Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Chapter 183 Wait a little longer

This winter in Fenglin Mountain is longer than usual. It is still snowing even though it is almost the beginning of spring.

On the border of Qi State, Qi Xiao and his men encountered another heavy snowstorm. They could hardly move for several days and their food was almost gone. Everyone was like ants on the hot pan. If the snow didn't stop, they would run out of food. More importantly, after the spring, the three major border passes of Qi State would slowly begin to change guards, and the official road would be opened again. They would miss the best time to attack.

Qi Xiao and Tang Ling were still able to keep their composure, but Bai Xiqiao had been feeling restless for several days. He felt dizzy in front of Lu Xiulin, and was forced to sit down by Lu Xiulin, who pinched his neck.

Bai Xiqiao was very irritated, his buttocks feeling as if he had hemorrhoids. He couldn't sit still and glared at Qi Xiao: "The wind and snow outside have died down a lot. What are you waiting for? If it snows again, we won't be able to leave again."

Besides, it’s already noon. If we don’t leave now, it will be dark, and we won’t be able to leave when it’s dark.

They have been delayed here for five days!

Qi Xiao glanced at Tang Ling, then returned his gaze to the sheepskin map and said, "Wait a little longer."

Qi Xiao wants to wait for Swift Eagle to come back.

Qi Xiao's "scouts" had already left Fenglin Mountain and entered Qi territory first. It was originally planned to use swift eagles to transmit information. Once the situation at Jialin Pass was confirmed, they could rush out of Fenglin Mountain.

But a heavy snowfall blocked everything. Qi Xiao released the Swift Eagle five days ago when the snow was lighter, and it has not returned yet.

Bai Xiqiao frowned and couldn't help grinding his teeth: "I said Chi Yue is unreliable."

Qi Xiao rolled his eyes: "Is Zong Sheng also unreliable?"

Qi Xiao sent only two scouts, Chi Yue and Zong Sheng, for no other reason than that they were the two best martial artists. Of course, Bai Xiqiao wasn't convinced. He admitted he couldn't match Chi Yue's lightness skills, but he didn't believe he couldn't match his martial arts skills. And then there was Zong Sheng; their occasional sparring matches were always a draw. Besides, Zong Sheng had a back injury, and even though it had scabbed over, it wasn't fully healed yet. He was definitely no match for Bai Xiqiao, who was pain-free. But Qi Xiao ignored him and simply let Chi Yue and Zong Sheng go.

Bai Xiqiao scratched the stubble on his chin in annoyance and asked, "Does it matter who's guarding Jialin Pass? There aren't many people anyway, why not just rush in and kill them all? I don't believe it..."

Qi Xiao glared at Bai Xiqiao, blocking his next words. Bai Xiqiao knew what Qi Xiao meant. His question was nonsense, which they had studied long ago.

Entering Qi from Fenglin Mountain, they would pass through Jialin Pass, Xingtian Pass, Bashan, Zhengye Pass and Huaiyan Pass, and cross five states before reaching the capital of Qi, Shuoliang.

Jialin Pass was the first pass on Qi's border, but it wasn't the most heavily guarded or fortified. This was because it was too small, nestled in a valley, a narrow, narrow passage. If a large garrison could be stationed, it would be a formidable barrier, easily defended but difficult to attack. It was impossible to capture it with only 6,000 men.

But behind Jialin Pass was a miasma forest, making it impossible to station troops.

After the winter comes, the garrison of Qi State will generally be mobilized. After the heavy snow closes Fenglin Mountain, the roads are blocked, and the mountain passes and inns will be closed. All the garrison of Qi State will retreat to Xingtian Pass, and the people in the surrounding villages will also enter Xingtian Pass to spend the winter.

The total number of troops stationed at Jialin Pass will not exceed 500, and no one will travel between Jialin Pass and Xingtian Pass until the snow melts in spring.

This is Qi Xiao's chance.

However, the geographical advantage of Jialin Pass cannot be ignored. Qi Xiao has no geographical advantage at all, so whoever guards the pass will be determined by their people.

Before entering Fenglin Mountain, Tang Ling began to make preparations, recording all the information he had read about the people and events of Qi's political leaders. The first to be recorded was the general who would lead the army, and thus the enemy they would most likely encounter.

Although Qi was the weakest among the Three Kingdoms, that was because it had the smallest land area, the smallest population, and many mountainous areas that were difficult to cultivate for farming, so it was not as rich as Chen and Zhou. It was not that it did not have brave and capable generals. Qi had many famous generals, including some who were as famous as Bai Liu and Xun Anhou. They should not be underestimated.

