Chapter 294 Young Geniuses Me (1/2)
Chapter 294 – Young Geniuses Met
[Silver Axe Legion]
The flags of [Xu] and [Silver Axe] fluttered as the troops of 40,000 marched on the new road from Zhongshan to Ji City.
All officers in charge, Xu Huang, Gao Shun, Lu Zhi, Zhou Cang, Bo Cai, Zhang Liang, and Zhang Bao were here. They did not bother leaving someone to guard the city as subordinates of Lu Zhi were watching over it.
Zhen Yi had also been quiet inside the city after he was demoted from the governor position. Nobody knew what he was doing.
.
It did not take long for a scout team to come back.
”Report! Ji City has already fallen to Xiongnu. Our spies managed to get out of the city and meet us along the way. They said Xiongnu were looting Ji City's treasury, provision, and enslaving the people inside!”
Everybody glanced at Lu Zhi, waiting for his thought.
Instead of thinking of a strategy, Lu Zhi educated the officers about Xiongnu.
”The nature of these nomads is carefree and rootless. They never settle down in one place, but they always travel through grasslands, plains, forests, or whatever comes their way. They don't care about managing large cities. They don't bother fiddling with brushes and scrolls as much as we do. However, they excel in horse riding, archery, and open-field military tactics.”
”Normally, they won't seek trouble with the Han ever since Li Guang, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing's had driven their forces all the way back to Lake Baikal* hundreds of years ago, they should have been crippled to the point that they can't seek trouble with the Han again. However, their arrival is an omen that something has changed within their ranks.”
(*Author Note: Lake Baikal is a part of present-day Russia.)
All officers did not understand Lu Zhi. Xu Huang had to take the initiative to interrupt, ”Senior Lu, what does the history of Xiongnu has to do with our current situation?”
”This situation is too unusual, little Xu. Even I can't grasp the logic and their motive for stealing our supplies, wealth, and our people. It should not be because of the drought since the nomads rarely cultivate lands, but they prioritized on animal husbandry. They should not lack food to the point that they have to raid our country. That comes to my wild guess.”
Lu Zhi paused. His solemn expression and the depth of his eyes scared all elites to the point that they stopped breathing for a few seconds.
”I'm trying to say, be wary of them. Think of their army as if our young master and his wives were leading them! If they come here for the sake of looting and stealing, everything will be fine. Otherwise, be prepared for the war of annihilation!”
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Lu Zhi reported everything to Tong in the clan chat.
Tong: ”We have to prepare for the immortal within Xiongnu?”
Lu Zhi: ”There's no other explanation. Their action is against their true nature. Someone is manipulating them.”
This year, five more people had joined the clan chat.
Sima Fang
He Xing
Ju Shou
Lu Zhi
Xu Huang
Lu Zhi and Xu Huang were added to the group later after the hectic early year.
Lu Zhi: ”Also, their number is too many! The battles they had with Emperor Wu was only around 100,000, but they suddenly come at the border with the greater number within a few hundred years. That's illogical!”
Ding Yuan: ”I agree with this. They shouldn't have this many warhorses and supplies for this many troops, but they did show up in my border.”
Tong: ”Senior Ding, have they attacked you again?”
Ding Yuan: ”No, but they are provoking us into small skirmishes. We are holding the line just fine. Lu Bu is getting better by the way. You don't have to worry about him betraying you for the meantime.”
Tong: ”Good to hear.”
Tong: ”Back to the Xiongnu topic, how dangerous is the Xiongnu in your point of view, senior Ding, Wenyuan. I need your honest opinion.”
Zhang Liao: ”Annoying. That's my answer.”
Ding Yuan: ”Same. But seriously, if our men didn't wear the knight armors, we would have been in troubles.”
Tong: ”Details, please.”
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Xu Huang continued to read the clan chat as he refrained himself from speaking or inputting his comment. Because he judged that he was still young and inexperienced, it would be better to have elites discussing the matter without his interference.
While Xu Huang was reading, a guard rushed at his side.
”Commander, sir. Two young men are coming to see you. They said they were from Beiping and they want to help us eliminate the Xiongnu in the city.
The guard let the two came in. They were a 16-year-old teenager in a white commander cloth armor and a tattered cloth 12-year-old boy.
Zhao Yun and Tian Yu met Xu Huang.
Zhao Yun knelt and bow to Xu Huang. He did not mind about his current position or hold any pride in his rank as the governor.
”Sir, I'm Zhao Yun. The new protector of Ji City. Unfortunately, before I can begin my first day of work, the Xiongnu already took the city. I hope that I can join you if you plan to take the city or to fight the Xiongnu.”
Tian Yu looked back and forth in awkwardness. In the end, he also knelt and mimicked Zhao Yun's action.
Xu Huang had a complicated feeling seeing the young governor. He, too, was only 19 this year, but he was already leading a 40,000-man-legion.
Two young geniuses could sense strange compatibility at first glance.
'He doesn't look like a son of a noble. He must have climb his way to the top with his skills,' Thought Xu Huang.
'Unbelievable! He seems a bit older than me, but Zhang Tong puts him as the grand commander of this huge army!?' Zhao Yun was astonished.
Xu Huang coughed, ”You can stand, young governor. We're here to help Lord Gongsun repelling the invaders in the first place. There is no reason for refusing your cooperation.”
Zhao Yun stood up, ”Thank you, sir! By the way, I don't mind if you assign me to the frontline. I'm confident with my fighting skills.”
”Sure.”
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Xu Huang guided Zhao Yun to the officers so he could introduce this young man to them and explain about his trouble.