Chapter 7: The Northwest Wind Sweeps Across the Sandy Sea

  The desolate mountains stretch far to the north, a vast and somber expanse that seems endless. Although they are within sight, they are still thousands of miles away, and even the fastest horse would take several days to reach them.

  In the military camp, there were flickering bonfires, and officers and men hurried in and out of the commander's tent. Far away from the bright firelight, some soldiers sat on the ground, the sound of clashing swords and knives filled the air, and freshly hunted game was roasting over the flames, already dripping with oil.

  "Damn it! This battle has been going on for days, and everywhere is a desert of flying sand!" A soldier slammed the charcoal fiercely and couldn't help but curse: "It's making people's eyes blurry!"

  Another person immediately followed up: "Who says it's not? What Pingxu Zhonglang, that slow guard has disappeared without a trace!"

  "The rebel escaped, if I had met him, I would have killed him with one knife!"

  "Do you still need to take action? The Fifth Prince's side won't let him off first! Who can bear the crime of delaying the great army?"

  "That's still cheap for him!"

  You spoke and I responded, the soldiers were clamoring, discussing among themselves, "It's easy for us to say that, but Ling Wang's Xuan Jia army is now isolated at the front. If we don't retreat, not a single one of them will return."

  "Withdrawal? It should have been encountered with the Western Turks by now, but who knows what's going on somewhere else."

  As they spoke, the campfire suddenly dimmed, and someone sighed: "Alas... always winning but not this time!"

  "This sluggish fellow is actually a great general under King Xiang's command, who would have thought that he would commit the treachery of surrendering to the enemy."

  "Pshaw! Look at him, so weak and feeble, what kind of general is that?"

  "Shut your mother's fart!" A loud voice suddenly cursed from the dark, "Who said Chi Zhong betrayed?"

  The soldiers all turned their heads, one of them shouted: "Chi Tieh has escaped under the cover of darkness, didn't you know, Ding Guan? If he hasn't defected to the enemy, what is it?"

  Nangong Guan leaned in front of the campfire: "I and Chi Shuai followed Ling Wang to fight together, that person sometimes called people annoyingly, but in Mobei, no one is more familiar with him than me. In the 19th year of Shengwu, he had three points of merit for the great defeat*. He said that Ling Wang sent him to lead the way, and he dared to betray Ling Wang, I don't believe it!"

  Most of the people here are young soldiers, and as soon as Ding Guan said this, many people asked: "Brother Ding participated in the big war 19 years ago, following Ling Wang's army?"

  Ding Guan spat out a bone from his mouth onto the ground: "Back then, I followed Ling Wang all the way to conquer Kedana City and annihilated *'s royal court!"

  Among the soldiers, someone immediately said: "Brother Ding, why don't you tell us about the situation at that time? Let your brothers also open their eyes."

  Nadin Guan heard this and gazed out across the desert, as if he saw that night many years ago when they attacked the city: "The battle of Shengwu 19th year! That was the most enjoyable battle since I joined the army! We brothers followed King Ling to raid for three thousand miles, more than ten thousand people ambushed the enemy at Lian Mountain, and no one knew about it. They rushed straight to the city of Kedana, where the twelve million-strong garrison was caught off guard. Shi Luo Khan abandoned the city and fled north, and King Ling led the Xuanjia army to intercept him head-on. I didn't see him surrendering with his sword, what a pity..."

  "Why is that?" someone beside him asked.

  Ding Guan pulled his robe, revealing a long scar from the back of his neck to his chest. In the firelight, he looked ferocious: "That battle was fierce, 15,000 men returned with only 8,000, and my life almost got left there too!"

  Many young soldiers took a cold breath at this, and such an injury actually survived. Someone next to him asked: "I heard that the mysterious armor is unpredictable, is it really so unpredictable?"

  "Xuan Jia Army?" Ding Guan narrowed his eyes and gazed at the dancing flames: "Can't be said."

  "Can't say?"

  "What's the meaning of this?"

  "That's not something a human can do," Ding Guan said, his face lit up by the flickering flames, shaking his head after a moment of thought. "To be able to follow Ling Wang's army for five days and five nights without anyone dismounting, arriving at Kedana City still full of energy, and returning with eight thousand men, occupying nearly seven thousand... The killing aura on their bodies is so strong that even ghosts and gods would have to give them a wide berth. Tsk, tsk, looking at it, there are tens of thousands of people, but with one military order, they become one person. It's hard to explain."

  "The Black Armor Army is even more formidable this time, and they've become isolated again." someone couldn't help but say.

  A gust of wind blew the campfire to a bright blaze, and Ding Guan picked up the roasted rabbit, distributing it with a loud noise. He continued in his hoarse voice: "This isn't the first time, either! In the 22nd year of the Shengwu era, when we beheaded the Western Turkic Khan's Left Wise King, General Ling led the Xuanjia Army over Li Hou Mountain and across the vast ocean, advancing deep into enemy territory for over two thousand miles, killing 50,000 enemies before returning. The entire region south of the desert wasn't conquered back then!"

