Chapter 10: The war begins
As spring approached, the undercurrents around the empire were surging. In the southwest, along the border with the five countries, troop movements became abnormally frequent. The Canglong Army, garrisoned on the western border, immediately entered level-one combat readiness. Military intelligence flew to the capital like snowflakes. My father, who was fighting a war of attrition, and Zuo Zai immediately stopped fighting. The entire empire was on edge, and the country entered level-four combat readiness. Facing any country on the continent, the Empire of the Rising Sun had great confidence in its ability to defeat them. However, if multiple countries joined forces, the situation would be different. Of the few defeats the Empire has suffered, four-fifths were at the hands of the Allied Forces of the Five Nations. The Empire has moved its capital four times in history, and one of those times was at the behest of the Allied Forces of the Five Nations.
The empire has a population of 200 million and a land area of 28 million square kilometers. Currently, the empire’s regular army has about 800,000 soldiers, with 200,000 in the Western Azure Dragon Army, 180,000 in the Southern Green Dragon Army, 80,000 in the Red Dragon Army garrisoned at Hulun Pass, and 180,000 in the most elite Demon Dragon Legion, as well as the 30,000 city defense troops stationed in the capital, the 90,000 imperial guards, the 50,000-strong independent Imperial Knights, the 10,000-strong Holy Knights (actually the army of the temple), the 3,000-strong Flying Dragon Legion, and then there are also some local troops, and larger cities also have some garrison troops.
“Can we be sure that the five countries are joining forces again?“ My father asked the ministers in the main hall.
”The news is indeed that the three divisions of the elite Wei Chu army of the Chu Huai Kingdom have entered the territory of the Biao Xin Kingdom, and the other three countries have also sent more than 10,000 people into the Biao Xin Kingdom.”
“If the five countries really join forces, when will they invade our country?“ My father asked.
”After a cold winter, there will be difficulties with food supplies. Spring planting has just begun, and the harvest will not be ready for another six months. However, six months later will be summer, and two months after that will be the rainy season in Varna. Therefore, it is likely that the offensive will not begin until late spring or early summer.“ Zuo Zai Longli Duo said. (Spring lasts from April to September.)
”Who will lead the troops?”
“Who else but Jiang Tuji?” Zuo Zai Longli Duoqi asked. Jiang Tuji’s real name was Wei Cheng You, and Jiang Tuji was his fiefdom. He was the number one power behind the throne in Biao Xin, and was also famous for his hospitality on the continent. He had 3,000 followers and countless capable people under his command. Only he could lead the coalition army of the five countries.
“Who will be the commander-in-chief?“
”It’s not clear yet. I think the other side is also hesitating about who to use, but there are a few possible candidates: Yun Nuo Fei and Gu Duo, the top generals of Chu Huai; Lu Kuwei and Zhao Zhi of Biao Xin;…” Right Minister Feng Jiyue said, ”Yun Nuo Fei and Zhao Zhi are the most likely candidates.”
“Your Majesty, I suggest that we immediately recruit soldiers and temporarily transfer one of the Green Dragon Army units to Jiajing Pass. I am willing to lead the troops there,” said Gao Mieqing, a man of Long Lidoqi.
“Your servant is willing to go to Jiajing Pass. If it comes to defeating the enemy, Your servant does not think that he is as good as Lord Gao, but Your servant believes that if the five countries really come to invade, the best strategy is to defend. If it comes to defending the city, Your servant does not think that he is inferior to anyone.” Lin Yiquan took a step forward.
Long Lituoqi glanced at Lan Mieqing, who nodded slowly to indicate that Lin Yiquan was right.
“Very well, immediately issue a conscription order, and after four months of training, General Lin Yiquan will lead the troops to Jiajing Pass.“ My father made a decision: ‘Minister Long Likeduoqi, as for the material aspects, I’ll leave it to you.’
”Your Majesty, don’t worry, strategic materials will be transported to the border without interruption.”
Everyone in the palace started to get busy, except me, who kept wandering around.
Three months later, the 400,000-strong coalition army of the five countries of Bixin, Chuhuai, Mengli, Laipuqing and Jinjiang, led by Jiangtingjun, set out from Qiwa City in Bixin and launched a surprise attack on Kairou City. They then attacked Nuoyun City, which fell after 30 days of bitter fighting, with all 70,000 defenders killed in action. As no one expected an attack at this time, the 200,000 troops in the capital, who had just been fully equipped, were still training and had not yet set out.
