Chapter 86

The azure sky stretched for ten thousand miles, the blazing sun like fire.

Sunlight fell upon the winding, flowing river surface, reflecting shimmering waves of light, dazzlingly bright.

Plump fish leaped from the water, tumbling as they fell back, splashing clusters of spray.

"Charge~~~"

On the riverbank thick with aquatic plants, children riding a battered plow cart, dressed up as knights, waved wooden sticks and frolicked with each other.

The plow cart, a product of farming craft, had become a toy for the barbarian children.

Scattered cattle and sheep grazed contentedly on the grass by the bank.

Correspondingly, the farmland had long lain fallow for miles.

The irrigation canal drawing water from afar was covered by weeds and shrubs.

Wind blew the grass aside, faintly revealing the ghastly white bones within.

From the distance came the dull thud of horse hooves; the playing children looked back in surprise.

A group of Qi Huo Army scout cavalry passed through here, riding forward.

The lead cavalryman glanced at the children curiously gazing from the riverbank.

High noses, deep-set eyes, yellow hair slightly curled; many still wore ornaments made of bone.

The lead cavalryman raised his hand, and the entire cavalry unit began to slow down.

A moment later, the cavalrymen drew their waist blades one after another, turned their horses' heads, and charged toward the riverbank.

The time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed; the cavalrymen wiped blood from their blades, urged their horses on, and departed once more.

By the Yi Shui River, Lin Dao stood on the bank gazing into the distance at the river surface, letting the sun bake and the wind blow on him.

"Grand Commander."

Xie Daoyun stepped forward holding an oil-paper umbrella, shielding him from the blazing sun. "The sun is at its zenith; it would be best to rest a while."

Lin Dao was silent, merely gazing at the Yi Shui River before him.

After an unknown time, he finally spoke calmly, "Do you know of the Xianbei's sack of Ye City forty years ago?"

Xie Daoyun was clever and had read countless books.

Hearing Lin Dao's words, and looking at the Yi Shui River before her, she understood in an instant what the Grand Commander wanted to say.

She nodded gently. "I know."

"Those human-shaped beasts, they ate their way along the road."

"When they reached this Yi Shui River, they simply threw the remaining women into the river."

Lin Dao turned his head to look at Xie Daoyun. "A thousand women threw themselves into the river; the Yi Shui ceased to flow."

"A few brief strokes in the history books, yet an indescribable human tragedy."

Xie Daoyun was puzzled; it was merely an event from several decades ago, how could it be history books already.

Besides, since the turmoil at the end of the Han, atrocities that defy humanity have been as numerous as cow hairs.

Especially after the various Hu rode south, the Northern Han people were nearly wiped out.

There are even worse things than this.

"The barbarians are cruel." Xie Daoyun's expression did not change. "Unworthy of being human."

"Heh~~~"

Lin Dao turned his head, gazing toward the Yi Shui.

His gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, looking back forty years to those weeping, wailing women struggling and sinking in the water.

"Able to sing and dance?"

"Why should you be given the chance to sing and dance!"

"The sin lies with the Sima Family!"

"The entire Sima Clan must fulfill the Luo River Oath, atone for their sins!"

"Murong Fu actually still wants to restore the kingdom? Still wants to repeat his ancestors' tyranny and kill all over again?"

"This time we must eradicate the roots, deny him even the chance to be born!"

Fanyang Commandery, Beixin City.

"A Ye."

Murong Ke drew his waist blade and, with a backhand stroke, carved a deep gash across his own face.

Blood streaming down his face, Murong Ke saluted Murong Huang.

"I lost a battle, lost the Longcheng Armored Cavalry, and implicated Fifth Brother."

"My crime deserves ten thousand deaths!"

"I don't die now only for revenge!"

Murong Ke's eyes reddened. "A Ye, I want revenge!"

This blood oath of his left those who had come to demand accountability speechless.

Yan King Murong Huang, expression grave.

"That steel giant beast, where on earth did it come from?"

After reclaiming military authority, Murong Huang carefully questioned the officers and soldiers.

The conclusion they reached was that everything Murong Ke said was actually true!

A hundred people might lie, a thousand people might lie.

But it is absolutely impossible for everyone in the entire army, top to bottom, to lie!

In that case, how to respond to the unmatched steel giant beast became the most urgent matter.

If such a giant thing crashed into the formation, there would be no fight left.

"I don't know." Murong Ke shook his head bluntly. "The giant object appeared out of thin air, like Daoist magic."

It sounded like a joke.

Yet no one around laughed.

Everyone had inquired through their own channels about the course of the battle at Fenglong Mountain.

They knew that what Murong Ke said was the truth.

It really did appear out of thin air!

"The Beggar Army has reached the banks of Yi Shui." Murong Huang frowned. "How shall we respond?"

"That steel giant beast can even detect moat traps."

Murong Ke replied calmly, "Impervious to blades and spears, beyond human strength."

"The only flaw is that it moves too slowly."

"Oh?" Murong Huang's gaze turned cold. "It's good that it has a flaw."

Don't fear that you are all strengths everywhere; fear that you have no flaw.

With a flaw, one can devise a targeted strategy.

A golden body with a weak point is no true golden body.

"Continue."

Murong Ke tore off his clothes and pressed them against his blood-soaked face. "My forces have many cavalry; use cavalry to lure it into a distant retreat."

"The Beggar Army has few cavalry, mostly foot soldiers."

"Wait until the giant object retreats too far to return, then the cavalry will charge the formation and break their main force."

"That way, only a slow, sluggish iron giant remains, posing no threat."

This was the strategy Murong Ke devised after deep thought following his defeat.

It targets the slow movement of the hook machine.

