“Chen Xiaolai, you will be responsible for taking good care of Lord Ye on this trip.” After Liu Yong earnestly instructed a soldier dressed in the uniform of the Guards Battalion, he leisurely went off to the side to drink tea and read. This was also one of the benefits of traveling by airship. While in the air, the guards, who were usually on edge, could get a good night's sleep. For the time being, nothing could threaten them. During the smooth and quiet flight, Ye Tao was quite busy, always having things to do. When the work he brought onto the airship was finished, he needed to focus his mind on future plans. During these two days or so on the airship, Ye Tao needed a batman, not a guard. This time, this soldier named Chen Xiaolai was honored to take on this mission.

Chen Xiaolai didn't know that being Ye Tao's batman was the most boring job in the Guards Battalion, usually assigned to newcomers like him. He was flushed with excitement at the prospect of serving Ye Tao all the way. Chen Xiaolai had initially joined the Veterans' Camp at the Fifth Veterans' Farm. When the Veterans' Camp was not yet a main combat unit, he was selected by the Jingyun Cavalry's archer cavalry camp during the last transfer of soldiers to various units because of his excellent archery skills and horsemanship, becoming one of the only 20% of Han soldiers in that camp. Subsequently, he was selected by the Close Guard Cavalry Camp due to his outstanding training performance and handsome appearance. A few months later, when Ye Tao's guard team was officially upgraded to the Guards Battalion, he was selected again during the expansion. This step-by-step journey was like a dream. His friends who had joined the Veterans' Camp at the same time were now extremely envious of him. Being able to enter the Guards Battalion meant that their appearance, physique, physical fitness, combat skills, drill code, and most importantly, their loyalty to Yunzhou and Ye Tao, could withstand scrutiny. The soldiers of the Guards Battalion not only received generous monthly salaries, but it was also easier for their families to find them wives compared to soldiers from other units. But for these young men who were born in Yunzhou and had enjoyed many years of peace and prosperity, the most important thing was that they finally had the opportunity to serve Ye Tao.

Chen Xiaolai always carried in his arms the handbook that was distributed to every soldier when he first entered the Veterans' Camp. The full name of the handbook was "Northern Frontier Pacification Command Headquarters Soldier Points Handbook." According to the officers, this was a record of each soldier's contribution to Yunzhou. What they did, and how well they did it, would be evaluated. If they had any opinions or suggestions for the Northern Frontier Pacification Command or any of its subordinate institutions, they could freely express them. In addition to the pages used to record points, the handbook mainly introduced the philosophy of Yunzhou's governance and the requirements for soldiers. What most captivated Chen Xiaolai was the phrase printed on the flyleaf of each book, exactly the same in the hands of soldiers and minor officials alike: "We admire a career dedicated to a lifetime of focus, and even more, we praise a free and unrestrained soul." This sentence had already inspired many people, and now it was inspiring Chen Xiaolai.

Chen Xiaolai wasn't particularly enthusiastic about a place like the Guards Battalion. He preferred to serve in the main combat battalions. Having had experience in the Jingyun Cavalry's archer cavalry camp, he longed for the battlefield even more. He understood very well that the Guards Battalion was just a transition in his military experience. In addition to service duties, various further studies and training were constantly being carried out in the Guards Battalion. Chen Xiaolai was told when he entered the Guards Battalion that he would stay in the Guards Battalion for at most a year and a half. Subsequently, he would return to the troops in the several states under the Northern Frontier Pacification Command as a junior officer, serving as a low-level military officer. This was also one aspect of the Northern Frontier's preparations for war. The Guards Battalion was a unit that was difficult for anyone else to spy on. Except for the soldiers who took turns guarding Ye Tao and his family, the other parts of the Guards Battalion were training in Yejiabao (Ye Family Fort), and everyone in Yejiabao, from the inside out, was trustworthy. Even many of the servants in the residence were originally from the Internal Affairs Office, the Yunzhou Dai family, recommended by Old Man Qi, or Jianghu (martial world) people introduced by Liu Yong. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. In the past, spies from Xiling and Beiliao had even tried to infiltrate, but they all gave up after a short time. When the old man in his sixties who looked sickly at the gate had the skills of a quasi-first-class master, and the young man in the branch office of the Communications Bureau could simultaneously receive and send two telegrams with his left and right hands, this was really not a target that could be attempted.

"Someone..." Ye Tao's call brought Chen Xiaolai back from his reverie. He quickly pushed open the door of the cabin. "Lord, what are your orders?"

"At the next stop, send these letters. And these telegrams." On the airship, the lighting was absolutely sufficient. Outside was bright sunlight, but Ye Tao's cabin was piled with all kinds of documents and files, making the atmosphere a bit oppressive. Chen Xiaolai took the stack of documents and said earnestly, "Yes, Lord. I will definitely do it well for you."

