Chapter 257: The Battle

With the Seven Stars Bureau joining the fray, the tilting scales were balanced.

At that moment, a mournful battle cry echoed from afar. The Chaoli tribesmen, after a pause in their offensive, began to retreat in a steady stream.

"Trying to escape?" Gu Yanxi sneered, her long whip lashing out even faster, ensnaring one man after another and throwing them back. The others in the Seven Stars Bureau also put away their hooks and swords, switching to whips and bows, doing their best to claim as many enemy lives as possible.

Without needing to say it beforehand, those who were caught by the whips and thrown back, even if they were barely alive, were finished off by the furious soldiers of the Qingliu (Green Willow) Camp. Few were left with intact bodies. The half-day battle had ignited their bloodlust, and every strike was for their fallen comrades and for their own fortunate survival.

Yet, some did manage to escape. The Chaoli tribesmen were terrifying in their cold-bloodedness. Even when their companions were being pursued, they would never offer assistance during a retreat. Unburdened by emotional ties, they ran without a trace of guilt, and those left behind harbored no resentment.

In the Great Daqing Dynasty, such behavior would never be tolerated in the army. One could die together, but never escape alone. This was a common understanding among soldiers.

This was the difference between nations.

Gu Yanxi raised his arm and made a gesture, and half of the soldiers chased after the retreating enemy.

Lu Peyu frowned in disapproval, "Don't pursue a defeated enemy."

Gu Yanxi didn't explain, but looked at the bodies on the ground and said, "General Lu, please immediately draft a memorial to report the casualties and explain the situation."

"The Chaoli tribesmen have returned?"

Gu Yanxi shook her head, "The key point is the huge disparity in combat power between the Great Daqing Dynasty and the Chaoli tribes. General Lu must investigate the specific numbers carefully. This is very important."

Lu Peyu was no fool and immediately understood his meaning. He nodded with a bitter smile, "I never underestimated the Chaoli tribesmen, but when I actually faced them, I realized I still underestimated them. Ordinary soldiers were no match for them in a single encounter. It was only by using the army's eight-man formation that we could trap them. Although we still couldn't defeat them, at least it wasn't like cutting vegetables. Sir, I am a lowly official in Yuzhou, but the Chaoli tribesmen must have grand ambitions. I hope you can make everyone in the court realize the seriousness of this matter. If we cannot devise a strategy to defeat them, the Great Daqing Dynasty... will be in danger."

"General Lu, rest assured, no one will underestimate this matter."

Lu Peyu looked at the soldiers around him who were wiping away tears and felt a pang of sorrow. He had never slacked off, and he had provided all the necessary training, yet the soldiers of the Qingliu (Green Willow) Camp were so vulnerable. He dared not imagine how many soldiers from other garrisons, which were undoubtedly more lax than the Qingliu (Green Willow Camp), would be left after being attacked by the enemy.

"General Lu, please help prepare some dry rations. We need to set off immediately. Before the new appointment arrives, please temporarily take charge of Yuzhou."

"As you command," Lu Peiyu looked up at the darkening sky. "But it's almost night, and those Chaoli people definitely won't give up so easily. Wouldn't it be too dangerous to set off now?"

"If they attack Qingliu Camp tonight, Qingliu Camp won't be able to withstand it," Gu Yanxi replied without hesitation, turning to give an order, "Tell everyone to get ready. We'll depart in half an hour."

"Yes."

Lu Peiyu immediately called someone over to give instructions. A deputy general was waiting on the side to report, and he apologized to Gu Yanxi before returning to the main tent.

Chen Qing whispered, "Master, what about that Hao Yue..."

"No need to worry about her. Tell the Three Stars Guards to speed up the interrogation of Yuan Shifang. Time is short, so be careful."

"Yes."

