other Luggage and Supplies.

Those pulling the carts were all Han people in tattered clothes, covered in wounds.

These people, and the women bound to the horses by the knights, were likely all captured by the Qiang People along the way.

At the rear of the column were about a hundred knights wielding long whips, mainly to drive the cattle and sheep.

"Around six thousand troops—arrogant and overbearing," Chen Wuji said solemnly.

Mr. Xu rose, brushed dust from his robes, and said, "Brigade Commander, let's go down the mountain to check where they will set up camp."

"Good."

The Qiang People's deployment showed no difference from Mr. Xu's prediction.

They indeed chose to camp beside the lake that has a gentle forest behind it.

The entire camp backed onto the lake, with cattle and sheep penned right beside it.

What surprised Chen Wuji and his companions was that, as soon as the Qiang People finished setting up camp, they immediately scattered, eagerly rushing into the rear forest with bows and arrows.

"Are they… going hunting?" Chen Wuji exclaimed, astonished.

Of the force of over six thousand, four or five thousand bolted out at once.

That teeming scene perfectly complemented the sheep pen behind the camp.

At this moment, the people looked more like sheep than the sheep did.

Mr. Xu pinched his brow and said, "Brigade Commander, I have a small request."

"Speak plainly, sir," Chen Wuji said. "You let me act freely, yet you've become polite instead? You should hold yourself to the same standards you demand of me; only then can we get along well."

Mr. Xu shook his head, "The Brigade Commander is the lord, and I am the advisor; superior and inferior must be distinct."

Chen Wuji's mouth twitched slightly, but he kept it well under control.

These words finally let Chen Wuji confirm his earlier suspicion: Mr. Xu had at last resolved to assist him.

When this change began, Chen Wuji didn't care; asking would be pointless.

What matters is the result.

"I am of humble origins; your willingness to help is already a great blessing," Chen Wuji said, bowing solemnly. "If you have any business, just speak plainly—I imagine what concerns you is not my modest position as Brigade Commander."