Nightwatcher-Chapter 443: Brilliant Scheme

# 443. Brilliant Scheme

“If you’ve got the ability, go ahead and lure him back to the north — I won’t stop you. But before that, don’t get in the way of my business,” said Peiman Xilou coolly.

“Your business…”

Huang Xian’er played with her nails, putting away her seductive airs, and clicked her tongue. “I knew it. Someone as proud and arrogant as you wouldn’t willingly lose to a man you’ve never even met.”

“I’ve made inquiries these past few days. Xu Qi’an may be a peerless poet, but he’s never shown any talent in military strategy. I suspect that the military treatise was written by Wei Yuan. That’s why I want to visit him and sound him out. Of course, if he really is the author of that military treatise…”

Peiman Xilou paused, clenched his fist slightly, and his tone carried a hint of excitement and longing.

“I want to ask him a few questions, ask him how to break the deadlock in the war in the north. For a master of military strategy, even a single idea can turn the tide of battle.”

Huang Xian’er curled her lips. “You make it sound so dramatic.”

The carriage came to a halt. The two of them lifted the curtain and jumped down.

Under the guidance of the old gatekeeper Zhang, Huang Xian’er stepped into the Xu Residence. Looking around, she smiled brightly. “Not bad!”

Lately, she had been accompanying Peiman Xilou around the capital, socialising among officials. She had seen plenty of grand estates. The Xu Residence, by comparison, was modest, neither overly lavish nor shabby.

Walking along the flagstone path, they soon reached a grand outer hall with upward-curving eaves, Xu Manor’s reception hall.

Huang Xian’er’s eyes lit up. She saw a man standing at the entrance of the hall, dressed in a black robe embroidered with gold and silver thread, adorned with ornate accessories.

He was smiling at them.

His features were chisel-sharp, filled with masculine vigour, yet not coarse. On closer inspection, one would find him rather handsome.

But his sharp gaze, strong physique, and wheat-coloured skin made him stand apart from his refined younger cousin.

*He doesn’t disappoint… just this face alone is worth cherishing…* Huang Xian’er’s smile grew more enchanting.

Xu Qi’an had already seen them at the literary gathering, so he merely gave them a cursory glance without much inspection.

*Hmph, that demoness Huang Xian’er is still just as lewd!* he thought to himself, while maintaining a warm, smiling expression. “Please, come inside.”

*He only gave me a glance. He didn’t show the usual admiration or desire men do when seeing me for the first time. But this clearly is our first meeting…*

*This definitely isn’t because I lack charm. It must mean that Silver Gong Xu either has a strong resistance to beauty, or the rumours in the capital about his affairs with the oiran from the Jiaofangsi are just a facade…* Huang Xian’er, sharp and cunning, took note of this detail and quietly stored it away.

Either way, it meant that Silver Gong Xu was no ordinary man, seducing him wouldn’t be easy.

*But that just makes it more fun. If all it took was a wink to get him into bed, where’s the challenge in that? I’ve heard there are countless respectable women in the capital who admire him.*

*Heh, this Auntie’s going to bed the most brilliant young man in Great Feng!*

She was going to seduce the man that countless women in the capital dreamed of!

Just imagine, the most outstanding young man of Great Feng, the famed Silver Gong Xu, the object of desire for so many women, getting taken to bed by a foreign woman like her. How satisfying, how thrilling.

Not only would it be a crushing blow to the women of the capital, but it’d give her bragging rights back home, making all those little foxes green with envy.

Xu Qi’an led the two barbarian envoys into the hall and instructed the servants to bring tea. He took the main seat and joked,

“You know full well I’ve got issues with the emperor, and you still came to visit. Trying to get me killed, are you?”

Because these two were of the barbarian and yao race respectively, he had already warned the women of the household to stay away from the outer courtyard today.

Out of courtesy, Peiman Xilou took a symbolic sip of tea and responded with a smile:

“Everyone in the capital knows about your feud with the emperor. I’m actually curious how Silver Gong Xu will handle it.”

Xu Qi’an merely smiled, not answering the question, and said, “I’m no longer a Silver Gong.”

Peiman Xilou let it go and changed the subject. “When I saw your military treatise at the literary gathering that day, it was like a revelation. In truth, I’ve admired you for some time.”

Huang Xian’er said sweetly, “This humble girl has long admired you too, Young Master Xu.”

Her voice was soft and coy, like a lover’s cooing.

Xu Qi’an ignored the fox woman’s flirtations, smiling mildly.

“Master Peiman’s talent surprised me just as much. I didn’t expect such a brilliant scholar to come from outside the Central Plains. You’ve earned the Great Feng’s respect with your own ability.”

Huang Xian’er pouted and said in a coy tone, “And what about me? Haven’t I earned your respect too, master?”

*You? You fox clan women already have the respect of every lecher in the bureaucracy…* Xu Qi’an ridiculed inwardly but merely smiled in response to the teasing.

The fox tribe’s women had gained great popularity in the capital lately. Officials often talked about them, and even Xu Erlang had mentioned them in idle chat.