Normally, traveling at night would be inconvenient and dangerous, but for the Seven Stars Bureau at this time, it was the most advantageous. First, they were few in number, and only by hiding in the dark could they maximize their combat effectiveness and deceive the enemy. Only by making the Chaoli people wary could they buy more time to wait for reinforcements.

They just needed to hold on for this night, and the reinforcements would arrive tomorrow morning.

But everyone knew that this night would be difficult. Judging from the previous situation, the Chaoli people's understanding of the Great Daqing Dynasty was far greater than their understanding of the Chaoli people. With Yuan Shifang as an inside man, they probably had a map of half of the Great Daqing Dynasty. They would definitely be able to calculate the arrival time of the reinforcements. Given Yuan Shifang's importance, they would definitely attack strongly this night.

But even so, they only had one choice - to fight!

In the darkness, the Seven Stars Bureau galloped along the official road, the urgent sound of hooves pounding. Those who heard it couldn't help but feel a tightness in their hearts.

Yuan Shifang was personally escorted by Gu Yanxi, and Linying, carrying the two of them, still ran at the front.

When the heavy sound of hooves came from behind, Gu Yanxi looked back, took a pill and stuffed it into the unconscious Yuan Shifang's mouth, then threw him into the arms of the nearest person, "Keep running forward and don't stop. If there's a change, leave a signal."

"Yes."

After running a distance, Gu Yanxi jumped off his horse and waited for all the members of the Seven Stars Bureau to dismount before whistling. Linying stood tall and neighed loudly, leading all the horses away.

Gu Yanxi drew his long and slender sword, and the members of the Seven Stars Bureau tacitly divided into two groups, one using swords and the other wielding long whips, ready to fight.

The sound of hooves grew closer, and when the other party came into view, Gu Yanxi pointed his sword at the sky and shouted, "Fight!"

"Fight!" With this powerful shout, a group of people rushed towards the oncoming horses like ghosts.

Gu Yanxi charged at the front, and when he was about to reach the horses, he leaped into the air and struck down one with a sword. Chen Qing followed closely behind, rolling up the person who attacked the young master and smashing him to the ground, his brains splattering. The others were a step slower, but they all achieved results, reaping a wave of kills before the other side reacted.

The Chaoli people had grown up on horseback, and few could match their horsemanship. But this was not the grassland, and the crowded official road made it impossible to launch a charge, which actually became a constraint for them.

They reacted quickly, abandoned their horses, and rushed forward with their tribe's unique long knives, entangling with the members of the Seven Stars Bureau.

People fell from time to time, some from the Seven Stars Bureau, and others from the Chaoli people.

The combat effectiveness of the Seven Stars Bureau was recognized as the strongest in the Great Qing Dynasty, but when compared to the Chaoli people, they were only slightly superior. And this was the highest combat power of the Great Daqing Dynasty, while the Chaoli people were just the average level. If it weren't for the fact that the Chaoli people, by nature, could not form any formations, the Great Daqing Dynasty would not have had any chance.

Gu Yanxi realized more and more clearly the gap between the two countries as he fought, and his attacks became more and more deadly. For every enemy like this, the Great Daqing Dynasty would lose more than a dozen people!

The courage of the Chaoli people met the ruthlessness of the Seven Stars Bureau, and in the end, the Seven Stars Bureau prevailed. Knowing that they couldn't gain any advantage, the Chaoli people chose to retreat.

"Master, eight... eight of them died."

This was the biggest loss the Seven Stars Bureau had suffered in many years. Chen Qing felt very sad. The members of the Seven Stars Bureau had always been like a close-knit family, training together and carrying out missions together for many years. Their feelings were as deep as those of real brothers. And now, they had lost nine brothers.

Gu Yanxi closed his eyes, "What about the Chaoli people?"

"Seventeen people."

"Rest for a quarter of an hour."

"Yes." Chen Qing rubbed his face. This quarter of an hour was for the master to give the brothers a proper burial. They couldn't take them away now, and they would have to come back for them after sending Yuan Shifang back to the capital.