First lure it away, preferably to a muddy riverbank.

Then rely on the cavalry's high mobility to strike the Beggar Army's foot soldiers first.

Once their wings are clipped, an iron lump is easy to deal with.

As for the giant object moving together with the Beggar Army's foot soldiers, just harass them.

The cavalry's greatest advantage lies in coming when they want and leaving when they want.

"The battlefield shall be chosen at the banks of Yi Shui."

Murong Ke spoke again. "The Beggar Army tames giant eagles, carrying fire-starting objects to throw onto the battlefield."

At the banks of Yi Shui, water is convenient for extinguishing fires, and there is not much to burn.

Unlike in the mountains where few people go, where years of accumulated dry branches and rotten leaves, once burned, would simply be a nightmare!

The Xianbei Murong Clan is famed throughout the world for its cavalry.

What they excel at is field skirmishing.

Facing the Beggar Army constantly moving northward, they must be defeated in open battle.

Otherwise, once the Beggar Army reaches Jicheng City, are we supposed to let them defend the city?

In Murong Ke's view, defending the city would definitely not hold.

That giant object with a long arm is undoubtedly a siege weapon for breaking cities.

Murong Huang's gaze swept over the civil and military officials.

Everyone remained silent, meaning they could not come up with a better plan.

"Since it is so."

Murong Huang rose. "Then let it be as Fourth Lord strategized."

At this time, Fu Hong, who had already retreated far to Yanmen Commandery, hesitated whether to send an envoy to seek Murong Ke.

To inform Murong Ke that besides that slow-moving giant object, the Beggar Army also had a giant object that could fly up.

"Forget it."

Fu Hong gazed into the distance at the Great Grassland. "If an envoy is sent, he will surely be killed."

"The Xianbei, may they seek their own fortune."

The Beggar Army's scouts came and went, their round-trip time growing shorter and shorter.

This meant the distance between the two sides was constantly closing.

Finally, when the distance between the two sides closed to less than thirty li, they both simultaneously set up camp and rewarded their troops.

Tomorrow will surely be the decisive battle that determines the fate of the nation.

The moon was bright and stars sparse, as bright as daylight.

Inside the Main Camp built along Yi Shui, Lin Daozheng was repairing the drone.

Beside it were placed over a hundred trays of Di Hong.

These were prepared for tomorrow's battle.

The Xianbei rely mainly on cavalry, meaning many horses.

Horses are delicate animals; without human taming, they would nearly face extinction.

These Di Hong that can explode with a loud bang will surely bring great turmoil to the Xianbei's horses.

Besides firecrackers, Lin Dao also prepared several dozen large bags of chili powder.

Still that saying: horses are delicate.

They fear loud noises and cannot stand stimulating smells.

"Lord Lang."

Jin Lian carried a wooden basin over, and Xiao Yi ingratiatingly said, "The weather is hot; this slave will clean her lord's body."

Lin Dao saw through her petty thoughts at a glance.

This is imitating Xie Daoyun's method.

Only, even Xie Daoyun knows that there is a great battle tomorrow; Lin Dao needs to preserve his strength to go onto the battlefield.

But Jin Lian foolishly came closer.

Forget it; Jin Lian is ultimately of village girl origin, so it is only natural she does not understand these things.

Most importantly, she is truly loyal to the core; giving some rewards is not impermissible.

"No need to wipe."

Hearing these words, Jin Lian's small face instantly revealed a gloomy look.

But before she could speak, Lin Dao bent down, picked her up, and walked toward the rear tent.

After cleaning up Jin Lian two rounds, the younger sister immediately fell into an honest, sound sleep.

Although since following Lin Dao, Jin Lian has always eaten well and drunk well, nourishing her body.

But the deficit from the previous ten-plus years was too great; her combat ability was just so-so.

In the end, Lin Dao still washed up by himself.

Returning to the couch, Lin Dao closed his eyes and rehearsed tomorrow's combat; before long he entered dreamland.

The fourth watch.

The cooks in the camp had already begun to bustle about.

Everyone knows there is a battle today, so this morning's meal naturally must be eaten well.

The cooks skillfully waved their kitchen knives, cutting beef into chunks and throwing them into the pot.

Bok choy, mallow, turnip, mustard greens, chives, and the like, chopped fine and thrown into the pot.

Sprinkled with salt and spices, stirred, then braised.

Many custom-made steamers, opened to reveal full loads of white flour steamed buns.

A large bowl of beef soup, buns in unlimited supply plus a plate of pickled vegetables to vary the taste.

It can be said without exaggeration that an ordinary soldier in the Beggar Army eats no worse than the breakfast of the opposing Yan King Murong Huang.

Not merely filling their bellies, but more importantly, it has an extremely strong encouraging effect on military morale.

Having eaten their lord's full meal, they ought to risk their lives for their lord!

The fifth watch.

Soldiers in the various camps gradually began to rise.

Eat, wash up, pack belongings.

When the sky brightened, the camp gates opened one after another.

Squad after squad of soldiers, escorting large carts piled full of armor, weapons, and iron wire nets, exited the camp and advanced.

Their kettles were filled with water from the Yi Shui River.

Each had also been allotted several pieces of liquor-filled chocolate and White Rabbit Milk Candy.

Their packs also held two compressed biscuits, enough to support their energy needs for a day.

On Lin Dao's side, he also ate breakfast under the service of Jin Lian and the others.

Watching Liu Hu lead the bodyguards, loading Da Di Hong, chili powder, drones, and other equipment onto carts.

What he wants is not merely to win, but to exterminate as many Xianbei as possible!

Xie Daoyun, leading Jin Lian and Sun Rong, saluted Lin Dao respectfully.

"Victory!"

End of Chapter