Chapter 935 - 103: Wherever the Khagan’s Banner Points, All Are Swept Aside

The news spread continuously.

Gu Yan did not hide the news of his departure from the capital at all.

It wasn’t out of arrogance, but rather because such news couldn’t be concealed.

——The influence of the Gu Clan in the entire realm is like pulling a single thread and moving the whole body.

Especially at a time when the world is already in turmoil.

This kind of movement is a balm to soothe the populace and simultaneously a sharp weapon to intimidate enemy forces.

The name of the Gu Clan is equally effective anywhere.

He couldn’t hide it, nor did he need to.

....

——The situation suddenly changed.

The news of Gu Yan coming was like a powerful stimulant for the soldiers at the front line.

And precisely because of this.

The situation Temujin faced naturally became more severe.

You must know, today’s Kyushu is completely different from the original history.

This isn’t a fragmented world.

Nor is it even considered the end of a dynasty.

If Temujin wants to make achievements under such circumstances, the difficulty is certainly not comparable to the original history.

But Temujin is not without methods.

Upon learning that Gu Yan was rushing to the front line, he immediately made a decision.

North of Yin Mountain, Zhelemu’s temporary camp.

Rather than a large camp, it was a sparse array of temporary spots along the river, used by marauders.

Mountains of fabric, ironware, bags of grain linked by ropes, captives with numb expressions, and weary warhorses visible everywhere due to long raids and sporadic battles formed the entire scene here.

The initial frenzy of victory had long cooled, replaced by the chill of late autumn and an imperceptible restlessness.

Inside the golden tent, the atmosphere was solemn.

Zhelemu’s expression was gloomy as he listened to the reports from several thousand-man leaders he trusted the most, and on the faces of these battle-hardened fierce warriors, there was little of their past boldness, replaced by traces of worry and fatigue.

"Grand General," said a thousand-man leader with a scarred cheek, his voice hoarse, "The lads gained plenty on this outing, their bags bursting."

"But the Southerners’ bones are getting harder!"

"Their tortoiseshell-like formations, paired with crossbow arrows and those short tubes that spit fire, are really tough to crack!"

"We lost quite a few good lads just to smash open one or two small camps, and the loot wasn’t even enough for compensation!"

"Luckily, there weren’t many of those things."

"Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to break in at all!"

Another thousand-man leader rubbed his eyes that had been smoked and scorched, and whispered, "The brothers below are all talking, the Gu family’s brat from the Southern Dynasty has reached Dingzhou, it’s wicked... Of course, warriors aren’t afraid!"

"But with more loot, the horses are tired, and some accompanying soldiers from the tribes have already started thinking about sending their share of the wealth home."

"Do we continue to clash head-on with the Southerners’ iron hedgehogs here, or..."

A third thousand-man leader was more direct; he touched a fine jade pendant he had robbed, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Grand General, the southern defense line has tightened. If we continue to loot dispersedly as before, we might not gain any advantage; instead, we could be picked off easily by their ’roaming camps.’"

"Shall we... send a batch of the loot back first?"

"Let the lads catch a breather."

"Wait until next year..."

"Enough!" Zhelemu interrupted his men with a low shout.

He was well aware of these issues.

The Song Army’s response speed and defensive resilience exceeded his expectations, especially their tactics of utilizing terrain vehicles and combining different firepower ranges, which made the Mongolian Cavalry, accustomed to swift movements and crushing mobility, extremely uncomfortable.

The allure of wealth gained from plundering was decreasing in the face of growing resistance and casualties.

"Gained enough? Want to go back?"

"Did you think the Khan sent us three thousand elite troops southward just for these clothes, pots, and grains?"

"The Khan wants the Southern Dynasty in chaos! Wants to break their backbone!"

"Now, their backbone—the people of the Gu family—have delivered themselves to our doorstep!"

"How can we just retreat?"

With that, he waved his hand decisively, suppressing all the restlessness.

"I will consult the Khan!"

"Until then, no one is to act recklessly!"

Truth be told, Zhelemu’s pressure was immense as well.

For Temujin to entrust this first battle to him showed significant regard.

But this also meant pressure.

You must know, Temujin’s governance methods over the various parts of the steppe were extremely harsh.

If any accident truly occurred.

Even if he didn’t die, he’d definitely be skinned.

Zhelemu truly feared Temujin.

He sent the message back at almost the first instant.

However, what he did not expect was—

The response he received was not the decree of Genghis Khan, but Temujin himself!

.....

As the eastern horizon was just beginning to lighten, a rumble unlike ordinary hoof beats, as deep as an earth tremor, came from afar.

Initially faint, it then rapidly magnified, ultimately transforming into a rolling thunder sweeping across the steppe.

The ground began to tremble, dew on the withered grass dropped off with a rustle. All the warhorses in the camp neighed in unease, rising on their hind legs.

"What’s happening?!"

"An earth dragon turned over?"

"No! It’s cavalry! Lots of cavalry!"

The sentinels rushed into the camp, practically tripping over themselves, their voices altered by extreme shock: "Khan... it’s the Khan’s banner!"

Zhelemu rushed out of the golden tent, gazing northward, only to see an endless black tide rapidly spreading across the horizon.

In the forefront, the nine-foot white yak-tail banner danced wildly in the morning wind, and beneath the flag, a lone rider led ahead, his dark cloak spreading behind him like eagle wings—it was Genghis Khan—Temujin!