With a single command from Ying Zheng, Ren Xiao quickly stepped forward and presented the report.
Ying Zheng took it with mixed emotions, unfolding it with a trace of worry in his heart. After all, Zhao Feng had led his army deep into enemy territory alone, a move that was undoubtedly perilous.
As he opened the report and read the words inside, Ying Zheng's expression shifted slightly. The corners of his mouth lifted, and then he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"I truly underestimated Zhao Feng!"
"My ministers!"
"I underestimated him!"
Seeing the expression on Ying Zheng's face, the assembled ministers exchanged glances. It was clear that good news had arrived from the Donghu region.
"Your Majesty, has the Grand General achieved victory?" Wei Liao asked with curiosity.
"Indeed."
"And not just any victory it is a significant one."
Ying Zheng laughed heartily, the worries that had plagued him for days now completely replaced by joy. He then handed the battle report to Zhao Gao.
"Read it aloud."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Zhao Gao respectfully accepted the order, then opened the report and read it aloud for all to hear:
"According to intelligence from agents embedded in Donghu territory
Several days ago, Zhao Feng, the Grand General, led his army to attack a Donghu border settlement.
In this battle
The enemy was caught completely off guard, and Zhao Feng's forces slaughtered nearly 100,000 barbarians, not counting women, children, and the elderly.
Furthermore, a large quantity of grain and supplies that the barbarians had transported to the border was set ablaze by Zhao Feng, dealing a severe blow to the enemy.
Beyond this border settlement, Zhao Feng has annihilated a total of five Donghu tribes.
The Qin army has slaughtered over 300,000 barbarians in total.
Countless amounts of enemy provisions and supplies have been burned."
Zhao Gao's voice echoed through the hall.
"Zhao Feng truly deserves to be called our Great Qin's God of War!"
"A mere force of 10,000 charging into Donghu, and yet he has achieved such a glorious victory!"
"He has exterminated nearly 300,000 barbarians!"
"Burning all those supplies this is an absolute disaster for the enemy!"
"With this, the barbarians will be unable to launch another southern invasion for years!" Han Fei exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration.
"However, not all of the 300,000 slaughtered were soldiers, were they?" Wang Wan asked with an ambiguous tone.
"What are you implying, Prime Minister Wang?"
"Are you unaware that the Donghu people are a warrior race where all are trained in combat?"
"Or do you feel sympathy for these barbarians?"
"Have you already forgotten the 500,000 innocent souls massacred in Yan territory?"
Wang Jian coldly retorted before Wang Wan could continue speaking.
"You misunderstand me, General Wang."
"I meant nothing of the sort," Wang Wan quickly replied, immediately falling silent.
He had originally intended to make a distinction between civilians and soldiers.
However, when he thought of the atrocities committed by the barbarians in Yan territory, he chose to hold his tongue.
At this moment, the entire court was filled with anger.
Given the brutal massacres carried out by the barbarians, no one would question the necessity of Zhao Feng's actions.
"Now that Zhao Feng has slaughtered so many barbarians and burned their provisions, the battle should be over. He should be returning soon," Li Si said with a smile.
"I fear that Zhao Feng's return will not be so simple," Wei Liao suddenly interjected.
Ying Zheng's gaze immediately turned toward him.
"It is commendable that the Grand General has launched such a devastating assault on the enemy."
"But the Donghu are a powerful force on the steppe, ruling over many tribes. They are not weak. Their entire population is trained for war, and if they were to mobilize, they could field an army of hundreds of thousands."
"After suffering such heavy losses, the Donghu king will undoubtedly send reinforcements to encircle and annihilate Zhao Feng's forces."
"If he becomes trapped, the danger will be immense," Wei Liao said gravely.
Ying Zheng nodded.
"At this moment, our Great Qin is too far away to intervene. We cannot send orders or reinforcements. We can only rely on Zhao Feng's strategies."
"Your Majesty need not worry."
"The fact that Zhao Feng only brought 10,000 elite troops into Donghu may have been part of his plan all along."
"A force of only 10,000 is like a grain of sand on the vast steppe difficult for the barbarians to find and encircle."
"I trust that Zhao Feng will find a way," Wang Jian reassured.
"Hm." Ying Zheng nodded.
"Continue monitoring the situation in Donghu."
"Also"
"Issue orders to Tu Sui and Li You, who are stationed in Yan territory."
