Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback

Chapter 77: Chapter 77 The Western Rong Invade Chapter 77: Chapter 77 The Western Rong Invade Zhan Hui dared not delay and immediately handed over the battle map drawn by Zhan Lan to Zhan Beicang.

Having slept for only two hours in the tent, Zhan Lan got up.

Upon stepping out of the tent, she saw the Zhan Family Army assembling and preparing to deploy.

Watching this scene, Zhan Lan knew in her heart: Zhan Beicang had already made corresponding arrangements according to the marching plans of Western Rong.

Inside the grand tent.

Zhan Beicang and Zhan Hui were confirming the marching arrangements.

“General, Miss Zhan Lan has arrived!” a soldier reported.

Zhan Beicang called out to the outside of the tent, “Lan’er, come in!”

Zhan Lan lifted the tent curtain, and Zhan Beicang saw her in men’s clothes, with her hair tied in a ponytail, walking in.

With a smile tinged with concern, he said, “You girl, you can’t take such risks in the future!”

Zhan Lan nodded, and Zhan Beicang took another look at her. Today’s disguise as a man blended well with the army and made her look very much like a soldier.

She stood tall and firm, her eyes showing determination, with no trace of panic despite the looming great enemy.

Especially last night, she had dared to enter the enemy camp with just a few men and even brought back important intelligence.

Just for this alone, Zhan Beicang thought highly of Zhan Lan as promising talent!

“Lan, did you encounter Lord Mu yesterday?” Zhan Beicang asked.

Zhan Lan remembered the scene from last night where she shared a bed with Mu Yan in an act and the bite marks on her neck…

Fortunately, the high collar of her men’s clothing she wore today hid any sign of this from being noticed.

“I did indeed encounter Lord Mu last night!” Zhan Lan did not lie.

Zhan Beicang nodded, “Last night, Lord Mu gave the decoy battle map to Tuoba Hong, intended to deceive Western Rong!”

Zhan Lan was startled, and it was exactly as she had suspected; Mu Yan might be a treacherous official, but after all, he belonged to the Si Family and naturally sought to protect the Si family’s domain!

Zhan Hui discussed the contents of the decoy battle map with Zhan Beicang, excitedly saying, “Father, now we have obtained the enemy’s battle map and have also given the enemy a fake one; it seems we have a great chance of winning!”

Zhan Beicang did not respond but seemed to be deep in thought.

Zhan Lan spoke gravely, “Having the battle map only helps with the first battle. After that, Western Rong will surely discover the map’s leak and that the map they obtained is also fake.”

“Moreover, today we must deceive the Western Rong army with the battle map sent by Mu Yan. General Zhan must be on the main city wall…”

Zhan Lan shared her thoughts in one breath.

Zhan Beicang nodded in agreement, increasingly feeling that Zhan Lan seemed to understand the tactics of military campaigns quite well.

As if she had experienced the battlefield herself.

Zhan Hui had long grown accustomed to Zhan Lan’s unusual remarks; he didn’t overthink it and figured it was something her grandfather had taught her, so he went to prepare according to the existing plan.

An hour later, a guard from outside reported, “General Zhan, General Zhan Feng is here!”

At the mention of the name Zhan Feng, Zhan Lan frowned.

Zhan Feng was the younger son of her second uncle Zhan Xincheng, fourteen years old. Zhan Lan bore animosity towards him because in her previous life it was the second branch that had betrayed the first branch by conspiring with the enemy to commit treason.

Just as Zhan Beicang was about to let him in, Zhan Lan interjected, “General, with the great battle imminent, the fewer people who know about our plans, the better.”

“Indeed!” Zhan Beicang consented and lifted the curtain to step outside the tent. After speaking some words to Zhan Feng, he returned inside the tent.

Soon after Zhan Feng’s departure, two soldiers arrived on horseback, stirring up the dust. They dismounted outside the tent and reported, “Report! Ten miles away, the Western Rong army is mobilizing, heading towards Fengyu Pass!”

Zhan Beicang immediately ordered, “Send the command down, form ranks, and prepare to meet the enemy!”

His voice resounded with strength, and the messenger, who was in a rush, knelt to receive the order and dashed away on his horse!

The main city walls of Fengyu Pass were over four feet thick, encompassing three lines of defense. Even if the first line was breached, there were still the second and third lines of defense available.

Between the city walls, there were watchtowers, and several people climbed up to one.

Standing inside the watchtower, the wind and sand blowing over from the ridges at the pass carried both chilliness and a killing intent.

Amidst the sound of war drums, Zhan Beicang ordered, “Bring up the arrows, issue the command for all archers to go up on the city wall.”

Zhan Beicang hadn’t expected Zhan Lan to be there as well; turning back, he said, “Lan’er, you go back to Lianbian City first; it’s not safe here!”

Zhan Lan replied solemnly, “General Zhan, you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll just stay off to the side and won’t disrupt you all. Should there be danger, I will retreat!”

Zhan Beicang wanted to dissuade her, but then he saw Zhan Lan obediently staying in a corner of the city wall.

“Go, find her a suit of armor and a helmet!”

With the enemy at the gates, Zhan Beicang now had no time to worry about Zhan Lan and left two soldiers to watch over her.

Zhan Lan put on the smallest suit of armor, donned a helmet, and it was a decent fit. She then looked into the distance from atop the watchtower.

Due to its unique geography, Fengyu Pass was easy to defend and hard to attack. Directly opposite the watchtower was a Gobi wasteland, to the left were high mountains and valleys, and to the right, a desert.

If one wanted to break through, it would still be somewhat difficult.

Mu Yan deceived the Western Rong’s army with false battle plans, which showed the main force of the Zhan Family Army would meet them head-on, so the forces on both flanks were relaxed.

Thus, the enemy would at least break through from one of the sides.

On the side with the high mountains and valleys, Zhan Hui lay in ambush.

The desert side was held by Deputy General Lu Youjun and his troops.

Zhan Lan looked left and right, thought of something, and quickly descended the watchtower.

She remembered there weren’t many camels in the Western Rong camps, so it was impossible for them to outflank via the desert.

Zhan Lan had already made her assessment!

Zhan Beicang, watching the Western Rong army approaching in clouds of dust, wore a grave expression, hoping the Western Rong would take the bait.

Zhan Feng said beside him, “Main General, the Western Rong army opposite us looks like their main force, doesn’t it?”

Zhan Beicang did not respond, his gaze profoundly fixed on the horizon.

Zhan Lan came down from the watchtower, looked up, and saw Mu Yan casually sitting and basking in the sun below the watchtower, not at all looking like a supervising officer.

His Ferghana horse was leisurely munching on grass beside him.

Zhan Lan withdrew her gaze; although Mu Yan had treated her in such a way the day before, at least he went to the Western Rong camp to deliver false information, and for now, she had temporarily forgiven him!

At this moment, however, she had more important things to attend to.

“Hand me the spear!” Zhan Lan took away the spear from a soldier following her.

Then, she headed to the cook and requested a jar of wine, which she wrapped and carried on her back, before riding away.

Zhan Lan left through the rear gate of Fengyu Pass, circling around to the back mountain.

Shielding her eyes from the sun, she looked up at the gorge; the trees on the mountain were lush and verdant.

She secured her horse and climbed halfway up the mountain to see: The Zhan Family Army ambushed on the mountain was already engaged in fierce battle with the forces brought by Tuoba Hong in the valley below.

Both sides were locked in a bloodthirsty struggle!

Although Zhan Lan couldn’t see Zhan Hui, she knew that at this moment, he was commanding the battle.