Chapter 295 Ambush
Zhao Ji stood in the center of the military camp, her fingers gently brushing across the sand table on the table.

The sand table shows the terrain of the mountains and rivers around Xinzheng. Fine sand has piled up into undulating hills, and several winding streams flow out of the city.

“Shegu, the most sinister killer under Ji Wuye, sneaked into Xinzheng with his assassination team.” Zhao Ji looked at a dense forest on the south side of the sand table.

The deputy general couldn’t help but speak up: “General, Snake Bone is good at assassination and sneak attacks. The terrain of this forest is complex and is most suitable for them to hide.”

Zhao Ji nodded, lightly stroked her fingers across the dense forest, and then stopped at several small paths outside the forest.

“But we already know they’re coming, but they don’t know it yet, and that’s our advantage.”

“They do use the dense forest as cover, but their ultimate goal is not to hide in the woods, but to kill people.”

“Snake Bones have only one goal, which is to destroy the backbone of the Xinzheng garrison. In other words, they will try every means to get close to our military camp and even assassinate me, the general.”

When everyone heard this, they suddenly became nervous.

“General, Snake Bone is cunning and his assassination team comes and goes without a trace. How can we defend against him?”

Zhao Ji sneered: “Defense?”

“We won’t defend. Since he wants to come, let’s give him a chance and let him come to us on his own.”

The deputy general was stunned for a moment: “General, what you mean is… to lure the enemy?”

Zhao Ji nodded and drew a few strokes on the sand table with her fingers: “The number of Snake Bone’s assassination team is small, but their actions are very precise. They will definitely send people to scout first to confirm our defense weaknesses.”

“So, we deliberately left a loophole.”

She pointed to an open area on the north side of the military camp and said, “This is where we are most vulnerable to attack. We will set up a fake camp here and deliberately make them think that this is our main force.”

The deputy general frowned and said, “General, even if the fake camp can attract them, what if they find out?”

Zhao Ji raised a sneer at the corner of her mouth: “So, our real main force will ambush around the fake camp. The fake camp is just a cover, and once they step in, we will catch them all in one fell swoop.”

“Remember, although the Snake Bone assassination team is good at hiding, they are human after all. As long as they are human, they will have weaknesses, and their biggest weakness is self-confidence.”

Zhao Ji laid out the plan in detail.

She ordered five hundred elite soldiers to disguise themselves as ordinary garrisons and station themselves in the fake camp.

At the same time, two thousand elite soldiers were ambushed in the dense forest around the fake camp and divided into three teams to block Snake Bone’s possible retreat routes. The remaining two thousand people were scattered in other key positions in the military camp to prevent Snake Bone from launching other feint attacks.

The deputy general couldn’t help but ask: “General, if we disperse our forces, what if Snake Bone has other tricks up his sleeve?”

Zhao Ji glanced at him and said, “Shegu will not have any back-up plan. The reason why he is called a killer is not because he can fight, but because every time he strikes, he is precise and swift!”

“He won’t waste time and energy on meaningless tests. His plan must be to go straight to the goal, and our goal is to make him think he has succeeded.”

As night fell, bonfires were lit in the military camp.

Zhao Ji stood on a high point in the makeshift camp and looked calmly at the dense forest in the distance.

Snake bones.

I want to see how powerful your assassination team is.

Time passed little by little, and the night wind blew through the camp, causing the fire to flicker.

Suddenly, a slight noise came from the dense forest in the distance.

Zhao Ji raised her hand slightly, and the soldiers in the fake camp immediately quieted down and pretended to be relaxed.

coming!

Zhao Ji locked onto several dark shadows in the dense forest.

Those shadows moved extremely quickly, making almost no sound, and had already approached the outskirts of the fake camp. The person walking in front was thin and agile, with a few short knives on his waist, which should be Snake Bones.

Snake Bone whispered, “Divide into three groups and surround the camp.”

“Remember, the target is the general. Kill the others if you can. If you can’t kill them, don’t waste your time.”

