Chapter 347: Counterattack and Finding Treasures
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
…
If there was one day when you just happened to be participating in a very important fighting competition and the opponents around you were more or less equal in power, right at this moment, you suddenly realised that you had a breakthrough.
Many strange and different thoughts suddenly flooded your mind and the strength of your body suddenly surged, instantly overpowering your opponents.
Would you be very happy?
Chen Feiyu had recently been deeply stuck in this joy, almost unable to pull himself out from it. In the Court Theory Examination, his results were actually not too bad.
Ranking number twelve in the Rising Dragon Roll, he had managed to attain fifth position in the theory examination, ranked just behind Wu Feng. It was already an extraordinary feat.
However, that didn't have any use.
Because, nobody would ever pay attention to this rank. After all, on top of him, there was Nangong Hao, there was Fang Zhengzhi, there was Yan Xiu, and there was Wu Feng.
Those that people paid attention to would always be those who had the possibility of obtaining champion.
As for what was below the champion?
They were just non-entities serving as contrasts. No matter how talented they were, they wouldn't attract much attention from others.
Chen Feiyu's background was naturally not lowly. He was the direct descendant of one of the thirteen constabularies. His elder sister was the dynasty's Imperial Concubine Hua Fei, even Ping Yang had to call him uncle.
Of course, this was just as useless.
Chen Feiyu had been extremely talented all his life. There were quite many notable incidents. For example, being able to recite poems at the age of seven, and being able to write beautiful, life-like calligraphy at the age of nine.
However, very unfortunately, it was still useless.
Because, his elder sister, the current Imperial Concubine Hua Fei, could recite poems at the age of six, and had extraordinary calligraphy skills at the age of eight. Hence, when Chen Feiyu brought the first poem of his life to his father at the age of seven to seek his praise, his father had only glanced across it and sighed.
"Passable!"
Then, the rest of Chen Feiyu's life seemed to have landed into some sort of curse.
Number twelve in the Rising Dragon Roll was already an impressive result. However, people only cared about the top ten, at the very most, they might discuss about the number eleven who had the opportunity of entering the top ten.
As for the number twelve?
Who had the time to care about that!
Not bad, manageable, passable.
These became the most common phrases Chen Feiyu heard in his life.
Not too long ago in the horseback hunting competition in the hunting grounds of the Eastern Suburbs, the same thing had happened. Chen Feiyu's horseback skills were extremely impressive. However, nobody had paid any attention to him ever since the start of the competition.
Because, in front of him there were the number six and number seven of the Rising Dragon Roll, Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming. Further down, there were still Ninth Prince Lin Yun and Princess Ping Yang.
Then…
As somebody who didn't have too much chance of entering the top three, nobody paid any attention to him.
This was something very saddening. Even more saddening was Fang Zhengzhi had gained more attention than him, riding a Mud Striped Horse! This was simply his miserable life fortune.
Nobody cared about the number five in the Court Theory Examination, nobody cared about the number four in the horseback hunting competition, ever since they had entered the Southern Mountain Range and began the combat examination, everybody's attention were all on Nangong Hao and Wufeng.
And even when Chen Feiyu specially inquired about the intelligence sent to Ninth Prince Lin Yun.
The intelligence report only mentioned about how Wu Feng was doing, how Nangong Hao was doing, how Yan Xiu was doing. However, Chen Feiyu, who occupied the Thunder Lion Main Settlement wasn't mentioned at all.
Why wasn't he mentioned.
He had also occupied one of the four main settlements, how could they not report that?
Chen Feiyu was very affected by his!
To be born within the thirteen constabularies, wasn't that noble? To be ranked twelveth in the Rising Dragon Roll, wasn't that impressive?
However, Chen Feiyu's life seemed to have been destined to be a black hole, going back and forth along the edges of glory, yet always existing as a black hole.
Not only couldn't he become a main character, he wasn't even qualified to play a supporting role. If he had to be described as something, it would be an utility man with a name.
Even then, people had to ask.
Does anybody still remember who Chen Feiyu was?
Alright…
Chen Feiyu's destiny this entire life was a huge word, "misery".
However, it was alright.
Chen Feiyu had a breakthrough, going from the Heavenly Reflection Peak State into the Supernatural Beginning State. Even though he had just broken through, it was definitely a path that went against his fate.
This caused Chen Feiyu to feel extremely excited, so excited that he couldn't even contain himself.
He had full confidence that him of the Supernatural Beginning State would definitely enter the top few of the Rising Dragon Roll.
He wouldn't think about challenging Chi Guyan and Nangong Hao yet, however, disabling Wu Feng and suppressing Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu's arrogance would be very possible.