"If they receive word that Zhao Feng has been surrounded by the Donghu, they are to mobilize immediately, without waiting for royal approval."
"They must rescue Zhao Feng at all costs," Ying Zheng commanded.
"We obey." Wei Liao bowed respectfully.
As the court ministers withdrew, Ying Zheng sighed.
"Zhao Feng…"
"Ah…"
"You had better return alive."
"When you do, I will give you a good scolding."
"You treat your own life far too lightly."
Deep in the palace, Ying Zheng grumbled to himself.
While Zhao Feng fought in the distant northern frontier, risking his life in battle, the emperor could only sit in the palace, his heart filled with worry.
The Northern Steppes
The battlefield was littered with over a thousand lifeless bodies of Donghu warriors.
Surrounding them stood the victorious Qin soldiers, their weapons still dripping with fresh blood.
It was clear that a fierce battle had just ended.
"Grand General!"
"We have tallied the casualties."
"We have slain 3,700 enemy troops."
"However, judging by their formation, these were merely the vanguard forces of the Donghu."
"They were not the enemy's main army," Zhang Han reported.
"We have been in Donghu territory for over two months now."
"We have destroyed more than ten barbarian settlements and slaughtered countless enemy forces."
"For the Donghu, such a severe loss is intolerable."
"They must have mobilized their full army by now, preparing to surround us," Zhao Feng said solemnly.
"What are your orders, Grand General?" Zhang Han asked respectfully.
"Are the 2,000 elite cavalry ready?" Zhao Feng asked.
"They are ready."
Zhang Han nodded.
"These 2,000 troops will drive the enemy's warhorses eastward toward Tu'an, drawing the barbarians away."
"You will personally lead them."
"This mission is extremely dangerous one misstep and you will be surrounded and annihilated," Zhao Feng warned.
"As soldiers of Great Qin, we do not fear death."
"To fight alongside the Grand General, to strike a great blow against the enemy and safeguard our homeland this is an honor," Zhang Han said firmly.
"I do not want you to die."
"I want you all to survive."
"Your task is only to lure the enemy, not to engage in direct combat," Zhao Feng said sternly.
"I understand."
Zhang Han nodded.
"Then let us act swiftly."
"The main barbarian force will soon arrive."
"You will drive the warhorses and switch mounts."
"Move out."
"Yes, sir!"
Zhang Han saluted and turned to join the 2,000 cavalrymen.
"Brothers!"
"Our victory is at hand!"
"As long as you lure the enemy away, I will lead our forces to break through the Donghu Royal Court!"
"If we destroy their royal court, the Donghu will be unable to threaten Great Qin for five years!"
"This battle will be legendary! You will all be heroes of Qin and defenders of China!"
Zhao Feng's powerful voice resounded.
"We swear to follow the Grand General!"
The 2,000 warriors raised their spears and roared.
"Zhang Han."
"Lead them well."
"Go!"
Zhao Feng commanded.
"Grand General."
"Take care."
Zhang Han saluted.
"Grand General, take care!"
The two thousand elite soldiers all cupped their fists in salute.
Zhao Feng returned the salute with a solemn expression, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
"Advance!"
With a loud command, Zhang Han led the two thousand elite soldiers charging eastward toward the kingdom of Tu'an.
At the same time
Over ten thousand warhorses, seized from the previous battles, were driven forward by the elite troops, galloping alongside them.
On the vast land, countless hoofprints were left behind, all pointing eastward.
This was precisely one of Zhao Feng's strategies.
Using Zhang Han and the two thousand elite soldiers as bait, he aimed to lure the foreign army into chasing eastward.
Meanwhile, Zhao Feng himself would lead the remaining troops in a surprise attack on the Donghu royal court.
The tracks left by the captured ten thousand warhorses were even more abundant. As long as the Donghu king thought himself clever, he would undoubtedly take the bait and give chase.
If they didn't pursue
Then Zhao Feng would have no choice but to continue his onslaught.
"Troops, move out! Our target is Donghu Royal Court!"
"Leave five hundred brothers behind to cover our retreat and erase the hoofprints for a mile," Zhao Feng commanded in a deep voice.
"Understood!"
The generals around him responded in unison.
With that, the army split into two groups and set off.
…
At the Donghu army's encampment
"Report!"
"Your Majesty!"
