The Road to Glory

Chapter 240: "Wolves, the wolves from the north of Liang..."

Xiao Li donned the bloodstained Military Armor of the Western Mausoleum Army and pulled the long blade embedded in the sandy ground beside him. The crimson glow of the rising sun fell upon his face: "If we cannot delay these thirty thousand Western Mausoleum troops, then killing Pei Song and severing the connection between the Western Mausoleum Army and the spies within the pass will equally prevent them from entering."

His gaze toward the north was cold and solemn.

All the words Zheng Hu had been holding back instantly stuck in his throat.

Only a few thousand Wolf Cavalry had ventured beyond the pass this time. To delay thirty thousand Western Mausoleum troops in the desert—a place of unpredictable terrain and climate—even if the Wolf Cavalry sacrificed their lives, it might not be enough.

But if Tiger Gorge Pass fell, the Western Mausoleum would thereafter have unimpeded access deep into Liang territory. Having endured years of war, the Great Liang, without the natural barrier of Jiashi Mountain, would be like a sheepfold invaded by wolves.

Thus, even if it meant death, they had to intercept these thirty thousand Western Mausoleum troops.

In previous skirmishes, to avoid exposing the Wolf Cavalry's strength, Xiao Li had his soldiers tie sand thorns to their horses' tails. When luring the Western Mausoleum Army into ambush zones, if the enemy sensed something amiss and tried to retreat, the soldiers would encircle them from behind to cut off their escape.

The sand thorns dragged along the ground, kicking up vast clouds of yellow dust as the Warhorses galloped furiously. The lured Western Mausoleum troops, mistaking this for the main force of the Wolf Cavalry, had no choice but to press forward in desperation—thus falling right into the trap.

However, with the enemy's forces numbering thirty thousand, such tactics could only be used so many times before being exposed. Once the Western Mausoleum ascertained their true strength, the Wolf Cavalry would be the ones in peril.

Moreover, the Western Mausoleum seemed to understand the reason behind their repeated harassments. Their main force had been marching urgently, never halting.

Xiao Li's decision to take this risky move was precisely to infiltrate the enemy's core before the Western Mausoleum fully grasped their numbers. Disguised as the small contingent of Western Mausoleum troops previously lured away by the Wolf Cavalry, they would go straight for the kill and eliminate Pei Song.

Zheng Hu knew he could not dissuade Xiao Li. After a frustrated sigh, he looked toward the Western Mausoleum officer tied tightly to a withered tree, who was now barely breathing, and said, "No wonder you kept this bastard alive after interrogating him for their signal flags... So this was your plan all along..."

Inside the Western Mausoleum Army tent, the atmosphere was tense as drawn bows.

Pei Song, staring at the Western Mausoleum general Niru seated in the commander's position, could not conceal his anger and gloom: "General, are you saying the princess intends to abandon Tiger Gorge Pass—already within our grasp—to chase after those petty raiders who've been harassing our army?"

Niru's gaze toward Pei Song was filled with contempt. The Western Mausoleum revered martial prowess, and Pei Song, with his refined and handsome appearance, had attained the title of consort through his collaboration with He Yi. In Niru's view, this likely involved leveraging his looks as well.

After all, He Yi had never been discreet about her affairs. Though she had only two previous consorts, her lovers were too numerous to count.

Facing Pei Song's questioning, Niru slapped the letter delivered by He Yi's messenger onto the table, leaning back lazily with a mocking expression: "With the princess's personal letter here, does Consort Pei suspect I forged the order?"

Pei Song's Hawk Hounds, unaccustomed to such humiliation, darkened their expressions and moved to "reason" with Niru, but Pei Song raised a hand to stop them.

He glanced at Niru, stepped forward to pick up the letter on the table, and after reading it, his expression grew even darker.Niru, however, seemed immensely pleased, his smile not reaching his eyes as he asked, "Well? Does the Consort believe it now?"

Pei Song replied, "This is a treacherous scheme by the Liang woman. The Princess and the General must not be deceived by her."

