A challenge?
Liang Xiao remained unfazed and immediately ordered the barbarian envoy to be admitted.
The rule of not killing envoys in wartime was generally observed, although Liang Xiao felt no inclination to adhere to it. However, this barbarian envoy was useful, arriving at a most opportune moment...
After being searched, the barbarian envoy entered the tent under the watchful eyes of two Great Qian iron guards. He held his head high, met the gazes of the generals, and then, mimicking the customs of Great Qian, clasped his hands in greeting towards Liang Xiao.
"I am Tu Luotu, envoy of the barbarians. An Guohou is truly a sight to behold, though rumors do not do him justice!"
Tu Luotu announced his name with a calm demeanor that carried a hint of arrogance.
Liang Xiao studied the man carefully and nodded slightly. "Where is the challenge?"
Tu Luotu presented the challenge, and Liang Xiao instructed a signal officer to read it aloud.
"I, the Left Wise King of the barbarians, have long heard of the Great Qian's An Guohou's divine generalship. You currently serve as the Deputy Grand Marshal of the Northern Border, with numerous talented individuals under your command and an army of a million! Today, our barbarian cavalry has amassed on the border of Yan Prefecture. We earnestly request a decisive battle with you to satisfy a lifelong aspiration! I hope An Guohou will grant us this honor, lest the fighting spirit of our northern soldiers be dampened!"
The signal officer looked bewildered after reading. Nan Jiyun and the others narrowed their eyes, remaining silent.
Liang Xiao asked with a smile, "What do the generals think?"
"The barbarians have suddenly become so polite; it's a bit unsettling. Are they planning to offer courtesy before resorting to force?" Lu Changhe said with a dejected expression, then his gaze sharpened. "However, when this Left Wise King led his troops to invade Yan Prefecture, he captured numerous women from northern Yan Prefecture, took several each night, and even tasted roasted meat made from these women. This incident is widely known. Even if a jackal learns etiquette, it remains a jackal!"
The generals' expressions shifted from surprise to resentment.
This was the second grave humiliation Great Qian had suffered since the Battle of Helan Mountain!
The decisive battle in Yan Prefecture had driven the barbarians away and killed over a hundred thousand barbarian cavalrymen, but the territory of the desert had not been counter-attacked.
Tu Luotu simply observed Liang Xiao with a smile.
The matter of the challenge had already spread ahead of his arrival in Yan Prefecture. After all, offering courtesy before force was always a safe bet.
Liang Xiao merely ordered a general, "Go arrange for Mr. Tu Luotu to be entertained with good food and drink. Prepare a jar of 'One Drunk Century' for him."
As the general was about to comply, Tu Luotu quickly interjected, "No need for entertainment! Please, An Guohou, give me your reply!"
Liang Xiao immediately penned a brief reply: "Your challenge has been received by this Marquis. Before the warmth of spring next year, I shall consider leading my troops north to engage in a battle to the death. I hope you will not withhold your guidance then."
Upon receiving the reply, Tu Luotu frowned. "Until spring next year? Is An Guohou perhaps a bit too timid? Furthermore, An Guohou only says he will 'consider' it, with no clear intent to accept. This is a bit..."
Liang Xiao replied, "What? You declare war when you please and flee when you please. Must my Great Qian soldiers also take orders from your Left Wise King?"
As Tu Luotu was about to continue his taunts, Liang Xiao had already ordered him to be escorted away for entertainment.
Only then did everyone turn to Liang Xiao. "Deputy Grand Marshal, you previously mentioned that we would engage the barbarians before spring. Is that still the case?"
Liang Xiao's military orders were absolute, strictly forbidding any suggestion of engagement within the army.
However, everyone present had heard of Liang Xiao's plans.
This was a golden opportunity to annihilate over a hundred thousand barbarian cavalrymen!
It was simply that the steel mills in Yan Prefecture were still forging weapons. The more weapons they had, the greater the chances of victory and the smaller the casualties among the soldiers!
It was precisely because they understood that Liang Xiao was not afraid of battle but valued the lives of his soldiers, and wished to wear down the barbarians' surging might, that they had voluntarily supported Liang Xiao's military directive.