"We have discovered the Qin army's trail!"
"Our forward scouts engaged them in battle, but only a few managed to escape and report back!"
A general rushed forward, bowing as he delivered the urgent news to the Donghu king.
"At last, we've caught those wretches!" The Donghu king's eyes flashed with hatred.
For months now,
The Qin army had been toying with them like a cat playing with a mouse, relentlessly destroying tribal settlements and slaughtering their people.
Despite the Donghu army spreading out in search of them, it was like fishing a needle out of the sea they simply couldn't find them.
And each time they did manage to pick up traces of the Qin army and gave chase, the enemy had already disappeared.
"Your Majesty!"
"Please give the order!"
"We must avenge our fallen and annihilate the Qin army!"
A warrior named Wu Wu stepped forward, his voice filled with fury.
Behind him
Many other Donghu generals bore the same hatred in their eyes.
Zhao Feng's forces had raided Donghu territory,
Destroying over a dozen settlements, both large and small.
Wherever they went, bloodshed followed.
Among those massacred were the family members of these Donghu generals even their wives and children had fallen to the Qin army's blades.
"This time, they won't escape."
"Our forces have spread out and surrounded them. They have nowhere to run." The Donghu king's face was ice-cold.
He then waved his hand and roared
"Brave warriors, hear my command!"
"Encircle the Qin army and tear them to pieces!"
"Kill!!"
"Kill! Exterminate every last Qin dog!"
"Kill!"
Behind the Donghu King
Hundreds of thousands of Donghu soldiers charged forward, a mix of cavalry and foot soldiers, all pursuing the Qin forces ahead.
The sheer scale of the army blotted out the sky, and the earth trembled beneath their march.
At this moment
The Donghu king had mobilized his entire nation's forces.
Four to five hundred thousand troops.
All to annihilate this single Qin army that had dared to invade his territory.
They carried with them the flames of vengeance.
When they reached the battlefield where the Qin cavalry had clashed with their vanguard, they were met with the gruesome sight of thousands of corpses strewn across the blood-soaked land, with countless horses lying dead, pierced by arrows.
Yet, the surviving warhorses were nowhere to be seen.
"Damn, these Qin bastards!"
The Donghu king's eyes burned red with fury.
Time and again, over these past months,
He had witnessed the same scene
Settlements were reduced to ashes, villages were wiped out in their entirety.
His people had suffered losses in the hundreds of thousands at the hands of the Qin army.
This hatred, this humiliation, this blood debt if he could not take revenge, then he would rather die.
"Your Majesty!"
"The Qin army is fleeing eastward!" A general report.
"Good."
The Donghu king nodded, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. "Pursue them! Day and night, no rest! We must catch them!"
"But, Your Majesty"
"Could the Qin army be escaping in a different direction?"
Wu Wu cautiously suggested.
"At this point, where else could they go? Westward? That's deep in our territory. They're like frightened birds now do you think they dare flee west?"
"As for the North"
"It's already winter. Heading north would be certain death."
"The only option left is to flee east, passing through Tu'an before turning south back into Qin territory."
"That is their only chance of survival."
The Donghu king smirked coldly.
"But..."
Wu Wu always felt that things wouldn't be so simple.
For the past three months, despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, they had always been led by the nose by the Qin army.
Every time they tried to encircle them, the Qin army managed to slip away just in time.
So this time, such an obvious escape seemed too easy, and Wu Wu couldn't shake off his unease.
"Enough."
"Lead the army in pursuit."
"This time, I'm giving you the chance to wash away your shame."
The Donghu King didn't want to waste any more time and immediately ordered the chase to continue.
"Yes."
Wu Wu could only nod and lead the troops forward.
"Send orders to Talin and Wutong, have them surround the enemy at once," the Donghu King commanded again.
"Understood."
The generals at his side responded in unison.
The Donghu army, numbering four to five hundred thousand, fully spread out in formation, attempting to encircle the retreating Qin army heading east.
Meanwhile, just over ten miles ahead of them
"Brothers!"
"Keep charging forward! Our target is Tu'an!"
"The barbarians must have taken the bait by now and should already be in pursuit. We must travel day and night without stopping!"
"As soon as a warhorse tires, switch to a fresh one immediately!" Zhang Han shouted.
"General!"
"We understand!"
"These barbarians are nothing but scum. Today, we'll take them for a little ride!"