He set down the letter. "Clearly, the Liang woman resorted to some method to persuade that Xiao fellow to remain her lapdog, all to protect Tiger Gorge Pass. She definitely isn’t among that cavalry unit. We should march at full speed and head straight for Tiger Gorge Pass to breach this gateway to Liang. Only then can we thwart the Liang woman’s trap."

Niru raised his eyelids slightly, tilting his chin. "Is the Consort questioning the Princess’s decision?"

Pei Song lowered his head and said, "I wouldn’t dare."

He continued, "I was merely thinking—if the Liang woman truly is in Xiao’s hands, and if Xiao intends to block our entry into the pass, he could have taken her ahead into the pass. After seizing Tiger Gorge Pass and eliminating my forces, he could then defend it from within.

"But now, this elusive cavalry isn’t rushing ahead. Instead, they’re persistently hindering our advance. This suggests either the Liang woman isn’t with them, or... Xiao has already taken her to Tiger Gorge Pass ahead of us, deliberately leaving troops behind to delay us."

The scorn on Niru’s face faded, replaced by a grave expression as he pondered the possibilities Pei Song had outlined.

Pei Song observed his reaction keenly and pressed on at the right moment, "Of course, the Princess’s decree cannot be disobeyed. To be safe, General, you could divide the troops. Send one unit to encircle and eliminate that cavalry, while the rest accompany me to urgently march toward Tiger Gorge Pass. By taking both approaches, we won’t fail the Princess’s mission."

Niru was visibly swayed by Pei Song’s reasoning. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "The Consort makes a valid point. We shall proceed as you suggest..."

A faint smile seemed to touch Pei Song’s lips, his expression even appearing gentle at that moment. "Then I shall take half the troops and continue the march ahead."

Recalling He Yi’s specific instructions before departure—that Pei Song had yet to reveal his accomplice within the pass, and that Tiger Gorge Pass was a crucial gateway linking the Western Mausoleum and Liang territory—Niru dared not let him lead fifteen thousand soldiers alone. He said, "The Consort is new to the army and still unfamiliar with many aspects. I will have Nugeer accompany you. I will personally lead the mission to eliminate that cavalry and will join you at Tiger Gorge Pass in three days at the latest."

Pei Song was well aware of the underlying wariness in these words, yet he merely curved his lips into a smile and offered a flattering remark, "The General is most considerate."

The shadows concealed beneath his lowered eyes remained invisible to all.

No sooner had Pei Song and Deputy General Nugeer set off with half the troops than another unit of the Western Mausoleum Army stumbled back into the camp in disarray.

Their armor was shattered and stained with blood. The young officer leading them was carried on a makeshift stretcher fashioned from cut branches and cloth by his subordinates—clear evidence of a fierce battle they had just endured.

The guards at the camp’s entrance signaled to them from a distance with flags, and the battered troops quickly responded in kind. Seeing the signals were correct, the guard captain promptly ordered his men to remove the Cheval de frise blocking the camp entrance.

As soon as the Western Mausoleum soldiers entered the camp, junior officers crowded around them, demanding, "What happened?"

When they saw who was being carried on the stretcher, someone exclaimed in shock, "It’s Wusa!"The tall soldier covered in blood and dirt stood nearby, his physique no less imposing than their Western Mausoleum warriors. Breathing heavily, he spoke in the Western Mausoleum tongue: "Our general has urgent military intelligence to report personally..."

His extremely unsteady breathing easily masked the awkward pauses in his speech.

The junior officer who came to receive them demanded: "Why can't we relay the message for you?"

The soldier, whose features were obscured but had distinctly deep facial contours, hesitated slightly: "It concerns the Imperial Consort..."

At these words, those nearby understood the gravity of the situation.

Pei Song had suddenly become He Yi's third Imperial Consort and their Army Supervisor - there must be numerous reasons behind this that they weren't aware of.

Even for this assault on Tiger Gorge Pass, he still needed Pei Song's inside assistance at the pass.

But that mysterious cavalry that appeared out of nowhere halfway, coming and going without trace and with unknown numbers, was truly bizarre.

If the problem lay with Pei Song, then their thirty-thousand strong army's mission to Tiger Gorge Pass would be in danger.

