347: Chapter 0347 Nothing

East of Baishui Prefecture, there lay a desolate Gobi desert.

The iron cavalry of the Barbarian Army trod over the shallow snow, advancing through the uninhabited wilderness.

"Foster father, we still have fifteen thousand troops; why not go to E Prefecture and have a slaughter?"

Tulishen was somewhat unwilling to give up, saying, "The main force of the Zhenbei Army is most likely in Yong Province. If we go to E Prefecture, the resistance should not be significant."

"Even if we could go to E Prefecture and slaughter a few county towns, what would be the point?"

Marshal Suhe shook his head and said, "Tulishen, you must understand that with such a remnant army, it is impossible to truly threaten the Zhenbei Army."

"If we want the people of Mobei to gain the greatest benefits and eliminate the strong enemy that is the Zhenbei Army, we must make the people of the Central Plains kill each other!"

"And the only ones who can destroy the Zhenbei Army are the people of the Central Plains themselves!"

"You must know that Lin Xiao, while seemingly infinitely glorious right now, is actually beset with troubles."

"If I have not guessed wrong, Emperor Hong is already extremely wary of him, even more so than he was of Prince Bai."

"The reason Emperor Hong has not taken action is, firstly, because the Zhenbei Army is at the peak of its power, and secondly... he lacks an excuse."

The eyes behind Tulishen's mask revealed a glimmer of keen light.

"Foster father, you mean to bypass the Northern Frontier entirely and strike directly at the Capital Region from Tong Province in the Yan Region!?"

A ruthless expression appeared on Marshal Suhe's lips. "Exactly... if our Mobei iron cavalry reaches the capital, it will be a dereliction of duty on the part of the General of the Zhenbei Army!"

"We only need to stir up a little trouble, and we can even make the imperial court and the people of the Central Plains suspicious of whether Lin Xiao intentionally let us in."

"Although we cannot truly take the capital, this will light a fire between Emperor Hong and Lin Xiao; that is one of the benefits."

"Secondly, it can boost the morale of our Mobei people; even if the Royal Court has been breached, our Mobei army can still enter your Capital Region!"

"Not only that, the Yan Region is currently in a state of recovery, so passing through there will not cost us much."

"This route of ours can greatly preserve our combat strength, and it is even possible to borrow a path into Khitan territory."

Tulishen's expression shifted. "Go to Khitan? Foster father, do you mean to make use of the power of the Khitan King, Khitan King Yelü Dachuan?"

"Khitan King Yelü Dachuan has just lost his trump cards, such as General Yelu Chuku and the Iron Hawks; he is at his weakest right now."

"Now that our Mobei royal power has fallen, he must feel that disaster is imminent and that he might be next."

"Therefore, if we go there, Khitan King Yelü Dachuan will not only refuse us, but will likely treat us as honored guests."

"We can rest and recuperate in Khitan, and when the Central Plains start infighting, we can choose an opportunity to return to Mobei and retake the Royal Court!"

Tulishen and the other subordinates gasped after hearing this, feeling incredibly excited!

It turned out that in Marshal Suhe's mind, there was already such a complete master plan for a counterattack!?

They had originally thought it was just about burning, killing, and fighting to the death within the Great Gan.

But now it seemed that if they could successfully retreat from the Capital Region, they would still have much to achieve!

They could even use this opportunity to achieve unprecedented success!

"Truly worthy of being the famous Mobei commander who helped Khan Jilun unify Mobei and shake the world with his might."

"It is just a pity... that you know nothing about the power of the Zhenbei Army."

A cold and arrogant voice came from who knows where!!

"Clang! Clang!" A chorus of blades being drawn rang out. The Barbarian Army soldiers looked around in confusion, but saw no one!?

Tulishen frowned and looked up abruptly!

"In the sky!!"

Only then did everyone look up and see a black silhouette walking through the air!?

With every step the woman took, a thin layer of ice condensed beneath her feet, allowing her to glide rapidly and silently through the air!

This movement technique left the Barbarian Army soldiers completely dumbfounded!

"Foster father, be careful!"

Tulishen was as if facing a formidable enemy. "This woman's strength is unfathomable; she is likely a top-tier existence among Martial Arts Grandmasters, and in all probability, she is above me!"

Marshal Suhe's expression was grave. His foster son, Tulishen, was considered the prized student of Grand Shaman Akwota.

He had learned the true teachings from a young age and had stepped into the level of a Martial Arts Grandmaster before the age of forty, making him a prodigy among the younger generation of the grasslands.

If he could say such a thing, it seemed this woman was truly formidable!

But when the woman landed gracefully on a rock in front of them, everyone could not help but stare in astonishment!

Even without makeup and dressed in black, the woman could not hide her peerless beauty.

The key was... how was she so young!?

"Marshal Suhe, this is our first formal meeting; let me introduce myself."

"My name is Xiao Qingxuan, and I am Lin Xiao's wife."

Marshal Suhe was, after all, a veteran of many storms and quickly calmed down. "I have heard of you; you are Lin Xiao's right-hand woman. I have heard that your contribution to Lin Xiao's rapid capture of the Northern Frontier and his orderly rule was not small."

"I have merely put some of my husband's ideas into practice; compared to my husband's grand strategy, it is nothing," Xiao Qingxuan said indifferently.

"Hmph, you are certainly humble, but I truly did not expect that Lin Xiao's wife would be a Martial Arts Grandmaster... Heaven really does favor him," Marshal Suhe said with some helplessness.

"Marshal, you have misunderstood again."

Xiao Qingxuan shook her head and said, "My martial arts were also taught by my husband; this is all my husband's credit."

"Woman! Stop gilding Lin Xiao's lily! How long have Lin Xiao and you been together? How much martial arts could he have taught you?"

Tulishen did not believe it at all. "If you think you can stop us all by yourself, then you are overthinking it!"

"Foster father, this woman is just as cunning as Lin Xiao; she is most likely stalling for time while waiting for the main force to arrive. Allow me to take her down first!!"

Marshal Suhe frowned but did not refuse.

Even if they were to negotiate, it had to be based on Xiao Qingxuan having sufficient bargaining chips, such as... martial force!

"Archers! Fire!!"

At Tulishen's command, hundreds of elite soldiers in the front row drew their bows until they were like full moons.

The powerful horn bows shot sharp arrows through the air, and their superb archery skills wove a net of death!

Xiao Qingxuan stood on the high rock, motionless, as if she did not see death approaching.

Just as the arrows were about to strike...

In an instant!

All the feathered arrows came to a halt at a distance of one hand's breadth in front of her!?

Frost rapidly covered the arrowheads, and they fell to the ground with a continuous "patter, patter" sound!

The Northern Barbarian cavalrymen's eyes revealed a look of terror; this made them feel even more desperate than if she had used internal energy to deflect the arrows from afar!

This showed that Xiao Qingxuan was completely at ease when facing the rain of arrows; she could be extremely confident, allowing the arrows to be controlled at a distance of mere inches!

"Let me come and test you!"

Tulishen leaped into the air from his horse, white streams of energy faintly flowing over his body, and his body suddenly accelerated!

What he practiced was the Shamanism technique "Snow Wolf Spirit Devour"; his physical fitness would be greatly enhanced, and he would gain wolf-like keenness and explosive power.

With just one tap on the ground, Tulishen crossed a distance of dozens of meters, spun in the air, and aimed his scimitar directly at Xiao Qingxuan's waist and abdomen!