256: Chapter 0256 I'm Not Stupid

Zheng Yangwei was momentarily stunned upon hearing this.

"This old servant also found it strange; it felt as if something was missing these past few days. It turns out it was the lack of news from General Lin."

Zheng Yangwei knew that for Emperor Hong, the improvement in his condition was largely credited to Lin Xiao.

"This old servant will send someone to inquire immediately."

Before he could finish his sentence, the voice of Crown Prince Li Chenghao came from outside.

"Father! Good news! Wonderful news!"

Li Chenghao strode into the Imperial Study, clutching a memorial in his hand.

"Is it news from the Zhenbei Army?"

This was Emperor Hong's immediate reaction. After all, at this stage, he couldn't think of anyone else besides the Zhenbei Army who could turn the tide.

"Father is wise!"

Li Chenghao presented the newly arrived document: "This is a battle report sent overnight by General Zhao Yunting via express courier."

"Your son knew Father was worried about the war in the North, so as soon as I saw it in the Cabinet, I brought it to you immediately!"

"Hmm... well done!"

Emperor Hong gave a perfunctory compliment and hurriedly opened it. His eyes lit up instantly. If he weren't accustomed to hiding his emotions, he would have wanted to laugh out loud toward the heavens!

"Good! What a Lin Xiao! What a Zhenbei Army!!"

Zheng Yangwei poked his head forward; he was also extremely curious about this young General Lin.

"The vast Sha Prefecture was actually taken in two days? This... and Yan Shifeng, an inspector general of a prefecture, could actually go missing?!"

"Indeed! Eunuch Zheng! Look at this, it is simply Heaven protecting Father! Father is truly the Son of Heaven!"

Li Chenghao's flattery lacked any skill, being purely driven by emotion.

Zheng Yangwei nodded repeatedly. "The Crown Prince is absolutely right. However, why does this battle report not mention General Lin at all, while mentioning Mu Wanying quite frequently?"

"This... this Prince does not understand either. Could it be that in this operation, the Zhenbei Army was mainly commanded by General Zhao and General Mu, and General Lin did not participate?"

"Sha Prefecture had at least sixty to seventy thousand defenders. The combined numbers of the Cold Iron Guard and the Golden Scale Guard are only about ten thousand. Are they truly so invincible and brave?"

Emperor Hong chuckled softly, dismissing their speculations.

"That kid Lin Xiao... he's looking down on me."

Both men looked surprised. What did that mean?

Emperor Hong sighed. "I merely sent one Minister Liu Zongfu to the front for an on-site inspection, and he became so cautious that he doesn't even dare to claim credit."

"Could it be that by killing one Mu Tiexin, I have become a faint-hearted monarch who completely cannot tolerate powerful ministers in their eyes!?"

As he reached the end, a flicker of pain and indignation appeared in Emperor Hong's eyes.

Zheng Yangwei and Li Chenghao suddenly understood. No wonder you are the Emperor; your thoughts are indeed deep!

Indeed, given Lin Xiao's performance in recent months, Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong and others in the court had already begun to worry that he was becoming too powerful to control.

Lin Xiao's military achievements had accumulated too quickly. In less than a year, he had risen from a low-level soldier to the highest rank of the Border Army, the third-rank General Yunhui.

Such a rapid promotion was something even Mu Tiexin back then couldn't compare to.

At this rate, being granted a title of nobility or becoming a minister was only a matter of time!

Moreover, Lin Xiao not only had Mu Wanying by his side but also people like Zhao Yunting, who had an excellent relationship with Mu Tiexin.

He would naturally consider whether his achievements would overshadow his master and if he would be suspected by the Emperor.

Therefore, in this battle report, he didn't seek any credit for himself at all, acting as if he didn't even exist.

He even left the writing of the report to Zhao Yunting.

"Your Majesty, please do not be distressed. After all, General Lin has never met Your Majesty in person."

