“My lord, our scouts usually cover thirty li, but now they’re only going out four li, and their numbers are halved. We’re about to enter Ningbo, where Wang Zhi’s pirates have a strong presence. For caution’s sake, shouldn’t we send scouts farther out to avoid falling into a trap?” Ruo Feng rode up beside Zhu Ping’an, pointing worriedly at the continuous mountains ahead and offering his cautious suggestion.
“Big Knife, you say something too,” Ruo Feng added, pulling Liu Dadao into the conversation for extra persuasion.
“My lord, Brother Ruo’s got a point. We should send more scouts, farther out, for safety. Pirates are sneaky and love ambushes. Those mountains ahead look like the perfect spot for them to hide and spring a trap,” Liu Dadao chimed in.
“No need to doubt—there are indeed pirates lying in wait, about five li ahead,” Zhu Ping’an said calmly.
“What?!” Ruo Feng was stunned. “My lord, how do you know? Our scouts only reached four li.”
“Five li?” Liu Dadao’s mouth fell open. “How does my lord know so precisely?”
Because I have a cheat code, Zhu Ping’an thought silently. He murmured “Guangzong Yaozu,” and in his mind’s eye, he saw a red-black aura pillar rising like a signal fire five li ahead on the slope, piercing the clouds. Deeper in the mountains behind the valley, an even larger black-red aura pillar surged skyward.
Based on his recent calculations, the pirates hiding on the slope numbered around four thousand, while those deeper in the valley were about ten thousand.
Of course, he couldn’t tell them that.
“The secrets of heaven must not be revealed,” Zhu Ping’an said with a slight smirk, then pointed to the slope five li away. “Instruct the scouts to probe no further than five li. They must not go deeper than thirty meters onto the slope. Even if they spot something, they should act as if they saw nothing and avoid alerting the enemy.”
“What? My lord, are you planning to…?” Liu Dadao scratched his head.
“My lord intends to be the oriole behind the praying mantis catching the cicada,” Ruo Feng said, his eyes lighting up.
“Top-tier hunters always appear as prey. We can’t disappoint the pirates, can we?” Zhu Ping’an said with a faint smile.
“Top-tier hunters always appear as prey… My lord, that’s a profound saying,” Ruo Feng repeated, filled with admiration. “No wonder you’re a top scholar. A simple phrase carries such depth.”
“Haha, Brother Ruo, no need for flattery,” Zhu Ping’an laughed.
“My lord, it’s not flattery. I genuinely find your words insightful. I feel like I’ve learned something. In future battles, when feigning defeat or luring the enemy, I’ll remember this and know what to do,” Ruo Feng said earnestly, feeling as if he’d been enlightened.
“My lord, don’t tease him. Even I feel a bit enlightened,” Liu Dadao added.
“Haha, alright,” Zhu Ping’an smiled, then issued orders. “Have the vanguard advance two more li and set up camp. Tell the cooking corps to hurry to the vanguard’s campsite, start fires, and prepare lunch. We’ll wait for the main army to join and eat together.”
“My lord, you said the pirates are ambushing five li away. If the vanguard stops and camps two li from here, that’s less than three li from their ambush. Isn’t that too close? They could attack us at any moment,” Ruo Feng cautioned, worried about the risky proximity.
“Don’t worry. Knowing the pirates’ habits, they’ll wait until we pass their ambush point to attack with muskets and arrows. If they charge out now, they’d lose the advantage of surprise. They won’t do that. But if they do come, even better—we’ll be rested and ready, perfect for unleashing our firearms’ power,” Zhu Ping’an replied confidently.
Ruo Feng nodded, clasping his fists. “My lord speaks wisely.”
“Tell the cooks to add plenty of meat and make fragrant soup. Cook dishes with rich aromas. The pirates can’t eat, poor things—let them smell it and whet their appetites,” Zhu Ping’an said with a smile.
“Haha, my lord’s too kind! The pirates are hiding on that slope, not daring to light fires, stuck eating cold leftovers. We’ll be cooking meat soup—they can’t eat it, but they’ll smell it. They’ll be drooling buckets!” Liu Dadao burst out laughing.
“After lunch, no rush to march. Let everyone take a nap in camp, rest well, and recharge before moving on. Also, prepare for rain or snow—it might come later,” Zhu Ping’an instructed.
“What? Rain or snow later? Can my lord predict the future?” Ruo Feng’s eyes widened.
“It’s not fortune-telling, just reading the weather. Remember the dawn glow that lit half the sky this morning? As the saying goes, ‘Morning glow, stay indoors; evening glow, travel far.’ Morning glow often means rain; evening glow predicts clear skies the next day. Also, see the clouds over those mountains? The ancients said, ‘Rain comes when spring looks to the sea, winter to the peaks.’ In spring, rain comes from southwestern ocean vapors. In winter, northeast winds bring terrain rain—moisture hits the mountains, rises, forms clouds, and causes precipitation… Never mind, you won’t get it. Just remember: ‘Morning glow brings rain, evening glow brings sun; in winter, mountain clouds mean rain,’” Zhu Ping’an explained simply.
“We don’t understand, but it sounds so convincing,” Ruo Feng said, scratching his head. Though he didn’t follow, Zhu Ping’an’s logic seemed impeccable.
“If it rains or snows later, those pirates hiding on the slope are in for it! Imagine us in our tents, sipping hot meat soup, eating steaming meals, while those poor pirates, drenched and starving, shiver up there. I can’t help but laugh,” Liu Dadao said, chuckling.
“If it does rain or snow, they’ll be miserable. We’ll eat well, sleep well; they’ll eat cold food and get soaked. When the fighting starts, they’ll already be half beaten,” Ruo Feng added, nodding.
