[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-173":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289008,4475,"Chapter 173: The Old Fox","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-173",173,"\u003Cp>The room held only two beds and one table, sparse and cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu had Zhuge Yu sit on the bed, while he sat beside the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhuge Yu, you’re a smart man—you know our situation now,” Jiang Mingyu said bluntly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ruan Chen’s eighty thousand troops are chasing us from behind; we have only thirty thousand. We must find a way to repel them, or we’ll be swallowed whole.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu nodded. “Master, I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu shook his head. “You don’t understand. You don’t know how cunning Ruan Chen is. He won’t attack Dingtao City head-on. He’ll use every trick to lure us out—pretend to retreat, making us think we have an opening, then ambush us on the march. He’ll feign splitting his forces, making us believe we can defeat them piecemeal, then strike from both flanks. He’ll pretend to surrender, making us think we can reclaim lost ground, then launch a surprise attack when we let our guard down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu drew in a sharp breath. “Master, are you saying Ruan Chen has already laid out a whole series of traps, waiting for us to fall into them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded. “Yes. Ruan Chen is an old fox—he won’t risk a direct clash. He’ll exhaust our strength and morale with tricks, then strike us down in one decisive blow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What should we do?” Zhuge Yu asked urgently. Jiang Mingyu paused, then said: “We have only one option—take the initiative.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take the initiative?” Zhuge Yu asked in surprise. “Master, are you saying we should fight Ruan Chen head-on?” Jiang Mingyu nodded. “Yes—but not by day. By night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By night?” Zhuge Yu was even more astonished. “Master, are you saying we should launch a night raid on Ruan Chen’s army?” Jiang Mingyu nodded. “Yes. It’s our only chance. Ruan Chen is cunning, but he has one weakness—he’s overconfident. He believes we won’t dare leave the city, let alone move at night. He’ll lower his guard, let his troops set up camp. That’s when we strike—catch him off guard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu thought for a moment, then said: “So you mean to set ambushes about ten li from Dingtao City, then launch a sudden attack under cover of night?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded. “Exactly. That way, we seize the initiative and engage the enemy on our terms.” Zhuge Yu praised: “Master, you’re brilliant. With this, we have a chance to fight them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu shook his head. “We have a chance—but a slim one. Ruan Chen is a seasoned strategist; he won’t be unprepared. We must be cautious, not a single slip allowed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu nodded. “Understood. Master, rest assured—I’ll do everything I can to assist you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly. “Thank you.” He rose to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time is short. Let’s move out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu stood as well. “Yes.” The two stepped out of the room and headed toward the city gate. Both knew this might be their final battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Mingyu and Zhuge Yu exited the gate, they found a elite cavalry unit waiting outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Led by Murong Yunhai, the unit numbered five thousand—all elite troops under Jiang Mingyu’s command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wore black armor, carried spears and bows, and rode horses meticulously selected for speed and endurance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the night, they moved like a dark flood, radiating quiet menace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai dismounted at once and bowed. “My lord, Master Zhuge—you’ve arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded. “Murong, are you ready?” Murong Yunhai straightened his chest. “My lord, all is prepared. We await your command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Then move out.” He mounted a black steed; Zhuge Yu followed, mounting a white one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Murong Yunhai’s lead, the five thousand cavalry rode toward Ruan Chen’s army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night fell; the moon shone bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen’s army had set up camp ten li south of Dingtao City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had encircled a vast square with wooden stakes and straw mats; inside stood tents and wagons, surrounded by dense ranks of soldiers and sentries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen himself resided in the largest tent at the center, discussing tomorrow’s battle plan with his strategists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Report! Scouts have returned!” A soldier rushed into the tent and bowed. “Speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen set down his map and looked at the soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, the scouts report Dingtao City is quiet—no unusual activity. Gates are sealed; only a few patrols walk the walls. Lights inside are sparse; the city appears asleep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm,” Ruan Chen nodded. “So Jiang Mingyu still dares not sally forth. He’s trying to stall, waiting for reinforcements? Hah—he’s naive. Even if reinforcements come, they’ll only bring death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord’s wisdom is unmatched,” the soldier flattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. Dismissed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen waved his hand. “Keep the scouts watching Dingtao. Report any anomaly immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!” The soldier withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen turned to his strategists. “Gentlemen, tomorrow we attack Dingtao City. I’ve laid out the plan—follow my orders, and we’ll crush the walls, capture Jiang Mingyu and his men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, what is your plan?” one strategist asked. Ruan Chen smiled faintly. “It’s simple: lure them in, let Jiang Mingyu walk straight into our trap.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lure them in?” The strategists were intrigued. Ruan Chen explained: “At dawn, we’ll feign retreat, making Jiang Mingyu think we’re afraid of his reinforcements and fleeing. He’ll surely chase us out, hoping to deliver a fatal blow. That’s when we ambush him on the road—surround him, strike from all sides, wipe him out completely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, this plan is excellent—but what if Jiang Mingyu doesn’t leave the city?” another strategist asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen sneered. “If he doesn’t? Even better. We split our forces—half east, half west. He’ll think we’re trying to distract him or attack other cities. He’ll send troops to pursue or defend. Then we reunite, turn back suddenly, and storm Dingtao. The defenders inside won’t stand a chance—we’ll take the city easily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, that plan is also excellent—but what if Jiang Mingyu doesn’t split his forces?” a third strategist asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen sneered even colder. “If he doesn’t? Even better. We pretend to surrender—claim some troops want to defect, or that there’s an inside man ready to open the gates. He’ll believe we’re divided or terrified. He’ll lower his guard—or even accept the surrender. Then we strike—burst into the city, cut straight to his heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, your plans are flawless. No matter how Jiang Mingyu responds, he cannot escape your control,” the strategists marveled. Ruan Chen smiled proudly. “This is the fruit of my years of experience and wisdom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu is just a brash youth—how could he compare to me? Tomorrow’s battle will teach him what true strategy means.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clapped his hands. “Enough. Rest now. At dawn, we march.” The strategists bowed and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen lay on his bed, closed his eyes. Confidence and anticipation filled him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the dawn of victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw Jiang Mingyu and his men captured alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw himself returning to the provincial capital, granted boundless glory and rewards by the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>",1159,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1224c6fcad520d8480453965484215fed54f32729e2a899c4dccbc88d75daa27","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-174","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-172",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]