Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1201 - 1198_1

The two armies are about to engage!

In the open grassland, fifty thousand infantry and fifty thousand mounted archers, a total of one hundred thousand troops are listening to Di Shaowei’s pep talk.

Shangguan Xuanyi, clad in armor, was watching from the side.

Xiao’er, also armored, was busy distributing antidotes with the cooking class.

"Brothers, we’re about to attack Jiangdong County soon. Jiangdong County is a natural barrier, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Once we take it over, it will provide us with a strong defensive position. Today, Prince Rui and I will personally lead the troops. Once we conquer Jiangdong County, the counties we’ve previously taken will be secured! We can peacefully grow food in Zezhou! With enough food, we don’t have to worry about attacking other cities, even if the supplies from the Imperial Court are delayed!"

Everyone in the crowd laughed at his words, and some began to respond loudly, "General, we have never worried about not having enough food! In our Minze Country, if anything, we have too much food!"

"Sure, the Imperial Court has plenty food, however if it’s stolen or lost along the long journey, we’ll have nothing to eat. Isn’t it more reliable to grow our own food right here?" Di Shaowei countered.

The soldiers promptly agreed, "The general is right!"

Di Shaowei then shouted, "So, those who don’t want to starve, fight with all your might!"

The soldiers responded loudly, "Fight with all our might!"

Di Shaowei continued, "Those who want to go home and embrace their wives, or to get married, fight with all your might!"

Soldiers: "Fight with all our might! Go home and embrace our wives or get married!"

Di Shaowei: "Those who want to get promoted and wealthier, fight with all your might!"

Soldiers: "Get promoted and rich, fight! Fight! Fight!"

As Xiao’er distributed the antidotes, she looked at the high-spirited soldiers, and listened to Di Shaowei’s motivational speech, she couldn’t help but twitch her mouth.

"Does talking about going home to their wives count as a motivational speech? Can’t Brother Di come up with anything better to inspire the troops?" Xiao’er covered her face, unable to stop laughter.

"But these are the very thoughts in the soldiers’ hearts! Who doesn’t want an early end to the war to go home and embrace or marry their wives! As long as you speak to the soldiers’ heart, you will be able to boost their morale!" One of the soldiers from the cooking class retorted.

This soldier, because of a leg disability, had retreated from the front line to join the cooking class.

After hearing this, Xiao’er thought it made a lot of sense.

The soldiers are people who haven’t read much, they wouldn’t understand high-minded principles. Many of them joined the army because of their poverty, lack of education, and hope for a better future. Some became soldiers because they had to fulfil their military service obligations. But whatever the reason for them to become soldiers, it’s closely related to poverty and a lack of food. As such, promotion and wealth are their ultimate dreams!

...

As daybreak approached, each soldier stepped forward to consume a bowl of antidote.

Before they set off, the horn of the enemy army could be heard from afar.

Clearly, the enemy was prepared and were demonstrating their readiness.

But they would become weary and weak after the initial surge.

Only after the drumming from the enemy had sounded thrice did Di Shaowei give the order: "Charge!"

"Charge!" echoed the army.

As the commander, Di Shaowei took the lead, riding at the forefront.

Shangguan Xuanyi and Xiao’er also put on their battle robes, disguising themselves as ordinary soldiers, following closely behind Di Shaowei.

Finally, in an open area outside Jiangdong County, the two armies met.

As soon as the two forces met, the battle began.

Just as before, soldiers from Nangong Country began dispersing poison powder towards the troops of Minze Country. In trying to avoid the poison powder and enemy attacks, the formation of Minze’s army was quickly scrambled.

A repeat of the previous battle was unfolding.

The poison powder had Minze’s soldiers both itching fiercely and trying to fight. In less than 15 minutes, they were beaten back by the soldiers of Nangong, with their formation in complete disarray and showing signs of collapse.

Seeing this greatly bolstered the morale of the Nangong army.

General Jiang of Nangong Country saw this and shouted, "Kill them, wipe out these Minze robbers! Drive them out of our Nangong Country! Let them know we are not to be bullied!"

Upon seeing this, Di Shaowei urgently commanded, "Nangong is shameless, stooping to use poison again! Let’s retreat!"

General Jiang sneered, "You’re the shameless ones, trying to invade our Nangong’s territory! Today, I’ll show you! If you dare invade Nangong, we’ll make sure you never return! Brothers! Kill them!"

"Kill! Exterminate these Minze soldiers, chase them back to Minze, make sure they never dare to attack our Nangong again!" echoed a lieutenant.

"Retreat quickly everyone, this time their poison should be exhausted! With mountains still standing, we won’t worry about not having firewood. I don’t believe Nangong has endless poison resources, we will come back next time! We’ll wipe out these shameless Nangong people who bite the hand that feeds them!" Di Shaowei led the soldiers towards the direction of the valley in a retreat.

Di Shaowei deliberately misguides the enemy generals with his words, making them think that this offensive was deliberate to drain their poison resources!

The soldiers of Minze Country quickly retreated towards the designated area.

Seeing this, a general from Nangong let out a cold smile: "Chase, hurry!"

General Jiang took the lead to give chase.

The soldiers of Nangong quickly followed.

Once they crossed the valley and saw Minze’s soldiers stepping onto the grassland of death, General Jiang pulled his horse back, raised a hand and shouted: "Stop!"

The soldiers of Nangong halted.

General Jiang turned around and said: "Everyone, station at the mouth of the valley, set up an ambush. If any of Minze’s soldiers return, kill them without mercy! We must wipe out all of Minze’s hundred-thousand troops, not leaving a single one alive!"

"Not leaving a single one! Not leaving a single one!...." For the first time, Minze’s soldiers were beaten into disarray; they couldn’t even maintain their formation and ended up fleeing. The morale of Nangong’s soldiers reached an unprecedented high.

"Great General, this poison powder is incredibly effective! Minze’s soldiers were so scared they dispersed, couldn’t hold on to their formation, and eventually forgot their positions!" A vice general ecstatically shared with General Jiang.

Everyone knows that Minze’s military formations are formidable, once in formation, the soldiers are virtually unstoppable!

But now, Minze’s soldiers were obviously afraid of their poison powder. With dust and fear in the air, they totally forgot to evade and maintain their formation. If they keep using the poison powder, they believe that the lost counties can be regained quickly!

Although General Jiang was also pleased, he had an uneasy feeling. He felt that Di Shaowei was possibly using some kind of ruse.

So he warned: Everyone must not be complacent, the enemy might have a trick up their sleeve!

"But there lies the Grassland of Death. Once they enter, there would be no return. Even if some of them realize something is amiss and try to retreat, we are here, ready to kill them all without mercy!"

"Right, this time Minze’s soldiers are doomed, there’s only death waiting for them either way!"