Ji Fa led his men up the mountain to scout. Sheer cliffs lined its flank, leaving no clever shortcut across, while the Quicksand River below made it impossible to skirt around. The mountain paths were narrow and rugged, difficult to traverse, and the forest was so deep and dense that hiding tens of thousands of troops would be child's play.
With a suitable ambush site found, Ji Fa was thoroughly satisfied and immediately led his troops back to camp.
By the time they returned to camp, darkness had fallen.
Ji Fa coughed lightly a few times, an unnatural flush rising in his face. He summoned Nangong Shi and instructed him, "General, I will rest for an hour. Wake me in an hour. I intend to lead the troops up the mountain under cover of night. I will leave matters in camp to you."
Nangong Shi urged him, "Your Majesty has not rested properly for days. Now that we have finally found a suitable place for an ambush, why not rest a little longer? There is no need to rush."
Ji Fa waved his hand. "The timing and location have both been settled, so naturally, the sooner the better. Who knows when the Shang Army will arrive?"
Nangong Shi sighed. Looking at Ji Fa's bloodshot eyes, he found himself speechless. Only after a long pause did he reluctantly say, "Very well. Rest well, Your Majesty. Your Humble Servant will return when the time comes."
Ji Fa nodded. Without even removing his armor, he lay down and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
An hour later, Nangong Shi came to the tent, only to find Ji Fa already awake.
Nangong Shi cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, I have already assembled the troops. The men can depart at any time."
"Good." The dark