Chapter 13

In front of Shen Zhao, Shen Yu had no need to conceal anything. He was one of the people she trusted most in the world.

“I only found out about the supply problem after arriving at the military camp, so I had to find another solution. I remember mentioning to you before that I had a dream,” Shen Yu said.

Shen Zhao nodded.

Shen Yu continued, “Regardless of whether you believe it or not, I consider it a warning.”

“What did you dream about?” Shen Zhao asked.

Shen Yu replied, “You led ten thousand light cavalry to raid the Xijue South Camp and fell into a trap. Father raised troops to rescue but failed. In the Battle of Yanliang Pass, the Great Zhou Dynasty suffered a great defeat, and after the fall of Ganzhou City, the people were massacred.”

Shen Zhao gasped for breath, because indeed, today he had ordered ten thousand light cavalry, ready to depart at night. If it was baseless, it would be too much of a coincidence.

The kettle on the stove boiled soon after, and the bubbling water made a continuous sound.

Shen Zhao took a breath, still somewhat incredulous.

“In your dream, Father and I…”

“Fought until the very end,” Shen Yu said with difficulty, her throat choked with emotion.

Shen Zhao didn’t speak, staring at the bubbling kettle, pondering. Then he heard Shen Yu say, “It’s going to snow soon.”

Only then did Shen Zhao pick up the kettle, flipped over a cup on the table, poured a cup of hot water, and handed it to Shen Yu.

“Yanliang Pass is colder than here. In previous years, the Xijue people wouldn’t invade in winter; they would retreat before the snow. Holding on for a few more days should be enough,” he said.

Shen Yu shook her head. “They won’t retreat.”

“Why do you say that?” Shen Zhao asked in confusion.

Shen Yu held the water, feeling the warmth in her hands. She said, “Because of the drought that Xijue suffered this year, they’re counting on raiding for food this winter. Otherwise, they’ll have to rely on slaughtering livestock and warhorses to survive the winter, which would be too damaging.”

Shen Zhao sighed wryly. “But how would they know that even the frontline is running out of food, let alone having any to plunder for them?”

“However…” Shen Zhao changed the subject, “I found out a few days ago that a group of Xijue soldiers was retreating, about twenty or thirty thousand men led by Boda.”

Shen Yu searched her memory for the scant information she had about that battle.

Boda hadn’t retreated at all, because according to records, his figure was still present during the city massacre. He must be hiding somewhere, biding his time.

“What about the map?” she suddenly asked.

Shen Zhao put down the cup, took out a map, and spread it out, pointing and saying, “Xijue is currently camped here, and Boda is retreating from here.”

Shen Yu tapped on the map with her finger. “I’m afraid Boda hasn’t left at all.”

The first round of the evening drum sounded within the camp. Shen Zhao listened intently, then suddenly said, “We were supposed to set off at the hour of the dog.”

“I have a plan, but it’s risky and not guaranteed,” Shen Yu said.

“Tell me,” Shen Zhao said.

As the second round of the evening drum sounded, Shen Zhao emerged from the main tent and set out with ten thousand light cavalry under the cover of night.

Instead of heading to the originally planned Xijue South Camp, they went straight north, bypassing the Shima River, which cut through the Black Sparrow Mountains.

“They’ve indeed camped here,” Shen Zhao said with a solemn expression.

The Xijue people had stretched their front line very long. By bypassing the Black Sparrow Mountains here, they could reach the northern side of Yanliang Pass directly. It seemed that Boda intended to lead twenty thousand soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the rear of Yanliang Pass.

It seemed they were preparing to flank from both front and rear, launching a rear attack while the front line was engaged in battle.

It wasn’t yet dawn, the time when soldiers were most exhausted, and the camp was quiet.

Sentinels wrapped in cotton coats dozed on the watchtower, occasionally opening their eyes to scan around before closing them again without noticing anything.