The junior officer's face turned grim as he exclaimed: "Damn it! The Imperial Consort has already taken fifteen thousand troops ahead to Tiger Gorge Pass!"

Then he urgently urged his personal guards behind him: "Quick, send word to the military tent! Say that Wusa has urgent intelligence concerning the Imperial Consort to report!"

The personal guards behind him didn't dare delay and hurried to Niru's tent to deliver the message.

All the Western Mausoleum officers and soldiers were shaken by this news, none noticing the icy, strange glint that flashed in the soldier's eyes when he heard that Pei Song had already led troops onward to Tiger Gorge Pass.

Niru, who was urgently searching for traces of that cavalry, immediately put down his current tasks and rushed over personally when he heard that the troops sent to pursue the cavalry had returned with important intelligence concerning Pei Song.

Before the military doctors arrived, Niru saw his trusted general lying bloodied on a stretcher at the camp entrance. His face twitched, and he cried out in anguish his beloved general's name: "Wusa!"

While shouting, he strode toward the stretcher, crouching to grasp his trusted general's hand. The seemingly dying junior officer struggled to open his eyes upon hearing Niru's call and weakly shook his head at him.

Years of battlefield experience honed his vigilance - he instantly halted his movement. As his hand reached for the sword at his waist, he quickly retreated, only casting a sidelong glance at the person standing nearby while opening his mouth to order his capture.

But before he could even clearly see the soldier's features, a flash of cold silver came slashing toward him. Only because he had begun retreating early did he barely manage to dodge it, though the leather belt at his waist was severed by the opponent's fierce, cold blade wind.

The hairs on Niru's arms beneath his clothing instantly stood on end. Without time for thought, relying purely on instinct, he raised his drawn sword horizontally before him. A sharp "clang" rang out as his palms went numb from the vibration - he had just barely blocked the opponent's lightning-fast second strike.

All this happened in an instant. Xiao Li's wolf-like eyes glared fiercely as he ground his blade against the opposing edge, sparks flying as he slid diagonally to continue attacking Niru. Only then did Niru's personal guards and surrounding officers react, swarming toward Xiao Li.

Those "battle-scarred" "Western Mausoleum remnants" behind Xiao Li instantly shed their feeble appearance, drawing swords to engage in melee combat with the genuine Western Mausoleum troops.

Someone in the crowd shouted: "The Fuli are here!""The wolf, the wolf from the northern lands of Liang!"

Niru, shielded by his personal guards, managed a brief respite from danger. His hand gripping the weapon still trembled with numbness, the severed leather strap slipping from his waistband and falling at his feet. Niru glanced at it, his expression particularly grim.

The guards below were also shaken, frequently looking back at Xiao Li, who fought like a ferocious deity and was still advancing toward them.

Even though they were the renowned fierce warriors of the Western Mausoleum Army, known for their love of battle, at this moment, an inexplicable fear rose within them. It was as if the one charging at them was no longer a mortal of flesh and blood like themselves, but some kind of monster.

A guard shouted, "Quick, cover the general's retreat!"

"Bring the horses!"

Though feeling humiliated and resentful, Niru hadn't lost his rationality. He knew it was unwise to engage in a reckless fight at this moment. They had less than a thousand men, and once their main forces encircled them, they would soon be trapped.

He was hurriedly escorted back by his guards, but Xiao Li had already discerned their intention. When the guard shouted, Xiao Li cast a fierce, intimidating glance at Niru, gripping the blood-soaked hilt of his blade tightly and pressing forward against the human wall.

The screams from behind made Niru turn his head. The moment his eyes met Xiao Li's, he felt as if he had been locked in the sights of a violent beast.

With each swing and slash of his long blade, the crowd surrounding Xiao Li diminished layer by layer, like peeling bamboo shoots.

Though unwilling to admit it, Niru genuinely felt fear at this moment. He turned his head, wanting only to leave this place quickly, but the Western Mausoleum soldiers rushing from the camp ahead, alerted by the sounds of battle, blocked his path.

