Chapter 72: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

A faint scent of sandalwood and fragrant mist lingered in the room.

Xu E was full of confidence, "This was discovered by our mole in Qingfeng Stronghold; there can be no mistake."

"But since this intelligence is so important, why reveal it to this Prince? What benefit do you want?" Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes slightly.

He did not like things that he could not control in his own hands.

"As this slave has said, Tianxiang Lou and His Highness each take what they need. If His Highness eradicates the Zhang Family, the damage to the Yuan Family's interests is exactly what Tianxiang Lou wishes to see," Xu E said softly.

Zhao Xu nodded, "Good, I hope our cooperation is pleasant."

Having said this, he pushed the door open, intending to leave.

At this moment, Xu E suddenly said, "Your Highness, you haven't given this slave the lyrics you promised yet."

Zhao Xu smiled, let Xu E fetch paper and brush, and began to write upon it.

"Once the Zhang Family is eradicated, this Prince will personally visit to express my thanks."

Putting down the brush, Zhao Xu turned and left.

After Zhao Xu had gone, Xu E looked at what was written on the paper and was stunned for a moment, "Little hills overlap, gold flickers and fades; hair like clouds, about to cross the fragrant, snowy cheeks. Lazily rising to paint moth-eyebrows, dawdling over makeup and washing. Looking at the flowers in the front and back mirrors, the flower-like face and the flowers reflect each other. Newly pasted on the embroidered silk jacket, a pair of golden partridges..."

"What truly fine lyrics," Xiao Huan exclaimed, covering her mouth.

Xu E was dazed for a long while before she came to her senses. She rushed to the window, but Zhao Xu had already left Tianxiang Lou, leaving only his back behind...

North Camp.

Chang Wei sat on a chair, supervising Lv Chang as he drilled the troops.

At this time, he was wearing a brand-new set of Armor, which, paired with his burly physique, made him appear even more imposing.

Below the Command Platform, soldiers also wearing brand-new Armor performed their training drills with agility and vigor, their roars shaking the heavens.

Just as he was focusing on the training, he saw a group of people appear at the camp gate.

Upon seeing that it was Yan Wang, he stepped down from the Command Platform to greet him.

"Your Highness."

With a heavy salute, Chang Wei pointed impatiently at the soldiers currently training, "After putting on the Armor from the Armory, the spirit and energy of the soldiers have all risen. During this Autumn Hunt against the Northern Di, this subordinate will certainly make them look good."

He was not boasting when he said this.

For this past month, the Prince's Personal Army had been eating their fill and eating well.

Just as Yan Wang had promised, the army now got to taste meat at one meal every day.

Eating well naturally meant having more strength, and with the intensified training, the soldiers were able to endure it.

Now, with the addition of fine Armor and Weapon, the Prince's Personal Army could absolutely fight the Northern Di if led out.

Zhao Xu followed Chang Wei's hand and looked over, seeing more than two thousand soldiers in new Armor practicing their drills.

A continuous stream of metallic silver gave one a sense of overwhelming gravity.

Zhao Xu could not help but reveal a smile; at this moment, he felt exceptionally at ease, because this was his power.

Currently, the Armory had only provided two thousand sets of Armor.

Once all twenty thousand sets were in place, these twenty thousand-plus elite soldiers would be his sharp shield for guarding Yan Commandery.

"Not bad, it's starting to look like something," Zhao Xu laughed heartily.

His visit to the North Camp this time, besides inspecting it, was for the matter of the Zhang Family smuggling Warhorse.

In the past few days, the Zhang Family had acted like a loyal dog, and Yuan Li had been backing them up.

He had no reason to wipe out the Zhang Family.

But now, this piece of information was enough for him to topple the Zhang Family.

So naturally, he could not miss this opportunity.

"This time I have come because there is an important matter that requires the Personal Army to move out," Zhao Xu continued.

Upon hearing this, Chang Wei's eyes almost lit up, "Your Highness, is it to encircle and suppress the Northern Di? Let this subordinate go; this time, I must take revenge and wipe away the humiliation."

