Who put the yellow robe on me?

Chapter 164 Head-to-head confrontation

"Who ordered the Huben Army to withdraw?" Xianyu Linyuan stared at the confidant and said, only to see that the confidant's face was pale and his forehead was covered with cold sweat.

"Yes..." The confidant's voice was hurried, like a tremor in the wind.

"Speak!" Xianyu Linyuan frowned, and the doubts in his heart suddenly increased.

"Lord Ji...Lord Ji has gone to the Huben Army camp with the imperial edict from the King of the Western Regions!" The confidant's voice trembled with nervousness. He could feel the heaviness brought by this news.

"What?" Xianyu Linyuan's face instantly became as cold as a knife. His eyes froze instantly and his pupils shrank slightly.

Lord Ji? He repeated the name unconsciously, as if the name itself carried endless conspiracy and deception.

Standing on the city wall, Xianyu Linyuan suddenly felt a heavy weight on his heart. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The long-standing struggles between him and Lord Ji in the court came to mind.

This shrewd guy has been trying to weaken the power of the Tiger Guards in order to strengthen his own voice in front of the King of the Western Regions and win the full support of the civil officials.

Yet, now, he was actually going to the Huben Army with an imperial edict? Xianyu Linyuan immediately realized that Lord Ji might be secretly promoting a more terrifying plan. Was he trying to dismantle the Huben Army from within?

Xianyu Linyuan murmured Lord Ji's name in a low voice. He knew that this was not just a fight in the court, but a chess game that concerned the survival of the Western Regions, and he might have been pushed to the center of the storm.

He turned around and said solemnly to the deputy general beside him, "Prepare the horses! I want to rush to the Tiger Guard camp immediately!"

The deputy general immediately took the order and left, but Xianyu Linyuan's heart was not at peace at all. He stood in the wind, staring coldly into the distance, his thoughts in a mess.

Lord Ji went to the Tiger Guards camp with the imperial edict. Was he trying to shake the Tiger Guards' foundation from within while he was away? He no longer believed that this war was just a showdown between the enemy and us. Internal strife was the most formidable enemy.

A moment later, Xianyu Linyuan mounted his horse and galloped out of the city with a team of personal guards, raising a cloud of dust in his wake. His face was filled with a solemn expression, and the whistling of the wind in his ears seemed to foreshadow the coming of a greater storm.

At the same time, on the battlefield in the distance, Zhong Xiaodan and Deng Yunde stared closely at the Huben Army that was beginning to retreat in the distance. A hint of calmness flashed in Zhong Xiaodan's eyes.

"Second Young Master, is it time for us to take action?!" Deng Yunde's voice was filled with excitement. He understood that this was a plot carefully designed by Jiang Chen.

Zhong Xiaodan nodded slightly, a sneer on his face: "Just as His Highness the Sixteenth Prince expected, their defenses have begun to waver. Now is the best time for us to pursue them."

He turned to look at the troops behind him, his eyes grim, as if ready for a bloody fight. Deng Yunde immediately rode back to the team and signaled the soldiers to convey the order to pursue.

"Everyone, follow me to chase the enemy!" Zhong Xiaodan drew out his spear, the tip of which flashed coldly in the setting sun.

Following his command, thousands of elite troops quickly assembled, their horses neighing and the clatter of hooves resounding like thunder across the land. Zhong Xiaodan led the charge, charging towards the retreating Western Region army. Deng Yunde followed closely behind, leading the charge. The wind and sand swirled behind them, like a raging wave on the battlefield.

The 30,000-man Tiger Guards, once considered the elite of the Western Regions, were now exhausted from the chaotic retreat. Like a sharp dagger, the troops of Zhong Xiaodan and Deng Yunde swiftly plunged into the enemy's back.

The sound of horses' hooves, the clash of swords, and the shouts of soldiers merged into a violent roar on the battlefield, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of blood.

"Charge! Chase the enemy and don't let them escape!" Zhong Xiaodan shouted angrily, and his fighting spirit swept like a hurricane.

The cruelty of the battle was beyond imagination. Although the Huben Army was retreating, they were still well-trained elite soldiers. They quickly organized a defense to resist Zhong Xiaodan's pursuit.

Swords flashed and blood splattered everywhere. The soldiers gritted their teeth and fought hard, vowing to never retreat.

Zhong Xiao swung the spear in his hand like the wind, and the enemy's defenses collapsed one by one in front of him.

On a chaotic battlefield, Huangfu Zegang was leading the soldiers on his flank in a retreat. Although he had received orders from General Mammon, he was still filled with doubts. However, he did not dare to disobey the order and could only command the soldiers to retreat in an orderly manner while making plans in his mind.

"General, the enemy is chasing us!" A soldier ran over breathlessly, his face full of fear.

Huangfu Zegang's eyes flashed, and he turned to look behind him. He saw in the dust in the distance, the pursuers led by Zhong Xiaodan and Deng Yunde were chasing after them like wild beasts.

His heart tightened as he realized that the enemy was coming with great force and would not give them any chance to breathe.

"Quick! The entire army should speed up the retreat and organize a defense line!" Huangfu Zegang ordered loudly.

However, in the chaotic retreat, the soldiers were no longer able to organize an effective counterattack. Zhong Xiaodan's troops took advantage of the opportunity and launched a fierce attack, instantly tearing apart Huangfu Zegang's rear army, and the entire retreating team instantly fell into greater chaos.

Blood splattered, war horses neighed, and the soldiers' wails were endless.

"General, we can't stop it!" The deputy general's voice was full of despair.

Huangfu Zegang gritted his teeth, a trace of pain and unwillingness flashing in his eyes. He knew that continuing to retreat would only lead to more soldiers being killed by the enemy.

He waved his hand and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Everyone, disperse and evacuate. Conserve your strength! Break through on your own!"

However, Zhong Xiaodan's troops did not give them any chance to escape.

On the battlefield, the original 30,000 Tiger Guards were reduced to less than half. The enemy's pursuit was like a violent storm, almost completely destroying their fighting spirit.

Xianyu Linyuan galloped all the way, and when he finally arrived at the Tiger Guards camp, he was greeted by a scene of chaos. The soldiers inside the camp looked panicked, and General Mammon was urgently dispatching troops. Not far away, outside the tent, Lord Ji stood there with a meaningful smile on his face.

"Brother Mammon!" Xianyu Linyuan dismounted and quickly walked towards General Mammon, anger burning in his chest. "What's going on? Who gave the order to withdraw?"

General Mammon's face was solemn. He stepped forward quickly and said with a bow, "Brother Xianyu, Lord Ji has brought the imperial edict, ordering us to flank and defend Gaochang. I originally..."

"Master Ji?" Xianyu Linyuan's gaze suddenly turned to Master Ji standing beside him, his eyes filled with anger. "You actually mobilized the Tiger Guards without permission?"

Lord Ji smiled coldly, a hint of sarcasm on his face. "General, this is an order from the King of the Western Regions. I am merely following orders. If you have any objections, you may as well ask His Majesty in person."