Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks

Chapter 691 461: Assassination

"Call for Prince of Ha, General Losa for an audience!"

The notification spread down.

The Ming army camp was in chaos. Even though they had just experienced a victory turning the tide, they had no time to celebrate for long.

Many Ming soldiers voluntarily left the camp, heading to the battlefield to pillage from the corpses, especially for water and food. Once some found supplies, regardless of the timing, they stuffed jerky and mare's milk into their mouths.

After all, there was little to go around, and some who weren't quick-witted had their food snatched by fellow soldiers who arrived late.

Though the Tatars had been defeated, they were mostly cavalry, with mobility unmatched by the Ming army. They were impoverished nomads, and the battlefield had been roughly swept clean before their retreat.

Some commanders were powerless and had no intention of maintaining military discipline. Disorderly soldiers scattered everywhere, some unable to compete for food, simply drew their sabres, butchered dead war horses, and started open-air fires to roast them.

Aside from a few elite soldiers from the Capital Camp who maintained discipline and stood firm at their posts, everyone was at ease.

When a troop is cut off from water and food, the first to suffer are always the lower ranks, those on the periphery, preserving some elite combat power but inevitably leaving some to endure longer hunger and thirst.

These steadfast elite were given priority supplies of water and food.

Duke of England Zhang Fu had no intention of rallying the stragglers, for it was impossible to gather them back, nor was there any need. Also, Yexian had died in battle; the Tatars had little chance of returning in force. He had no food or water to gather the stragglers and let them search for food.

"Is His Majesty summoning Losa?"

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Fu, who had just sat down to rest for a moment, mustered up his spirit: "Help me greet the hero of this battle."

This General Luo, despite being of Hu origin, his identity likely won't be a hindrance. Rather, his lack of roots and base makes him an easy target for control and recruitment.

Unlike An Lushan, who not only was of Hu origin but had soldiers who supported him.

Privately, he was old, his eldest legitimate son unable to inherit the title due to illness, his illegitimate son lacking rightful status, he needed a capable aide to assist him in maintaining his position as Duke of England.

Publicly, if not for this Hu general's desperate rescue, more than half of the surviving Ming army would have perished here, half the civil and military officials would have been lost, and another Northern Scouting event could plunge the entire Great Ming into chaos.

"Sir, General Losa can ride a Demon Dragon and command Demon Fire, not to be underestimated. If he were to suddenly rebel..."

The two guards were somewhat hesitant.

They were partially extraordinary, possessing deep inner strength and exceptional martial arts skills. Yet knowing the terror of the mysterious and strange magic witnessed in the battle, they faltered at confronting such dangerous characters.

Among the Tartar Grandmaster's deferential army, martial arts masters like themselves were not few, and yet they were utterly defeated by the Demon Dragon's fire without any power to fight back, weren't they?

Facing such dangerous characters made them uneasy.

Zhang Fu chuckled and shook his head, "You two are overthinking."

He never considered that Losa might attempt to attack Zhu Qizhen. What is his motive? He practically sacrificed all the elite he brought from the Land of the West over ten thousand miles for riches and glory.

Now, having killed Yexian and repelled the Tartar army, he has made immense achievements. Riches and glory lay ahead; why would he suddenly attack the emperor and the entire assembly?

Wouldn't that be pointless?

"If someone as loyal and courageous as General Losa had ulterior motives, he would have sided with Yexian already, and these defeated soldiers now couldn't withstand the flames from that... exotic beast."

The two guards realized and stopped dissuading.

They actually knew such an event couldn't happen, but instinctively feared someone like Losa; like a tamed elephant, they dared not approach even though it seemed harmless.

"Here comes General Losa!"

A voice suddenly announced from ahead.

They saw a handsome man riding a tall, strong steed leading dozens of ragged soldiers, each exuding fierce bravery and entering the camp.

The Ming troops crowded forward to watch.

Zhang Fu chuckled, twirling his beard, "I hadn't observed closely before. Though this Hu general's eye color, hair color, and features differ from Huaxia, he nonetheless possesses grandeur, hardly lacking in handsomeness."

The guards frowned, sensing Losa himself as an ancient fierce beast emitting an aura of killing intent that made a martial arts expert feel uneasy.

"Sir, General Losa has achieved unprecedented merit, yet doesn't seem pleased, exuding a menacing aura..."

Zhang Fu furrowed his brow, realizing, "Ha is not like our Great Ming. It's said to be a small nation in the West, losing so many elite soldiers at once, who couldn't smile? If he really gave up so many lives and smiled brightly, I'd consider him innately cold, akin to a beast."

Even a major Ming dynasty would be gravely impacted by the loss of over a thousand ironclad heavy cavalry.

The Battle of Yao'er Ridge reportedly lost fifty thousand Ming cavalry, but in reality included many infantry, light cavalry, mounted infantry, with few being heavy armor cavalry.

Back in Tang Taizong Li Shimin's time, his renowned Xuanjia army, just over three thousand as they were, defeated Dou Jiande's hundred-thousand army. The elite cavalry under Losa, capable of frontal assaults against forces tens of times their size among the Tatars could sway the course of a major battle during stalemate.

Losa, stern-faced, led his troops along the temporary "Imperial Path."

At the path's end stood the rightful Emperor Zhu Qizhen, donning a Phoenix Wing Helmet, clad in Fish Scale Leaf Armor, surrounded by a majestic and robust Great Han Guard (like an honor guard within the Jinyi Guard).

Despite their robust bodies and gleaming armor, the Han guard paled in comparison to the fewer than a hundred weary cavalry.

Even Zhu Qizhen, who knew little of military matters, could clearly sense the disparity and happily said, "What a group of tigers and wolves. Though General Losa hails from the land of the West, his loyalty and courage surpasses all civil and military officials!"

The officials, although dissatisfied, forced smiles.

Losa sat on Eclipse, calmly viewing Zhu Qizhen with no interest in conversation.

This man, despite so many dead, how could he smile? Couldn't he see the hungry, searching troops scattered over the hills? Couldn't he see the frozen, starved corpses?

Wang Zhen chanted in his eunuch's unique sharp voice, "Foreign Prince of Ha, General Losa, His Majesty has rewards. Why do you not dismount quickly, kneel to worship, and thank the grace?"

Losa did not move.

Before the myriad civil officials, military officers, and troops from the Capital camp.

His lips curled into a slight contemptuous smile.