Xuanqing Guard
Chapter 228: The Border Garrison
Shen Hao had just returned from the Governor’s Office after the briefing, and the moment he entered the Thousand Households Station’s main gate, Wang Yiming hurried over to him.
He waved his hand and didn’t speak until he’d returned to the Public Office: "Go on, what’s the matter?"
"Sir, there’s a message from Hai Xia."
Wang Yiming didn’t know Zhang Lie, only that there was a top secret mission at Hai Xia. Over the past several days, so many scouts had gone out in disguise, all waiting to rendezvous with one person. Only today had news finally come back.
He opened the copper rod. Inside, the message was concise and alarming: at fifty li from Li Xiaochuan, the signal was picked up—there were two people in total, heading toward the Xiaochuan Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea.
Behind the copper rod were also two rather rough portraits. It was still possible to make out who they depicted—one was Zhang Lie, the other was the mysterious Ma San, whose image had previously been sent from Flying Dragon as well.
Ma San traveling with Zhang Lie? Looks like they joined up after Hai Xia. Is this a test for Zhang Lie? Or is it simply following along out of worry over the goods going wrong?
"Have the border army over there coordinated yet?"
"Already coordinated. At first, they were unwilling, but after seeing the notice from the Jingxi Governor’s Office, their attitude changed completely—very proactive. Everything in accordance with our previous plan, only leaving a gap that looks easy to overlook. And they agreed to let us temporarily use the military’s Transmission Array at Beach Stone for personnel deployment."
Shen Hao nodded, quite satisfied with Wang Yiming’s coordination. This "Jingxi Purge" had also startled the border army; the entanglements involved still weren’t settled, perhaps had only just begun. In times like these, none dared offend the Jingxi Governor’s Office. Otherwise, given the border troops’ nature, it would be odd for them to cooperate so swiftly in an investigation.
"Go get ready. Have all brothers with Cultivation above Qi Refining Third Layer assemble; wait for my order with highest battle preparations."
"Yes, sir!"
Shen Hao turned from the Public Office and went to find Wu Changhe. After a lengthy discussion, Wu Changhe’s expression softened a little, but this time, contrary to his norm, he refused Shen Hao’s request to transfer a hundred of the Thousand Households’ finest, saying that any personnel transfer would require Shen Hao to fully lay out the secret plan, or else, unless there was a direct order from the Governor’s Office, he would not allot troops.
This was entirely unexpected by Shen Hao. He’d thought that sharing some credit was enough to win Wu Changhe’s support, but now it was clear that this officer was at the end of his patience—even refusing merit just to avoid being led by the nose again.
In the end, Shen Hao had no choice but to order one Xiaoqi from each of the four Black Banner Camp Commanders under his command to assemble, joining with seventy elite from the Thousand Households’ Black Banner Battalion to head for Hai Xia together.
This time, Shen Hao brought Wang Yiming along.
Of course, without the elite of the Thousand Households Guard, Shen Hao had to be more vigilant, not only supplying everyone with top-grade battle gear but, upon reaching Hai Xia, persuading the local border army to detach a one-thousand-man Vanguard Battalion to support his deployment.
This favor was no small thing. Shen Hao kept in mind the generosity of Deputy General Wu Kai of the border army. Later, Shen Hao learned that Wu Kai and Jiang Cheng were old acquaintances; when Jiang Cheng served in the army, Wu Kai had worked under him.
The assisting Vanguard Battalion was not an ordinary border unit. In wartime, they served as shock troops—the vanguard for breakthrough, raids, harassment, probing, forcing or pursuing—elite soldiers who are thrown in to generate momentum and decisive results.
While there were not many cultivators among them, all were martial artists schooled in the Combined Attack Skill, adept with various Talismans and Magical Artifacts, and equipped with a fully systematic arsenal tested in real combat.
To put it bluntly, the two hundred-odd Black Banner Battalion soldiers Shen Hao had brought would stand no chance in a head-on clash—they’d be wiped out by the thousand-strong Vanguard without escape.
When contending against organized soldiers, unless you could rely on overwhelming cultivation or the might of magical artifacts to instantly slaughter large numbers, your only outcomes were: run, or die.
Setting aside for now whether there was slackness or dead weight among the border army—things that had yet to be purged—just the situation on the southern border alone was worth mentioning.
The southern side bordering the Barbarian Race was not actually a wide expanse, as to the west lay the Evil Sea, and to the east, the Treasure Sea. Between these two seas was the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea and a long, narrow stretch known as the Bamboo Path.
The interior of the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea was hard to traverse—dense with miasma and deadly beasts, making progress difficult even for cultivators. Thus, the southern border army’s main focus had always been the Bamboo Path.
On the Bamboo Path stood a famed stronghold known to all: Zhuo Huo Pass.
As a poem went:
Ten thousand li of bamboo sea guard the frontier pass,
Piled white bones, blood-stained clothes amassed.
Longing mothers sigh for sons’ return at last,
A letter home brings a soul to rest fast.
In every great war with the southern Barbarians, Zhuo Huo Pass bore the brunt. Countless young men of the Jingjiu Dynasty bled and died here, building this iron bastion with their bodies and will, mingled with the enemy’s blood.
The border army did not belong to the Four Major Armies, instead forming an independent system. Every four years, mid- and high-ranking officers were rotated, and the core of the border forces came from select transfers among the Four Major Armies—melding tactics with their battle-tested experience.
Officers rotated out of the border army would then be distributed back into the Four Major Armies, ensuring that the entire military system was constantly battle-ready.
This "Jingxi Purge" campaign led by the Jingxi Governor’s Office had now involved the border army too. Without war, the status of the military had already declined, and to now be drawn into accusations of "aiding the enemy" had everyone on edge.
After receiving Wang Yiming’s request for assistance and learning it was a Governor’s Office-backed secret mission, the border army mobilized promptly, deploying two Thousand Households Stations’ worth of troops to place Xiaochuan’s border with the Bamboo Sea under curfew, and began continuous patrols.
All these deployments were by Shen Hao’s design. The Xiaochuan region bordering the Bamboo Sea was so vast it was nearly impossible to know Mao San’s exact handover spot, but now, with much of the area sealed by the border army and one overlooked nook left open on purpose, the southern barbarians seeking to cross through the bamboo for the trade could only come there.
Upon arrival at Hai Xia, after mustering his men, Shen Hao used the military-dedicated Transmission Array to teleport directly to Beach Stone. From there, taking horse carts, they traveled swiftly, skirting toward the edge of the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea near Xiaochuan.
Time was tight. Shen Hao wasted not a moment, and just managed to lay his ambush before word came from the scouts that Zhang Lie was about to enter the bamboo border.
Each person bore a Qi Concealing Talisman, hidden either in the undergrowth or among the woods, a further Illusion Array shielding them from prying eyes. Over a thousand men waited ghost-like, silent and unseen.
Early 3 p.m.
From the distant sentries came news: they’d sighted Zhang Lie, and it wasn’t just the two of them—there were thirteen in all! They’d left the byway, abandoned their horses, and were on foot, heading straight this way.