Chapter 683

"Now, because of this imperial court's decision, within a thousand li of Yanmen Pass, most of the populace and even the army have already migrated south.

Yanmen Pass has almost become a lone city!

The Great Yuan's fifty-thousand army marches south, led by a general of Boerhu's caliber, and further aided by offerings such as Bi Xuan and Meng Chixing.

Even if this battle had all ten thousand of its garrison present, fighting to the death for their country,

With this general's ability, I could only hold it for ten days without losing it.

But if it exceeds ten days, I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."

Wang Xiaojie's face was full of anguish, thinking that this grandson of Duke E and Di Ge Lao's confidant was a good-for-nothing.

How could they, at such a critical moment, heavily employ such an inexperienced young master!

This general needs reinforcements, needs support of provisions and supplies, needs the arrival of offering experts.

Not just a mere young master, alright?

"The court's decision, Di Gong's military order is precisely this. You all must execute it whether you understand it or not."

Yuchi Zhen listened, yet didn't let out a light laugh, as if mocking Wang Xiaojie.

Then he didn't explain either, instead dryly dropping a sentence, and only then said,

"If General Wang feels five thousand men are insufficient to defend the city, unable to complete Di Gong's military order,

this Sikong is untalented, and is willing to take over your task.

You shall act in my stead, lead another five thousand men, withdraw from the Chengguan, and lie in ambush among the mountains and fields!

However, you must not lose contact with me. At the decisive battle, I will need you to coordinate from within and without!"

"You..."

Wang Xiaojie couldn't help but be furious. Yuchi Zhen's meaning—wasn't it looking down on him?

The assembled officers saw this and were also indignant.

The generals were about to make a scene together, to give Wang Xiaojie an out, and incidentally drive away this inexplicable young Lord Sikong.

But Yuchi Zhen also saw their defiance, and casually took down a long, strip-shaped bundle from his back.

Then, in front of everyone, he slowly opened the bundle.

Inside the bundle was an eight-sided golden mace.

The mace was four chi long, radiant with flowing light, and its handle had a dragon-head socket.

After taking out this eight-sided golden mace, Yuchi Zhen held it aloft with both hands, faced south, and respectfully said,

"This is the Kanglong Mace bestowed by the late Emperor upon Di Ge Lao, authorizing Ge Lao to strike above at the foolish ruler, and below at treacherous ministers.

Today Ge Lao has temporarily lent this mace to me, ordering me to hold it and take charge of Yanmen Pass's offensive and defensive strategy.

Those who dare disobey will be dealt with by military law!"

Di Renjie received the late Emperor's trust, and was specially given this Kanglong Mace—this was known to everyone within the Great Tang Realm.

Empress Wu Zetian had also never thought of taking back this mace.

On the contrary, she trusted him deeply, appointing him as Tong Feng Lantai Ping Zhangshi.

Almost tacitly acknowledging him as the chief among the outer court's ministers.

Now Yuchi Zhen unexpectedly produced the Kanglong Mace. Although from Wang Xiaojie above down to the ordinary officers, not a single person could discern its authenticity,

at this moment, whether real or fake, they could only treat it as real.

The assembled officers were terrified, immediately cupped their fists and accepted the order,

"We will obey General Yuchi's military order."

"Wang Xiaojie, hear the order!"

Wang Xiaojie was helpless, knowing that once the Kanglong Mace was revealed, this Yanmen Pass was no longer under his control.

490 Great Tang's defending general abandons the city and flees?

After Meng Chixing and the Great Yuan Vanguard Commander led three thousand elite cavalry across the Tang Yuan border,

they found that traveling south, nine out of ten houses were empty.

Not only had the villages and market towns been deserted,

even the small fortified manors that originally housed troops were now completely empty.

Seeing this situation, the Vanguard Commander immediately burst into hearty laughter, patted Meng Chixing's Ma Pi,

"In past years when we went south to raid for supplies, these Tang Ren would hole up in the fortified manors and market towns, resisting us.

They could be considered tenacious and willing to fight, causing some losses to our Great Yuan's good men.

I didn't expect that on this southern campaign, with the help of the Devil Master, these Tang Ren would collapse without a fight.

Devil Master's might, this young general admires!"

Meng Chixing is the head of the Great Yuan Devil Master Palace, and that Pang Ban who died at the hands of the Qinglong Society was his grand-disciple.

At this moment, being slapped with a string of Ma Pi by the Vanguard Commander, Meng Chixing also nodded and smiled.

Yet he also found it strange. Although the Great Yuan was well-prepared for this southern campaign,

with many troops and experts mobilized,

the Great Tang clearly knew of the Great Yuan's movements long ago, so why didn't they send people to defend?

Instead, they directly abandoned the city and left, as if about to give up the northwest entirely.

Could it be that the Great Tang is now fully defending Youzhou?

After much deliberation, Meng Chixing figured this was the only explanation.

For the great dynasties of the Nine Provinces, every inch of territory is indeed heavy.

But Youzhou, where the Yin Moon Dynasty resides, is clearly a place the Great Yuan and Great Tang must contend for.

Taking Youzhou would provide a channel to contact the Yin Moon Dynasty.

To win over the Yin Moon Imperial Court's surrender would surpass even ten thousand li of Jiangshan.

So this strange move by the Great Tang, in Meng Chixing's view,

meant the Great Tang had concentrated its forces to defend Youzhou.

If this were truly so, then Yanmen Pass—uncaptured for a thousand years—could be taken in a single day.

And with such military merit, he might well be able to advance another step at the Imperial Court.

"Fine! Send a small detachment to keep searching southward, to see just where the Great Tang has withdrawn to.

Best to check the Youzhou direction—see whether the Great Tang has heavy forces deployed there.

The rest of you, follow me to Yanmen Pass and have a look.

Within a hundred li in any direction, there aren't many Tang Ren left.

Why insist on holding Yanmen Pass!"

Though Meng Chixing was not the Vanguard Commander, he was the Great Yuan's Demon Grandmaster, and a top expert on the Heavenly Dao Golden List.

Though his ranking was dead last, even Boerhu had to weigh and consider his words carefully.

Naturally, this minor Vanguard Commander did not dare defy the Demon Grandmaster's will, and immediately followed his intent and issued the order.

Of the three thousand elite cavalry, a thousand were immediately split off.

They were divided into over a dozen small squads and sent out to scout in all directions.

Especially toward Youzhou—five squads were dispatched in one go.

Although they were only on reconnaissance, this Vanguard Commander could not gauge whether the Great Tang had laid an ambush in the wilderness.

Therefore each squad had no fewer than fifty or sixty men, and at most a hundred.

If they encountered a large enemy force, they could simply flee.

Against small enemy forces, they could also engage.

Watching the Vanguard Commander's arrangements, Meng Chixing could not help but nod.

Worthy of being a commander under Boerhu—he did have some ability.

Then he led the remaining two thousand elite cavalry, slowly advancing toward Yanmen Pass.

Before they had even approached Yanmen Pass, they saw a scout squad that had been dispatched not long before galloping back at full speed.

Upon drawing near, the Hundred-Man Commander tumbled from his saddle, saluted Meng Chixing and the Vanguard Commander, and then reported,

"Demon Grandmaster, General, this subordinate has just discovered that Yanmen Pass is in utter chaos within.

Now the defending commander Wang Xiaojie has personally led a wave of troops out through the pass, fleeing southward.

Because of his escape, the garrison is now in a panic, and many officers are also preparing to withdraw from Yanmen Pass."

Before even reaching Yanmen Pass, they heard this good news.