dognovel Chapter 198 Victorious Return to the Capital
Chapter 198 Victorious Return to the Capital
Mu Yin knelt respectfully before Shen Yanchu. "Your Highness, I have learned that the Tatars have retreated more than eighty li. Congratulations, Your Highness, on your new achievement."
His voice echoed in the tent, carrying a hint of excitement. However, Shen Yanchu merely nodded slightly. In his view, as a soldier, fighting on the battlefield was his duty, something he should do, and there was nothing particularly gratifying about it.
The victory in this battle was largely due to the brave and fearless soldiers under my command, who paid for it with their blood and lives.
"Alright, get up now. Pass down the order: starting today, the entire army will rest. Command the vanguard general Lin Yijun to lead a patrol to monitor the Tatars and the security around the military camp."
Shen Yanchu gave his instructions methodically, a hint of caution in his eyes. Although the Tatars had retreated, the danger was not completely over.
Mu Yin immediately accepted the order and was about to leave when Shen Yanchu stopped her. "Is there any news about Miss You?" Shen Yanchu's voice was urgent; this was what he cared about most at the moment.
Mu Yin respectfully replied, "Your Highness, I am incompetent and have failed to find out any news about Miss Shi." A hint of disappointment flashed in Shen Yanchu's eyes, and he immediately lost interest, waving him away.
Silence returned to the tent, with only the map flickering faintly in the candlelight. Shen Yanchu walked to the map and carefully examined it. Combining the information gathered by his secret guards, he began to deduce the situation.
He knew full well that the war was not truly over, and the Tatars could return at any time; he had to be fully prepared. Among his soldiers were ten thousand elite troops he had personally assembled—the Yehong Army.
This is a unique army; they excel at reconnaissance, and every soldier possesses keen observation skills and outstanding intelligence gathering abilities.
On the battlefield, they were like Shen Yanchu's eyes and ears, providing him with countless crucial pieces of information and helping him make correct decisions time and time again. In this war against the Tatars, the Ye Hong Army played an even more vital role, penetrating deep behind enemy lines to scout enemy positions and guide the army's movements.
Shen Yanchu's finger lightly traced across the map, marking various key locations, as he continuously considered the possible situations he might face next.
Deep in his heart, however, the image of Miss Shi always lingered, preventing him from fully focusing on the war. He wondered if, in the distant capital, Miss Shi was also thinking of him somewhere, or if, as he suspected, she had truly forgotten him.
This war is not only a confrontation between Cangling Kingdom and the Northern Frontier Tatars, but also a struggle within Shen Yanchu's heart, torn between his national responsibility and his beloved.
The desert winds still howled, and yellow sand swirled in the air, seemingly recounting the brutality of the battle that had just passed. The Tatar army had retreated like the tide and was now encamped more than two hundred miles away, their tents stretching as far as the eye could see, but they had temporarily sheathed their aggressive edge.
Inside his tent, candlelight flickered, illuminating Shen Yanchu's slightly weary yet still handsome and resolute face.
He was meticulously organizing the intelligence gathered over the past few days. Each piece of information was like a sword on the battlefield, playing a crucial role. He knew that this data would be an invaluable asset to those who would be guarding the northern frontier.
Soon, General Lin Yong's men arrived. Shen Yanchu was extremely familiar with Lin Yong. In his mind, Lin Yong was undoubtedly the fiercest general of Cangling Kingdom; his unyielding spirit and outstanding military talent made him a pillar of the nation.
The Lin family army was an awe-inspiring and iron-blooded force, whose reputation was so great that it once struck fear into the hearts of the Tatars.
This time, King Zheng Hou went so far as to collude with the Tatars to rebel, and a large army pressed on the border, plunging the border into an unprecedented crisis.
His Majesty, with his foresight, intends to protect General Lin, fearing that this pillar of the nation might meet with misfortune during this rebellion. After all, Lin Yong is too important to the stability of Cangling Kingdom; with him around, the northern frontier is like an impregnable fortress, ensuring peace in the region.
Shen Yanchu recalled the scene when he respectfully received the imperial edict and came to deal with the crisis. The edict seemed to still carry the warmth of the emperor.
Now, he was to hand over all military affairs to General Lin. He informed him of every detail and every crucial piece of information without reservation.
After the handover was completed, they were to immediately depart for the capital to report on their duties, as ordered. Shen Yanchu stepped out of the tent and sent word to the soldiers to prepare for departure.
In an instant, the entire camp was abuzz with activity, and the cheers of the soldiers echoed in the wind. They had been away from home for a long time, and now they could finally return home, their hearts filled with joy and anticipation.
However, Shen Yanchu felt a complex mix of emotions. He gazed into the distance, where his concerns lay, and where his unknown mysteries resided.
What awaits him upon his return to the capital? He knows that there may be a deeper conspiracy behind this rebellion. Although the smoke of battle has temporarily dissipated, the political turmoil in the court has never ceased.
Behind this seemingly calm handover, Shen Yanchu's keen intuition told him that some unseen undercurrents were brewing.
His subordinates, the Yehong Army, had also gathered some clues in recent days. Some strange information suggested that the rebellion seemed to have the shadow of the imperial court.
Those vague clues, like a fog, lingered in his mind. He decided that on his way back to the capital, he would carefully sort through these clues; perhaps, an unseen battle was waiting for him in the capital.
As the last batch of supplies was loaded onto the trucks, the army began to move slowly. The sounds of horses' hooves and wheels mingled together, carving a path home across the desert.
As Shen Yanchu rode his horse, he looked back at the land he had fought on and secretly vowed that no matter how treacherous the road ahead, he would protect the Cangling Kingdom and everything in his heart.
Upon their return to Beijing, General Lin Yong dispatched his eldest son, Lin Yijun, to escort them. It was rumored that General Lin's second son, Lin Yiyu, had run away from home several days prior and had been out of contact for two months.
It seems General Lin is on his way to find his younger brother. However, the northern border is far from the capital, and it will probably take half a month before he arrives.
General Lin is exactly like his father, General Lin; like father, like son! On the battlefield, Lin Yijun is extremely brave and adept at using tactics to break through enemy lines.
This is somewhat different from General Lin. General Lin used tactics and military strategy to the extreme, and the Tatar army suffered many defeats at his hands.
Shen Yanchu originally intended to ride a horse back to the capital, but Mu Yin and the others had prepared a carriage. He didn't refuse; he had been constantly on edge these past few days, which was truly exhausting. He could finally get some rest on the way back to the capital.