Chapter 165: You've Said It All

Not long after Gu Xixi and He Jinglan left, a small-scale encounter battle broke out in the area between the two armies.

Mu Nan Zhao abducted a few warhorses from the Beili people, then sent half of a squad to lure the Beili army.

After being pursued, the two sides inevitably fell into fierce combat.

The other half, led by Meng Chengping, continued to move covertly in the darkness, searching for the scattered military dependents, gradually bringing everyone to a place of shelter.

Northwest Army camp.

Huo Jiang took a brief nap, then got up to study the sand table, pondering how the enemy would counterattack next.

At this moment, a messenger rushed over with an urgent report.

The information was overwhelming; Huo Jiang furrowed his thick brows and said, 'Pass my order: the Second Battalion shall immediately deploy three hundred infantry and fifty cavalry, marching out to join Mu…'

The decisive General Huo rarely paused when issuing orders.

He thought for a moment, then impatiently said, 'Link up with Meng Chengping; after the battle, you must bring him back, along with everyone in his unit, not a single one missing!'

The messenger received the order and departed.

Additionally, a guard of the general stood there awaiting orders, saying, 'Boss Gu and Miss He are still waiting outside the camp.'

Huo Jiang pinched his brow hard and asked, 'Did they go to put out the fire?'

The guard nodded, 'Miss He said so.'

Huo Jiang sighed, 'Forget it; go yourself and personally bring them in.'

If it were merely a message, he would be so busy he could have avoided seeing these two ladies.

But now it concerns military affairs, and there may be a favor owed, so he cannot avoid seeing them.

When Gu Xixi and He Jinglan entered the camp, they saw reinforcements deploying and the two of them temporarily relaxed.

Upon seeing Huo Jiang, Gu Xixi voluntarily gave a detailed account of what had happened before and after tonight, without needing to be asked.

Gu Xixi apologetically said, 'I know the Northwest Army always has patrols rotating; any abnormality would not escape their notice. Our firefighting was merely us women acting first and reporting later, meddling in affairs not our own.'

She said this, bending her knees in a graceful bow, actually performing a standard salute.

Huo Jiang couldn't help feeling his teeth ache, thinking, 'Clever, truly clever.'

It turns out you, Boss Gu, have said everything there is to say.

Moreover, you indeed brought those women to help; what right does this general have to complain?

'Not at all, not at all, Boss Gu, you overpraise.'

Huo Jiang turned aside and secretly wiped a cold sweat, knowing full well that these girls rushed to extinguish the fire because they couldn't bear to see the fruit trees burned.

He still had to pretend ignorance, smiling as he praised, 'Tonight we truly owe it to you.'

'Before the flames even rose, the fire was out—truly a relief for the army.'

'And Meng Chengping's group also owes its rescue to Boss Gu and Miss He's timely call for help.'

Huo Jiang politely clasped his hands.

He Jinglan, however, paid no mind to that, asking, 'Meng Chengping? General Huo, you said to request aid?'

Only then did she realize, 'Are Meng Chengping and Mu Nan Zhao in league?'

Huo Jiang's expression instantly turned stern, 'Miss He, choose your words carefully; that person you mentioned is already dead in the capital, so how could he appear in my army?'

He Jinglan regretted her slip, lowering her head and biting her lip without speaking.

The He family's status is special, and they are not directly allied with the Northwest Army.

Therefore, the fact that Mu Nan Zhao is alive, even if several people present know it, cannot be openly spoken of.

Huo Jiang then softened into a smile, as if the momentary flash of killing intent just now were not from him.

'Now I order you to return to the village; you will surely be uneasy.'

'No women are allowed to stay in the camp; I have ordered a place set up outside for you.'

'Go there to rest and wait for news.'

Having said that, Huo Jiang did not wait for their agreement, summoned his two guards, and sent them out.

He Jinglan kept her head lowered and remained silent all the way.

Outside the camp, a temporary tent had already been hastily erected, containing bedding, a water kettle, and other basic necessities.

Gu Xixi thanked the guide guard, then pulled He Jinglan into the tent.

When the shadows of those who had been silhouetted on the tent had all departed, Gu Xixi said, 'If you're scared inside, just cry.'

He Jinglan lifted her head, her eyes red, and said, 'I didn't know he was allied with Mu Nan Zhao; if I had known, I…'

Gu Xixi said, 'What could you do? Stay and share his life and death, or, when he kills the enemy, he must divert energy to protect you?'

He Jinglan knew Gu Xixi was right; sometimes one should not let emotions rule.

She paused and said, 'Those two are now at death's door, their fate uncertain; that's why I worry.'

'Don't worry,' Gu Xixi said. 'You saw so many reinforcements heading out; even if they're useless, they can at least hold out until the reinforcements arrive.'

He Jinglan still worried, 'But…'

Gu Xixi looked at her with a firm gaze, 'I have witnessed Mu Nan Zhao's abilities.'

'Moreover, with him as he is now, killing him would be no easy feat.'

Inside the commander's tent, Huo Jiang had endured so much tonight that he had no temper left.

Actually, Gu Xixi and her companions saw the enemy launching fire arrows from the village; the camp's lookout soldiers were extraordinarily alert—how could they have failed to notice?

It was only that Huo Jiang was then occupied discussing battle plans with several generals.

Hearing that the Beili people fired off a few ineffectual fire arrows now and then, weak and powerless, they regarded it as mere provocation and temporarily held back from retaliating.

Besides, several scout teams were hidden outside; if anything truly happened, they could respond in time.

As a result, a group of women silently extinguished the fire beforehand.

Huo Jiang walked to the sand table and fell into thought; before Gu Xixi arrived, he had been wondering what the Beili army was up to with this pointless little move.

At this point, upon further thought, there is only one reason.

The North Li Army dare not launch a counterattack for the time being; they can only use this fire‑attack strategy.

If the weather is on their side, it will be a fire that burns the entire camp, a great total victory.

If the strong wind does not come, setting a fire at night to throw the Northwest Army into confusion would also do to continue buying time.

But why do they dare not send out troops?

The previous night raid indeed wounded the North Li's vitality somewhat, but it was not enough to so easily frighten them away.

What exactly are they wary of?

Huo Jiang screened out countless possibilities in his mind, as if sifting through a sieve.

Finally he thought of a secret move that had been sent out and not yet retrieved, and at this moment he did not know where it had been placed.

Mu Nan Zhao…

This time, Meng Chengping's squad set out on a mission, and among them was mixed in a person who originally did not belong to the Northwest Army.

He wore the armor of a new recruit, and his comrades in the squad all called him "Chen Fang."

That night, Mu Nan Zhao silently followed Meng Chengping's squad out of the camp and slipped into the North Li Army's camp.

And Huo Jiang, upon learning the next day that this squad had not returned on schedule, was furious, yet he did not hastily send scouts to look for them.

This was because Huo Jiang clearly understood that although command authority lay with Meng Chengping, the brains actually belonged to Mu Nan Zhao.

That Mu Nan Zhao fellow had eight hundred little schemes, while Meng Chengping was young and hot‑blooded.

These two together made a combination.

If Mu Nan Zhao were to coax (or deceive) Meng Chengping into doing something like "a commander abroad does not obey the general's orders," what would be so strange about that!

Thinking of this, Huo Jiang again gritted his teeth for who knows how many times,

"Surname Mu, you'd better not die out there."