To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

Chapter 405 Teaching Fusu

At the same time, the Xiongnu royal court was filled with singing and dancing.

North of the Yin Mountains, on the icy lake plain less than fifty li from the right flank of the Xiongnu royal court.

The night was dark and the wind was biting.

The once empty and desolate snowfield is now covered by a continuous black square formation!

There were no torches, no loud noises, and even the warhorses wore muzzles and had their hooves wrapped in thick cloth.

Three hundred thousand elite Qin soldiers appeared incredulously on this plain that should have been a "dead zone"!

Just three hours ago, taking advantage of the smoothness of the sleds and the convenience of the snowboards, and guided by the modern military topographic map, they directly crossed the natural barrier of the Yinshan (Helan Mountains)!

Inside a makeshift, hidden military tent in the central army camp.

"Report!"

A scout slipped into the main tent, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a very low voice, but could not hide the excitement in his tone:

"Commander Meng! The scouts have explored thirty li to the north, east, and west! Within a radius of fifty li, no Xiongnu ambushes or sentries have been detected!"

"The Xiongnu have no idea this secret passage exists! Their main force is currently waiting foolishly at the entrance of the 'White Path' canyon in the southwest!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Meng Tian exclaimed "Good!" three times, then slapped his thigh excitedly, "Divine soldiers have descended from the heavens! This is truly a divine soldiers descending from the heavens!"

He turned his head, looked at Zhang Fan sitting by the fire, his eyes filled with deep respect, and bowed deeply.

"The Immortal Master is truly a celestial being! Without the Immortal Master's sled and that map that seemed like a miracle, our army would not have been able to penetrate to the enemy's right flank so quickly; our 100,000 vanguard troops would probably have been buried under the avalanche in the White Path Canyon long ago!"

"I cannot express my gratitude enough. If we win this battle, the Immortal Master will deserve the greatest credit!"

Zhang Fan waved his hand, warmed his frozen hands over the brazier, and chuckled, "General Meng, you're too kind. I'm only responsible for pointing the way and providing tools. The arrangements of troops, the battles, and the achievement of merit are all up to you, General."

"Now that we've infiltrated right under the enemy's nose without them noticing, what are your plans, Commander Meng?" Zhang Fan asked.

When tactics were mentioned, Meng Tian's eyes instantly sharpened like an eagle's.

He strode to the marching map and pointed emphatically:

"The Xiongnu are too clever for their own good, placing all their forces on Baidao! Their royal court and right flank are now like fat sheep stripped naked!"

"Pass on my command!"

The generals inside the tent all clasped their fists together, their expressions grim.

"Send 100,000 troops to immediately construct defensive positions here, rely on the strategic importance of Yinshan Mountain, and hold this rear firmly!"

Firstly, it served as the army's retreat route and a crucial transit point for supplies; secondly, it was to guard against a possible Xiongnu reinforcement from the Baidao direction!

"The remaining 200,000 elite troops..."

Meng Tian aimed directly at the throat of the Xiongnu royal court.

"Splitting the troops into three groups!"

"The left flank, numbering 50,000, will be commanded by General Wang Li. Equipped with Mitsubishi bayonets and wearing snowshoes, they will stealthily advance under cover of night, penetrating deep into the enemy's rear and cutting off their retreat!"

"The right flank army, numbering 50,000, will all be transported in sleds and light wagons. Utilizing their superior mobility, they will flank their stables and livestock pens! Set fire to their camp and create chaos!"

"I will personally lead 100,000 iron cavalry in the central route! Once the left and right flanks have succeeded and the flames are ablaze, the central army will follow me straight to the heart of the enemy, directly attacking Touman Chanyu's royal camp!"

Meng Tian gritted his teeth, "Remember His Majesty's decree! Regardless of the cost, take no prisoners! Before dawn tomorrow, I, the general, will make this snowfield stained red with the blood of the Xiongnu!"

"Your humble servant obeys! We are willing to die for the Great Qin!" The generals roared in unison, their killing intent soaring to the sky.

Just as the generals received their orders and were about to turn around and leave the tent to make arrangements, Meng Tian suddenly softened his tone and turned to look at Zhang Fan and Fusu, who had been standing behind Zhang Fan and listening with great enthusiasm.

"Eldest son, Imperial Preceptor."

Meng Tian solemnly cupped his hands in greeting, "Although this surprise attack was unexpected, swords have no eyes on the battlefield. Once the Xiongnu are driven into a corner, they will fight like cornered beasts, and the battle will be extremely fierce."

"This Yinshan camp, where 100,000 troops are stationed, is our army's absolutely secure rear area."

"I implore the eldest son and the Grand Preceptor to remain in the central camp and await good news! Your safety concerns the very foundation of the Qin state; there can be no mishap whatsoever!"

Zhang Fan naturally wholeheartedly agreed with Meng Tian's arrangement.

He wore a stab-proof vest to the front lines to investigate Mi Yueyao's secrets and deal with the fake immortal master, not to fight the crazed Xiongnu cavalry.

Staying in the rear, warming themselves by the fire, and waiting for the front lines to advance—that's the smart thing to do.

"Don't worry, Commander Meng, I understand the importance of this matter and will not cause any trouble for the army." Zhang Fan nodded readily.

However, Fusu, who was standing to the side, suddenly became anxious.

"Commander Meng! This won't do!"

Fusu stepped forward, his eyes filled with determination and excitement.

"How can the men of our great Qin stand in the rear and watch our soldiers fight to the death?"

"My father ordered me to accompany the army on this expedition so that I could experience the hardships of war! If I can only hide in the safety of my tent, how can I command respect? How can I understand the hardships my soldiers endure?"

Fusu suddenly drew his sword and shouted, "I want to go into battle! I want to share the hardships with my soldiers and charge into battle! I am willing to be a member of the central army, to follow Commander Meng straight into the enemy camp and kill the enemy general!"

If Fusu's impassioned speech had been heard by those pedantic scholars, they would have been moved to tears and hailed the eldest son as benevolent, righteous, and brave.

But to a seasoned general like Meng Tian, ​​this was utter nonsense!

In this bloodbath where swords and spears have no eyes, if a delicate prince like you rushes in, will my 100,000 troops go to kill the enemy or to be your bodyguards?

If you get even a scratch, how will I, Meng Tian, ​​explain myself to His Majesty?

Meng Tian was sweating profusely and speechless. He was about to earnestly persuade the crown prince, but he didn't know how to phrase it so as not to offend him.

"Alright, let's stay in the back. Quickly put your swords away, or you might accidentally cut yourself."

Just then, Zhang Fan's slightly lazy voice rang out.

Zhang Fan stepped forward and, without any hesitation, snatched the sword from Fusu's hand and sheathed it again.

"Teacher! Why are you stopping me?"

Fusu's eyes widened, his face filled with confusion and grievance. "As the future crown prince of Qin, how can I face the blood shed by my soldiers if I cannot lead from the front?"

"madness!"

Zhang Fan sneered, "What do you think sharing joys and sorrows means? Does it mean someone like you, who's never even killed a chicken, rushes into a crowd with a broken sword to be a human sacrifice for the Xiongnu, while hundreds of Qin warriors die protecting you?"

Fusu turned pale after being scolded. He opened his mouth to retort, but was speechless.

"War is not a brawl among reckless heroes, but a meticulously functioning national machine! In this machine, everyone has their own role!"

"A soldier's role is to obey orders and charge into battle; Commander Meng's role is to oversee the overall situation and deploy troops!"