The troops soon came to a halt.
Zhou Leng pulled back the curtain and looked at Meng Chong. "What's going on?"
There was no change in Meng Chong's expression. "Didn't you say before that there's a kind of wild vegetable called zhetougen here that tastes great? It's almost noon. Let's just set up camp here and take a rest."
Zhou Leng raised his eyebrows. It seemed there was something going on. He nodded. "Okay, you make the arrangements."
Yan Ke was sitting in the carriage. She knew there was something up as soon as the carriage stopped.
She was a bit nervous, and the hands clasped together turned slightly pale. But when she pulled back the curtain and saw the soldiers outside calmly preparing the noon meal, she inexplicably calmed down.
It wasn't a big deal. Since she decided to become a diplomat, she had already prepared for the worst, hadn't she?
It was only just beginning now. There was the Jinyang Army behind her. There was nothing to be afraid of.
On the hillside, two or three hundred Quzhao soldiers were lying in ambush. Looking at the Jinyang Army that suddenly stopped in the distance, the general couldn't help frowning. "What's going on? Why did they stop?"
The deputy general was also puzzled. "Could they have discovered us?"
The general pondered. "It's so far away. How could they have discovered us?"
When they saw the Jinyang Army constantly carrying cooking utensils down from the carriages, the deputy general widened his eyes. "Are they going to cook the noon meal?"
No, what time was it? How could they be cooking the noon meal already?
Over there, the Jinyang Army had already started assigning tasks. Some went to find water sources, some went to gather firewood, and some dealt with the ingredients. In short, it was a bustling scene.
All the Quzhao soldiers looked at each other, not knowing what to say for a moment.
The general always felt something was wrong. "No, how could it be such a coincidence?"
The deputy general also thought it was a bit off and suggested, "How about we charge over while they're off guard?"
The general shook his head and looked at the Jinyang Army soldiers guarding the perimeter with crossbows. "Their crossbows have a long range. We'd be killed before we even got close. Let's wait a bit longer."
This was the best ambush point he had specially chosen.
Suddenly, his ears perked up, and he turned to look behind him. "Did you hear any sound?"
The deputy general followed his gaze. There was a dense forest behind, and there was nothing there except the occasional chirping of insects and birds.
"I didn't hear anything. It can't be some wild beast..." His voice suddenly stopped. He seemed to see black arrows!
Screams rang out, startling a flock of birds in the forest.
Yan Ke, who was drinking water, trembled and almost choked. Fortunately, she managed to steady herself and continued to drink slowly in small sips. Come to think of it, this military canteen was really useful.
She wondered what the lord was thinking to come up with so many good things.
Zhou Leng was quite calm, sitting under a big tree enjoying the shade.
It was so hot, especially sitting inside the carriage. It was like being in a furnace.
In just over an hour, Meng Chong came back with his men, covered in spoils.
"How was it?" Zhou Leng asked.
Meng Chong replied helplessly, "It was the Quzhao Army. There were two or three hundred of them lying in ambush on that hillside."
Zhou Leng glanced at him. "It's so far away. How did you discover them?"
Meng Chong thought for a moment. "Intuition!"
He was telling the truth. His senses were more sensitive than ordinary people's, which was also one of the reasons why he was able to quickly become the head of the guards back then.
Zhou Leng: "..."
"Did you send someone out just now?" he changed the topic.
Meng Chong nodded. "I was just going to discuss it with you. It's only polite to return the favor. Since the Quzhao Army is trying to ambush us, I think it's necessary to give them a taste of their own medicine. Anyway, they didn't bring many people."
He had brought about a battalion's worth of troops this time. The Quzhao Army had brought more, probably around six or seven hundred. But after the ones he had just taken out, the number wasn't that many anymore.
Zhou Leng frowned. "Are you sure you can do it?"
He didn't care at all and even hoped that Meng Chong would just take out He Xin. Whether it was the Quzhao Army or the Ji and Jiao tribes, one less enemy was one less problem.
