"There is, brother. If you can truly lend me the arms and manpower, I will definitely capture Menghua City before spring."
Ma Peng was also ignited with passion.
Prince Qi Ming had launched his campaign from Menghua City, which was Prince Qi's foremost city, and they had all once been subjects of Prince Qi.
"What if you can't take it?" Tuoba Yan's lips curled up suddenly, revealing a sinister ferocity.
Ma Peng gasped involuntarily, "If I can't take it, then I, Ma Peng, will surely die on the battlefield. What else can there be?"
Tuoba Yan patted Ma Peng's shoulder like an older brother, "Stop boasting. Arms and troops are all sorted out, what about provisions?"
Ma Peng snorted, "We'll steal. If we don't have horses or chariots, we'll steal."
Tuoba Yan lifted the hem of his robes and sat down, his hands pressed against his knees, looking at Ma Peng with a half-smile,
"If you're not up to it, get lost early. I'll do it."
Ma Peng's mouth twitched a few times. Such arrogance from someone so young?
But Ma Peng couldn't say this. He was still counting on him to bring men and arms. If he didn't fulfill his promise, Ma Peng would have no reservations, "You are still young. Moreover, my subordinates may not necessarily listen to you. Of course, if it fails, I will be long gone by then, and you can do as you please."
...
As dawn broke, everyone was assigned their roles reasonably, and the construction of wooden houses progressed rapidly.
A Jiu, all by himself, ran to the bottom of the valley and hid in the dry grass to plant vegetables.
A sound of heavy, orderly footsteps approached from a distance. A Jiu stood up and turned to look.
This look was startling. A whole team had arrived in the open space.
In front, there were at least a hundred warhorses ready for deployment. Behind them, neat ranks of infantrymen held long spears, sabers, shields, and other weapons.
Good heavens, Tuoba Yan had really brought the troops.
A Jiu's pupils contracted. He always felt Tuoba Yan was not mature or steady enough, and spoke like a child.
"The military arms and vehicles are too cumbersome to enter the mountain. We still need to send people to unload them," Zhao Kun reported the details to Tuoba Yan.
Ma Peng's expression was complex. After shock, he burst into laughter, "Brother Tuoba, you really are something. No, I, Ma Peng, must become sworn brothers with you."
Tuoba Yan's expression was indifferent, "No need. I'm just waiting for you to capture Menghua City."
As he spoke, he took out a sheepskin scroll from his embrace and threw it onto Ma Peng's chest.
Ma Peng quickly caught it and opened it, his eyes shining, "A battle map?"
Chu Lin glanced sideways and was also greatly astonished, "Big Boss, we have everything we need now."
Ma Peng's heart surged with emotion. With the support of his embedded informants, they would surely be able to repel the Qi soldiers. In his excitement, he turned to thank Tuoba Yan, only to see him swaggering into the ranks.
"You will listen to Ma Peng's command from now on," Tuoba Yan said as he walked, quickly passing through the ranks.
The crowd was in an uproar, looking at each other in confusion. Seeing that General Tuoba had walked far away, the deputy general hurried to Zhao Kun's side,
"Boss, what does the General mean by this? Wasn't he going to lead us back to our homeland?"
Zhao Kun shook his head. He knew Tuoba Yan too well. As soon as he saw Meng Jiu'er, his intelligence instantly dropped. He wondered if there was a bug in the system related to Meng Jiu'er.
"You volunteered to fight, and the boss didn't promise to lead you back himself," Zhao Kun could only answer this way.
In the valley, amidst the grass.
Tuoba Yan squatted beside A Jiu and casually plucked a dried yellow foxtail grass, placing it in his mouth,
"Why aren't you watching the troops?"
"I'm planting vegetables." A Jiu was not interested in those matters.
Tuoba Yan noticed this, "When we capture Menghua City, you can return home. Then I will grandly marry you into the royal mansion."
Everything seemed to be arranged according to Tuoba Yan's wishes.
A Jiu looked at Tuoba Yan as if he were an idiot, "Why don't you lead the troops back yourself?"
"I don't have the time," Tuoba Yan's eyes held a longing, his normally charming peach blossom eyes now rippling with a rogue smile.
A Jiu knew without asking that he didn't have time because he wanted to be a follower.
"Ma Peng hasn't fought a war. He's at most a leader of a refugee army. Aren't you pushing him and those people into a fiery pit like this?"
A Jiu stared intently at the flowering beans, slowly sprouting little green worms.
"Impossible. If necessary, I will send people to assist him. My goal is just to get one city. Then you can choose the biggest house."
Tuoba Yan waved his hand dismissively.
A Jiu stared intently at him. In Tuoba Yan's eyes, A Jiu had never seen any sadness.