Chapter 1 Ye Tao's Decision

"...Sophie is still in Yicheng, as for Qiuyan... I don't know what to say. Anyway, if I'm lucky enough to come back alive, they can always visit me in prison. Let's go." That's what Ye Tao said to Lu Dan.

Ye Tao's carriage set off as always, loaded with his toolbox. He brought only two or three changes of clothes more than usual, a set of armor that the head of the Two Armies Review Office had ordered for himself as a fun perk, and a treasured sword that had always hung on the wall as a decoration. When he left, no one expected where he was going or what he was going to do. Even the few servants and laborers at Zheng Garden barely noticed the young master's departure.

Comparing the urgency of the moment to money was no longer enough to describe it. The unauthorized actions of the Two Armies Review Office would inevitably be exposed in a very short time. If he couldn't take control of the army before that, and make all the preparations to set off immediately, and find a suitable route to go incognito, avoiding the first wave of interceptions that would inevitably come, then everything would be for naught.

Lu Dan sat in the carriage as well, his mount tethered to the back, trotting along behind. He couldn't quite understand the young man in front of him. He sympathized with and admired the situation between Ye Tao and Tan Weixin, but he had never imagined that Ye Tao would have the courage to try and change things—in such an extreme way. However, whether as a former guard of the Princess's residence or as the current steward of the Ye residence, he felt that supporting Ye Tao's actions was what he wanted to do in his heart. Without any hesitation, he prepared the carriage and everything else for Ye Tao and set off together. In the box under his seat was the full set of armor and weapons he had worn when he first met Ye Tao. The heavy blade emphasized his former identity as an elite guard.

No one had thought of stopping Ye Tao from leaving the city yet, so he left Danyang without any obstacles and entered the somewhat tense military camp. At several key locations, some seemingly lazy soldiers and officers stood their ground, scanning the surroundings. In the training ground and around it, all the soldiers had indeed been summoned. In the strictly disciplined Mengxue Army (Fierce Blood Army) and Huoqi Army (Fire Qilin Army), waiting for the assembly was usually done in this "at ease" state. As for the officers and trainee officers, they gathered in front of the reviewing stand, discussing something in small groups.

Earlier, Chi Lei had hurriedly led his three hundred scout cavalry with all their equipment and several days' worth of supplies, which had already given many people a premonition that something was going to happen today. And now, Ye Tao had arrived. Ye Tao's contact with the Mengxue Army and Huoqi Army was not close. Always aware that he was being watched by many people, feared, and targeted by the powerful censors and officials at any time, Ye Tao mostly had contact with the two armies through paperwork, except for closer relationships with trainee officers such as Dai Yun and Chi Lei. At most, he would come to watch when the trainee officers were conducting large-scale or interesting war game simulations and exercises.

"Everything is ready." When Ye Tao jumped out of the carriage, Dai Yun was already waiting on the side. As the supervisor of the Mengxue Army, an outstanding member of the Dai family, and a person with considerable overall qualities, her authority in the Mengxue Army and the Two Armies Review Office was unmatched by those who had joined the Two Armies Review Office not long after being selected as trainee supervisors and trainee commanders after the second open competition. As soon as Dai Yun returned to the military camp, she immediately summoned those who shared her interests, took control of key locations separately, and then summoned some people who were more radical and would easily accept Ye Tao's decision and be willing to implement it. Apart from those who were persuaded, all the others had been locked up. As for the second batch of officers and soldiers who were contacted, even if some of them agreed insincerely and did not agree with the opinions they had reached in their hearts, they could only do as they were told since Dai Yun's confidants had controlled all the exits.

After that, with a few insiders deliberately leaking information and instigating, coupled with the entire assembly that was not in the training plan, everyone was looking forward to something happening.

Half a step behind Ye Tao, Dai Yun adhered to the duty of a subordinate, even though she was undoubtedly the one in charge in the military camp now. "Apart from the flag team that Chi Lei took away, twenty-two of the remaining thirty-four flag captains have explicitly expressed their support. Time is limited, and the news has not been passed down to lower levels yet. It's up to you. In addition, there are sufficient supplies and military equipment of all kinds in the camp. From here to the Ning Shi City-Bai Shi City line, there is no need to replenish drinking water. If all the food is taken away, it can supply for about ten days. However, if the entire cavalry marches, fodder can only be obtained locally..."

He listened to the various related situations, and all aspects were considered relatively carefully. Ye Tao trusted Dai Yun's ability and efforts, and did not question anything. He said faintly: "Form the ranks... Thank you for your hard work."

