Chapter 108: Already Won |
Shuofeng and Wuwei—though they were Northern Liang's two most important cities, the difference between them was immense.
Like comparing an energy city to a city of time.
Taking the energy city mattered because of its tremendous strategic significance.
Taking the city of time was purely because it was the last city the locomotive tribe had left.
Low and fragile walls meant that after the pillars, moats, towers, gates, and barbicans all failed, all that remained was a bloody fight to the death.
The gates at both the south and north had been smashed to pieces, so the Yu army simply sealed them with stones, blocking off this vulnerability—but also this space for tactical resistance—banning it entirely.
Now the siege had devolved into mutual arrow suppression and covering fire, along with climbing the walls to hack at each other.
As the one handling logistics and city management, Song Shi'an certainly wouldn't kill enemies personally, but he also wouldn't turtle up and hide in the city. He would definitely command the overall situation personally from the streets, so Ji Yuan figured he'd try his luck to see if he could just kill him directly.
But failing to kill him on sight and allowing him to become alert meant there'd be no chance of killing him later.
Of course, some might have turtled away in hiding, but it didn't matter.
No one had such strong conviction that the meaning of their life was to complete the emperor's orders.
In ancient times, without anyone supervising the battle, ninety-eight percent of soldiers would flee every time they fought.
The ones who didn't flee weren't loyal—they were the officers.
Learning that Song Shi'an was fine, Xinyue and Wei Wusheng completely relaxed.
Zhu Qing actually wasn't too worried.
Having accepted that solid gold crouching tiger from his father, he definitely had to do something.
Sending his own aide to Song Shi'an was what he could do.
Though San Gou looked young and somewhat lean, he'd already fought over a dozen battles, and among the thousand Forbidden Army troops under Zhu Qing's command, his individual combat ability could be said to be among the top.
Especially his archery—it was quite exquisite.
That kid's hands were terrifyingly steady. As long as the enemy didn't kill their way right up to him, he could decisively loose an arrow.
When he met Zhu Qing by the bonfire below the city walls that night, Song Shi'an also nodded slightly, expressing his gratitude.
He didn't know how much money Zhu Qing had taken from Old Song, but lending him his trusted aide showed he'd truly taken the matter seriously.
"Three days without taking the city—will Ji Yuan retreat?" Qin Kuo asked.
"But an offensive like this won't come again," Zhu Qing said. "To defend the city, we even brought out precious things like heavy cavalry. If he keeps being 'neither painful nor itchy,' that'd really be too much."
"We still need to prepare for street fighting," Wang Dalong said. "This Shuofeng is already precarious as wind and rain."
"Shi'an, you must protect yourself well," Wei Wusheng said to him. "Without you, people's hearts will scatter."
Once casualties reached twenty percent, an army could collapse in formation.
And the common people had even less discipline—they basically relied entirely on government orders and authority, plus the fact that Ji Yuan had 'slaughtered' cities, cutting off their escape routes.
But with half the people dead and still no popular uprising—that could truly be called a miracle.
Everyone knew the reason.
Xinyue knew it more truly than everyone else.
That figure in the wind and rain that day had already won the people's hearts.
In ancient times, making common people grateful was actually quite simple—officials just had to treat them slightly like human beings, and that was enough.
"With San Gou here, I'm very safe." Song Shi'an nodded, without a trace of fear. "Even if I really do die, it doesn't matter."
These words made everyone look at him together.
Song Shi'an revealed a slightly relaxed, shallow smile: "Actually, we've already won."
.........
In the Qi army commander's main tent, Ji Yuan sat alone in his seat.
When Chen Xing entered, he spoke in a low voice: "Your Majesty."
"Mm."
Ji Yuan was extremely calm, his expression without any ripple.
Shuofeng could no longer be taken.
It wasn't that there wasn't enough time remaining.
On the contrary, there might still be over a month until winter arrived.
It was just that military morale had reached its nadir.
Declaring he'd slaughter the city within three days had its benefits—it gave the soldiers something to look forward to.
The emperor himself had said that if they fought desperately within these three days, they could take Shuofeng.
Once they took it, they wouldn't have to die anymore.
The downside was that if they failed to take it, for the soldiers, their future became void and formless—only endless death remained.
Everyone's blood would run dry.
Shuofeng sat upon red earth.
Five-star general MacArthur once said: "Boys, you'll be home by Christmas."
He really did say that.
And Christmas became a turning point for American military morale.
At this moment, the Qi army's morale, which had never been high to begin with, plummeted to rock bottom.
"Your Majesty, even if we take Shuofeng now, it'll just be a pile of ruins."
Seeing Ji Yuan's hesitation, Chen Xing went along with it.
"Zhen knows." Ji Yuan also looked at him, saying, "Even if we take Shuofeng, there's no point in garrisoning troops there."
"Then what does Your Majesty intend?" Chen Xing asked in confusion.
"Wei Wusheng and Song Shi'an—these two must die in Shuofeng."
This was Ji Yuan's only objective now.
Though he had great ambitions, he wasn't arrogantly overconfident.
If there was a simple path to unification, he would definitely take it.
Even if he didn't believe these two were truly his opponents.
Wei Wusheng and Song Shi'an dying in Shuofeng.
The Yu nation's hearts in turmoil.