Noyon City was a strong barrier defending the Varna Plain, but it was unexpected that it only lasted for a month. After losing Noyon City, Noé City and Xishang City, which jointly defended the Varna Plain, could only hold on with difficulty. Three days later, another 200,000 allied troops entered the territory of the Empire of the Sun Never, and with the soldiers plundered in the territory, there were now 600,000 troops. The two cities, which had supported for more than a month, almost simultaneously fell. The five-nation coalition swept through the Varna Plains like a storm, taking seven cities within ten days. The defenders scattered across the Varna Plains immediately retreated to the Jiajing Pass, abandoning the 6,000-square-kilometre Varna Plains.
Urgent military dispatches flew to the capital like snowflakes. Long Lidoqi was so angry that he almost vomited blood upon hearing the news that the Varna Plains had been completely abandoned. The Varna Plains were his proudest achievement in his life. Originally, the empire had always been blocked by the Jiajing Pass of the Biuxin Kingdom blocked. It was only after Long Lituo took office for ten years and made heavy use of Lan Meiqing that he managed to capture Jiajing Pass within a year at the cost of 60,000 lives. It took another year to fully occupy the Varna Plains. No one expected that they would be lost in just a month.
On the first day after the fall of Kaixian City, the emperor issued an emergency military order to mobilize the three armies from Hulun Pass and the six armies from the Green Dragon Legion to rush to the capital. A total of 400,000 troops are now in the capital and heading for Jia Pass.
In the afternoon, the palace, the city that never sleeps, was abuzz with activity.
“Your Majesty, I believe it would be better if you personally led this army,” said an elegant man, Yang Cheng, the chief advisor to my father. He had no martial arts or magical skills, but was full of wisdom.
“Oh, why?”
“Among the 50,000 imperial soldiers and 50,000 imperial knights, Your Majesty can only control two-thirds of them, and you can only freely use half of the other 200,000 troops. However, if Your Majesty leads the army, you will have the opportunity to completely control the army. If you add these 200,000 troops, Your Majesty will have a complete advantage over Zuo Zai in terms of military strength.“
”But I can let General Lin do it,” the emperor shook his head and said.
“First, General Lin is a straightforward person and I’m afraid he’s not up to this kind of thing. Second, letting so many troops be controlled by one person is not a good thing, no matter how you put it.“
Father nodded.
”Not to mention that this battle is a no-win situation. As long as we hold onto Jiajing City and send troops to cut off their food supplies, the coalition army will lose without a fight.“
”The coalition army of the five countries will definitely pay great attention to food supplies, so it’s unlikely that they will want to destroy them.”
“Even so, once the rainy season arrives, the five countries will no longer be able to supply their troops with food and supplies, and they will inevitably run out of food. The rainy season lasts for one and a half months, and they will starve to death.“
”Leave me alone for a while, and let me think.“
That night, in the palace:
”Your Majesty, please order the troops in the capital to set out immediately. Jiajing Pass only has 130,000 defenders, and they cannot withstand the 600,000 troops attacking the city in turns,” said Feng Jiyue, the right-hand minister.
“It’s not 600,000 anymore. We just received news that another 200,000 allied troops have appeared at the gates of Jiajing City,“ said Liu Cunbai, the Minister of War, with a gloomy face.
”Your Majesty, please allow me to go to Jiajing Pass. If Jiajing Pass falls, I am willing to die to atone for my crimes,“ said Lin Yiquan.
”Your Majesty, I think it is better to let General Lan go. After all, General Lin is getting old, and it would be bad if he got sick,” said Long Liduochi.
“You don’t need to argue. I will lead the army in person.“ The emperor slowly looked at the officials below and said.
The faces of the Right Minister, the Left Chancellor, Lin Yiquan, and Lan Mieqing changed drastically.
”Your Majesty, this is absolutely not possible. You are the king of a country, how can you go to war so easily?“ Long Likedi said.
”Nonsense. Since I ascended the throne, I have been fighting in the battlefield for more than ten years, and there has never been a situation where I can’t go to war easily.”
“But Your Majesty, this time is different from the past. The 800,000-strong coalition army of the five countries is riding high on its victory. Although Jiajing Pass is well fortified, it is better to be safe than sorry. Your Majesty, you must not go.“ This time it was Lin Yiquan who spoke.
