Chapter 68: Sticking to the Pass

The next day, Guan Shanyue was waiting for the discussion since she got up, but when lunch was delivered, no one asked Wu Renxiong to advance to the tent, so she asked the Tong Shi Zheng Fang: "Did you meet Gu Du when you trained last night?"

Zheng Fang replied: "I met him, but Master Gu and Master Li came a little late."

Guan Shanyue frowned. Since he was back, why didn’t Wu Renxiong get promoted? Didn’t he discuss it with him? He said, “Eat first. After the meal, you go and ask if the general has been promoted after he came back last night.”

Zheng Fang said: "Soul Lord, if the general was promoted to the tent, how could he not invite the Soul Lord?"

Guan Shanyue snorted coldly and said, "It's different from the past. That boy Gu Du has been very close to the general. It is said that he even called him brother in private. I'm afraid he won't take me, the yellow-robed soul master, seriously for a long time."

Wu Renxiong was tired after running for a day yesterday. After all, he was not a big guy like Gu Du. He slept until noon before he woke up. After washing up, he ate and immediately moved to the tent.

Wu Renxiong did not let Gu Du and others speak, and said everything himself. Guan Shanyue asked: "Why is the general so familiar with the rebels?"

Wu Renxiong replied: "How can you not know the enemy's situation after guarding the border for seventeen years?"

Guan Shanyue's eyes swept across Gu Du and others' faces one by one, and said, "Since the general has sent someone at night and has rushed to report to the court for 600 miles, then we will wait for the court to approve it."

The next day, the army reported to the imperial city. Shangguan Mingfeng, the head of the Military and Political Department, joined forces with the high priest of the Imperial Soul Division, to meet the Spirit Emperor.

After reading Wu Renxiong's memorial, the new Linghuang asked: "Why is this Tong Shi named Jin Lan well aware of the affairs of Zeguo?"

The high priest replied: "Go back to the emperor, Jin Lan has surrendered here."

"What?" Ling Emperor's face darkened and he said, "I have outstanding people in Lingguo. Do you still need someone to surrender? It would be fine if you surrender, but you even became a servant of the boy?"

The high priest replied: "Back to the emperor, Jin Lan's affairs were approved by the late emperor."

A look of displeasure flashed across the Spirit Emperor's eyes and said coldly: "I naturally know that it was the last emperor's permission. Otherwise, if you measure your Soul-Regioning Department, you would not dare to have such courage to let a surrendered person enter the Soul-Regioning Department."

The high priest lowered his eyes and replied, "Your Majesty, Jin Lan is the wife of Gu Du, who has not passed through the sect. Gu Du is Chu Qin's attendant, and he once followed Chu Qin into a battle to seize the commander in Rizhaoguan."

The Emperor Ling said, "I know, a strong man and a young hero. But I am very puzzled. Lixia, who was with him, was not only brave enough to be a man, but also beautiful and graceful person. Is this Gu Du blind? He even regarded my arrogant and arrogant daughter as nothing, and insisted on loving a rebel woman!"

The high priest said with an awkward expression: "Back to the emperor, the love affairs of his children, the marriage is determined, and the old ministers can do nothing."

Shangguan Mingfeng said: "Emperor, if it is as Jin Lan said, then the country of Ze will definitely return to the grassland. With time, when it is ready, there will be a fierce battle. It is better to raise troops to attack when it is not decided, or it may be determined by a battle."

The Spirit Emperor was silent for a moment and asked, "Why would it be impossible for a fight?"

Shangguan Mingfeng replied: "Even if it cannot be determined by a battle, it can damage his vitality and make him retreat to the ice field. I think that for at least thirty years, Zeguo will not dare to take such thoughts again."

The Spirit Emperor nodded and asked, "How many soldiers do you need? How much food and grass do you need?"

Shangguan Mingfeng frowned, and the Emperor Ling said, "Now the national treasury is empty and the people have no surplus food. Once the troops are raised, there will be civil strife! Besides, just this is Jin Lan's words, will the whole country be in full swing to start a war? Are you not afraid that this is a trick to lure the enemy?"

Shangguan Mingfeng and the high priest looked at each other. The Emperor Ling said something reasonable. Once the army is raised, it will be a waste of money. If this is a trick to lure the enemy, the Ling Kingdom will greatly damage the vitality. If Ze Kingdom takes advantage of the situation to counterattack, the Ling Kingdom will be in danger.

The Emperor Ling said again: "Since they want to dig a boundary river, let them dig it up and cross a river. Although it prevents our army from advancing rapidly, it also stops their invasion. Our Ling Kingdom has three natural dangers, so why fear the rebels? Besides, the Ze Kingdom is so laboring and mobilizing a large number of troops, and the national strength will decline. When our Ling Kingdom slows down for two or three years, we will raise our troops to attack him, which is fine."

Shangguan Mingfeng said: "The emperor is wise, please tell me how should I approve it?"

The Emperor of Spirit replied: "Preserve the pass and act cheaply."

Two days later, the approval document arrived at Zhenbei Pass. Wu Renxiong did not advance the tent and came to Gu Du directly and said, "The court will not send troops, so I will stick to the pass and act cheaply. What do you think we should do?"

Gu Du replied: "What else can I do? Since I am sticking to the pass, I just stay there."

Wu Renxiong said: "You can still do things cheaply."

Gu Du replied: "I dare not say this. If something happens, I, a mere white-robed soul master, cannot afford it."

Wu Renxiong said, "Brother, I feel uneasy. Fifty thousand enemy troops are a hundred miles away. I can't sleep. If they really stay for a year or two, I won't be able to fight. I will become a useless person without them fighting."

Gu Du said, "What do you want to do? Just tell me."

Wu Renxiong said: "I want to lead five thousand iron cavalry to explore the enemy's reality and want you to accompany me."

Gu Du said: "Jin Lan said that if the enemy's armor would not be less than 40,000, and the spirit master would not be less than ten. You are asking me to accompany you to die."

Wu Renxiong said: "You are in Rizhaoguan, and you dare to capture the commander if you have 500 light cavalry. Now I have brought 5,000 iron cavalry, which is ten times more!"

Gu Du said, "Don't use this to provoke me. It was Master Chu who was trapped in Rizhaoguan. Besides, there was a risk of breaking the barrier at that time. If you want to fight this battle, it is obvious that you are looking for trouble."

Wu Renxiong said: "How come it's okay? Among the three passes, Zhenbei Pass welcomes the most enemies. If the rebels dig the boundary river, they will definitely build a fortress directly against Zhenbei Pass. When it stabilizes, they will definitely also rush directly to Zhenbei Pass!"

Gu Du sighed and said, "That's not possible. If the court does not send troops, you only have 50,000 defenders. If you can win, you will not go far. And if you go out in scattered ways, you will only consume your own military strength."

Wu Renxiong said: "I just want to test it, and at most I can shoot an arrow."

Gu Du said: "If it were just a test and a shooting arrow, five hundred people would be enough, so why use five thousand iron cavalry?"

Wu Renxiong said: "What if they don't have so many soldiers? Maybe I can drive them away with a rush."

Gu Du shook his head and said, "You want to bring five thousand, at least half of them die. If you want to bring five hundred, you may be able to run back."

Wu Renxiong thought for a while and said with a smile: "Yes! Take 500 people over and run away after a while. They are not worth it to mobilize the army to chase 500 people. I just need to do more arrows and run to shoot for a while when I am free, and consume their manpower! Haha! Brother, you have a good idea!"
Chapter completed!