Zhao Ji stood on a high place, watching Shegu and his men approaching the fake camp step by step, with a sneer on her lips.

“Do it!”

The next second, a fire suddenly lit up in the dense forest surrounding the fake camp. Two thousand elite soldiers hiding in the forest rushed out at the same time and surrounded Snake Bone’s assassination team.

Snake Bone immediately realized that they were ambushed: “Retreat!”

He shouted loudly and drew the dagger from his waist, preparing to break out, but before he could take a few steps, he was blocked by Zhao Ji.

“Snake bones.” Zhao Ji stood there and swung her long sword, and the soldiers around her immediately dispersed.

“You want to kill me, don’t you? Now, I’m here.”

Snake Bone looked at her and said, “The general is a woman? You are a beauty, but I didn’t expect you to be so brave.”

Zhao Ji did not answer. She raised her long knife and pointed it at the snake bone: “Surrender or die.”

Snake Bone sneered: “Surrender? You underestimate me, Snake Bone.”

After he finished speaking, he swung his sword and rushed towards Zhao Ji.

The long knife in Zhao Ji’s hand chopped down towards Snake Bone’s short knife. The two knives collided, making a sharp metal collision sound.

The snake bones were very powerful, but Zhao Ji’s sword was even faster.

She forced Snake Bone back with a slash of her sword, and then swept it sideways, forcing Snake Bone to retreat several steps.

Snake Bone gritted his teeth and glanced at the scattered assassination teams around him: “Zhao Ji, you are awesome, but do you think you can catch me like this?”

After he finished speaking, he turned around abruptly and rushed into the depths of the forest.

Zhao Ji sneered: “Want to run?”

She raised her hand and waved, and the soldiers who were ambushing in the dense forest immediately pounced on them.

Snake Bone ran wildly all the way, but he was stopped at the exit of the dense forest before he had gone far.

Zhao Ji rode on a war horse, holding a long sword, waiting there quietly.

“Snake Bone, your assassination team has been wiped out. You can’t escape!”

Shegu looked at her, holding the dagger tightly: “Zhao Ji! Do you think you have won by catching me? Ji Wuye will not let you go!”

Zhao Ji ignored his threat, raised her long knife, and said coldly: “Take him away.”

“Let him meet the King of Han alive.”

Zhao Ji returned to Xinzheng with the snake bones. When she rode her horse into the city gate, the people in the city had already heard the news and poured into the streets.

“Ji Wuye suffered a great loss again? I heard that Shegu is the most powerful killer under Ji Wuye!”

“General Zhao Ji is not only extremely beautiful, but she is also a great commander in battle!”

“Now the safety of Xinzheng is finally guaranteed!”

The cheers of the people surged like a tide, but Zhao Ji did not stop. She rode straight to the palace. Behind her, Snake Bones was tied tightly with ropes. There was a bit of unwillingness on her face, but she didn’t say a word.

The King of Han sat in the court, smiling as he watched Zhao Ji come in with the captives.

“Zhao Ji.” He put down the teacup in his hand.

“You really didn’t disappoint me. Even Qin and Wei were helpless against a man like Shegu, yet you actually captured him alive. It seems that Han Fei’s vision is really good.”

Zhao Ji brought Snake Bone to the King of Han and said, “Your Majesty, Snake Bone has been captured. He is an assassin sent by Ji Wuye. He wanted to sneak into Xinzheng and assassinate us, but his plan failed.”

King Han stood up and walked around Snake Bone, looking him over: “Snake Bone, Snake Bone, long time no see, you have come to this day too?”

He patted Shegu’s shoulder gently: “You were once the most sinister assassin under my command. How come you fell so soon after following Ji Wuye?” Shegu raised his head and looked at King Han coldly: “Assassins sometimes fail, but do you think catching me can change anything?”

“General Ji will not let you go. I am just his minion!”

When King Han heard this, the smile on his face instantly faded a little, but soon returned to normal: “Snake bone! Do you think I am afraid of Ji Wuye?”