Ye Tao didn't know where the surge of heroism in his chest came from at this moment. The chaotic thoughts and concerns about everything that might happen were no longer swirling in his mind, but only various tactics that could be used in this situation of disparate enemy and our forces. He was fortunate to have a wealth of knowledge, a wealth of knowledge brought to him by books, documentaries, movies, and television, and condensed by his interests. And, he was fortunate to have a group of capable, courageous... perhaps a little too courageous, friends and subordinates.

At this moment, it was so natural for Ye Tao to regard Dai Yun and others, whose status could only be higher than his, as subordinates, and Dai Yun naturally and respectfully followed his orders without any hesitation. Speaking of which, Dai Yun was even a year older than Ye Tao, but she did not underestimate Ye Tao at all. There was indeed a lot of confidence in Ye Tao's faint words just now. This kind of confidence reminded her of her father, uncles, and brothers who were in the Yunzhou army.

As the urgent drums sounded, the people gathered on the training ground ran towards their respective positions as if by conditioned reflex. After two rounds of drums, extremely well-organized teams had formed on the entire training ground. Vertically, horizontally, diagonally... looking from any direction, the squares formed by the soldiers formed straight lines. The officers stood proudly in front of the squares.

In all respects, these two small armies under the jurisdiction of the Two Armies Review Office were first-class. In this era, they were even super-first-class. Modern concepts and omnipresent competition, constantly adjusted attractive incentive mechanisms, various methods used to adjust the mentality of the soldiers so that everyone could avoid the boredom and fatigue of training and exercises to the greatest extent... plus sufficient funds, good facilities, nutritious and carefully designed food... weapons and armor that took into account practicality, portability, and aesthetics, but did not care much about cost, plus Dai Yun's extravagant donation, sale, and lease of a total of thirteen thousand excellent war horses to the Two Armies Review Office for various reasons, various equipment manufactured and tuned by the top craftsmen of Ye's Workshop for training and exercises... This army was indeed the result of his great effort.

Standing on the reviewing stand, Ye Tao looked down at everyone on the entire training ground, neatly arranged and looking up at him at an angle. He took a deep breath and said loudly: "Today, I have come here for something that I need your help with. A personal matter."

"As everyone knows, it has been some days since the Xiling army entered our Dongping territory. During these days, the soldiers on the front line fought bloody battles, blocking the Xiling army on the Ning Shi City-Bai Shi City line. The imperial court is also working hard to mobilize forces from all sides to find ways to drive the enemy out of our Dongping's sacred and rich territory."

"If we chose war, it was because of our courage; if we chose deliberation, it was not because we lacked courage, but because our benevolence prevented us from sacrificing the happy lives of hundreds of thousands or millions of people to achieve our courage. This is the dilemma our country faces at this critical moment."

"However, at this time, there is such a person who has stood up. She is willing to use her life and death to buy two months. During these two months, elite troops from all over the country will successively reach the front line, building a forest of knives and halberds in the enemy's territory, piling up enough food in the cities and camps for the army to drive the Xiling invaders out of our country and go further. The arrows in the soldiers' bags will be enough to cover the sky... That will be the darkest day in the limited lives of all the enemies."

"Please remember this person, she is our Zhaohua Princess. Perhaps, when everyone first heard the news of the peace talks, they would be a little indignant. Why did our country choose this humiliating method when it clearly had the strength? I want to tell everyone that it was not because anyone had fear or hesitation in their hearts, but because we had such a great princess who made her choice. Her choice was sacrifice."

The soldiers' and officers' expressions changed slightly. However, everyone remained still because of the strictest military discipline. What changed was only their expressions.

"Yes, sacrifice... After she wins two months for our army and our country, both our courage, our benevolence, and the happiness of all our people will be fulfilled."

"However, this is not the result I want to see." Ye Tao's words took a sharp turn.

"Coincidentally, Princess Zhaohua is the person I love." No matter how abrupt this statement was in this era, how shocking, or how unbelievable, Ye Tao still said it: "I don't know what will happen in the future. I also don't know if I am qualified to say that I am the one who should stand up to protect the princess, but that is what I want to do. The princess can win two months for Dongping. I can too, because I have you, this army that cannot be found in the Ministry of War's list, you, as my last chance and hope."

