Chapter 327: Great Snow Dragon Riders Set Out in Summer

Search within the forumSearch by tagTotal: 1 pageReplies: 2

The Novel by Feng Huo Xi Zhu HouPC reading address:Address:Red tickets are free. After registering a Zongheng account, you will receive red tickets once your points reach a certain amount.Every account can bookmark The Novel.Cumulative post for serialized chapters:

Before the main text is posted, no inserting comments. Please wait patiently.Attachment: Tieba QQ Group Arbitration Team: 11043035; Monster Club YY: 1655Link to Snow Forum Administration Log:Those who insert comments before the updated content is fully posted will receive a one-day temporary ban.

Ten thousand Dragon Elephant Army troops were urgently mobilized and marched in haste towards the Northern Barbarians amidst the thunderous sound of war horns. Not just ordinary Northern Liang soldiers, but even generals with real power like Wei Fucheng and Dian Xiongchu found this incredible.

Earlier, during Chen Zhibao's battle with Hong Jingyan, where the Plate-bearing Bronze Automaton from the Chess-Sword Music Pavilion observed the fierce and unpredictable fight, Chen Zhibao later went to the lush, green Jingshan Mountain for recuperation. Wei Fucheng commanded one-third of Northern Liang's white crossbow feather forest archers, and Dian Xiongchu led six thousand Iron Armored Cavalry. Both were considered Chen Zhibao's trusted direct subordinates. Now, these two, along with several younger generals who had risen through military merit along the Northern Liang-Northern Barbarian border, gathered together. As like attracts like, Chen Zhibao's direct forces were divided into two distinct factions that did not mingle. The other faction consisted of civilian officials, mostly scholars and strategists, who prioritized strategy over cavalry and archery, and largely came from privileged backgrounds. The two sides kept to themselves and generally didn't see eye to eye.

General Xu Xiao's indulgence towards his children was well-known throughout the land. Three strong forces in the Northern Liang army, each numbering nearly ten thousand, were named after his children, except for his eldest son who lacked this fortune. The Dragon Elephant Army, with its ten thousand troops, was particularly renowned as truly battle-hardened and valiant cavalry. Not to mention the commander's position, even the deputy commander position remained virtually vacant for years. Yuan Zuozong remotely held the deputy general's post all these years but never interfered with specific affairs. However, whenever elite armored soldiers emerged in the Northern Liang army, most would be sent to the Dragon Elephant Army for tempering and training. This cavalry, which straddled the line between heavy and light cavalry, was truly the darling of the Northern Liang army. In the past decade, major battles involving fifty to sixty thousand troops or more were rare along the Northern Liang-Northern Barbarian border. But whenever there was a battle to be fought or military merit to be earned, the Dragon Elephant Cavalry was always the first to arrive on the battlefield, fighting fiercely and bravely, never suffering a defeat. This also gave the Northern Liang army an impression: that the future profligate eldest son, when he inherited the Northern Liang princely title, would surely need his divinely strong younger brother to charge into battle for him to sit securely. Otherwise, the Eight Hundred Phoenix Camp Light Cavalry, no matter how brave and skilled an individual warrior might be, numbered less than a thousand. Should a full-scale war break out between Northern Liang and Northern Barbarians, military engagements would involve tens of thousands of troops on various fronts, and a dispensable Phoenix Camp would not even be enough to fill a gap.

It was Chen Zhibao who made the entire Spring and Autumn Era understand the terror of combined arms warfare. His commands during battle were said to be precise down to every centurion. His army could flawlessly form and reform formations, advancing and retreating as if directed by his own arm. Even the Military Saint Ye Baibai, despite bearing a deep-seated hatred and having his wife and daughter killed by Chen Zhibao, still had to sincerely praise him in battle, "This man's troop deployment is watertight, truly masterful."

It is said that the current Emperor once stayed up all night reading military texts, forgetting food and sleep. After the morning court, he chuckled and asked the assembled civil and military officials, "My beloved ministers, tell me, purely in terms of military strategy, who can compare to Chen Zhibao?" At that time, the Northern Liang army's prestige was at its peak, so the civil officials naturally remained silent, keeping their eyes down. The military generals, however, frowned, and some who would later become pillars of the Gu Faction exchanged glances, then all looked towards General Gu Jiantang, who kept his eyes closed, resting.

Old Grand Tutor Sun Xiji of Western Chu answered expressionlessly, "No one surpasses him."

On Jingshan Mountain stood a small estate, densely planted with green willows. The estate still had no mistress, and over the years, no woman was ever known to have caught Chen Zhibao's eye. The servants on the estate were all old, disabled veterans who had retired from the military. Although nominally servants, they lived comfortably and securely, well-fed and peaceful. Some had even married and had children. These children, like their parents, had no notion of being of lower status. They showed no fear when they saw the white-clad general, who rarely smiled. The young women who gradually grew up on the estate held an even more natural belief that there was no other man in the world but him.