”I defeated the enemy’s 300,000 troops with 100,000 troops that day. The situation was even more dire than today. Today, I still have the strong Jiajing Pass, so I have nothing to fear from the clowns of the five countries.”
“Your Majesty…“ Lan Mieqing said.
”No need to say anymore. My mind is made up. The First Army will be led by Lan Mieqing, the Second Army by Lin Yiquan, and the Third and Fourth Armies by me. We leave tomorrow.“
”Yes, Your Majesty.” Seeing that the emperor’s mind was made up, the crowd had no choice but to reluctantly withdraw.
It was just dawn, and the 400,000 troops were already ready to go. Half were cavalry, half infantry. The cavalry had halberds and longbows on their backs, with quivers of arrows on either side of the horse. Half were pikes and shields. The infantry was more complicated, with archers, pikemen, shield-bearers, axe-wielders, etc. The only thing they had in common was that all 300,000 of them were wearing chain mail.
The emperor pointed his sword to the west, “protecting the family and defending the country,” and then the thunderclap of “protecting the family and defending the country” suddenly exploded. 400,000 troops and horses rushed out of the city gate in the already slightly warm wind.
“Your Highness, His Majesty has actually set off for Jiajing Pass,” Cathy told me. She had just left the palace and overheard the news.
“I knew it this morning,” I said lazily.
“Aren’t you worried?“ Cathy asked me.
”Don’t worry, General Lin Yiquan is also going. My father still listens to Grandpa Lin’s opinions. Grandpa Lin is a master of defensive warfare, and no one has ever been able to break into his city.“
”But aren’t you just going to abandon the Varna Plains?”
“As long as we control Jiajing Pass, we control the Varna Plains. The Varna Plains have no natural defenses, which is why my eldest brother gave up on them. By the same token, once the five countries withdraw their troops, we can retake the Varna Plains.“
”I see,” Cathy said, her face lighting up.
“We have a 90% chance of winning this battle. We just have to hold out until the rainy season, when the five countries will be unable to supply their troops. By then, either they will retreat or we will launch a major counterattack.”
“But what if they break through Jiajing Pass?“
”When Jiajing Pass was in the hands of Bixin, it was a key military stronghold that repeatedly blocked the march of my army. Under the city, the empire died a total of 500,000 people. After it was captured by my empire, the city walls were reinforced and lengthened. When it was completed, it was said that as long as there was an army of 100,000 people and sufficient food and supplies, it could support for a year. Not to mention that we have concentrated the elite of our empire at Jiajing Pass this time. Not to mention that my father is extraordinarily brave, my eldest brother is also full of wisdom and courage, and there are countless strategists and brave generals under his command. Moreover, my father and eldest brother are both people who can listen to opinions. It is unlikely that we will defeat the enemy within these few months, but it will be more than enough to defend the city,” I laughed.
“That’s good, hearing you say that, I’m not worried anymore.“ Cathy sighed in relief.
”Comparatively speaking, I’m more worried about the northeast. The Demon Sect has been operating in the northeast for hundreds of years, and it is impossible to eradicate their influence in a short period of time. The advantage we have is the large population, as well as a secretive and efficient intelligence network. Although we cannot know the decisions made by their senior management, we will know immediately if they take any action. It is precisely because of this that we have the upper hand.”
“So are we going to the northeast? It’s been a long time since we went there. Your Majesty, if you go there, you won’t be back for a short time. Why don’t we go to the northeast to have fun?“ Cathy said excitedly.
”But there’s also my mother, who is now grown up and watching me more closely.“ I sighed heavily.
”Then why don’t we go for a walk in Zhenlong Mountain!“
”We can only go there for fun.”
After a month of forced marches, the 400,000 troops of the empire finally arrived at Jiajing Pass. After a day of rest, they immediately relieved the 130,000 troops defending the city, who had been exhausted by the non-stop attacks of the opposing 800,000 troops. Long before the reinforcements arrived, the coalition forces of the five countries had already filled in the moat at the cost of 40,000 lives and built up an embankment to attack the city. The real siege had been underway for 20 days.
Two hundred thousand new recruits were undergoing a brutal test at Jiajing Pass, and the entire empire was also undergoing a severe test.
The emperor steadfastly refused to go out and ignored the curses from under the city no matter how loud they were.
