Chapter 228

Chapter 228: She Was Right

Shang Xing Yu had very sharp hearing. When Shang Xing Yu heard the sound of someone spitting blood, Shang Xing Yu only felt annoyed and unlucky. If someone had to vomit blood, why could that person not go farther away first?

But Shang Xing Yu could not be bothered to argue with Shang Xiu Yuan just then. As soon as the residence gates closed, Shang Xing Yu ran his Lightness Skill and went to the Princess to claim a reward.

Mo Bei was bitterly cold, and the snow lay thick.

The Grain Transport Army under Qi Shu Xian had already passed Ji Zhou Prefecture. The next destination was Yuan Tai Commandery, the fifth granary in this grain transfer.

They would reach the place to collect grain and rest after a little more than three hours, but Qi Shu Xian decided to press on through the night.

Along the way, they ran into a few small groups of roaming bandits and Mountain Bandit thieves. Against a trained army, those groups were wiped out easily. Some that escaped did not even dare fight. The moment they saw the troops from far away, they tucked their tails and ran.

Qi Shu Xian trusted Sheng Zhi Wan’s letter less and less.

Take the road ahead, for example. At a glance it looked flat and wide. There were slopes on both sides, but they were very low. Even if all the snow on the hills came crashing down, it would not hurt the army at all.

Qi Shu Xian even sent men up the slopes to check. With hills this gentle, there was no way an avalanche could form.

Yet Sheng Zhi Wan had marked this stretch again and again, warning him to be extremely cautious. It was only because north of this place were layers of mountains, forests, and villages with no cities at all. The border defenses were weak, so Northern Di might choose this route to slip into Sheng Kingdom in secret.

But with snow this deep, even a large army marching across open flat land struggled. What gave Northern Di troops the ability to cross mountains and slip in? Even if they did, it would only be a small force, not worth fearing.

Qi Shu Xian was still thinking about it when the army advanced several hundred more meters. Nothing happened.

Burning torches crackled in the heavy darkness. Dozens of Sentry rotated as they kept watch around the marching column. The troops moved at a steady, orderly pace.

He Zong Peng rode at Qi Shu Xian’s side and said, “Deputy General Qi, haven’t Li Ming An and the others been gone a little too long this time?”

He Zong Peng was a Section Chief sent by the Ministry of Revenue to help with the grain transfer.

Qi Shu Xian frowned and signaled the Standard Bearer.

The Standard Bearer lifted the flag sideways, and the entire army stopped.

They waited a little longer. Just as Qi Shu Xian was about to send more men to scout, several ragged figures stumbled into the torchlight.

Li Ming An cursed with a grin, “Damn it, we’re in for a feast this time.”

Li Ming An was one of Qi Shu Xian’s old subordinates, loyal and brave. This time, with Qi Shu Xian escorting grain to Mo Bei, Li Ming An served as the left Commandant.

Li Ming An jogged up and reported, “Deputy General Qi, there’s no abnormality ahead. We can move!”

Qi Shu Xian asked coldly, “What happened just now?”

Li Ming An raised what he was holding and said, “A Wild Rabbit.”

Li Ming An stepped in front of Qi Shu Xian with a skinny Wild Rabbit dangling from his hand.

Qi Shu Xian glanced at it, and his expression turned colder. Qi Shu Xian said, “You went ahead to catch a Wild Rabbit. Did you know thousands of troops were waiting for you?”

Li Ming An pursed his lips and did not take it seriously.

Qi Shu Xian’s eyes sank. Qi Shu Xian signaled the Standard Bearer and said, “For the rest of the road, scouting will be handled by Kong Song Feng.”

The column moved forward another few hundred meters. Qi Shu Xian finally let go of the worry that had risen in his chest.

Then the first Soldier slipped.

Then the second. The third.

In an instant, the sound of bodies hitting the ground rose and fell everywhere. At the same time, several horses pulling the grain carts began to slide.

Qi Shu Xian immediately sensed something was wrong. Qi Shu Xian ordered, “Stop! Push away the snow where people just slipped!”

A Soldier pulled out tools and shoved the snow aside. The moment the snow moved, the problem showed itself. Under the snow was a road surface frozen into slick ice.

Mo Bei was so cold that even snow froze hard. It should never have turned into something like this.

Qi Shu Xian’s heart jolted.

Qi Shu Xian suddenly remembered what Sheng Zhi Wan had written in her letter. In this weather, if someone splashed hot water, it could freeze into ice almost instantly and be used to block and trap an enemy.

Qi Shu Xian had not even used that method yet. The ambushers had used it first.

The ambushers clearly meant to make men and horses tumble, then strike in the chaos.

Qi Shu Xian shouted, “Battle ready! Enemy attack!”

Qi Shu Xian’s pulse jumped. Sheng Zhi Wan had been right. Not only was this road suitable for an ambush, even this method of using the weather had been exactly what Sheng Zhi Wan warned about.

But how did Sheng Zhi Wan know?

Qi Shu Xian and several Generals had all fought on real battlefields. The elder ministers were deep and far-sighted. None of them had thought of these things, yet Sheng Zhi Wan had.

If Qi Shu Xian had trusted Sheng Zhi Wan back then, the army would not have fallen into danger now. But regret came too late.

Qi Shu Xian immediately ordered the Standard Bearer to halt the formation. Qi Shu Xian recalled the countermeasures Sheng Zhi Wan had written.

Qi Shu Xian ordered the Sentry to pass word to the rear. Each unit was to secure the grain carts, prepare anti-slip locks, and link the carts with thick hemp ropes to prevent slipping.

Qi Shu Xian snapped the reins and rode toward the side of the column.

Over there were more than ten empty carts that had not been loaded with grain. Qi Shu Xian ordered his men to unhook the horses from those carts.

The Soldiers in charge of those horses had no idea why, but there was no time to explain.

Qi Shu Xian looked at the troops growing restless under the sudden orders. Then Qi Shu Xian turned and shouted, “Li Ming An!”

Li Ming An, who had just been holding a rabbit with open contempt, now looked uneasy.

Li Ming An asked in a low voice, “Deputy General Qi, what is going on…”

The slopes on both sides and the road underfoot had all been scouted by Li Ming An’s men. The slopes were empty. As for the road, Li Ming An’s men had slipped too, but Li Ming An assumed slipping on snow was normal and did not think further.

But now, seeing Qi Shu Xian’s reaction, Li Ming An suddenly felt that Li Ming An might have been wrong.