Liang Xiao nodded. "Besides the preparation of weapons, strategic planning for the confrontation is also crucial. Before that, intelligence work must be done thoroughly."
The generals looked puzzled.
Liang Xiao dismissed the assembly, retaining only Nan Jiyun, Lu Changhe, Zhuo Ying, and Mu Hong.
"Three generals, who is willing to lead a thousand White Robe soldiers and five hundred scouts to skirmish with the barbarians?" Liang Xiao asked.
Everyone was startled, then realized.
Liang Xiao was preparing to engage in an intelligence war first, clearly with a purpose.
In warfare, the vanguard and scouts were the first to make contact.
Scout units were not solely responsible for gathering intelligence; they also performed temporary combat operations and even annihilated enemy scouts and small units.
"I am familiar with the White Robe soldiers. I can lead the team!" Lu Changhe said.
Zhuo Ying stood up. "Deputy Grand Marshal, General Lu and General Nan need to train their troops. This sort of rough work should be left to this subordinate!"
In the military camp, Zhuo Ying dared not truly consider Liang Xiao his brother-in-law.
"General Zhuo shall be responsible for this matter!" Liang Xiao said without hesitation.
Zhuo Ying accepted the military order and exited the tent. Mu Hong then said, "This Left Wise King is unlikely to let matters rest. He will surely press for battle repeatedly..."
Liang Xiao smiled. "It matters not. We shall adopt a defensive posture. This will make him hesitate whether to divert forces to support Yun Prefecture. At the same time, we must instruct the scouts to pay close attention to the whereabouts and changes in size of the Left Wise King's unit, so that our Northern Border Army can respond accordingly. The best outcome would be to successfully deceive the Left Wise King into believing he has lured the enemy, only to fall into our trap."
Mu Hong and the others were confused.
Liang Xiao explained, "The barbarians also cooperate with the people of Chu Yun. I have a hidden move that might prove useful, and I am sending people to arrange it."
Mu Hong and Nan Jiyun lacked battle experience and naturally trusted Liang Xiao, who had defended Yan Prefecture and won the Battle of Luzhou.
Lu Changhe had experience but also knew that Liang Xiao was the reincarnation of the Heavenly General, and thus had unwavering faith in Liang Xiao's arrangements. He understood that Liang Xiao's primary goal was to make the Left Wise King believe that the Great Qian's An Guohou was not the Heavenly General himself.
The three then received Liang Xiao's secret orders and returned to mobilize their respective units.
Inside the tent, Tu Luotu and his five companions enjoyed an extremely lavish feast, drinking 'One Drunk Century.'
After a while, an attendant entered the tent and whispered in Tu Luotu's ear, "A spy reports that the common people of Yan Prefecture are full of confidence, believing Liang Xiao will eventually launch a campaign of revenge!"
Tu Luotu merely sneered.
His objective had long since been achieved.
During the night, the next morning, Tu Luotu finally returned to the barbarian camp and reported truthfully to the Left Wise King.
The Left Wise King looked at the challenge in his hand, surprised and delighted. "That Liang Xiao was merely vague and afraid to fight?"
Tu Luotu chuckled. "Marshal, if he were truly the Heavenly General, with ten thousand elite troops at his disposal, he would not have remained confined to Yan Prefecture! Lü Yi is also not in Yan Prefecture, so the Marshal can rest assured!"
The Left Wise King laughed heartily and drank a cup. "The Heavenly General is dead. There is indeed no need for me to be suspicious! Our barbarian people are primarily cavalry, skilled in mounted archery. As long as Liang Xiao dares to lead his troops and step out of Yan Prefecture, he is destined to be defeated!"
"But how shall we lure him out of the city?" a general to his left could not help but ask.
The Left Wise King replied with an inscrutable air, "I have my arrangements! Even if he truly fears death and dare not leave the city, we can proceed to Yun Prefecture, join forces with the Right Wise King, and concentrate our attack on Yun Prefecture! Do you know why I chose this location for our encampment?"
The generals cast curious glances.
The Left Wise King curled his lip. "The terrain to the north and south of this place is low-lying. Only this area has the highest elevation!"
The others grew more confused, while only the Left Wise King chuckled coldly.