The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 1758

Chapter 1758: 860 Qing Ge’s Methods! (Chapter 3)

What is meant to come will inevitably arrive; fearing it brings no use.

From the first day they entered Ghost Mountain, they understood that the war outside would eventually spread here.

They are not afraid of battle, and they would rather die than become the minions of Jin Country!

Shangguan Qing and Tang Yueshan returned to the village first.

Gu Jiao continued to guard Xuanyuan Qi by the entrance of the cave.

He spent most of his life protecting others; this might be the first time someone silently stood guard for him.

Gu Jiao sat cross-legged by his side, looked at him deeply, and said softly, "You must remember quickly, Xuanyuan Qi."

...

After returning, Tang Yueshan did not sleep again. He stood at the village entrance with a big bow on his back, staring fixedly towards the forest.

When dawn broke, a ghost soldier swiftly came from the forest and found Shangguan Qing to report: "The Jin people have dispatched troops! They are heading towards Ghost Mountain!"

Shangguan Qing asked, "How many troops have they sent?"

The ghost soldier opened his mouth, braced himself, and said, "Twenty thousand."

Shangguan Qing placed both hands behind his back and frowned.

Clearly, this number surpassed his expectations.

Gongsun Yu actually deployed twenty thousand regular troops to deal with a mere three hundred bandits at Ghost Mountain; he truly holds Ghost Mountain in high regard.

"Give the order: no fires in the morning, proceed according to the plan." Shangguan Qing commanded.

"Yes!" The ghost soldier received the order and swiftly returned to the forest.

Tang Yueshan entered his house and asked, "Is the Jin army coming to attack?"

Shangguan Qing affirmed with a sound, his expression no longer as indifferent as last night.

"Twenty thousand troops." He said.

Tang Yueshan’s eyes trembled: "What? Tw-twenty thousand? Is Gongsun Yu mad! Sending twenty thousand to deal with Ghost Mountain!"

Shangguan Qing said, "Gongsun Yu’s grandfather was buried in Ghost Mountain, perhaps he originally harbored an unusual anger against it... but you’re right, he indeed is a lunatic."

Tang Yueshan asked, "Is there a retreat route? What’s beyond the back mountain?"

Shangguan Qing replied earnestly, "It’s a lake, an endless lake."

There was simply no way to retreat.

Tang Yueshan asked again, "What about the east and west sides?"

Shangguan Qing said, "Cross over the mountain head and it’s also a lake. The village doesn’t have enough boats."

Tang Yueshan felt the situation was becoming dire: "Then..."

Shangguan Qing suddenly relaxed: "Don’t worry too much. Ghost Mountain isn’t as vulnerable as you think. Although the twenty thousand Jin troops are troublesome, if we can’t win we can at least evade. Once the court’s forces come to reclaim Pu City, we’ll be safe."

Tang Yueshan looked at him strangely for a moment. After half a quarter of an hour, Tang Yueshan realized his talk of evasion was serious.

He struck the stone bell at the village entrance, sounding it three times.

In a short moment, villagers came out from their houses, all fully armed and ready to go.

Tang Yueshan was dumbfounded, "No way? So fast?"

Shangguan Qing thoroughly enjoyed the expression Tang Yueshan contributed, he raised his eyebrows and said, "Everything was prepared last night."

Otherwise why would the villagers collectively stay up so late, doing farm work?

From the moment the Jin troops entered the mountain, he immediately activated the emergency plan, even though it was a few days earlier than imagined, it was not a big deal.

Tang Yueshan: "I’ll go to the front."

Shangguan Qing said: "No need, you’re responsible for protecting the villagers, the ghost soldiers at the front will retreat soon as well."

Daytime is not the arena for Ghost Mountain, and in circumstances where victory isn’t assured, Shangguan Qing would not engage in a futile sacrifice.

Tang Yueshan looked at Shangguan Qing somewhat surprised, this young man carried an innate charisma that inspired confidence, despite his youth he remained calm under pressure, strategic but not reckless.

Is it an illusion?

Why did I suddenly think of old Xiao?

In the village’s ancient well, there is a mechanism, which when opened reveals a hole in the well wall.

Shangguan Qing arranged for two ghost soldiers familiar with the tunnels to lead the way and then evacuated the villagers into the passage one by one.

What shocked Tang Yueshan was that, from the elderly Kui Kui to three-year-old children, no one cried out in fear, nor was there any panic as if vying to be first.

Everyone obediently complied with Shangguan Qing’s arrangements.

This was a form of unconditional trust.

He thought again of Xuanping Hou.

Xuanping Hou appeared to be frivolous, yet wherever he went, the people’s hearts would unite and be enthused.

Previously he attributed it to Xuanping Hou’s face, yet this young man hadn’t even revealed his face—

Shangguan Qing turned back, interrupting his thoughts: "It’s your turn, Grand Marshal Tang."

Tang Yueshan’s heart trembled.

Wait! I seem not to have mentioned I am the Grand Marshal! I only said my surname is Tang!

Could it be that girl said it?

Yes, it must be.

Surely this kid doesn’t know him!

Tang Yueshan and Shangguan Qing entered the passage within the ancient well, the entrance appeared small, but once inside it wasn’t narrow; Tang Yueshan’s middle-aged, corpulent physique didn’t seem cramped moving through it.

And after crawling ten feet, the passage widened and heightened, allowing one to walk bent over.

Shangguan Qing bent down and walked ahead: "Hmm, they will come over soon." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

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