“But even I find the iron cavalry of Jing extremely troublesome. Our divine clan’s cavalry is formidable, known across Jiuzhou. But brute strength alone doesn’t win wars,” Peiman Xilou said with emotion.

“This visit is to seek guidance from you, Master Xu.”

*Seek guidance from me? I’m just a deliveryman, Sun Tzu’s Art of War wasn’t written by me, it was written by Sun Tzu himself. The book title couldn’t be more obvious… and you, a great scholar of warfare, want to learn from me?*

Xu Qi’an was cursing up a storm internally, but outwardly remained composed, smiling faintly. “As I wrote in the manual, know yourself and your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated.”

Hearing that, Peiman Xilou’s smile grew. He now had a basic level of recognition for Silver Gong Xu’s skill. He continued in a calm voice:

“I was too hasty. Mm, the Nation of Jing has two types of cavalry. One is the Fire Armour Cavalry, famous for their special armour. Their mounts are single horned scaled beasts, a hybrid of fine warhorses and a creature known as a ‘zha’, native to Jing.

“These beasts are terrifyingly durable, with incredible defensive scales. Their single horn is devastating in a charge. Even the barbarian tribes’ strongest heavy cavalry don’t dare claim victory against them, and there are forty thousand of these troops. The other type is ordinary cavalry.”

*Forty thousand heavy cavalry riding hybrid beasts… no wonder they could sweep through the yao and barbarian tribes…* Xu Qi’an was silently shocked.

Peiman Xilou continued, “Their light cavalry are not to be underestimated either. They strike like wildfire. After the heavy cavalry break the formation, the light cavalry follow to mop up the scattered enemy. The two types complement each other and are almost unstoppable.

“Also, the north is mostly plains, unlike the Central Plains, which are crisscrossed with mountains and rivers. Good terrain can help contain the Jing cavalry. May I ask, Silver Gong Xu, how should the divine clan respond?”

*How the hell should I know? If it were up to me, I’d just charge in, think later…* Xu Qi’an’s mind flashed to the draft Xu Erlang had written. He suddenly smiled and said,

“If it were Great Feng’s army facing such cavalry in the north, we’d simply bombard them with cannons and repeating crossbows.”

Peiman Xilou shook his head. “That’s why Jing uses light cavalry, they move incredibly fast. As long as they spread out and hold through the first two waves of fire, they can destroy Great Feng’s artillery corps.”

Xu Qi’an said, “There are two methods: set up iron-spiked chevaux-de-frise[^1] a hundred paces from the artillery troops, or dig horse traps. You just need to drive a fist-sized steel tube into the ground and dig a pit of corresponding size. It’ll effectively stall a cavalry charge.

“Light cavalry isn’t the same as heavy cavalry. They can’t just brush these aside. Once their charge is impeded, they’ll take a few more rounds of artillery and ballista fire. Heh, there are no fixed methods in warfare — when you lack terrain advantages, you learn to create them yourself.”

*Horse traps, chevaux-de-frise... I had similar strategies, but now I have two more ways to simulate advantageous terrain on flat plains...* Peiman Xilou’s eyes lit up. He quietly noted it down, then smiled deeply.

“You may not know, Young Master Xu, but Jing also has artillery and ballistas. As I understand it, they were provided to the Church of the Warlock God by your former Minister of War. I’m afraid horse traps and chevaux-de-frise alone won’t be enough to deal with Jing’s cavalry.”

*Bloody hell, why didn’t you say so earlier? You’re not just here for advice,you’re here to challenge me...* Xu Qi’an glanced at him.

*This Peiman Xilou isn’t just seeking advice, he’s testing my capabilities. Still sore from being “instantly defeated” at the literary gathering?*

*Good thing I read through Erlang’s strategies last night...* Xu Qi’an chuckled. “Isn’t it time for the cavalry of the yao and barbarian tribes to shine?”

He deftly changed tack, bringing the yao and barbarian forces into the equation to patch up their side’s weaknesses. Erlang had already factored these armies into his original strategy.

Peiman Xilou seemed to argue: “That would, at most, put us on even footing.”

“No, not evenly matched.”

Xu Qi’an shook his head. “If the Great Feng and the yao-barbarian alliance work together, our odds of victory would overwhelm Jing’s army, even if they’ve got a stockpile of artillery. The more troop types we have, the more room for manoeuvre.

“Let me give you a small example. I’ve heard that every warrior of the Jinmu Tribe among the barbarians raises a feathered spider beast. A flying mount, the only airborne unit among the twelve tribes. The Jinmu warriors are also skilled archers.”

Peiman Xilou was a little disappointed. “The Jinmu Tribe’s flying troops may be good archers, but their arrows can’t pierce the armour of the Fire Armour Cavalry. A few experts might manage, but on a battlefield that’s just a drop in the ocean.”

Xu Qi’an smiled. “Brother Peiman, your thinking is still too rigid. Why must you count on the arrows to deal the damage? If piercing power doesn’t work against the Fire Armour Cavalry, why not try something else, like tying fire oil to the arrows?