The first name Tang Ling wrote down was Xu Zheng. Xu Zheng was a pillar of Qi, about the same age as Bai Liu, and a general who had fought against Bai Liu his entire life.

Xu Zheng and Bai Liu, each guarding their own territory across Fenglin Mountain, clashed countless times on the battlefield, countless times attempting to slay one another. They were bitter enemies, yet also cherished friends. Hundreds of clashes, like hundreds of chess games, left behind countless astonishing strategies and cunning tactics. Tang Ling, studying year after year at his father's side, yearned to become a general like them, one who possessed not only the courage to stand alone against a fortress, but also the strategies to defeat an entire army.

Even Tang Ling's father, Xun Anhou, said that the two people he least wanted to meet on the battlefield were Xu Zheng and Bai Liu, and he wanted to call them cunning people.

Tang Ling knew that his father didn't mean that. He actually admired the two of them very much, and even felt a sense of heroes admiring heroes. However, he couldn't tell anyone, so he could only laugh and curse.

Bai Liu has become a legend, and only Xu Zheng is left.

If Xu Zheng was guarding Jialin Pass, not only would 6,000 people not be able to get in, but even 30,000 people might not be able to get in, especially since they had no food, no reinforcements, and no siege weapons.

Xu Zheng and Bai Liu had fought for decades, so how could Bai Xiqiao not know? The old injuries that had damaged his father Bai Liu's heart and lungs, leaving him with a cough, were caused by Xu Zheng's bullet to the chest!

Bai Xiqiao is not afraid of Xu Zheng. He hates Xu Zheng. He even hopes that Xu Zheng is guarding Jialin Pass. He wants to stand in front of Xu Zheng and tell Xu Zheng that he is Bai Liu's son. He wants to take his father's head in his place!

The closer they got to Qi territory, the more restless Bai Xiqiao became.

Tang Ling sighed as she looked at Baixi Bridge. "It's very likely Xu Zheng isn't at Jialin Pass, but at Xingtian Pass. After all, Xu Zheng is a first-rank military marquis, bestowed with the title of Zhenbei Marquis. Having him guard Jialin Pass with a few hundred men is unbecoming of his status."

"...Marquis Zhenbei..." Bai Xiqiao gritted his teeth in anger. He meant Xu Zheng had intimidated his father, Bai Liu?! How shameless! Back then, Bai Liu had nearly ripped Xu Zheng's left arm off. Now, he couldn't even swing that half-hundred-pound spear! Xu Zheng was a complete wreck!

Qi Xiao's plan was simple. If Xu Zheng wasn't guarding Jialin Pass, they would launch a night attack, effectively wiping out the Gordian knot. If Xu Zheng was, they would still launch a night attack, but with an assassination tactic. Xu Zheng might be a formidable commander, but he was already fifty years old, and with Bai Liu's left arm injured, his martial arts skills were undoubtedly inferior to those of Chi Yue and Bai Xiqiao.

Jialin Pass is located at a high altitude and is separated from Xingtian Pass by a miasma forest. In late winter and early spring, the daylight hours are short and the miasma in the forest is strong. Even if Jialin Pass sets off a signal smoke signal, Xingtian Pass may not be able to see it unless it is a sunny day.

Once they capture Jialin Pass, they will have a chance to rest and have food supplies and a warm fire.

They were all starving wolves now. Not only Bai Xiqiao was anxious, but even Tang Ling occasionally revealed a scarlet and bloodthirsty look in her eyes.

"Wait a little longer." Qi Xiao kept saying this. Wait a little longer. He couldn't take any risks. This whole journey was filled with dangers, with no way back. He couldn't rush into anything rash at this time and in this place.

It was indeed nearly impossible for Xu Zheng to be stationed at Jialin Pass, but as the Marquis of Zhenbei, he would patrol the camp as spring approached, knowing full well how vulnerable Jialin Pass was. He had fought Bai Liu for so many years, countless times driven to flee in panic by Bai Liu's surprise attacks, and he had fought back in kind. He was never negligent in his border defense, even when the mountains were sealed by heavy snow, he would patrol the camp, not to mention the approach of the Beginning of Spring.

"Hey!"

Bai Xiqiao scratched his beard again, and Lu Xiulin felt like he had lice on his body, making him itchy all over.

Qi Xiao looked at Lu Xiulin and asked, "Even if we don't meet Xu Zheng at Jialin Pass, we will meet him at Xingtian Pass. Even if we don't meet him at Xingtian Pass, Xu Zheng will definitely come to our aid personally once we reach Xingtian Pass. General Lu, are you ready to fight?"