The siege continued day and night, with wave after wave of attacks.
“How many waves have there been?” Lin Yiquan asked Lan Mieqing.
“Who knows, just hold on,” Lan Mieqing said indifferently.
One after another, siege engines rushed up in groups, ladders were constantly erected on the walls, soldiers like ants shouted as they climbed the ladders, archers on the mound shot arrows endlessly at the city walls, giant crossbows used to defend the city shot giant arrows at the city tower from atop the high mound, a row of giant shields protected the mages, and powerful composite spells bombarded the city walls non-stop.
And huge stones kept falling from the city, destroying one siege vehicle after another. Archers shot and killed soldiers exposed below the city. Large amounts of boiling oil fell from the top of the city and landed on the soldiers on the ladders. The ladders leaning against the city wall were constantly pushed over, while the mages also used huge shields to protect them , constantly holding up the barrier to protect against the opponent’s spell attacks. Since Jiajing City already had a protective barrier, the defensive mages sometimes also poured terrifying spells on the soldiers below. The doctors and healers on the city walls from time to time treated the soldiers on the spot, and even the walls occasionally spat out terrifying flames, as the artillery came into play.
After three hours, the attack finally ended. The soldiers on the city were quickly replaced in groups, and they only had half an hour to do so, as half an hour was the other side’s preparation time.
The two sides finally reached a stalemate at Jiajing Pass, and the rainy season in the Varna Plains was not far away.
Can this battle really be won?
…
“Bang,“ the teacup in my hand fell to the ground. At this moment, I was standing in front of my mother, my face pale, and my mother’s face was equally pale.
”Say that again,“ my mother said, pretending to be calm.
”Your Majesty has left the city to fight,“ the maid in front of me said.
”Impossible,” my mother muttered, waved her hand and signaled the maid to leave.
“Your Majesty, the Empress of the Eastern Palace is asking for you,“ a maid hurriedly said as she entered.
The Empress nodded and sternly told me, ‘My son, don’t go out these few days.’ Then she left.
Although it was a summer night, I still felt a chill.
”Xue, what should we do! I told him not to go out of the city before I left, why didn’t he listen?” the Empress said with a sob.
“There’s no need to rush. Listen to what Lord Liu, the Minister of War, has to say,“ said Empress Nanfang.
”After Your Majesty ordered General Lan to lead 200,000 troops out of the city, the enemy immediately retreated 30 li to allow our army to set up camp, but they never engaged our troops.”
My mother-in-law looked puzzled. Why was that?
“Your servant thinks that after all, the 800,000 troops are only a coalition army, and there are many internal conflicts. No one wants to damage their own strength, so when Your Majesty sent troops out of the city, no one wanted to fight.“
”But the enemy army still had to fight me in the end,“ said Empress Niangong.
”With Jiajing Pass behind us, even if our army is defeated, we can still retreat and it won’t cause too many consequences.“
”But why did they retreat 30 li?” Empress Xue of the Eastern Palace pondered.
“I’m not sure. It’s probably because of some internal problem in the five countries.“
”Tell His Majesty immediately to use the flying dragon messenger to tell him to withdraw his troops and return to the city,“ said the Snow Empress.
”Yes, Your Highness.“
At the same time in the Left Chancellor’s Office.
”Is he crazy?“ Long Richu shouted in exasperation.
”The insider sent the message that His Majesty seems to have another intention in this battle,” said a guard.
“What is the intention? As long as he can defend himself properly for two months, he will definitely win. Going to war is just a futile waste of the lives of the soldiers.“ Long Likeduqi’s face was not good.
”My lord, what should we do?“
”You go down first, I need to think.”
The room fell silent. After a while, a delicate voice sounded: ”My lord, why worry? If the emperor loses the battle, isn’t that a good opportunity for us to seize power?”
“My lord, you are being shortsighted. Once Jiajing Pass falls, the coalition army can quickly pass through the Wadong Corridor. If Walan City falls as well, the 2,500-kilometer Qin Central Plains will be completely exposed to the enemy’s cavalry. The Qin Central Plains are our country’s main grain-producing area, with one-fifth of our grain coming from here, not to mention the fact that there are almost no strongholds to stop the enemy to the east of the Qin Central Plains. The consequences are unimaginable.” Long Lidoqi sneered, ”What’s the point of seizing military power at that time? We might not even have an empire left.”
