After nightfall, there was no light in the starry night. The entire West Mountain Province was shrouded in the curtain of darkness.
In Huoxi Prefecture, a flock of crows remained silent on the withered branches. Every now and then, a flock of them would take flight. The entire Huoxi Prefecture was filled with soldiers from all directions. Yang Shang had deployed a total of 300,000 elite soldiers to ambush them here.
But after a long while, all they heard was the clamor of Zhang Wei's troops from afar. Not a single person entered Huoxi Prefecture's granaries. Not long after, beams of light descended from the sky. These were the kindling materials thrown down by the Winged Tribe. The granaries caught fire one after another. Because they had been piled up in a hurry, most of the granaries were connected together. Once the fire started, it quickly spread.
Under the tree, the distant flames illuminated Yangshang's expression. He squinted his eyes and looked into the distance. "Why haven't their aerial troops been attacked by the blades in the wind?"
Xun Xi frowned. "I don't know either. Perhaps the blades are under Feng Jixing's control."
"Put out the fire immediately. Send the cavalry to flank the enemy from behind and kill them!"
"Yes!"
…
At the same time, the camp on the banks of the Lu River was ablaze. Amidst the flames, the silhouettes of the Imperial Guards could be seen flying past. Feng Jixing was dressed in a white robe and personally led the troops to attack the camp. Wherever he passed, no one could stop him. The thirty thousand cavalrymen killed whoever they saw. They broke through three camps in a row and killed countless enemies. Feng Jixing's two sabers were already dripping with blood.
In a short two hours, the 30,000 cavalrymen had crushed the 100,000 soldiers on the banks of the river. The Imperial Army's cavalry moved like lightning, catching the enemy off guard. Originally, the Shang army had Dragon Riders as scouts. However, most of them had been killed by the wind saws, so they didn't dare to fly into the sky. As a result, they suffered a crushing defeat tonight.
Feng Jixing looked at the sky. Two hours had passed. He raised his bloodied Crimson Phoenix Saber and shouted, "Retreat! The third camp will take the lead, the second in the middle, and the third at the rear. Retreat to Xiping City at full speed!"
"Yes!"
The drums rumbled. Not many of the thirty thousand cavalrymen were killed. Like a gust of wind, they quickly disappeared into the night, leaving behind a messy Shang army campsite.
…
At daybreak, the provisions camp in Huoxi Commandery was shrouded in smoke. The fire had finally been extinguished, but a large amount of provisions had been lost.
In the central tent, Yangshang, who had received the military report, trembled. His chest was blocked, and he almost couldn't continue. He slammed the table with an ashen face and roared, "Why is it like this!? Lu River had nearly two hundred thousand infantrymen, how could they be defeated so easily? "
The commander, whose helmet was covered in blood, knelt on the ground, trembling, and said, "They came too fast, and they were all well-equipped cavalry. We didn't even receive any news before all the cavalry were killed. It was only when we heard the sound of hooves that we knew the enemy had attacked our camp, but it was already too late. Three camps were breached consecutively, and we suffered more than 60,000 casualties."
"Trash! A bunch of trash! "
Yangshang flew into a rage.
Xun Xi looked at the commander and said, "Your vigilance is too lax. What are you doing here? Are you waiting for His Majesty to chop off your head?"
"Yes, this general will take his leave …"
He hurriedly left.
"How could this be … how could this be the result?" Yangshang looked confused. "We used Huoxi Commandery as bait, with three hundred thousand soldiers as bait, but why did Feng Jixing use two hundred thousand infantrymen as bait? Is … is there such a fish in the world that would take the bait?"
Xun Xi said, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid that Marshal Chen Yu's plan has already been seen through by Feng Jixing. That's why Feng Jixing attacked while we were unprepared, killing countless of our men at Lu River."
"Chen Yu, what do you say?!" Yangshang suddenly slammed the table with a murderous aura.
Chen Yu sat there dejectedly and murmured, "This defeat is all my fault. I underestimated Feng Jixing's strategy … Your Majesty, please punish me. Chen Yu is willing to accept any punishment."
"Men, remove Marshal Chen Yu's rank and demote him to Cheji General. I will temporarily take over the position of Marshal. Xun Xi will be the military advisor of the army. Immediately devise a plan to break through Xiping City!"
"Yes!"
Chen Yu knelt there quietly. He had been demoted by two ranks in an instant, but he was not angry. Instead, he laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" Yangshang said coldly.
Chen Yu said self-deprecatingly, "I am not a match for Lin Muyu or Feng Jixing. I deserve this outcome. Your Majesty is wise."
"Hmph!"
Yangshang's gaze swept across the crowd and said, "Let's discuss what we should do next. Our rations are already running low. Furthermore, Feng Jixing is currently at the peak of his power. I'm afraid we won't be able to take down Xiping City in a short period of time."
Xun Xi said, "Marshal, Xiping City is also running low on rations. Even if Si Kongyao has hoarded a portion of rations, Xiping City's rations have always been supplied by the surrounding farms and counties. Almost every day, there are caravans transporting rations into Xiping City. However, after we besieged the city, the supply from the merchant associations and the caravans has been cut off. The rations for nearly two million people in Xiping City is not a small number. As long as we surround Xiping City, I am certain that they will collapse on their own. Feng Jixing, Lin Muyu, and the other generals from Shattered Cauldron Realm claim to be benevolent and righteous. They are not willing to eat humans, so they won't be able to hold out for long."
"Good. Immediately send orders to the surrounding counties to prepare rations. We can hold out, but Feng Jixing cannot."
"Yes!"
Yangshang's gaze turned cold. He looked at Chen Yu and said, "General Chen Yu, your hometown, Searing Han City, has always been famous for its abundance of rations. Since the frontlines no longer need you, why don't … General lead 500 cavalry back to Searing Han City and prepare rations on my behalf?"