The night wind howled like a wolf, masking all the sounds of movement on the dry grassland.

Shen Yu lay prone on the ground, her whole body close to the earth, with Kong Qing beside her, blending into the night.

Kong Qing was Shen Zhao’s deputy, and before entering the camp, Shen Zhao repeatedly instructed that as long as Shen Yu was alive, he could survive.

Shen Zhao’s ten thousand troops stopped five miles away, with him holding the rear. Shen Yu infiltrated the camp with only two hundred elite soldiers. Even if they could fight a hundred, once discovered, it would be a one-way trip. But Shen Zhao couldn’t stop her, allowing her to follow like a stubborn plaster all the way here.

The two exchanged a glance, and Kong Qing gestured behind him.

The soldiers patrolling at night were sheltering from the wind behind the tents, completely unaware as they were suddenly grabbed from behind, a knife wiping across their throats. They didn’t even realize the pain before feeling their necks cool and their lives slipping away.

Everywhere, the same method was employed, soldiers relieving themselves didn’t even have time to pull up their pants before falling into their own urine.

Shen Yu’s breath formed white vapor in the cold air, and her hands were stained red with blood. She casually wiped them on her trousers and asked in a low voice, “Which direction is the grain and fodder?”

Kong Qing gestured and pointed back the way they came. “You wait outside the camp, and in half an hour, when the signal lights up, you’ll wait for the general’s men to arrive.”

Shen Yu didn’t respond, swiftly moving towards the grain and fodder depot again. Kong Qing could do nothing but follow along. If Shen Zhao couldn’t control her, then he certainly couldn’t either, so he had no choice but to follow reluctantly.

Upon reaching a spot, Shen Yu raised her hand to signal a halt, then twisted her body to hide behind a tent.

Kong Qing, not understanding why, remained in place, waiting for her.

Shen Yu listened carefully for a while, then suddenly whispered, “Something’s not right here, it’s too quiet.”

Upon her reminder, Kong Qing also noticed that the camp, which should have been filled with the thunderous sound of snoring, was now only filled with the sound of the wind.

The Xijue North Camp was empty!

Where had those twenty thousand soldiers gone?

Shen Yu quickly analyzed the situation. Boda’s twenty thousand soldiers had only two possible routes.

One, to launch a nighttime raid on the northern gate of Yanliang Pass.

Two, to retreat to the Xijue South Camp and concentrate forces to attack the main gate.

The more Shen Yu thought about it, the more alarmed she became, because regardless of which of these two possibilities, there had to be one prerequisite: the Xijue people knew about tonight’s raid.

If Shen Zhao led the troops to raid the South Camp, it would undoubtedly fall into a trap with no chance of return, and the Xijue people could take advantage of it to launch a surprise attack on the northern gate of Yanliang Pass, flanking from both front and rear.

It depended on Shen Zhong’an whether he chose to rescue his son or return to defend Yanliang Pass. Regardless of the choice, it would be extremely passive, and they would suffer heavy losses.

Kong Qing also suddenly realized, and uttered a few heavy words, “There are spies in our camp.”

Shen Yu nodded. “And their position isn’t low.”

As she spoke, Shen Yu was already walking in the opposite direction.

Kong Qing grabbed her. “Where are you going?”

“To find out exactly where they’ve gone, so we can proceed with the next plan. You wait here,” she said quickly.

This young lady was not following the usual script, and Kong Qing was starting to get a headache from her unpredictability.

Shen Yu made her way out of the camp, and half an hour later, she returned along the same path.

Despite the cold weather at the end of October, Shen Yu’s forehead was already covered in a thin layer of sweat.

She spoke rapidly, “On the northward horse trail, the horse dung is fresh. They’re probably planning to flank us from both front and rear. I’ll stay here, leave twenty men with me, and you take the rest to block their return path, so they can’t retreat.”

As she spoke, a sharp whistle suddenly came from the wind, followed by two short bird calls.