Finest Servant

Chapter 513 The Nomads Are Coming

Xu Zhiqing remained silent for a long while before finally speaking. "This place is called Kizil, located more than eight hundred li northwest of Xingqing. It is bordered by the Jian River and the Sayan Mountains. Simply put, Kizil is the Turkic capital where the tribal chieftains and the royal court reside."

Gao Qiu took a sharp intake of breath, his eyes widening, "Brother Lin, you can't be joking. Travel thousands of miles to attack the Turkic royal court? That's the Turkic stronghold! Are you speaking in riddles? Even I don't dare think about it."

Lin Wanrong nodded with a smile, "In warfare, deception is key. A surprise attack can be the ultimate winning move. Brother Gao, if even a brave and wise man like you doesn't dare think about it, would the Turks ever expect it?"

"That's true," Gao Qiu murmured to himself, nodding and grinning. "Alright then, let's go to Kizil, steal their prized horses and their women!"

‘This old man never forgets about seizing women,’ Lin Wanrong thought, chuckling to himself.

Attacking the Turkic royal court by surprise! Lin Wanrong's idea was bold to the extreme, bordering on recklessness. It had the undertones of a heroic adventurous spirit and even a hint of romanticism. It also demonstrated his extraordinary strategic vision and courage. Neither Hu Bugui nor Du Xiuyuan dared make a sound, but their eyes glinted with unrestrained excitement. The people of Great Hua had been oppressed by these nomads for far too long. Why couldn't they give them a scare for once?

The two men exchanged glances, their faces tinged with hope and trembling excitement. Clearly, Lin Wanrong's astonishing proposal had deeply moved them.

"This plan is unfeasible," said the military adviser Xu, shaking her head and dashing everyone's hopes. "A large force making a long-distance raid would likely be annihilated by the Turks before even reaching the plains. How can we talk about taking over their court then?"

Advisor Xu's sharp insight deflated Du Xiuyuan and Gao Qiu momentarily. But seeing General Lin's composed expression, they began to regain some hope.

"We shouldn't see it that way," Lin Wanrong spoke calmly. "What is a surprise attack? It is to deliver a fatal blow to the Turks under cover of secrecy. To surprise-attack their camp, it's not the numbers that matter, but the quality of the troops. Eight or ten thousand elite cavalry are sufficient to accomplish the mission!"

"Ten thousand troops to attack the Turkic stronghold?" Gao Qiu was dumbfounded. "Brother Lin, isn't the number a bit too small? We would need at least a hundred thousand elite troops!"

His doubt echoed what Hu and Du were wondering. Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, "If we had a hundred thousand troops, the Turks would discover us before we even left Xingqing City. As I said before, what the nomads cannot think of, we must do. Our troops need to be elite, but their numbers must absolutely not be too many. Otherwise, it will be counterproductive."

"What's there to fear?" Energized by Lin Wanrong's stirring words, Hu Bugui roared, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Give me ten thousand elite cavalry, and I'll venture deep into the plains, topple that Turkic camp, capture that so-called Khan, and let these nomadic brats know that we men of Great Hua are also forged from hot blood!"

Hu Bugui had fought for years, facing off against the nomadic tribes countless times. Yet, this time felt different—his emotions surged like never before, as if his very blood was aflame with unrestrained courage.

Xu Zhiqing, the chief strategist for the army, could not afford such passionate impulsiveness. She shook her head, saying, "General Hu, we must not act rashly. As General Du has already pointed out, even a sneak attack on a single Turkic tribe would be difficult, let alone attacking the central camps of the nomads—"

"It is precisely their central camps that we will attack," Lin Wanrong interrupted, smiling as he cut off Xu Zhiqing's words. "As I've said before, if the cost outweighs the gain, then it's not worth the effort. However, if the potential gain far exceeds the cost, then we should pursue it, even at the risk of our lives. Attacking the Turkic royal court is no ordinary campaign. On the contrary, it should be elevated to the context of the broader war strategy."

"Broader war strategy?" Xu Zhiqing was momentarily stunned, her pure white teeth gently biting her vibrant red lips as she sank into deep thought.

Lin Wanrong spoke with conviction: "To attack the nomadic camps is strategic, and can be either deceptive or straightforward. A stealthy approach towards the Kizil region, catching them off guard and destroying their camps, would be the straightforward approach."

"And what is the deceptive approach?" Xu Zhiqing couldn't help but ask.

"Even if we don't actually reach Kizil, each step we take closer to the Turkic royal court would be a tremendous victory," Lin Wanrong explained. "Imagine an endless grassland where suddenly a mysterious cavalry from our great Empire appears, just steps away from the royal court. Can you imagine the psychological blow this would deal to the Turks? And the boost it would give to our own soldiers?"

Lin Wanrong waved his arm with enthusiasm, his own heart boiling over with excitement. He took a deep breath, and looked at Hu Bugui, saying, "Brother Hu, you've fought against the Turks for so many years. How would you feel if what I described came true?"

