Chapter 387: Contingency Plan (2) (1/2)

Great General Min was seated at the same level as Yuan Zhong. There were only about thirty thousand men in the northwestern army. With the Hunan troops added in to this temporary army, they only numbered fifty thousand. Although the Min army only had about thirty thousand men, their weapons and equipment were of much better quality than those of the northwestern army. If they were to face off in a battle, the northwestern army would not be a match for the Min army.

Furthermore, there were twenty thousand Hunan troops mixed in with the northwestern army right now. If it really came down to a fight, the Hunan troops might take advantage of the confusion for their own benefit. Yuan Zhong hadn’t climbed up to this position by being stupid. He could only lament that He Changdi had been too thorough and careful in his actions. He and Xiao Bojian had been too careless.

Now that the Min army had arrived, they had lost their best chance to strike. Those snowboat blueprints were now out of their grasp.

With the Min army supporting He Changdi, the northwestern army handed over the grains they had stored in Su City the very next day.

Great General Min personally escorted He Changdi’s group out to Lake Qianshan.

Although the Min army had rushed over to Su City in just two short days, they hadn’t been given actual military orders so they couldn’t stay in Su City for too long, despite being under Prince Jin’s orders.

Thus, on the third day after He Changdi’s grain supply group had left, the Min army also made their way back to the Min River area.

Xiao Bojian stayed in his tent with an overcast expression. Yuan Zhong’s trust in him had lessened since his plan had failed. These few days, Yuan Zhong seemed to be avoiding him on purpose, leaving him furious.

One silently stood behind Xiao Bojian and pretended not to exist.

It was only when Xiao Bojian called out to him that he made a sound of acknowledgement and walked over to his master’s side, “Your orders, Master?”

After a slight pause, Xiao Bojian’s face contorted into an extremely fierce expression, “Send the information I wrote yesterday to Liangzhou, as soon as possible!”

Without a shred of hesitation, One answered affirmatively and dashed out to execute his orders!

Xiao Bojian toyed with the jade amulet attached to his waist. Once he thought of the fact that He Changdi’s efforts to bring provisions to Liangzhou might simply become fuel for someone else’s achievements, he wondered how He Changdi would feel, and whether he would fall apart.

Although the skies over Su City had cleared up for two days, Liangzhou was still experiencing heavy winds and snow. As of now, the snow was already knee deep and it was difficult even for horses to pass through.

Chu Lian stayed in the female camp with her maidservants and passed her days in relaxation.

Ten days had passed since He Changdi left, and she couldn’t help but start to worry about him.

Going by normal speeds, even if he went to Su City to borrow provisions, he should have been back in ten days. Even if he got delayed along the way, it would take another two days at the most.

However, other than the endless wind and snow blowing over the plains, there was no other news from the border army camp.

Chu Lian could guess that the state of the army’s supplies was close to critical.

Over the next two days, there were cases of soldiers from both the Left Wing and Right Wing armies fainting while on guard duty due to hunger.

However, even so, the army cooks still didn’t give the hungry soldiers even a single bowl more of bean porridge.