For the past few days, the battle between the two sides had fallen into a stalemate.
This day, as everyone was discussing matters in the study, a soldier rushed in.
"This is bad! Great Commander, something has happened!"
Wei Xiyong asked in a deep voice, "What is the cause of this panic?"
"Many horses in the army... many horses are listless for some unknown reason, they won't eat their fodder, and several have already collapsed!"
Everyone shot to their feet and hurried out the door.
Upon reaching the stables, it was indeed as the soldier had reported, and even more severe.
Wei Yuanling frowned, "Is this horse plague?"
Lan An shook his head, "Doesn't look like it. I've seen horse plague before; it's not like this."
Marquis Wuyang Ji Kui stepped forward and examined them for a while, then said, "Send for the army physicians to take a look."
"Yes!" The soldier quickly went to find the army physicians.
Everyone's expressions were grave. If this continued, how could they fight?
Several army physicians rushed over, huddling around the warhorses, repeatedly examining them.
In the end, they all looked bewildered.
Jun Mo asked, "How is it? Do you know what's going on?"
"This... reporting to His Royal Highness, Prince Jing, if it were to treat people, we might have a method, but for horses, we are truly powerless."
Jun Mo turned to Mo Yang and said, "Go get Elder Dai."
"Yes!"
After a while, Elder Dai arrived. Upon learning of such a major incident, his face also darkened.
The situation was serious, and Elder Dai quickly stepped forward.
He meticulously examined the fodder and the horses, pondering for a long time before stopping.
Everyone gathered around, "How is it?"
"What's the cause?"
"Can they be saved?"
Elder Dai looked up and said, "It seems they ate something wrong, but I carefully checked the fodder, and there's nothing wrong with it."
Jun Mo looked around and asked, "Who is responsible for these warhorses?"
A general stepped forward and said, "This humble subordinate is responsible."
Jun Mo asked, "Besides fodder, what else did these horses eat?"
"These warhorses have dedicated caretakers. Before the war began, they were driven out to graze freely, which saved a lot of fodder."
Jun Mo frowned. This would make the investigation more difficult.
"You, take Elder Dai to investigate and find the cause as quickly as possible!"
No sooner had Ji Kui finished speaking than another soldier rushed in.
"General, something's happened!"
Lan Canghai frowned and asked, "What's happened again?"
"Many soldiers in the army camp are suffering from vomiting and diarrhea; they're all dehydrated!"
"What!"
If the previous incident with the warhorses was serious, then the soldiers falling ill completely panicked everyone.
They hurried to the main army tent.
They saw the soldiers sprawled about, weak and listless.
Several army physicians immediately stepped forward to examine them.
Elder Dai said, "I'm afraid both the people and the horses are affected by the same cause, but humans are not as strong as horses, so the horses' reaction wasn't as severe."
Lan Yan wondered, "Then why are we fine?"
Elder Dai explained, "That's because everyone's situation is different. Look, some soldiers and horses are fine even now."
Jun Mo said in a deep voice, "Both the warhorses and the soldiers are affected; this is definitely not an accident!"
"Indeed, if the warhorses and soldiers have the same problem, then it will be easier to find the source!" Ji Huaiyan said.
Ji Huaiyan and Jun Mo exchanged glances, speaking in unison, "The water source!!"
Wei Yuanling immediately said, "Let's go!"
Their water source was the Huanhua River.
"We in Blue An are upstream, and Shuiyong City is downstream. How did they manage it?" Lan Yan wondered.
Wei Yuanling said, "Don't forget, you can reach Blue An by crossing An Mountain. Although the mountains there are high and the paths steep, making it impossible for a large army to pass, poisoning doesn't require too many people."
Elder Dai nodded, "Precisely. The only fortunate thing now is that this water is flowing, so the people and horses aren't too deeply poisoned. Now we must go to the riverside to investigate thoroughly and find an antidote so we can treat them."
