Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part V - 97. The Only Winning Move Is Not to Play*

With the last report, the scouts had identified the location of the smaller force, confirming the Xiyu numbers at about three thousand. Marching swiftly, the Anxi army had repositioned their camp in only a few days.

Inside the newly set up command tent, Zhao Ling Xian stood with his officers, pouring over the map.

"Here," he said, pointing. "That valley is the only place they can go through to get through the small mountain range. It would be safer to march around, but they don't have time. That's where we'll meet them."

Although Zhao Ling Xian was slightly disadvantaged in terms of numbers, he knew the terrain well, and the battalion from the horse farm was part of the elite corp of the Anxi army. They would march out to meet the smaller Xiyu force and cut them off from joining the main force, hopefully before Ashina Atil could circle behind them.

"Your Highness...reporting!" cried a soldier, running into the tent with a tiny tube. The soldier handed it to him and then immediately stepped back out.

Pulling out the report and unravelling the paper, the prince's brow creased slightly as he read.

"Laobai will get here in ten days," the Seventh Prince announced in a matter-of-fact tone. He took the latest report indicating that Bai Zhi Yu had launched the assault on the pass and tossed it onto his desk. Even though the plan to capture the fortress had succeeded, the damage caused had to be temporarily addressed to protect the fortress from being recaptured.

The officers, including Murong Yan, started to murmur. Standing in the tent, an argument ensued about battle formations.

Still listening to the heated discussions with half an ear, Zhao Ling Xian stood back for a moment, but then frowned when he noticed a slight shuffle at the front of his tent.

The sentries guarding the tent hadn't taken due care as it was Cui Xi who had entered dressed as a young soldier. She had no makeup on and had rubbed some dirt into her face to darken her skin. Apparently, they hadn't looked at her twice as the tray with the steaming tea really needed no explanation. They waved her in and she quietly slipped into the brightly lit tent.

Cui Xi immediately saw that the Seventh Prince was standing in front of a large map painted on cloth, set on a table and his generals were gathered around it. They did not look up as they were discussing intensely amongst themselves. The prince stood with arms folded, watching, his expression seemingly detached.

She cautiously skirted around the officers and then sidled up to his side, still holding the tray, lips curved into a smirk. He had noticed her immediately when she entered, but he made as if he had not. Without a word, she presented the tray with the tea and a single sheet of folded paper. He took the tea with one hand and the sheet of paper in the other, flapping it open.

Cui Xi had already started to head back and was nearly at the entrance of the tent, when she heard a snort of laughter. She paused only for a second and then quickened her step, trying to make it out of the tent.

The Seventh Prince looked at the sheet that read:

- Even the numbers and wear them down first.