Chapter 229

Chapter 229: He Knew Clearly

“Li Ming An, listen closely.”

“In a moment, if ambushers appear, pick a few riders to charge straight into them. Use these—stab them into the horses’ rumps, driving the animals wild to break apart their formation.” Qi Shu Xian handed over a dozen short arrows.

Li Ming An glanced around, still hesitant to believe.

Ambushers?

Were there truly ambushers?

But the surroundings were silent, except for the occasional sound of slipping soldiers or horses. Nothing else seemed unusual.

Li Ming An smiled skeptically. “Deputy General Qi, aren’t you too cautious? Even the rabbits here are skin and bones. Where would ambushers hide?”

Kong Song Feng agreed carelessly, “Even if there are ambushers, it’s just a small slope ahead. Once we rush through, they can’t do anything once we reach open ground.”

As soon as the words left their mouths, the dark slope ahead echoed with faint sounds of snow being crushed underfoot.

Li Ming An’s expression froze instantly.

Qi Shu Xian narrowed his eyes, giving Kong Song Feng a sharp look. “We cannot charge forward! The path ahead has surely been tampered with, not just patches of ice but an entire expanse. Horses and men would slip and fall. The ambushers are waiting for exactly this. If we advance, the entire army and our grain supply become fish on a cutting board.”

“As for behind us… I suspect the ambushers have already cut off our retreat using the same method.”

They were trapped. The only solution was to defeat the ambushers right here.

Kong Song Feng swallowed hard, eyes full of admiration for Qi Shu Xian.

In just a short time, Deputy General Qi had thought through every detail.

Li Ming An quickly selected over ten men.

Charging straight into enemy lines to deliberately provoke panicked horses was practically a death sentence.

Yet, after hearing their orders, those soldiers mounted their horses without hesitation and charged toward the noise on the slope.

Qi Shu Xian clenched his fists tightly.

[He knew clearly that these soldiers likely wouldn’t return alive. But if the ambushers succeeded, the losses of the Grain Transport Army would be far greater.]

And the grain supply absolutely couldn’t be lost!

Thanks to Qi Shu Xian’s timely foresight, the ambush ended with forty-one soldiers lost, twenty-nine horses killed, and a total of one hundred and ten Northern Di ambushers slain.

Several carts of grain had overturned onto the snow.

As the soldiers gathered the spilled grain, Qi Shu Xian himself carefully collected the bodies of those who had died.

Under flickering torchlight, Qi Shu Xian tried to wipe away the blood from their faces with snow.

But for most of them, no matter how much snow he used, their faces remained battered beyond recognition.

Some had died trampled by horses; others had fallen to Northern Di blades.

Qi Shu Xian stayed silent.

Seeing him like this, He Zong Peng admired his sincerity and stepped forward, comforting him. “Deputy General Qi, do not grieve too deeply. Without your early warning, many more would have died. They gave their lives protecting the grain. Their deaths are honorable.”

“I have recorded their names,” Kong Song Feng added solemnly. “When we return to the capital, I will personally ensure their families receive proper compensation.”

Li Ming An directly fell to his knees in front of Qi Shu Xian. “I am guilty! It was my negligence, failing to detect the Northern Di ambushers in time, causing the deaths of my brothers. I willingly accept punishment!”

He removed the long sword from his waist.

According to Sheng Kingdom’s military law, scouts who failed their duties faced punishment based on the extent of damage caused.

Had Deputy General Qi not skillfully directed from the command tent, turning the tides at the critical moment, the Grain Transport Army’s losses would have been far greater. Even Li Ming An’s death wouldn’t have compensated for his failure.

Li Ming An bitterly regretted having relaxed his vigilance after the peaceful journey.

He slammed his head against the ground heavily.

Qi Shu Xian remained silent. Li Ming An had indeed been reckless, deserving punishment—but what about himself?

[He knew clearly an ambush could happen, yet he resisted taking it seriously because the warning had come from Sheng Zhi Wan.]

Had he listened earlier, sending out more scouts, perhaps fewer lives would have been lost.

“Li Ming An’s mistake will be recorded for now,” Qi Shu Xian finally said. “Earn merit on the battlefield to atone.”

Li Ming An’s clenched fists instantly relaxed. “I will not fail your trust, Deputy General Qi!”

Soon, the army reorganized and resumed its journey.

The fallen soldiers were buried on the spot. Qi Shu Xian had to continue north; he couldn’t carry their bodies with him.

The Northern Di soldiers were also carelessly buried in shallow pits.

After this battle, Qi Shu Xian became more cautious and less talkative.

No longer delegating everything to subordinates, he personally inspected the troops each time they moved.

“Deputy General Qi truly foresaw everything. If not for him, our losses would’ve been much worse.”

“Exactly! I doubted when the soldiers from Cangnan said Deputy General Qi was skilled, a young God of War. Now I truly believe!”

“Hah, once news of this reaches the capital, those storytellers will be busy writing new tales.”

“I wonder what Commandery Princess Ning thinks? Rejecting our brilliant Deputy General Qi to marry someone like Shang Hang Yu…”

Bored during marches, soldiers whispered gossip quietly.

Qi Shu Xian overheard their words during his inspection.

His grip tightened unconsciously on the reins.

Foresaw everything… Young God of War?

He lowered his head, eyes filled with a confusion and unease even he didn’t fully understand.

Others might not know, but [he knew clearly]:

The strategy used that day was not truly his own swift thinking at all!