Soldiers on the Warpath is the 500th chapter of the Kingdom manga, written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara.
Summary
In the eleven year of reign, the Qin army of 200,000 of the combined Ou Sen Army, Kan Ki Army, and the Yo Tan Wa Army set out for the lands of Zhao.
Zhao HQ - Buhaku Castle
Two messengers arrive with urgent reports and tell Ri Boku, that a Qin army of 200,000 soldiers has set out from Kanyou. Under the command of Kan Ki, Yo Tan Wa, the mountain ruler of the western tribes, and Ou Sen. The assumed target is Kokuyou.
Before they decide any tactical maneuvers, Ri Boku states that the good Shou Hei Kun has made the right conclusion when he set out a decisive blow against Zhao. They also realize that if they win this battle, the chances for Qin to unify China will also be lost. With that, Ri Boku orders Kaine to send a request to Kantan for General Ko Chou, the Guardian Deity of the Royal Capital", to join them at the western border and to also summon General Ki Sui who is stationed at the city of Kai. He also orders Fu Tei to relocate 10,000 additional soldiers to Buhaku castle. Shun Sui Ju volunteers to go monitor the Qin's movements and supply chains.
March of the Qin army
On the march, Shin is riding in front of his men and enjoying the feeling of holding General Ou Ki's podao but En, who is looking for Ten, asks him where she is. An annoyed Shin tells him that she is at the rear.
At the rear, Ten speaks with Yo Tan Wa to discuss about how they’ll fight together in the campaign and asks the mountain king to allow freedom of movement for the Hi Shin Unit as they’re the type that needs a certain degree of it to exhibit their true capabilities. And that any plans center around them wouldn’t be the best, but Yo Tan Wa is already fully aware of that and tells Ten that there’s no need to worry which surprises her. All the same, Yo Tan Wa says that all of them have grown into quite the figures and thinks back to their first meeting as it was just the three of Shin, Sei, and Ten who came to seek her help years ago during Sei Kyou’s Rebellion.
Ten, smiling, remembers but corrects the mountain king that it was the four of them with Heki being there, too. Back then, Ten couldn’t have imagined her life taking such a drastic turn and assumes the same for Shin and Sei but Yo Tan Wa isn’t so sure. When she first saw Ei Sei’s eyes all those years ago, she was inclined to believe that he would come this far. As Ten is about to agree she cuts herself as she sees the Kan Ki Army’s rearguard and wonders what they’re doing as they left such a big gap before following them into the north passage, and they caught up. Ten chastise them on their slowness but Yo Tan Wa disagrees that it isn’t because the Kan Ki Army is slow, it’s that the Hi Shin Unit, serving the as the vanguard for the mountain king’s army, is simply faster.
Yo Tan Wa tells Ten that she shouldn’t be so tense as she and Shou Bun Kun have been the ones to be on edge since the start of the campaign. When you act unnaturally anxious like that, it’s guaranteed to be passed down onto your soldiers as well. And be noticed by your enemy.
The mountain king then reminds Ten that the attack on Gyou will consists with the Qin armies acting as it they plan to attack western Zhao from Kokuyou, baiting them into concentrating their defenses on the west, and then suddenly change their heading midway, striking their way deep into the inner regions of Zhao in a single push.
If the Zhao were to quickly notice their feint and move to instead fortify Kantan’s defenses, then it will become nigh impossible for them to get anywhere near the capital or even Gyou. In other words, the very phase of this battle will be how long they can keep Ri Boku in the dark as to their true target of Gyou. It is only until they switch headings from Kokuyou to Gyou that time and speed will become of the essence. And until that moment comes, they shouldn’t give off any impressions of being overly twitchy. Which is why Ten must put on airs as if this were another battle like any other for Ri Boku is their opponent after all. Ten thanks Yo Tan Wa for the advice.
Zhao's Spy network
It is seen that the Zhao already have spies in the Qin supply chain. Their reports reach general Shuu Sui Ju who adds them together and comes to the conclusion that Qin is really intending to attack through Koku You. This is because they send enough food there for 200'000 men.
Qin supply chain warehouses - the city of Kinan
The secret behind the Qin supply chain is that most of the food is stored at an underground warehouse in Kinan from where the supply chain to Koku You leaves. But in the supplies for Kokuyou are mainly just dirt. So, the complete supply chain which is spied on by Zhao spies is fake.
Characters
Qin
- Royal Palace
- Ei Sei (Flashback)
- Shou Hei Kun (Mentioned)
- Shou Bun Kun (Mentioned)
- Yo Tan Wa Army
- Yo Tan Wa
- Ramauji
- Toji and Fuji
- Unnamed members
- Ou Sen Army
- Ou Sen
- Unnamed officers
- Unnamed members
- Hi Shin Unit
- Shin (Flashback)/main story)
- Ka Ryo Ten (Flashback)/main story)
- En
- Den Yuu
- Unnamed others
- Gaku Ka Unit
- Mou Ten
- Unnamed members
- Gyoku Hou Unit
- Ou Hon
- Unnamed members
- Kinan City
- Unnamed members of supply team
- Unnamed workers
Zhao
- Ri Boku Army
- Ri Boku
- Shun Sui Ju
- Ba Nan Ji
- Kaine
- Fu Tei
- Unidentified strategist
- Unidentified spy
- Unnamed messengers
- Unnamed members
- Ko Chou Army
- Ko Chou (Mentioned)
- Ki Sui Army
- Ki Sui (Mentioned)
High Points
- It is the 11th year of the reign of Ei Sei.
- Ri Boku starts rallying his defenses.
- the HQ is Buhaku castle.
- Kaine: request the deployment of General Ko Chou and Ki Sui.
- Fu Tei: transfer 10,000 soldiers more to Buhaku castle.
- Shun Sui Ju: organizing the Zhao military spies.
- The Zhao believes that Region of Koku You will be the entrance point of the Qin army.
- The Hi Shin Unit is assigned to the Yo Tan Wa Army.
- Yo Tan Wa knows that the Hi Shin Unit needs its 'space', in order to be effective.
- Yo Tan Wa and Ten reminisce about the first time they met, when Sei, Shin, Heki and her went to Yo Tan Wa's castle but the mountain king forgot that Heki was there too.
Trivia
- The Qin army is being watched by Zhao spies who have infiltrated.
- The Qin has a secret underground warehouse in Kinan, where they exchange the food with dirt.
- The Qin army's plan is to move towards Koku You as a feint, then switch directions and move along the yellow river to Gyou.
- If the commanders, who know the plan act to tense, the spies will realize, that something is off.
- In that case, the Zhao might fortify the capital of Kantan.
- Ko Chou, "Guardian Deity of the Royal Capital", is mentioned for the first time.