Chapter 258

Early in the morning, the first rays of dawn pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the earth, yet the Zigui camp was already bustling with activity.

Tens of thousands of soldiers clad in iron armor and leather harnesses stood in formation, holding long swords, steel blades, spears, and halberds, their blades glinting with terrifying coldness in the morning light. This was a sea of sharp steel and flashing blades, saturated with chilling killing intent—any misstep could cost a man his life.

The neighing of horses, the clatter of weapons, and the murmurs of soldiers rose and fell in waves. The golden sun slowly rose above the horizon, bathing the land in warm light. Yet not a single soul in the camp felt its warmth, for the brutal battle to come had frozen the air.

"Form ranks!" At the blare of a clear horn, the motley troops swiftly lined up into neat formations. Layers upon layers of spearheads and sword tips rippled like waves under the sun, each young heart pounding with anticipation for the coming victory.

Jiang Mingyu gave the order, and fifty thousand troops marched toward Hanshou. Standing atop the city wall, Jiang Mingyu fell silent. Li Goudan had already sent scouts to reconnoiter the route and knew his thoughts well—he spoke up:

"My lord, I've dispatched men to scout ahead. We'll have word on Hanshou's defenses soon. It's about four hundred li from here to Hanshou; with full speed, we can reach it in three days."

Jiang Mingyu glanced at him in mild surprise, then nodded. "Goudan, it's only been a few days, yet I find myself viewing you in a new light."

Li Goudan grinned, his yellow teeth exposed, and said proudly: "All thanks to my lord's teachings. I've long been waiting for the day I command troops and stand alone on the battlefield."

Jiang Mingyu gazed into the distance and said gravely: "Once we take Hanshou and eliminate Fe Hou, I'll leave you in charge of the lands south of the river."

Li Goudan was overcome with excitement, his neck stretched out as he stammered: "My lord, truly? I swear I won't fail your trust!"

Jiang Mingyu snorted. "When have I ever lied to you?" Hearing this, Li Goudan leapt straight off his horse, his joy spilling over.

Jiang Mingyu watched him, silently shaking his head—he thought: this man's simplicity is precisely his strength.

One day later, as Jiang Mingyu discussed strategy with Li Goudan and Zhang Jiaqi, a scout rushed back:

"My lord, I've confirmed Hanshou's garrison numbers at forty thousand, commanded by Lu Xiong, a trusted aide of Fe Hou. He holds great prestige in the army, has stationed troops here for three years, and is deeply entrenched. Moreover, Lu Xiong remains unaware of our southern advance."

Jiang Mingyu burst into laughter. "Goudan, your attention to detail is excellent—your secrecy is flawless!"

He immediately asked the scout: "How capable is this Lu Xiong?"

The scout replied: "Lu Xiong is a formidable warrior, wielding a pair of hundred-pound hammers. He's known as invincible against ten thousand men. He's also skilled in tactics—not an easy opponent."

Li Goudan frowned. "Damn, this guy's no pushover. How do we handle him?"

Jiang Mingyu turned to Zhang Jiaqi. "What's your opinion?"

Zhang Jiaqi blinked, paused thoughtfully, then said: "Big Brother Jiang, the scout says Lu Xiong has no idea we're coming. Even if he's strong, he can't defend against a surprise attack."

"The best plan is to strike under cover of night—climb the walls at the third watch, open the gates, and let the main force pour in. No matter how powerful Lu Xiong is, he'll be helpless."

She added proudly: "Of course, if Big Brother Jiang doesn't like this plan, I can go kill Lu Xiong myself."

Jiang Mingyu nodded in agreement. "Jiaqi's plan is excellent—it matches my thinking. Our troops are precious; we must conserve them. A surprise attack will yield maximum results with minimal cost."

He immediately ordered Li Goudan: "Bring out the map!" After studying it closely, Jiang Mingyu gave his command:

"Listen up—time waits for no one! Accelerate the march! We must reach a point twenty li outside Hanshou before nightfall tomorrow. Any who disobey will be punished severely!"

He knew arriving even a moment earlier preserved precious stealth and surprise.

At Jiang Mingyu's order, Li Goudan relayed the command, urging the entire army to hasten their pace. Gazing at the map's marked location of Hanshou, Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly—he thought: Fe Hou, we'll meet soon.