Zheng Yangwei hurriedly consoled him, "Once he truly meets Your Majesty, he will naturally feel the vastness of Imperial favor and completely dispel his doubts."

"It matters not. I am the Son of Heaven. Why should my actions need to be understood by a subject?"

"My merits and faults will be judged by future generations thousands of years from now."

Emperor Hong quickly brushed aside his melancholy and walked excitedly to the territory map.

He picked up a Phoebe zhennan rod, poked Sha Prefecture, and drew a line downward...

"Issue an imperial edict to Lin Xiao, Zhao Yunting, and Mu Wanying. The Zhenbei Army is to take a short rest in Sha Prefecture and then immediately head south to Gan Province!"

"I want Prince Bai's army of two hundred and fifty thousand to have no return!!"

...

Qin Province, Jingtian County.

Under the cover of night, five thousand surviving elite Qing Kings Army soldiers quietly advanced from a ridge north of the county town toward Prince Bai's army camp.

Lin Xiao was at the very front of the army, together with General Cao Wang.

He hadn't expected that a small path allowing for rapid passage had been carved out on this mountain long ago.

Clearly, Prince Qing had long been prepared for this war.

Upon reaching the rear of Prince Bai's camp, the five thousand soldiers immediately lay prone to hide.

As soon as the five hundred Azure Dragon Guards led by Jiang Wanli and the twenty thousand main force initiated the charge, they would descend the mountain from the rear and strike directly into the flank of Prince Bai's army!

As they waited, all the veterans held their breath, their faces filled with the resolve of those prepared to die.

They had to hold the defensive line of Qin Province. Otherwise, if they died, their wives, children, and elderly would all suffer.

"Yang Hui."

Cao Wang lay on the ground, turned his head, and glanced at Lin Xiao.

"I don't know if we can make it through tonight. Can you tell me... who exactly are you?"

Lin Xiao was startled but did not panic, as he didn't care much about being discovered anyway.

"What do you mean, General Cao?"

"Yang Hui's hometown isn't Nuquan."

Lin Xiao chuckled softly. This rough man had actually set a trap for him?

"Then why didn't you expose me in front of Commander Jiang?"

"I'm not stupid. You're so powerful and willing to help us kill Prince Bai's soldiers. If I forced you away, wouldn't our loss be huge?"

"So that's how it is... then the General only needs to know that right now, I am Yang Hui."

Cao Wang sighed, having expected that he wouldn't get an answer.

"Forget it. No matter who you are, it's thanks to you that we could hold Jingtian these past two days... thanks, brother!"

Looking at the open-minded Cao Wang, Lin Xiao couldn't help but feel emotional.

He was a good man. If there were no war, with his wisdom and ability, he should have been able to live a decent little life...

In the end, small figures could only be swept up by the power-hungry hearts of these vassal kings, unable to control their own destinies in the turbulent flow of a chaotic era.

Even someone like himself, with a system to rely on, still had to be cautious, fearing he might fail in an unexpected way.

"Sigh... before I came out, my wife was about to give birth. She should have finished by now. The first two were sons; I wonder if I can have a daughter..."

While listening to Cao Wang's mumbling, Lin Xiao heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching from Jingtian.

Sure enough, there was immediate movement in Prince Bai's camp.

"Cavalry!! Enemy attack!!"

More and more torches were lit in the camp, like countless stars gathering toward the front.

The well-trained Prince Bai's army had been waiting in full battle gear. At this moment, a large number of archers poured out, drawing their bows to full moons in front of the main camp!

On the other side, a giant of a man with disheveled hair, wearing only leather armor and looking like a wild man from the mountains, held a dark gold Chi-dragon Pattern Long Spear. He rode a heavy-armored Sweat-blood Warhorse, charging toward the camp with unstoppable momentum!!

Behind him, five hundred Azure Dragon Guards in dark cyan armor were lined up in two rows, resembling a green dragon as they followed closely in the charge!