Despite the consecutive days of victory, Mei Haoxuan couldn't feel happy. The army's rations were long overdue. If they didn't arrive in two days, the soldiers would have to fight on an empty stomach.
How could a fatigued army defeat the well - equipped and strong Quanrong troops?
Seeing his soldiers risking their lives alongside him, Mei Haoxuan couldn't bear to let them go hungry. Early the next morning, he ordered his warhorse to be slaughtered.
"General, you mustn't do this!" Xiao Bei tried to dissuade him, but Mei Haoxuan, with tears in his eyes, swung his blade. Blood spurted from the horse's neck.
"Tell the cooks to prepare it."
Mei Haoxuan suddenly turned away. This horse had accompanied him through the fierce battles in recent days. "General..." Xiao Bei closed his eyes as he watched the dead warhorse and then beheaded his own horse.
As a deputy general, Xiao Bei was well aware of the army's tight ration situation. Seeing the general kill his beloved horse, he didn't hesitate.
Most of the soldiers had guessed the shortage of rations, but none of them complained.
Instead, they searched for wild vegetables near the camp. However, this was just a drop in the bucket.
"Your Majesty, look. The cooking smoke from the southern barbarians' camp is decreasing day by day. Could it be that they're running out of rations?" Karu said.
"Maybe it's a trick they're playing. But if they really are short of rations, it's our chance," King Reide said with a smug look on his face. "Send out scouts to find out what's going on."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Karu quickly sent out a scout. The scout reported that the enemy was slaughtering their warhorses. King Reide nodded in satisfaction.
"It's time for us to strike. Those young generals have killed many of our men in the past few days."
"Yes! Your Majesty."
The Quanrong launched an unprecedented fierce attack on the Fengguo army. Mei Haoxuan led his hungry soldiers, their eyes red with killing intent and hatred.
Today, they had slaughtered the last few warhorses. Even when mixed with wild vegetables, it wouldn't last long. Now the soldiers were so hungry that they walked unsteadily, their faces pale and hands weak.
Mei Haoxuan sent two messengers. One rushed to the capital to plead for rations from the emperor, and the other headed to the south of the Yangtze River to seek help from his sister.
Mei Qingxue had long anticipated the ration shortage in the army. After receiving her brother's letter, she was furious. Having lived ten lifetimes, she had seen through everything. She didn't care that her husband had no power or influence, and she could endure being bullied. But now, her brother was leading 30,000 soldiers to fight the Quanrong on an empty stomach. How could she hold back her anger?
"Du Guqing, this isn't the time to think about whether you want to be the crown prince or not. Humph, if I had to choose someone, I'd rather choose you."
They had retreated to the south of the Yangtze River. What else did those people want? Weren't they just causing losses to Fengguo's territory and casualties to its people?
30,000 against 100,000. Not only were there no reinforcements, but there was also no supply of rations. Mei Qingxue was extremely angry. On one hand, she contacted her subordinates, and on the other hand, she collected rations from the people in the south of the Yangtze River.
When the Plum Blossom Fairy made her appeal, almost every family with rations donated most of them. In just a few days, Mei Qingxue had collected 100,000 dan of rations.
"Guo Shou, I'm sending you to deliver the rations this time. I hope you won't let me down," Mei Qingxue said, sitting in the main seat. Du Guqing sat on one side, and none of the officials in the yamen found anything strange.
"I'll follow the princess's order," Guo Shou took the arrow token from Mei Qingxue's hand. It wasn't until he had set off that he realized something, but by then he was almost at the battlefield.
"Guo Ming, you're still young. Normally, I wouldn't have assigned you this task, but as the son of a general, I believe you won't let me down," Mei Qingxue said. Du Guqing glanced at her, wondering what she was up to. The old duke, sitting below Mei Qingxue, nodded in agreement when he heard her order.
"Princess of Rui, this is no ordinary time. You can just give your orders. If you need the old general, I'll spare no effort!"
"Old duke, the situation is special now. As the princess, I must choose the best generals for the country. We can talk as family after the war is over."
The old duke stood up and bowed. "Your Highness can just give your orders. I guarantee that none of them are cowards."
"Guo Ming, you'll assist the old duke in recruiting 100,000 soldiers, or at least 50,000. You have only three days."
"Yes!" Guo Ming saw the serious look on his grandfather's face and knew that the situation was critical.
"My husband and I will return to the capital first. 20,000 of the 50,000 soldiers will stay in the south of the Yangtze River to be trained by the old duke. You don't need to worry about weapons and armor."
"The remaining 30,000 soldiers will be led by the old duke to the battlefield. Normally, I wouldn't ask the old duke to go, but I'm afraid the morale in the front line is low. The old duke will stay in the army to boost the morale."
"Yes, I'll obey!" The over - sixty - year - old duke was as high - spirited as he was when he was young on the battlefield.
"Guo Ming, you'll follow the old duke. Consider it a guard duty. Also, it's time for you to see the battlefield. Whether there will be more wars after this one or not, a soldier should always be ready for battle."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
After they left to carry out their orders, Du Guqing looked at his wife. "If we suddenly return to the capital, Father may not be happy."