“Alas!“ Long Liduochi sighed, ‘I just hope he doesn’t act recklessly again!’
…
Two days ago, at night, in the study of the temporary palace at Jiajing Pass, there were only five people: the emperor, the crown prince (my eldest brother), Yang Cheng, Lan Mieqing, and Lin Yiquan.
”Your Majesty, I have a plan that may repel the coalition army and recover the Varna Plain,” said Yang Cheng, dressed as a scholar.
The emperor’s heart leapt at the news: “Please continue, Yang.”
“The rainy season is approaching, and the enemy has stockpiled enough food and supplies for 800,000 people for 20 days. If we send 100,000 troops to burn their food and supplies, the coalition forces will definitely retreat.”
“The enemy’s food and supplies are guarded by 100,000 people, so we can only attack them by surprise. But how can we send troops to attack them in secret when they are attacking the city day and night?” General Lin Yiquan said, and the other two nodded.
“Tomorrow we can send 200,000 troops out of the city to meet the enemy,“ Yang Cheng said confidently.
The four men’s faces changed, and the emperor took a breath and said, ‘Yang Qing, please continue.’
”The 800,000 troops are made up of troops from five countries, and there must be many internal conflicts. If our army goes out of the city, it will be unexpected by the enemy, and the five countries will not fight with us to preserve their own power.“
”So what?” Lin Yiquan said.
“Twenty thousand troops will be stationed outside the city for three days, during which time they will constantly change guard to weaken their resolve. After three days, when they are slack, we will send 100,000 troops to raid the food and supplies at night, and another 300,000 troops will then raid the camp to prevent reinforcements.“
”Perhaps we can also ambush another army on the way when raiding the food and supplies. If the enemy has reinforcements, we can ambush them,” Lan Mieqing added, sensing his interest.
“In the old minister’s opinion, this battle is too risky. Even if we can win, there will be heavy casualties. It is better to defend steadily,“ Lin Yiquan said in a steady voice.
”Hiring 500,000 troops is very expensive. The enemy’s looting of the Varna Plain has not cost our country much. However, our country is different. Coupled with the loss of this year’s grain from the Varna Plain, we will definitely not be able to meet our normal needs. Therefore, if we can fight a quick battle, it is still better to do so.” His Majesty the Emperor said, ”That’s it, Lan Mieqing.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.“
”Tomorrow you will lead 200,000 troops out of the city to meet the enemy.“
”Your Majesty, I have another plan that may be helpful for tomorrow’s battle,“ Yang Cheng added.
”Please go on, Minister Yang.“
”Tomorrow, Your Majesty, you should tell the enemy to retreat 10 li from the city walls and let our troops go out and form up.”
Everyone listened attentively.
“The 800,000 troops cannot retreat just like that. If you are not careful, the formation will be disrupted. As soon as the formation is disrupted, General Lan can immediately lead the troops out and fight, and we can hope to win a small victory and boost our morale.“
The next day, in the tent of the commander of the coalition army of the five countries:
”Commander, the enemy is demanding that we retreat ten li. They want to go out of the city and fight,” a messenger ran into the tent and said anxiously.
The generals in the tent immediately became excited upon hearing the news.
“Pass the order down, telling the rear army to retreat ten li,” Jiang Tuijun said.
The messenger left with the order.
Everyone on the top of the Jiajing Pass shook their heads. They saw that first, the 100,000 troops of Jin Yi, who were the rearguard, orderly retreated from the city. Then came the 400,000 troops of the central army, and finally the 300,000 troops on the two flanks.
Lan Mieqing sighed and said, “Yun Nuo was truly a great general. Although he was commanding troops from five countries, he still managed to keep them in perfect order, without a single moment of chaos, and without giving me any opportunity to take advantage of the situation.”
“General Lan, you should go out and form up your troops,” the emperor said with a sigh.
“Yes, Your Majesty,”
When Lan Meiqing’s 200,000 troops formed up outside the city, a strange situation occurred. The coalition army of the five countries once again retreated, all the way to 20 li away, where they stopped and set up camp.
“Why is this?” the emperor asked his entourage.
“It is possible that no one in the coalition army wants to fight to the death with our army first, and in the end, because the conflict cannot be resolved, they retreat another 20 li,” said the old general Lin Yiquan.
“Retreating another 20 li is beneficial to our army, and we will have more room for maneuver tactically,” Yang Chengdao said.
