The two requests that Hua Feng had brought up did seem to be extremely reasonable, and Shen Ji gave a slight, unnoticeable sigh of relief before smiling and saying: “No problem, those requests are reasonable and are as should be. I will dispatch a few Battalions to specially protect the Peerless Battalion.”
“No, no, not just a few Battalions, but an entire Regiment… only then will that be sufficient. Furthermore, I require it to be a Heavy Infantry Regiment. Not only that, the Heavy Infantry soldiers must be equipped with tower shields.” Hua Feng smiled faintly as he said calmly.
Upon hearing his words, Shen Ji couldn’t help but furrow his brow, saying: “Battalion Commander Hua Feng, I’m afraid that will be impossible. You must know how powerful those various WanShou Empire cavalry soldiers are. Our Seventh Legion only has one Heavy Infantry Regiment, and they are of utmost importance in our tactics against the enemy’s cavalry, the bedrock for us in the battlefield. Using them just for the sole purpose of protecting and providing cover for the Peerless Battalion, that is truly too much of a waste. If I do so, not only will I be unable to answer to my superiors in the main command, I will not be able to answer to my own Seventh Legion soldiers and the Heavy Infantry Regiment themselves. In terms of the Peerless Battalion’s cover and defense, I don’t think such a degree of power is required right?”
Hua Feng said passively: “Legion Commander Shen Ji, with such words… aren’t you looking down on our Peerless Battalion? I can honestly tell the Legion Commander that as long as you let our Peerless Battalion enter the battlefield, we will instantly draw all attention from the WanShou Empire. If Legion Commander Shen Ji does not agree to my terms, then we will not risk it and enter the battlefield. After all, each and every one of our Peerless Battalion warriors are elites that our Battalion Commander Zhou has spent an enormous amount of time and painstaking effort to train and gear up.”
Shen Ji’s expression grew uglier as he heard Hua Feng’s words. A mere temporary Battalion Commander, and this fellow actually dared to threaten him? In all his years of being in the army, this was the first time.
“Battalion Commander Hua Feng, please remember that this is the Northwest Army Command. I respect Battalion Commander Zhou, but this is the Seventh Legion and I am the Legion Commander of the Seventh Legion.”
Hua Feng laughed heartily and said: “So what? Legion Commander Shen Ji, how about this, before the war actually starts, shall we have a little bet first?”
“Bet?” Shen Ji started in surprise at that sudden suggestion.
Hua Feng nodded and continued: “Very simple. You can send for that Heavy Infantry Regiment to come here and have a fight with our Peerless Battalion. We will not use our bows… five thousand of us versus ten thousand of them. Close combat brawling.”
“Ahh?” Shen Ji stared at Hua Feng, his jaw agape with surprise. In his heart, he could not help but think: Is this temporary Battalion Commander crazy? Has water leaked into his brain? Using archers to fight in close combat with Heavy Infantry soldiers, and with a numbers disadvantage? Isn’t that tantamount to suicide?
It was as if Hua Feng did not even notice the surprise and shock on Shen Ji’s face, and he continued speaking calmly: “When both sides are fighting, they will not be allowed to use any weapons, but they can still wear their armour. In that way, we can ensure safety and prevent any accidental serious injuries.”
Shen Ji looked at Hua Feng. All of a sudden, he had the strange sensation that he was being led along by the nose. Yet, if anyone were to ask him he thought the Peerless Battalion could defeat a Heavy Infantry Regiment in close combat, he could not believe it at all.
“What are the terms of the bet?” Shen Ji asked solemnly.
Hua Feng smiled faintly and said: “Very simple. If we win, I would like Legion Commander Shen Ji to do as promised… to have this Heavy Infantry Regiment to be fully in charge of our Battalion’s defense… just defense alone. I would request two Heavy Infantry soldiers to use their tower shields to protect each and every one of our Peerless Battalion warriors. On the other hand, if we lose, then in this year’s war against the WanShou Empire armies, Legion Commander Shen Ji can command us as you see fit, and we will follow suit without any noise. On top of that, we will also pay two hundred thousand gold coins as an apology to the Heavy Infantry Regiment for looking down on them. How does that proposal sound?”
Since Hua Feng had already said it, Shen Ji truly had no reason to reject it. Although he did not know why Hua Feng was so confident, or what basis he had for such confidence, if he did not agree to this, and the Heavy Infantry Regiment knew about him doing so, it would cause a lot of trouble. Archers challenging Heavy Infantry to close combat, and yet the Heavy Infantry were too cowardly to accept the challenge? That would be the ‘news’ indeed.
The army was perhaps different from others. Here, honour and face was equal to, or even greater than one’s life. Especially in terms of splendid military accomplishments and accolades, it was even more so.
“Very well, I agree. Time is of the essence… shall we set the time of the fight to be tomorrow noon then.”
“It’s a promise then.”
Hua Feng and Shen Ji’s bet swiftly spread across the entire Seventh Legion, even the entire Northwest Army. After all, such a bet and its terms were just beyond any logic or reason to any other person. Using archers to fight in close quarters combat with Heavy Armoured Infantry Units? Countless of people who heard about the bet definitely thought that Hua Feng was truly retarded.
Towards the Peerless Battalion, amongst the Seventh Legion, only the Sixteenth Regiment had some experience with them. As for the other Regiments of the Seventh Legion, they had only heard rumours about them. Of course, they had also received strict orders not to clash with the Peerless Battalion.
The war with the WanShou Empire was just about to start, and it was a rare chance to have such an entertainment to watch. As a result, the entire Northwest Army bustled with excitement.
Chapter 163 Rob the Entire Legion! (3)
Right at this moment, the Peerless Battalion actually opened ten betting stations, accepting all bets. The odds they set up were as such: Heavy Infantry Victory 1:100, Peerless Battalion Victory, 1:1.
Such an action, without a doubt it truly angered the Heavy Infantry Regiment. At the same time, the entire Northwest Army burst into an uproar.
By daring to open bets with such stakes, it was without a doubt that the Peerless Battalion had absolute confidence in themselves. At the same time, it was also a powerful provocation to the Heavy Infantry Regiment.
Some of the more simple-minded immediately rushed to set their bets. In their minds, since someone was willing to gift them with money, how could they not accept it?
Those slightly more clever felt that this action by the Peerless Battalion was just to anger their opponents and to strive for some possible advantages through that. None of them actually thought that it was the Peerless Battalion actually being confident in their own abilities.
In that short period of time, there were those who quickly placed their bets, and those who stood back watching. The reason why so many were just watching was because they did not believe that the Peerless Battalion would be able to actually pay out such a bet.
However, that night alone, all those doubts were swiftly dispelled. No one knew where the Peerless Battalion got a huge sum of gold, forming a pile of gold at each of the ten betting stations, like a small mountain, each heavily guarded by many soldiers.
With that, the entire Seventh Legion exploded into action, and the number of people placing bets increased in an exponential explosion.
Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 157-Chapter 207)
Tang Jia San Shao's books
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 1 (Chapter 1 - Chapter 7)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 2 (Chapter 8 - Chapter 14)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 3 (Chapter 15 - Chapter 21)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 4 (Chapter 22 - Chapter 24)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 5 (Chapter 25 - Chapter 35)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 6 (Chapter 36 - Chapter 54)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 55-Chapter 105)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 106-Chapter 156)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 208-Chapter 258)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 259-Chapter 308)