Chapter 221: Golden Spears and Iron Horses, Swallowing Ten Thousand Li Like a Tiger!

Academy disciples!

Li Guanyi was surprised; apart from the three senior brothers accompanying Master Wang Tong, this was his first time encountering someone from the Academy—indeed, a Confucian disciple. Judging by this young man, his internal energy seemed ordinary, yet his demeanor was calm and serene, his soul vibrant and powerful, dressed in plain cloth, a sword at his waist, his bearing free and easy.

Yuan Zhi was also studying this rising young general.

Sixteen years old, yet already as tall as himself, his black hair tied in a general's topknot, his brow sharp and fierce, a tear mole on his face, radiating a thick aura of blood and martial ferocity, clad in the armor of a Central Plains Heavenly King General, worn and scarred with sword marks.

Li Guanyi strode forward and seized Yuan Zhi's hands directly.

The young general laughed heartily: "I am Li Guanyi, also a disciple of Master Wang Tong. I studied under the Master. Come, come, Master Yuan Zhi, step inside!" His strength was immense; he pulled Yuan Zhi inside and personally served tea: "Master, you held this city for so long—I deeply admire you."

"Please, drink tea!"

The wandering swordsman rubbed his nose, took a sip, and exclaimed: "Delicious!"

"Just like my mother brews."

He glanced, and sure enough—it was the same tea dregs used back home; he grimaced.

Good heavens, this general drinks such poor tea—he chuckled and shook his head, then said: "General, you led your troops across nearly twenty thousand li of mountains and rivers, and your first battle upon entering the world was a resounding victory over the nephew of the Chen State's Grand Commandant. Truly divine might. Yet, General, you now face a crisis."

Li Guanyi said gravely:

"As Master says, though our army has moved out, our supplies are still insufficient. Dongdu City is a riverport town; though its produce is not scarce, it cannot sustain over twenty thousand people, including prisoners. Once the grain seized from Chen troops runs low, we'll be in serious trouble."

Yuan Zhi smiled: "I came precisely for this reason."

He took a sip of the muddy tea, utterly unconcerned with such details, and asked: "What does the General think should be done?"

Li Guanyi thought a moment, then said gravely: "Head to the eighteen provincial capitals of Jiangnan."

"That is the domain of the Murong Clan, the holy city of the Wu Lin, rich in resources, with major merchant guilds constantly traveling through—it could ease our immediate crisis. But if we abandon Dongdu City, we fear further Chen incursions. If we split our forces, we weaken ourselves."

"I am perplexed—please, Master, instruct me."

He rose, clad in full military armor, and bowed deeply.

Yuan Zhi, tea still in his mouth, stood up and returned the bow:

"General, no need for such formality—please sit."

The young wandering swordsman felt a flicker of self-doubt.

He had traveled far and wide, seen many noble families and aristocrats—each one, as if their eyeballs were glued to their foreheads—who would ever speak so humbly? He thought a moment and said: "General, your words are correct. The Fire Qilin Army is now like fire poured over oil—truly perilous."

"Though the army's will is strong, it is still at the level of a second-tier force. If Chen gathers a large army and advances slowly, with endless rear-line supplies, they can simply wear down the Fire Qilin Army."

"Yet, this very strength is also their weakness."

Li Guanyi asked: "Then how do we resolve this?"

Yuan Zhi said: "General, look here."

He dipped his finger in tea and drew on the table, sketching the topographical map of the eighteen Jiangnan provinces: "The eighteen Jiangnan provinces are a strategic crossroads, shaped like a rectangle. To the north lies Ying State; to the south, Chen State; upstream, one can turn and reach Zhongzhou."

"Over ten years ago, the Old Master Sword Madman led the eighteen Jiangnan provinces away from Chen. Since then, the Eighteenth Jiangnan Province rose to great prominence. But after the Old Master entered his death-seclusion, though Chen and Ying dared not directly invade the core region of the Eighteenth Jiangnan Province,"

"they have slowly swallowed its lands from north and south."

"Chen has established a garrison at Qushui, seized Chunyang City, stationed twenty thousand troops at Lanjiangjin and Hengdangkou, and built Leliang City, Fuling City, and many others. Ying has seized Yuecheng, Huiji, Danyang, and several other cities, with three corresponding major river crossings."