"I just don't know if you are willing to follow me." Ye Tao paused, and then continued: "Among you present here, some already know about this and are willing to participate, and some may not know yet, or are unwilling to participate. I can understand all of this. This is not an action ordered by anyone. His Majesty does not know, the Ministry of War does not know, the generals in Danyang and on the front line do not know, and after they know, they will be the first to try to stop me. And my goal is to lead this most elite army in the world that has not experienced actual combat, you, to break through the Ning Shi City-Bai Shi City line before anyone who wants to stop me, stop us, arrives, to plunge straight into the enemy's rear, to stir up trouble in the enemy's rear, and to fight for another two months in another way."

"I need everyone to help me... I, request everyone to help me. Among those present, there are veteran soldiers and veteran officers who have been here for many years. The natural military temperament on your bodies means that I don't need to use cheap words to instigate you; among those present, there are many children of noble families who can have many more diverse futures, and many are children of wealthy families with huge assets. It is an insult to everyone to mention pensions and compensation here; among those present, there are also all kinds of people who have come here because of strong interest, undergoing rigorous training, tempering their will, but never thought that they would one day go to the battlefield... I believe that everyone understands that when I made this decision, the decision to take the Mengxue Army and the Huoqi Army on an adventure, my fate was already determined. Whether or not to follow me is your choice. I am grateful to everyone who is willing to follow me, but I can no longer make any promises; I will not resent anyone who is unwilling to follow me, at any time. I implore everyone to make a decision. I implore everyone to make a decision as soon as possible..."

After bowing deeply to everyone, Ye Tao turned around and walked down the reviewing stand. Dai Yun, on the other hand, still stood in the position of Ye Tao's adjutant just now. She glanced at the sundial on the edge of the reviewing stand and ordered: "Dismiss. Reassemble in a quarter of an hour."

When Ye Tao stood in the middle of the reviewing stand again, a quarter of an hour of noisy discussion and controversy had ended. What Ye Tao had said just now, whether it was about his love for the princess or about his unauthorized dispatch of troops, was really somewhat difficult to accept for a while. But Ye Tao was sincere and trustworthy.

The team lined up in squares was not as solemn as before. A group of people looked at each other, pushed and shoved for a while, and then pushed out an old sergeant who was almost forty years old.

This old sergeant was named Xu Zikang. He was originally an inner court guard, and then he didn't know what mistake he had made, but he was transferred to the Imperial Guards and became a squad leader. A few years later, he retired as a sentinel commander of a hundred men. After messing around in Danyang for a year, he entered the Huoqi Army. Because he was excellent in terms of skill, experience, prestige, and ability to handle affairs, he was now the highest-ranking sergeant in the two armies.

Xu Zikang was still a little apprehensive at first, but when he walked to the front of the team, he became a little arrogant. Standing in front of the reviewing stand, he looked up at Ye Tao and asked, "General, may this humble officer dare to ask, although everyone doesn't think they have a chance to go to the battlefield, the training is not fake. You once said that the most important thing for a soldier is to obey orders and listen to commands, is that true?"

"Of course it's true." Ye Tao subconsciously replied directly.

"That's right." Xu Zikang said exaggeratedly, "Whoever enters the first round of training in the two armies has to jump into the river and eat shit"—the entire training ground erupted in laughter. The classic training of stepping into the river in front of you and lying down even if the ground is full of cow dung and horse manure if the superior orders it was perfectly reproduced in the Two Armies Review Office—"and many brothers have to jump into the river and eat shit every now and then"—according to the results of the daily martial arts exercises of the two armies, the flag team that ranked last in the Mengxue Army and the Huoqi Army had to undergo "military order training" again. In fact, there are far more than the two training items that are abstracted into "jumping into the river" and "eating shit" now, but these two are still the most impressive—"This obedience to orders and listening to commands is not just for show."

Xu Zikang's words caused bursts of laughter and applause on the training ground. "General, give the order. The brothers have been waiting for this day for a long time. It's so boring to train so hard but not be able to go to the battlefield. General, you take the brothers to kill to your heart's content. Even if we die, even if we have to disband these two armies when we come back, it's worth it."

This was an era when countless young people were willing to die generously, as long as there was a good enough reason. Ye Tao was moved and bowed deeply again. When he raised his head, his eyes were different. Perhaps these ten thousand people were a little insignificant, but they gave him confidence.

"Please save the cheers for victory or death." Ye Tao raised his head and shouted to everyone heroically. "The entire army breaks camp."

With Ye Tao's order, the entire camp entered a busy and orderly state. Officers and sergeants issued accurate and concise orders in loud voices, and the soldiers made preparations in an orderly manner... This most luxurious army of this era was about to be unsheathed.