Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors

At this moment, Jie Li Khan felt precisely that way.

His intelligence system had clearly been crushed by Lord Qin, who understood the Turkic way of thinking well, knew the conflict between Jie Li Khan and Tulikhan, yet Jie Li Khan was completely ignorant of the current low morale within the Liang Army, and the conflict between Lord Qin and Prince Qi.

Thus, faced with the false show of strength staged by Lord Qin, he admitted defeat completely.

Firstly, he claimed, "I led over a hundred thousand men braving the rain with no other intention but to reconfirm the previous alliance with you, Lord Qin," and then he retraced his steps with his Cavalry down from Wulong Slope, retiring to a camp further away.

Just like that, Lord Qin had achieved his goal of subduing the enemy without fighting.

Given the circumstances at the time, it was impossible to truly engage in battle or show weakness to the enemy; there wasn't a better solution to be found.

Having returned to Binzhou State with his troops, the soldiers, weary from the long journey, finally had time to take shelter and rest in the houses.

The troops had no particular reaction to the nearly supernatural maneuvers of Lord Qin.

Only individuals like Li Hongyun would get overly excited about replicating Lord Qin's actions, as his soldiers had long grown accustomed to witnessing such divine strategies.

However, it was clear that the mission was not yet completed.

The Turkic forces had merely withdrawn from Wulong Slope and no longer eyed Binzhou State with predatory intent. But with an army of over a hundred thousand still encamped nearby, battle could still erupt.

Li Hongyun allowed the troops who had traveled long distances to rest and eat in the city, maintaining their weapons while convening all of his commanders to discuss the next course of action.

Meanwhile, the faint drizzle that had been falling had begun to intensify, gradually turning into a torrential downpour.

The commanders under Lord Qin remained fully armored, while on Prince Qi's side, the damp armor had already been removed in exchange for regular attire.

"Although the Turkic people have retreated to their camp, they obviously have no intention of withdrawing their forces.

"What do you all think?" Li Hongyun surveyed those present.

A commander respectfully responded, "We follow only your Highness's commands!"

Clearly, the commanders had great trust in Lord Qin.

Lord Qin's previous display of strategic brilliance had left the commanders in awe, and under the current situation, most of them could not think of a particularly good strategy.

Prince Qi was momentarily taken aback, quickly adding, "Big brother, let's take this slowly!

"The rain is getting heavier, and the roads are wet and muddied. How can we fight in such weather? In my opinion, if this heavy rain continues for a few more days, the Turkic people might just retreat on their own.

"It's best for us to wait patiently within Binzhou State at least until the rain lets up a bit..."

It was clear he had resigned himself to a good night's sleep within Binzhou State that evening.

Li Hongyun disregarded his suggestion, stating, "The Turkic's reliance is nothing more than their horses and bows. Now, the heavy rain and muddied roads greatly reduce the mobility of their horses; the bowstrings are soaked, weakening their force and accuracy.

"While our army has rested and taken shelter in Binzhou State, with a roof over our heads and warm meals, our combat strength has rapidly been restored.

"Though our archers and cavalry will also be affected, our strengths lie with armor and lances. At close quarters, we have an immense advantage!

"When the Turkic forces occupied Wulong Slope, with the high ground at their advantage and ready to fight at their leisure, we could not confront them head-on. Now that they have retreated, their morale has fallen and their fighting spirit has weakened; this is when they are at their most lax.

"If we do not seize this opportunity to strike, when will there ever be a better chance?

"When the weather clears and the Turkic Cavalry can freely roam again, how much of a chance will we stand if we decide to engage them in battle then?"

Having said this, he turned to Prince Qi, "I'll leave two thousand men with you to guard Binzhou State, ready to act at dawn, awaiting my command!

"Other commanders, relay the order to gather the troops. At midnight tonight, we sally forth from the city, storming straight into the Turkic camp!"

In the Turkic camp at this moment,

Many of the Turkic people had already fallen asleep in their tents, lulled by the torrential rain, while Tulikhan remained awake.

The continuous travel had been just as harsh on the Turkic folk.

Unlike the Liang Army, who could take shelter and cook in the houses of Binzhou State, they could only manage to find a dry spot to sleep in their makeshift tents.

The relentless heavy rain lashings on the tents, the leaks, and dampness made it hard for the Turkic people to rest.

But having called upon an army of a hundred and fifty thousand to march south, without achieving any significant loot, Jie Li Khan certainly wasn't content with retreating in silence.

The deployment at Wulong Slope was originally meant to lie in wait at ease, intending to completely shatter the fighting spirit of the Liang Army.

If the Liang Army cowered and withdrew to Binzhou State, the Turkic forces would have been emboldened to continue their unbridled advance; if the Liang Army stubbornly chose to engage, with the advantages of both season and terrain, and a numerical superiority, the Turkic chances of victory were significant.

But unexpectedly, Lord Qin's domineering maneuvers, strutting and dominating the scene in front of the Turkic forces, had caused Jie Li Khan to lose face and forced his retreat.

With the morale of the Turkic people deeply compromised, coupled with the mounting rain, they had no choice but to huddle in their tents, waiting for clear skies.

The rainfall showed no signs of abating anytime soon, but if the weather cleared within two or three days, the Turkic people could regroup and seize the opportunity for a grand battle against the Liang Army.

However, at this time, what Tulikhan considered was not the prospect of a grand battle with the Liang Army—that, after all, was up to Jie Li Khan to decide.