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墨書 Inktalez
The earth once again lost the warmth of sunlight, as dark clouds filled the entire sky. The clouds appeared particularly low, making it feel as if one could reach out and touch them from the rooftop. The strong winds that had begun in the early morning had ceased, leaving the flags hanging limply, motionless. Suddenly, the entire county seemed to come to a standstill.
I remembered the bright sunshine before going to bed; when did it turn into this? Could there be a blizzard? Just as the thought of "Sun Thirteen" crossed my mind, a flurry of snowflakes, as large as goose feathers, began to fall. Before I could even discern their shapes, they instantly transformed into a swirling sea of white.
Due to the lack of wind, the delicate snowflakes fell almost straight down to the ground. They fluttered down in droves, quickly covering the freshly cleared ground once more. The gloomy sky did not brighten with the snowfall; instead, it grew darker.
If a simple snowfall is not frightening, then what is truly terrifying is the refreezing of the road surface. Due to temperature and sunlight conditions, whenever the weather is clear, melting snow can occur. At this moment, the road surface had just melted slightly before being covered by falling snowflakes, creating an icy effect.
Such roads are indeed perilous because they should no longer be called roads but rather ice rinks. Moreover, with uneven surfaces, vehicles and horses traversing them risk sliding sideways despite any caution taken.
At this moment, "Sun Thirteen" felt a headache just thinking about the roads traveled these days. Sigh! The roads in "Qin State" are so much better—wide, flat, and straight. Even if ten horse-drawn carriages were side by side on them, it wouldn’t feel crowded at all. If there’s ever a chance in the future, I must suggest that such Qin roads be built throughout the country.
This thought was not mere speculation but something that would soon become a reality. With the "Qin Army" advancing eastward to conquer territories, straight roads were gradually extending across various regions thanks to the efforts of the "Qin State Engineering Corps."
Since the later period of "Qin State," when "Emperor Qin Shi Huang" ascended to the throne, all major roads extending from "Qin Capital" were connected and extensive water transport lines were developed to form high-speed transportation routes that could traverse the entire nation. These land-based high-speed transport arteries are not fictional; traces of them can still be found in certain regions of the country after enduring centuries of storms and hardships. The existing waterway transport system includes the renowned "Zheng Guo Canal."
An unexpected heavy snowfall temporarily halted the main forces of the "Qin Army" preparing for battle. The only thing left to do was pray that "Heavenly Will" and Zhao's forces had not yet realized the importance of "Old Horse Ridge" to the "Qin Army." Otherwise, their advanced troops would be besieged by the "Zhao Army" atop that mountain.
Impatiently anxious, "Sun Thirteen" felt powerless despite his cleverness. How could human strength contend with nature? He also intended to urge "General Wang" to mobilize troops immediately but knew better than anyone else in horse breeding how arduous marching could be at this moment.
This was no trivial matter! The consequences of recklessly embarking on an expedition could lead to significant losses. Without having seen the enemy forces yet, they might already suffer casualties on their side.
The dark sky nearly blocked out all light; at this moment, lights had already been lit inside the command center. "Wang He," looking at the military map, felt troubled—"Old Horse Ridge!" So close! Just four days' journey away now felt like it was worlds apart. Truly unfortunate! Truly unfortunate!
But he also knew that every victory was the result of pragmatism. Once the mind was influenced by inner demons, significant problems often arose. As a commander, he had to be responsible not only for his soldiers but also for Great Qin!
Wang He gazed at the marker for the Mountain God Shrine on the map and let out a long sigh. General Lu! I can only rely on you now!
...
As the frontline commander at this moment, Lu Zizheng looked towards the dark clouds looming in the distance. The endless black mist had completely engulfed the southern sky, but judging by the current wind direction, it shouldn't be blowing this way.
It seems reinforcements won't be arriving for now! Sigh!
Luzi glanced up at the half-cloudy, half-clear sky and helplessly shook his head as he returned indoors.
The southern position under the pressure of dark clouds was precisely where the main force of the Qin Army was stationed in the Gao Ping area. It was believed that heavy snow had already begun to fall there. Meanwhile, the Mountain God Shrine was only on the edge of the dark clouds; it had indeed started to snow, but lightly. At this moment, the northern sky over Mountain God Shrine, which included the Changping area, was still basking in bright sunlight.
What a huge joke this is!
With the Zhao Army's outpost troops stationed around Old Horse Ridge having been defeated, news of the Qin Army's vanguard troops moving in quickly surfaced. Old General Lian Po stroked his beard, secretly impressed. The reason he hadn't dispatched a large force to occupy Old Horse Ridge was mainly due to the weather conditions.
This is winter!
Small units could operate, but large forces simply couldn't venture out!
Normally, one would wait until the snow melted and ice thawed before deploying large troops. However, given the current situation, it seemed that no one was acting normally!
When Zhao Wang Dan received the invitation from Governor Feng Ting of Shangdang County, he hesitated upon reading the letter. Climbing mountains and crossing rivers in the dead of winter could lead to significant losses for the Army. At that moment, Zhao Bao, the Pingyang Jun, happened to be nearby, so he discussed the matter with him.
Zhao Bao's message was clear: Zhao State must not send troops to Shangdang Region. In recent years, during the Zhao Qin conflict, Zhao State had not gained any advantage. If they could not even protect their own territory, how could they concern themselves with someone else's land? Moreover, the Qin Army's deployment was clearly aimed at taking Shangdang County. If they rashly advanced into Han Territory, the consequences would be dire!
King Zhao did not share this view; Shangdang County was right at their doorstep. As for Feng Ting's claim that whoever arrived first would take control of Shangdang Region, that was merely an excuse. It was obvious that they were being lured into a trap—a tempting piece of meat being offered up! Furthermore, the Qin Army's deep incursion into Han Territory to capture Shangdang was inherently risky. Fighting on their own doorstep posed no real danger!
Seeing King Zhao's stance, Zhao Bao sighed inwardly. Things that fall from the sky often bring misfortune. Besides, the Qin State had already faced an attack on their crown prince and now was recklessly attempting to seize Shangdang. There must be some hidden agenda behind this; it would be unwise for Zhao State to enter without verification! Therefore, it was crucial to remind him once more, and regarding the outcome... well! All they could do was try their best.
"My king! Please forgive me for speaking candidly; I hope you will think twice. Feng Ting knows he cannot withstand forty-five Qin Army troops yet still fortifies his defenses. There must be some underlying reason for this that cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, since The Three Families Divide Jin, the Shangdang Region has been designated as part of Han territory. If this land truly belongs to Zhao State, we would naturally fight to the death against the Qin Army. However, if our army acts according to Feng Ting's plan, we may end up transferring internal conflicts from Qin State onto Zhao State."
King Zhao listened patiently and nodded in agreement with this reasoning. Zhao State would not send troops for now; they would observe the situation before deciding on their next steps.
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