"That's not his concern. He can't even hold onto his own power and is constrained by his ministers. I won't comment on him. I remember you have a group of men."
"Yes!"
Du Guqing knew it was time to use his men. Without any hesitation, he reported his forces. "Send them all behind the enemy lines. Some will infiltrate the enemy camp, and the others will head straight for the Quanrong's capital. I don't care whether it's an open attack or an assassination, but they must come back alive. That's my requirement."
Mei Qingxue turned to the back and said, "An Ying, you'll lead the Blue Sea Pavilion to escort the rations. I'm afraid the enemy will set an ambush. Guo Shou has little experience."
"Yes." A deep male voice came from somewhere behind.
Du Guqing knew this was the man. He had long been aware of his existence.
"Let's go to the capital!" Mei Qingxue wrote a letter to her father, asking him to lead the civil officials to support Du Guqing. The reason she gave to persuade her father was that when the country was in danger, they shouldn't be conservative and should promote the worthy regardless of their relations.
"Let's go!" Mei Qingxue said loudly.
"Will Father - in - law support us?"
"He will. On one hand, it's his son fighting on the front line, and on the other hand, it's his daughter and son - in - law. We're not acting for our own self - interest. Father is a reasonable man and will definitely support us."
Du Guyou was shocked to learn that his son, whom he had regarded as a useless one, actually had such strength. He was furious. This was his most beloved son, and he had always been reluctant to involve him in such matters.
"Someone, stop the Prince of Rui for me!" He mustn't be allowed to enter the capital. Du Guming controlled almost all the powerful officials in the court. If Du Guqing entered the capital, wouldn't it force him to rebel?
A few people were no match for Du Guqing. During the morning court session, Du Guqing appeared in the court. Seeing the white - haired Du Guqing, Du Guming knew he was a strong opponent. Unfortunately, although he had the support of the officials, the people in the border areas learned that Du Guming had withheld the troops and rations, while only the son of the prime minister was leading just 30,000 men to fight the invaders.
The Plum Blossom Fairy in the south had collected rations to support the border, and the old duke had reappeared on the battlefield. With the 30,000 soldiers brought by the old duke and the 100,000 dan of rations sent by his sister, Mei Haoxuan finally understood why his father had so much faith in his sister.
With the logistical support, and knowing it was the Princess of Rui who had helped, the soldiers fought bravely to repay her great assistance.
The situation on the battlefield was reversed. Even the old duke wanted to hold his old weapon and fight on the battlefield. Guo Ming held him back. "Who shouted that they would follow the princess's order when we set out?"
No one could persuade the old duke except Mei Qingxue. Somehow, she had won the old duke's favor. He liked her so much that he wished she were a man. Knowing that this wish was hard to come true, the old duke hoped every day that Mei Qingxue would give birth to a great - grandson for him.
"You just know how to use your sister - in - law to threaten your grandfather. Your grandfather is in his dozens. Can't he take care of himself?"
"The princess sister - in - law said you should just stand here obediently. Don't make the princess sister - in - law angry, or she won't let you see the little nephew in the future."
"Get out..." Seeing his grandfather with a flushed face and a little blood on his armor, Guo Jun said with a smile, "I was wondering who could persuade the old general to come out and then make him stand here obediently. It turns out it's my powerful sister - in - law."
"The outcome of this battle is already decided. I heard from your sister - in - law that she has sent one group of men to attack the Quanrong's royal court and another to infiltrate the enemy's rear camp."
Guo Jun was shocked. "Did grandfather give this advice? How could sister - in - law be so amazing?"
She was almost infallible in her plans. Guo Jun admired Mei Qingxue the most. Just from that one encounter, she had known that he was suitable for being a general. "It was really your sister - in - law. When she gave the order, the prince was sitting on one side," the old duke said with surprise in his eyes. "You should learn the art of war from your sister - in - law in the future."
"But sister - in - law is a woman. It's not convenient," Guo Jun said with a frown.
"Your sister - in - law is definitely not an ordinary person. I'll go and ask her then." Mei Qingxue's military strategies were unpredictable. If she were a man, she might be another great general. The old duke looked at Mei Haoxuan with joy in his eyes. It was a pity that there were no suitable girls in his family, otherwise, he would definitely make Mei Haoxuan his son - in - law.
"Grandfather, the enemy is in retreat. Should we pursue them?"
"Don't pursue a defeated enemy!" The old duke raised his hand, and Guo Jun fell silent. With the rations, the reinforcements, and the two secret forces sent by Mei Qingxue, the war was going unexpectedly smoothly.
"What should we do with the defeated Quanrong?"
"The princess said that as long as they surrender and retreat to their original places, it's okay."
"Then we won't get any spoils of war?"
"Go back and ask your sister - in - law about this. Anyway, your sister - in - law said not to pursue. Anyone who disobeys will be punished by military law when they come back."
"I don't believe you, grandfather. You always praise sister - in - law as if she's the only one in the world," Guo Ming pouted. He could only watch from the side. After all, he was only twelve years old.