She Came to Heal, Stayed to Conquer

"We are here to assist the Prince, not to have fun. Don’t cause trouble for us," Ping Chuan said irritably.

Hua Tianyou is Duke Heng’s son. Though he claimed to come to the camp for training, he’s merely here to muddle through and gain some military merits before heading home.

In the eyes of someone skilled like Ping Chuan, Hua Tianyou might have some rudimentary skills, but he lacks experience and would only be a hindrance.

"Who’s causing trouble? I just want to find Zhao Zun. I’m really worried about him."

Hua Tianyou’s face was full of anxiety; Zhao Zun was his childhood buddy. How could he watch Zhao Zun face danger alone?

Besides, after muddling through in the camp for a few months, he isn’t completely useless anymore.

Ping Chuan wanted to refuse, but Han Lei furrowed her brows, tilted her head, and signaled Hua Tianyou to get into the vehicle.

"Come on up! Sit in the back."

Though Hua Tianyou could be carefree, she could see he genuinely worried about Zhao Zun.

Moreover, she wouldn’t be engaged in close combat with the enemy, so Hua Tianyou wouldn’t face much danger.

Grateful, Hua Tianyou glanced at Han Lei and immediately mounted the seat at the back of the motorcycle.

But the back seat had no seatbelt, leaving those seated only able to hold onto the person in front.

Feeling awkward after sitting, Hua Tianyou couldn’t possibly hold onto Han Lei’s waist, could he?

He glanced around and, in the end, had to grip Ping Chuan’s shoulder. Ping Chuan turned with a disdainful glance but said nothing, letting him hold his shoulder.

"Hold on tight."

Han Lei’s soft voice cried out, and the machine roared again, accelerating forward.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

In the afternoon, the sun hung high, and the sky over the grassland was a brilliant blue.

Zhao Zun already led the brothers from the Vanguard Camp, galloping, dust flying, reaching Niuwei Slope quickly.

Niuwei Slope, with undulating terrain and sparse vegetation, resembles a natural barrier, stretching before the Yin Mountain.

If the Turkic army crosses Niuwei Slope and then the Yin Mountain River, they could charge directly towards Yong’an City.

Zhao Zun tightened the reins, his gaze sharp as a blade, scanning the terrain ahead.

Ma Cheng closely followed Zhao Zun, his brow furrowed and expression solemn.

"Prince, the Turkic army is two hundred thousand strong, and our numbers are so vastly different..."

Zhao Zun’s expression was equally serious; he knew what Ma Cheng meant, but the current situation was set. He couldn’t let such pessimism affect the troops’ morale.

So, before Ma Cheng could finish, he immediately responded.

"This time surely will be a fierce battle. Therefore, what we can do is attack unexpectedly and catch them unprepared. Ma Cheng, first take the brothers to reconnoiter the terrain, and make sure to find the best hidden spot."

"Understood!"

Ma Cheng’s expression turned stern, and without saying more, he dismounted and led dozens of brothers to carefully survey and analyze the terrain along the slope.

After dispatching scouts for further reconnaissance, Zhao Zun sat mounted, watching Ma Cheng and the others from afar.

Then, he closed his eyes, beginning to mentally simulate various scenarios of ambush attacks.

According to the latest intel, the Turkic army was less than twenty li from Niuwei Slope, and traces of Turkic scouts were spotted within a few li.

Niuwei Slope lies at the edge of the Turkic Grassland, with terrain narrowing from wide, resembling a funnel. It’s been a strategic must-have in the northwest direction, the throat fort between the Turkic and Da Jing.

With the Turkic army’s marching speed, they’d surely arrive at Niuwei Slope by sunset; there’s a high likelihood they would camp there tonight.

With only two thousand men, they planned to raid the supplies of a two hundred-thousand-strong army and find a way to retreat safely. Such difficulty made Zhao Zun, the main commander of this operation, not dare be careless.

If the ambush failed, they’d either perish at Niuwei Slope or retreat to the Yin Mountain River...

Once the entire ambush operation was fully simulated in his mind, the exhausted Zhao Zun slowly opened his eyes, starting to arrange and issue orders.

Brothers from the Vanguard Camp quickly moved in accordance with Zhao Zun’s instructions, besides carrying their weapons, they also gathered various materials needed for the surprise attack nearby.

This ensured maximizing the disruption of the Turkic’s offensive plans during this operation.

By the time all preparations were complete, the sun had already shifted westward.

Zhao Zun ordered everyone to take their positions, then eat and rest on site, staying vigilant, ready for the upcoming battle.

Only then could Zhao Zun and his trusted aides, who had been marching tirelessly for a day and night, snatch a moment of rest.

The soldiers of the Vanguard Camp swiftly took out dry rations and water pouches, eating quietly. Though their hearts were filled with tension and anticipation, their expressions remained remarkably determined.