Chapter 439

First Volume, Chapter 439: The Might of the Ming Prince

The Bei Di night owls, after decades of secret infiltration, had long since uncovered every aspect of the Liang Kingdom, even countless hidden secrets unknown to the public. According to Chen Si, the Ming Prince was the most talented prince of the Li Imperial Clan; since childhood, he had accompanied the late emperor on personal military campaigns, absorbing through osmosis both literary strategy and martial prowess to the highest degree.

At thirteen, he already commanded five thousand troops, defending the Rong Border; at sixteen, he achieved glorious military feats; at eighteen, he bore the bearing of an emperor. Alas, the late emperor suddenly passed away without leaving a will, and the current Liang Emperor, taking advantage of the Ming Prince's absence while guarding the border, seized the capital, coerced the ministers, and seized the throne himself—essentially stabbing the Ming Prince squarely in the back.

Even so, the Ming Prince never engaged in any direct confrontation with the Liang Emperor; he diligently guarded the Northern Border, repeatedly achieving extraordinary victories, and enjoyed immense prestige within the army. The more loyal the Ming Prince proved to Liang, the more fiercely he fought, the deeper the Liang Emperor's suspicion grew. After all, the Ming Prince was the rightful heir to the Imperial Throne; among the folk, there has always been a saying: the Liang Emperor's ascension was illegitimate, his mandate unnatural!

Under the Liang Emperor's scheming, the Ming Prince was recalled to Jingdu.

The moment the Ming Prince stepped into Jingdu, he became a prisoner; the Liang Emperor targeted him at every turn, set traps everywhere—in folk terms, he constantly manufactured trouble—until finally seizing an opportunity to banish the Ming Prince to Fuyun County, euphemistically called a fiefdom, but in truth, a soft detention.

The choice of Fuyun County was no accident.

If banished too far, the Ming Prince's prestige would inevitably win him military support.

If kept in Jingdu, the Liang Emperor feared court ministers might exploit the situation to launch attacks.

Fuyun County was just right: outside Jingdu City, yet still among the Thirty-Six Counties of Jingdu, fully under the Liang Emperor's control. Though the Liang Emperor never openly stated it, he subtly obstructed at every turn, ensuring the Ming Prince's two sons, Li Zhang and Li Lang, remained unmarried to this day. The Liang Emperor intended to sever this bloodline, eliminating all future threats forever.

Under such relentless suppression by the Liang Emperor, the Ming Prince had no choice but to feign ignorance to survive—but Li Zhang and Li Lang had fully inherited their father's true legacy and were both exceptional talents.

Now that Qin Feng has gained the aid of the two brothers, Li Zhang and Li Lang, he will surely gain wings like a tiger!

And the facts have proven that Chen Si's fears have come to pass!

Qin Feng, stationed in Jingdu, though he commands an intelligence network and an increasingly vast Beixi County Yizhan, enabling him to learn of Northern Border military developments at once, still faces a thousand-li distance; even with swift horses racing day and night, there remains a three-day delay. No matter how brilliant Qin Feng is, he cannot fully control the Northern Border situation.

Meanwhile, intelligence shows that Beixi County Magistrate Lin Quqi is a juren graduate; though his literary talent is high, he knows nothing of strategy. The four daughters of the Qin Family: the eldest, Shen Qingci, excels in literary strategy over martial skill; the second, Liu Hongyan, masters commerce; the third, Li Xiaolan, is skilled in patience; the fourth, Jing Qianying, possesses only personal valor.

Even the former first-rank noblewoman Qin Cheng Shi was merely a scheming woman, unfit for major responsibilities.

In short, not a single person in Beixi County is worthy of Chen Si's regard.

But now, with the Ming Prince's family moving in, Chen Si feels immense pressure: Qin Feng need only provide broad strategy from Jingdu, and Li Zhang can refine and execute it—these two complement each other perfectly, leaving Chen Si deeply troubled. The recent battlefield developments, with both Beixi County Garrison and Bian Jun Da Ying suffering defeats, speak volumes.