"Thank you," Ye Tao nodded. Suddenly, the airship shook violently, and the things Chen Xiaolai had just received scattered all over the floor. The next moment, Liu Yong had rushed out of the cabin and was at Ye Tao's side.

"Pilot, what's going on?" Ye Tao asked into the speaking tube.

"Lord, the Xue Xiao (Snow Owl) airship ahead has discovered a battle ahead and is notifying us to make an emergency evasion," came a muffled voice from the speaking tube.

"Go take a look, don't turn, prepare for battle," Ye Tao ordered steadily.

Protecting Ye Tao was their top priority, but nothing could really threaten Ye Tao's airborne flagship. They were flying at a very low altitude, indeed within the range of some divine archers, but these airships were not balloons that could be punctured with a single poke. The pilot and signalman executed the order, and the entire squadron adjusted back to its original course, slowly rising a little.

Seeing that Chen Xiaolai had cleaned up all the documents on the floor, sorted and put them away, Liu Yong grunted and asked, "Chen Xiaolai, are you sure these documents won't be mixed up? It would be a big trouble if they were."

Chen Xiaolai said calmly, "That's right, I saw clearly which folder that piece of paper fell out of." If Chen Xiaolai knew that Ye Tao and Liu Yong were now racking their brains, wondering if they should get him to work in paperwork, he would definitely regret revealing himself so confidently. But the next moment, he received Liu Yong's order: "Pack up the documents and prepare for battle. Time for some mysterious tricks."

Chen Xiaolai suppressed his excitement and replied, "Yes."

Ye Tao and Liu Yong entered the front cabin, wanting to see the situation below through the treetops. Sure enough, there was a small-scale battle going on not far ahead. Both sides were wearing civilian clothes, the kind of arrangement you see with merchants transporting important goods, with minor officials and bodyguards. But this small battle was fierce and unusually dangerous.

"One side should be from the West Route Army. Look at their swordsmanship... Hehe, how dare the West Route Army be so bold as to run into our territory? Lord, next time we have to beat Gao Senqi that kid properly." Liu Yong said very easily.

"Uncle Liu, help me put on my armor." Ye Tao looked at the situation below. The two sides added up to nearly five hundred people, which was quite spectacular, and he felt a surge of excitement in his heart.

"Alright." Liu Yong shrugged. Vertical troop deployment by airship was now a very mature technique. Ye Tao had initially demonstrated it to the airship team. And Ye Tao's nature wasn't one to rashly take risks on a whim. Plus, with the protection of masters like them, there was absolutely no problem with going to loosen up his muscles.

When the airship team appeared directly from the rear of the West Route Army with rocket-propelled acceleration, the soldiers of the West Route Army began to get a little confused. They had been at an absolute advantage, but now they were losing their footing and couldn't suppress it. Adventurously penetrating deep into Dongping and Yunzhou had already made them very nervous. And now, the opponents had arrived, and directly the Xue Xiao (Snow Owl) airship, which they had only seen sketches of in intelligence reports.

The airships dived, decelerated, and then ropes were lowered one by one. Guards, Liu Yong, and Ye Tao slid down the ropes. They immediately launched an assault from the rear of the West Route Army. Although those who had penetrated deep into Yunzhou were undoubtedly the best of the West Route Army, they were equally vulnerable in front of Liu Yong and the other guards. Chen Xiaolai, carrying two quivers of arrows, wearing archer armor, and with a light curved blade tucked into his waist, was actually fighting on the front lines. His rate of fire was very fast, and his aiming points were very ruthless. Most of the West Route Army soldiers were knocked down before they could even rush up to him. A West Route Army soldier pounced on Chen Xiaolai, this killing machine, from the top of a tree, but was blasted away by Liu Yong, who had caught up from the side. When he saw Liu Yong, a burly middle-aged man shouted, "Quick, retreat north... This is Ye Tao's Guards!"

The name of the Guards had increasingly intimidated these West Route Army soldiers. Under the assault of the guards, their retreat was somewhat chaotic. Ye Tao, on the other hand, was like a fish in water in this chaotic drama. The armor he wore provided all-around protection, and the enemies were in a panic, their blows were even weaker, quickly allowing Ye Tao to experience the joy of "exercise." However, after all, these airborne troops did not have horses, and some West Route Army soldiers still scattered and fled.

"Xue Xiao airships, one divine archer per ship, search and kill separately. Yunzhou No. 1, go to the nearest mooring station and notify all locations to conduct a search and capture. Quickly!" Ye Tao shouted loudly at Yunzhou No. 1, which had already landed on the ground.

"Yunzhou No. 1?" The group that was rescued, who looked like a merchant caravan, had collapsed to the ground from exhaustion, but when they heard the name Yunzhou No. 1, an old man with a full beard, regardless of the knife wound on his arm, almost rolled in front of them. "Is Lord Ye here? Where is Lord Ye?"