Chapter 154: First Volume, Chapter 154: Sudden Victory

First Volume, Chapter 154: Sudden Victory

Just as the Liang Emperor's mood grew darker, a soft, melodious voice suddenly reached his ears.

"Such extraordinary talent, yet refuses utterly to enter officialdom—I don't know whether to call him lofty or foolish."

Turning to look, he saw Princess Chang Princess, seated below, smiling as she gazed at Qin Feng on the city wall, her words layered with meaning: "If this youth were granted rank and title, his future would be boundless. But alas, a commoner, no matter how heaven-defying his talent, has already severed his own path… Ah, as the saying goes: scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants—abandoning the official path to become a lowly merchant? How short-sighted."

Hearing this, the Liang Emperor's expression gradually brightened.

Recalling Qin Feng's fierce rejection of official rank and noble title, the Liang Emperor smiled knowingly, silently marveling: "This boy foresaw this day long ago—that's why he stayed far beyond the Imperial Court… This isn't self-sabotage; it's securing his escape route! How could I possibly fear a mere commoner?"

The Liang Emperor glanced at Li Zhan beside him and asked with a smile: "Li Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Gonggong, you've served me for decades—have you ever truly fathomed my thoughts?"

Li Zhan didn't understand the Emperor's intent and grew tense: "Your Majesty's will is unfathomable."

The Liang Emperor smiled and said no more, but cast a deep look at Qin Feng.

A loyal servant of decades still cannot fathom the Son of Heaven's mind.

Yet some young whippersnapper has already read it completely clear.

Were he not a commoner, such a prodigy truly could not be allowed to live.

Outside ShiZhen, silence reigned. Though the Battlefield Simulation had ended, all remained stunned, unable to quiet the shock within them.

Just moments ago, the pieces on the Sand Table shifted constantly, tactics unfolding in rapid succession.

It wasn't a contest between two green youths—it was like two seasoned generals, veterans of countless battles, locked in mortal combat.

After a long while, the crowd slowly came back to themselves.

The young Colonel standing beside the Sand Table, his face flushed with excitement, stared fixedly at the table: "Since the founding of Shedynasty, no such fierce contest has ever been seen… All those so-called new talent duels? Compared to this, they're child's play!"

At these words, the crowd awoke as from a dream.

Gao Yulan clenched her fists, her face grim. Though she resented it, she could not deny the unprecedented brilliance of this match: "That damned Qin Feng—has he really been on a battlefield? I've never heard that!"

Li Ninghui knew nothing of military affairs. Seeing Xu Mo Army win, she was stunned and whispered: "Sister, how could Qin Feng possibly win? Three hundred against a thousand? Did he use some underhanded trick?"

Gao Yulan couldn't help but smile bitterly: "The tactics on the Sand Table don't lie. Qin Feng sacrificed local defeats to secure overall victory—his command of the battlefield… none of the Noble Youth can match him."

Li Ninghui, astonished, covered her mouth—she never expected Gao Yulan to praise Qin Feng so highly.

Those who had placed heavy bets on Xu Mo Army's defeat should have been furious.

But the opposite happened.

Many Noble Youth didn't care about the small losses—they broke into applause.

"Brilliant! Such tactical mastery cannot be forged without decades of battlefield experience! Though Qin Feng's methods are detestable, he is undeniably a genius!"

"Good heavens! Pure tactics overcoming numerical inferiority—three hundred raw troops annihilating a thousand elite Imperial Guard! This… this is unreal… Could Qin Feng have received Qin Tianhu's true teachings?"

"Heavy Infantry held the Central Formation, splitting Ninghu Army's line. Bow Infantry and Cavalry Archers engaged Ninghu's Heavy Cavalry, cutting off messengers and disrupting their military orders. While both sides' Heavy Infantry clashed, Cavalry Archers harassed continuously; Bow Infantry raided Ninghu's rear formation. In the end, at the cost of total annihilation of their own Heavy Infantry, they preserved the Cavalry Archers and Bow Infantry, then used their troop advantage to encircle Ninghu's Heavy Infantry…"

"Though this was only a minor drill, it clearly shows Qin Feng's understanding of tactics and troop types has reached a divine level!"

An old veteran, retired from the battlefield, frowned, his eyes alternating between admiration and doubt: "This tactical arrangement is brilliant—but even more impressive is the troop deployment… Bow Infantry first held off enemy cavalry, then raided the rear—these aren't Bow Infantry! They're Elite Reconnaissance Unit! That's the biggest problem."

A nearby regimental commander, arms crossed, nodded gravely: "Correct. The core of this battle lies in the Heavy Infantry holding firm and occupying the Mid-Field. The greatest variable? The Cavalry Archers! I've served for over a decade—I've never seen such formidable Cavalry Archers."

The veteran's eyes burned with heat: "There have long been rumors that Qin Feng intends to personally forge an army—could these Cavalry Archers be its prototype? If such a force truly exists, crushing the Di won't be difficult!"

Hearing the praise echoing from all sides, Liu Hongyan's cheeks flushed, her pride beyond words.

Beside her, Shen Qingci stared in disbelief, murmuring in wonder: "I never imagined this fellow had such ability!"

At that moment, a noble youth in White Clothes stepped forward to the Qin Family members, bowed deeply, and exclaimed with excitement and reverence: "Young Master Qin, your talent overwhelms me! I've long heard Qin Feng was trained by the Qin Family's Young Misses—surely the ladies themselves are masters of strategy!"

At these words, several other noble youths rushed forward, eager to flatter the Qin Family's young ladies.

"Qin Feng's commercial genius must have come entirely from Miss Liu's tutelage!"

"Miss Shen's poem 'Drunk in the Flower Shade: Thick Clouds, Thin Mist, Endless Grief' stunned Jingdu—Qin Feng's 'Departure to the Frontier' must have been inspired by her."

"So then, Qin Feng's unparalleled military command must be inherited from Miss Jing?"

Faced with this sudden surge of Noble Youth and unearned flattery, the three women exchanged glances, caught off guard.

They had indeed disciplined Qin Feng strictly—more often than not, beating and scolding him—but his talents had nothing to do with them. They tried to explain, yet the youths were certain the Qin Family's young ladies were the true masters, their admiration deepening.

Not even Liu Hongyan and Shen Qingci were spared—even the aloof Jing Qianying felt embarrassed, constantly lifting her hand to brush a strand of hair from her temple, utterly uncomfortable.

"Xu Mo Army wins!"

Qin Tianhu's excited voice echoed across ShiZhen.

Immediately, cheers erupted.

The Mobile Battalion and Firepower Battalion guards raised their weapons, shouting and waving their arms—winning the contest meant earning the chance to serve on the frontier and gain prestige; how could they not rejoice?

The Xu Mo Army and Armored Battalion guards lay sprawled on the ground, battered and bruised, yet grinning broadly.

Xu Mo couldn't help roaring: "We won! We won!"