Chapter 258: Night Raid on Hanshou

Early in the morning, as the first ray of dawn sunlight just pierced through the clouds to scatter across the earth, Zigu Camp was already bustling with activity.

Tens of thousands of soldiers, clad in iron armor and horsehide, stood in formation, holding long swords, steel blades, and halberds that reflected terrifying cold light in the morning glow. This was a forest of sword glints and spear points; a chilling killing intent permeated the air, where any single mistake could cost a life.

The neighing of horses, the clashing of equipment, and the low murmurs of the officers and men rose and fell in turns. On the horizon, the golden morning sun gradually rose, draping the earth in warm light. Yet, no warmth from the sun could be felt within the military camp, for the impending brutal slaughter had already frozen the air.

"Form ranks!" At the sound of a clear horn, the soldiers of the Five Flowers and Eight Gates quickly arranged themselves into neat square formations. Layers upon layers of sword and spear tips rippled like waves under the sunlight, and every young heart beat in anticipation of the coming victory.

At Jiang Jiang Mingyu's command, the fifty thousand strong army set out for Hanshou in a mighty procession. Standing on the city wall and gazing into the distance, Jiang Jiang Mingyu fell silent in thought. Li Goudan, who had long since sent scouts to secretly probe the route and knew his master's mind, spoke up:

"My lord, rest assured. I have already sent men to scout the path; they will soon return with intelligence on Hanshou's defenses. From here to Hanshou is about four hundred li; with a full-speed march, it will take only three days."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at him with slight surprise and nodded, saying, "Goudan, it has been only a few days since we last met, yet I find myself quite impressed with you."

Li Goudan grinned widely, his yellow teeth exposed, and said proudly, "All thanks to my lord's teachings. I have long looked forward to the day when I can command a great army and stand on my own."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gazed into the distance and said in a deep voice, "Once we capture Hanshou and annihilate Fei Hou, I will leave you to guard Jiangnan."

Li Goudan was overjoyed, stretching his neck out long, and repeatedly said, "Does my lord truly mean it? I, your subordinate, will certainly not fail your trust!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu snorted and said, "When have I, Jiang Mou, ever lied to you?" Hearing this, Li Goudan immediately jumped off his horse, his excitement overflowing.

Seeing his state, Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head inwardly, thinking that this fellow's simplicity was precisely his strength.

One day later, while Jiang Jiang Mingyu was discussing matters with Li Goudan and Zhang Zhang Jiaqi, a scout rushed back:

"Reporting to my lord, your subordinate has discovered that Hanshou is defended by forty thousand troops, commanded by Lu Xiong, a close confidant of Fei Hou. This man holds considerable prestige in the army and has been stationed in Hanshou for three years, with deep roots. Furthermore, Lu Xiong is unaware of our army's southward movement."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu laughed loudly and praised, "Goudan handles things meticulously; the secrecy work is excellent!"

He then asked the scout, "How capable is this Lu Xiong?"

The scout replied, "Lu Xiong is highly skilled in martial arts, proficient in wielding a pair of hundred-jin hammers, and is hailed as unmatched by ten thousand men. He also has considerable insight into military strategy and is not an opponent to be dealt with easily."

Li Goudan frowned and asked Jiang Jiang Mingyu, "Damn it, this fellow is no simpleton. How should we respond?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at Zhang Zhang Jiaqi and asked for her opinion.

Zhang Zhang Jiaqi blinked, pondered for a moment, and said, "Brother Jiang, the scout said Lu Xiong has no defense against our army's southward movement. In that case, no matter how powerful he is, he cannot guard against our surprise attack."

"I believe the best course of action is to sneak attack Hanshou City under the cover of night, climb the city walls at the third watch, and open the gates to let our main force enter. Even if Lu Xiong is as powerful as heaven itself, he will have no countermeasure."

She then added proudly, "Of course, if Brother Jiang does not approve, I can personally go and behead Lu Xiong."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in agreement, saying, "Zhang Jiaqi's strategy is excellent and aligns perfectly with my thoughts. Our current military strength is precious and must be used sparingly. By launching a surprise attack, we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

He immediately ordered Li Goudan, "Bring out the map!" After studying it carefully, Jiang Jiang Mingyu gave the order on the spot:

"Listen to the command: Time waits for no one! The entire army must increase its marching speed and must reach a location twenty li outside Hanshou City before nightfall tomorrow. Those who disobey will be severely punished!"

He knew that arriving one quarter-hour early would preserve one more fraction of the attack's concealment and surprise.

At Jiang Jiang Mingyu's command, Li Goudan immediately relayed the order to the army, urging everyone to increase their marching speed. Looking at Hanshou City marked on the map, Jiang Jiang Mingyu chuckled softly, thinking, Fei Hou, we will meet very soon.

