Chapter 779
At the same time, the soldiers sent by Pingxi Marquis to support also arrived.
According to Xiao Zhan's request, a total of 100,000 people came, carrying a large number of bows and arrows. The leader was none other than Pingxi Hou's adopted son, Zhuang Qiang.
Li Yong came to Xiao Zhan, and Xiao Zhan found a red and swollen slap mark on his right face, with faint blood oozing out.
"Who hit me?"
Li Yong shook his head, "It's okay, brother, you don't have to worry."
While talking, Zhuang Qiang came over.
He glanced at the dazzling maze below and said coldly:
"Xiao Zhan, my adoptive father asked you to serve as a military advisor to guard this place. You don't think about how to kill the enemy. Instead, you lead people to pile stones here."
"Do you know what the punishment will be for those who neglect their duties among the troops of Pingxi Marquis Mansion?"
Xiao Zhan said expressionlessly:
"Why don't you, Mr. Zhuang Qiang, take people down to test it yourself?"
Zhuang Qiang snorted coldly, looked at his deputy commanders, and said:
"You take one hundred thousand soldiers and go down and try."
Several deputy commanders nodded, then walked down the mountain with one hundred thousand soldiers, and soon entered the maze.
But more than an hour passed, and none of the 100,000 soldiers were able to get out of the maze. Instead, they kept spinning in the maze.
As a result, many soldiers became very agitated and tried to climb the wall as if they were crazy.
But the wall was too high and they couldn't climb up anyway.
In the end, it was Xiao Zhan who showed the way from a high place and allowed the 100,000 soldiers to get out of the maze.
Zhuang Qiang stood next to Xiao Zhan and nodded expressionlessly, "It's somewhat useful."
"Xiao Zhan, Xie Jing's life and death are unknown, but he is probably dead."
"Now my adoptive father has appointed me as the commander of the army. Although you are a military advisor, you still have to listen to me."
Xiao Zhan looked calm and said, "Okay."
Zhuang Qiang's eyes flashed with excitement.
The maze in front of them can control at least 300,000 troops. A few more enemies can slow them down significantly.
He knew that his opportunity to make a meritorious deed had come.
As long as he makes meritorious service here, he might be able to be appreciated by the palace, and he might not be transferred to serve in Prince Yin's palace.
Xiao Zhan did not talk to Zhuang Qiang anymore, but brought Li Yong to Commander Zhuang.
Xiao Zhan and Commander Zhuang talked about how to arrange the positions on the mountain peaks on both sides, and then frowned and said:
"One hundred thousand soldiers can be used, but with Zhuang Qiang leading the army, the effect of these 100,000 soldiers will be less than half."
"Then the main force will still be you."
Commander Zhuang nodded, indicating that he knew.
At this moment, a messenger next to Zhuang Qiang ran over and said to Commander Zhuang:
"Our commander has told you to keep 40,000 of your 50,000 men here, and you can take 10,000 to the outside of the Tiger's Mouth to detect the enemy's movements."
Xiao Zhan frowned, and just as he was about to say something, he saw a cold light flash by.
Commander Zhuang directly drew his sword and struck the messenger.
Li Yong looked at Commander Zhuang, then at the corpse on the ground, and finally at Xiao Zhan.
Xiao Zhan waved his hand, "Commander Zhuang, you don't have to worry about Zhuang Qiang's orders."
"Zhuang Qiang is the adopted son of Marquis Pingxi, and you are also the adopted daughter of Marquis Pingxi. You don't need to care about his identity."
Commander Zhuang nodded, turned around and left.
Xiao Zhan suddenly asked:
"I keep calling you Commander Zhuang, but I haven't asked your name yet."
Commander Zhuang glanced at Xiao Zhan indifferently and left without saying a word.
A moment later, Zhuang Qiang led people to Xiao Zhan. Looking at the corpse on the ground, coldness flashed in his eyes:
"Xiao Zhan, what do you mean?"
"I am the commander of the army, why don't you execute my orders?"
"Where's that woman? Tell her to get over here!"
Xiao Zhan looked calm and said:
"Those fifty thousand people are not from the Pingxi Marquis Mansion, so you have no right to order them."
Zhuang Qiang gave Xiao Zhan a cold look.
"Then why did she listen to you?"
Xiao Zhan shook his head, "You have to ask her about this."
"But I would like to advise you, sir. She is very strong and has a bad temper. She might just draw a sword and kill you."
Zhuang Qiang's momentum began to surge.
"Xiao Zhan, do you dare to ignore me, Zhuang Qiang, because of my adoptive father's respect?!"
Xiao Zhan's expression remained calm.
"Master, you think too much."
Zhuang Qiang was furious, "Xiao Zhan, to tell you the truth, I have wanted to kill you for a long time. Do you really think I dare not?!"
"Of course you dare," Xiao Zhan couldn't help but sneered, "You dare to let Butler Wu and his people steal the Nether Pill escorted by the palace soldiers. Is there anything else you dare not do."
Seeing Xiao Zhan expose this matter, Zhuang Qiang's eyes sternly flashed with murderous intent.
"If you dare to tell my adoptive father about this, I will tell my adoptive father that those batches of Netherworld Pills ended up in your hands!"
Xiao Zhan didn't say anything, turned around and left with Li Yong.
He opened a cave on the top of the mountain. It was not big enough to accommodate him and Li Yong to meditate and practice. The entrance of the cave was directly opposite the tiger's mouth, and the plain outside the tiger's mouth could be seen clearly.
Moreover, the orders issued from this place can also be seen by the entire position.
No matter how angry Zhuang Qiang was, he could only swallow his anger.
He didn't dare to kill Xiao Zhan, at least openly. After all, Xiao Zhan was someone his adoptive father, Marquis Pingxi, valued.
He didn't dare to attack the female commander. After all, according to Xiao Zhan, those 50,000 people were not from the Pingxi Hou Mansion.
The female commander seemed to have no intention of acknowledging her half-brother. She had been leading her 50,000 men to build positions on the peaks on both sides.
However, the one hundred thousand soldiers brought by Zhuang Qiang have never found anything to do.
I don't know if it was to show off his ability, but Zhuang Qiang ordered a deputy commander to leave the tiger's mouth with 10,000 soldiers to explore the enemy's situation.
As a result, these ten thousand soldiers were not far away from the tiger's mouth when they were bumped into by fifty thousand enemy soldiers who came to the tiger's mouth to investigate the situation, and they were instantly surrounded.
The war broke out immediately.
It was clear that the war broke out outside the tiger's mouth, and the enemy soldiers had no time to reinforce. As long as the other 90,000 soldiers under Zhuang Qiang were dispatched, the 50,000 enemy soldiers could be wiped out.
But Zhuang Qiang was stunned and did not dare to order reinforcements. He could only stand on the top of the mountain and shout for the ten thousand surrounded soldiers to retreat.
We are already surrounded, can we still retreat?
It was Xiao Zhan who sent the signal to the other 50,000 elites for reinforcements.
After more than an hour of fighting, half of the 50,000 enemy soldiers fled, leaving behind more than 20,000 corpses.
The ten thousand soldiers under Zhuang Qiang were completely wiped out.
As for the 50,000 elites on the female commander's side, less than 20 people were lost, and the rest were only slightly injured.
This can show the difference in combat effectiveness.
Zhuang Qiang was extremely angry and asked Xiao Zhan and the female commander why they didn't send troops for reinforcements earlier.
Xiao Zhan ignored Zhuang Qiang.
There is no room for two tigers in one mountain.
A position can only have one general giving orders.
Pingxi Marquis asked Xiao Zhan to be the military advisor, which meant that Xiao Zhan was asked to arrange his troops. However, Zhuang Qiang felt that he was great and wanted to be the one giving orders, so Xiao Zhan never thought of persuading him.
After this battle, the next ten days seemed unusually peaceful.
But Xiao Zhan felt that the gray sky was getting gloomier, and a chilling air blew into the tiger's mouth along with the fierce cold wind.
This is often a temporary calm before the outbreak of war.