"As long as we can keep them occupied, the Supreme General will be able to flatten the Donghu royal court!"
"Hahaha!"
"That's right!"
"Once their royal court is reduced to ruins, Donghu will be finished!"
"Brothers, eat as we ride! If those barbarian scum do catch up to us, at least we won't die on an empty stomach!"
"Hahaha! Well said! If only we had some wine! This time, just two thousand of us have lured in several hundred thousand barbarians who else in the world could pull this off?"
…
The soldiers galloped forward while laughing heartily.
To them, this was a chance to create a feat worthy of eternal glory.
Three Days Later
Not long after nightfall
At the Donghu royal court.
Just like when Zhao Feng first led his army in an assault on the outlying Donghu settlements
Now, nearly ten thousand Qin cavalry had already scattered around the royal court.
"The Donghu royal court…"
"It truly is grand."
"This single settlement must house at least two hundred thousand people."
"For the cities of the Central Plains, that's nothing. But for this barbarian land, having such a large settlement is rare indeed."
Under the night sky, the Donghu royal court still flickered with torchlight.
Nearly every tent had a faint glow, illuminating the night.
"Supreme General,"
"A few brothers just scouted ahead."
"The Donghu royal court is surrounded by watchtowers, numbering in the hundreds. Each tower has three guards on duty."
"They seem to be on high alert."
"There are at least twenty thousand troops stationed here."
Zhang Ming stepped forward and reported respectfully.
"They've already suffered once at the border settlements, of course, they wouldn't let their guard down a second time."
"However…"
"A mere twenty to thirty thousand troops guarding the royal court it's still too few." Zhao Feng chuckled.
This was precisely because the Donghu King and his generals never considered the possibility of their royal court being in danger.
After all, with hundreds of thousands of troops spread across the land, any Qin force they encountered would be surrounded and crushed.
"Supreme General!"
"When do we strike?"
Wei Quan asked respectfully.
The countless Qin cavalrymen hidden in the darkness were all eagerly awaiting the command.
"Zhang Ming."
"Wei Quan."
Zhao Feng said in a deep voice.
"At your command!"
The two responded at once.
"The usual tactic."
"Advance slowly toward the royal court. Once we're within a hundred paces, launch a full assault."
"This battle will decide everything."
"Reduce the barbarian royal court to ashes!"
Zhao Feng said coldly.
"We obey the General's command!"
The elite warriors were all eager to fight, brimming with battle intent.
"Attack!"
With Zhao Feng's order
The nearly ten thousand Qin cavalry began to advance toward the barbarian royal court.
Each man gripped his reins tightly, his bow at the ready.
After three months of relentless fighting, they had long since exhausted the arrows they brought from Qin.
Now, every arrow in their quivers had been taken from the barbarian settlements they had raided.
As soon as they reached a hundred paces
"Kill!"
Zhao Feng shouted.
Thud, thud, thud.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
The iron hooves thundered forward.
In the darkness, they sounded like the heralds of doom.
At the gates of the barbarian camp
Hundreds of watchmen were instantly startled.
"Not good!"
"It's the Qin army!"
"They've attacked the royal court!"
"Defend! Defend immediately!"
"Hurry… Hurry and hold the gate!"
The barbarians shouted in panic.
The once peaceful and quiet royal court was suddenly thrown into chaos.
For three months
The Qin army had massacred and razed over a dozen Donghu settlements, slaughtering hundreds of thousands.
Their population had been decimated.
So now, with the Qin army arriving at their doorstep, how could they not be terrified?
At this moment
The troops within the royal court scrambled to assemble.
The guards atop the watchtowers hastily raised their bows.
But just like before
"Kill!"
Zhao Feng bellowed again.
His arrow tore through the night sky, carrying an aura of death.
Boom, boom, boom!
Every arrow that landed unleashed a powerful burst of energy, killing all within ten paces of impact.
The gates shattered, and the watchtowers collapsed.
With the power of true energy, this was nothing short of a massacre.
The strong against the weak is a one-sided slaughter.
"The might of Great Qin!"
"Feng, feng, feng!"
The nearly ten thousand warriors roared in unison.
Under their battle cries
A rain of arrows darkened the sky, raining death upon the barbarian royal court.
This settlement, which had enjoyed years of peace akin to the great cities of the Central Plains
Was now about to become a hellscape of fire and blood!
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