Chapter 463: Chapter 463: A Surprise Attack Thwarted by Ambush

Yishan at the border of Huai State.

In the midst of the sprawling mountains, a troop was advancing through the forest. Their horses carried armor and weapons; the soldiers mostly marched with bare, sunburnt chests, finding the heat unbearable.

At the center of the troop was the commander Li Mingfan, appointed by Prince Huai to launch a surprise attack from Yishan.

Indeed, after confirming that Chen Mo was truly leading the troops to confront the Jin Xia Army, Prince Huai was eager to reclaim Huai State without waiting for Chu Ce and the others to return with their forces.

Due to the loss of Huai State and the departure of the Xiao Family, the number of followers around Prince Huai had diminished significantly. Chu Ce, Diwu Fusheng, and others were still in Longyou and hadn’t returned yet. Currently, Prince Huai only had people from the Li, Xiao, and Gan Families at his disposal.

Li Mingfan is the eldest uncle of Madam Hui, a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist, and the strongest fighter in the Li Family.

To reclaim Huai State, starting from Fengzhou, they must capture the fortress at the border of Huai State—Yi County.

From Yishan, one can sneak around to the rear of Yi County.

After Huai State was sieged, Prince Huai keenly studied the primary reasons for its downfall.

Chen Mo bypassed to the rear of Huainan County via mountain paths, exerting pressure at the front gate of Huainan County with his main force, prompting Zhao Liang to send reinforcements, which were then ambushed. They used the reinforcements to deceive and open the rear gate of Huainan County.

Finally, by attacking from both directions, they seized Huainan County, which was heavily defended.

Hmm, Prince Huai plans to use the enemy’s tactics against them.

“Big brother, do you think the Prince’s method will work? What if it gets seen through by the Chen Army, you and I could…” Deputy General Li Mingzhong, Li Mingfan’s clan brother, a Fifth-Grade Martial Artist, hasn’t truly led an army before. He knows that although his clan brother has led troops before, he has never faced any elite forces head-on, and thus feels somewhat apprehensive.

“What if it’s exposed? The military force in Huai State is currently depleted, and I’ve heard that in the Chen Army, the only Upper Third-Grade Martial Artist is Chen Mo himself. Now that Chen Mo has gone to the Northern Land, the most that would be guarding Huai State would be a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist, definitely stationed at Wuguan or Huainan. Yi County, this small place, would be lucky to be guarded by a Middle-Grade Martial Artist.”

Facing the difficult mountain path, Li Mingfan stopped to take a sip of water and said: “Besides, the paths in Yishan are rugged and full of ravines, unsuitable for marching; the Chen Army surely won’t anticipate us launching a surprise attack here.”

Li Mingfan stashed away his water bag, patted Li Mingzhong’s shoulder, and said: “As long as we can capture Yi County, the position of Crown Prince will certainly belong to the eldest prince.”

“Let’s hope for that,” Li Mingzhong said, feeling a sense of unease.

Just as they were pressing on, suddenly a commotion erupted from ahead, and soon the sound of killing filled the air.

The front troops of the Huai Army broke out in chaos and began retreating, and only by the Supervision Team stepping back and cutting down one by one were they able to stop the rout.

“What happened?” Li Mingfan shouted. At this time, a personal soldier rushed over and yelled: “General, there’s an ambush ahead, we’ve fallen into a trap.”

“What?”

Before Li Mingfan could speak, Li Mingzhong was already in panic, his face changing color.

Being ambushed during a surprise attack is utterly ridiculous.

Li Mingfan glared at Li Mingzhong, and with a fierce expression, he said: “What are you afraid of? Draw your swords and kill them all.”

“Re… Reporting to the General, they’re too strong, we’re… no match for them.”

“Useless,” Li Mingfan cursed, drawing his sword to personally confront the enemy.

…

Half an hour later.

“General Li, we meet again.” Liu Ji walked up to the captured Li Mingfan, with a long-unseen smile on his face.

Li Mingfan knelt on the ground, his hands bound behind him with specially crafted ropes brought by Wu Yanqing from Jiangdong, capable of restraining Innate Spiritual Qi. He spat in contempt at Liu Ji’s feet: “So it’s you, the cowardly, treacherous scoundrel.”

“I merely defected to the enlightened side, Prince Huai is not my true sovereign,” Liu Ji replied, still smiling.

“It seems you understand Prince Huai’s thoughts well; indeed, they truly launched a surprise attack from Yishan,” Wu Yanqing said in passing.

This ambush was orchestrated due to Wu Yanqing heeding Liu Ji’s advice, bringing men to lie in wait on Yishan, unexpectedly hitting the mark.

Liu Ji had followed Prince Huai for many years. As a staff officer aiming for prominence, he naturally spent much time pondering Prince Huai’s intentions, ready to curry his favor.

Upon learning that Liu Ji had devised this plan, Li Mingfan couldn’t help but spit once more.

“Speak, why did Prince Huai send you here? What’s the true intent?” Liu Ji asked Li Mingfan with a grin.

Li Mingfan sneered and said with hardened defiance: “Kill me, torture me, anything you wish, but don’t expect a word out of me.”

Liu Ji slightly furrowed his brows: “General Li, you’re putting me in a difficult position.”

Li Mingfan turned his head away, completely ignoring Liu Ji.

Liu Ji said to Wu Yanqing: “Elder Wu, interrogation is not my forte.”

Wu Yanqing nodded, immediately calling a person over.

Upon hearing Liu Ji’s words, Li Mingfan glanced toward the elder who captured him, and in surprise, asked: “Elder Wu, are you… Wu Yanqing?”

“Is this how a youngster should address an elder by his name?”

As Wu Yanqing’s voice fell, the person he called over slapped Li Mingfan across the face.

The ropes binding Li Mingfan immediately loosened a little, and though a formidable power was about to erupt, it was forcibly suppressed again.

Li Mingfan coughed up blood, half of his face swelling: “I never expected Chen Mo would actually invite you to Huai State.”

“I also never thought Prince Huai would actually attack Huai State at this time.”

“Huai State rightly belongs to the Prince; was occupied by Chen Mo unscrupulously. Now seizing the chance, the Prince naturally wants to reclaim it,” Li Mingfan said.

Wu Yanqing had no interest in debating this with him, saying: “Proceed with the interrogation.”

The person Wu Yanqing summoned began torturing Li Mingfan immediately.

Soon, anguished screams rang out fiercely.

Fifteen minutes later, before Li Mingfan said anything, Li Mingzhong, trembling on his knees nearby, confided in a quivering voice: “Stop… stop, I’ll talk, I’ll talk.”

…

The sun hung high.

Past noon.

On Guan Mountain Plain.

The Chen Army was clearing the battlefield.

Within the blazing Jin Xia Camp, Sun Meng approached and asked: “Marquis, we captured three thousand enemy troops. What should be done with these prisoners?”

“In frontline combat, I have no time to win them over. Kill them all,” Chen Mo said after a brief moment of silence.

“Understood,” Sun Meng replied.

After Sun Meng left, Zhi Ning approached, concerned, and asked: “Are you… alright?”

Chen Mo shook his head and then remarked slightly disappointed: “It’s a pity we didn’t hold them back.”

Jin Xia possessed many cavalry, and they were light cavalry, whereas the Brave Cavalry Guard was armored cavalry, impossible to catch up.

Units like Divine Courage, Divine Martial, and Xianzhen infantry are even less capable in pursuit.

Of course, if Chen Mo alone, he could still catch them.

But however formidable he is, he can’t possibly face tens of thousands alone.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep