Chapter 80: Victory and Defeat
Xiao Li stood beside the sand table, his gaze sweeping over the attendant with a hint of scrutiny and suspicion.
Southern Chen had repeatedly tried to send this person into battle—there was definitely something fishy going on.
Jiang Yu noticed Xiao Li's scrutiny. He lowered his head to avoid meeting Xiao Li's eyes, doing his best to appear like an ordinary soldier.
Fang Mingda, worried they might be exposed, quickly flattered: "Thank you, Princess, for your permission. Let us begin then."
Jiang Yu kept his head down as he approached the sand table, avoiding the gazes of the Liang officials around him. Picking up a long rod, he pointed to the area before the gates of Hundred Blades Pass and deliberately lowered his voice: "Following our previous tactics, Southern Chen will continue the assault. We will increase the main force at the city gates to five thousand men."
Some Liang officials, emboldened by their victory in the previous round, couldn't help but feel a trace of contempt upon hearing this. At the same time, they were delighted at the high likelihood of winning this round as well. They whispered among themselves: "A foolish move! The terrain outside Hundred Blades Pass is treacherous. With more troops, they won't be able to deploy properly. If they all crowd forward, they'll just become living targets for the archers on the walls!"
The officials around him stroked their beards and nodded, about to add their agreement, when they heard the opposition continue: "Of the main assault force in this round, three thousand will continue attacking the city. The remaining two thousand will clear the battlefield outside Hundred Blades Pass and construct siege towers."
The Liang officials who had been smug just moments ago suddenly changed expressions.
Their confidence in garrisoning Pingzhou with only ten thousand troops stemmed entirely from Hundred Blades Pass's naturally advantageous terrain.
Not only was Hundred Blades Pass extremely treacherous, with steep slopes and wild lands outside its gates that rendered Southern Chen's chariots and scaling ladders useless, but its unique gorge-like topography also prevented Southern Chen from deploying their formations properly. This made it convenient for Liang forces to rain down arrows from the walls.
But the enemy's current tactic used offense as defense—using the assaults at the city gates and along the Great Wall on both sides as cover to construct siege towers on the steep slopes and wild terrain.
Once the enemy's siege towers were completed, Hundred Blades Pass's walls would also face bombardment from catapult stones. With threats from both near and far, and Southern Chen's absolute numerical advantage, even if they couldn't breach the defenses immediately, they could wear down the defenders through attrition warfare until they were completely exhausted.
Although the Liang officials had long known that formally engaging Southern Chen wouldn't be optimistic, witnessing the enemy's fierce siege tactics once again still filled them with a sense of despair.
They had to exhaust all their efforts just to withstand one ordinary assault from Southern Chen. The slightest mistake would mean utter destruction. Yet for Southern Chen, they always had the capital to start over.
The previously cheerful Liang officials fell silent, all looking troubled. Yet their eyes couldn't help but frequently drift toward Xiao Li, as if hoping this young general—who enjoyed both the princess's favor and Fan Yuan's repeated promotions—could once again lift the siege of Pingzhou.
Li Yao, seated above, watched the battle unfolding on the sand table below and quietly asked Wen Yu: "What does the Princess think?"
Wen Yu's expression remained calm: "We haven't reached the life-or-death moment yet."
Under the collective gaze of the Liang officials in the hall, Xiao Li placed both hands on the table and studied the sand table for a moment before saying: "Our Great Liang's defense remains as before. Additionally, we will set up catapults on the walls to launch stones and destroy the siege towers."Jiang Yu said, "The Southern Chen has prepared four such vanguard assault teams. When one shows signs of weakening, it is withdrawn for rest and replenishment, while another vanguard team takes its place. Even if the Great Liang has meticulous tactical deployments, the arrows, oil, and defending soldiers within the city will eventually run short."
Xiao Li coldly raised his eyes. "Before the Great Liang reaches its last resort, your country should worry about yourselves. Even if you fill the trenches outside Hundred Blades Pass with the corpses of low-ranking soldiers and manage to capture Pingzhou, what will you use to continue fighting against Pei Song and Wei Qishan?"