The surrounding generals were stunned. Yangshang wanted Yangshang to be a rations officer. This was too humiliating!
"Marshal …"
Vice Commander of the Heaven's End Corps, Wei Qiyang, had an ugly expression as he called out to Chen Yu in a low voice.
Chen Yu pretended not to hear. He lowered his head and kowtowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust. I will prepare rations as soon as possible and send them to the frontlines."
"Good. Go! Give the commander's seal of the Heaven's End Corps to Wei Qiyang. The corps will be under Wei Qiyang's command for the time being. "
"Yes …"
…
At noon, in Chen Yu's tent, he had already packed up and was ready to set out.
"Hua!"
The tent flap was suddenly opened. Two generals walked in with their hands on the hilt of their swords. One of them was the temporary commander of the Heaven's End Corps, Wei Qiyang. The other had his head lowered, and his face could not be seen.
"Raise your face." Chen Yu said indifferently.
That person raised his head. Instantly, Chen Yu was shocked. "Zhou Binlong!?"
It was Zhou Binlong, the general who guarded Searing Han City and commanded the 200,000 strong Earth's End Corps.
"Yes, General."
Zhou Binlong and Wei Qiyang knelt together. "Your Majesty, we are all old subordinates of the Celestial Empire. Now that Your Majesty has suffered such humiliation, General Wei and I can't stand it anymore. As long as Your Majesty gives the order, we are willing to lead our troops to take back the entire Celestial Empire and restore the rule of our Celestial Empire."
"Are you all crazy?" Chen Yu asked indifferently.
Wei Qiyang shook his head. "We are not crazy. Your Majesty, think about it. That was then, and this is now. Back then, when Yangshang had 60,000 Celestial soldiers under his command, we naturally wouldn't be able to stop him. But now, all of Yangshang's subordinates are mortals, and we have 400,000 soldiers under our command. In addition to the garrisons of the various provinces of the Celestial Empire, we have close to a million soldiers. Why should we lower ourselves to a despicable person like Yangshang? This general has also seen the situation today. Victory and defeat are common in war. Yangshang vented his anger on Your Majesty just because he lost. Such a person is not worthy of Your Majesty's loyalty. As long as Your Majesty says the word, we are willing to shed our blood and die ten thousand times over! "
"Get up, everyone. Be careful that the walls have ears."
Chen Yu's gaze was indifferent as he said, "This matter needs to be discussed at length. Wei Qiyang, you must find a good opportunity to lead the 200,000 elites of the Heaven's End Corps back to our homeland. As for me … once I leave, I will be like a dragon returning to the sea, a bird returning to the forest. I'm afraid I will never return."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty."
Wei Qiyang's gaze was burning as he said, "This subject has just received news that Lin Muyu has already dispatched QianFeng as the chief commander, with Chen Xiaoli, Qin Yan, and Tang Zhen as the generals. They are leading a 200,000 strong army to reinforce Xiping City. They will arrive within three days. Once these 200,000 troops arrive, Feng Jixing will be able to launch a counterattack from within and without. When that time comes, the Shang army will likely fall into chaos. This subject will find an opportunity to feign defeat and lead the troops eastward to return to our homeland."
"Good!"
Chen Yu said, "Zhou Binlong, immediately dispatch a large number of troops to guard the pass outside the Forest of No Return and seal off the entire territory of the Celestial Empire. Issue my imperial edict. When Wei Qiyang returns with the Heaven's End Corps, it will be the day our Celestial Empire reclaims our homeland!"
"Yes!"
…
Phoenix Mountain was located at the border between the Lieshan Province and the Hongyan Province. It was named for the appearance of phoenixes, but that was an ancient legend. As for whether phoenixes actually existed, no one could say for sure.
Fenghuang Mountain stretched for hundreds of miles, forming a natural barrier between the two provinces. In the middle of the mountain, there was a stronghold called Fenghuang Pass. It was a huge stronghold that could accommodate a hundred thousand soldiers. Coincidentally, He Song had sent General Lin Shuang to lead a hundred thousand wolf soldiers to defend Fenghuang Pass.
On the west side of the mountain range, the two hundred thousand elites under Lin Muyu's command had already set up camp. Banners fluttered in the wind as they formed a large line. It was an astonishing sight, but they wouldn't be able to take down Phoenix Mountain in a short period of time. The defending troops of Phoenix Mountain also didn't dare to act rashly. If they were to fight in the forest, it would only take a day for the Longdan Army Camp to devour the hundred thousand Wolf Soldiers.
A cool breeze blew gently in the afternoon. Above the mountain range, Lin Muyu led Wei Chou, Si Kongyao, Situ Sen, and the others to survey the terrain. From afar, Phoenix Pass looked like a colossus entrenched in the valley. The height of the fortress was at least twenty-five meters, which was very frightening. Moreover, the walls were all made of hard rocks mined from the ground, so one could imagine how sturdy it was.
"How many Magic Crystal Cannons do we have?" Lin Muyu asked.
"Two hundred and twenty cannons." Wei Chou replied.
"Do you think that two hundred Magic Crystal Cannons can destroy Phoenix Pass?" He asked.
"It will be difficult."
Si Kongyao shook her head and said, "Brother, look, the outer wall of Phoenix Pass has a total of three layers. Our Magic Crystal Cannons can at most penetrate two layers. Moreover, the Wolf Soldiers are well-trained and are good at mounted archery and cavalry assaults. Their battle strength is much stronger than Longxi's Black Rock Army."
"Yes …"
Lin Muyu looked into the distance. On the open area outside the pass, there were densely packed Wolf Soldiers training. The sound of hooves thundered and dust rose into the sky. The opponent this time was indeed very difficult.
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