Chapter 214: Watching the Fire from the Other Shore

Time passed quickly; by evening, it was already the second day. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood atop a small hill, overlooking the military camp below. A trace of resolve and determination flashed in his eyes; tonight, he would make a bold decision.

Behind him were his eighty thousand elite cavalrymen, clad in black battle robes, wielding sharp blades, their faces radiating killing intent. They all knew that what they were about to do tonight was nothing other than a surprise attack on the enemy camp.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu turned and asked Tu Tu Kesiluo.

"Is everything ready?"

"My lord, everything is ready. Rest assured; tonight we will give that Zhong Nianyu a wake-up call."

Zhang Zhang Jiani and Li Goudan chimed in as well.

"Yes, yes, my lord, you are right. Tonight we will make that Zhong Nianyu know the might of Jiang Jiang Mingyu."

"Exactly, exactly. My lord, rest assured. We have followed you for so many years and have never seen you lose."

Hearing the words of these three, Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt warmth in his heart. He knew that all three were genuinely concerned for him and would follow him to the end no matter what difficulties or dangers arose. He patted Tu Tu Kesiluo's shoulder and said.

"Move out."

At Jiang Jiang Mingyu's command, his eighty thousand men quietly advanced toward the designated direction. They moved with great speed and secrecy, like a massive black python gliding slowly across the grassland in the darkness.

The army was already marching quickly, yet Jiang Jiang Mingyu kept urging them on.

"Faster, even faster."

He knew that time was life. If they could launch a sudden attack before the enemy noticed, they would inflict maximum damage and chaos upon them. But if the enemy discovered their movements, they would be forced into a bitter struggle or even defeat.

Finally, before the third watch, guided by scouts, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's forces reached the designated location. It was a valley entrance; within the valley ran an official road leading north. Not far along that road lay Zhong Nianyu's main camp.

The scout gestured toward a position farther north.

"My lord, go straight ahead a little further, turn around a bend, and there lies Zhong Nianyu's main camp."

"From our high ground, once Xu Xu Zhanhong raises the signal fire, we will see it clearly."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes. He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Xu Xu Zhanhong was his agent planted within the enemy ranks, tasked with luring the enemy out of their camp to pursue, then setting fire at the right moment as a signal. Once he saw the flames, he could lead his cavalry out of the valley entrance and charge straight for the enemy camp.

Gazing at the flickering lights in the distance and the gradually quieting Zhong Nianyu camp, Jiang Jiang Mingyu whispered.

"The third watch is nearly here. Tu Tu Kesiluo, order the soldiers to prepare; be ready to charge and kill at any moment."

The official road was only two li away; his cavalry could reach it in an instant.

Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded, then relayed Jiang Jiang Mingyu's orders. His voice was low and powerful.

"Listen up, brothers. What we are doing tonight is to give that Zhong Nianyu a surprise. The moment you see the signal fire, we charge out together and smash their camp. Remember: show no mercy, be no soft-handed. Any enemy you see, cut them down. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

The eighty thousand cavalrymen answered in unison. Though their voices were not loud, they were filled with killing intent and passion. They all longed for battle and victory, all eager to earn merit for Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea passed; Tu Tu Kesiluo glanced at the sky and said quietly.

"My lord, the third watch has arrived."

At that same moment, Li Goudan, who was gazing into the distance, suddenly shouted.

"My lord, look quickly! Fire! Xu Xu Zhanhong's signal has come!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu turned abruptly and saw countless torches surging rapidly toward Xu Xu Zhanhong's camp. Those were the enemy's pursuing forces. Behind the pursuers, a sea of flames erupted within Xu Xu Zhanhong's camp. That was Xu Xu Zhanhong setting fire as the signal.

The night was as dark as ink; only starlight and firelight illuminated this bloody battlefield. Wails of agony, cries of battle, and the clashing of weapons wove together into a heart-stopping symphony.

Tu Tu Kesiluo gripped his long blade, his eyes wolf-like, and said quietly to Jiang Jiang Mingyu: "Brother, they have already engaged over there; shall we charge in as well?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head, his expression calm: "Not yet. Wait until they have battered each other into mutual exhaustion, then we strike. We came here to reap the benefits, not to throw our lives away."

"Remember: in this venture, we are to be the fisherman, not the snipe or the clam."

Tu Tu Kesiluo muttered impatiently: "Snipe or clam? What's that?" He knew nothing about such ancient poems and sayings Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke. Nevertheless, he obediently followed Jiang Jiang Mingyu's instructions.

About a quarter-hour later, the distant cries of battle grew louder, and the flames brighter. Jiang Jiang Mingyu checked the sky, judging the time was nearly right. He swept his wide sleeve. "It is time. Move out."

Tu Tu Kesiluo interjected. "Brother, if we are to be the fisherman, why not wait until one side is completely annihilated before we strike?" He thought that would be even simpler.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head. "If one side were wiped out so quickly, Xu Xu Zhanhong and Zhong Nianyu would not have been locked in stalemate for so long." He explained. "If Xu Xu Zhanhong never sees us appear, he might reveal our entire arrangement to Zhong Nianyu. Then our enemy would become two instead of one, and that would be difficult to handle."

Tu Tu Kesiluo listened and found the reasoning sound. He nodded. "Then shall we act now?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded. "No more words. Light the fires, attack." At his command, the Decangzhou soldiers behind him immediately ignited the torches in their hands, holding them high to form a sea of flames. They then shouted in unison and charged toward Xiawei City.

Before his words had fully faded, Tu Tu Kesiluo raised his long blade. "Kill!" He led the charge, followed by Zhang Zhang Jiaqi, Li Goudan, and others. They were all Jiang Jiang Mingyu's trusted confidants and had been taught true martial arts by him. However, Jiang Jiang Mingyu had already instructed them not to reveal their true skills this time, lest they arouse suspicion from Xu Xu Zhanhong and Zhong Nianyu. Thus, they could only employ ordinary martial arts, yet even so, they were enough to make them unstoppable on the battlefield.

Amidst the thundering hooves, in less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's forces reached the chaotic battle lines. Seeing fresh troops join the fray and noticing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great banner beneath the firelight, Xu Xu Zhanhong, covered in blood, shouted loudly. "Brothers, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's reinforcements have arrived! Destroy Zhong Nianyu! Kill!"

As he spoke those words, an enemy soldier directly before him was split in two by a single axe blow. A flicker of joy and gratitude flashed in his eyes. He had been locked in a bitter struggle, yet he never expected Jiang Jiang Mingyu to arrive exactly as promised. In his heart, he silently vowed that if he survived today, he would repay Jiang Jiang Mingyu's kindness.

Tu Tu Kesiluo showed no courtesy; together with Zhang Zhang Jiaqi and Li Goudan, the three swung their weapons and plunged into the fray. Though they did not display their true skills, the ordinary Xiawei soldiers were utterly unable to stop them. In less than a quarter-hour, over a dozen Xiawei soldier corpses lay behind them.

Seeing this, the fighting spirit of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's Decangzhou soldiers rose even higher; they charged forward recklessly, fearless of death. They were veteran soldiers who had fought alongside Jiang Jiang Mingyu to build his empire, and under his leadership, they had never known defeat. They were utterly loyal to Jiang Jiang Mingyu and possessed boundless confidence in themselves.

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's forces utterly rout his troops, Zhong Nianyu, fighting with all his might, shouted in rage. "Jiang Jiang Mingyu, we have no old grievances, no recent quarrels. Why do you aid Xu Xu Zhanhong in attacking my Xiawei?" He was a skilled fighter himself; even while hacking at enemies, he did not forget to hurl two curses at Jiang Jiang Mingyu.