Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

In front of Yunshan, the army gathered, with cavalry and infantry in neat formation, and flags were bright and clear.

Although Gao Fen only requested two battalions from Huangfu Hao, the two battalions were complete with various types of troops and well-equipped.

After all, Gao Fen was the son of Grand Commandant Gao Qiu and an ally of Prime Minister Cai Si. Even though Huangfu Hao looked down upon Gao Fen, he had to give face due to his father’s status.

This is the way of the world.

So the two battalions given were considered elite.

Clad in armor, Gao Fen rode on his warhorse, looking over the plain below.

At this moment.

Dust rose in the distance, and Gao Fen and his men could see a group of rebel army pursuing the Song army.

”General Gao, the rebels are pursuing,” Deputy General Li Er said beside him.

”Haha, Li Er, you’re really something. A little trick lured this rebel army out of the city,” Gao Fen said, looking at the rebel army with some excitement.

These are military merits!

”The troops we sent out purposely lost to them and threw down their helmets and armor in retreat. Facing such easy merits, how could they resist not chasing?” Li Er smiled slightly, then said, ”General Gao, we should close the net.”

”No rush, wait until they get closer, and then we’ll annihilate them in one fell swoop.”

”Understood.”

...

A moment later, from the mountaintop of Yunshan, war drums sounded in unison, and horses neighed incessantly.

As the rebels approached, cries of killing resounded in the air.

The Song army, which had long been ambushing, charged towards the chasing rebels.

The Song army was fully armored, with their chest and back armor connected to their leg guards, and even their warhorses were armored. They carried knives, shields, and spears.

Under the enveloping sound of the war drums, the momentum was overwhelming.

The Song army, who had been chased by the rebels, suddenly renewed their spirits and turned to counterattack.

The rebels’ faces changed.

”Not good, the Song army has an ambush, retreat quickly!”

”We can’t retreat, there are people behind us too...”

The noose that Gao Fen had long ordered woven was now tightened, trapping the rebels like turtles in a jar.

The Song army took the opportunity to capture this rebel force in one stroke.

Then, with unstoppable momentum, they seized Yunshan City, which had again been occupied by the rebels.

After entering the city, a smile spread across Gao Fen’s face.

This was likely the first battle fought against the rebels who had returned, and this first battle, they took it on.

Moreover, they also successfully captured a city.

This was no small merit.

Thus, after occupying Yunshan City, Gao Fen’s first action was to have the victory report sent immediately to Huangfu Hao.

Gao Fen patted Li Er on the shoulder and said with a smile, ”The rapid capture of Yunshan City in this battle, Li Er, you are a hero. I will certainly speak of your merits to the commander.”

However, in that battle report, Gao Fen downplayed Li Er’s contributions significantly.

Li Er, unaware of being kept in the dark, nodded and smiled.

Gao Fen continued, ”Li Er, having taken Yunshan City, the morale is high among the troops. I’m planning a night attack on Sha City while the battle situation at Yunshan hasn’t reached Sha City yet, to take it by surprise.”

Sha City was a county around Yunshan City. After Yellow Armor City fell, these cities were all occupied by the rebels.

”General Gao, it’s unwise. Although our morale is high, the troops have been fighting all day and must be close to exhaustion. We should rest for one night, conserve strength, and attack Sha City together once General Chen Hong arrives tomorrow,” Li Er advised.

But Gao Fen, with his mind filled with victory, wouldn’t listen, and decided on the night attack.

Whether it was divine intervention or something else.

The night raid succeeded.

Gao Fen successfully captured Sha City.

Standing on the walls of Sha City, Gao Fen felt an indescribable sense of pride, as if he was finally coming into his own, patting Li Er on the shoulder, and said, ”Li Er, what did I say? These mere rebels are no match for me...”

Gao Fen could only respond with congratulations, then said, ”General Gao, the troops should rest now as everyone is exhausted.”

Gao Fen nodded, and this time he listened to Li Er’s suggestion.

After Li Er left, Gao Fen personally wrote the battle report.

Whereas the previous report mentioned some of Li Er’s contributions.

This time, he credited all the merits to himself and even exaggerated his achievements.

...

Meanwhile.

”Boom!”

”Boom!”

Drums pounded as heavy siege equipment was pushed forward in time with the deep sounds, and countless torches gathered from all directions.

It was Chen Mo’s army.

These siege weapons were the ones Chen Mo had crafted and repaired with craftsmen at Celestial River City from the captured rebel siege equipment.

In fact, these siege engines originally belonged to the Song army.

After Nanyang fell, they were seized by the rebels.

But the rebels thought the siege weapons were too cumbersome and bothersome, so they took only some and destroyed the rest on-site.

What Chen Mo had repaired were some of the pieces that weren’t completely destroyed.

Undoubtedly, Chen Mo smoothly captured Yang County.

After all, guarding Yang County was not the main force of the rebels, but a small batch, so it wasn’t difficult to take.

Chen Mo had Xu Dabang notify the troops to rest while sending people to contact Gao Fen.

His mission was to join forces with Gao Fen, then act accordingly.

But in simulations, Chen Mo knew contacting Gao Fen would be impossible since they were no longer in Muyou County.

Yet to contact or not was one issue.

Not contacting was another issue.

Chen Mo, of course, had to perform the duties visibly.

...

...

Sha City.

At dawn.

Gao Fen ordered breakfast preparations.

Li Er sensed Gao Fen’s intent and went to him, ”General Gao, what’s this about?”

”After a night’s rest, the troops should be mostly recovered. So, after breakfast, I plan to capture another city to expand the victory for our army,” Gao Fen smiled.

Li Er frowned, ”General Gao, shouldn’t we wait for General Chen Hong to arrive before acting? If we advance too deeply alone, we might be surrounded by rebels.”

Gao Fen chuckled, ”Battlefields are full of deceptions; rebels would think like you do and assume we dare not attack again, so we must act unexpectedly.”

The victory at Sha City made Gao Fen feel this surprise tactic could be used again.

And Gao Fen believed that having support behind him meant he didn’t need to worry about his retreat.

”But...”

Li Er wanted to speak, but was interrupted by Gao Fen, ”Why are you so timid? Last night was the same, and yet, didn’t we take Sha City?”

Timidity and hesitation like this, when will the rebellion be quelled?”

Li Er fell silent, then said, ”Understood.”