Leading the army and making it prosperous, strengthening the military powers, swallow humiliation and bear a heavy load upon his shoulders, and creating a great uprising in one move to become the brightest star in this combat examination, that was what Chen Feiyu currently thought.
Having taken over the Thunderous Lion Main Settlement, he had twelve thousand troops. Even though it was still some distance away from Wu Feng's twenty thousand troops, Chen Feiyu wasn't afraid.
As long as Wu Feng dared to come!
He dared to attack Wu Feng head on.
Hence…
Wu Feng came, advancing with his great military strength, sending troops towards him from the two directions of the Yan Ya settlement and the Shi Zun settlement in an attempt to take down the Thunderous Lion Main Settlement in one fell swoop to become his third base.
Chen Feiyu only laughed at this.
Pretense!
Let me see how long you can pretend. He could almost imagine Wu Feng's exaggerated and shocked expression when he realised that he had entered the Supernatural State.
"Impossible, Brother Fei Yu, how could you breakthrough to the Supernatural State so quickly? This… this is simply unbelievable!"
"Ha ha ha… A person's life would always have to change at one point. For example, now is my time!"
Every time Chen Feiyu imagined this situation, he would always tremble slightly in excitement. He wanted these people to remember very clearly that this world didn't only consist of Nangong Hao, Wu Feng, Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.
There was also himself, Chen Feiyu!
Come, you better come, come carefully, don't sprain your back!
Why would the thirteen constabularies be named the thirteen constabularies? Why were the thirteen constabularies so closely united together? The reason was because the thirteen constabularies were the thirteen forces that had followed the Founding Emperor in establishing the Great Xia.
The thirteen constabularies, born in the battlefield, built upon generations of friendly settlements, bonded by the same beliefs.
There was a saying that had been running around in the Great Xia Dynasty.
"If the thirteen constabularies remain standing, the Great Xia Dynasty will never die!"
If the Great Xia Dynasty was described as a large, tall tree, then the thirteen constabularies were doubtlessly the stems of the Great Xia Dynasty, stems that extended deep into the earth.
Would the direct descendent of the thirteen constabularies, Chen Feiyu, not know military techniques?
That was simply a joke.
Commanding troops and setting formations were too easy, so much so that even Chen Feiyu had come up with his own summary. That was the experience he had gained from reading countless military books.
As well as the true knowledge he had gleaned from his countless times in the battlefield.
Vigour!
The most decisive factor in a battle between two forces was vigour. Victory came from using one's vigour to suppress and handicap the other party.
Faced with Wu Feng's flanking from two routes, Chen Feiyu wasn't thinking of staying in the Thunderous Lion Settlement and guarding it. He was thinking how best to launch a head-on attack to triumph over Wu Feng.
"Twenty thousand troops, split into two? This is simply asking for death!" Chen Feiyu raised his head slightly and looked at the army of brightly-armoured soldiers with a cold smile on his face.
He could almost completely guess Wu Feng's plan.
The lowest requirement was leaving two thousand troops in each of the two main settlements. Then, the twenty thousand troops would instantly turn into sixteen thousand. Wu Feng had been staying in the Yan Ya Settlement. Hence, the forces that came from the Yan Ya Settlement would definitely be the main force.
Calculating the army strength.
The number of people coming from the Yan Ya Settlement would be at least ten thousand, while those coming from the Shi Zun Settlement would at most be six thousand.
Wanting to combine forces then annihilating me in one fell swoop?
A dark-blue ripple-like glow lighted up on Chen Feiyu's body, while green tree leaves began to flash faintly in the light like beads of lotus.
"Generals listen to my orders!"
"Roger!"
"General Li receive my order!"
"Roger!"
"You will personally lead two thousand fast troops, setting off at night and rush to the Thunderous Bird Settlement at the perimeter. Then, successively set up defences at the Heaven Thunder Settlement, Changxing Settlement, this position, and here, here, here… set up a camp at every step, and a pass every ten miles. Only defend, don't attack! I wish to delay Wu Feng's main forces for five days to reduce the loss of our soldiers!" When Chen Feiyu finished speaking, he passed a commander token into the hands of a soldier.
In a true fight.
Chen Feiyu naturally wouldn't use those scholars participating in the examination. Because, he knew very clearly that these people's goals were only to get a good ranking.
If the descendant of the thirteen constabularies wouldn't even able to determine who knew how to fight and who didn't, that was truly ruining the reputation of the thirteen constabularies.
"Roger!" A commanding soldier instantly received the token, then turned around and ran outside the tent without a second of hesitation.
"The other soldiers will all prepare to move out and follow me. I will personally command ten thousand soldiers to surround and kill the six thousand troops coming from the Shi Zun Settlement." Chen Feiyu continued to give his orders after the commanding soldier had left the tent.
