Rebirth and Reversal of Fortune

Chapter 290 Pre-battle Preparations, Psychological Tactics

Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling meticulously prepared for all aspects of the pre-battle work, including material preparation, personnel allocation, and tactical planning.

In the Hou mansion's storeroom, Su Jinxiu was carefully taking inventory of the supplies. Her brows furrowed slightly as she said to the steward beside her, "The grain reserves are still insufficient; we need to find a way to purchase more."

The butler wiped the sweat from his brow and replied, "Madam, there is a shortage of food on the market right now, and prices have been driven up quite a bit."

Su Jinxiu pondered for a moment and said, "No matter what, we must ensure that the soldiers have enough food on the battlefield."

Meanwhile, Xiao Ling was busy coordinating personnel on the training ground. His sharp eyes scrutinized the condition of each soldier.

"You will lead a team to defend the left flank," Xiao Ling said, pointing to a general.

"Yes!" The general clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.

"And you, lead your men as the vanguard and charge into battle," Xiao Ling continued, issuing orders.

In the study, Xiao Ling and Su Jinxiu sat with several strategists, discussing tactics.

"The strength of this mysterious organization should not be underestimated; we must take them by surprise," an advisor said.

Xiao Ling nodded. "I plan to draw their attention on the main battlefield, and then send a surprise force to attack from the rear."

Su Jinxiu added, "But we must be careful to keep the operation of the surprise force secret and not let the mysterious organization find out."

Just then, a scout rushed in to report: "Sir, Madam, the mysterious organization seems to have made a new move."

Xiao Ling's expression hardened. "Speak quickly!"

The scout, panting heavily, said, "They've amassed more troops outside the city, and it seems they have new weapons."

Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling exchanged a glance, their feelings of pressure increasing even more.

In order to obtain more information about the mysterious organization, Xiao Ling decided to send his most elite spies deep into the enemy camp.

However, this was an extremely dangerous mission; a slight misstep could mean the scouts would never return.

"You are all brave warriors of the Marquis's mansion, so be careful on your journey," Xiao Ling said to the scouts who were about to depart.

The spies replied in unison, "Rest assured, sir, we will not fail in our mission!"

During the preparations, the Marquis's residence also faced some internal problems. Some soldiers deserted due to fear of the upcoming battle.

Upon learning of this, Xiao Ling personally went to calm the soldiers down.

"Brothers, we are fighting for justice, to protect our families and homes. As long as we are united, we will surely defeat the enemy!" Xiao Ling's words were full of power.

The soldiers' morale gradually recovered, and they reaffirmed their determination to fight.

The collection of supplies encountered numerous difficulties, with some suppliers refusing to provide supplies to the Marquis's residence out of fear of retaliation from the mysterious organization.

Su Jinxiu had no choice but to use the Marquis's family's long-standing connections to plead for help everywhere, and even personally visit suppliers to persuade them.

Finally, thanks to the tireless efforts of Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling, the pre-battle preparations were nearing completion.

But on the eve of the great battle, the Marquis's mansion received another shocking message.

The mysterious organization has colluded with a powerful figure in the imperial court, attempting to undermine the alliance from within.

On the eve of the decisive battle, they also employed psychological tactics, spreading rumors to disrupt the morale of the mysterious organization. Su Jinxiu knew that this battle was not only a contest of strength but also a psychological battle. Therefore, after discussing with Xiao Ling, she decided to send some clever and discreet subordinates to disguise themselves and infiltrate towns and villages near the mysterious organization to secretly spread rumors detrimental to them.

These rumors were meticulously crafted. Some claimed that the leader of the mysterious organization had already fallen victim to the court's divisive tactics, creating a rift with several key figures within the organization and leading to numerous internal conflicts. Others asserted that the mysterious power relied upon by the organization was actually an evil curse that would bring annihilation to its users, with many members recently dying mysteriously as a result. These rumors, seemingly plausible yet difficult to verify, gradually spread within the areas controlled by the mysterious organization.

Upon hearing these rumors, members of the mysterious organization inevitably felt doubt and panic. Some ordinary members began to discuss the matter privately, worrying about the organization's future. Even the higher-ups couldn't help but feel suspicious upon hearing these rumors, and the level of trust among them decreased.

To make the rumors more credible, Su Jinxiu arranged for some "witnesses." After being captured by the mysterious organization, these "witnesses" pretended to be terrified and embellished the rumors, making the members of the mysterious organization believe them even more.

However, the mysterious organization was not entirely oblivious. They quickly realized this might be a psychological tactic by their adversaries, so they tightened internal controls, strictly forbidding members from discussing these rumors in private, and dispatched personnel to trace the source of the rumors.

After learning about the mysterious organization's countermeasures, Xiao Ling smiled slightly and said, "They're feeling guilty. The more they act like this, the more it shows that our psychological tactics are working." Su Jinxiu nodded in agreement, "However, we can't let our guard down. We need to continue to find ways to intensify our psychological offensive."

So they came up with another plan. Su Jinxiu ordered the production of anonymous leaflets detailing the mysterious organization's past misdeeds and the potential retribution they might receive. These leaflets were secretly distributed around the organization's camp, and some were even delivered to its members.

Upon seeing the leaflets, the members of the mysterious organization felt even more uneasy. They began to reflect on their actions, and their loyalty to the organization was severely tested. Some members who were already wavering even began to consider leaving the organization altogether.

Meanwhile, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling deliberately leaked some false battle plans, leading the mysterious organization to believe they would launch an attack at a specific time and place. To counter this potential attack, the mysterious organization was forced to adjust its troop deployment, resulting in some vulnerabilities in their defenses.

Taking advantage of the situation, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling dispatched small groups of troops to launch harassing attacks on some of the mysterious organization's weak points. Although these attacks did not cause significant losses to the mysterious organization, they further disrupted their morale and deployment.

The leader of the mysterious organization was furious. He knew that if things continued this way, the organization would fall into chaos before the official decisive battle even began. Therefore, he ordered increased security and launched a major purge within the organization, attempting to identify those members who might have been bribed or misled by Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling.

However, his move backfired. Many innocent members were implicated, causing widespread fear within the organization and further demoralizing the members.

In this situation, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling decided to press their advantage. They spread rumors again, claiming that the imperial court had dispatched an elite force to join the allied forces in a pincer attack on the mysterious organization during the final battle. This rumor plunged the members of the mysterious organization into despair, as they began to fear that they might be wiped out in the final battle.

As the day of the decisive battle drew closer, the morale of the mysterious organization had been thrown into disarray. Meanwhile, the allied forces led by Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling were high in morale and brimming with confidence. They believed that in this battle of psychological warfare and military might, they had gained the upper hand, and the scales of victory were gradually tipping in their favor.

But at this moment, the mysterious organization suddenly sent a shocking message, forcing Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling to re-examine their battle plan.