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Moran studied the expression on Chu Beijie's face and realised he had a clear idea of what was going on. "Please make your command then, Duke."

Chu Beijie lifted the tent flap to stare at the changing clouds behind a distant mountain. His thoughts seemed far away when his deep voice full of anticipation said, "Pingting may have a plan of her own, but she'll think that the real battle will be under the mountain. There won't be many troops at the top though, so we can take this opportunity to shock her."

He snapped back. "Pass on this command: everyone must cut branches to each make a fake person, and they must wear armour. Tonight, station them outside the tents and make it look like we're asleep, unprepared for battle.'"

Moran hurriedly went outside to pass on the order.

The soldiers outside the tent immediately began to bustle into life. Not long later, Moran came back and informed, "Duke's task has been completed."

Chu Beijie nodded and snapped on his own armour. With sword in hand, he broke out the command tent.

"Get on your horses, take the Cloud Valley route and capture the Bei Mo generals!"

The entire army shouted 'Yes!' in reply and left, leaving empty tents and nearly nine thousand fake soldiers behind.

Ten thousand soldiers stealthily approached Mount Dianqing, camouflaged against the varied trees in the forest. There stealth so great that even their breaths made no sound. They soon stopped at the foot of the mountain opposite of Mount Dianqing, ready to go through the ominous Cloud Valley route, where Pingting was.

Back in the Bei Mo army, everything was as Chu Beijie had thought.

Pingting had stationed most of the army near the water source. The tents were close to the summit and having the height advantage allowed clear views of the surrounding territory.

All of the other generals were with the rest of the army. At the moment, only Pingting, Ze Yin, and Ruohan were left in the main command tent. The three sat in a circle, studying the most concise map of the forests they could find.

"Great plan!" Ze Yin patted his leg in praise. "My Lady really is the strongest opponent Chu Beijie could have. It's Dong Lin's first time entering these forests, so they can't be too familiar with this area. Adding poison to their water before they realize it, Ze Yin can then go and attack their quarters while they're still poisoned. Humph, I hope Chu Beijie's in the group of ten thousand so that he will understand that even the men of Bei Mo are strong."

An idolizing expression was on Ruohan's eyes as he said, "You understand Chu Beijie so well. My Lady will definitely become the most famous female army advisor in the four countries."

Pingting's expression didn't change or rather, it looked more like an angry-hurt expression.

She sighed. "Generals, don't be happy yet. The tactic Pingting just mentioned of may be successful against other people, but it won't work on Chu Beijie."

Ze Yin was having a pretty good laugh when she said this. He stopped. "Why's that?"

"Chu Beijie is the strongest general in the world at the moment, and his way of thinking covers everything. Don't forget that he did once send soldiers to capture poisonous wasps so wouldn't it be very unusual if he didn't send someone out to find out the topography of this area as well? Underestimating the enemy is a deadly blow to commanding officers. Pingting will cause a massive defeat if she concludes that Chu Beijie would be easily outdone with a poisoned water source."

Ruohan paled. "Chu Beijie's that strong? Then what should we do?"

Pingting's eyes flickered back to the map. She smiled sweetly. "Once Chu Beijie finds out we're on Mount Dianqing from his spies, it won't take long for him to uncover the fact that we've poisoned the water. To be honest, the reason why Pingting chose this mountain was really to give him this false impression."

After speaking so much and so energetically, Pingting broke off by inhaling a few deep breaths of air. Her cheeks were flushed. She rolled her black crystal-like eyes once before continuing. "Once Chu Beijie's thinks that he's got my plan, he would make fake people and then look for a path that we won't expect from and attack the supposedly, mostly empty commanding tents."

Ze Yin and Ruohan knew that what she was saying was right.

Ze Yin's beard bobbed up and down as he said, "We can station most of the troops close to the tents, then thrash Chu Beijie's army."

Pingting however, shook her head at this, "That's not the best. Mount Dianqing isn't the best place for an ambush."

"There's something I'd like My Lady to clarify." Ruohan voiced the question in his thoughts. "My Lady said that Chu Beijie would look for a route that we won't expect from. Which path is Lady thinking of?"

"Commander Ruohan has got the idea." Pingting said and pointed at a route on the map.

Ze Yin and Ruohan both looked down and stared at it in shock.

Several moments later, Ruohan finally breathed out, "Chu Beijie actually dares to get ten thousand men to go through the notorious Cloud Valley Route. He's really daring, huh. But then again, if we hadn't been able to predict his actions, he would have definitely succeeded."

"He likes to use bizarre tactics. This time, he'll get a taste of his own medicine." Ze Yin almost sneered. "I'll immediately take some soldiers to round him from behind. I'm sure it will give him a nasty shock."

He saluted towards Pingting, "Please give me your command, Main Advisor."

Pingting smiled and held-up a command flag. Then, in a clear ringing voice like a black-naped creole, she commanded, "Listen, Main General Ze Yin, I, as main military advisor, command you to go down the mountain and block the enemy's escape route. Surround them from the back, they should still be on the opposite mountain, Mount Bilei, at the moment." After saying this, she felt a flood of unease so she lowered her voice. "Although we have more soldiers than Chu Beijie, surrounding them is more important at the moment. Do not attack without my command."

"That's a bit..."

Pingting handed it over nonetheless and explained, "Chu Beijie is Dong Lin's main advisor and commander, and at the same time is the brother of Dong Lin's King. Even if we capture him alive, the Dong Lin's army will be lost."

She took out another command flag and called, "Commander Ruohan."

"I'm here!"

"Please lead another few hundred soldiers and gather at the other end of the Cloud Valley route and damage its rope bridge, so that even the Dong Lin army can't get any closer to Mount Dianqing."

Ruohan took the flag and replied 'Yes Ma'am!' loudly.

Pingting continued to order, "As an experienced fighter, Commander Ruohan, you don't have to come back here and report back once you've completed your task. You may march down the mountain to help Main General."

Pingting sighed in relief after making all of the necessary preparations. Her vision had gone blurry again. She knew it was from overworking so she sat down and closed her eyes to rest.

Most of the people had gone with Ze Yin. Their excitement had been obvious. They were ready to ambush their enemy, the army that had stressed and pressured them for so long.

Once the thundering sound of galloping horses passed, her surroundings quieted down.

Pingting calmly sat inside the command tent and woke up listening to the sound of silence, the sound of no sounds dancing in the air.

Another plot.

Plots in plots. She frowned and couldn't help stroke her sore eyebrows, a habit of hers.

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