She Came to Heal, Stayed to Conquer

According to the court’s principle of deploying troops from nearby locations, Jingzhou is the closest to Ling’an City. Song Yuanqing determined that this army must be the reinforcements from Jingzhou.

Song Yuanqing reined in his horse to stop, waved his hand to halt the troops behind him, waiting for Jingzhou’s army to leave the city.

Watching the continuous flow of Jingzhou soldiers exiting the city gates, Song Yuanqing slightly furrowed his brows.

Those soldiers had dark expressions, cursing as they marched.

”General, what’s going on?” Zhao Zun asked from behind Song Yuanqing.

”I don’t know. Wait for them to leave, then go and check.”

After waiting for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Jingzhou’s army finally exited the city gates completely.

Song Yuanqing waved his hand, and Xuzhou’s army slowly advanced again.

As they brushed past the rear of Jingzhou’s troops, Song Yuanqing heard the soldiers at the back say, ”What the hell, my legs are about to break from all this walking, only to find out it’s a false alarm. Damn it.”

Song Yuanqing’s heart skipped a beat. He looked back at his own exhausted soldiers, feeling a sense of foreboding.

Looking towards Ling’an City again, the scene was identical to Yong’an City, peaceful and harmonious.

The citizens were busy with their work, and the soldiers on the city walls patrolled lazily, showing no signs of warfare.

Song Yuanqing furrowed his brows, leaving a deputy general behind to arrange for the troops to rest outside the city.

He himself took Zhao Zun and a few other deputy generals, entering the city first to investigate the specific situation at Ling’an City’s military camp.

Song Yuanqing and his entourage rode into the military camp. After dismounting, under Zhao Zun’s guidance, they headed straight for the central command tent. Along the way, the training soldiers lazily cast amused glances at them.

When they reached the entrance of the central command tent, they were stopped by the guards.

”Halt, who are you?”

”We are the reinforcements from Xuzhou, here to meet with Marshal Cao Xiong.” Song Yuanqing declared loudly.

”Uh...”

The guard’s face showed a hint of awkwardness, but he still turned to report inside.

Soon, Cao Xiong came out.

”So it’s General Song who has come.”

Cao Xiong appeared with a smile, though that smile seemed a bit odd, as if he didn’t want to see them at all.

”Mr. Cao, we received orders from the Ministry of War to support you. The main force is resting outside the city, please direct us, Mr. Cao.”

Song Yuanqing tightly watched the strange expression on Cao Xiong’s face, having already guessed most of the truth.

”Uh... this...”

Cao Xiong hemmed and hawed, truly not knowing how to begin.

Seeing this, Zhao Zun, standing behind Song Yuanqing, lowered his head. A hint of a smile seemed to emerge from the corner of his tightly pressed lips.

As Cao Xiong hesitated, Song Yuanqing’s face immediately grew stern, and he coldly revealed the truth on behalf of Cao Xiong.

”It looks perfectly peaceful here. Could it be that Mr. Cao reported false military information?”

”Uh... no, no.” Cao Xiong’s face changed, repeatedly waving his hands, explaining with a bitter expression.

”Initially, there was indeed military information. The allied forces of Ala and Meng Country came aggressively, already reaching several tens of miles away. But for some unknown reason, they suddenly retreated.”

Cao Xiong lamented incessantly. In principle, Cao Xiong, as the stationed marshal, had a higher rank than Song Yuanqing, who was merely a general leading an expedition.

Position-wise, Cao Xiong ranked above Song Yuanqing, but knowing he was at fault, he naturally felt inferior in front of Song Yuanqing.

He hadn’t expected that his urgent request for reinforcements would bring him such significant trouble.

He had just finished bowing and scraping to send off Jingzhou’s reinforcements when Xuzhou’s troops arrived.

Ah! What to do now?

”Retreated? Did Mr. Cao use a trick to launch a surprise attack, forcing them back?” Song Yuanqing recalled the battle of surprise in Yong’an City.

”Uh... that didn’t happen.” Cao Xiong, with no choice, shook his head.

”Then why did they retreat?”

Song Yuanqing pressed step by step, his face so dark it seemed he could wring water from it.

”I don’t know either!”

Cao Xiong, fearing Song Yuanqing wouldn’t believe him, pointed to the soldiers who were still moving the city defense materials below the city walls.

”General Song, look. We have prepared everything for defending the city, not knowing it would all be useless.”

”Hmph!” Song Yuanqing snorted, the anger in his voice barely concealed. ”So, you haven’t even engaged in battle with the enemy yet?”

Upon hearing this, Cao Xiong choked but finally nodded.

At this, Song Yuanqing finally understood why Jingzhou’s army cursed as they left, with his fury barely suppressible.