Yuan Zhi said: "Thus, Chen and Ying both avoid the region where the Murong Clan resides, yet they have never slowed their advance. It's not their fault—though the Murong Clan's reputation shakes the four directions, it cannot rival great states like Chen and Ying."

"Chen and Ying are both vast states, tens of thousands of li across, with deep foundations and endless logistical and manpower reserves. The Murong Clan cannot hold vast territories. Neither can you, General—though your military momentum is now at its peak, your logistics are insufficient."

"Their follow-up strength is endless."

"Currently, you have only seven thousand combat-ready soldiers. Though you have ten thousand prisoners, they will never surrender to you until you are firmly established."

Li Guanyi already understood Yuan Zhi's meaning: even if seven thousand troops were invincible, they would suffer losses. The enemy, with full supply lines and tens of thousands of elite troops, could send first-tier forces and renowned generals—Li Guanyi could not withstand them.

Even if he won, these seven thousand men would be wiped out.

In the time it took Yuan Zhi to drink one cup of tea, he had dissected the entire situation.

Li Guanyi said gravely: "According to Master's view, what should we do?"

Yuan Zhi pressed his hand against the hilt of his sword: "Only a swift battle."

The young man, who had traveled far after killing his first man, his eyes gleamed:

"The news of the Fire Qilin Army's great victory has not yet spread—that is our opportunity. In my view, Chen and Ying, though strong in logistics and vast in territory, with hundreds of thousands of armored soldiers, their strength is also their weakness."

"Strong momentum, slow reaction!"

"Before they can react, lies our chance for great victory."

"Though they are strong, we can strike them precisely when their momentum is at its peak!"

"General, with your elite troops, if you follow my view, there is only one chance for victory!"

The young strategist uttered two words: "Shift battle!"

He rose, the young Confucian genius extended his finger, tracing back and forth on the ground, solemnly saying:

"Leave Dongdu City, first use elite troops to seize Chen's river crossings, transport troops by river fleet, shift battle to Jiangnan, seize control of the waterways in the shortest time, then concentrate forces, first take Qushui, then Chunyang, sweep clean Chen's cities, then advance north to drive out Ying."

"Then firmly block every river crossing."

"Though Chen and Ying are large, their current situation prevents them from deploying excessive troops here."

"Control the waterways, and even one-tenth of your force can choke their throat."

"Thus, you establish the strategy of 【Severing Dajiang, Tiger-Crouching East of the River】. At that time, General, you will control not merely the eighteen Jiangnan provinces, but this region—the strategic crossroads of the world, historically prosperous. The other seventeen provinces are small, dependent on this one."

"General, you can advance slowly, controlling the river basins and trade routes—like pulling the main cords."

"Thus, you can remotely control the remaining provincial cities: nominally holding one province, actually controlling all of Jiangnan."

"This is utterly different from merely seizing the narrow region where the Murong Clan resides. The land and terrain you seize are critically important—you must control them all."

"According to the Juan Sect records from three hundred years ago, during its peak, this vast region had eight hundred thousand households—over four million people. Supporting a mere thirty thousand iron troops was no difficulty. General, this is the strategy to dominate the world."

"Here, you are not merely in danger—you stand at the one-in-ten-thousand, fleeting moment of opportunity!"

"Like two swordsmen locked in mortal combat, at the brink of life and death."

"Advance—or perish."

Li Guanyi: "…………"

No.

Po Jun, you young strategists—do you always speak of ruling the world, dominating the world?

He began to doubt.

Are strategists of this caliber everywhere in the world?

Do they randomly spawn in corners?

Yuan Zhi gnawed on broken tea leaves; the young wanderer rubbed his belly, his stomach full of tea. Same humble origins—he understood perfectly where this young general's focus lay. He grinned and said:

"I can ensure your troops are fed and clothed."

"In its prime, this land could support eighty thousand households."

"Don't speak of thirty thousand frontline soldiers—even a hundred thousand, if you grit your teeth, can be sustained for a while."

"Fine, let's do it!"

The boy stared fixedly at the map on the table. The generals of Chen and Ying had no idea that this young Fire Qilin intended to launch a massive strike—purely because logistics had collapsed; if he didn't find a place soon, they would starve to death.

Li Guanyi merely wanted a strategist skilled in battlefield formations.

But what he pulled out was a genius with direct strategic ability.

