The Demon Lords-Chapter 715 - 151: Despair_1

The torrent of iron-clad cavalry began to surge. The last time a clash of cavalry corps on such a massive scale had occurred was when Lord Jingnan and the Earl of North Border led their armies into Jin territory, annihilating the Helian and Wenren clans.

Now, the grand spectacle of thundering iron hooves was once again unfolding on the lands of the Three Jin.

In truth, Lord Jingnan didn't know exactly what had happened in the wild people's rear.

He had dispatched Zheng Fan's troops to the rear. His initial intention was for Zheng Fan to sever the connection between Jade Plate City and the Chu State, and also to act as a containing force. As for how far Zheng Fan could go, what achievements he might make, and what impact he could have on the overall war situation, Lord Jingnan held a certain degree of anticipation, but he wouldn't put all his true hopes in Zheng Fan's basket, so to speak.

As a disciple he had personally guided and nurtured, Lord Jingnan believed in Zheng Fan's ability to lead troops, and Zheng Fan had rarely disappointed him.

However, matters on the main battlefield still had to be resolved on the main battlefield.

No matter how complex or profound a stratagem might be, it could not make the wild people willingly offer their necks for slaughter. In the end, it would ultimately come down to actual combat on the battlefield.

No matter how many plans were laid, no matter how good the preparations were, their purpose was merely to slightly tip the scales of the final, decisive battle in one's favor.

The constant rotation of troops from various routes in the preceding days, aside from the purpose of drilling the various units, was actually a sleight-of-hand, a stratagem known as 'Grafting Flowers onto a Different Tree.'

The armor and banners of the Jingnan Army and the North Border Army were exchanged with those of the local forces, imperial guards, and the Cheng State Army. The key to all this was one thing: secrecy.

Why, during this period, did even the slightest misstep by officials of the former Cheng State, or by military commanders and captains, lead directly to execution? The stringent military law made everyone terrified to cross the line.

To outsiders, it seemed Lord Jingnan was asserting his authority.

But in reality, these were merely the outward consequences of the need to suppress information.

To put it bluntly, when it came to eliminating spies and maintaining secrecy, it was truly a case of rather mistakenly killing a thousand than letting a single one escape.

Perhaps, in the entire Yan State, only Lord Jingnan could manage this style of warfare, using his absolute control over the various armies to execute this strategy.

The original plan was to employ the 'Grafting Flowers onto a Different Tree' stratagem to secure an opportunity for his own elite forces to confront the main strength of the wild people head-on.

If General Zheng were here at this moment, he would undoubtedly applaud Lord Jingnan's strategy and shout, "Brilliant!"

So, the King of the wild people likes to play 'Tian Ji's horse race'? Then I'll decisively swap my horses first and hit them with a reverse 'Tian Ji's horse race'!

Of course, the original plan wasn't so aggressive. Regardless, further groundwork was necessary, followed by slowly luring the wild people into a trap.

However, as he maneuvered his troops and the wild people responded with their own deployments, Lord Jingnan keenly sensed that something seemed to be amiss in the wild people's rear.

The King of the wild people had once lamented that he would have been better off not knowing about the Snow Sea Pass affair. Because once he knew, any subsequent troop deployments and responses, no matter how he tried to conceal them, would inevitably carry a hint of artificiality.

Lord Jingnan did not know that Snow Sea Pass had already fallen into the hands of the Shengle Army and that the city's defense was holding strong.

He had even speculated whether some major tribe on the snowfields had rebelled at this juncture, making the King of the wild people wary of his rear.

But the actual reason wasn't truly important. He only needed to understand that, aside from their "food shortage," the wild people now exhibited an added layer of urgency.

Since they're so anxious, I might as well give them a 'helping hand' directly. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Other troops, dressed in the armor of the Jingnan Army and the North Border Army and carrying their banners, crossed the river overnight. Siege engines were also moved across. This was all based on the calculated assumption that the King of the wild people would not voluntarily come to the aid of the Chu army at Jade Plate City.

Battlefield strategy, to put it plainly, was also a psychological contest between the commanders-in-chief of both sides. One predicts the opposing commander's actions based on their style, and then makes arrangements accordingly.

It's like a multi-layered pastry: he thinks you're on the third layer, but actually, you're on the fifth, looking down on him.

Of course, to call it a "gamble" wouldn't be entirely accurate.

This was because, aside from his own direct subordinates, half of the King of the wild people's forces consisted of troops from other tribes. It would be more accurate to describe them not as the army of a nation, but as an alliance of bandits.

Since they had come to plunder and had already plundered a great deal to take back with them, it was much like how people, after a period of hard work, need to pause, enjoy life, and savor the fruits of their labor.

You couldn't expect such a group, once they had eaten and drunk their fill, to risk everything they had. Moreover, it was often not the "king" who controlled the collective will; rather, the collective will required a "king" to represent and express it.

The differences in political systems and national character became starkly apparent at times like these. They advanced when there were benefits and retreated without them; they acted for gain and shirked from disadvantage.

The King of the wild people and those chieftains might constantly profess their attachment to their homeland, but in their hearts, they were all prepared to flee the moment things looked unfavorable.

This stood in stark contrast to the spirit of the Eastern Expeditionary Army, whose members were simmering with a collective determination to avenge their fallen fellow soldiers from the previous Wang River Battle and to redeem the honor of the Yan Army.

The reason Lord Jingnan and the Earl of North Border had stood behind the Yan Emperor to forcefully crush the powerful clans was precisely to end this kind of phenomenon in the Yan State, allowing the Emperor's will to drive the will of the entire nation.