What Plan Is This

"What? What plan do you have?"

General Guan now placed ever greater importance on Li Yi. The moment Li Yi spoke, his gaze sharpened as he looked at him expectantly.

"Winter has already set in. Light snow often falls beyond Wild Goose Pass, placing enormous pressure on their logistics."

"The Qing Kingdom is unlike us—they have no cities to defend. They need vast quantities of supplies to ward off the cold, and the freezing weather will also make transporting those supplies far more difficult."

Li Yi walked to the sand table and gestured across the terrain beyond Wild Goose Pass.

"Since that's the case, then we'll strike the Qing Kingdom army's granaries!"

"I am willing to lead the Wind Tiger Battalion under my command on a night raid to burn their grain stores!"

"Once the Qing Kingdom's granaries are burned and their army falls into chaos, General, you can personally lead the main army in a surprise assault."

"With this, we will surely defeat them!"

"Even if we cannot achieve complete victory in a single stroke, we can still weaken their strength!"

Of the spoils allotted to him last time, Li Yi had kept only one thousand taels for himself. He had used all the rest to train his personal guards and the Wind Tiger Battalion under his command.

By now, every member of Li Yi's personal guard had reached the first level of Body Tempering, and more than half had even reached the second level of Body Tempering!

Among the Wind Tiger Battalion under his command, more than half were also experts who had reached at least the first level of Body Tempering!

This powerful Wind Tiger Battalion was Li Yi's source of confidence!

"This is an excellent plan."

After hearing the general outline, General Guan felt that the plan was feasible. He kept Song Jie, Li Yi, and the other key officers behind to refine Li Yi's strategy.

"To prevent the news from leaking, we act tonight!"

Wild Goose Pass had always been a key military stronghold and had stockpiled vast quantities of wartime supplies. Moreover, ever since news arrived that twenty thousand Qing Kingdom troops were advancing against them, the soldiers had remained constantly prepared for battle.

Therefore, General Guan could dispatch men to coordinate with Li Yi and launch this battle at any time.

Seeing Li Yi volunteer for the mission, General Guan considered it briefly before agreeing. He immediately ordered Song Jie and the others to assemble their troops and prepare to depart.

After discussing the details with General Guan, Li Yi returned to the Wind Tiger Battalion's camp.

At that moment, squads of archers were training their archery, while three companies of infantry, led by Han Jia, were drilling in battle formations.

"My lord!"

Upon seeing Li Yi arrive, Han Jia hurried forward.

Li Yi was now a Company Commander who commanded a full unit of troops, no longer the insignificant company leader he had once been. Thus, Han Jia addressed him by his official title in public.

Li Yi nodded and watched the soldiers train.

"I have already reached an agreement with General Guan. Tonight, we will launch a night raid on the Qing Kingdom army."

Inside the command tent, Li Yi spoke to the others.

The eight company leaders, Han Jia, Li Xin, Liu Ye, and the rest all listened intently to Li Yi.

By now, Li Yi had gathered his own core faction.

"At noon today, slaughter sheep and serve wine. Let everyone eat and drink their fill!"

"After lunch, get plenty of sleep. Once we've had dinner, we will leave Wild Goose Pass to carry out our mission!"

"Li Xin, make sure to arrange the meals and all preparations for the night raid!"

After assigning Li Xin his task, Li Yi gave further instructions to Han Jia.

Under Li Yi's arrangements, the entire Wind Tiger Battalion sprang into action.

At the same time, news that Li Yi would be leading troops into battle spread throughout the camp.

For a time, the entire camp brimmed with anticipation and fighting spirit.

They had followed Li Yi precisely to win battles, earn merit, and claim rewards.

Li Yi's previous victories and generous rewards had already won them over completely. They would follow Li Yi's every command.

By dusk, the five hundred fully prepared soldiers stood before Li Yi in full armor.

"I trust you already know our mission."

"I won't waste words. This time, we have only one goal!"

"That is to earn merit! Earn merit! And fucking earn merit!"

"So long as you earn merit, wine, meat, gold, silver, martial techniques, and weapons—you can take your pick!"

Li Yi stirred up the troops. Behind him, Li Xin had already wheeled over three thousand taels of silver and laid it before everyone.

"This silver is merely an appetizer!"

"Whether you take away a few taels as hardship pay later, or weigh out gold and pack away silver, will depend on how you perform tonight!"

The moment the silver was brought out, the entire camp erupted with excitement.

"And the few who perform best tonight will be personally admitted by this Company Commander into the personal guard, and taught a higher-level breathing method!"

Most of these soldiers practiced only the most basic breathing techniques, while the personal guards who had cultivated advanced breathing techniques had strength plain for all to see. Even when besieged by several opponents of the same level, they could still fight and emerge victorious!

"Dare we refuse to give our lives!"

"We will all heed your command, sir!"

For a time, the shouts of the Wind Tiger Battalion rang throughout the entire military camp.

"Move out!"

Seeing the army's morale soar and its fighting spirit burn bright, Li Yi swept out a hand and led the men straight toward the city gates.

At Wild Goose Pass in early winter, night fell very early.

Under cover of darkness, Li Yi quickly led the Wind Tiger Battalion away from the watchful eyes of Wild Goose Pass's defenders and into the depths of the desert.

As for Song Jie and the others, they would set out with their men three shichen after Li Yi's departure.

For this battle, General Guan had mobilized the thirty thousand troops under his command. The moment Li Yi's signal arrived, he would lead the army in an attack!

The location of the Qing Kingdom's twenty-thousand-strong army camp had long since been scouted out by Chen Kingdom scouts.

Using the map, Li Yi led his men on a swift raid for over an hour before arriving at a valley ten li outside the Qing Kingdom camp.

By now, night had fallen, and there was only one hour left until midnight!

Calling Han Jia, Liu Ye, and the others to his side, Li Yi pointed at the map in his hand and said in a low voice:

"There is still one hour until midnight. At that time, General Guan will lead his men from Wild Goose Pass to this valley where we are now."

"We'll rest here first. One hour after midnight, we'll sneak toward the Qing Kingdom camp!"

"At that time, people will be sleeping their deepest, and the Qing Kingdom camp's defenses will be at their slackest. We'll use that moment to slip into their granary and set fire to their provisions!"

Once he saw that everyone had clearly understood his arrangements, Li Yi put away the map.

"Liu Ye, take the personal guards and have them alternate night watch with the First Company and Third Company. Everyone else, rest where you are for two hours!"

After two hours of high-intensity marching through the bitter wind, the men of the Wind Tiger Battalion were already showing traces of fatigue. Upon receiving Li Yi's order, they hurriedly hid in the sheltered side of the valley and closed their eyes to rest.

Time passed second by second. The occasional Qing Kingdom scout who wandered here was also silently killed by the sentries Li Yi had arranged.

"The time is about right. It's time to move!"

Li Yi suddenly opened his eyes and had the personal guards wake the soldiers.

"Pass down my order—bite the gag!"

"Anyone who dares make a sound without permission will be dealt with under military law!"

At Li Yi's command, all five hundred men took out wooden sticks and clamped them tightly between their teeth.

With the gag in place, the men remained!

If a sound escaped past the gag, military law would deal with it!

"Now, follow me!"

Gazing at the faint flicker of firelight ten li away, Li Yi led the men as they quietly crept toward the Qing Kingdom camp.