The emperor’s face broke into a smile. It was not easy for 100,000 troops to sneak up silently. The possibility of being discovered within a mere 10 li was not small. Now the coalition army has retreated another 20 li, which is truly God helping our army.
One day later, the two sides clashed. Since there could be no more than 300,000 people fighting under the city, the Empire was not only not at a disadvantage, but had the upper hand. If one talks about bravery, no country in the world can match the Empire of the Rising Sun. Coupled with the rain of arrows from Jiajing City behind them, the Empire’s losses were not great.
Four days later, on a dark and windy night, the 400,000 troops carried out their plan.
In the afternoon, in the backyard of the palace of the Empire of the Sun Never Sets, the Eastern Empress, the Southern Empress, and the Western Empress were all there.
“Your Highness,” a maid rushed into the palace, “Lord Liu, Minister of War, Lord Longli Duoqi, the Left Chancellor, Lord Feng, the Right Minister, and Lord Lu, the Mighty Marshal, are outside the palace and request an audience.”
“Announce them,” the Eastern Empress said.
“We just received the news,“ said Liu Cunbai, holding a military report in his trembling hands. ‘Jiajing City has fallen, and General Lin is retreating.’
”Where is His Majesty?“ the three ladies asked in alarm.
”His Majesty is seriously injured and being sent back to the capital,“ said Liu Cunbai, looking at the Empress Dowager. After a pause, he said, ‘Your Highness…’
”What about His Highness?” the Empress Dowager’s face changed.
“When His Highness the Crown Prince was fighting to protect the rear, he was captured after a fierce battle.”
The Empress Dowager slumped in her seat. ‘Xue, are you okay?’ the two Empresses asked in alarm.
“It’s nothing,“ the Eastern Palace empress said with a forced wave of her hand, and said to the people below, ‘If there’s anything else, you can continue.’
”I have already issued an order to recruit soldiers again without your permission, to organize slaves into an army, and ordered the garrison troops from all over the country to rush to Wallan City as soon as possible. That is the strongest city in the Qin Zhong Plains, except for Jiajing City.“
”You have done a very good job,” the Eastern Palace empress said, ”I want to know why the battle was lost.”
“Your Majesty ordered General Lan to lead 100,000 troops to steal their food and supplies, and personally led 300,000 troops to raid the enemy camp at night. Who knew that the enemy was prepared for this? The 300,000 troops that raided the camp were surrounded by the enemy. Fortunately, at the critical moment, General Lan’s 100,000 troops arrived and fought their way through the enemy lines, escorting Your Majesty into the city. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince led 50,000 members of the Wind and Snow Knights to cover the rear, and all 50,000 soldiers died in battle. His Royal Highness was also captured after a valiant fight.” Lord Liu, who was over 50 years old, could not help but shed tears: “The enemy chased General Lan into Jiajing City. After General Lin held out for seven hours, he finally ordered the abandonment of Jiajing City and a retreat to Guling City.”
“There must be a traitor in the army,“ Long Likeduoqi said with a pale face. ‘Afterwards, I read Your Majesty’s plan. Although it was risky, it was not so bad that it would result in such a crushing defeat. The reason why General Lan was able to return to the city so quickly was that he realized something was wrong while he was on his way to loot the grain, so he hurried back.’
”How many people knew about this plan?“ Wei Wuhou Lu Ao asked.
”Your Majesty, the crown prince, General Lan, General Lin, and Yang Cheng,” Long Likeduoqi said.
Everyone looked coldly at Long Liduochi.
“It’s not General Lan,” Long Liduochi said firmly.
“Who else could it be, he’s from the Demon Sect,” the right minister said.
“It’s definitely not him,” Long Liduochi said firmly again.
“Immediately summon Wang Chengyi from the Military Intelligence Department,” the Eastern Palace Snow Empress said sternly.
The night before, Lan Mieqing led 100,000 troops and quietly left the city under the cover of night. The horses’ hooves were covered with cloth and their mouths were fitted with bits, as the 100,000 elite troops silently moved towards the enemy’s stockpile of food and fodder. The enemy did not have many spies on the road, and they were easily eliminated. On the way, Lan Mieqing left 10,000 ambush troops, led by Gu Xiangqian. An hour later, the 90,000-strong army arrived at the enemy’s fortress, where the food and fodder were stored. The fortress was brightly lit, but there were few people in sight.
