Chapter 645

Xu Zengyi became somewhat withdrawn.

Although his wolf pack tactics were very successful, after these two battles he had neglected several times.

For Xu Zengyi, who pursued meticulousness and perfection, this was somewhat hard to accept.

At that moment, he really had the idea of relinquishing his position as chief strategist.

In his view, the successive negligence meant he was no longer fit for duty.

Chen Wuji saw Xu Zengyi still wearing a grim face, then said: "Sir, you are well versed in military classics and know the ancient masters of war—were they all perfect? Did they ever make mistakes?"

"Naturally, even the Sage of War has records of defeats," Xu Zengyi said.

Chen Wuji gave a silent laugh, "Then what are you blaming yourself for worrying about here? Even the Sage of War can lose battles; you've only neglected a few times, haven't actually lost a battle, so why have you become an obstacle you can't get past?"

Xu Zengyi remained silent for a while before saying: "Because these oversights shouldn't have happened; they were due to my carelessness, so they can be called major mistakes."

"Hurry up, you better not recover from your illness only to suddenly turn into a woman!" Chen Wuji shook his head, saying, "Don't delay my battle watching—Chen Jieshuai and Xie Fengxian have already charged in; hurry and help me analyze, what's going on with this battle now?"

"You're making this difficult for me, such a tangled mess—who could see clearly?" Xu Zengyi said helplessly, "Fire torches are everywhere, and none of them bear markings to distinguish our soldiers from the Qiang people; I can't tell them apart."

The battle inside the Qiang Ren Da Ying camp was indeed already hard to distinguish friend from foe.

Anyway, the huge camp was filled with torches everywhere, fighting everywhere, you among me, me among you, making it impossible to tell apart.

By contrast, the Zui Rong Jun troops stationed outside and Hu Bu Gui's forces had undergone some changes.

"I don't know whose idea this is, but it's not a bad plan," Xu Zengyi said.

The troops of Zui Rong Jun and Hu Bu Gui's detachment certainly hadn't increased; the increase was only in torches.

A tactic to confuse the enemy!

At the same time, the battle on Wuyang Shan also began.

The Wuyang Guan that Chen Wuji could clearly see from here had fallen into a sea of fire.

Flames shot up into the sky, as if the entire mountaintop had ignited.

Tang Yu directly set fire to Wuyang Guan.

"I've always felt my title of poison strategist lives up to its name—my schemes are truly vicious—but since following the lord, I constantly feel I might be—just an empty reputation," Xu Zengyi said gloomily.

Chen Wuji turned, handing over the wine gourd: "What's wrong with you? Why are you sighing again?"

"Is this place subduing Xu Zengyi?"

How did it come to this, that he suddenly became so effeminate?

"The lord's civil officials' poisonous schemes, Tang Yu's ruthless conduct—I often feel inferior to them," Xu Zengyi said with a bitter smile, "It's not that I belittle myself; I truly can't think of some tactics."

"It's just occasional, nothing serious, no one's trying to steal your poison strategist title," Chen Wuji laughed, saying, "As for Tang Yu, this fellow fights like a madman, ruthless and unscrupulous; whatever he does, I don't find it strange."

"Fighting the Qiang people doesn't require any martial virtue; everything should aim to defeat and kill them. A bunch of cowards who fear power but not virtue—there's no room for mercy!"

"Tang Yu's fire attack is good, but Wuyang Guan will likely be destroyed and certainly needs rebuilding. With this fire, the smell won't dissipate for over half a year."

Xu Zengyi nodded silently.

Wuyang Guan isn't large, comparable to the pass Wu Bu Yong once defended; its limit is about a thousand troops, normally five or six hundred.

Tang Yu set this fire so fiercely, clearly piling firewood on all sides, preparing to roast Wuyang Guan like a pot.

With such fierce firepower and a small pass, unless the soldiers inside hide underground, they'll either suffer heatstroke or be baked to death.

"Where did Tang Yu get all this firewood?" Chen Wuji muttered suddenly.

Xu Zengyi said: "I noticed this—he must have thought of how to deal with Wuyang Guan when he went up the mountain; his subordinates circled the mountain several times before reaching the summit, probably to gather firewood in the woods."

"With so many soldiers each carrying a bit, it's enough to pile firewood all around Wuyang Guan. My lord, look at those torches on the mountain—Tang Yu's soldiers are still searching for firewood."

Chen Wuji looked for a while, then said: "I rarely sympathize with the Qiang people, but the Qiang troops at Wuyang Guan facing Tang Yu are truly miserable!"

Burning a pass like this could rival the top ten tortures.

Even if not burned to death, the Qiang soldiers inside will die of suffocation.

Xu Zengyi suddenly said: "Fortunately, the Daoist priests of Fuyun Guan are here; after the fasting ritual ends, let them also take care of Wuyang Shan—this battle has made even me, a poison strategist, feel it's too brutal."

Indeed, the Daoist priests of Fuyun Guan were now staring at the raging fire on the mountaintop, dumbstruck; though they've seen battles before, many of them have even personally participated.

But fighting like this, they've never seen it before.

"Chen Jieshuai, truly worthy of his fierce reputation…" Zhi Xu Daozhang murmured softly to those nearby, "Let's adjust the rites a bit—add this fire on the mountaintop to the ceremony, to liberate the souls."

This battle lasted a long time, the fighting continued until dawn.

When he mentioned this, Xu Zengyi made a motion to kneel.

Now continue.

Xu Zengyi laughed lightly: "This trick never worked anyway; it's just the lord giving me some face. But now we can indeed go up—the fighting has died down, the battle is basically over."

Chen Wuji snorted, "Sir, I'm a grassroots rebel who rose on horseback, not that precious; from now on don't block me so desperately—my life hasn't been claimed yet."

Xu Zengyi calmly watched Chen Wuji, "My lord, people who talk like this usually don't end well. Regardless of background, your shoulders now bear the lives of hundreds of thousands of commoners."

(No further lines provided)

Yes!

…… (ellipsis) No new.

The battle dragged on, with fighting continuing until daybreak.

During this period, Chen Wujì repeatedly tried to lead troops to reinforce, but Xu Zengyi stopped him each time.

As soon as he mentioned it, Xu Zengyi moved to kneel.

Xu Zengyi's kneeling trick still packs a punch against Chen Wujì, forcing him to give up the idea of personally joining the battle, and he stubbornly held out until daybreak.

"Old Xu, can we go up now?" Chen Wujì stretched his sore old back and told Xu Zengyi, "I'm telling you, don't threaten me with kneeling anymore—your trick doesn't work on me any longer."

Xu Zengyi chuckled, saying, "My trick isn't really effective; it's just that the lord gave me some face. But now we can indeed go up—the fighting has died down and the battle is practically over."

Chen Wujì let out a soft snort and said, "Sir, I'm just a horseman who became a bandit; I'm not that valuable. Don't block me so stubbornly from now on—no one's claimed my life yet."

Xu Zengyi quietly looked at Chen Wujì and said, "My lord, people who usually speak like that don't end well. Regardless of your background, you now bear the lives and deaths of countless people on your shoulders."

Chen Wuji: ……