Chapter 599: Panic, a quick battle to force a decision (1/2)

Chapter 599: Panic, a quick battle to force a decision

General Chu was in the midst of his temper, so Long Feiye’s blatant provocation almost made him explode. Luckily, Chu Yunyi was by his side. He had once been set off by Long Feiye as well, but as an outsider to battle affairs, he was more clearheaded than General Chu right now. Before General Chu could unsheathe his sword, Chu Yunyi had already pressed his hand down and murmured, “Remember, Han Yunxi is Long Feiye’s weak spot. Moving against her is definitely the right choice!”

General Chu controlled his temper and calmed down after adjusting his emotions. He loudly shouted back, “Duke of Qin, how can you issue a challenge for a duel when our armies have yet to sortie? If you don’t know the rules of war, hurry up and withdraw. Don’t come making a disgrace out of yourself!”

“The victor’s already decided, so what’s the need of a sortie? Your lordship wants to take your three prefectures within a single day!” Long Feiye retorted coldly.

“Haha!” General Chu laughed out loud. If it was Youyun and Yaoshui Prefectures, he could see how they would fall from a weakness in numbers. But Fenglin Prefecture was the main stronghold of his soldiers, which was 50,000 strong. There were also the 3,000 strongest archers from the Nether Clan that formed their own unit. How could Long Feiye and a measly 5,000 men have the confidence to say such jokes?

“Setting 5,000 against my 50,000? Heheh, this old man understands. The Duke of Qin says the victor’s already been decided and came to challenge me to a duel because you’ve already accepted your loss,” General Chu guffawed.

Long Feiye stopped wasting words and raised his sword, preparing to deploy his troops.

“Hold it!” General Chu said hastily! No matter what, he had to buy time for Youyun and Yaoshui.

“Surrendering?” Long Feiye asked succinctly, but his one word was enough to infuriate General Chu all over again.

He suppressed his wrath and said loudly, “Fine, this general will agree to duel you. But only on one condition!”

“Speak!” Long Feiye said.

“Before the victor is decided, both Youyun and Yaoshui Prefectures have to stop the fighting!” Here was General Chu’s ultimate goal. Since both regions were next door to Fenglin, a single flying hawk message would be enough to halt the battles there.

Long Feiye’s lips curved up in a smirk. “General Chu means to say that you’ll pay for your loss by giving up those two prefectures in turn?” If he hadn’t come here with a plan, why would he waste words with General Chu at all? His issue of a duel was simply to make sure General Chu stayed put in Fenglin Prefecture so that he and Western Zhou’s armies would be able to take the other two territories within a day. But if General Chu abandoned Fenglin Prefecture and came to aid one of the besieged prefectures instead, then the battle would drag on until they were forced to contend with Great General Ning’s additional forces! Ning Cheng would have received the news by now, and was probably rushing towards them at this instant.

General Chu generously agreed to Long Feiye’s terms. “Fine! If this soldier loses, Youyun and Yaoshui Prefecture are both yours! How’s that?”

Long Feiye smirked again. He and General Chu would determine a victor in less than two hours, which was enough time for Youyun and Yaoshui to pause the fighting. Why would he refuse a chance to claim three prefectures at once without the loss of a single soldier?

“It looks like General Chu has great confidence in your archery skills!” His rare good mood made him speak more than usual.

“In other words, Your Highness Duke of Qin agrees?” General Chu asked.

“Your lordship agrees,” Long Feiye replied magnanimously.

“Good. Then may Your Highness Duke of Qin first halt the battles at Youyun and Yaoshui,” General Chu said quickly.

Long Feiye released Han Yunxi and flew into the air before landing on the spacious ground between Fenglin Prefecture’s city gates and his 5,000 crack troops. His proud and lofty form stood with his black robes fluttering in the breeze. One hand rested behind his back while the other held a long sword. His voice was as cold as ice as he spoke, shocking both armies. “As soon as General Chu comes down to accept the duel, your lordship will send orders to stop the fighting in the north and south!”

General Chu paused and didn’t budge. With both armies facing off and an challenge to duel in the open, the fight naturally laid between the two leaders of the various sides. With Han Yunxi sharing the same horse as Long Feiye, General Chu could either pick him or her to be his opponent. That had his original idea after Chu Yunyi told him to come onto the watchtower. It was also why he’d agreed to readily to duel—so he could buy time by tricking Long Feiye to stop the other armies first, then dally his way through their match in a different location. But now Long Feiye had requested him to get off the watchtower. Now what should he do?

Although Long Feiye didn’t press him, General Chu couldn’t delay indefinitely. After all, war had already broken out in the north and south sides. They were probably embroiled in fighting at this very moment! As he hesitated, two soldiers arrived with battle reports that made his face blanch. Both north and south were in a sorry plight, especially Youyun Prefecture. Emperor Kang Cheng had already diverted half of the troops stationed to defend against Northern Li into this battle. At this rate, the city would fall before nighttime. General Chu knew that his best choice now was to forsake Fenglin Prefecture and hurry to help Youyun hold out until Great General Ning arrived. But Long Feiye had already reached his city gates. He himself had agreed to duel him, so now he’d trapped himself here. Those who ride a tiger find it difficult to dismount!

It was rare for Long Feiye to be so patient enough to wait, and with such amusement too. General Chu had no choice but to proclaim, “Duke of Qin, since Qin Wangfei’s sitting in the commander-in-chief’s position, I’ll start off this duel by setting my female deputy-general to take on the challenge!”