https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-72-Qianqian-Becomes-a-Mother-and-Lu-Lingxiao-Returns/12582498/
Chapter 71: Instant Fame
Chapter 71: Instant Fame
In the pitch-black tent, Qingshuang listened intently to the endless battle cries outside. "I never expected Miss Meng to be so formidable. Was her frailty in the capital all an act?"
As Qingshuang asked, admiration filled her eyes.
Suddenly, she asked, "But with so many rebels, shouldn't we lend a hand?"
Lu Yuan picked up his cup and took a casual sip of his tea. "No need. Go do what you're supposed to do."
"Yes."
Qingshuang lifted a corner of the tent and, with light footsteps, disappeared into the boundless night.
A long spear thrust towards Meng Qianqian's back. She sidestepped, grabbing the spear with her left hand while her right hand slashed and stabbed, piercing the hearts of the two rebels who had flanked her.
Meng Qianqian knew that Lu Yuan was testing her.
Ever since their first meeting, every interaction with him had been a test.
A rebel who had attempted to ambush Meng Qianqian failed miserably but managed to escape with his life. Excited, he shouted, "Her strength is waning! Her moves are slowing down! Brothers, attack!"
Meng Qianqian gradually found it harder to defend herself, going from taking down one rebel with each move to needing three moves just to seriously injure one.
However, no matter how strenuous the fight became, she refused to ask for help.
If she was knocked down, she would get back up.
Lu Yuan coldly huffed.
A rebel seized the opportunity to quietly approach Meng Qianqian from behind, raising his sword to chop at her shoulder.
With enemies on both sides, Meng Qianqian couldn't dodge this strike.
A glint of murderous intent flashed in Lu Yuan's eyes, and his slender, jade-like fingers gripped his teacup. With a flick of his sleeve, he sent the cup flying like a dart, forcefully striking the rebel and sending him flying.
Li, the vice commander, frowned. Was there another expert in the tent?
Meng Qianqian's left shoulder was struck, causing her to stumble back several steps before managing to steady herself at the entrance of the tent, kneeling on one knee and using her sword to support her heavily injured body.
A rebel cavalryman spurred his horse forward, lifting his horse's hoof high and viciously stomping down on Meng Qianqian!
In the nick of time, a purple figure shot out from the tent, palm extended, and sent the iron-clad heavy cavalryman flying!
All the rebels drew in a cold breath!
Vice Commander Li's expression darkened as he asked, "Lu Yuan?"
He had seen Lu Yuan's portrait and was familiar with his background.
Wasn't this man supposed to be a civilian skilled in politics, not martial arts?
Hidden in another tent nearby, a shadow guard closely monitoring the situation lit a firework signal.
In an instant, the sound of rapid hoofbeats rang out from all directions, followed by wave after wave of dense arrows raining down. In mere moments, hundreds of rebels were struck by arrows, and chaos ensued in their rear.
A rebel shouted in alarm, "We've been tricked! The imperial cavalry is upon us!"
Vice Commander Li's face twisted in dismay, and he grit his teeth in reluctance. "Retreat!"
"Report—there are a large number of cavalrymen in the forest and on the official road as well!"
Vice Commander Li made a swift decision. "Head for the eastern canyon and make for Chi County!"
The rebels fled in disarray.
Meng Qianqian wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.
Lu Yuan, with his hands clasped behind his back, said arrogantly, "You're quite stubborn, aren't you?"
Meng Qianqian's lips curved slightly in a barely perceptible smile. "Thank you, Grand Commander, for your assistance."
This voice... she didn't sound like she was seriously injured at all.
Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes. "Are you testing me, Commander Meng?"
Meng Qianqian pulled her embroidered spring blade out of a rebel's corpse. "Tit for tat."
Now that her skills had been exposed, she saw no reason to hide his.
Meng Qianqian went to clean her blade.
A shadow guard appeared before Lu Yuan, saluting. "Grand Commander!"
Lu Yuan's gaze remained fixed on the rebels fleeing into the night as he said coldly, "Leave not a single one alive."
"Yes!"
On the other side, the rebels fled for over a dozen miles before stopping.
"We've lost them! They didn't chase us!"
"Thank goodness!"
Vice Commander Li frowned. "Something's not right. Why aren't they pursuing us? They're cavalry!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a rumbling noise echoed from above the canyon.
Vice Commander Li looked up, but the snowstorm obscured his vision.