As he spoke, he turned to look at Zhao Ji: “Zhao Ji, do you know what the real name of snake bone is?”

Zhao Ji frowned slightly: “Your Majesty, please make it clear.”

King Han walked up to the platform and said, “His real name is Shi Yun, and he is the legitimate son of the king of the fierce bandits in the northern part of Korea.”

“Back then, his father Shi Tianheng commanded 100,000 fierce bandits and occupied the North for more than ten years. Even I could not do anything to him. Later, Shi Tianheng was recruited by Ji Wuye, and he also brought his men to join the Ji family. Shi Yun is Shi Tianheng’s only son.”

Upon hearing this, the entire court was in an uproar.

“Shi Tianheng’s son? No wonder he is so powerful!”

“Back then, Shi Tianheng’s bandit army was rampant, but I didn’t expect his son to inherit his cruelty.”

“Unfortunately, he met General Zhao Ji!”

Zhao Ji stood aside and looked at She Gu coldly: “Shi Yun, since you are Shi Tianheng’s son, you should know how your father died, right?”

Shi Yun gritted his teeth and did not answer.

The King of Han smiled and said, “Zhao Ji is right.”

“Although Shi Tianheng surrendered to Ji Wuye, he was later murdered by Ji Wuye because of his great achievements. Shi Yun, your father was killed by Ji Wuye, yet you still want to work for him. It’s ridiculous.”

Shi Yun’s expression suddenly changed: “You are talking nonsense! My father died in an ambush by the Qin army. It has nothing to do with General Ji!”

King Han sneered: “Believe it or not, but now that you have fallen into my hands, do you have any last words?”

Shi Yun didn’t say anything else, just lowered his head in thought.

Zhao Ji glanced at King Han and said, “Your Majesty! Snake Bone has been captured, but Ji Wuye’s threat remains.”

The King of Han nodded and said, “Zhao Ji, you are right! I will strengthen the city defense and mobilize more troops to garrison Xinzheng.”

As he spoke, he looked at Han Fei again.

“Han Fei, this time it’s all thanks to you and Zhao Ji that I can rest easy. In addition to Zhao Ji, shouldn’t I also give you some rewards?”

Han Fei shook his head and said, “Your Majesty! I am just a scholar, and I can only do so much! The credit for this achievement belongs entirely to Miss Zhao Ji, and I dare not take credit for it.”

After hearing this, the King of Han laughed and said, “Han Fei, Han Fei, you are always so modest. However, it is indeed Zhao Ji who has made great contributions this time. Zhao Ji, if you want any reward, just ask for it.”

Zhao Ji was silent for a while, then said: “Your Majesty! I don’t need any reward. I just hope that Your Majesty can pay more attention to the war on the front line and end the confrontation with Ji Wuye as soon as possible.”

King Han nodded and said, “Okay! You two are both pillars of my country. As long as you are here, I will feel at ease.”

People in the court were talking about it.

“Han Fei and Zhao Ji, one is good at both planning and fighting, the other is also good at both planning and fighting, it’s really a match made in heaven! If these two people can continue to assist the King of Han, the future of Han will be stable. I just don’t know when Ji Wuye will counterattack again.”

At the same time, the bandits far away in the north also got the news.

“Snake bones were caught?” The burly man stood in front of a pile of fire.

“He is our young master! Ji Wuye, that old fox, actually let him go to his death!”

“Boss! Should we go and save the young master? Even if it means risking our lives, we cannot let the young master die at the hands of King Han!”

The burly man was silent for a while, then punched the tree trunk fiercely: “Save! No matter what the cost, we must save the young master!”

The reaction of the bandits quickly reached Ji Wuye’s ears. He sat in the military tent and listened to his men’s report: “Shegu was captured?”

“Oh, it seems that Han Fei and Zhao Ji are indeed quite capable.”

“But this is just the beginning. Let the bandits make trouble. The more chaos they cause, the better it is for me.”

