The war has once again reached a stalemate.

However, what all the generals of the Chu Dynasty never expected was.

That Western Xia would retreat to guard a small city with the lowest terrain.

This city is the last small town near the border of the Great Chu, called Beiguan Town.

Beyond this Beiguan Town, the next is the territory of Western Xia.

This small town is surrounded by mountains, with a complex terrain, located in a mountain hollow.

Entry and exit are extremely difficult, with only a few extremely narrow sheep trails leading in from the mountains, for transporting living supplies and various goods.

This place is barren in terrain and has a cold climate, even without war, there are hardly any people living here.

If not for someone extremely knowledgeable about maps,

They would never know there was such a small town here!

So...

The massacre of the city was just a matter of a blink of an eye.

...

Yang He was so angry that he slammed his fist on the table, feeling immense regret.

"We did all the preparations, the only oversight was here!!"

He could never have imagined, a small town of just a few thousand people could catch the eye of Hai Xiangjin.

The most important thing is.

The terrain here is depressed, and difficult to defend yet easy to attack.

Such terrain has never been favored by soldiers and no one would use it as a stronghold.

Unexpectedly, the King of Western Xia, after making several diversions, actually retreated here.

They wouldn’t even spare a few thousand people.

Overnight, be it men, women, young, and old, not a single soul was left alive.

Even Xia Tingfeng and Yang Chenyi were livid with rage.

What General Yang couldn’t anticipate, who else could?

In fact...

Someone did anticipate it, and that person was Rat.

He is indeed a rogue and beggar from a humble background.

But certain things have no distinction of class.

He was not at all surprised by Hai Xiangjin’s choice of this place as a stronghold.

"First: Where there are people, there is food! Even if there are only a few thousand, the stored grain is enough for an army of tens of thousands to eat for three to five days!"

(People rely on food like iron relies on steel, on the battlefield, even if it’s only one or two meals missed, the soldiers would be devoid of energy, no matter how powerful the army, they would lose the battle!)

"Second: Although the terrain here is recessed, the surrounding mountain forests and rocks are full of interconnected trails, exactly as they say... a wily hare has three burrows!"

At that time, once those soldiers dive into these mountain forests, who could find them?!

The Chu Dynasty’s army attacking here will likely face ambushes everywhere!

So this location... is not easy to attack at all.

After this analysis, even Yang He was dumbfounded.

The little bit of superiority and prejudice he had retained vanished, leaving only admiration!

How difficult is it to earn the admiration of Minister of War High Official Yang He?

Everyone knows.

So even Rat himself was very surprised.

"Thank you, General, for the compliments, this humble one’s foolish words have made you laugh!"

"Rat... Brother Mouse..."

"Um... Brother, what is your original surname?!"

Rat quickly bowed with a smile.

"No need for such formalities, you can just call me Rat!"

Minister Yang saw that he was unwilling to say.

Immediately imagined the pitiful scenes of him being orphaned and growing up amid hardships and begging.

He was unwilling to ask more and just addressed him as Brother Rat warmly.

After a brief exchange, they returned to the main topic.

Everyone continued to discuss how to fight this battle?!

The map was flipped over and over.

The terrain was studied exhaustively.

Yang Chenyi said.

"I think we should attack from the front of the mountain, where the path is slightly wider! The army can pass more easily!"

In other places, those narrow paths that barely allow one person to pass are too constraining.

Xia Tingfeng hesitated for a long time, frowning.

"On the contrary, I think we should attack from the back. Though those paths are small, there are more options, and we can divide into three routes to encircle them!"

Deputy General Cui also had a different opinion.

"I think... we should split the forces into two, one goes through the main road from the front, the other encircles from the back through the small paths, giving them a pincer attack!"

Deputy General Qin nodded.

"I agree with Deputy General Cui’s opinion!"

The two have been old partners for years, with quite similar military strategies.

Everyone expressed their thoughts and looked at Yang He.

"General, what do you think?!"

Yang He frowned and gently shook his head.

"I think none of it is suitable!"

"We’ve read military books, but the enemy is equally cunning and treacherous!"

"Since Hai Xiangjin dares to hide in such a place, he must be fully prepared! Unafraid of encirclement or flanking!"

"To deal with such an enemy, we should employ an unexpected move!"

But... where is this unexpected move?

Yang He squinted and thought for a long time, almost remembering, but couldn’t recall it.

After all, with age, thoughts aren’t as agile as before!

Just then, a determined voice was heard.

"I believe we should use fire attack!"

This voice immediately opened up Yang He’s mind.

He looked at Rat with excitement.

"Yes! A fire attack!"

"Brother Rat, please continue!"

Rat, imitating the soldiers, clasped his fist in a salute and continued.

"The climate in the Northwest is dry, with many small paths in the mountain forests, and cluttered with rocks and weeds!"

"No matter which direction we attack from, they have enough passages to escape through!"

"It’s like the mice in the mountains, its burrow always has many exits, you can’t catch it, you must use water and fire methods!"

"Currently, the Northwest is in a drought, using fire attack is extremely easy, of course, fire attack is best!"

His words convinced everyone both in heart and speech.

Yang He was delighted and applauded repeatedly!

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Brother Rat is indeed learned and talented!"

"Your level is comparable to a military advisor!"

"Should you achieve meritorious deeds in this battle, I shall petition to the Emperor to have you transferred to my Ministry of War as a military advisor, how about that?!"

Rat was completely stunned.

His short and skinny body slightly trembling, heart pounding, with hands and feet not knowing where to place!

The whole person was dumbfounded.

"Aren’t you going to thank the General?!" Xia Tingfeng patted his shoulder.

Rat snapped back to reality, shivering.

With a thud, he knelt on the ground.

"Thank you, General, for your great kindness, I, a humble one, shall never forget it!!"

His nose felt a bit sour, a tear at the corner of his eye, his body still trembled slightly.

It is said that men have gold beneath their knees, and shouldn’t kneel easily.

But this kneeling of his was truly worth it.

He grew up without parents.

At the age of three, when other children had cotton clothes in winter and hot meals, he could only beg along the street, fighting with stray dogs for food.

At the age of five, when other children could go to school to learn to read and write, he was figuring out which street to beg for food to fill his stomach.

At the age of eight, others learned to read and write, and he finally managed to, through his own skills, band together with a group of beggars from the alley next door, at least not starving nor getting bullied.

At ten, twelve, fifteen... his days were always different from others.

But ever since meeting his big brother, they, this group of ’hoodlums’, banded together, living quite freely.

At least able to bully the black-hearted owner of the rice shop on West Street, able to extort the madam of the brothel on East Street.