Chapter 2030: Using the Best Generals to Lead the Worst Soldiers

Chapter 2011: The Best General Leads the Worst Troops

A quarter of an hour later, Wanqiliang arrived to see him."Emperor, you sent for me?"

He Lingchuan handed him the intelligence report. "What do you think?"Wanqiliang quickly read through it, understanding that the situation was unprecedentedly difficult. The elite soldiers and strong generals of the Ya Kingdom were incomparable to the low-quality troops on the Shanjing Plains.

The Shanjing Plain's momentum was strong, and the Dragon God's army was now surely focused on attacking Baitang, leaving no time to spare for the east. This was He Lingchuan's most crucial battle for unifying the Shanjing Plains; a good start was vital, as momentum could wane. However, the Ya Kingdom's invasion could not be ignored either, or it would be like a cavity, growing larger and larger.

"These shameless bandits!" Wanqiliang fumed. "Emperor, just give the order, your humble general will not shrink from death!"

Ordinarily, He Lingchuan would have found it amusing. War truly honed people; even this young man had become shrewd, refraining from admitting he didn't know what to do and instead requesting orders, promising to follow them without question.He simply said, "Alright, you go then."

"Yes, sir!" Wanqiliang was not surprised.When summoned, he had already prepared himself mentally for a tough mission and a hard fight—during this period of the Dragon God's war, the Shanjing Plains offered plenty of hard battles.But how could he possibly defeat the Ya Kingdom's soldiers and generals? He would have to think about it carefully later.

Wanqiliang was a Bailong. His Bailong clan still had a score to settle with the Ya Kingdom.The time for revenge had come.

Then, he heard He Lingchuan's next words:"But leave all your troops behind."

"Huh?" Wanqiliang looked up, his face full of questions.A general without troops? How was he supposed to fight alone?

He Lingchuan's expression was serious; he wasn't joking. "You won't be alone. You will lead the troops alongside Qiuhu to repel the Ya Kingdom's invasion, using only the new recruits he just trained."

Wanqiliang, lacking Wanqifung's composure, couldn't help but lose his self-control. "Then, we're not using the Black Armored Army?"

He Lingchuan slowly shook his head. "Not only will we not use the Black Armored Army or the Luodian soldiers, but I will also reassign half of Qiuhu's elite troops elsewhere."He still left half behind. An army of only new recruits wouldn't work; veterans were needed to guide and stabilize the new ones.If an army were a fist, new recruits would be the flesh and blood, while veterans would be the sinews and bones.

Wanqiliang was stunned. How could they fight this battle? They were facing the Ya Kingdom's army!

"Aside from our elite forces, you may use any and all available soldiers from the western and central Shanjing Plains," He Lingchuan stated clearly. "I have only one demand for you—"He pointed at the sand table."Fight for every inch of land, concede not a single step!"

Everyone knew that the border between the Ya Kingdom and the former Peng Kingdom was a sparsely populated Gobi Desert and wasteland. In recent years, due to frequent Imperial Dew occurrences, grass and trees had begun to grow there, but residents had not yet developed the area, and the land's value itself was not high.Even so, He Lingchuan still issued the iron command of "fight for every inch of land!"

Sweat dripped down Wanqiliang's forehead. With the Dragon God's elite forces reassigned, what other method could possibly stop the Ya Kingdom's army from invading?Unless—The Emperor had just said that troops could be deployed as they wished!

He instinctively clenched his fists.Seeing this, He Lingchuan knew he had understood.It was the only way, and also the cruelest.

"Can you do it?"Wanqiliang grit out a single word through his teeth: "Yes!"

"What if you can't hold them?"Wanqiliang replied resolutely, "Then they'll have to wade over the corpses of Qiuhu and me first!"

"This is a difficult task for you," He Lingchuan said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But this time, I can only use the best generals to lead the worst troops!"

Wanqiliang's face flushed crimson, swollen with surging blood.The Emperor himself had certified him as the best general!He straightened his back. "Your humble general will surely complete the mission!"

"Also, I have someone here who is quite suitable for this task; take him with you," He Lingchuan said, then walked to the door to give an instruction.

Soon after, someone strode in and bowed to He Lingchuan. "Emperor!"Wanqiliang was startled to see the person and blurted out, "Ah, Uncle Song?"

The person who entered was indeed Wanqisong!Years ago, he had led his nephew Wanqifung and the Bailong clansmen to plunder the Yangshan Archipelago. The plot was exposed, and he was captured. He Lingchuan had then sentenced him to two years of mining. Later, when the Dragon God needed strong warriors, Wanqisong joined the Black Armored Army, starting as a common soldier and rising steadily through the ranks with military achievements. However, he had been operating in other regions and had not met Wanqiliang.

"He is now a commander, and this time he was responsible for escorting a batch of supplies," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Wanqisong, the western front of the territory is about to go to war with the Ya Kingdom."He Lingchuan's reason for employing Wanqisong was his appreciation for talent. This man was courageous and fierce, a born general. As the Dragon God campaigned in all directions, he needed powerful individuals like him under his command.

"The Ya Kingdom?" Wanqisong narrowed his eyes, a fierce glint in them. "A god-given opportunity! I beg you, Lord, grant me this chance!"In the past, the Bailong clan had been persecuted by the Ya Kingdom's monarch, becoming displaced and forced to flee everywhere. If not for the sanctuary offered by the Yangshan Archipelago, who knew what their fate would have been.Now, they could settle both old and new scores!

He Lingchuan pointed at Wanqiliang and said to Wanqisong, "Qiuhu will be the main general, and he will be the deputy. You will also serve as a commander there."

Wanqisong declared loudly, "Lord, rest assured. In the army, I am a commander, and I only obey my superiors' orders. I won't claim kinship or old ties with this young man. If I make a mistake, he will punish me; if I commit a capital crime, he will be the one to execute me!"

"Hand over your military duties and depart tomorrow morning," He Lingchuan said without further pleasantries, then turned to Wanqiliang. "Time is short. I will also send orders to Qiuhu, instructing him to prepare his men and hasten to the western front."

"Yes, sir." Wanqiliang and Wanqisong saluted and withdrew.In the fading light of night, their retreating figures exuded a dauntless bravery.

The mirror gasped, "Wow, no way, you're..."Even the mirror, an artifact with a heart of iron and stone, found it terrifying. "How many people will die?"

He Lingchuan, however, said, "The Ya Kingdom does not worship the gods of Lingxu. This deployment might be related to Beijia, but more importantly, the Ya Kingdom itself saw an opportunity. Yet, it isn't fully committed; unless it gains a significant advantage in Shanjing, it won't launch a full-scale invasion."

"This invasion by thirty thousand troops is merely the Ya Kingdom's first attempt. If fighting and plundering here proves easier than tearing apart a steamed bun, the next invasion could involve fifty thousand, a hundred thousand, or even two hundred thousand!"

The mirror understood. That was why its master had given Wanqiliang and Qiuhu the military order to "fight for every inch of land!"

"You're not wrong, many will die," He Lingchuan said, looking at the Shanjing western front on the sand table. "Qiuhu and Wanqiliang's battle won't be easy; it's likely like trying to crack a stone with an egg."

The Soul-Snatching Mirror immediately grew worried. "Master, you... you have a backup plan, don't you?"

"Relying solely on ourselves, it's indeed difficult to manage both ends," He Lingchuan said, picking up a flag and gently planting it on the sand table. "At this moment, we need some assistance."