Yuan Zhi looked at the young general. After leaving the Imperial Academy, he wandered through the Eighteen Provinces of Jiangnan, confirmed the terrain here, and immediately chose Dongdu City. He knew it would be attacked—and that Li Guanyi and his men would most likely appear here.

He hadn't expected the young general to be so heroic.

Not inferior to his father…

Yuan Zhi thought.

In truth, one of his main reasons for coming here was that Li Guanyi was neither a noble family's army nor a court army—he didn't hold lineage in such high regard. Yuan Zhi lowered his eyes, watching the general lost in thought, and suddenly remembered his own youth.

When he was barely more than a boy—younger than this youth.

He held a sword and killed a tyrant in the rain-soaked night.

But the tyrant had first beaten and killed his friend, seized his land and home. Back then, he exhausted himself gathering evidence and sent the tyrant to prison, believing he could comfort his friend's spirit. Yet the tyrant was released without guilt.

The boy fell silent for a long time.

He forged his own iron shard, nailed it between two wooden planks—a sword. With this blunt blade, he killed the tyrant like slow slicing meat—thirty-two cuts, blood gushing. When he returned and told his mother, she wept until her eyes were red. Only then did he realize: his righteous fury had dragged his mother down with him.

Yet his mother still stuffed all their silver into his hands. When the officers came, she pressed her back against the door to hold it shut, shouting for him to run. How could such a frail woman have mustered such strength to hold the door?

Yuan Zhi fell silent for a long time. He lowered his eyes.

His mother had an uncle—so she was relatively safe. But his registry now bore a murder charge. No army across the land would take a strategist like him. Yet over the years, his mother's red, tear-stained eyes haunted him—he could never forget them. Perhaps only in an army like this could he find his place.

He was no murderous peasant.

The iron shard at his waist was a sword—a gentleman's blade, embodying upright integrity.

He would become a strategist, earn an official post, then return home in glory.

Tell his mother: he was her son—not some law-breaking thief!

The Fire Qilin Army's individual soldier quality was second-tier, but its combat will surpassed its innate combat proficiency. Under a great general's command, it could unleash tremendous power.

At this moment, the young strategist exhaled, his smile warm and carefree, and said:

"General, it's already late tonight."

"Let us continue tomorrow."

Yuan Zhi bowed again, turned, and walked out of the commander's tent—but after only a few steps, a hand seized his wrist with immense force. The young strategist froze, turned, and saw the young general step forward, eyes gleaming, right hand already pressing firmly on his shoulder.

"Mr., don't leave yet. Today's grand strategy is still too broad."

"Come, tell me in detail."

Yuan Zhi froze. During his time as a fugitive after killing the tyrant, he'd grown outwardly carefree but inwardly wary. He instinctively refused: "No, I haven't eaten yet…"

Li Guanyi turned and shouted: "Lei Laomeng!"

A rough voice replied: "Boss, what's up?!"

The young general dragged Yuan Zhi back. The young Confucian was no match for Li Guanyi, a battle-hardened general—he was pulled back. Li Guanyi shouted: "Mr. hasn't eaten! Didn't you hear?!"

"Bring a bucket of rice! Add a few dishes! A bowl of braised pork, a bowl of stewed ribs, some greens—hurry!"

"Any monkey wine left?"

"Get me some!"

"Got it!"

Yuan Zhi laughed and sighed, then sat back down.

That day, the young general pulled Yuan Zhi into an all-night strategic discussion.

Yuan Zhi witnessed firsthand the Fire Qilin Army's discipline—how they harmed no civilians, mistreated no prisoners. With Li Guanyi's kindness so overwhelming, he unconsciously revealed every one of his strategies: how to maneuver, which city to strike first, how to attack, how to advance.

The key word? Only one—【Speed】!

True military strategy, at its core, means appearing at the most vital, lethal point, at a time and place the enemy never anticipated. "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles without danger"—that's what it means.

Based on the past decade's situation:

Neither Chen nor Ying had anticipated the Elder Murong clan would dare counterattack. All their cities shared one trait: strong offense, weak defense. Their sole goal? To train troops across the vast expanse of Jiangnan's Eighteenth Province.

【Speed】!

【Extreme Speed】!

Before anyone could react, their troops stood before the city walls!

Instantly dismantle defenses and garrisons—no need to expend heavy forces to hold cities. The focus is expulsion. Because if you fail to fully 【control the waterways】, even captured cities will be retaken under the endless reinforcements of Chen and Ying.