After a day of forced marching, by nightfall, the fifty-thousand-strong army reached the woods surrounding Hanshou and could finally rest. Li Goudan pointed to the distant city. "My lord, that's Hanshou, right?"

Jiang Mingyu nodded. "Correct. Three hundred li beyond Hanshou lies Fe Hou's capital, Jingcheng." He issued his order: "Carry out my command—soldiers rest well. We march at the third watch, arrive at the city walls at the fourth."

At the order, exhausted soldiers collapsed on the ground and fell asleep instantly. Jiang Mingyu watched the darkening sky and murmured: "I wonder how things are progressing with Tuxesiluo?" He felt a flicker of unease at possible complications, and sighed deeply.

The forest fell utterly silent, save for the whisper of wind through leaves. Time flew by. Li Goudan woke Jiang Mingyu—it was the third watch.

Jiang Mingyu rubbed his sleepy eyes, stood up, and gave a low command: "Move out!" Fifty thousand troops stirred silently in the pitch-black forest, advancing toward Hanshou without a sound.

To ensure stealth, Jiang Mingyu ordered soldiers to carry blackwood torches, avoiding any light that might betray their position. Under cover of night, the army swiftly closed the distance to Hanshou.

The night was thick. The sentries on Hanshou's walls were heavy-lidded, their steps unsteady—they were on the edge of sleep. Their spears drooped repeatedly, then jerked up again, yet their exhaustion was unmistakable.

All the sentries on duty that night were veterans. Chewing blades of grass, they chatted half-heartedly—topics ranging from family gossip to the current situation.

"I heard Li Jing in Guizhou still boasts he's invincible? As soon as things turned bad, he vanished like a startled bird!"

"Still, the situation isn't good. Might as well enjoy each day while we can. Tomorrow night's shift—let's go drink at the brothel till we're drunk!"

At this, the sentries burst into laughter, their voices echoing through the night. One yawned, rubbed his eyes, and said: "Good idea. Let's just get through this guard duty—I want to go home and live in peace."

"Dream on. You think you can leave? Wait till Lord Liu finishes off Jiang Mingyu—then we'll all be rewarded with marquisates and ministerial posts!"

They joked and chatted, their voices fading until only the faint rustle of grass between their teeth remained. That night, no one noticed the gathering killing aura beneath the walls...

Jiang Mingyu gave a cold order: "Jiaqi, eliminate the sentries. Clean, quiet—no alarm to the rest of the garrison."

Zhang Jiaqi nodded. Her archers silently drew their bows. At her command: "Fire!" A rush of wind passed—and the sleeping sentries dropped dead.

Jiang Mingyu nodded in approval and whispered: "Scale the walls!" Dozens of ladders were silently raised against the battlements. Li Goudan, eager to prove himself, was the first to climb, whispering: "Brothers, follow me!"

In an instant, over a hundred elite Jiang troops scaled the wall. Zhang Jiaqi leapt gracefully down beside Li Goudan. She ordered coldly: "Move," and before the words left her lips, she had silenced a guard with a hand over his mouth.

Li Goudan and the others copied Zhang Jiaqi, silently eliminating the defenders. One by one, the guards fell. Jiang Mingyu's expression brightened as he murmured: "Hanshou—I'm here."

Zhang Jiaqi dispatched the last guard and signaled Li Goudan: "Open the gates—let the army in!" The heavy gates crashed open, and fifty thousand troops surged in like a tidal wave.

Jiang Mingyu ordered: "Enter quietly. Head straight for the main camp. Capture Lu Xiong while he sleeps. Scout, lead the way!" The army followed the scout, moving silently toward the camp.

Five li from the camp, the scout pointed ahead: "My lord, that's Lu Xiong's camp!" Jiang Mingyu looked up—faint embers glowed, and several sentries slept soundly.

He lowered his voice again: "Eliminate the sentries. Enter the central command tent. Capture Lu Xiong. Seize his command—and victory is ours." With that, Zhang Jiaqi flashed forward, covered the distance in a few strides, her sword flashing—sentries fell without a sound.

She turned and nodded to Jiang Mingyu—signal given. Jiang Mingyu wasted no time—he personally led over a hundred elite warriors, slipping soundlessly into the camp.

They raced toward the commander's tent, moving in small groups, killing the guards at the entrance.