Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times
Chapter 698 - 537: The Eight-Year-Old Leading General

Chapter 698: Chapter 537: The Eight-Year-Old Leading General

As the last wisp of ash fell from the incense burner, Gu Changsheng slowly stood up. Her red dress fluttered behind her as if caressed by an invigorating breeze, her long hair swayed waist-length with the wind. She raised her hand deliberately and pointed at the enormous iron gate of Red Sun City, speaking with a deep voice, "That is Red Sun City..."

"During the battle at Dayao Village, I won the city by launching a night raid, a victory earned through cunning. People will certainly say that Gu Changsheng’s victory was not achieved through honorable combat! Now, under the bright heavens, I intend to take Red Sun City! My Eight Hundred Dark Night Army, you listen to me, I want you to breach Red Sun City, I want the Huaheng Clan and their City Defending Guard to vanish from the Southern Border, and I want all of you, every last man and woman, to return to me unscathed!"

Her commanding voice, carried by the wind, clearly reached the ears of the Eight Hundred Dark Night Army.

"We will faithfully execute the commander’s orders!"

"We will faithfully execute the commander’s orders!"

"..."

The grave assent of adherence resounded instantly to the skies, with warhorses neighing and battle drums rolling. The Eight Hundred Dark Night Army, like a pack of wolves, tigers, and leopards waiting to pounce, their eyes flickered with the dim light of slaughter.

The battle was on the brink of eruption. Upon the city tower, rolling stones and flammable oil were already prepared, while long arrows were notched, and tens of thousands of troops stood in solemn readiness.

Watching the city tower, the corners of Gu Changsheng’s mouth twisted into a mocking smile. She waved towards the carriage behind her, "Han Mo, come forth!"

As the battle was about to break out, Gu Changsheng summoned Han Mo, causing everyone protecting the carriage to pause in bewilderment.

As Xiao Han Mo approached, dressed in a dark red armor matching the Dark Night Army, Han Qiu’s heart trembled. He took a step forward, knelt respectfully, and asked with confusion, "My lady?"

"Subordinate Han Mo, reporting to the commander!" But Xiao Han Mo earnestly knelt down, his face solemn.

Gu Changsheng looked at the kneeling child and smiled. She beckoned to Han Qiu and spoke brightly, "Han Qiu, place the Marshal’s Plume on his head!"

"My Lady, this cannot be. Han Mo is but a child, how can he be entrusted with such great responsibility!" Han Qiu protested immediately upon hearing this, getting ready to place the plume. If he did so, it meant handing over the power to command the troops to Han Mo, who was merely eight years old!

"Lady Changsheng, don’t frighten Yuan Bao. The battle for Red Sun City is not going to be easy. This is a siege we’re talking about, Red Sun City has the advantage of terrain, even attacking the city is hard enough as it is, and now you’re handing over the command to an eight-year-old kid, you must be joking!" Yuan Bao couldn’t help but nearly burst into tears at the sight.

"Why not?" Gu Changsheng’s lips curved into a smile, "When the Jiangnan Road army besieged the Mountain Stronghold, Little Han Mo with the Black Face used strategy to severely wound the enemy general. The art of war he and my son learned was personally taught by their foster father. I trust him, just as I trust all of you!"

As she spoke, Gu Changsheng turned to look at the kneeling Xiao Han Mo and said with deep gravity, "Han Mo, since the establishment of the Dark Night Army, you have been honing your skills at a young age. You know full well what the Dark Night Army excels at! Your father was a Great General, and there’s a saying that a tiger father does not beget a dog son. Now, I give you this opportunity to continue your family’s legacy. Han Mo, prove your strength, prove that the Han Family has always had the talent of Great Generals! Showcase that even an eight-year-old in the Dark Night Army can command respect and authority!"

Both the kneeling Han Qiu and Han Mo’s expressions turned grave upon hearing this.

"Han Mo shall not fail the commander’s expectations!" With a small clenched fist, Han Mo knelt on the ground, his tiny frame trembling slightly, yet his expression was as steadfast as a mountain.

"Han Qiu, place the Marshal’s Plume on your brother’s head with your own hands!" Gu Changsheng gestured with a wave of her hand.

"Understood!" After bowing in response, Han Qiu stood up, took the Marshal’s Plume from Gu Changsheng, and with utmost reverence, placed it upon the top knot of Han Mo’s head.

"Han Mo, heed my command, I will defend the supplies, and the crucial task of attacking the city is now entrusted to you. How the Eight Hundred Dark Night Army is to be deployed in the siege is for you alone to decide!" Gu Changsheng looked up at the sky and with a hooked smile spoke solemnly, "In an hour, the sun will set beyond the Western Mountain. Han Mo, before the sun sets, I want to see the Dark Night Army’s flag flying atop Red Sun City, and I want every member of the Dark Night Army to return! Go now!"

"Understood!" With a blood-red gold feather shining brilliantly atop his head, Xiao Han Mo responded firmly and stood up.

A small figure standing amidst the Dark Night Army, so inconspicuous yet strikingly resolute, not budging an inch!

Falling back behind the Dark Night Army, Gu Changsheng stood on the carriage, watching the child surrounded and protected by eight hundred men and women, her lips curling slightly.

"Are you trying to train him?" Zhou Mu asked from behind her, draping an arm over her shoulder, as he spoke.

"His determination is unwavering, and he has endured the harsh training of the Dark Night Army at such a young age. Even if he does not like studying, when the little bun recites military tactics, he would listen silently and attentively. Such a person, with a bit of polish, will surely become a raw jade!" Gu Changsheng nodded and replied softly.

"You are bold and confident indeed. With this, Little Han Mo is even a year ahead of me when I first led troops into battle!" Zhou Mu laughed upon hearing this.