Seven thousand men can't hold anything!

But if you fully control the transport waterways, you can fight ten to one.

The deterrent power of these seven thousand men equals that of seventy thousand.

In warfare, waterway transport, especially in this region, is the most critical lifeline, like bones and meridians.

Is it the Fire Qilin, or one worthy to contend for dominance across the four directions?

On the second day, Li Guanyi, as if tireless, directly met with the Fire Qilin Army's many generals to discuss Yuan Zhi's strategy; General Yuwen Tianxian remained silent for a long time without offering an opinion.

Others, such as Generals Ling Pingyang, praised him highly.

That afternoon, the Fire Qilin Army reformed; Generals Ling Pingyang, Fan Qing, Changsun Wucho, Yuwen Tianxian, Yuwen Hua, Lei Laomeng, and others led their troops in solemn formation; Li Guanyi, following tradition, awarded each in turn, then suddenly said: "Gentlemen, today we have arrived here."

"There is one more matter—Mr. Yuan, please step forward."

Yuan Zhi, who had been idly reminiscing about yesterday's braised pork, froze.

He was a carefree soul, so he strode forward boldly.

He even carelessly bowed to the ten thousand plus Fire Qilin soldiers.

He smiled with easy, unreserved charm.

He killed men in his youth, fled over three thousand li, met Gongyang Su Wang, who, impressed by his fierce nature, brought him into the Academy; within three years, he became the Academy's most outstanding disciple, then additionally studied military strategy, becoming a core figure of the Academy.

To ordinary people, his life story was no different from legend.

Even under such circumstances, he could still wave carefree and laugh.

He even had the presence of mind to think inside: no wonder the old saying goes, once a man reaches ten thousand, he becomes boundless.

Seven thousand Fire Qilin combat troops and six thousand five hundred logistics personnel stood in formation.

Crimson battle flags rolled, fierce and chilling—not the kind of grim atmosphere one could feel from a sand-table exercise; the prisoner column stood nearby, along with the Murong Clan's sword troops and the townsfolk of Dongdu City, all watching from a distance.

Truly majestic.

Yuan Zhi thought to himself.

The young general in full armor stood there, inviting Yuan Zhi onto the platform built the day before, then turned and suddenly produced a crimson silk-wrapped seal, holding it with both hands.

The young strategist froze, his smile still on his face, but his mind rang like a bell.

Watching the general, like a Fire Qilin before all eyes, stride forward, both hands cradling the object.

He said solemnly: "Today, though not a formal altar-raising and general appointment, I ask Mr. Yuan to accept it."

Li Guanyi bowed, placing the seal into Yuan Zhi's hands.

He then presented another weapon-grade longsword: "This sword, forged by me personally under my ancestor's guidance, amid mineral veins, during campaigns; only five were made. This one is named Jun Feng."

"Mr. Yuan, please take this sword."

The young strategist, merely a wandering swordsman, froze, mouth agape, feeling dazed; he took the seal and the sword—crafted by Li Guanyi himself—almost instinctively; the young general, who had fought across ten thousand li and whose name shook the region, turned to the ten thousand plus Fire Qilin soldiers and said:

"From today, Mr. Yuan Zhi shall be my Fire Qilin Army's chief strategist."

"Soldiers, show him proper respect!"

Li Guanyi's prestige within the army was immense.

The Fire Qilin soldiers looked at the dazed young strategist and stepped forward half a pace in unison.

Their expressions solemn, hands gripping, striking their breastplates in perfect unison.

Fierce and chilling.

Their voices, calm and solemn: "Hail, Mr. Yuan!!!"

Vast as a tidal wave.

Thus, three cries!

Ten thousand voices roared as the famed general ascended his altar and bowed, the battle commander's tally hanging at his waist, the precious sword in hand.

The prestige Confucian disciples yearned for crashed upon his skull in an instant; the chance to display his talent lay before him. Yuan Zhi opened his mouth—his journey away from home, though called "studying abroad," was really fleeing after killing a tyrant; his mother's tear-red eyes that day still burned vividly in his memory.

Yuan Zhi, dazed, looked into the general's calm gaze.

"Do you truly trust me so?"

Li Guanyi replied without hesitation: "Trust those you employ; doubt those you do not."

"I trust Mr. Yuan's strategy."