After a day of forced marching, at nightfall, the fifty thousand strong army had reached the forested outskirts of Hanshou City and could finally rest briefly. Li Goudan pointed to the distant city and said, "My lord, that is Hanshou City, correct?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded and said, "Correct. Beyond Hanshou, another three hundred li lies Fei Hou's capital, Jingcheng." He immediately ordered, "Pass down my military order: let the soldiers rest well, set out at the third watch, and arrive before the city walls by the fourth watch."

Upon hearing the order, the exhausted soldiers immediately sat on the ground and fell asleep. Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at the darkening sky and murmured to himself, "I wonder how Tuke Tuke Siluo is progressing over there?" Thinking of the possible variables that might arise, he felt slightly worried and let out a long sigh.

The forest instantly fell silent, with only the rustling sound of leaves in the wind remaining. Time flew by, and when Li Goudan woke Jiang Jiang Mingyu, it was already the third watch.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu rubbed his sleepy eyes, stood up, and gave the order in a deep voice, "Set out!" The fifty thousand strong army immediately began moving through the pitch-black jungle, advancing silently toward Hanshou City.

To ensure the concealment of their operation, Jiang Jiang Mingyu ordered the soldiers to hold ebony torches to avoid revealing their whereabouts. Under the cover of darkness, the army quickly closed the distance to Hanshou City.

The night was heavy, and the sentries patrolling the walls of Hanshou City were each with heavy eyelids and unsteady steps, clearly on the verge of dozing off. The spears in their hands drooped downward time and again, only to be hastily lifted, yet they could hardly conceal the exhaustion on their faces.

All the sentries on duty this night were veterans. With a blade of grass in their mouths, they chatted intermittently, their topics revolving around family matters and the current situation.

"I heard Li Jing of Guizhou was still bragging about being invincible in the world, but the moment the situation looked unfavorable, he fled like a startled bird, disappearing without a trace!"

"But speaking of which, the current situation is not optimistic. Let's just take it one day at a time. Tomorrow night is our shift change; let's go to the brothel for drinks and not return until we are drunk!"

Upon saying this, the sentries couldn't help but burst into laughter, their voices echoing in the night sky. At that moment, one sentry yawned, rubbed his eyes, and said, "That works too. Let's just get through this city-guarding duty quickly; I still want to return to my hometown to enjoy life."

"Stop dreaming! You want to leave? Once Lord Six deals with Jiang Jiang Mingyu, we, the meritorious servants, will surely receive the rewards of being ennobled as marquises and appointed as prime ministers!"

The group joked and chatted, gradually falling silent until only the faint rustling of grass blades in their mouths remained. On this night, no one would notice the killing intent quietly gathering beneath the city walls...

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gave the order in a cold voice, "Zhang Jiaqi, eliminate the sentries. Be sure to act cleanly and decisively; do not alert the other defenders."

Zhang Zhang Jiaqi nodded in acknowledgment, and immediately her archers quietly drew their longbows. Upon her command, "Release!" a sound of arrows breaking the wind passed, and the sleeping sentries were killed instantly.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction and gave a low shout, "Climb the walls!" Dozens of scaling ladders were quietly placed against the battlements. Li Goudan, eager to show off, was the first to climb the ladder and called out in a low voice, "Brothers, follow me!"

In an instant, over a hundred of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's elite, skilled in lightness, flipped onto the city walls. Zhang Zhang Jiaqi also leaped gracefully, landing beside Li Goudan. She coldly ordered, "Act," and before her words had fully faded, she had already swiftly covered the mouth of a defending soldier and subdued him.

Li Goudan and others imitated Zhang Zhang Jiaqi, silently neutralizing the guards one by one. As each defender fell, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression brightened, and he murmured to himself, "Hanshou, I have come."

After eliminating the last defender, Zhang Zhang Jiaqi waved to Li Goudan, saying, "Open the city gates and let the main force enter!" The heavy gates crashed open, and the fifty thousand strong army surged in like a tide.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gave a low shout, "Enter the city quietly and head straight for the main camp. Be sure to capture Lu Xiong while he is still asleep. Scouts, lead the way!" Thus, the army followed the scouts, advancing silently toward the camp.

Upon reaching five li outside the camp, a scout pointed to the tents ahead, saying, "My lord, that is Lu Xiong's main camp!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked up and vaguely saw the bonfires dying down, with several sentries fast asleep.

He lowered his voice again, saying, "Eliminate the sentries, rush straight into the central command tent, capture Lu Xiong, and seize his military command; then our victory will be within sight!" With those words, Zhang Zhang Jiaqi flashed her figure, leaped several steps to the camp entrance, her long sword fluttered, and the sentries fell silently to the ground.

She turned back and nodded to Jiang Jiang Mingyu, signaling that the action could begin. Jiang Jiang Mingyu also hesitated not a moment, personally leading over a hundred fierce generals who had hidden their skills, and entered the camp silently.

The group rushed straight for the commander's tent, leaping to the front of the tent in groups of two or three, and killing the guards.