Outside, rumors circulated that Chen Zhibao had fought to the death with Hong Jingyan, the fourth greatest warrior in the world, and had sustained almost fatal injuries. Yet, at this moment, Chen Zhibao, in his white robe, showed no sign of weakness on his face. He sat on a stone bench under a willow tree. The estate had no outer walls; a glance revealed thousands of miles of yellow sand. A young woman brought a platter of sliced watermelon or a pot of iced plum soup. Chen Zhibao said nothing, and the maidens, accustomed to this, would secretly steal a few glances before turning to leave, careful not to disturb their master's quiet contemplation. Chen Zhibao was widely known to be well-versed in classics, full of strategic wisdom, and proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, making him more distinguished than many scholars. However, he rarely uttered refined words or philosophies, and was never seen composing poetry or couplets with literati. Most of the time, he, who commanded immense respect in the Northern Liang army, second only to one other, preferred to be alone.

Few paid attention to what this white-clad battle immortal was thinking. Wei Fucheng, Dian Xiongchu, and the others simply habitually obeyed his orders without question. It was likely that even if Chen Zhibao told them he was tired of being a general and intended to pull the Emperor off his throne in the capital, they would only cheer him on.

Chen Zhibao suddenly chuckled, remembering many interesting things. When the fires of war subsided and the Spring and Autumn Era concluded, there was much sorrow, but also many amusing anecdotes. For instance, the last emperor of Southern Tang was addicted to theater, proclaiming himself the 'Old Patriarch of the Pear Garden.' He was so infatuated that he neglected state affairs for ten years, mingling with actors and living in a muddled state. When his kingdom fell, he finally uttered a clear statement, sitting on his throne in a disgraceful theatrical costume, pointing at his ministers and laughing, "You are all actors!"

Chen Zhibao's eyes were cold as he softly chuckled, "Actors who don't earn much prize money. If actors are disloyal, does that mean the audience is loyal?"

The Dragon Elephant Army launched a surprise attack on the Northern Barbarians without warning, with Xu Longxiang, the second son, leading the charge, and Yuan Zuozong covering the rear.

Upon returning to the military camp, Xu Xiao found an old scholar deeply engrossed in a game of chess. This was Academic Dean Mr. Wang, Xu Weixiong's esteemed teacher. Years ago, Xu Fengnian had seen him play against the notoriously bad chess player Xu Xiao outside the Crane Tower on Qingliang Mountain and had witnessed the Academic Dean retract moves more than ten times. Since then, Xu Fengnian had developed an indelible psychological shadow regarding the notion of a 'national chess master.' Mr. Wang's self-proclaimed 'undefeated' status was truly that of a street rogue. However, since Academic Dean Wang could be Xu Weixiong's teacher, he certainly wouldn't be vague when it came to military strategy. After Xu Xiao sat down, he didn't rush Mr. Wang to make his move but chuckled, "On behalf of Huang Man'er, I thank you, Master, for secretly training the Dragon Elephant Army all these years."

The Academic Dean picked up a white piece, placed it down firmly, a look of complete confidence on his face. He stroked his beard and smiled, "The overall situation is decided, General, you've lost again."

Xu Xiao didn't expose the old master's vile practice of secretly altering the positions of the black pieces, pretending to concede defeat. "To lose to you, Master, is an honor, even in defeat."

The old master, who had almost no chess etiquette to speak of, felt no shame, feeling refreshed and pleased with himself. "Playing chess with the General is indeed a fortunate event in life."

Xu Xiao stood up and approached the Northern Barbarian map, slowly tracing a marching route with his finger. Academic Dean Wang narrowed his eyes, staring at the map, silent for a long time.

Xu Xiao remained calm. It was the Academic Dean who finally couldn't bear it and softly said, "Chaotic, very chaotic. In the Southern Dynasty, Cao Changqing is stirring things up, almost bringing it to the surface. In the north, the Empress has always disliked Buddhism, wishing to venerate Taoism and suppress Buddhism, to unify religions and make them her own, becoming the second *jianghu* under her control. But no one expected Monk Longshu to go alone to the Daoist Sect, arguing both reasonably and unreasonably, just sitting there, having already withstood an entire ten days of arrow volleys and sword rain. General, by deploying the Dragon Elephant Army now, aren't you afraid of uniting the Northern Court and Southern Dynasty, making them stand together against your Northern Liang Iron Cavalry?"