He could only listen intently for any signs of danger. "Not good! Quick, get out of the canyon!"
It was too late.
On the mountaintop, Qingshuang slashed a rope with her sword, causing a torrent of boulders to tumble down, along with a barrage of arrows and logs, burying the rebels beneath a mountain-splitting, earth-shattering deluge.
On the other side, Song Biao led ten thousand cavalry and camped outside Yanggu Town for the night.
Han Ci found Song Biao and asked, "General Song, when will we attack the city?"
"There's no rush," Song Biao replied. "We've been traveling all night, and our soldiers need rest. Han Ci, you go to the rear to prevent any sneak attacks by the rebels."
This was clearly a snub for Han Ci, a way to keep him out of the action.
At the border, one couldn't earn merit just by wishing for it. Even with ability, if you weren't assigned to the frontlines, your skills were wasted.
"Yes," Han Ci replied, accepting the order.
"Why aren't we attacking at dawn, Old Man Song?" asked Zhang Feihu.
"We'll fire a couple of arrows and then leave," Song Biao said, glancing at the gradually lightening sky as he donned his helmet. "The snow has stopped, and it's time to teach the Grand Commander a lesson in how to behave at the border."
When the Great Marshal Chu was alive, no one dared to defy him at the border.
But wasn't the Great Marshal Chu dead now?
Now, only the strong had the right to speak!
Song Biao brought two thousand cavalry and aggressively advanced towards the city gate.
Song Biao led the way on horseback, with Zhang Feihu and two other generals following closely behind.
When they were a hundred steps away from the gate, Zhang Feihu waved his hand, and the archers formed a neat array.
Song Biao, astride his horse, said coldly, "You rebels and traitors, I am the Second Grade Tiger Might General of the Court. Open the city gate immediately and surrender without resistance!"
Just as Zhang Feihu was about to order the archers to fire, the city gate slowly opened.
Zhang Feihu was taken aback.
Song Biao frowned as well.
Just as the two men thought the rebels were opening the gate for a final showdown, Lu Yuan stepped out, accompanied by Meng Qianqian, from within the gatehouse.
Zhang Feihu thought he must be mistaken. "Old Man Song! Isn't that..."
"I see him," Song Biao said in a low voice.
He rode up to Lu Yuan, dismounted, and asked suspiciously, "Grand Commander, weren't you supposed to be waiting for news in Fengsha Town?"
Lu Yuan gave a mocking smile. "You still remember that I was waiting for your news?"
Song Biao cupped his hands and said, "This subordinate..."
Lu Yuan yawned. "You were too slow, so I had to come and attack the city myself."
Attack the city?
Hadn't he been captured by the rebels? How had he defeated them instead? Where had he come from, and how had he entered the city? Clearly, he had no troops, so how had he eliminated the rebels?
Song Biao was so full of questions that he couldn't utter a word.
A cruel smile played at Lu Yuan's lips. "General Song, I ordered you to attack the city immediately, yet you disobeyed my command. Why is that?"
Song Biao's mind raced. "This subordinate..."
"Demoted by one rank. Back to being a vice commander," Lu Yuan said.
Song Biao had intended to give Lu Yuan a hard time, but instead, he found himself on the receiving end of a lesson.
Zhang Feihu went to inquire about what had transpired. After learning the details, he was thoroughly impressed.
"Old Man Song, you'll never guess," Zhang Feihu said. "The ones who wiped out ten thousand rebels last night were the two thousand guards from Fengsha Town! The Grand Commander had anticipated the rebels' scheme of luring the tiger away from the mountain. He deliberately had us leave our camp to confuse the rebels. They first lured the rebels into their camp, slaying their commander and shattering their morale. Then, disguised as imperial cavalry, they used archers to kill a thousand rebels, forcing them to flee in disarray. They herded the rebels into the canyon and used pre-arranged mechanisms and pitch to annihilate them without leaving a single survivor! It was a perfectly executed plan!"
Old Man Song was perplexed. "How did he move so freely without being detected by the rebels or encountering us?"
"He knows the terrain at the border well!" Zhang Feihu said admiringly.
In the imperial court, one might rely on flowery words to charm the monarch. But at the border, every bit of merit was earned through blood and sweat.
The battle of Fengsha Town not only earned Lu Yuan the admiration of the border guards but also the respect of the imperial cavalry.
(End of Chapter)
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