Chapter 829: JiaoJiao Rides into Battle!
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The next morning, Gu Jiao gathered the six commanding officers under a large tree and carefully explained the battle plan.
Mu Qingchen and Advisor Hu were also present.
Advisor Hu was responsible for recording everything, as these reports would eventually be submitted to the imperial court.
Using a branch, Gu Jiao sketched a simple map on the ground and pointed to a small triangle on it. "This is our current position. Two supply convoys are approaching Quyang City, one heading toward the north gate and the other toward the east gate. We are closer to the north gate. I just scouted the terrain; there’s a canyon along the way that’s perfect for an ambush. In a short while, I will personally lead two thousand cavalry to seize the supplies outside the north gate. Once we’ve secured them, I will return here, where we will launch our ambush on the Nangong Family’s army."
"Additionally, to divide their forces, someone must also seize the supplies at the east gate. Once the Nangong Family’s troops arrive, do not engage them head-on. Instead, feign defeat and lead them on a chase, make them run as far as possible."
"By the time they realize they’ve fallen for a diversion, it will be too late for them to send reinforcements to the canyon."
"I have a personal vendetta with the Nangong Family—I killed Nangong Li. As long as I show myself, they will undoubtedly send their main force after me. Because of this, I must reserve eighteen thousand troops for the canyon ambush, leaving only two thousand for the east gate mission. This will be a difficult and dangerous task. Even if they send the majority of their troops to hunt me down, the remaining forces will still number at least ten thousand. If you are caught, the outcome will be complete annihilation. I need you all to understand that."
The Left Commander of the Vanguard Battalion, Cheng Fugui, clasped his fists. "Commander Xiao, I am willing to lead the troops to the east gate!"
The Right Commander of the Vanguard Battalion, Zhao Lei, also clasped his fists and said, "Let me go instead! My mother is from Quyang, and I lived here for a while. I’m more familiar with the terrain."
Gu Jiao looked at Zhao Lei, her expression serious. "Alright. I’ll leave the east gate’s supplies to you. Go and gather your troops."
Zhao Lei stood and left.
Gu Jiao then discussed the details of the ambush with the remaining officers and instructed Cheng Fugui to gather two thousand cavalry from the Vanguard Battalion to accompany her in the raid.
Once everyone had dispersed, Mu Qingchen turned to Gu Jiao and said, "I’ll go with you."
"No. You’ll go with Zhao Lei to seize the supplies outside the east gate." Gu Jiao spoke, then paused briefly before looking at him with a calm expression. "Once the supplies are secured, kill Zhao Lei."
Mu Qingchen was taken aback. "He…"
Gu Jiao said, "He’s a spy."
In her dream, it was Zhao Lei who had betrayed the Black Wind Army, revealing their whereabouts. Because of him, they were ambushed by the armies of Jin and Liang while crossing the mountains of Liuzhou, suffering catastrophic losses.
And this time, it was Zhao Lei who had leaked their arrival in Quyang to the Nangong Family, allowing them to prepare in advance.
The Nangong Family deliberately arranged for people to deliver the grain supplies, using it as bait to lure them into deploying their forces while already in a state of exhaustion.
The reason they did not directly attack was that their enemy had their backs against the mountain forest; once they retreated into the woods, it would be uncertain whose hunting ground it would become.
Thus, they had to find a way to lure the Black Wind Cavalry, who specialized in jungle warfare, out of their advantageous terrain.
As for why the grain supplies were divided into two separate convoys, it was because the Nangong Family held her in high regard; they wanted to draw away half of the Black Wind Cavalry, making it easier to encircle and kill her.
Unfortunately for them, she had no intention of splitting her forces evenly.
The moment Zhao Lei encountered the Nangong Family, he would immediately reveal the truth to them and, together with their army, annihilate the two thousand Black Wind Cavalry troops under his command.
Mu Qingchen had a question: "Why don't you just kill him now?"
Gu Jiao replied, "By bringing Zhao Lei along to seize the grain supplies, we ensure that everyone around him is one of our own. Those soldiers won’t truly fight against the Black Wind Cavalry, they’ll put up a false struggle and then feign a rout, which will minimize our casualties. Besides, on the way there, you can also extract some information from Zhao Lei. He sees you as a dead man, so he certainly won’t be stingy with his words."
Mu Qingchen was momentarily at a loss for words. "...Who taught you all this?"
Gu Jiao casually placed one hand behind her back while the other tapped twice against her outer thigh. Arrogantly, she declared, "Self-taught. A genius by nature!"
Mu Qingchen: "..."
By the afternoon, Zhao Lei led two thousand troops toward the eastern city gate, with Mu Qingchen accompanying him.
Meanwhile, Gu Jiao and Cheng Fugui took another two thousand cavalrymen toward the northern city gate.
