C9 Not to Mention That He Doesn't Understand I Don't Understand Either

Chen Ming and Wang Meng made their way back to their room at the inn. Wang Meng acknowledged the strategically placed sentries with a nod before shutting the door behind them. Inside, he unfurled the map of the Mausoleum of the Prince Chiang. Chen Ming settled in front of the map, his gaze fixed on the mausoleum's location, nearly encircled by a vast river that left only a gourd-shaped opening exposed.

"The Mausoleum of the Prince Chiang is nestled deep within a dense forest, shrouded in secrecy—a tactic employed by the Killing Palace to stay hidden," Wang Meng began. "Moreover, the site is ringed by this formidable river, with a single point of entry. If we secure that entrance, it's like sealing an iron barrel—impenetrable, easily defended, and difficult to breach. Given our current forces, any attempt to storm it would be sheer folly. As the military adage goes, 'to besiege, one must outnumber the enemy by ten to one.' They have a hundred thousand troops; we are but thirty thousand."

Chen Ming studied the mausoleum's position on the map. "Indeed, it's an excellent location."

The river served as a natural fortification, thwarting any advance. Crossing it? That was a laughable notion. The crossing would be perilous, especially when outnumbered. A single barrage of enemy rockets could ignite all the boats, potentially wiping out our entire force without them suffering a scratch.

Dense forest, fire, river.

An idea seemed to strike Chen Ming as he eyed the gourd-shaped opening. "How long is this opening?" he inquired.

"Our intelligence reports that this sole gourd opening stretches for thirty miles, choked with thickets, making troop movement a nightmare," Wang Meng replied. "The Killing Palace has long been entrenched there, familiar with every inch of the land, holding the upper hand."

Thirty miles, Chen Ming mused, that could be intriguing.

He tapped the gourd opening on the map. Commanding a large-scale battle wasn't his forte, but he had read "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." He recalled how Lu Xun had decimated Liu Bei's million-strong army with fire. "To triumph with fewer, we must not only neutralize the river's defensive role but turn it into their avenue of doom. Issue my orders: have the generals near the gourd opening pose as merchants to procure timber. Then, direct other soldiers to lead civilians in logging the area. They must fell trees along a three-zhang wide stretch of the gourd opening, but leave gaps between them—do not link them. This will prevent the Killing Palace from discerning our strategy. Meanwhile, deploy additional troops to fell trees at various points along the riverbank, disguising it as a routine timber purchase."

Wang Meng couldn't help but wonder, "Isn't this supposed to be a battle? Why are we chopping down trees?" Not only was the Killing Palace clueless about the Prince's intentions, but even I can't fathom what he's really up to.

Despite his confusion, Wang Meng followed Chen Ming's instructions. Oh well, might as well chalk it up to the Prince's whimsical antics.

Three days later, the logging brigade had made their way into the mountains, the noise of their work echoing through the forest. Surely the Killing Palace couldn't overlook such a racket.

At the Mausoleum of Prince Chiang.

The mausoleum, named after a royal prince, had become the Killing Palace's stronghold, complete with numerous wooden barracks erected in its vicinity.

The Palace Lord of the Killing Palace, his face obscured by a bronze mask and cloaked in a long black robe, was receiving updates from his subordinates.

"Palace Lord, our forces, numbering a hundred thousand, will converge at the Mausoleum of Prince Chiang within three days," reported a subordinate.

Rising from his seat, the Palace Lord clapped his hands and smiled. "Excellent. Any activity from the Flying Tiger Army in the area?"

The scout replied, "All is quiet. They're reportedly waiting for the Prince Regent's arrival. Any unusual movement now would draw suspicion from both the Great General and the Prince Regent."

A grin spread across the Palace Lord's face. "Hahaha, perfect. We've been fortifying our forces in these rugged mountains for just this moment. Let Chen Yuhu and Chen Wang weaken each other in their struggle. With the Emperor's covert support, I'll lead our troops to strike from the outside and ensure the Prince Regent's entire family is captured. Only then will my deep-seated hatred be satisfied!"

The scout added, "Also, there have been merchants in the area purchasing timber, which has led to some logging near the Mausoleum of Prince Chiang."

The Palace Lord chuckled. "With Chen Wang and Chen Yuhu at each other's throats, the Flying Tiger Army will surely march to the capital once Chen Ming arrives. They'll need wood for encampments and siege machinery. These merchants are simply following the scent of opportunity."

His smile suddenly froze, a sign of the astute mind that commanded the Killing Palace. "Wait, plot the exact locations of their logging on the map."

The scout complied, marking the map with red dots that twinkled like stars, predominantly clustered along the main roads. The Palace Lord gave it a cursory glance, noting the chaotic lack of pattern. He scoffed at the notion of cutting down trees—could timber possibly defeat his vast army of 100,000? The terrain at Gourd Pass was too open for an ambush. Dismissing his concerns, he commanded, “It appears I was overly cautious. Relay the order for everyone to remain concealed and avoid detection. And cease surveillance on the laborers—better not to risk exposure.”

The scout bowed respectfully, “Understood, my lord!”

At the Prince Regent Mansion, the Old Prince, cloaked in black, strode into the grand hall. Chen Yuhu descended from the throne to greet him, “Father!”

Annoyance flickered across the Old Prince's face as he barked, “Aren't you aware we're in the midst of a ruse? What urgent matter requires my presence?”

“Father, the secret dispatch reveals that the Killing Palace has amassed an army of a hundred thousand at the Mausoleum of the Prince Chiang,” Chen Yuhu reported.

The Old Prince stroked his beard contemplatively. “The Yan Kingdom's royal family has been busy in the shadows, sacrificing their spies in our ranks to provoke conflict. But surely, this doesn't warrant disturbing me?”

Chen Yuhu continued, “The message from Wang Meng suggests they plan to press their assault on the Killing Palace tomorrow.”

“What did you say?” The Old Prince's tone sharpened with surprise.

“They appear ready to continue the battle,” Chen Yuhu confirmed.

After a moment of analysis, the Old Prince concluded, “According to tomorrow's intelligence, only thirty thousand of the Flying Tiger Army and the Thirty Tiger Guards have been covertly assembled. Given the Mausoleum's defensible position, thirty thousand facing a hundred thousand—especially when the enemy knows the land—is a suicide mission.”

“Immediately issue my command for a retreat tomorrow. We will hold off on engaging the Killing Palace. If we lose the thirty thousand soldiers and the Thirty Tiger Guards, so be it. But Chen Ming must remain unharmed! With the Yan Kingdom hiding such a force, we mustn't rush. A long-term strategy is required. This situation has grown beyond what our forces can manage alone.”

Chen Yuhu bowed with his hands clasped together and declared, "I shall dispatch a messenger with the order immediately!"