Chapter 131: The Substantial is Empty, the Empty is Substantial

Chapter 131: The Substantial is Empty, the Empty is Substantial

As they spoke, the people of the Helu Tribe began to raise their arms and chant: “Wu! Wu! Wu!”

Then everyone pitched camp again in the original location.

This time, however, they only set up simple tents.

Inside Ashina’s tent, Mosuo Ashina said, “Father Khan, why did you give up overall command earlier?”

Ashina looked at Mosi Ashina.

Mosi Ashina said, “Father Khan, this time I underestimated the enemy… I didn’t confirm whether there was an ambush and recklessly gave the signal, leading to such a severe defeat for our men!”

Ashina gritted his teeth. “This is not entirely your fault! It’s because of the Four Great Clans of the Four Northern Desert Prefectures. If they hadn’t sent a letter, swearing that they had retreated, we wouldn’t have taken the bait so easily!”

Mosi Ashina said, “Father Khan, didn’t you say they were Mr. Hidden Dragon’s people? Even Mr. Hidden Dragon trusts them… would they dare?”

Ashina’s face turned ashen. “They must have been deceived too. However, did you notice? This time, we not only suffered a terrible defeat because of their surprise attack, but also because of their weapons.”

Mosi Ashina nodded. “That’s right. The bows in their hands are different from ours. Their bows seemed effortless to draw, and the arrows flew extremely fast! And that wooden box they carried could rapidly shoot many powerful arrows in a row. It was this thing that wounded so many of our men.”

Ashina nodded. “Yes, this unit must be Xiao Dingshan’s troops. Even if Helu wanted to lead the main attack, he would still suffer heavy losses. And with his pig-brained mind, he would probably be played to death by Xiao Ce.”

“Moreover, our intelligence has been wrong several times now, and it has also caused the deaths of many of their men. If I continued to hold this position now, everyone would feel something was wrong.”

Mosuo Ashina said, “So now we just listen to that Helu? What if he sends us to our deaths?”

Ashina said, “Our legs are our own. In any situation, we will be at the very rear.”

Mosi Ashina asked, “What if he really manages to crush the Northern Desert Army?”

Ashina snorted coldly. “That would be a good thing! But, based on our past dealings with Xiao Ce, do you think that’s possible?”

The group shook their heads and said, “That’s not very likely… he would probably fare worse!”

…

Inside Yanbei City, some were repairing the city walls.

Outside the city, others were burying the dead. Over a thousand wounded Turks who didn’t escape in time were all hung on the city walls.

The corpses of those Turks were piled together. Their clothes and weapons were stripped off.

A fire was set to burn them.

After all, leaving the corpses there could easily cause a plague.

Those Turkic garments might be useful someday.

The haul this time was also substantial. They captured over four thousand warhorses. The other injured horses were slaughtered on the spot.

They were used to fill everyone’s stomachs.

Han Da commanded the men, “After you’ve eaten and drunk your fill, you are to retreat first. I will stay here with a thousand elite cavalry to perform the ‘Empty City Stratagem’ for them!”

“General Han, you are the commander of the entire army. Let me do it. I know how to carry it out anyway…” Sun Qiang said.

Jiang Xing said, “I should do it. Sun Qiang, you get too excited too easily. I can stay calm…”

Before they could finish, Han Da said, “No one argue. I am staying here! When the time comes, you listen to Jiang Xing’s command and retreat quickly!”

Seeing the men still wanted to speak, Han Da commanded, “What is a soldier’s primary duty?”

The group answered with determined eyes, “To obey!”

Han Da smiled and said, “That’s right! You must remember, you need to keep those Turkic women under tight control.”

Under Han Da’s command, they left behind the best thousand horses and a thousand elite-of-the-elite soldiers.

Then the main force left under cover of darkness.

…

The next day.

Cai Yong’s residence.

They received a letter from the Turks. After reading it, they broke out in a cold sweat.

Ashina told them about their losses and questioned them about what had happened.

“Everyone, what is the meaning of this? Didn’t the Northern Desert Army retreat completely? How could there still be troops in Yanbei City? It seems they were also deceiving us, only withdrawing a portion.”

“The main thing is, this time the Turks lost several thousand more men over there. What should we do now?”

“Now we can only explain that we were deceived too!”

“Can we trust the Turks? But what’s going on with the Turks? Are they still the undefeated Turks we knew? They’ve only fought the Northern Desert Army a few times, and each battle seems worse than the last!” Kan Shanyue asked.

Cai Yong said, “Who knows? But now we have no choice… What do we do next?”

Before anyone else could speak, a Messenger Soldier hurried over.

“Reporting to the Prefectural Assistant, tens of thousands of soldiers have been spotted in our prefecture, and they are leaving rapidly…”

“Are you sure?”

The Messenger Soldier clasped his hands. “Absolutely sure, we saw clearly! Tens of thousands!”

