The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1701: 765 Jiaojiao Goes into Battle (Second Update)

Chapter 1701: 765 Jiaojiao Goes into Battle (Second Update)

“Crazy, crazy, crazy! Truly crazy!”

Zhao Dengfeng barged into Wei Renchong’s barracks and kicked the sleeping Wei Renchong, “Wake up! The young commander is crazy!”

“Crazy is crazy,” Wei Renchong turned over impatiently and continued to sleep.

Zhao Dengfeng was dumbfounded, “What’s your problem? Have you pounded iron so much over the years that you’ve pounded your brain into stupidity? I said, the young commander is crazy! He plans to attack the city tomorrow afternoon! And it’s a two-front attack! Can you believe it? How many troops do we have, how many troops does Quyang City have, how exhausted are we from the journey here, how relaxed is Quyang City’s army from resting and waiting, can we really fight them?”

“It’s not like we haven’t fought before,” Wei Renchong said flatly.

Zhao Dengfeng was stunned for a moment before realizing he was referring to the battle years ago when Xuanyuan Li routed Jin Country’s eighty thousand troops with his twenty thousand cavalry.

Similar to their current strength.

The problem is, that time, Jin’s army was exhausted from a thousand-mile raid, while they were refreshed from resting and waiting.

Their combat power and morale were at a peak.

Look at them now, what can compare to the Hei Fengqi of that time?

Is the new young commander any match for Xuanyuan Li, or are the troops stronger than they were back then?

“If Commander Xuanyuan were still here, there might be some chance of victory, but with our young commander… tsk tsk,” Zhao Dengfeng was very pessimistic.

“Why did I come?”

“I must be crazy too.”

“I’m just here to die.”

“I thought I could fight a few more battles, at least kill a few more Jin and Liang dogs, but now, even before facing them, we’re going to be killed by the Nangong family’s army! How unlucky am I—”

Wei Renchong was annoyed by his chatter.

He had more contact with Gu Jiao and knew this young commander wasn’t as incompetent as he seemed, but honestly, the battle tomorrow, he didn’t dare to hold too much hope.

Is this what it means to die before the battle even begins?

Gu Jiao had very strong psychological resilience. Even in the face of such a helpless battle tomorrow, she still fell asleep as soon as she lay down.

A dreamless night.

In the morning, she called the six commanders under the big tree and carefully explained the battle plans.

Mu Qingchen and Master Hu were also present.

Master Hu was responsible for keeping records, which would later need to be reported to the court.

Gu Jiao used a branch to draw a simple map on the ground, pointing to a small triangle, “This is our current position. There are two batches of supplies approaching Quyang City, one from the North City Gate and one from the East City Gate. We are closer to the North City Gate, and I just scouted the terrain, there’s a canyon suitable for an ambush along the way. Later, I will personally lead a thousand cavalry to intercept the supplies outside the North City Gate. After we’re done, I will return here, and we’ll ambush the Nangong family’s army at this spot.”

“Additionally, to disperse their forces, someone must also intercept the supplies at the East City Gate. When the Nangong family’s army arrives, don’t engage them head-on. Feign defeat, and lead them on a chase, the farther the better.”

“By the time they realize they have fallen for the distraction strategy, it will be too late for them to reinforce the canyon.”

“I have a feud with the Nangong Family. I killed Nangong Li, so if I show up, they will definitely send their main forces to pursue me. Therefore, I will leave eighteen thousand troops in the canyon, and only send two thousand to the East City Gate. This is a challenging and dangerous mission. Even if they send most of their troops to hunt me down, there will be at least ten thousand left. If you’re caught, the outcome will be nothing short of annihilation. I hope you all understand this.”

The left commander of the Vanguard Camp, Cheng Fugui, cupped his fists, “Commander Xiao, your subordinate is willing to lead troops to the East City Gate!”

The right commander of the Vanguard Camp, Zhao Lei, also cupped his fists, “Let me go instead! My mother is from Quyang, and I’ve lived here for a while, so I’m familiar with the terrain.”

Gu Jiao looked at Zhao Lei and said sternly, “Alright, the supplies outside the East City Gate will be your responsibility. Go gather the troops.”

Zhao Lei got up and left.

Gu Jiao then discussed the ambush location and detailed arrangements with the remaining people and instructed Cheng Fugui to gather two thousand cavalry from the Vanguard Camp to intercept the supplies with her.

After everyone left, Mu Qingchen said to Gu Jiao, “I’ll go with you.”

“No, you go with Zhao Lei to intercept the supplies outside the East City Gate,” Gu Jiao said, pausing for a moment, her expression calm as she looked at him, “After securing the supplies, kill Zhao Lei.”

Mu Qingchen was startled, “He’s…”

Gu Jiao said, “He’s a spy.”

In the dream, it was Zhao Lei who leaked the whereabouts of Hei Feng Camp, causing a disastrous encirclement by Jin and Liang armies when they crossed Liuzhou’s mountains, paying an incredibly heavy price.

This time, Zhao Lei again passed information to the Nangong Family, which is why they knew about their arrival in Quyang in advance.

The Nangong Family deliberately arranged to send supplies as bait, luring them to launch an attack while exhausted.

Why not directly attack them? Because they had the mountains and forests at their back. If they retreated into the forest, who controlled the Hunting Grounds would be uncertain.

