Chapter 45: Marching on Yanmen Pass

Chapter 45: Marching on Yanmen Pass

Shen Bao looked at Xiao Ce’s expression and asked, “Prince, you don’t know…”

“That traitor is Bao An…”

Shen Bao spat as he recounted Bao An’s treasonous acts.

Actually, in the Four Northern Desert Prefectures, it was an almost open secret that Bao An was in league with the Turks.

However, nobody could do anything about them.

The noble clans and powerful families on this side only cared about their own interests, as long as their own benefits were not affected.

They did not care one bit whether their emperor was Xiao Dingbang or the Turkic Khan.

So, in the end, it was the common people who suffered.

Hearing about Bao An’s various deeds, Xiao Ce’s gaze grew a bit colder.

He was not really a saint!

But that beast Bao An did not do a single decent thing.

After listening to Shen Bao finish, Xiao Ce looked questioningly at Nie Bing.

Nie Bing’s expression was not good as she nodded and said, “When my father was alive, he knew Bao An had done plenty of these things. I didn’t expect that after my father died, without any restraint, Bao An became even worse.”

“Fine! Since Bao An is holding his wedding here. This Prince will naturally give him a big gift!”

After receiving Xiao Ce’s firm reply, Shen Bao grew even more excited.

“Prince, there are a total of three thousand garrison troops at Yanmen Pass. They are called elites! However, Bao An’s army, just like Bao An himself, is rotten to the core! Many inside are our own people! If you plan to act, I can have them turn some to our side.”

“Good! Do you need silver?” Xiao Ce did not waste words and went straight to the key point.

Shen Bao smiled and said, “Prince, if there is silver, that would naturally be best.”

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “Alright, you handle it. When the time comes, This Prince will provide it all! By the way, our forces still don’t have weapons, right?”

Shen Hu nodded and said, “Our stronghold has some weapons, but at most they can equip ten thousand men.”

Xiao Ce smiled and said, “That’s enough! Then pass the order, tomorrow we set out at dawn!”

“Shen Bao, I don’t need you to buy over too many people. Just cut off their retreat!”

Seeing the fierce light in Xiao Ce’s eyes, Shen Bao guessed something.

…

The next day, before daybreak.

Everyone moved down the mountain in the dark.

Xiao Ce had Shen Hu lead the main force to follow slowly later.

He himself led the one thousand men from Shen Bao’s Tiger-Leopard Stronghold.

These one thousand men were all battle-hardened.

Combined with the five thousand cavalry Yan Jia had brought along the way outside, coordinating from within and without, taking Yanmen Pass would be no problem at all.

After they came out, Yan Jia approached and said to Xiao Ce, “Prince, our five thousand cavalry are all hidden along the way.”

Xiao Ce said to Yan Jia, “There’s no need to hide now, have everyone come out.”

Yan Jia was a bit surprised. “No need to hide?”

Xiao Ce nodded. “That’s right… Tell everyone to be alert. For our first battle, we will take Yanmen Pass!”

A flash of joy appeared in Yan Jia’s eyes.

“Will the garrison troops at Yanmen Pass take action?”

Xiao Ce shook his head and said, “I hope not. But, anyone who is blind. However, if This Prince wants to set foot in Yanmen Pass, anyone who tries to stop us… will be killed without exception.”

A fanatical gleam flashed in Yan Jia’s eyes. “As you command.”

Then, Yan Jia took out a horn-made bugle.

As the bugle sounded.

Not long after, a dark mass of cavalry gathered from the woods by the roadside.

These cavalrymen were all wearing the special horse robes Xiao Ce had ordered made, so they looked very impressive.

This elite force had cost Xiao Ce a lot of money.

Seeing this, a hint of envy appeared in Shen Bao’s eyes.

“Prince, this cavalry is too domineering. In the future, can we have clothes like that?”

After speaking, Shen Bao looked at their own shabby clothes.

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “Of course, you are all This Prince’s army. You will all have them in the future, but you need to give This Prince some time.”

Shen Bao nodded and muttered to himself, “Now this is what you call soldiers!”

Actually, this cavalry force was not just well-dressed; their food and drink were also of the best standard.

These men were originally young and strong. After a month of training on the road, along with good food.

Their bodies had become very robust.

Not only that, their mental state was also very good.

They truly looked imposing and majestic.

…

At this time, the defending general at Yanmen Pass was a lackey of Bao Cong, named Cai Wu.

Cai Wu was considered a son of a prominent family in the Four Northern Desert Prefectures. Due to his family connections and his good relationship with Bao Cong.

Despite having no real talent for leading troops, he somehow became a Grand Commander leading three thousand men.

At the moment, he was in a government office at Yanmen Pass, with several women in his arms.

In front of him, there were also many women and a band.

They were dancing gracefully, enjoying music and dance in peace.

He cursed and grumbled, “Damn it, sending me to this wretched place… Lingxiao City is much livelier… Those damn disaster victims, they actually dare to come… I’ll definitely kill them…”

While he was enjoying the dance and cursing.

A scout hurried over.

“Report!”

…

“Grand Commander, Grand Commander! Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong!”

After a scout ran over, the singing and dancing stopped.

This made the already unhappy Cai Wu even more displeased.

“Bullshit… I’m perfectly fine here, you damn fool saying something’s wrong with me… Guards, drag him away… give him a hundred lashes!”

Seeing this, the scout was so frightened he prostrated on the ground, frantically slapping his own face.

“Grand Commander, spare me! Grand Commander, spare me. This lowly one misspoke… this lowly one misspoke…”

Beside Cai Wu, there was a man in a gray robe, looking like a scholar.

This person was the Military Advisor assigned to Cai Wu by the Cai family.

“What happened? Speak clearly… don’t panic… If it’s truly urgent, I might spare you once! If you don’t explain well, you definitely won’t escape this hundred lashes,” the Military Advisor said sternly.

The scout stammered, “R…reporting… Grand Commander, more than twenty miles outside Yanmen Pass, a large and mighty cavalry force has appeared… at least several thousand strong…”

Hearing this, the Military Advisor’s face stiffened. “Cavalry force? Aside from our Bao Family Army, what other forces are there around here? Are you sure? Is it a cavalry force? Or disaster victims?”

Cai Wu listened and became somewhat excited. “Yeah, did your dog eyes see wrong! It’s disaster victims! Damn it… I was just itching to vent my anger. Finally, some disaster victims are coming… I want to kill a few for fun, for fun!”

The scout trembled as he prostrated on the ground. “No… it’s a cavalry force, and they have banners! The flag is the flag of the King of Northern Desert!”