Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

The army, numbering in tens of thousands, will surely be able to find someone familiar with the terrain by asking around or checking the roster.

Soon, two people familiar with the terrain were found.

”Subordinate Niu Lei.”

”Subordinate Niu Shan.”

”Greetings to the commander and all the generals.”

Two burly men stood before Huangfu Hao, Chen Mo, and the others.

”General, these two claim to know the terrain of Huayang Slope,” their Military Commander Quan Qiyang said.

Huangfu Hao nodded and inquired, ”Are you from around there?”

Niu Shan was rather shy. He was just an ordinary soldier and had never met someone as high-ranking as Huangfu Hao face-to-face, causing his face to flush red, unable to utter a word.

Niu Lei wasn’t much better off, but managed to speak clearly, ”We’re not from near Huayang Slope; we’re from Niu Family Village, about ten miles from Huayang Slope. When I was young, I often went there to pick wild fruits while herding cattle for Master Liu...”

”Can you draw the terrain of Huayang Slope?” Huangfu Hao’s eyes lit up upon hearing Niu Lei’s words.

Niu Lei thought for a moment and nodded.

Then, Huangfu Hao called for paper and pen for Niu Lei.

Because it was requested by Huangfu Hao, Niu Lei drew carefully, and soon a simple topographical map was completed.

Though roughly drawn, the terrain could still be discerned.

The generals raised their eyebrows: ”A crack in the sky?”

According to Niu Lei’s drawing, Huayang Slope was a ”crack in the sky” terrain, meaning a road ran between two cliffs.

Quan Qiyang furrowed his brow and said, ”Huayang Slope, Huayang Slope... You call that a slope; could you have drawn it wrong?”

As their highest leader, if there was a strategic error due to this map, he’d be the one responsible.

”Reporting to Military Commander Quan, this is indeed Huayang Slope, no mistake. As to why it’s called that, I have no idea,” Niu Lei said, scratching the back of his head.

When he finished, Huangfu Hao and the others stared into his eyes, seeing no signs of falsehood, and said, ”If the terrain of Huayang Slope is truly like this, it’s indeed a good place for an ambush.

As long as people are hidden on both cliffs, once the army passes, blocking both ends of the road with arrows and rolling stones from above, even a thousand-strong cavalry could fall prey.”

Huangfu Hao’s gaze moved to Niu Lei, ”Is there only this road through Huayang Slope?”

Niu Lei nodded.

Quan Qiyang furrowed his brow again and then said, ”General, should we take a detour?”

”If we detour, we have to pass through Wuling County, adding two days to our journey, and there’s still no confirmation if Huayang Slope indeed has an ambush,” a general said.

”But what if there is? The rebel army holds the advantageous terrain, and given this terrain, do you think we have any hope of counterattacking? Therefore, I believe for safety, we should detour,” another general argued back.

”Eunuch Wei, what do you think?” Huangfu Hao turned his head toward Wei Xian.

”Before our departure, His Majesty told me to defer all military matters to General Huangfu,” Wei Xian lightly lifted his eyes.

Huangfu Hao looked at the map of Huayang Slope and then said, ”Chen Hong, what is your opinion?”

”In my humble opinion, perhaps we can eliminate this ambushing rebel army,” Chen Mo said.

All the generals were taken aback, and even Huangfu Hao raised his brows, somewhat surprised, and asked, ”What do you mean by that?”

”General, since we know the rebel army’s position, and they don’t know they’ve been exposed, it means we can catch them off guard.

Since they can climb up there to ambush, we can ambush them on their retreat.”

Huangfu Hao understood Chen Mo’s meaning.

In other words, since the rebel army would climb up both cliffs to ambush, if they miss the ambush, they’ll think they’ve already detoured, and return the way they came. Then, we just need to set an ambush at their ascent point on the cliffs.

”Do you know the locations to climb up to Huayang Slope?” Huangfu Hao asked Niu Lei.

Niu Lei nodded and said, ”There are paths all around Huayang Slope, but only two paths lead up.”

”Alright, later you and Niu Shan will lead the way. If we annihilate this rebel army, you will be credited with a great merit,” Huangfu Hao patted Niu Lei’s shoulder, deciding to trust Chen Mo and take a gamble.

Niu Lei immediately felt the burden of responsibility on his shoulders.

...

The army advanced towards Huayang Slope overnight.

When they were about thirty miles from Huayang Slope.

All the cavalry dismounted, leaving the horses to be watched by a regiment, because approaching on horseback would make too much noise.

Even torches were extinguished, relying on the darkness and the innate senses of the martial artists to move stealthily forward.

Soon, the army discovered the rebel scouts.

The discovery of the rebel scouts confirmed the ambush at Huayang Slope.

The generals’ views of Chen Mo changed.

If this rebel army is wiped out, it’ll be a significant achievement.

After all, the intelligence was provided by Chen Mo.

...

”Did you understand what I said?” Not far from Huayang Slope, Chen Mo held the collar of a rebel scout, asking.

The rebel scout, a small, rat-faced man, nodded incessantly upon hearing Chen Mo’s words.

”Good. If you honestly follow what I told you, it’ll be seen as a show of defection, and after the battle, you’ll be spared. Otherwise...” Chen Mo gestured to the army behind him, the Song army soldiers instantly wore serious expressions looking at him, and Chen Mo continued:

”You should understand that once your ambush is exposed, with your combat power, you won’t be a match for us.

This is your only chance to survive.”

After speaking, Chen Mo produced a pill-like object from somewhere and stuffed it into the scout’s mouth, then said, ”What I just fed you was poison. Only I have the antidote. If you don’t take the antidote in seven hours, you’ll bleed to death from the seven orifices.”

The rebel scout turned pale and abandoned all hope, repeatedly kowtowing, promising to do as Chen Mo instructed.

”Alright, go.”

...

On Huayang Slope.

”Buzz buzz...”

”Slap!”

In the scorching summer, there were many mosquitoes, especially in the hills and wilderness. A rebel soldier slapped dead a mosquito, then turned to Han Zhong beside him and said, ”Commander, it’s already past midnight, based on the Song army’s marching speed, they should’ve arrived long ago, why haven’t they come yet? Could something have gone wrong?”

Han Zhong also furrowed his brows.

Just then, commotion sounded from behind him, and a short figure hurriedly approached, ”Commander, it’s bad, the Song army has taken a detour and isn’t coming through here.”

”What?” Han Zhong frowned and asked, ”What exactly happened?”

”The... the Song army took the detour at the fork up ahead...”

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