The Wolf Cavalry clearly understood the principle of "capture the leader to capture the followers." No matter how the Western Mausoleum soldiers charged at them, they tightly surrounded Xiao Li, helping him clear the obstructing soldiers. The entire formation moved like a sharp cone, with Xiao Li as the tip, advancing irresistibly forward.

To halt this formation, the guards protecting Niru's retreat continuously dispatched men to fight back, but to little effect.

The clashing of weapons and the sounds of slaughter echoed all around. Niru's nerves were stretched to the breaking point. As he hurried back, he repeatedly pushed aside the obstructing soldiers rushing from behind, even shouting in frustration, "Get out of the way! All of you, move! Don't block the path!"

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a shimmering light over the distant sand dunes.

As if sensing something, Niru suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Not far behind him, Xiao Li advanced step by step, holding a blood-dripping long blade.

Layer upon layer of Western Mausoleum soldiers continued to encircle them from the rear of the camp. They should have been able to completely trap this Liang Camp force disguised as wounded soldiers. But soon, a gap appeared in the military formation.

Xiao Li, having captured Niru alive, sat high on his horse, pressing the long blade against Niru's neck, forcing the surrounding Western Mausoleum soldiers to voluntarily make way.

The blood he had smeared on his face earlier had not yet dried, obscuring his handsome features and making him appear even more ferocious.

The Western Mausoleum junior officers and their soldiers retreated step by step, continuing to encircle Xiao Li and his men, none daring to act rashly.

Xiao Li pressed the blade downward and coldly commanded, "Send word to Pei Song to withdraw his troops!"

Though restrained, the humiliation of being captured alive made Niru unable to resist taunting, "We all serve the princess. If you, Xiao Jun, had captured the consort to threaten me, it might have been useful. But capturing me to threaten the consort—you’ve miscalculated!"Xiao Li paid him no heed. With a flick of his blade along Niru’s shoulder and neck, a piece of flesh was sliced clean off.

Before all the Western Mausoleum soldiers, Niru endured the excruciating pain of having his flesh carved away, though his face instantly turned as pale as paper, and he nearly shattered his teeth from clenching them.

Xiao Li swept his gaze over the crowd and spoke with cold ferocity: "When I was in Liang territory, I could flay alive and boil alive the strategists of Pei’s camp. Today, I can just as easily flay your commander alive! Send word to Pei Song!"

Niru remained silent. The junior officers below no longer waited for him to respond further. Recognizing the situation, they promptly ordered a messenger to spur his horse and chase after Pei Song.

Pei Song led his troops over ten li away when a messenger, riding at full speed, caught up to report that Niru had been captured alive and urged them to turn back for rescue.

Deputy General Nugeer immediately panicked and hurriedly said to Pei Song, "Consort, the general is in danger! We must rush back to save him!"

Pei Song sat steadily on his horse, his dark lashes slightly lowered, his tone utterly detached and cold: "This is a spy from Liang, deliberately spreading these baseless rumors to disrupt our army’s morale. Execute him!"

As his words fell, a Hawk Hound immediately rushed out. Before Nugeer could even voice his objection, the messenger’s head had already rolled to the ground.

Blood splattered across the sandy ground, stark and glaring.

Nugeer stood stunned, not yet recovered, when Pei Song turned his horse and ordered the march to continue.

Nugeer’s jaw tightened. Furious, he yanked the reins, spurred his horse to catch up with Pei Song, and shouted, "Consort, are you disregarding General Niru’s life? When the princess asks, how will you explain yourself?"

Pei Song cast an exceptionally calm glance his way: "The general’s orders to you and me were to march to Tiger Gorge Pass. Deputy General, are you planning to defy military orders for the false intelligence delivered by a spy?"

Nugeer was incensed: "This was clearly one of our Western Mausoleum soldiers! How could he be a spy?"

His face flushed crimson, his eyes wide with rage—it was evident he understood that Pei Song simply had no intention of returning to rescue Niru.

Pei Song’s lashes lowered, casting a lazy, mocking gaze as he said coldly, "If there could be no spy in the army, how could General Niru have fallen for such a foolish scheme?"

Having silenced Nugeer with these words, he commanded to the rear: "Continue the march."