"No, it is the Zhang Family," Zhao Xu told Chang Wei the intelligence he had obtained.

Chang Wei's eyes grew even brighter, "Three thousand Northern Di Warhorse; if we can get our hands on them, we can build a Cavalry unit of fifteen hundred men."

Zhao Xu shook his head; Chang Wei was currently obsessed with filling out the unit types for the Prince's Personal Army.

His own focus was on taking down the Zhang Family, so that Yan Commandery would be stable from then on.

He would then be able to build up his own fiefdom without any worries.

"Qingfeng Stronghold claims to have three thousand men; if you add the merchant caravans coming from the Northern Di, I fear there will be even more. How many men do you need to wipe them out?" Zhao Xu asked.

When faced with the issue of war, Chang Wei's temperament changed abruptly, becoming extremely serious.

"These two thousand elites are enough," Chang Wei pointed at the soldiers currently training.

He had already tested the Armor from the Armory and was very confident in their defensive capabilities.

On the battlefield, the gap between two thousand armored soldiers and unarmored soldiers was immense.

He had once participated in the suppression of a peasant rebellion.

To deal with such chaotic armies, two thousand elites could often defeat ten thousand of them, or even more.

The bandits of Qingfeng Stronghold were certainly armored, but at most, it would be the inferior Armor of the Rich Clan private armies in Yan Commandery.

Furthermore, he felt that even the Armor of the Northern Di Cavalry was inferior to the Armor from the Armory.

The gap between them was enough to cause a massive change on the battlefield.

"I will give you four thousand," Zhao Xu said, "You still have three days of preparation time. In these three days, the Armory can provide you with another two thousand sets of Armor and Weapon."

"Two thousand sets." Chang Wei's mouth stretched to his ears, "Your Highness, this subordinate will certainly catch them all in one net."

Zhao Xu nodded, "Do not be careless. These few days, you and Lv Chang should plan it out carefully. When the time comes, leave the city under the cover of night, head to Qingfeng Pass by starlight, and lie in ambush there."

"Yes, Your Highness," Chang Wei said loudly.

After giving a few more instructions, Zhao Xu and Xu Lie returned to the Prince's residence.

After Zhao Xu and his party left, a commoner at the tea stall near the North Camp dropped some tea money and walked toward a small alley.

"Father."

In the tea stall, Xu Ke and his son were dressed as hunters.

After the man left, Xu Ke gestured with his chin toward Xu Yuan.

The father and son exchanged a glance, dropped the tea money, and followed the man.

Since participating in the merchant firm competition last time, the Flame Guard had moved out of the Prince's Mansion under the cover of night.

Now, they lived scattered throughout Yancheng, each with their own identity.

Some were hunters, some were idlers, and some were ordinary commoners.

And whenever Yan Wang went out, they would secretly monitor the movements along the route.

This man had followed from a distance ever since Yan Wang left the mansion, and having come all the way here, he had attracted the two men's attention.

After paying, the two men shouldered two baskets of game and walked off slowly, as if looking for buyers along the way.

When they saw the man enter the Zhang Family Mansion, they squatted down on the street beside the Zhang Family Mansion, calling out to sell their goods.

At this moment.

Inside the Zhang Family Mansion, the man went straight to Zhang Kang and said a sentence.

Zhang Kang nodded and walked into a secret chamber.

"Commander, Yan Wang first went to Tianxiang Lou, then went to the North Camp."

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Lie's expression turned cold, "This Tianxiang Lou is indeed investigating us; Yan Wang going to Tianxiang Lou first, then to the North Camp, must be to mobilize troops."

Zhang Kang nodded, "The Commander is wise; by only releasing false information, you have ferreted out the eyes and ears in Qingfeng Stronghold and lured them into the trap."

Tuoba Lie narrowed his eyes, "This time, we shall use their own strategy against them. You have people keep an eye on the North Camp and investigate the number of soldiers leaving the city this time. I will set an ambush at Qingfeng Pass to slaughter Yan Wang's men completely. Heh heh, upon learning that his men have been ambushed, Yan Wang will surely vent his anger on Tianxiang Lou."