Hu Bugui's eyes blazed: "Damn it, we've been oppressed by the Turks for over a hundred years! If I could have the satisfaction of actually hitting them where it hurts, even if it costs me a hundred lives, I would willingly sacrifice them. Think of the countless brothers we've lost, fighting the Turks their entire lives without ever seeing their central camps. Their deaths were unjust! Feel it, Brother Du, my blood is boiling!"

Hu Bugui's words resonated deeply, capturing the sentiments of thousands of soldiers who had long fought against the nomads. The Empire had been bullied for far too long. If their cavalry could penetrate deep into enemy territory—even if just to kick up dust and roar at the Turkic camps—it would be enough to lift the spirits of countless soldiers and reverse the Empire's long-standing weakness. This was the "deceptive" approach Lin Wanrong had spoken of.

Gao Qiu pondered for a moment, then said with a sense of shock, "Brother Lin, according to your plan, these ten thousand soldiers will plunge deep into enemy lines. Regardless of whether the approach is straightforward or deceptive, they would be walking into a deadly trap."

"You're wrong," Lin Wanrong shook his head, his teeth clenched as he emphasized each word, "It's not a deadly trap, it's a suicide mission. But there are some things that must be done, and if it's not you, then it's me—Hey, why are you all looking at me like that? What are you all thinking?"

Seeing Hu Bugui and the others staring at him with wide eyes, a mix of admiration and regret in their expressions, Lord Lin suddenly thought of something. His face went pale, and he was drenched in a cold sweat. Frantically, he waved his hands and said, "Let me make myself clear, I was only offering a suggestion. Don't expect anything more from me. I wouldn't take part in this even if it killed me. I have a whole bunch of wives waiting for me at home to bring home the bacon. What are you looking at? Stop staring or I'll gouge your eyes out! Hu Bugui, let's eat!"

He ran off as if he had stepped on a rabbit's tail, patting his buttocks as he sped away. His legs, it seemed, had fully recovered. He couldn't help but sneak peeks over his shoulder, afraid that Miss Xu might be persuaded to appoint him as the commander of an isolated deep-penetration mission. That would be shooting himself in the foot. Shaking his head in frustration, he was filled with regret.

"Coward!" Miss Xu couldn't help but scoff at his retreating figure, feeling both exasperated and amused. She took out the pencil that Lin Wanrong had left behind and made some marks on the map. "General Du, General Hu, please relay a message to General Lin. Tell him to study maps more carefully in the future. His proposal for a surprise attack on the Turkic royal court is impractical, whether we have a hundred thousand troops or ten thousand elite cavalry."

"Please elaborate, Advisor Xu," General Du Xiuyuan cautiously asked.

Miss Xu let out a soft sigh and pointed at the crude map, "Look, this is Xingqing Prefecture, currently two or three hundred miles away from us. To conquer Kizil, we must penetrate deep into the grasslands. But where would we enter the grasslands? As you can see, from Xingqing in the east to Dingguo, Yanmen Pass, it stretches for eight hundred miles. The nomads have stationed heavy troops along this route. If we venture in rashly, we'd be walking right into their trap. On the other hand, the Qilian mountain range to the west of Xingqing is where the Turkic cavalry gathers, making it impassable for us. Further west from Qilian are the Dunhuang caves and the Lop desert of death. If we really want to conquer Kizil, this is the only path. But this vast desert, devoid of human or animal tracks, is a place where no one has ever returned from. Even if we marched a million troops in, they would all die and turn into bones."

She shook her head, a bitter smile on her lips. "Even if we do cross the Lop desert, what then? We would still have to traverse the Tianshan and Altai Mountains before we could get anywhere near Uvs Lake (The largest lake in Mongolia), overlooking the Jian River and Kizil. This route has always been a one-way ticket to hell. How many checkpoints are there across the desert and over the snowy mountains? The nomads have set up their encampments at Kizil for good reason; such natural barriers are insurmountable for anyone short of a god."

Xu Zhiqing was truly well-versed, not just with the Great Hua border but even the place names within Turkic territory. She was unparalleled in her expertise. As she explained in such detail, the faces of Du Xiuyuan and the others gradually turned pale. Indeed, Miss Xu had a point. To launch a covert attack on the nomads was almost an impossible task. General Lin, despite his lofty vision and grand ideas, lacked practical experience. His plan was essentially unfeasible.

"Understood. I'll go report to General Lin right away," Hu Bugui said, unable to conceal his disappointment. The moment he had dreamt of, when he would finally have a chance to show his mettle, had evaporated into thin air.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Hold on," Xu Zhiqing hesitated for a moment, a light blush appearing on her face. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small bottle to hand to Hu Bugui. "Give this to General Lin. Although his leg injury has mostly healed, he shouldn't stop using this medicine."

She paused, then spoke softly, "Tell him not to misunderstand. This medicine is from the Marshal, not me. The Marshal is concerned that General Lin may act recklessly and aggravate his old injury, which would be a significant loss for our army."