  Twenty-two years of war, many people have also experienced it personally, and suddenly you start talking about it one after another. The crowd was discussing it in a flurry when a horseman rushed to the front of the camp on a fast horse, with black armored cavalrymen jumping off their horses and rushing straight to the commander's tent.

  Inside the commander's tent, deep in the night, the lamp had not been extinguished yet. All the generals were inside the tent. Although the face of the Fifth Prince, who was leading the army, did not show much anxiety, the sound of his fingers constantly tapping on the long table made everyone in the tent feel a little uneasy.

  The great army had just entered the north of the desert, and suddenly, the familiar road guide, Ping Kui Zhong Lang Jiang Chi, disappeared without a trace. The north of the desert was vast and treacherous, with complex terrain that made it difficult for anyone who didn't know the area to lead an army. Now, after several days of marching with 180,000 men, they were still unable to join forces with the Fourth Prince Ye Tian Ling's central army as planned, leaving everyone with a growing sense of unease in their hearts.

  "Report to Your Highness," a general suddenly entered the tent and said: "There is news from the central army!"

  "What?" Ye Tianxi suddenly raised his head: "Speak!"

  "The Xuanjia Army recently fought against the Western Turkic Gulan King in Xuyan Mountain, and the Gulan King was defeated and retreated from the Dai Prefecture area, with over 10,000 casualties!"

  "What about our army?"

  "Casualties are unknown, we encountered the vanguard scouts and only know that the Fourth Prince and Eleventh Prince have led their troops to meet up."

  The originally depressed atmosphere in the big account suddenly relaxed, and Ye Tianxu seemed to be relieved of his burden. He waved his hand and ordered the soldiers to withdraw and wait for orders on the spot.

  The next morning at dawn, when the sun had just appeared on the horizon of the desert and a rosy glow was cast over the sky, the Black Armor Army arrived in front of the camp.

  A fierce horse like a dragon rushed into the camp, with golden light spreading across the sky. It seemed as if the dark clothes and robes were embroidered with floating radiance, dazzling the eyes with the chill of gold spears and iron horses. General Ling flipped over his body, dismounted his horse, and strode towards the commander's tent, followed by several people behind him.

  Ye Tian had already led the other generals to welcome him out, Ye Tian Ling gave him a slight nod, stepped into the commander's tent, his battle robe fluttering as he sat down in the main seat, his eyes cold and clear, silently sweeping across the tent.

  Under the night sky, all the generals lowered their heads and avoided him, as if they didn't dare to look at him directly. They drew their swords and paid respects together: "We have seen the lord!"

  A chill ran through the air, and at this moment, Ye Tianling raised an eyebrow slightly beside Shi Yi. Just then, Ye Tianling spoke in a light tone: "Fifth Brother, the main army has been delayed for several days without arriving, what is the reason?"

  He was the commander-in-chief. At this time, the eleven were all by his side, frowning and saying: "The army is lost in direction and stuck here, it's my fault for leading the army."

  Ye Tianling glanced over there: "Lost?" He swept his gaze around the tent, his voice slightly cold: "Where is Chi Shou?"

  "He Pingkou Zhonglang General Chi Shu has defected to the enemy and has been missing for many days." said Ye Tianxiao.

  Even if Ye Tianling had a flash of surprise in his mind, at the eleventh watch, he was shocked: "Chi Shou betrayed and surrendered to the enemy, how is this possible?" Chi Shou had been following Ye Tianling since the 14th year of Shengwu, fighting against the Turks, because he was familiar with the terrain of Mobei and had made many achievements, he was a general who was highly trusted by Ye Tianling. How could someone who had followed the army for over ten years make a move to betray and surrender?

  The surprise in his eyes had yet to take shape when it was swallowed by the deep, ink-like color of his pupils. The night sky sank as a low voice spoke: "What basis do you have for saying this?"

  Ye Tianxu coldly hummed: "Three days ago, the great army set up camp in the north, and on the second day, they broke camp and marched, but there was no sign of them. Later, after someone reported to me, I learned that he had actually received an effective force from the Western Turks' Xieli Khan. This time his heart is clear. I heard that this Chi Xuan was originally a person from outside the pass, I don't know if the emperor knew about it?"

  Ye Tianling's face remained unchanged, and he did not respond to the questions in front of him. "What kind of person would report that there are rebellious intentions in the border garrison?" he asked.

  He glanced at the crowd of generals, and one of them stepped forward: "I am General Qiu Pingyi. Since we marched out, I have been sharing a tent with Chi Xuan. Chi Xuan once tried to persuade me to defect to the Western Turks together!"

  At night, under the starry sky, it seemed as if there was a dark shadow: "Did Ji Zhong ever mention to you the matter of rebelling and surrendering to the Turks?"

  "Yes!"

  "When?"

  "When I first entered the northern desert, it had already been many days."

  "Did you know he was going to defect all along?"

  "Not bad!"

  "Are you certain of his intention to defect?"

  "It's settled then!"

  "Are you quite sure?"

  "...Absolutely no objection!"

  "You knew the situation and didn't report it, allowing Shi Zhong to leave the camp smoothly, which led to our army being trapped here and missing the opportunity for battle. What crime is this?!"