The remaining sixteen thousand cavalrymen were commanded by Li Jin and Tong Zhong, who led them to the canyon where Gu Jiao had planned the ambush.
"Why is there nothing for us to do?"
Sitting outside the camp, Zhao Dengfeng gazed at the sky in boredom.
Wen Renchong found a well-lit spot and sat down to repair his armor.
Li Shen sat beside them, sharpening his blade.
Both Zhao Dengfeng and Li Shen were now just ordinary soldiers in the reserve camp, responsible for cooking meals.
Seeing how resigned they both looked, Zhao Dengfeng grew agitated. He spat out the stalk of wild grass in his mouth and said, "Can you two have a little ambition? If you're going to die, then die with honor! A real man should face death head-on! What kind of warrior hides in the rear camp?"
The blacksmith continued hammering iron, and the other kept sharpening his blade—neither of them paid him any attention.
Meanwhile, Gu Jiao led two thousand iron cavalry in a rapid assault, intercepting the grain supply convoy headed for Quyang City at the open plains of Baima Slope.
Although the soldiers escorting the supplies wore the armor of the local provincial forces, in reality, they were troops from the Nangong Family's army.
The general leading the convoy was an unexpected surprise to Gu Jiao—it turned out to be Nangong Ze, the third master of the Nangong Family and the younger brother of Nangong Li.
There were not many rumors about Nangong Ze in Shengdu. He had always been stationed at the border with the main army and had only returned once when the selection for the commander of the Black Wind Cavalry took place. Unfortunately, he had not faced Gu Jiao directly at the time.
Gu Jiao had seen his portrait in the Imperial Advisor’s Hall.
He was even more imposing and robust than in the painting. His skin, tanned to a bronze hue by the harsh sun at the border, framed a pair of sharp eyes that carried an unmistakable sneer as he looked at Gu Jiao.
"So, you're the new commander of the Black Wind Cavalry?"
His gaze landed on the birthmark on Gu Jiao’s left cheek.
This feature was too distinct—no one could possibly mistake her for someone else.
Gu Jiao, clad in a crimson battle robe and dark iron armor, sat atop the Black Wind King’s steed with an unyielding spirit. Though still youthful, her face carried a natural touch of innocence, yet her eyes reflected a composure and icy calm far beyond her years.
"You’re the one who killed my second brother, aren’t you?" Nangong Ze asked with a cold smile.
"It was me." Gu Jiao admitted openly, without the slightest hesitation.
Nangong Ze clearly had not expected her to admit it so readily. He froze for a moment before letting out a chilling laugh. "My second brother actually died at the hands of a brat like you? What a disgrace to the Nangong Family. Originally, I didn't want to go through such trouble, but everyone kept warning me about you. They insisted on using the grain supplies as bait to draw you out. Now that both my fourth brother and I are here, it seems my luck is better than his."
As he spoke, he glanced behind Gu Jiao and sneered in disdain. "But unfortunately, you only brought two thousand men. Should I say our plan was flawed, or should I say you’re reckless beyond belief? Just two thousand troops, and you dare to raid my five thousand?"
He smirked, then shook his head as if already deciding her fate. "But no matter. Once I capture you, your Black Wind Cavalry will throw themselves into the flames like moths, trying to rescue you."
Gu Jiao responded calmly, "What a coincidence. I was thinking the same thing—if I capture you, your eighty thousand Nangong troops will come running to save you."
"Hahahaha…" Nangong Ze was practically laughing himself breathless. "I’ve lived for over thirty years, and I’ve never heard such an arrogant claim! Your Black Cavalry
barely number twenty thousand, and you dare challenge my eighty thousand Nangong troops? You must be scared out of your mind!"
His gaze fell upon Gu Jiao’s armor, and he sneered, "Do you really think that just because you’re wearing Xuanyuan Li’s armor, you can become the next Xuanyuan Li? You’re still far from reaching his level!"
The moment he finished speaking, he drew the long sword hanging from his saddle and pointed it at Gu Jiao. "I’ll take care of this one myself. As for the rest—kill them all!"
Like an unstoppable tide, five thousand troops surged toward Gu Jiao and the Black Wind Cavalry.
Cheng Fugui unsheathed his long sword. "Brothers, kill them all!"
In an instant, blades clashed, and the battlefield erupted into chaos. The deafening sounds of combat rang through the sky!
Gu Jiao watched Nangong Ze leap into the air, his sword poised to strike her down. Her young face remained devoid of unnecessary expression, her entire demeanor was chillingly composed.
As Nangong Ze charged at her, he furrowed his brows slightly.
Gu Jiao slowly drew the crimson-tasseled spear from her back and enunciated each word with a cold, unwavering tone: "The first battle… must see blood."
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Description:
In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.
When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.
The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.
From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.
***
Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.
After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"
Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"
Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”
Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
He hasn't finished his lines yet though…