Chapter 375: Chapter 375

The others, including Siniang, were all clad in the same armor as Zheng Fan.

After their near-piercing experience at Mianzhou City during the last combat, everyone had learned their lesson, all becoming more cautious.

Because on the battlefield, a stray arrow could end your life in an instant.

"What a pity. We just don’t know what kind of plan they’ve set," Blind Bei voiced his regrets. "Otherwise, we could prepare more specifically."

"No matter how prepared you are, it won’t help much on a battlefield of hundreds of thousands of soldiers," Liang Cheng said.

Blind Bei nodded. Alright, who am I to argue? I don’t know how to fight wars. You’re experienced, so you must be right.

"Everyone, get yourselves ready. Take only what you can carry, but don’t carry too much. Each of us will have two horses; there’s no need for baggage wagons anymore."

They were exhausting all the resources they had. Chapters fırst released on N0v3l.Fiɾe.net

Ji Chengjue had invested so much in Green Willow Fortress, all for this very endeavor. He hoped that Zheng Fan, through military merits, could rise to a higher position. In the end, even if not to help him contend for the throne, should Ji Chengjue fail in his bid to seize the throne, Zheng Fan merely needed to pull him up—sometimes, just stepping forward to state his stance would be enough to save Ji Chengjue’s life.

"Everyone, check over your gear once more."

The black flag bearing the character "Li" came into sight outside of Nanwang City.

On the city wall, Hui Wenzu was teary-eyed.

A multitude of military commanders from Yinlang County stood beside him. Today, everyone had gathered at Nanwang City to witness the mighty power of Yan’s premier army!

Every single one of these old soldiers, veterans who had muddled through the ranks, clearly understood what this orderly and disciplined sea of black before them meant—this military presence so oppressive it seemed to forcibly still even the wind.

This was truly a powerful army!

One by one, the knights of the North Defense Army settled in an open space outside the East Gate of Nanwang City. A large number of civilians gathered nearby, a sight similar to the one outside Yin City.

However, unlike in Yin City where the North Defense Army had just arrived and stayed for two days, this time, the army was about to march. The solemn atmosphere was enough to maintain order among the civilians.

No one dared to cheer loudly, nor did anyone dare to rush forward to disrupt the formation. They all just stood quietly, watching, gazing.

Zheng Fan, leading 2,500 riders from Green Willow Fortress, waited silently to one side, watching these majestic mounted warriors stream endlessly before him.

The six demon lords all rode behind Zheng Fan.

Blind Bei used his psychic ability to link everyone’s "inner feelings" together.

"My lord, there are no siege weapons!"

There were no siege weapons at all.

Battering rams? None.

You wouldn’t find even a single piece of ancient siege equipment that you could think of.

"A surprise attack?" A Ming guessed.

"A surprise attack?" Liang Cheng echoed, "Look around. There are so many civilians. Do you know how many spies the Qian State has hidden among them?"

Zheng Fan also thought to himself:

Such a large-scale troop movement is impossible to conceal.

It is almost impossible to hide an army of over ten thousand unless they are in mountain ravines. On the plains, concealment is nearly impossible.

Moreover, it seemed that the North Defense Army had no intention to hide.

"The Jingnan Army is coming as well," Blind Bei reminded.

The troops of the Jingnan Army also began moving forward. It was rather easy to distinguish the Jingnan and North Defense Armies.

In fact, the Jingnan Army was even more disciplined and detail-oriented, almost resembling the square formations of later generations.

This demonstrated how strictly Lord Jingnan disciplined his army. Tian Wujing had been leading the Jingnan Army for over ten years and had long instilled his will into this army.

As for the North Defense Army, they were disciplined, but not overly concerned with such minute details. However, the new and old marks on their armor and the killing aura emanating from them gave off an even stronger sense of oppression.

This was an army that had been fighting with the Barbarians in the desert for a hundred years.

Many among them had grandfathers who had worn this same armor to fight the Barbarians. Their fathers had done the same, and so did they.

A hundred years ago, the Yan people planted a knife on the desert frontier, and with Barbarian blood, they honed it for a hundred years!

Now, this knife was being lifted, poised to strike the enemy to the south.

"No, how on earth are they planning to fight?" Blind Bei felt it was absurd. "If the Jingnan Army also deploys, then who will guard the home front?"

Zheng Fan was also extremely puzzled. Though he was still in the learning stages of warfare, he knew well that war was never as simple as raising a sword, shouting, "Brothers, charge with me!" and then everyone rushing forward in a wave with a great "Ula!"

That was not the fighting style of an army, but a tactic used by bandits and brigands.

But now, it was clear that both the North Defense Army and Jingnan Army heading south were preparing for a full deployment.

It should be noted that the Jingnan Army’s 50,000 rear-echelon troops had already been deployed to the empire’s eastern regions to defend against the Jin State. Half of Yanjing’s imperial guards had been taken by the Eldest Prince to Beifeng Prefecture to help defend against the Barbarians seizing the opportunity to cause unrest. The remaining forces were also dispatched to the east to guard against the Jin State.

This meant that if both the southward-marching North Defense Army and Jingnan Army were to be fully deployed, only about forty to fifty thousand soldiers of Fatty Hui’s rat army would remain on the Yinlang County border.

Then, behind Fatty Hui’s forces, all the way to Yanjing, it would be an open and undefended path, with almost no organized military units left to speak of.

"My lord, look at the bags hanging on their horse saddles. They seem to be stir-fried noodles or crusty pancakes."