“Heavy cavalry can’t easily remove their armour. If the fire oil catches, the armour will heat up in moments. They won’t be able to put it out, nor take the armour off. Their pride—their heavy armour—would become their deadliest flaw.”

That tactic, too, came from Erlang.

Peiman Xilou was visibly stirred and could no longer maintain his composure. He murmured:

“Yes... if arrows can’t hurt them, why not try fire? Their iron armour can’t be taken off by themselves. Once doused in fire oil, even if they don’t die, they’ll be severely burned. Jinmu’s flying archers rain fire from above—the Fire Armour Cavalry won’t be able to dodge... This could work... This could really work...”

The more he thought, the more excited he became, like an epiphany struck by a master strategist.

“You live up to your name, Young Master Xu, a true master of military tactics, skilled at leveraging troop types and tools. Your approach aligns with my own philosophy of war. Your words truly woke me as if from a dream. It’s a pity there are so few in our divine race who understand military strategy.

“If only someone had talked this through with me earlier... perhaps I would’ve devised this long ago. Our divine race wouldn’t be in such a sorry state.”

Even Huang Xian’er, who didn’t understand strategy, realised the brilliance of that ploy.

She looked at Xu Qi’an with a hint of admiration in her eyes.

No longer merely captivated by his looks, she now felt a pure appreciation for this man. The admiration of a female for a capable male.

“Forgive my loss of composure!”

Peiman Xilou took a sip of tea to suppress his excitement. At the same time, he grew more “greedy.”

Now that they were talking with such enthusiasm, and Xu Qi’an wasn’t being secretive, why not seize the moment to draw out more tactics from this grandmaster of warfare?

Such as, perhaps, a decisive tactic, a guaranteed win.

Peiman Xilou was now entirely convinced that the Art of War had come from Xu Qi’an’s hand. A genuine masterpiece.

After a moment’s contemplation, he said:

“Though the plan is clever, the Church of the Warlock God’s forces are coming on strong this time. It’s not just the iron cavalry of Jing. Otherwise, even if Zhujiu was injured, Xiahou Yushu’s arrogance wouldn’t be so unrestrained.

“Jing’s legions include a third rank warlock, and many fourth ranks. They can raise corpse soldiers and stir human and beast qi-blood on a large scale, causing a brief but violent surge in strength.

“That’s what’s making Jing’s cavalry so fierce. You’re well-travelled, Young Master Xu, you should know, the battlefield is a warlock’s domain. A third rank warlock on the battlefield is more valuable than a third rank Undying Body martial artist. I dare to ask: is there a tactic that strikes directly at the heart and wins in one blow?”

“Undying Body” referred to third rank martial artists.

*You’ve gone too far. Now you want a tactic that wins the war in one stroke?*

*You’re asking the impossible...* Xu Qi’an inwardly grumbled, glancing at Peiman Xilou and Huang Xian’er. Both wore serious expressions, eyes fixed on him, actually expecting him to come up with some earth-shattering strategy.

*There’s nothing like that in Erlang’s “draft”...* he muttered internally, thinking to make a few vague remarks, then sigh and say there’s nothing he can do.

He’d already prepared the line: “Battlefields are ever-changing, how can paper strategies solve real combat?”

“How strong is Jing’s army? How many cavalry, how much artillery, how many foot soldiers?” Xu Qi’an asked.

Peiman Xilou pondered, then said:

“At the Battle of Shanhai Pass, the Fire Armour Cavalry numbered fifty thousand, but they were almost entirely wiped out in that war. After twenty years of rebuilding, I estimate their numbers won’t exceed fifty thousand again—given the difficulty in training cavalry and breeding warbeasts, they’re rare and costly.

“As for light cavalry, they’re actually fewer. Jing exhausted their treasury to maintain the Fire Armour Cavalry, and couldn’t afford more light cavalry. In fact, their purpose is to shore up the weaknesses of heavy cavalry. Right now, all eighty thousand light cavalry are fighting in the north.”

*Jing spent everything on warhorses...* Xu Qi’an took a sip of tea and said, “Understood.”

He was about to deliver his rehearsed line and send this barbarian off, when he suddenly froze. The conversation just now flickered through his mind like a slide show.

*Jing had at most forty thousand heavy cavalry, and their light cavalry were all deployed in the north against the yao-barbarian forces...*

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

One of the _Thirty-Six Stratagems_ sprang to mind.

He set down his teacup and, with a calm smile, swept his gaze across the two of them. “Why not strike directly at Jing’s capital?”

_Clang!_

A teacup toppled to the floor. Peiman Xilou’s breathing suddenly quickened, his chest heaving.

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[^1]: You know those crisscrossing wood or steel stakes used as anti-cavalry and anti-tank mechanisms in warfare? That’s apparently what they are called. Apparently a “Czech hedgehog” is something similar that was used for anti-tank defence in WWII. Unfortunately I couldn’t find a less french name for these things so you will have to suspend disbelief that they all know about this unfortunately french term. If it’s interest to you, according to wikipedia they were invented in China, and their native name is something around the theme of “deer antlers”