20demayo Chapter 493
Chapter 493
The air was thick with the scent of blood, enveloping the entire rocky edge.
The civilians had already obeyed General Shi's orders and evacuated the city, migrating south.
The court had anticipated this and assigned military commanders to escort the civilians during their relocation. The Jin Kingdom's attempts to launch surprise attacks and threaten were foiled.
Every move they made was within Great Yan's grasp, as if the Jin Kingdom's battle plans had been leaked in advance to Great Yan.
But how could that be possible? Who would leak such secrets?
The actual battle plans were known only to a handful of high-ranking generals.
"Your Majesty, there's no time to uncover the traitor now. It's better to send two elite units to attack them tonight, catching them off guard."
"Exactly! Your Majesty, if we burn their grain supplies and intercept their rear reinforcements, the Eastern Expeditionary Army will surely meet their end."@@@@
Helian Chi swept his gaze across the tent, suspecting everyone present of being Great Yan's spy.
"Your Majesty, let me go. I am skilled in hypnosis and have ways to escape if faced with enemies."
Hei Yun stood up, volunteering: "I will definitely burn their granary."
Helian Chi trusted no one else with this mission, only Hei Yun, whom he had personally trained. Together with Jian Li, they were his most prized disciples.
Hei Yun, due to a childhood encounter, had learned hypnosis, making her superior to Jian Li and a secret weapon of the Shuliu Pavilion, unknown even to Jian Li.
Helian Chi trusted her more than anyone else. Over the years, Hei Yun's contributions to the Jin Kingdom had fully justified his faith in her.
"Very well!"
The emperor nodded. "I will give you thirty of the most elite vanguard squad members. You must lead them and burn the granary of the Great Yan forces."
"I will not let Your Majesty down!"
As night fell—
A swift horse galloped out from the Jin Kingdom's military camp. A young recruit tried to block it but was pulled back by an older soldier. "Are you tired of living? That's the Black Cloud Commander, most loyal to the emperor. She's leaving the camp on his orders. Dare you stop her?"
The Black Cloud Commander was the Jin Kingdom's top Black Dragon Guard leader, comparable to Great Yan's Imperial Dragon Guard, both being the emperor's most trusted protectors.
The horse galloped to the border between the rocky edge and the Jin Kingdom. A female soldier emerged from the darkness: "What new developments in the Jin Kingdom these days?"
Hei Yun's expression was blank, her eyes empty: "Tonight at the third watch, the Jin Kingdom plans to send a squad of elite soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the Great Yan camp and burn their grain supplies."
Hei Yun paid no heed to the gossip behind her. Her sole focus was to support the emperor, eliminate Great Yan, and bring unified control to the Jin Kingdom.
As the night deepened—
The Great Yan camp was utterly silent, with no extraneous noises.
Occasionally, the snores and muttering of sleeping soldiers could be heard.
The Jin Kingdom's vanguard squad moved silently, avoiding the watchtowers, approaching the dozing guards at the gate, knocking them out with swift strikes.
If not for fearing the noise would alert the Great Yan soldiers on the watchtowers, Hei Yun would have killed them.
Several Jin Kingdom soldiers donned Great Yan uniforms and stood below the watchtowers, ensuring they remained undetected.
Hei Yun communicated using hand signals, splitting the squad into four groups to act separately.
This way, even if discovered, one or two could escape to relay the message.
Meanwhile, in the Jin Kingdom camp—
Soft hands reached out from behind, wrapping around Helian Chi's waist: "Ah Chi, what are you worried about?"
Helian Chi turned, pulling Su Yanran into his embrace: "I feel our path has been too smooth."
Su Yanran's delicate brows furrowed deeply: "What? Do you regret it? Are you afraid of dying?"
"That's not what I mean."
Helian Chi explained slowly: "The emperor of Great Yan is a master of treachery. This time, he was so easily hypnotized, allowing you to acquire the border defense plans. I find it unsettling."
It's akin to the king of the forest, the tiger, who has always been a carnivore. Yet, one day, a fox claims the tiger has converted to vegetarianism. Would the lion believe it?
"But he was hypnotized by Hei Yun!"
Su Yanran was determined to avenge her family; she wouldn't allow Helian Chi to falter now.
She pushed him away: "You promised, to claim the throne was to avenge me. That's why I agreed to marry you. If you want to retreat, go alone. Leave the army to me; I will... I will personally kill Jiang Xinyue and that tyrant emperor."
"You're talking nonsense again."
Helian Chi sighed: "I'm here with you, how can I turn back now? Whatever you want to do, I'll be by your side, even if it means overturning the heavens."
For the woman he loved, Helian Chi was willing to gamble the lives of the entire Jin Kingdom's populace, a gamble Shen Ye, the Great Yan emperor, could never match.