We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Chapter 1122 Victorious Return to the City

When the group arrived at Chuimacheng, it was already broad daylight.

The sunlight dispelled the last vestiges of night, and the earth was draped in a golden veil.

The victorious army returned in triumph, but before they had fully entered the city, they were drowned out by the cheers of the defending soldiers who rushed up the city walls upon hearing the news.

"Back! They're back!"

"Well done! Look at the Tibetan camp on fire, half the sky is red!"

"General Yue! General Luo! General Ma!"

"Great Qing! Great Qing Army!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Yue Yun, Ma Zhong, and the others smiled, clearly already used to this kind of scene.

Luo Yueniang was slightly surprised.

The city gates opened wide, and the waiting Qing soldiers rushed forward, showering them with praise and admiration.

They patted the shoulders and arm guards of their returning comrades, and reached out to touch the blood-stained armor and warhorses, their eyes burning with fervor and purity.

This is the spirit of the Qing army: fierce, brave, and eager for battle!

Their respect for those who have made outstanding military achievements is always raw and passionate.

Years of fighting have taught all the soldiers in Daqing a lesson: those who can win battles are the strong, and the strong should be praised!

In contrast, the soldiers who raided the camp were almost all wounded and exhausted.

But faced with such a warm welcome from their comrades, the soldiers couldn't help but straighten their backs and put on a spirited appearance.

Although their faces were covered in blood and their bodies ached terribly, they couldn't hide their pride and joy at that moment.

This is their moment of glory, and no one would act weak at this time.

Men can’t say no!

Some men held up captured Tibetan flags, while others patted the heads of Tibetan generals hanging around the necks of their horses, eliciting even more enthusiastic cheers from their comrades.

Dorje Tsering followed at the back of the procession, silently gazing at the magnificent scene before him, his heart filled with astonishment.

Isn't it said that the people of Qing are weak?

But what weak nation would cheer so wildly over the corpses of its enemies?

Damn it, these are clearly a bunch of war fanatics!

Although he inwardly complained, seeing the unreserved admiration in the eyes of the Qing army soldiers also stirred a wave of envy in his heart.

Then, another wave of sadness washed over them.

As a surrendered general from a foreign land, even if he made great contributions, he could not integrate into this blood-pumping collective carnival.

At that moment, Dorje Tsering suddenly had an idea.

If only I were born a Qing person instead of a Tibetan...

"Hey! Brother Dorje!" A large, heavy hand suddenly patted him on the shoulder.

Dorje Tsering turned around and saw that it was Yu Daliang.

This general, who came from the Shu army, had a hearty smile on his face and bright eyes. He gave a thumbs up and said:

"You set that fire perfectly! We could see it clearly from the city wall. It was a huge sea of ​​fire. Those Tibetan dogs must be crying for their parents in agony!"

Dorje Tsering forced a smile: "General Yu, you flatter me."

Yu Daliang then realized that the person in front of him was also a Tibetan, and couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder apologetically.

Dorje Tsering didn't pay much attention to it, and of course, he didn't dare to.

As a convert, he is now increasingly fanatical about Daqing and increasingly disgusted with his Tibetan origins.

He simply changed the subject, asking, "The city wall is so far away, can you see clearly?"

"Why can't I see it clearly?"

Yu Daliang chuckled and, as if by magic, pulled a cylindrical brass object from his pocket and handed it to Dorje Tsering: "Look, this was issued by His Majesty. It's called a 'telescope,' and every general in command of troops has one."

"This thing is amazing! It can see the enemy's eyebrows and beard clearly from miles away. Last night we used it to keep an eye on the Tibetan camp. When you set off that fire, the brothers all cheered!"

Telescopes...every general had one...

Dorje Tsering's eyes dimmed again, and the warmth that had just risen in his heart quickly cooled down.

As expected, he still hadn't gained His Majesty's trust.

The distribution of this standard equipment drew a clear line, implying that a surrendered general like himself was not worthy of receiving it.

Seemingly noticing his low spirits, Yu Daliang's smile widened.

He waved the binoculars in his hand and shoved them directly into Dorje Tsering's hand: "What are you staring at? This one is yours!"

“Before you were in the city, I kept the things for you when they were distributed. Now that you’re back, they should naturally be returned to their rightful owner.”

Dorje Tsering was stunned by the cool touch of brass in his palm.

Looking down at the exquisitely crafted object, I was momentarily stunned.

Yu Daliang put his hand on his shoulder and shouted to the surrounding generals, "Brothers, what are you waiting for? The hero is back!"