In the bandits’ camp, the firelight made the surroundings flicker.

The eldest brother Shi Lie stood in the middle, holding a huge axe in his hand: “Young Master has been captured. If we brothers dare to shrink back and do nothing, then we deserve to be called bandits.”

“Pass the order, all the brothers in the North, gather together. We must let those corrupt officials in Xinzheng know that if they touch our son Shi Tianheng, they will pay the price!”

“Boss, that woman Zhao Ji is not easy to deal with.”

“Shegu and his assassination team were defeated by her. I’m afraid we won’t get any benefits either.”

Shi Lie gave him a cold look, raised his hand and chopped the ground with an axe.

The huge axe smashed into the dirt, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

“What are you afraid of? No matter how powerful Zhao Ji is, she is just a woman. We have tens of thousands of troops. Even if she is a good fighter, can she stop all of us?”

“Boss, will Ji Wuye help us in this operation? If we have the assistance of General Ji, our chances of winning will be greater.”

Shi Lie sneered: “Ji Wuye?”

“He just treats the young master like a dog. Do you really expect him to help? Don’t dream. Saving the young master this time is our job as bandits. If anyone is scared, don’t blame my axe for being blind!”

The fierce bandits left in response, and bandit dens throughout the North began to gather frantically.

In just two days, tens of thousands of bandits had gathered into a huge team and marched towards Xinzheng in a mighty manner.

At the same time, in the palace of Xinzheng, King Han heard the news that the bandits were gathering.

He sat on the dragon chair and said, “That bastard Shi Lie actually dared to lead his men to besiege Xinzheng? Does he really think that this city of mine is his backyard?”

He turned to look at Han Fei and Zhao Ji, both of whom were standing in the center of the court.

“Han Fei, Zhao Ji, what do you think about this?”

Han Fei bowed slightly and said, “Your Majesty! The reason why the bandits are so arrogant is because they always think that we dare not take any real action against them.”

“This time Shi Lie brought people to rescue She Gu, which is a good opportunity. As long as we can defeat them in one fell swoop, we can completely eradicate the banditry in the north.”

King Han frowned: “Defeat them in one fell swoop?”

“Han Fei, don’t forget that there are more than a few thousand bandits in the north. There are tens of thousands of them. Can we stop them?”

Zhao Ji stood up and said, “Your Majesty, although the bandits are numerous, they are a mob. As long as we can seize the initiative on the battlefield, even if they have 100,000 people, they will be nothing but a pile of loose sand.”

When the King of Han heard this, he thought for a moment and then asked, “Zhao Ji, what are your plans?”

Zhao Ji walked to the sand table, pointed to the map of the north of Xinzheng and said, “Your Majesty, the bandits are coming from the north, and their route will definitely pass through this canyon.”

“The canyon is narrow, and it is the best place for us to set up an ambush. I suggest sending 3,000 elite troops to ambush on both sides of the canyon. When the bandits enter the canyon, we can divide and surround them in one fell swoop.”

King Han nodded and said, “Okay, this is a good plan, but who will lead the ambush troops in the canyon?”

Zhao Ji did not hesitate: “I will go myself.”

When the King of Han heard this, his brows slightly frowned: “Zhao Ji, you just captured the snake bones alive, and now you want to lead the troops yourself? Your wounds are not healed yet, so let someone else go!”

Zhao Ji shook her head and said, “Your Majesty! Although the bandits are a mob, their leader Shi Lie is a tough opponent. If I don’t go, I’m afraid no one can suppress him.”

The King of Han was silent for a moment, then nodded: “Okay! Since you insist, then this ambush will be left to you. However, Zhao Ji, you must be careful.”

Zhao Ji nodded: “I understand.”

Then King Han waited for Zhao Ji to leave, and then gave a wink to Han Fei who was standing beside him.

Han Fei nodded: “Don’t worry, I will keep an eye on it and try not to show up!”

(End of this chapter)