"No wonder the Southern Border has only been skirmishing these past few days; they were waiting for this!" Wei Yuanling said angrily.
"Report! The Southern Border is challenging us to battle again! This time, there are many troops, tens of thousands!"
Everyone was shocked. This was truly adding insult to injury.
"Huaiyan, you accompany Elder Dai to investigate the Huanhua River. We'll go to the city wall to meet the enemy first!" Jun Mo finished speaking and strode forward.
Ji Huaiyan shouted, "Be careful, all of you!"
Now they were at a disadvantage. The Southern Border must have known about their situation.
Upon reaching the city wall, they saw the enemy troops spread out densely below.
"Cowardly turtles of Heavenly Qilin! Open the gates and come out to fight your grandfathers to the death!"
"Hahahaha! The soldiers of Heavenly Qilin are all cowards!"
"Kneel down and call us grandfathers, and grandfathers will spare your lives!"
...
Wei Yuanling gritted his teeth, looking at Wei Xiyong, "Father, give the order! Let me go meet them!"
Wei Xiyong certainly wanted to engage them, but the crucial point was that their available horses and soldiers were extremely limited.
Jun Mo looked at Wei Xiyong and said, "We must meet them. They are testing us. If we don't engage, they will know we have problems, and then a forced assault on the city will be troublesome!"
Ji Kui nodded, "Indeed, Prince Jing makes a good point!"
Seeing everyone looking at him, Wei Xiyong said, "But what will we use to meet them?"
Jun Mo thought for a moment, then said, "General Lan and Marquis Wuyang will go out to meet them, as usual. The Southern Border is just probing, not truly intending to attack the city. Leave the rest to me. When I tell you to retreat, retreat quickly."
"Alright!"
Wei Yuanling said, "I'm going too!"
Jun Mo said, "You stay. We have other things to do."
As the Southern Border soldiers were cursing them, they suddenly saw the city gate open and quickly retreated to their own formation.
Liang Xuanting and Liang Wei exchanged glances.
They still dared to meet them? Could it be that the medicine hadn't taken effect yet?
"Weren't you barking so joyfully just now? What? Seeing your grandfathers coming, you're so scared you're pissing your pants? Hahahaha..." Lan Canghai burst into laughter.
Liang Xuanting's deputy general stepped forward and shouted, "Let me! Come and fight your grandfather for three hundred rounds!"
Lan Canghai was about to step forward when Lan Yan stopped him and said, "Father, why should you bother with such an unknown nobody? I'll go!"
With that, she spurred her horse forward.
"Hahahaha, it seems Heavenly Qilin truly has no one left, sending a woman to fight, hahahaha."
The Southern Border deputy general laughed as he looked at Lan Yan and said, "Looking at your beautiful face, I'd be heartbroken if you got hurt later."
Lan Yan said coldly, "Less nonsense. Does your Southern Border fight only with your mouths?"
After speaking, she rode her horse and charged forward.
Her exquisite figure, clad in battle attire, a red-tasseled spear in hand, and her high ponytail added to her spirited demeanor.
The two engaged in battle. After several exchanges, the deputy general immediately shed the contempt in his eyes.
With a soft shout from Lan Yan, the deputy general cried out in pain and was unhorsed.
"Is that all you've got? And you dare look down on women?" Lan Yan glanced disdainfully at the man on the ground, then raised her head and rode back to Lan Canghai's side.
Liang Xuanting cursed under his breath, "Useless!"
He spurred his own horse forward and loudly declared, "Why is there no sign of Prince Jing? Is he afraid, or... is he ill?"
Marquis Wuyang shouted loudly, "His Royal Highness, Prince Jing, believes there's no need for a butcher's cleaver to kill a chicken. You come every day but don't attack the city; it's truly boring, so he won't come."
Liang Xuanting eyed the people opposite him suspiciously. Could it be that they truly hadn't suffered any problems? Otherwise, how could they dare to speak such big words?
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