Chapter 107 - Right now, the Person is Locked in the Cylindrical Bamboo and Transported towards Henan River (1)

Moon black and wild geese high,

Chanyu escaped in the dark of night.

Dispatched light cavalry in pursuit,

Heavy snow all over bows and knives.

— Lu Lun 《Frontier Songs》

Speaking of which, the Jin army had reorganized the army, navy and air force in Qi Province.

Prince Yan ordered for General Mingwei, Guo Quanchun, to stay behind and guard the Qi Province.

He ordered the military general, Gu Youde, to lead the navy and go ahead.

He personally led the midway troop as well as Champion Marquis, Yu Xingzhi, going by the land route and heading towards the north.

They headed straight for the capital of Da Liao, Tongzhou.

While on the way, Yu Xingzhi and Zhou Xiaoxiao were eating two savory ground pork simmered with salt fermented soybean paste

over thick wheat noodles in their tent.

Cheng Shizhao moved the curtains to the side and walked in, leading Zhou Xiaoxiao to protect her bowl and said, “There’s no more.

I’m already done eating.”

Black lines fell down Cheng Shizhao’s face.

Yu Xingzhi said, “Xiaoxiao, stop joking with him. Cousin must have urgent military situation to consult with us over.”

Cheng Shizhao threw a military report at Yu Xingzhi and then sat down.

“We’ve already seized Qi Province and our troops are heading north now. Yet, there is General Yeluxiu in Taiyuan who is watching over

the area. He might sneak attack Qi Province any time and relieve a besieged ally by attacking the home base of the besiegers. That

way, he can relieve Tongzhou from danger.”

Yu Xingzhi read the military report out loud, “I’ve heard that this man has led military operations with extraordinary skills and his

Taiyuan troops are the strongest within Da Liao. We must not undere<stimate the general.”

“Right now, our troops are still a far way from Tongzhou. If we keep on going, Guo Quanchun may not be their match and they might

also lose Qi Province. When the time comes, our troops will have no escape routes and have enemies attacking from all sides. If our

troops go back and aid them, when the Liao army reorganized their army, they will have a great defensive line set up already. The

hope of our Han army recovering Tongzhou for the first time in centuries will become empty talk again.” Cheng Shizhao punched the

table.

Yu Xingzhi said in a deep voice, “I have an idea.”

The two stared at each other momentarily before Cheng Shizhao said, “No.”

“I didn’t even explain my idea.”

“Although you seem like a steady and stable person, you actually love to play risky moves. Do you think I don’t know you? You must

have another strange method and will end up placing yourself in danger. Our opponent this time is Yeluxiu, a famous general in

Qidan. I won’t let you act recklessly.”

“Tongzhou has been occupied by the Liao army for centuries and people of Qidan are violent and barbarous. Our people have been

oppressed by them for countless years and they are all expecting our army to save them from tyranny. As Jin army’s Marquis, we

have to shoulder their hope and place ourselves in their shoes. How can I just consider my own safety?”

Cheng Shizhao couldn’t win him, so he turned around and said to Zhou Xiaoxiao, “Aren’t you going to persuade him?”

Zhou Xiaoxiao softly held Yu Xingzhi’s hands and said, “If he’s going, then I’m naturally going with him.”

The two shook hands and smiled at each other, understanding their looks of accompanying each other to death.

In the next morning, Cheng Shizhao stood aloft and watched as Yu Xingzhi rode his horse and led 3,000 light cavalry, speeding away

in the dust.

By his side, there was a guard in white who followed closely behind Yu Xingzhi.

Cheng Shizhao suddenly thought: if only my wife can share my delights and hardships with me, never leaving me alone. That would

be a blessing.

He recalled the gentle and virtuous Princess Consort in the capital.

If she didn’t tidy up her appearance two hours in advance along with the 20 maids serving upon her, she would never be able to

leave the residence.

He shook his head and tossed these random thoughts over his mind.

He wondered if there was another woman like her. The Princess Consort was the model that women should follow.