So they must find a way to draw the Hei Fengqi, skilled in jungle warfare, out.

As for why two waves of supplies were divided, it was because the Nangong Family saw her as formidable, hoping to divert half of the Heifeng cavalry and encircle and kill her more easily.

Unfortunately, she did not plan to evenly divide her forces.

Once Zhao Lei encountered the Nangong Family, Zhao Lei would immediately inform them of the truth and join their army to eliminate those two thousand Heifeng cavalry.

Mu Qingchen had a doubt: “Why don’t you kill him now?”

Gu Jiao said: “Bringing Zhao Lei to hijack supplies, they are all our people. Those soldiers won’t fight hard against the Heifeng cavalry, they will pretend to fight a couple of times and then flee, reducing Heifeng cavalry’s casualties. Also, on the way, you can get some information out of Zhao Lei, who takes you as a dying man, he won’t be stingy in saying a few more words.”

Mu Qingchen didn’t know what to say: “Who taught you all this?”

Gu Jiao held one hand behind her back and slapped her thigh with the other hand twice, arrogantly saying, “Self-taught, natural talent!”

Mu Qingchen: “…”

In the afternoon, Zhao Lei led two thousand troops towards the East City Gate, accompanied by Mu Qingchen.

Gu Jiao and Cheng Fugui led another two thousand cavalry towards the North City Gate.

The remaining sixteen thousand cavalry were led by Li Jin and Tong Zhong to the canyon where Gu Jiao had said to set up an ambush.

“Why do we have nothing to do?”

Zhao Dengfeng sat outside the barracks, boredly gazing at the sky.

Wei Renchong found a place with good lighting to sit down and repair armor.

Li Shen sharpened his knife nearby.

Currently, both he and Zhao Dengfeng were soldiers of the reserve camp, responsible for cooking.

Zhao Dengfeng saw that both of them accepted their fate more than him, he became anxious and spat out the dogtail grass from his mouth, saying, “Can’t the two of you show some ambition! A man’s man dies if he must, shrinking in the rear camp, what’s that about?”

The blacksmiths continued working, the knife sharpener continued his task, no one paid him any attention.

Meanwhile, Gu Jiao led two thousand iron cavalry on a raid and intercepted the supplies going to Quyang City at Baima Slope’s open area.

The soldiers transporting the supplies were wearing armor from the local prefecture, but they were actually from the Nangong Family’s army.

The officer leading the troops escorting the supplies was also quite a surprise to Gu Jiao. He was actually the third lord of the Nangong Family, Nangong Li’s younger brother Nangong Ze.

There were not many rumors about Nangong Ze in Shengdu, as he had always been defending the border pass with the army. Gu Jiao had seen his portrait in the National Master Hall.

He was stronger and more heroic than in the portrait, his skin bronzed by the blazing sun at the border pass, and his sharp eyes looked at Gu Jiao with unabashed sarcasm.

“Are you the new commander of the Heifeng cavalry?”

His gaze fell on the birthmark on Gu Jiao’s left cheek.

This characteristic was too obvious, anyone would not mistake it.

Gu Jiao, wearing a red battle gown and black armor, proudly sat on the Heifeng King’s horse. The youthful face carried some of the immaturity, but her eyes revealed a composure and coldness beyond her age.

“Did you kill my second brother?” Nangong Ze asked with a cold smile.

“Yes, I did,” Gu Jiao admitted freely.

Nangong Ze had not expected her to admit it so quickly, he paused before bursting into laughter, “My brother actually died at the hands of such a young boy, truly a disgrace for the Nangong Family. I originally didn’t want to go to such lengths, but they all told me to be wary of you. They insisted on transporting supplies to lure you out.”

While speaking, he glanced behind Gu Jiao and disdainfully said, “Only managed to draw out two thousand people, shall we say our plan was flawed or that you are reckless? Just two thousand people dare to rob my five thousand troops! But it doesn’t matter, once I capture you, your Heifeng cavalry will naturally come rushing to rescue you.”

Gu Jiao calmly said: “What a coincidence, I thought so too. Capturing you can lure out your Nangong family’s eighty thousand troops.”

“Hahaha…” Nangong Ze nearly fainted from laughing, “I’ve lived for over thirty years and never heard such arrogant words! Your Heifeng camp has only twenty thousand cavalry, yet dares to face my eighty thousand Nangong troops! I think you’ve been scared stupid!”

His gaze fell on Gu Jiao’s armor, “Do you really think that wearing Xuanyuan Li’s armor will make you the second Xuanyuan Li? You are still very far from him!”

As soon as he spoke, he drew the long sword hanging on the saddle, pointing it at Gu Jiao, “This person is mine, kill all the others!”

The five thousand troops surged towards Gu Jiao and the Heifeng cavalry like a tide.

Cheng Fugui drew his sword: “Brothers! Kill for me!”

In an instant, weapons clashed, the sounds of slaughter rang out, deafening!

Gu Jiao watched as Nangong Ze leaped into the air, sword aimed directly at her, her young face devoid of excess expression, a terrifying calm enveloping her.

Nangong Ze narrowed his brows as he charged at her.

Gu Jiao casually pulled out the Red-Tasseled Spear strapped to her back, speaking word by word: “The first battle, must draw blood.”