On his ink-black armor, the crimson Fire Qilin flag rolled; Yuan Zhi held the objects, opened his mouth, exhaled slowly, bowed, and said solemnly: "Leave it to me… I shall not fail the General."

He paused, then said solemnly: "I shall not fail the Lord's trust."

Li Guanyi laughed heartily.

That day, Yuan Zhi became the Fire Qilin Army's chief strategist.

After resupplying at Dongdu City, they left most supplies there, then carried only ten days' rations, sailing downstream, crossing the Dajiang to shift battlefronts; on the second day the Chen army received word, the Fire Qilin Army surged forth, appearing at Lanjiangjin and Hengdangkou.

Generals Ling Pingyang led one force, Fan Qing as deputy.

General Yuwen Tianxian led another force, Yuwen Hua as deputy.

Yuan Zhi commanded the central axis.

He did not even need his most famed battle array; relying on his fundamental talent as a world-class strategist, he coordinated with the Fire Qilin Army and the most critical, lethal opportunity—

【For over a decade, the Murong family has only defended.】

【These troops have not known siege warfare in over a decade—they are utterly unaccustomed to battle.】

Since the crossing points never anticipated a large army attacking, the Chen state, when building them, never imagined that a mere Jianghu clan like the Murong family could possess any real power; thus, within days, the Fire Qilin Army captured them.

Then Yuan Zhi devised the strategy.

When the Chen state grew wary and the Ying state relaxed, they crossed the river.

Turning upstream, they seized three crossing points held by the Ying state.

In barely a month, the Fire Qilin Army had seized every crossing point and waterway across the Eighteen Southern Provinces; only then did news of the Fire Qilin Army's arrival in the Eighteen Southern Provinces spread widely—but by then, the news was already outdated.

The power to dominate the Dajiang, to stand firm in Jiangdong, was now established.

The Chen and Ying states' reinforcements finally reached their territories, only to find they could no longer sail downstream.

On this day, after the Fire Qilin Army seized the last crossing-town and fully sealed off upstream and downstream, Yuan Zhi finally exhaled; he smiled and told the general that the Fire Qilin Army had now firmly secured its footing.

Afterward, even if reinforcements from Chen and Ying arrive, we will blockade the ferry crossing.

They will have no recourse.

As he spoke, he saw the teenage general—only sixteen yet soon to be famed across the land—standing on the city wall, hand pressed against the rampart, gazing at the distant sunset, his eyes gentle and serene; when he turned back, golden twilight spilled over him, his dark temple hairs lifting slightly, a tear mole at the corner of his eye, smiling:

"Mr., have we now firmly established ourselves in the world?"

Yuan Zhi wanted to say that even if they held ground, it was merely stabilizing the situation in the Eighteen Prefectures of Jiangnan, barely blocking the waterways and allowing the Fire Qilin Army to survive—there was still a long way to go before fully bringing this region under control.

They needed to train a large force of elite naval troops.

This would take a long time, so swift victory was impossible; they could not sustain the current aura of devouring ten thousand li like a tiger—and this was Yuan Zhi's concern: this land was ultimately too narrow to swallow a thousand li at once; if the two states recovered their composure, it would become a perilous place.

But he could not conjure warships capable of racing up and down the river, nor could he summon naval soldiers—he could only abandon the idea of a swift campaign, which was in itself an unfavorable prospect.

Yet now he merely said gently: "Lord, indeed we have."

Li Guanyi laughed heartily.

He turned and strode down the city wall in the sunset, growing ever more distant.

The Jiangnan Annals: The Fire Qilin Army crossed the Dajiang, turning and fighting, smashing all before them, none daring to stand against their edge; their orders were strict and orderly, and the people cherished them. Li Guanyi was handsome, fond of laughter and speech, open-minded and receptive, skilled at employing men; thus, all soldiers and commoners who met him gave their hearts fully and gladly died for him.

………………

Meanwhile, within the seventy-two linked fortresses along the Dajiang.

Five warships for river combat were arrayed here.

Someone shouted loudly as they burst in, their voice nearly shattering the sky; someone cursed, but the next moment screamed in agony, and a crowd tumbled in, rolling and scrambling.

And the Angry Scale Dragon King finally learned of the Fire Qilin's report.

?? It's hard to write, so it's slower; sorry everyone,

? In peaceful calm