Wei Ye was already aged and would have to make a decision about establishing an heir quickly.
The Prince of Jin and Prince of Wu fighting each other—he just needed to wait quietly for the moment Wei Ye died, then march his troops south.
If not accomplishing it all in one battle, at least he could conquer a vast swath of territory.
As long as the two nations' power was balanced.
Whether it was that Prince of Jin or the Prince of Wu, who could be his opponent?
"As long as I kill these two war hawks, those Yu people will fear Zhen for the rest of their lives!"
Ji Yuan was enraged.
What he wanted to break in this battle was the Yu nation's backbone.
Chen Xing understood.
The emperor still wanted to fight.
"Have Huang Lin in the east withdraw from Wulei in an orderly manner," Ji Yuan said.
"As you command." Chen Xing responded, though his face showed confusion.
"Then, select a thousand light cavalry."
With resolute eyes, Ji Yuan decided: "Zhen will personally make a flanking maneuver to attack the false Yu relief army."
.........
"Aiya! How foolish!"
In the military command room, having received the intelligence, Zhao Lie was so angry his teeth itched.
The Emperor and the Duke of Li's moods were also somewhat heavy.
At the front, they'd lost another battle.
But this defeat wasn't fought at Shuofeng.
After declaring he'd slaughter the city in three days but failing to take Shuofeng, the Qi army stopped attacking the city.
The entire army was regrouping.
And they were quietly retreating in batches.
At the same time, Huang Lin's forces in the east also withdrew from Wulei, contracting in an orderly manner with their main force covering the rear to prevent Yu army harassment.
Based on the observed intelligence, the relief army's commanding general who'd entered Northern Liang through Qiya Valley reached a conclusion—the Qi army was retreating.
Therefore, he requisitioned livestock, brought grain and uniforms, departed from the main camp, and marched in formation to join forces with Wei Wusheng at Shuofeng.
But just after they'd completely left their camp, suddenly a thousand light cavalry appeared from who knows where, flanked them, and struck hard at their center, flying Ji Yuan's banner, instantly routing this army.
Three thousand were beheaded, and the remaining seven thousand-plus remnants could only flee back to camp in disarray.
Ji Yuan also built a viewing mound from skulls.
"Even if retreating, couldn't he have waited until Ji Yuan had completely left, crossed the river, before going to join forces with the Sixth Prince? Why was he in such a rush?"
Zhao Lie was so angry he already felt some hatred.
"Zhen understands this thinking."
At this time, the Emperor spoke to explain: "Wusheng defended Shuofeng and gained such heavenly merit. The relief army's commanding general, having not loosed a single arrow, felt he'd established no merit at all, so he wanted to be the first to rendezvous, bringing grain and supplies to curry favor with Wusheng."
With this explanation, both nobles sighed.
This Great Yu had too many wine sacks and rice bags.
"When a battle's finished and won, rushing over to help sweep and cook—that can earn merit? When did Great Yu's merit become so easy to obtain?"
After saying these words, Zhao Lie suddenly froze.
Great Yu's merit really was that easy to obtain.
And it started with the sons of nobles.
They didn't need to fight battles—they just needed to be present when the fighting was done, have some connection however slight, and they could be allocated some merit, then rise through the ranks.
"With this battle's victory, he's recovered some military morale." The Duke of Li guessed Ji Yuan's thinking. "He absolutely must take Shuofeng."
"A city like this, able to hold for over three months." The relief army's incompetence gave Zhao Lie a trace of respect for Shuofeng's resilience. "The Sixth Prince—what a pity."
"You're flattering him too now." The Emperor smiled. "Did he defend Shuofeng?"
"This subject, this subject isn't flattering." Zhao Lie said somewhat awkwardly. "In this battle, the Sixth Prince truly was important."
"Yes, without him, there'd be no Song Shi'an either." The Emperor had to acknowledge this point.
And moreover, it should be this way.
How could a subject's merit overshadow a prince's?
This was universal truth.
But as emperor, he couldn't truly think this way.
If he deliberately ignored Song Shi'an, there would only be one final outcome—you Wei family can play by yourselves.
"Originally thought this battle would have an upper limit of a hundred thousand deaths." The Duke of Li predicted. "If Ji Yuan still doesn't retreat, casualties might approach a hundred twenty thousand."
"His hundred thousand troops might lose thirty-five thousand, maybe even close to forty thousand." Zhao Lie couldn't help but feel a trace of anticipation. "The pit Zhao Xiang dug is being filled by Shuofeng."
"The city hasn't been defended yet."
The Emperor gently reminded them not to pop the champagne, then raised his head as if seeing Northern Liang's sky: "May this snow fall earlier."
.........
"This Ji Yuan really is trash!" Sun Heng was so angry he pounded the table. "The Sixth Prince who's never led troops, and a scholar Song Shi'an—he still can't take them?"
"Didn't Ji Yuan defeat Zhao Xiang and Han Yuan?" Sun Yan glanced at him, warning: "You should clearly recognize that Song Shi'an is absolutely not an ordinary person."
"If he's not an ordinary person, then letting someone like this return to Sheng'an..." Sun Heng said uneasily. "We won't have peace."
Sun Yan shook his head, then prayed: "May this frost fall later."
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