Chapter 456: An Old Horse Knows the Way

The latest website: "Bai Shang? Are you Bai Shang?"

At this moment, a man in his forties stood beside Bai Shang.

Like the others on the island, the man was basically skin and bones, but his eyes were bright and piercing.

"General... General Yang Zhen." Cold sweat broke out on Bai Shang's forehead, and he couldn't help but blurt it out.

As he spoke, he rubbed his eyes and looked carefully once more.

Although the man's appearance had changed somewhat, he could still vaguely recognize his old features.

Now, his heart was filled with immense shock.

Twelve years ago, he was merely a small soldier in the Imperial Guard under this man's command.

Later, Yang Zhen was sent to Ningjin Dusi, and after that, came the Ningjindusizhizhan.

All six of Yang Feng's sons died on the battlefield.

This Yang Zhen was the third son of Yang Feng, known in Jingshi as Yansanlang.

Therefore, how could he not be shocked when a man who had been dead for ten years suddenly appeared before him?

"Your identity is indeed extraordinary," Yulaohan said suddenly at this moment.

This man was found by the villagers on the seashore.

At the time, the man was wearing Armor and had suffered very heavy wounds, nearly dying.

The villagers knew that Ningjin Dusi was at war and could tell the man was a general of the Great Song, so they saved him.

After the Northern Di landed on Chrysanthemum Island, the villagers fabricated a Chrysanthemum Island identity for the man.

Since then, the man had lived on Chrysanthemum Island for ten years.

"It is me, I am Yang Zhen." Seeing Bai Shang's emotional expression, Yang Zhen's eyes immediately filled with tears.

Bai Shang became even more delighted, but as if suddenly thinking of something, his expression changed: "No, you are not General Yang. The General Yang I know was an upright and indomitable man. How could he hole up here for ten years, watching the common people here suffer the humiliation of the Northern Di?"

Yang Zhen's expression froze.

He was stunned for a while, then lowered his head.

"This cannot be blamed on him. Not to mention that he is already crippled, the fellow villagers are also timid and dare not resist. After all, if we killed these twenty Northern Di, two hundred more would likely come next, and then no one in the village would be able to survive," Yulaohan sighed.

Only then did Bai Shang notice that Yang Zhen's left arm was missing, and he immediately felt a sense of guilt.

"You are right. I should have died in that war. Living in disgrace until now is already a betrayal of the Yang Family name," Yang Zhen's body trembled slightly.

"It is just that I am not reconciled. I am not reconciled to losing Ningjin Dusi just like that. I wanted to wait, to wait for the day when the Great Song army enters Ningjin Dusi, even if it meant being a common soldier to go into battle and kill the enemy. But after waiting for ten years, I have waited for nothing."

After speaking, two lines of tears slid down Yang Zhen's cheeks.

"No, you have waited for us. General Yang Zhen, are you willing to join the Prince's Personal Army now? As the saying goes, an old horse knows the way; this time, we are in need of a guide familiar with Ningjin Dusi."

The misunderstanding cleared, Bai Shang regained his composure.

Yang Zhen's current status was very awkward.

If the news that he was alive reached the imperial court, he would not receive any praise; instead, the blame for losing Ningjin Dusi would be heaped upon him once again.

He would have only one path: death.

But for a man so familiar with Ningjin Dusi to just live in disgrace on Chrysanthemum Island was truly a waste.

Therefore, he thought of bringing him under his own command, having him lead the way in this surprise attack.

At the same time, he was also testing Yang Zhen to see if he still had the courage to go into battle and kill the enemy.

Letting him be merely a common soldier was also to see if Yang Zhen was sincere.

If he were sincere, he would not care about being beneath him, only about killing the enemy.

"As long as you do not despise me for being a cripple," Yang Zhen said.

Bai Shang nodded.

Although Yang Zhen's status ten years ago was similar to Chang Wei's current status.

But now that things had changed, it naturally could not be like before.

Moreover, he commanded the troops of Yan Wang, and Yang Zhen certainly knew nothing about firearms.

After a while, Zhou Yi also came ashore on a small boat.

Seeing Yang Zhen, he was even more startled.

Compared to Bai Shang, he was more familiar with Yang Zhen, because his father had previously been under Yang Zhen's command.

The three of them sighed and lamented for a while, and Bai Shang comforted the villagers again.

He told them that Chrysanthemum Island would henceforth be the fief of Yan Wang.

They would also be the subjects of Yan Wang, and only then did the common people leave, feeling satisfied.

Although they lived on Chrysanthemum Island, which was basically isolated from the world.

But the small Northern Di leader still had some contact with the outside.

They had learned from the small leader about this Ninth Prince of the Great Song who had repeatedly defeated the Northern Di.

After sending the villagers away, the three of them, led by Yulaohan, went to the residence where the Northern Di leader lived.

This was the only wooden building on the island.

On the way, Bai Shang and Zhou Yi introduced Yan Wang to Yang Zhen, as well as Yan Wang's deeds.

Finally, they stated the purpose of their visit here.

"I never expected that our Great Song would produce such a brilliant and talented Imperial Prince. This is truly the fortune of our Great Song." Sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, Yang Zhen was still in shock.

If he had not seen the huge warships on the sea, he would never have believed the two men's words.

Yanguan repelled the Northern Di, Jinzhou defeated the Western Liang, and a few days ago, they annihilated one hundred thousand Northern Di troops at sea.

This was the entire military strength of a Northern Di royal tent.

Now, this Yan Wang was even bolder, actually deciding to attack Ningjin Dusi.

For the past ten years, this land has been a forbidden zone for the Great Song.

"General Yang, where do you think we should attack first?" Bai Shang asked.

"General Yang is already dead; General Bai can just call me Yang Zhen," Yang Zhen said, his expression calm and as still as an ancient well.

He then picked up a stick from the ground and began to draw on the earth.

A quarter of an hour later, a map of the Ningjin Dusi appeared before the two of them.

It featured cities, mountains, rivers, and roads; it was a deployment map of the Ningjin Dusi.

"Although I have been on the island all these years, I have secretly kept in mind the information revealed in the words of the Northern Di soldiers. As it stands, this is roughly what the Ningjin Dusi looks like. If we are only conducting raids, I suggest we first raid the Anxiantiekuang. For years, the Anxiantiekuang has provided the Northern Di with a steady stream of Iron Ore. Most importantly, there are eight thousand Great Song commoners mining there. It would be best for you to land here," Yang Zhen said.

"And here, this is the Hulucaochang. The Northern Di have a horse ranch here, and thousands of commoners are enslaved here. This place is suitable for landing."

"..."

Yang Zhen spoke as if counting his own family treasures, listing the places in the Ningjin Dusi that were easy to reach and held value.

Bai Shang nodded slightly, as did Zhou Yi.

Truly, an old horse knows the way; Yang Zhen's words cleared the clouds for them, and the route for this raid gradually became clear.

They rested for one day.

The next day, Bai Shang and Zhou Yi took Yang Zhen aboard the Warship.

They had chosen their first target: the Anxiantiekuang.

An County is directly north of Chrysanthemum Island, and it takes only half a day to reach.

Leaving five hundred soldiers on the island to stand guard, the twelve Warships headed due north.