Gao Qiu responded with a few affirmative sounds and a smile. As for General Lin, he seemed to have disappeared; amidst the soldiers scattered all over the hills and fields, his figure was nowhere to be found.

The blood-red sun cast its glow over the fields, illuminating Xu Zhiqing's jade-like cheeks. She stood silently for a long time, her petite shadow stretching out into a long, straight line. A faint glimmer of tears flashed in her eyes, her thoughts unknown.

"General Lin, Brother Lin, what are you hiding here for?" A playful voice rang out behind Lin Wanrong. A young soldier patted him on the back, startling him.

Turning abruptly, Lin Wanrong shouted, "You dare to sneak up on your superior, Li Wuling? Tie a hundred-pound sandbag to yourself and run for ten miles. Then I might forgive you."

Li Wuling glanced in the direction General Lin was looking and saw Xu Zhiqing mount her horse, her figure galloping away. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah, so this is why you're punishing me. You were hiding here spying on my Aunt Xu, and I caught you red-handed. I'll go run those ten miles with a sandbag and then tell Aunt Xu that someone is spying on her—"

"You know nothing," Lin Wanrong snapped. "I'm not spying on her; I'm afraid she'll take someone else's advice and send me on some fool's errand."

Li Wuling scoffed, "Don't worry. My Aunt Xu is too smart to send anyone on a foolish task. But whoever gave her that advice must be pretty dumb."

‘Luckily, this kid doesn't know that I'm the one who gave that advice,’ Lin Wanrong chuckled to himself without saying a word. Just then, Hu Bugui rushed over, saying, "General Lin, so you're here! You had me searching everywhere."

"Finding me should be easy. Wherever it's bustling, that's where you'll find me," Lin Wanrong replied with a smile.

Hu Bugui chuckled awkwardly, "General Lin, the strategy you proposed earlier—Advisor Xu says it's entirely unfeasible."

Li Wuling's eyes widened, clearly ready to burst into laughter. Lin Wanrong's face flushed as he quickly slapped his hand, "Go on, get out of here. Finish your meal and get back to training. We high-ranking officers are talking; the likes of you should make yourselves scarce."

"Got it," Li Wuling chuckled. "Even a high-ranking officer like my grandfather would have to step aside when you and Aunt Xu are talking, haha—"

Once Li Wuling had scampered out of sight, Lin Wanrong collected himself and laughed, "That kid is quite amusing—So, Brother Hu, what were you saying?"

With a look of clear vexation on his face, Hu Bugui unfolded a map and carefully explained what Xu Zhiqing had said earlier to Lin Wanrong.

Lin Wanrong patted Old Hu on the shoulder and smiled faintly, "Brother Hu, nothing is absolute in this world. As long as you're willing to work hard, solutions will always outnumber problems. When I have some free time in a few days, I'll tell you the story of the Silk Road."

The Silk Road? What Silk Road? Hu Bugui was confused. But Lin Wanrong promptly closed his mouth, refusing to reveal another word, lest he accidentally be drafted by Miss Xu to undertake some suicidal mission.

…

From Yanchuan to the north, facing the Northern Frontier, the army marched day and night, hurriedly heading towards Xingqing (In history, it is the capital of the Tangut Kingdom or Xi Xia; modern name Yinchuan).

The further north they went, the drier the climate became, filled with more wind and sand. Sometimes, after walking for an entire day, they would encounter four or five sandstorms. When everyone finally got up, they found their hair, eyes, noses, and ears covered in sand, looking like statues made of dust.

Border life was undoubtedly challenging. It was only spring, and they hadn't even reached the frontier yet, but they'd already experienced the ferocity of the desert's wind and sand. Lin Wanrong wondered what life must be like for the 300,000 soldiers stationed on the border.

What was most intolerable was the unpredictable temperature. They were soaked in sweat during the day, but by midnight, the cold was enough to turn a man into an icicle.

Lin Wanrong, however, seemed like a naturally resilient breed. Despite the ever-changing climate, even Gao Qiu couldn't help but sneeze a few times. Lin Wanrong, wrapped in several robes, was unfazed, even humming a few songs as they traveled.

Xingqing was a crucial town in the northwest of the Great Hua, adjacent to Helan Mountain. Despite the scars left from years of warfare between Great Hua and nomadic tribes, the ruins of the city walls still exhibited past glories. As Lin Wanrong looked at the once fertile lands now covered in endless sand, he couldn't help but feel emotional.

From somewhere came the melancholic, long-drawn singing of a woodcutter. It merged with the limitless vista of dust and sand, painting an indescribable picture of desolation and tragedy.

As they approached Xingqing, it was apparent that it was a critical fortress in the northwest; more and more people began to appear on the sides of the official road.

Lin Wanrong was looking around leisurely when he suddenly heard the distant sound of hooves, followed by piercing cries, "Run, run, the nomads are coming!"

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