xymnovel Chapter 104 Entering the City
Chapter 104 Entering the City
Chapter 108 Entering the City
As Baihu breached the city walls, the army outside, under Li Jing's command, launched its final assault.
The remaining soldiers of the Cangzhou army behind them shouted and charged toward the city wall. Their steps were firm and powerful, as if they wanted to flatten the city wall.
Li Jing, mounted on his horse, brandished his long sword and personally commanded his soldiers to charge into battle.
In an instant, the sounds of battle shook the heavens, and the flames of war raged, plunging the entire city into chaos.
The setting sun was like blood, its afterglow spilling over the majestic pass that had just witnessed a fierce battle.
This ancient pass, nestled among the mountains, appears both solemn and desolate in the glow of the setting sun.
Despite enduring countless storms and erosions, the city walls still stand majestically, but the flags fluttering atop them have been replaced with those of the attackers.
When the last resistance was crushed, and the last enemy soldier laid down his weapon, Li Jing rode his horse slowly into the pass.
His armor was covered in blood and dust, but it could not conceal the majesty and aura that emanated from within.
His gaze was deep, as if he could see through all illusions and fog; his expression was firm, as if he would not easily give up no matter how great the difficulties and setbacks he encountered.
The Cangzhou army behind him followed in Li Jing's footsteps, each soldier full of energy and high morale.
Although their armor was tattered and their faces were haggard, the light in their eyes was brighter than ever before.
They knew they had become the victors; they had proven their worth with their courage and wisdom.
As Li Jing entered Yaohua Pass, he inspected the pass.
The city walls here are tall and sturdy, and the crenellations and watchtowers on them remain unchanged.
He imagined the advantages and psychological comfort these facilities had given them under enemy occupation.
But now, all of that is in the past.
Under his leadership, the Cangzhou army, like tigers descending the mountain, was unstoppable and broke through this seemingly indestructible pass.
He walked to the edge of the city wall and looked down at the valley below and the distant mountains.
From here, he could clearly see the enemy's defeat and escape.
The Qi army was in a sorry state, like stray dogs.
Afterwards, Li Jing came to his senses and began to arrange the follow-up matters.
He ordered his soldiers to clear the battlefield, repair the city walls, and strengthen the defenses to ensure that the pass would not be captured by the enemy again.
Following closely behind, Su Ye also officially stepped into this majestic pass that originally belonged to Qizhou. His attire was relatively simple, but his every move exuded an innate majesty.
At this moment, Su Ye's eyes revealed a deep and complex emotion, a mixture of joy at victory and anxiety about the future. Beside Su Ye stood Yao Guangxiao, dressed in Buddhist robes, his face kind, yet his eyes gleaming with wisdom.
Holding the prayer beads, his thoughts seemed to flow with each turn of the beads.
Along with Li Jing, the three of them walked slowly along the path inside the pass, one in front of the other.
The surrounding area was a battlefield that had not yet been cleared after the battle. Broken swords and halberds, tattered flags and drums, and arrows scattered all over the ground silently told how tragic the battle that had just ended had been.
The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood, stimulating everyone's nerves.
Li Jing broke the silence first, his voice loud and powerful: "This Yaohua Pass has been a strategic location fought over by military strategists since ancient times. It is located at the pass between Cang and Qi prefectures, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."
"It was no easy feat to capture it today."
Su Ye nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, this victory was hard-won. I never imagined that Yaohua Pass would hold us off for almost a whole month."
Su Ye's gaze swept across the surrounding ruins as he spoke slowly.
Dressed in Buddhist robes, Yao Guangxiao gently turned the Buddhist beads in his hand and said, "To conquer the continuous mountain range of Qizhou, we need more than just military force."
"The mountains of Qizhou stretch endlessly, with a major pass almost every few steps."
"Taking this place will be a protracted war."
His voice was calm yet firm, as if it possessed a calming power.
Upon hearing this, the commander frowned slightly, as if he were pondering something.
After a moment, he spoke, "What you say is quite right, sir. But the situation is still uncertain, and there are still enemy troops lurking around."
"We must ensure safety before we can discuss anything else."
Li Jing's tone revealed a pragmatic and cautious nature.
As the three talked, a tense yet orderly atmosphere permeated their conversation.
They knew that although they had captured the formidable Yaohua Pass, the real challenge had only just begun.
The three arrived at a council hall inside the pass and sat around a table.
"Pharmacist, you have made outstanding contributions in conquering Yaohua Pass this time. You have worked hard."
Su Ye spoke first, breaking the silence.
Li Jing quickly rose and respectfully replied, "Serving our lord is the duty of us soldiers. Our ability to conquer this formidable pass is entirely due to our lord's wise leadership and the brilliant strategies of our advisors."
Su Ye smiled slightly and gestured for Li Jing to sit down.
"Next, we will face countless challenges in the continuous mountain range."
"These passes are strategically important, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Do you have any good strategies, sir?"
He looked at Yao Guangxiao, who was dressed in Buddhist robes, and said.
"My lord, with our current strength, it would probably take a lot of time and effort to conquer these checkpoints one by one."
"Moreover, if the enemy concentrates its forces on a certain pass to launch a counterattack, we may also be put on the defensive."
Yao Guangxiao gently turned the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.
"In your opinion, sir, how should we respond?"
After hearing this, Su Ye frowned slightly and asked.
Yao Guangxiao continued, "Daoyan believes that we should adopt a strategy of dividing our forces and attacking together."
"Leave a portion of the troops to be led by the pharmacist to continue along the route and conquer the next level."
"In addition, several detachments were dispatched to other passes via different routes to divert the Qi army's attention."
"At the same time, Cangzhou is currently vulnerable, and not long ago, Luowang sent news that Daqian wants to form a marriage alliance with our Cangzhou and Yunzhou."
"My lord may lead a portion of the army back to Cangzhou to deal with any unforeseen circumstances."
Upon hearing this, a flicker of interest flashed in Su Ye's eyes.
The current strategy for exploring the mountains of Qizhou is taking time and patience.
His presence here is truly useless; in fact, it's just an eyesore.
This made Li Jing have to consult him before doing anything.
Commanding a large army is hampered by a lack of control.
He looked at Li Jing and asked, "What does the apothecary think?"
Li Jing pondered for a moment and replied, "What you say is absolutely right, sir."
"Dividing our forces and launching a coordinated attack will allow us to continue conquering the checkpoints while ensuring the safety of Cangzhou. However—"
He paused, then continued, "But in that case, I'm afraid I won't be able to continue serving my lord."