“Report, there is no sign of movement in the enemy fortress except for patrols, and there are not many of them, only about 1,000,” whispered a scout.
“Reconnoiter.”
The scout left on orders.
Lan Mieqing looked at the brightly lit wooden fortress and just felt that there was something strange about it. This was a place of great material wealth, and Yun Nuo was another famous general of a generation. The guards here should not be so careless. He just couldn’t figure out what was strange about it. He could only keep looking, hoping to find a clue.
“General, why don’t you order an attack? His Majesty is waiting for us!” said one of the generals standing beside Lan Mieqing.
Lan Mieqing shook his head: ‘Wait a bit longer, I’ll take a look.’
There were some dark objects outside the tents in the camp, but it was unclear what they were, which aroused Lan Mieqing’s suspicions.
“What’s outside the tent?“ Lan Meiqing asked a scout, pointing at the tent.
The scout thought carefully for a moment and said, ‘It’s wood, covered with a cloth.’
Lan Meiqing grabbed the scout and said, ‘Do all the tents have it?’ His tone turned harsh at the end.
”Yes,” the soldier said affirmatively.
The faces of the generals present all changed drastically.
Lan Meiqing slowly put the scout down and looked at the wooden fort.
“Zhu Yu,“ Lan Mieqing said to a general in his thirties standing nearby.
”At your service.“
”You will lead 10,000 troops to garrison here. In an hour, you will make some noise from time to time. An hour later, or when the enemy attacks, you can fire rockets at the camp. Then immediately withdraw your troops and retreat towards the direction of Gu Xiangqian. After meeting up with Gu Xiangqian, you must delay the enemy as much as possible.“
”I will definitely complete the task,” Zhu Yu’s eyes revealed a determined look.
“Do you have any wishes you want to tell me?“ Lan Mieqing asked after a long pause, looking at the general who had followed him since the age of eighteen and had been through thick and thin for thirteen years, his mouth full of bitterness.
”I have an old mother and a younger sister. Please take care of them.“
”Don’t worry, as long as I’m not dead, I will always take care of them.” Although tears had not fallen on the faces of the people, the blood in their hearts kept dripping.
“Let’s go.” Without further hesitation, Lan Mieqing ordered 80,000 soldiers to turn back. Since the enemy was afraid of being discovered by our side and did not deploy troops behind us, the imperial army was able to turn back more quickly.
An hour later, the sound of shouting and killing was deafening behind them, and the flames were rising high in the sky. After taking a glance behind them, Lan Mieqing ordered, ”Full speed ahead.”
At the same time, the emperor personally led 300,000 troops into the enemy camp in front of the city. As soon as they attacked, they felt that something was wrong. Apart from encountering slight resistance at the entrance to the camp, no soldiers in the camp ran out.
“Father,” the crown prince anxiously said, protecting the emperor, “I will be the rear guard. You immediately return to the city.”
The emperor, who also sensed that something was wrong, hurriedly ordered: “Withdraw the army immediately.”
Just then, rockets streaked across the sky, and flaming balls of fire rained down on the camp, almost instantly turning the entire camp into a sea of flames.
In the summer of the 29th year of the Zhao Ren era (1625 CE), the army of the Empire of the Sun was defeated at Jiajing City, with only 240,000 soldiers remaining out of 530,000. The crown prince led 50,000 Wind and Snow Knights to block the enemy, and all 50,000 soldiers died in battle. Exhausted, the crown prince was captured and seven days later, he committed suicide in his cell. The emperor of the Empire fled back to Jiajing City, and when he was later sent to the capital, he died on the road, vomiting blood.
Three days later, the army of the Empire of the Sun Never Sets abandoned the cities of Gusheng and Pangqing and retreated to the city of Walland, where they intended to defend themselves to the death.
Within a month, the coalition army of the five countries had conquered thirteen cities in a row and was rapidly crossing the Walland Corridor.
The rainy season finally arrived on the plains of Walland, with torrential rain washing away the blood on the ground and extinguishing the still-burning fires. By this time, the coalition army of the five countries had already crossed the Jiajing Pass.
History was about to turn a new page, but the people at the time did not know clearly what this victory meant for themselves, the entire continent, and the world.
The world, cleansed by the rain, was full of a fresh smell, and the bright sun was high in the sky.