Xu Xiao's back was slightly hunched as he calmly gazed at the map. "The Northern Barbarians cannot compare to the prosperous Central Plains. The Royal Court has been short on money these past years. Feeding its twelve grand generals and maintaining a standoff with my Northern Liang army and Gu Jiantang's eastern front is already pushing them to their limit. There's still a long way to go from that old woman's original intention of swallowing Northern Liang in one go. To have a strong military, you need real money, and where does that come from? It doesn't fall from the sky. Don't the monks have countless incense donations, rich beyond belief? Such a fat sheep, how could she not be envious? Previously, she didn't dare to slaughter it because Tuoba Bodhisattva and several Legates disagreed. But now, with the Kirin Imperial Preceptor, regarded as a Taoist saint, in charge, and having newly gained the support of several Grand Generals, Tuoba Bodhisattva will only stand by and watch coldly. The suppression of Buddhism is already inevitable. Whether I deploy troops or not, it won't stop that old woman from taking action. Not to mention a single abbot of the Two Zen Temple; only if a Buddha appeared would it work. She has indeed been forced to this point by our dynasty's border policies in recent years. Zhang Julu and Gu Jiantang's joint efforts have been remarkably effective. These two sly fellows are also forcing the Northern Barbarians to exhaust their national strength in a decisive battle against my Northern Liang Iron Cavalry. The Northern Barbarian Empress wants to first absorb the wealth of Buddhism within her country, then swiftly annex the un-reinforced Northern Liang. Only then can she bypass the increasingly stable eastern front, march south, occupy Western Shu, Nanzhao, and other regions. With food and soldiers, it will be time to contend with the Liyang Dynasty for the entire world. This intention is well-known to anyone qualified to speak. This is where Zhang Julu's power of overt courtly schemes lies. Originally, if the eastern front had been too weak, the Northern Barbarians could have directly borrowed several grand generals and tens of thousands of troops from the western front, massing four hundred thousand iron cavalry to rampage through the eastern front, crushing it into a sieve, first entering Tai'an City to become the common ruler of the world, and then finally dealing with Northern Liang. In that case, I would have to live longer than him and Gu Jiantang. I believe the only person in the entire world who would be happy to see that is that flirtatious old woman who constantly tries to tempt me; besides her, there is no one else."

Academic Dean Wang nodded, deeply convinced. "The Green-Eyed One, like me, is also a master of excellent chess moves."

Xu Xiao chuckled, "Originally, it was a chess game that would have lasted at least another two or three decades in a stalemate, but neither side has patience. Relatively speaking, the Northern Barbarian Empress is even more impatient because Zhang Julu controls the military and political affairs of the northern line with one hand, and with the other, digests the national power of the former eight Spring and Autumn states in the south. Crucially, this Chief Grand Secretary has largely prevented the Emperor's attempts to elevate civil officials and suppress military power, making our dynasty's tension far superior to resource-scarce Northern Barbarians. The longer it drags on, the greater our advantage. Our Liyang, after unifying the Spring and Autumn states, truly became a vast and wealthy empire. It can withstand turmoil. Plus, with a diligent repairman like Zhang Julu, if I were the Northern Barbarian emperor, I would also feel restless. Who the hell wants a wealthy and educated strongman as a neighbor? Wouldn't that just mean being constantly annoyed?"

The Academic Dean laughed, "General, your words are rough but the reasoning is sound."

The old master sighed with emotion, "Speaking of peace from high in a study, one always thinks that if they just go out, they can govern the world and save it from collapse, making statecraft seem as effortless as writing a few words. Its harm is no less than regional warlordism. These words were spoken by the Green-Eyed One himself before the Emperor. For a top scholar in the imperial examination to utter such principles shows that serving as Chief Grand Secretary is very timely. No wonder Zhang Julu can be the General's opponent. Hey, General, we've strayed far from the topic."

Xu Xiao continued to point at the map, chuckling, "My thoughts are different from yours, Master. This time, the Dragon Elephant Army is going north not just to fight, but to fight tough battles. Picking easy targets is not the temper of my Northern Liang army. You are worried that if the Dragon Elephant Army wins, those Southern Dynasty scholars who forget their origins once they gain wealth and status will hate Northern Liang even more. In my opinion, if the Northern Liang Iron Cavalry doesn't give them a good lesson, those new Southern Dynasty nobles who fled north with their fathers in their youth and have newly emerged would have their tails wagging to the sky by now. They need a severe beating to know what fear is; I want them to fear it to their bones. These rascals, their roots are just like the Spring and Autumn scholars of old—they remember beatings, not kindness. So this time, the first military town the Dragon Elephant Army will clash with is Wazhu, the strongest in Longyao Prefecture. Following that are the remaining military towns: Junziguan, Ligu, and Maolong—all tough nuts to crack. Even if they are not on a direct line, the Dragon Elephant Army will deliberately take detours and rapidly march to conquer them one by one."

The old master sighed worriedly, "But the Dragon Elephant Army is only ten thousand strong. Without counting the troops along the line, the five towns alone have sixty thousand elite armored soldiers. And they'll have to face two Northern Barbarian Grand Generals head-on. Is that feasible? How many will return from ten thousand Dragon Elephant Army troops?"

Xu Xiao chuckled, "I forgot to tell you, Master, our Northern Liang's Great Snowy Dragon Cavalry is also about to set out."

Northern Liang Iron Cavalry is unmatched under heaven; the Great Snowy Dragon Cavalry dominates Northern Liang!

In this midst of summer, the old master felt a chill and hugged his sleeves.

He murmured, "But doesn't this mean a real war is about to break out? This is not good, truly not good."

Xu Xiao placed one hand on the map and said, "My son is there. Is that reason enough?"