Tilting her head, Gu Changsheng looked at him with amusement, "What, are you jealous?"

"Haha..." Zhou Mu burst out laughing even louder.

Meanwhile, amidst the Dark Night Army, Han Mo finally raised his voice. The small figure, the Marshal’s Plume moving atop his head, started giving commands, "Dark Night Army, heed my command, by the commander’s order, we must take Red Sun City before nightfall!"

"Yes!"

"Red Sun City has three City Gates. We are currently at the heavily guarded central gate. A head-on attack would take too long. Therefore, we must split our forces into three groups, so we can enter the city at the fastest speed and catch them in a pincer attack!"

"Yhan Ting! You take three hundred of the left-flank Dark Night Army, breach the wall between the central and western gates! Lead the left-flank forces into Red Sun City!"

"Diao Chan! You lead three hundred of the right wing of the Dark Night Army, and blow open the wall between the central and the eastern City Gate! Lead the right wing army into Red Sun City!"

Little Han Mo, merely eight years old, had a serious expression on his face as he pointed towards the central gate of Red Sun City, "I will lead the remaining two hundred of the Dark Night Army here to engage with them. Apart from the City Gate, the walls are loosely defended. Once you breach the wall and enter the city, if you encounter resistance, you must make quick work of them. In half an hour, the left and right wings of the Dark Night Army will cooperate with me both internally and externally to take down this central gate in one fell swoop and report back to the superior upon breaking through Red Sun City!"

"Understood!" Han Mo’s arrangements fully leveraged the Dark Night Army’s advantage of striking unexpectedly. Yhan Ting and Diao Chan exchanged a look and were genuinely impressed!

Little Han Mo then turned his head, looking towards the carriage at the rear of the Dark Night Army and spoke in a low voice, "Superior, leaving two hundred of the Dark Night Army here, Red Sun City will certainly notice something amiss in half an hour. They might come out to meet us in battle. I ask you to retreat further back, the supply train is of utmost importance, I’ll leave it in your care!"

Atop the carriage, Gu Changsheng nodded with a smile on his face, "Good! Very good! Go ahead and do as you please!"

Looking at Little Han Mo in front of him, with his young face expressing such solemnity, Gu Changsheng suddenly felt a burst of pride, as if witnessing his own son come of age.

Standing behind Han Mo, Han Qiu also looked towards Gu Changsheng, her eyes filled with gratitude.

Han Mo had done very well, such deployment could be considered perfect, and it all relied on the meticulous teaching of Lady Changsheng!

That they, brother and sister, could achieve this day was all thanks to Changsheng’s Mother!

"Left and right wing of the Dark Night Army, march!" Little Han Mo spoke firmly, looking at his mother.

In an instant, Yhan Ting and Diao Chan, each leading three hundred of the Dark Night Army, stealthily moved out like arrows released from bows towards the left and right.

Atop the watchtower, a female general from the Huaheng Clan, who saw everything below clearly, immediately frowned, "There are only eight hundred of them, and they have split up so many!"

"Pass the order down, defend the eastern and western City Gates staunchly! Today, I will have that arrogant Gu Changsheng buried here, and the descendants of the Phoenix Clan who refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit will bid farewell to this world forever!" The Huaheng female general spoke with an air of certain victory.

"Yes!" Two messengers responded and immediately went down to pass the message to the east and west City Gates!

Regrettably, they were strictly guarding the east and west City Gates, but the walls Han Mo ordered to breach were those between the east, west, and central gates!

To catch them off guard and strike unexpectedly is the way to face and potentially beat powerful foes!

For the Dark Night Army, breaching the wall was a mere trifle!

"Crossbowmen, on my command, set up the heavy crossbows and target the Huaheng commander on top of the City Gate—take her head, we can’t let them have the chance to send out a large army!" Han Mo’s face was serious as he took the lead, his small hand pointing at the wall, his voice deep and commanding.

The heavy crossbows in the Dark Night Army could penetrate armor within a hundred steps, a formidable weapon for long-range attacks!

"Understood!" The four sisters, Jin, Yu, Liang, and Yuan, led about twenty women from the Female Army forward, replacing their light crossbows with the heavy ones, drawing the long arrows on the strings, aiming at the Huaheng female commander on the city tower.

"Haha... What a joke! They are a hundred meters from the city tower, and I don’t command to shoot arrows because it’s about conserving them. Are they setting up their bows and arrows to scare me? At this range, there’s no bow and arrow with such a long... Haha!"

"Swoosh!"

The sound of the arrow piercing the air came through, and in a blur, the laugh of the female commander from the Huaheng family on the city tower turned to shock, her eyes popping wide as she incredulously looked down—there was still an arrow feather trembling in her throat...

"General!" The other city defending guards let out a cry torn from the depths of fear.

"Thud!" The body of the Huaheng female general fell back stiffly...

"Defending soldiers on the city tower, show your head and you’re dead! Shoot!" Little Han Mo waved his small hand again and spoke.

"Swoosh!"

"Swoosh!"

"..."

Within moments, the sound of arrows cleaving the air echoed to the heavens, and the cries of those hit by arrows atop the Red Sun City’s towers reached the skies!

The scent of blood quickly wafted through the air above Red Sun City, as if even the setting sun in the west was being stained red.

Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu stood side by side on the shafts of the carriage, gazing far ahead at the uneven numbers of both parties engaged in battle.

Zhou Mu watched the small figure shielded at the center of the army, his eyes flashing, "What a Little Han Mo! Truly the fruit of your own training! A talent worthy of a great general! This method of pressing the city is exceptionally well-used!"

"Hmm!" Gu Changsheng couldn’t help but chuckle at the commentary, his gaze deepening as he looked towards Little Han Mo, "As you also said, this is a method of pressing against the city..."