After receiving the messenger’s news,

The heads of the various Great Clans looked at each other.

“Let’s hurry and make amends for our mistakes.”

With that, they each went back to send their Ravens.

…

A few hours later, at the Turkic camp.

Ashina received the message from the clan heads.

Prince Mosi Ashina and the others asked, “Father Khan, what did they say this time?”

Ashina narrowed his eyes. “They said this time the Northern Desert Army has completely retreated. Previously, they were deceived. This time it’s confirmed, they have fled!”

“Father Khan, is what they say trustworthy?” Mosi Ashina said.

Ashina said, “Of course it’s trustworthy. These people are Mr. Hidden Dragon’s men, there won’t be a problem! We were all deceived, let alone them.”

Mosi Ashina asked, “Father Khan, do we go over directly this time to wash away our shame?”

Ashina shook his head. “Of course not. Helu is the Chief Commander now. When we get information, we must give it to him.”

Mosi Ashina looked puzzled. “Isn’t that just handing him the credit for free?”

A sly smile appeared on Ashina’s face.

“You don’t understand this. They won’t believe it now. Giving it is my attitude, and whether he listens is his business.”

With that, Ashina stood up. “You all stay here. Let Fangang come with me.”

Ashina then went directly to Helu’s tent.

Helu’s side was busy actively preparing weapons for breaching the city walls.

Helu watched Ashina approach and said with a taunting tone, “Ashina, shouldn’t you be training your troops? What are you doing here?”

Ashina stepped forward and said, “Helu, I’ve received news that Yanbei City has truly withdrawn all its troops now. We should quickly dispatch our forces. We’re sure to gain something!”

Helu sized Ashina up and sneered. “Ashina, can your lousy information be accurate? Listening to you always leads to defeat! And don’t try this trick with me. Given our relationship, would you really tell me genuinely useful news? Don’t think I’m stupid!”

“Helu, I don’t have time to trick you. This news is absolutely true. If you miss this, you are missing a military opportunity!” Ashina said sternly.

Helu snorted coldly. “Don’t you try to pin blame on me! Fine, I’ll call everyone over. If they all agree, I have no objection!”

Ashina did not stop him.

Soon after, Helu gathered the chiefs of several tribes.

This was exactly the outcome Ashina wanted.

He explained the letter from the Four Great Clan heads and showed it to everyone.

“This time, I guarantee it. Even if there is an ambush, I will take the main responsibility.”

Helu said, “Hmph, your words are sweeter than a song. You always say you’ll take responsibility, but have you ever actually done it? Wasn’t your previous information also from them?”

Ashina nodded.

Helu sneered. “Ashina, you don’t seem like a fool. You were deceived twice, how can you be deceived a third time…”

Ashide said, “That’s right, Ashina. I don’t know who is behind the Four Great Clans that makes you trust them so much. But these two defeats have severely damaged the morale of our Turkic warriors! We cannot afford another defeat. Next time we must strike with full force. So, there can be no more mistakes!”

The other tribal chiefs nodded one after another in agreement.

Ashina fell silent.

Helu then asked his son Richa Helu beside him, “Richa, are the people you sent to watch Yanbei City still there?”

Richa Helu nodded. “Reporting to Father Khan, they return to report every hour. The last report said they were repairing the city walls and also hanging our Turkic wounded. They also buried those previous slaves.”

Hearing this, Helu asked Ashina, “You say they are retreating? Then why are they repairing the city walls we breached?”

Ashina was momentarily unable to answer.

Richa Helu asked a guard beside him.

“Reporting to Father Khan, the scout from the most recent hour should have returned by now.”

Helu waved his hand. “Go call him over. Let him tell us.”

Richa Helu nodded and clasped his hands. “As you command, Father Khan!”

A short while later, a Scout arrived.

“Any movement in Yanbei City? Have they retreated?” Richa Helu asked.

The Scout clasped his hands. “Reporting, Your Highness. Yanbei City has now opened that supposedly impenetrable city gate. And they have a few soldiers cleaning the area outside the gate.”

“And our Turkic men hanging on the walls are all shouting that they have retreated! From a distance, the city inside seems very desolate. No troops are visible!”

Hearing the scout’s account, Ashina also began to feel unsure.

Helu snorted coldly. “Ashina, do you understand now? Clearly, they are pretending to be empty again, luring us to attack them! Do you still dare to make your guarantee now?”

Ashina did not respond to his gaze.

Helu, with a self-satisfied expression, said to the Scout, “Alright, you may leave! This Khan understands. Do those Xiao Kingdom trash take me for an Ashina?”

Hearing Helu’s provocation, Ashina’s face darkened, but he couldn’t be sure about the situation over there either.

Seeing this, Helu waved his hand. “Alright, since that’s the case. Everyone dismissed. Especially you, Ashina, don’t waste everyone’s time with these pointless matters in the future! I will attack the city when I am ready!”