"The Liang Emperor, though only skilled in divine strategy, is indeed cunning in selecting and judging men!"

"We can wait no longer! We must launch a full-scale war immediately!"

Chen Si issued a string of orders!

As he prepared to head to the Vanguard Camp to discuss an offensive against Bian Jun Da Ying with the Vanguard Commander, the messenger arrived again with dire news.

"General! The Beixi County Garrison has not retreated!"

"They've pursued us all the way, now less than ten Li from here. Our forward troops are forming layered defenses. This position is unsafe—please leave at once!"

Hearing this, Chen Si's brow tightened further.

That the Beixi County Garrison launched an offensive was already unusual—but to chase all the way to the border? Something strange must be afoot!

Chen Si pondered a moment, then his eyes sharpened; he barked: "The Beixi County Garrison's offensive must be meant to disrupt our attack rhythm and stall our momentum—clearly, they're buying time for the autumn harvest in the rear!"

"Grain in the Liang Kingdom North Border is the key to this war! Not one inch can we yield!"

"Transmit my order: our forward troops must fight to the death. If the entire army is annihilated, I, the general, will personally don mourning robes and guard their graves for three years!"

Chen Si immediately abandoned his plan to visit the Vanguard Camp, standing firm like a divine anchor, gritting his teeth: "Send urgent orders to the rear: dispatch light cavalry at top speed to reinforce! At all costs, stop the Beixi County Garrison's counterattack!"

The Deputy General, hastily returning from the front, leapt from his horse; his armor was pierced with multiple arrowheads, his heart-protecting mirror completely caved in—clearly from a blunt weapon strike—and his body seemed drenched in blood.

The Deputy General's eyes were bloodshot; he roared: "General! The Beixi County Garrison's assault is ferocious—we cannot hold! Please retreat immediately!"

Chen Si ignored the Deputy General's plea; his face turned ashen, unmoving as a mountain: "If we fail to stop the Beixi County Garrison, this battle is lost. I am the Supervisory Special Envoy, bearing full responsibility! If the Beixi County Garrison arrives, I will offer my neck for execution to atone for my failure! I, Chen Si, will stand and die with all my soldiers!"

Seeing Chen Si's resolve, the Deputy General's eyes welled with tears; he clenched his teeth, mounted his horse, and returned to the front.

On the open field less than seven Li from Chen Si, the cries of battle shook the heavens.

Zhao Yuxiong led three thousand Heavy Armor Black Cavalry, charging through the Sanggan Army, slaughtering them in chaos; wherever they passed, blood pooled into streams, corpses piled into mountains. Zhao Yuxiong, like an unstoppable demon, had shattered his lance's blade from piercing too many armors; he casually discarded the lance, drew a seven-foot Zhan Dao from his saddle, and slashed left and right.

"The Sanggan Army is finished! Soldiers, charge with me!"

With a roar, Zhao Yuxiong charged straight into the dense ranks of the Sanggan Army, his three thousand Black Cavalry following close behind, two thousand light cavalry flanking both sides, and five thousand infantry pushing forward from behind.

Every Sanggan Army soldier understood: the Beixi County Garrison could no longer be stopped.

The Sanggan Army's casualty rate had already reached a terrifying seventy percent!

Even the elite, with peak morale, would have shattered under a seventy percent casualty rate—but the remaining three thousand Sanggan soldiers, clinging to a deathless resolve, fought on without retreat. This battle staked the Di Kingdom's fate, and the next twenty years of honor and shame for the Di people.

The Sanggan Army's Deputy Generals were all dead; when they fell, the Gate Generals took their place; when the Gate Generals fell, the Assistant Generals stepped up; when the Assistant Generals fell, the Company Commanders took over.

Though the Sanggan Army now consisted only of infantry, facing the Heavy Armor Black Cavalry, it was a one-sided massacre with a casualty ratio of dozens to one—yet not a single man fled.