Chapter 851: Chapter 594 Grand Finale (Part Four)
This battle lasted from sunrise to sunset.
Both sides occupied their respective positions, with evenly matched forces, both deploying elite troops, as if eager to unleash the accumulated grievances from skirmishes during the ceasefire.
The soldiers’ morale was high, and the fighting was fierce.
The air was thick with the smell of blood, and the horizon seemed dyed crimson by the sunset glow...
The setting sun sank behind the West Mountain...
Night was falling.
Yet neither side appeared to have any intention of pausing or regrouping. The sound of drums echoed relentlessly, turning the entire battlefield at Suo Yue Ridge into a hellish inferno.
"Your Majesty, the enemy is intensifying their offensive."
"Your Majesty, Pei Jue is still mobilizing more troops!"
The scout’s hoarse voice, like a broken bell, reached them.
Xiao Cheng pulled his cloak tighter and walked to the edge of the cliff.
He stood midway up the mountain, where the wind was strong.
Amid the whistling wind, the sound of hoofbeats was clear.
The shrill blaring of the advancing army’s horns pierced the air...
He asked, "Approximately how many troops?"
The scout replied, "A dense mass, at least one hundred thousand..."
Xiao Cheng gazed down from his elevated vantage point.
Flags billowed fiercely.
The battle was at its peak.
A fiery determination lit up in his eyes.
"Is Pei Jue personally leading the army?"
The scout said, "Yes."
Xiao Cheng felt a sense of relief, and some color returned to his pale face.
"Good."
Over the years, he had studied countless military texts.
More than the art of governance, he had devoted himself to mastering warfare.
To defeat Pei Jue, known for his "godlike tactics" and undefeated record, had long been his obsession.
It had always been inevitable that he and Pei Jue would clash on the battlefield.
This battle would not be fought by Xie Congguang or any other General of the Qi Army.
It had to be waged by Xiao Cheng himself.
To that end, he had prepared for thirteen long years.
Thirteen years in total.
From soldier training, growing an elite army, enhancing their combat power, to personally leading this imperial expedition, in his thirteen years of emperorship, his greatest calculations had been...
About his chances of victory against Pei Jue.
From none to a thirty percent chance, then forty percent, and now to fifty-fifty.
Evenly matched.
The rest would depend on fate.
If he triumphed, the history of Qi Country would be rewritten; the term "weak and poor" would be erased, and in a thousand years, he would undoubtedly be remembered as a pivotal figure.
If he lost...
It wouldn’t be shameful.
He had the next decade ahead of him.
Composure and calm — these were qualities essential for a good emperor.
Thirteen years after ascending the throne, Xiao Cheng believed he...
Was a good emperor.
But on the battlefield, the factors determining victory did not include being a "good emperor."
Rather, it depended on who could make decisive moves and seize the initiative.
Xiao Cheng watched as the Qi Army soldiers surged forward like a tide under Xie Congguang’s command, then slowly gripped the hilt of his sword.
With a sharp clang!
The blade was unsheathed and raised high.
"Xuan Armor, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Grey Wolf — the four armies shall follow me to attack the bewildering Yong Army encampment."
-
The slaughter rumbled like thunder from the foot of the mountain.
In the silent Serpentine Gorge of Suo Yue Ridge, the only sounds were the flapping of cold-winged crows and the eerie howling of the wind.
Feng Yun had never felt time pass so slowly...
She sat motionless in her tent for a long time.
Her fingers hovered near the stove. Though the flames burned brightly, her body still felt cold.
"Madam," Xiaoman approached softly and gently tucked the blanket on her knees, "You didn’t sleep well last night. Should you take a rest?"
Feng Yun shook her head, "What time is it?"
Xiaoman stepped outside and glanced at the sand timer.
"Around You time..."
Feng Yun couldn’t sit still any longer.
She tossed aside the blanket and stood up.
"I’ll go take a look."
Xiaoman was stunned, "Madam, His Majesty forbade you to leave the camp."
Feng Yun chuckled softly, a calm smile lingering at the corner of her lips.
"I’ll just go up to the watchtower to take a look. I won’t leave the camp. With the army guarding us, who can possibly harm me?"
Xiaoman said no more and obediently followed.
Pei Jue was personally leading an army to attack the Qi forces at Suo Yue Ridge, while also dispatching a troop to Bingzhou to support Chunyu Yan.
Yet the Yong Army encampment here was far from defenseless as Xiao Cheng had anticipated.
The entire Nan Yong Army had been deployed, and heavy troops had long since been ambushed within Serpentine Gorge...
The trap was set, just waiting for Xiao Cheng to step into it...
-
The watchtower north of the encampment was the highest point of the camp.
Standing there, Feng Yun could clearly see the "Serpentine Gorge."
Under the deep night sky, the mountain ridge ahead lay eerily still.
No movement yet.
"Madam."
It was the guarding General Shentu Jiong speaking.
From the moment Feng Yun left her tent, he shadowed her steps, a burly figure with his hand resting on the hilt of his blade — like a deity protector, radiating a sense of security.
He drew closer to Feng Yun, following her gaze toward Suo Yue Ridge.
"Madam, why are you certain the Qi Emperor will pass through Serpentine Gorge to launch an attack on our camp?"
Feng Yun gazed at the silent undulating ridges and slightly curled her lips.
"Because Xiao San is overly suspicious."