"The credit belongs to Dorje and his brother, why are you so stern?"

"Haha! This time we've really made ourselves look good!"

Several loud, boisterous laughs rang out, and before Dorje Tsering could even react, several large hands hurriedly lifted him up.

Several mid-level generals of the Qing army, laughing loudly, tossed Dorje Tsering high into the air without saying a word:

"Oh--"

"Catch it again! Well done!"

"The Fire God of the Tibetan Camp!"

"They didn't let our Qing Army lose face!"

"You've got guts, Brother Duo!"

My body bobbed up and down, and all I could hear were the uninhibited cheers and banter of my comrades.

Dorje Tsering was initially at a loss, his tense body involuntarily stiffening in mid-air.

But soon, the generals' overflowing enthusiasm washed away his inferiority complex like a warm current.

He subconsciously relaxed his body, and a slightly shy smile finally appeared on his face, allowing himself to immerse himself in this wave of joy.

On the city tower, Li Che stood leaning against the railing, his black cloak fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.

He silently watched the jubilant scene below the city gate, his gaze lingering for a moment on Dorje Tsering, who was tossed into the air and caught by the crowd.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, holding a hint of a smile.

Having conquered multiple countries, he was well-versed in the process of winning over barbarian generals.

As long as you can make them acknowledge that the Qing people are stronger, and give them a little benefit when the time is right, they will immediately become the most loyal hounds.

If this process continues, after a few years they will no longer be barbarian generals, but proper Qing generals.

. . . . . .

Half an hour later.

The afterglow of the revelry still lingered in the camp, but the atmosphere inside the central command tent had already turned solemn.

Li Che summoned his generals, each with a somber expression, their gazes fixed on the dark figure at the head of the table.

The difference is that the meaning in those gazes is now different.

Yue Yun, Ma Zhong, Qiu Bai... these former subordinates who followed the emperor remained calm and composed.

They had witnessed His Majesty's abilities and were already accustomed to his flawless strategies on the battlefield. The so-called successful raid on the camp was nothing more than another accurate move that they had anticipated, and nothing to be ashamed of.

However, Luo Yueniang, Yu Daliang, and the newly surrendered generals had very different feelings.

They had heard too many legends about Li Che's formidable martial arts skills, but they always felt that they were exaggerated.

When Li Che casually proposed the strategy of raiding the camp, they felt it made sense, but they couldn't help feeling uneasy.

The Tibetan camp had a large number of soldiers and generals. If the surprise attack failed and they fell into an ambush, the consequences would be extremely serious, and could even be fatal.

But last night's battle, from the timing of the fire to the final ambush, was all planned by Li Che himself.

The plan unfolded step by step, perfectly aligned, just as he had predicted before the battle, without the slightest error!

He was like a chess player, placing both his own and his opponents' pieces on an invisible chessboard, calmly setting up his pieces with a swift and decisive move.

Li Che took in everyone's expressions, but showed no sign of smugness.

He knew in his heart that when it came to commanding large-scale battles, he was no match for a peerless commander like Yang Zhongsi.

But this kind of asymmetric warfare, where small forces can achieve great results, is precisely his area of ​​expertise.

His mindset from another time and space allowed him to notice details that others overlooked and to come up with ideas that seemed whimsical to the ancients.

But now is not the time to reminisce about victory.

Celebration is necessary for morale, but calmness is the foundation of leadership.

He coughed softly, and the tent fell silent instantly.

Li Che then spoke:

"The fire that raided the camp burned away the Tibetans' morale, but it also gave us at least five days to catch our breath."

"But this time was seized, not waited for."

"No one knows when reinforcements will arrive. Although the Tibetans have been weakened, their foundation remains. Once they recover, they will surely launch a more ferocious counterattack."

His gaze slowly swept over every face in the tent, and all the generals became serious.

Li Che nodded and continued, "We're about to face a tough battle."

"A defensive battle! Every inch of the city wall is bought with blood; there is no room for shortcuts."

Ma Zhong was the first to step forward, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, his armor gleaming: "Your Majesty, give the order!"

"We will brave mountains of knives and seas of fire without hesitation!"

"Please give the order, Your Majesty!"

The generals in the tent clasped their fists in unison, their shouts resounding.

With such a lord, what is there to fear in a battle even if we face an enemy many times our size?

Li Che nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the sketch of the Chuimacheng defense hanging to his side.

"The four city walls need capable men to guard them, our troops need to be dispersed, and we need to keep more reserves..."