So, it was really comfortable and refreshing to follow the lord. If someone didn't submit, just fight them.
It seemed that everyone under the lord's command was like this.
Meng Chong smiled. "In Chongzhou, if it were the Ji Army, we'd have to be a bit more cautious. But the Quzhao Army? Hehe, it's like going to the toilet with a lantern - asking for trouble!"
If the other side didn't make a move, he wouldn't go looking for trouble either.
Now, it was the other way around. He wasn't bothering them, but they were getting cocky and wanted to have a go at him. Then he had to return the favor.
Zhou Leng: "..."
He usually seemed quiet, but he didn't expect him to be such a tough guy.
Just as he was thinking, several cavalry soldiers came back in a hurry, and there were two unfamiliar faces among them.
"How was it?" Meng Chong asked.
"The Quzhao envoy is resting in the southeast, about ten-odd miles from here," Qiao Yong replied.
He was the person in charge of the contact point in Shangjing County.
When Jiang Jin sent people to Shangjing County for negotiations, the contact point naturally had to be activated to assist Meng Chong with the guard work.
"Did they come around from that direction to lie in ambush here?" Meng Chong was puzzled.
Qiao Yong took out a self-made map. "They should have come through this small path and then crossed this dense forest. They probably started moving last night."
There weren't many people in his contact point. Some of them were mapping the surrounding area and getting familiar with the terrain, while others were monitoring the movements of the Ji and Quzhao armies.
The Quzhao Army had been stationary after setting up camp last night, and the two Jinyang Army soldiers sent to investigate really hadn't noticed anyone leaving. They probably moved in the dark.
Fortunately, Captain Meng had sharp intuition. Otherwise, the consequences were unimaginable.
Meng Chong nodded. "How many people are there on the Quzhao side now? If I want to attack them, can I go the same way the Quzhao soldiers came?"
In fact, he had also sent people to scout ahead, and they hadn't found any problems either. It showed that this group of Quzhao soldiers was good at lying in ambush.
"There are about five hundred of them. I don't recommend taking the same path the Quzhao soldiers took. It's easy to be discovered if you go out from here. You can go from here..." Qiao Yong pointed at the map and explained his idea.
Zhou Leng looked at Qiao Yong, who was talking eloquently, in surprise and realized that this was someone the lord had arranged in Shangjing County in advance.
Thinking about it further, it seemed reasonable. Just like in Lin County back then, it was said that people had been arranged to enter the city in advance.
What surprised him was that this person in front of him was so well - organized, had a clear understanding of the surrounding terrain, and his plan was well - reasoned.
The lord seemed to have a talent for recognizing people. Or rather, after people joined her army, their talents could be put to good use.
It was a pity that he hadn't been a core member of the Jinyang Army before, so he naturally didn't know many of the lord's arrangements.
Meng Chong and Qiao Yong soon worked out a complete attack plan. After discussing the details, he then turned to Zhou Leng and said, "I'll lead the men there. I'll be back in less than two hours."
He Xin stood outside the tent, looking into the distance, with a faint sense of unease in his heart.
He knew that he had lost in the negotiation with the Ji Army this time.
And through this, he also got to know Zhou Leng.
It was said that it was also this person who negotiated with the Jiao Army last time, which led to the Jiao Army ceasing the war against the Great Qing. And the Great Qing, which had ceased the war, then joined forces with the Jinyang Army and occupied three counties of his Quzhao.
Although negotiations could be affected by many factors, such as the combat power of both sides and the gains and losses of self - interests, there was no denying that a powerful negotiation expert could be worth three armies!
He also knew very well that Zhou Leng's next target would surely be Liangcheng. If the Jinyang Army and the Jiao Army were to reach some kind of agreement, then Quzhao, which was already in a weak position, would surely face a disastrous end.
In that case, it would be better to kill Zhou Leng. Killing him on the territory of the Ji Army would also allow them to frame the Ji Army. Then let's see how the Jinyang Army and the Jiao Army cooperate!
