38 THE GENERAL PART II (1/2)

Rival Once Again.

I come closer to the King, ”Second Grandson, I don't like that Royal Advisor. Why did you appoint him? He's trying to wedge war between you and your brother. Expel him,” I complain.

The King sighs as if he's thinking the same thing as me. The Royal Advisor is truly an unlikable person but his qualifications exceed every man in this nation. I'm sure the King considers his qualifications more than his personality.

I just wish the King doesn't take into consideration of what the Royal Advisor said about the General.

***

A few days later, during the weekly assembly an informant from the North Border comes and asks permission to meet the King.

”Call him in,” the King says to Eunuch Moon. The King dismisses the Ministers as he knows some of the Minister dislikes any news regarding the General, any progress he made will make them suspicious.

The informant greets the King. ”Your humble servant greets you, Your Majesty.”

”Rise. What's the news?” The King enquire.

”Your Majesty, I bring a good news for you,” his face brightens. ”Our soldiers had won the battle against the Ming! It's all thanks to General Lee's strategies.”

”It's indeed a good news!” The King smiles widely. ”Tell me more on the General's strategies that brings us victory!”

I sit on the steps, waiting for the informant to share the story of my grandson's first battle experience.

”The General knew that the Ming was only exaggerating about their numbers to make us scared but the General told us to let the Ming think that we really were scared. He sent an informant into the Ming's soldiers camps to spread rumours that our soldiers were afraid so that the Mings will become more arrogant.” The informant smirks.

”The night before the battle, their Commander sent an observer to observe our camps and the observer returned with a bright face. He reported to the Commander that our camps looked deserted. Only few tents had lights and others were dark, sign of no people inside. Only few campfires were burning, sign of only few people needed heat. Since it's still snowing in the North and it was indeed very cold, the observer believed our deception. The camp was so quiet that he believed most of the soldiers had indeed deserted. He calculated our numbers to be less than theirs.