  Qiu Pingyi was taken aback and looked up at several princes.

  Ye Tian's face was gloomy, with a lazy and sarcastic smile on his eleven faces. Ye Tian Ling's face was emotionless, but his eyes were cold and sharp as a blade, piercing through people's hearts, making him tremble all over and hastily lower his head.

  "Brother Wu, how should this matter be handled according to military law?" Ye Tianling asked, turning his head.

  He looked at Qiu Pingyi, who was kowtowing on the ground, and said in a calm tone: "Traitors will be executed along with their nine clans. Those who conceal, hide, or know but do not report will be punished as the same crime. However, depending on the circumstances, it may not implicate the family members." He spoke extremely slowly, each word and sentence crystal clear.

  "Qiu Pingyi, did you hear that clearly?" Ye Tianling said slowly.

  Qiu Pingyi's hand on the hilt of his sword suddenly bulged with blue veins, and he abruptly bowed down: "Your subordinate understands, please forgive your subordinate's family, I am deeply grateful!" As soon as the words fell, he suddenly drew his sword out of its scabbard, and with a swift stroke across his neck, before anyone could react, three feet of fresh blood splattered into the tent.

  Unexpectedly, there was a sudden change, and everyone was shocked. Eleven had already taken a step forward to block the way, but it was still too late.

  Under the night sky, Ling Mu's gaze swept across the plain, his eyes flashing with a momentary stormy wave in their depths. But only darkness was seen at the edge, and his eyebrows tightened without leaving any trace. He said indifferently: "All generals listen to the order, return to camp and prepare each department, immediately launch a surprise attack on Wuhu River!"

  The crowd of generals received their orders and left, immediately someone entered the account and collected Qiu Pingyi's body.

  Ye Tianxi looked at the bloodstains on the ground and let out a long sigh: "Fortunately, it was Fourth Brother who led the troops in front, not only unscathed but also greatly defeated King Gulan. These past few days, I couldn't get in touch with him, which really made me worried sick. What's the plan for this battle?"

  "Gu Lan Wang was defeated and retreated to Ye Sa City, intending to wait for support from Xi Xie Wang. We must annihilate the army of Xi Xie Wang at Wu Hu River." Ye Tian Ling said: "This battle will be won with a single word - speed."

  "Right now, with our great army gathered in one place, we can defeat them one by one. They are absolutely no match for us."

  But Ye Tianling's face changed slightly, he raised his hand to touch his left chest, and Eleven rushed forward to support him: "Fourth brother!"

  Ye Tianxi suddenly asked: "Fourth Brother, are you injured?"

  Eleven Sword's eyebrows furrowed tightly, and he said simply: "We've been ambushed."

  "How badly is he hurt?" Yè Tiān Jì hastily said: "Quickly call a military doctor to take a look."

  Ye Tianling closed his eyes slightly, suppressing the strange sweetness in his throat, and said: "No need, this matter doesn't require publicity. There are indeed people in the army who have been colluding with the Turks, otherwise they wouldn't be able to grasp our every move so clearly." A deep chill rose in his eyes, not only was it clear that the other side knew about him and Eleven leaving the main army, but also their methods were extremely ruthless.

  Ye Tian splashed his hand on the case: "Late at night, relying on the Turks is extremely hateful. It can be seen that people of other races are ultimately unreliable!" As soon as he spoke, he suddenly felt inappropriate. Ye Tian Ling's mother, Lotus Palace, was a princess of the former Rouran tribe. The two words "other tribes" could not be mentioned casually. He saluted Ye Tianling: "Fourth brother... sorry, I didn't mean to..."

  It seems that he didn't hear the meaning behind his words. Ling raised his hand slightly: "The top priority is the battle at hand."

  "What about Fourth Brother's injury?" Ye Tianxu hesitated for a moment.

  "It doesn't matter." Ye Tian said calmly.

  Ye Tian nodded and said: "Eleventh brother will accompany fourth brother to rest for a while, I'll personally go to supervise the army and set off as soon as possible."

  "Thanks, Fifth Brother."

  Waiting for the night sky to clear, the night sky is overcast and closed his eyes to rest and adjust his breath, the severe pain that came frequently in his chest gradually subsided.

  Soon, he coldly looked at the remaining bloodstains on the ground, Qiu Pingyi killed himself to apologize for his crime, and then pinned the blame of the rebellion on Chi Zhou's body, which was completely unexpected, yet made everyone believe what he said.

  Eleven pondered for a moment, then suddenly said: "Fourth brother, something is fishy. Even if Chi Chu Ba had defected to the Western Turks, the troops that pursued us that day didn't seem to be Shi Hu's army."

  "Not bad, more like Shi Luo's deputy general." Ye Tian Ling stood up, this Shi Luo Khan brought the princess to the heavenly capital to meet the heavenly emperor, to show that he was not allied with the Western Turks. It seems that he still can't bear the loneliness. "Let's go. Pass down the order, if someone is late, they will see death and if someone is absent, they will see a corpse." He said coldly, taking big strides out of the tent.