Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors

Clearly, Prince Qi knew his own worth.

He was sure that if Lord Qin were also present, then even if they lost the battle, they would be able to retreat with their whole bodies intact.

But if Lord Qin had been sent off first, then what was there left for him to fight for? He feared that the two brothers would have to fall together right here.

In fact, the departure of Lord Qin was a good thing for Prince Qi; after all, he was now standing on the side of the Crown Prince, pondering how to overthrow Lord Qin.

But... if he himself were to be caught up in the process, then it would be very unprofitable.

Li Hongyun paid him no attention and led more than a hundred elite cavalry straight ahead.

Horse hooves thundered, trampling through the mud and puddles, charging towards Wulong Slope ahead.

When they reached the small river gully that stretched between the Liang Army and the Turkic cavalry, Li Hongyun reined in his horse, and the hundred cavalry came to a neat and uniform stop behind him.

Then, Li Hongyun looked up at the Turkic cavalry on Wulong Slope, dark like storm clouds; his hundred or so cavalry seemed insignificant in front of the tens of thousands of enemy riders, like a tiny leaf in a tempestuous sea.

But it was precisely because of this that they had to display an even more fearless and invincible spirit.

Li Hongyun was confident that, after the accumulation of the past few years, the name of Lord Qin had already become illustrious among the Turkic people.

And all the tactics that followed were built upon this premise.

He shouted loudly, "I am Lord Qin!"

It had to be said, these four words seemed to instantly create a unique chemical reaction with the air.

His own hundred or so cavalry were invisibly buoyed in spirit, while the Turkic cavalry showed some signs of agitation.

As for Li Hongyun himself, he inexplicably also felt a sense of invincibility.

"Jie Li Khan, Tulikhan! Come forth to meet me!"

This call was full of domineering confidence, and for a moment in the vast battlefield, aside from the pitter-patter of the rain, only the voice of Lord Qin echoed.

The hundred or so cavalry behind Lord Qin let the rain wash over them, standing motionless and naturally silent.

The Turkic people dared not make any sound either.

It wasn't long before the Turkic cavalry on Wulong Slope stirred.

Two leader-like figures emerged from the ranks and came to the forefront.

One after the other.

The one in the front appeared to be older and of higher status, obviously Jie Li Khan. As for the younger one behind him, it was naturally Tulikhan.

Li Hongyun continued to speak loudly, "My Liang Dynasty has formed an alliance through marriage with Khan, and we have pledged mutual treaties. Why then has Khan broken our pact and pressed deep into the territory of the Liang Dynasty?

"Since Khan wishes to battle, then the Liang Army shall keep you company to the end!

"I am Lord Qin. If Khan dares to fight, then come and face me in single combat; if not, then lead your great army here, and I will clash with you in a grand battle with my mere hundred cavalry!"

The high-standing Turkic cavalry showed marked unrest again.

As for Jie Li Khan, he displayed an awkward smile at this time and gave no response.

The reason was simple—he didn't know how to respond...

Face Lord Qin in single combat?

Anyone with even the slightest bit of sense wouldn't entertain such a thought.

The power of Lord Qin's great arrow was something the Turkic people had witnessed. They had circulated rumors, and the conclusion was "deemed as divine".

Clearly, Jie Li Khan knew very well that although he was also proficient at mounted archery, he was no match for Lord Qin. If he truly faced him in single combat, the only outcome would be to be shot down from his horse.

But as the chief of the steppe tribes, the leader of the Eastern Turks, he couldn't just admit defeat in front of everyone, could he?

Therefore, this challenge was something he couldn't accept nor could he afford to ignore, leaving him stuck in an awkward situation.

Of course, he could opt to send a large army charging down Wulong Slope to surround and crush the hundred or so cavalry.

No matter how strong Lord Qin was, he could not possibly take on tens of thousands of Turkic cavalry with only a hundred riders.

However, Lord Qin's reputation of being undefeated in a hundred battles had spread far and wide.

Jie Li Khan didn't know what strategy Lord Qin was playing, but he could only see the distant Liang Army arranged neatly, supporting the hundred cavalry, possibly ready to charge at any moment to assist.

Prince Qi was useless, Li Hongyun knew that, but Jie Li Khan did not.

Before the battle began, even if Prince Qi were just a statue, he still exuded a deterring presence.

Moreover, although Jie Li Khan had dispatched various light cavalry scouts to probe the surroundings, he could not be certain whether a large Liang Army was drawing near or perhaps already lying in ambush at a critical location, waiting to join forces with Lord Qin for a pincer attack.

The torrential rain made communication between the two sides extremely difficult.

In such conditions, if they fell for the full trap, the consequences would be dire.

Although Jie Li Khan came with formidable momentum, he was, after all, recognized as the leader amongst the Turkic tribes. If he were caught in danger and perished within the territory of the Liang Dynasty, the situation across the entire steppe would become troublesome.

Consequently, both sides, separated by the waters of the gully, fell into an awkward silence.

Li Hongyun was not in a hurry. He slightly pulled on the reins, pacing his battle horse back and forth a few steps, then shouted again towards Tulikhan.

"Tulikhan!

"We have long-standing pledges of brotherhood, sworn to help one another in times of urgency. Why do you lead a force to attack today, forgetting the bonds and vows we share?"

Jie Li Khan glanced sideways at Tulikhan.

And Tulikhan... also fell silent.

The brotherhood between Lord Qin and Tulikhan was a fact. However, it wasn't Lord Qin himself who had made the pledge.

It was when the Liang Dynasty had first raised an army, aiming to stabilize the rear, that envoys had been sent to appease the Turkic, offering gold and silver treasures as well as setting various treaties. And the envoys had also taken the opportunity to pledge brotherhood with Tulikhan in the name of Lord Qin.