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墨書 Inktalez
After finally sending away Pingyang Jun and Zhao Bao, King Zhao rubbed his hands together to ease his excitement. Since ascending the throne, he had not expanded his territory and had even lost a considerable amount of land to the Qin State. If he could seize this rare opportunity to capture the seventeen counties of Shangdang, he would have something to say when meeting the Ancestral Spirits after a once-in-a-century event. Ha! As the ancient saying goes: "Heaven grants but does not take; those who do not seize it will suffer the consequences!"
With this thought in mind, he immediately disregarded Zhao Bao's advice and summoned Plain King Zhao Sheng and others who had returned from the Qin State. After all, going to war was no small matter, and it was necessary to hear the opinions of experts.
King Zhao was pleased that Zhao Sheng and the others did not disappoint him. These hawkish figures had long wanted to confront the Qin State but had lacked a suitable opportunity. Seeing that the king was eager for glory, they were naturally happy to support him. Thus, they quickly reached a consensus.
When considering candidates for the expedition, they put in a lot of thought. It wasn't that there were no options; rather, it felt like a great opportunity to claim credit. If they could secure even a small piece of land for Zhao State at this time, the subsequent rewards would surely be substantial! If war broke out directly in Zhao territory, they would be caught off guard.
In the end, thanks to Plain King's insistence, Old General Lian Po was recommended to lead the expedition personally. When some tried to oppose this decision, he bluntly stated, "The generals you recommend have led armies for years without capturing even a single city or piece of land. On the contrary, they have faced defeat in every battle—how can we justify that? Everyone knows I am not related to Lian Po by blood. I recommend him solely to relieve King Zhao's worries."
As for whether Lian Po could handle the task, those present were well aware of the truth. In Zhao State, there were no more than five individuals capable of withstanding a beating from the Qin Army, and Old General Lian Po was one of them—tough-skinned and highly resilient.
Moreover, it was winter; deploying an army under such conditions offered little mobility. With King Zhao's uncle coming forward to criticize them harshly, everyone felt embarrassed.
So let Lian Po go!
Now that the decision was made, all that remained was to gather the troops for deployment! Plain King worried that Lian Po might sulk and subsequently sent Zhao State's top negotiator to pay him a visit. With persuasive words, he managed to turn a deadlock into an agreement.
Old General found this reasoning sound and appreciated Plain King's efforts in overcoming opposition; thus, he agreed to accept the General's Seal and lead the expedition.
Lian Po's strengths lay in his steady approach; he was a typical slowpoke. He spoke slowly, worked slowly, and liked to stick rigidly to principles. It is said that character determines fate, which is undeniably true. Having someone slow like him deal with fast-paced tactics was essentially a nightmare for the Qin Army, which preferred long-distance assaults.
It was precisely because Plain King was particularly annoyed by those who did not consider national interests and only sought personal glory that Lian Po's character turned the entire early phase of the campaign into a classic masterpiece.
Regardless of the final outcome, whether intentionally or unintentionally driven, some will inevitably fall while others will rise again. This is history, always rolling forward in a process of inevitability.
Some may argue that there are also elements of chance involved, as the occurrence of various factors leads to opportunities. However, history tells us through countless facts that planting a seed of soybean will certainly not yield potatoes.
Success and failure are by no means coincidental; they are the inevitable results.
Lian Po stepped out of the hall, hands tucked into his pockets, gazing at the glaring sun in the sky. Since Old Horse Ridge had already been occupied by the vanguard of the Qin Army, his main forces should still be active around Gao Ping. Hmph! In such terrible weather! I cannot deploy my main forces, and neither can you! If that’s the case, then let’s just send someone to eliminate their vanguard!
“Send orders! Command General Dong Cheng to lead his two thousand troops straight for Old Horse Ridge! Ensure that this ridge is captured within ten days and fortifications are built to hold it!”
...
At the Qin Army camp on Old Horse Ridge.
Li Xin leaned against a shelter, looking at the fiery clouds in the west with a hint of reluctance. During the day, the sun shone brightly, making him feel warm. But once the sun set, a bone-chilling cold followed. Although he had beef jerky to replenish his strength, it was hardly enough to endure such harsh conditions. Soldiers had already begun to suffer from frostbite, leading to the withdrawal of dozens of them. Such losses were undoubtedly adding insult to injury, putting even more pressure on the already limited number of soldiers.
Luzi ordered that aside from leaving logistical personnel at the Mountain God Shrine, all accompanying craftsmen and frostbitten wounded should return to Gao Ping. After all, this was the front line; if they encountered the main forces of Zhao Army, retreat would be their only option. Moreover, having too many people would inevitably slow them down and hinder their ability to fight effectively. He had sent all available combat personnel up, leaving the Temple's defenses extremely vulnerable.
When the last support team ascended the mountain, they brought news that the main forces could not temporarily come over. This was communicated privately; it must not be made public. Upon receiving this news, Meng Wu naturally did not intend to suffer in silence. He simply informed Li Xin so they could both share in their concerns.
Li Xin was inherently optimistic; upon hearing this news, he felt indifferent. The key was that he no longer had to search for food everywhere, which was already satisfying enough. As long as there were enough weapons available, what else was there to fear?
Meng Wu wanted to tell him that the real battlefield is not about whether you have food and weapons. However, seeing Li Xin's carefree expression made him hold back his words. Many things must be experienced personally to be understood; what others say and what one realizes themselves are entirely different concepts.
At this moment, there were a total of two hundred sixty-five soldiers from the Qin Army stationed at Old Horse Ridge. Although the number may not seem large, it appeared quite substantial when observed. Li Xin leaned against a haystack with a porcelain bowl in hand, enjoying his meal while the bustling activity around him filled him with confidence.
The defensive fortifications constructed by the Zhao Army were exceptionally strong, requiring only slight modifications to change the angle of defense. The stockpile of arrows was impressive, exceeding twenty thousand! This was a far cry from the time when Wei Wujie had them cornered at Thunder Mountain Temple; their strength was on an entirely different level! As for the crossbows equipped by the soldiers of the Qin State, they had brought along plenty of specialized arrows.
With arrows, everything is possible! Li Xin thought.
Usually, there were hardly any people scattered around the camp, but mealtime was always lively. Aside from those on watch duty, everyone gathered to eat. This was the happiest time of day, as once they were full, they could finally rest.
The relaxed atmosphere brought a comforting feeling, filled with laughter and tales of strange happenings. Among them, Li Xin had seen the most during his travels with Luzi across the south and north. Seeing this esteemed figure leaning against the haystack while eating, everyone crowded around to hear his stories.
If they could survive this battle and return home, he would share these stories with his children. He wanted them to know how wonderful this world is, filled with magical forces. There are boundless blue oceans and deserts that seem to be paved with gold.
He believed that by the time his children grew up, there would be no more wars in this world. They would have the opportunity to explore every mountain and river in China and witness the azure sea and golden sands. If he could realize this dream in his lifetime, it would make his journey through this world worthwhile.
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