"Young Master Zhang wishes to personally lead the troops, this…"
Call me General!"
"Roger, General Zhang, if all of us leaves to attack, wouldn't this Thunderous Lion Settlement become empty? What if General Li isn't able to guard his side, and we are unable to take down the troops from Shi Zun in time. If at that time, Wu Feng leads his troops into the Thunderous Lion Settlement, we would face enemies on both sides." A commander said doubtfully.
"That's right, isn't General Zhang's actions a little too daring? I believe that we have the geographical advantage in this battle, defence is enough." Another commander also suggested by the side.
"Defence? Ha ha… Do you think I am happy or worried when I heard that Wu Feng is coming to attack?" When Chen Feiyu heard these two general's words, he didn't express his anger immediately. Instead, he asked with a light smile on his face.
"This… Wu Feng has control over two main settlements, and has almost two times the amount of troops we have, I believe… you would naturally be a little more worried."
"That's right, if we have a few more days, we wouldn't have to be afraid of him."
When the two commanders heard Chen Feiyu's question, they glanced at one another and replied.
"Wrong, I am happy!" Chen Feiyu shook his head.
"Happy? Where did this happiness come from?" When the other commanders heard Chen Feiyu's words, they were also somewhat confused.
"I am happy that Heaven has given me an opportunity. And, this opportunity really came at the best possible time. I was initially thinking how I was going to defend against Wu Feng. However, now, I am at ease."
"I don't really understand."
"Yes, of course you wouldn't understand. Defence is indeed the best strategy now. All of you are extremely experienced in battle. Using the geography as an advantage to continue our defence, we indeed have an eighty percent chance of not losing! However, that is only not losing! Defence? Can we defend until we become first in the combat examination? Of course not! Defence? Can we defend until we have control over the three main settlements? Of course not! Then, let me ask you all, why must I defend?"
When Chen Feiyu said this, his body naturally gave off a powerful aura. That was a self-confidence that came from his heart.
Only one with immense self-confidence would have such a powerful aura.
"I understand!"
"We had initially thought that General Zhang wishes to remain undefeated in the combat examination. However, we never thought that General Zhang would have such ambition!"
"General Zhang is indeed the descendant of the thirteen constabularies, we are willing to follow you till death!"
"Follow General Zhang and attain first in the combat examination!"
When the commanders heard Chen Feiyu's words and felt the powerful self-confidence and aura coming from Chen Feiyu, they were taken aback. Then, began to kneel down on one knee one by one.
…
After Fang Zhengzhi finished listening to the situation analysis of the Thunderous Lion Settlement by the settlement chief, a question had rose in his mind. Who is this Chen Feiyu?
Why did nobody ever mention him in the past?
Hmm…
This was a question, however, it wasn't a question that bothered Fang Zhengzhi for too long. He felt at ease very quickly. Because, after looking at the dark skin of the settlement chief.
He had thought of a strategy.
A strategy he believed was rather impressive.
That was passing off the fake as real.
Since the Southern Mountain Range was able to conceal its soldiers in the four main settlements, he could also do the same by concealing his soldiers in the four main settlements.
Wasn't it just smearing some black oil.
Bringing two thousand soldiers and five hundred Silver Horned Wolf Cavalries to rush about everywhere looking for Yan Xiu was evidently not something an intelligent person should do.
That was a headless fly.
Fang ZHengzhi naturally wouldn't do such tedious and thankless tasks, especially in a place filled with fearsome beasts like the Southern Mountain Range. Hence, he decided to spread the news.
Then, wait for Yan Xiu to unite with himself.
The main settlements were naturally more effective in spreading news.
After gaining knowledge about the Southern Mountain Range's "every citizen a soldier" strategy, he decided to take advantage of this strategy. He now possessed the Cyan Stone Token. As long as he was able to enter the Thunderous Lion Settlement.
Then, secretly contacting the Thunderous Lion Settlement Chief, asking him to use the natural resources of the Southern Mountain Range to spread the news and searching for Yan Xiu's trace. This would naturally be an extremely good shortcut.
Attacking the Thunderous Lion Main Settlement?
He had never thought of that. After all, Chen Feiyu had the military strength of twelve thousand soldiers. Despite the five hundred Silver Horned Wolf Cavalries he had, it would still be an extremely arduous battle.
Causing defeat on both sides was an extremely dumb move.
That was Fang Zhengzhi's initial thought. However, after he had found his way to the Thunderous Lion Settlement, this thought seemed to have changed somewhat. Because, he realised…
There wasn't a single soldier in the Thunderous Lion Main Settlement.
"Huh? I seemed to have picked up an empty settlement!"