Xiaoman recounted the Yong Army’s marching plan too thoroughly.
The timing, location, and route of action...
This was far beyond what a maid should know or be able to explain.
Then, it was relayed through Daman’s lips. With Xiao San’s suspicious nature, how could he simply believe it?
For this reason, Feng Yun stood in Xiao San’s shoes and conducted several "drills" on the map with Pei Jue to arrange troops and positions.
Pei Jue favored direct assaults.
Xiao San, however, avoided head-on confrontations.
Thus, the greatest benefit could be achieved by lying in wait — breaking through Suo Yue Ridge and launching a surprise attack on the enemy camp. Why wouldn’t he choose that?
Moreover—
To Xiao Cheng, Dan Prefecture was actually more crucial than Bingzhou.
Firstly, Bingzhou was easily defended and difficult to attack due to its natural fortifications.
Secondly, Bingzhou still had Hengqu Pass behind it, which would provide sufficient time to retreat and regroup.
But Suo Yue Ridge was different.
If it were captured, the Qi Army could advance directly toward Xinyi without obstacles. At that point, Da Yong would only have Huaishui to defend, and north of Huaishui lay Da Yong’s Xinjing Andu — vast fertile lands. Regardless of victory or defeat, once a battle broke out here, the Yong Dynasty would already lose by half...
"Madam’s strategy is commendable."
Upon hearing Feng Yun’s analysis, Shentu Jiong scratched his head with a sheepish laugh, then sighed.
"I wonder if the commander has reached Bingzhou already..."
The person Pei Jue dispatched to Bingzhou to support Chunyu Yan was Wen Xingsu, entrusted with capturing Bingzhou in one decisive battle and commanding the twelve thousand Eastern Yong Army troops.
Feng Yun was not overly worried about this.
"Xiao San’s main force is at Suo Yue Ridge. Bingzhou may be difficult to breach, but with the Eastern Yong Army combined with Yunchuan’s ten thousand troops, victory is assured..."
Shentu Jiong gazed at her and grinned broadly.
"Madam has great confidence in the commander."
"Naturally," Feng Yun replied with a laugh. "I predict a certain victory in this battle. Within half a month, the Qi Army will completely collapse, and in the best-case scenario, our army will seize Hengqu Pass and march south... At the very least, we’ll push them out of Dan Prefecture and Guyi, forcing them back to Jiulong and stations at Hengqu Pass..."
Shentu Jiong nodded solemnly, his expression suddenly growing serious.
"Madam, they’re here..."
Feng Yun’s brows tightened as she fixed her gaze on the opposite ridges.
The camp was now utterly silent.
The chirping of birds from the mountain ridges echoed unusually clear.
Xiao San had arrived.
He had indeed walked into the carefully laid trap.
Feng Yun’s heartbeat quickened, and even Xiaoman grew excited, rushing beside a boulder and widening her eyes to watch intently...
The mountain ridges were shrouded in darkness, revealing nothing...
"Madam," Xiaoman suddenly exclaimed, her eyes lighting up, "Look quickly."
She pointed excitedly to the distant mountain.
"There’s fire!"
The firelight was vivid in the night and clearly visible even from afar.
"The fire’s lit, the fire’s lit!"
Torches served as signals.
Soon, the entire mountainside would be illuminated.
At that point, it would be time to close the net and capture prisoners.
Xiaoman almost jumped with excitement.
But Feng Yun’s smile froze as the flames began to ignite.
"Something’s wrong." She abruptly turned to Shentu Jiong.
No matter if Xiao Cheng had sent only a few hundred troops through the gorge, it would require some time to move. How could signals be lit so prematurely, even before the trap had reached its closing moment?
"Shentu General, something’s gone wrong."
Feng Yun’s voice changed drastically.
From the observation post above the camp, she watched torchlight illuminating the mountains around her.
"Someone has disturbed the plan!"
-
"Charge!"
"Charge, capture the Dog Emperor alive!"
The thunderous roar carried from the ridges above.
Amid the chaotic uproar mixed with the wind’s howling, Feng Yun turned, incredulous, and sharply demanded:
"Shentu General, your men have a problem! There’s a traitor among us! This entirely disrupts my layout. Forget catching them in a trap — now the Qi Army discovers the ambush ahead of time. They might truly charge into the camp, and the consequences will be disastrous!"
"Do not fear, Madam," Shentu Jiong assured, his hand steady on the hilt of his blade, eyes fixed on her. "The Nan Yong Army is fully capable of ensuring Madam’s safety."
Feng Yun’s face was darkened with fury.
"This isn’t just about my safety. It affects the arrangement of the entire Yong Army’s frontlines. In this crucial situation, even the smallest misstep can have far-reaching consequences..."
She grew angrier as she spoke.
"Immediately send someone to investigate who is responsible for this!"
"No need to investigate." Shentu Jiong suddenly signaled to his attendants, and before Xiaoman could react, her hands were violently seized and tied behind her back. Then, Shentu Jiong turned to Feng Yun with a bow.
"Apologies, Madam."
Xiaoman struggled futilely, unable to understand what had just happened.
"Madam... Shentu General, what are you doing?"
Feng Yun remained motionless.
She simply looked at Shentu Jiong, who calmly issued commands with unflinching determination.
Then, gradually, she laughed coldly.
"So, you’re one of Xiao San’s people."