Jiang Yu's expression darkened slightly. Fang Mingda, knowing that Jiang Yu's current status made it inappropriate for him to respond, quickly took over with a smile. "Such a mutually destructive outcome is naturally not what our Southern Chen wishes to see either. That is why we sincerely seek cooperation with the Great Liang. It is the Princess of the Great Liang who has made things difficult for us."
Xiao Li was startled by how swiftly this fat man's mind worked. He had intended to make the other side see the consequences of filling Hundred Blades Pass' walls with human lives, but the other had skillfully turned the tables on him with just a few words.
He decisively cut off the conversation and continued deploying defenses: "Pingzhou's garrison totals ten thousand troops, divided into two units of five thousand each. Three thousand soldiers defend the city walls, while two thousand guard the flanks of the Great Wall. While one unit takes primary defense duty, the other handles logistics, rotating shifts."
Southern Chen used relay attacks to assault the city; they could employ the same method for defense.
However, to maximally hinder Chen Jun's assaults, arrows were absolutely essential.
As Jiang Yu had pointed out, the arrows within the city would soon be depleted.
The enemy, seemingly having anticipated this, continued their assault methodically according to their established tactics.
Many Liang officials observing the battle frequently wiped their sweaty brows, their sleeves already half-soaked.
Southern Chen's tactics were like a blunt knife slowly cutting flesh. Given the disparity in strength between the two sides, Pingzhou's defeat seemed inevitable. This dread would loom over every soldier during actual combat.
After Jiang Yu once again casually remarked, "Our Southern Chen is replacing the vanguard battalion to continue the assault," Xiao Li calculated the number of usable arrows remaining in the city and finalized the defense plan: "We will lower several hundred elite troops by ropes from both sides of the Great Wall. Within the archery range of the city towers, they will retrieve arrows from the battlefield."
The three from Southern Chen seemed to believe Pingzhou had reached its end, smiling with confident triumph.
The Liang officials bowed their heads in despair.
Jiang Yu said, "The Southern Chen vanguard battalion replacing the current one will quickly surround and eliminate these Chen troops retrieving arrows."
Xiao Li simply stated, "However many arrows our dispatched Great Liang troops can bring back will suffice."
Jiang Yu seemed to feel there was nothing more to say to a defeated opponent. Upon hearing this, he merely looked down at the sand table with a faint smile and said, "After this round of assault, the Great Liang should admit defeat."
But Xiao Li responded, "Not necessarily."
Fang Mingda also believed that without arrows to suppress Southern Chen's advance, given Southern Chen's brutal pushing tactics, the outcome of the battle was already clear. He smiled amiably, but his words were laced with hidden barbs: "What does the young general mean by that?"
Pointing at the sand table, he said, "This humble official believes that the battle scenario deduced by the young general and our Southern Chen should already reveal the victor."He paused, his gaze drifting towards Wen Yu as he continued with a smile as warm as ever: "The sandbox deduction was proposed by the Princess herself. Surely she wouldn’t go back on her word and deny the outcome of the deduction?"
There was a hidden edge in his words.
Zhao Bai immediately shouted, "How dare you!"
Li Xun also roared, "How dare you disrespect our master!"
Fang Mingda, seeing the furious and hostile expressions on the faces of the Liang officials present, felt a sudden panic and regretted his earlier rash words. He quickly stammered, "This humble official merely fails to understand why this young general claims Pingzhou has not yet been defeated..."
They were currently within Pingzhou’s borders, and they had been allowed to bring only a limited number of guards into the pass. It was absolutely imperative not to provoke a conflict with Great Liang at this moment.
Fan Yuan snorted coldly, "If you don’t understand, why not listen carefully to our Great Liang general’s explanation instead of accusing our Princess of going back on her word?"
His eyes blazed with anger: "You Southern Chen folks truly have a knack for twisting the truth! You claim to have come with sincere intentions to apologize and negotiate peace, but I see no sincerity in your actions!"
Even though Fang Mingda was a shrewd man, he was momentarily left speechless by Fan Yuan’s retort, unsure how to smooth things over.
As the atmosphere in the hall grew tense, Liu Zhixian suddenly let out a low, gloomy laugh. "Listen to your Great Liang general’s explanation?"
He pointed at the sandbox, his eyes sweeping venomously over all the Liang officials in the hall, and sneered, "Isn’t the outcome of this sandbox deduction clear enough? Today’s refusal to admit defeat has truly opened my eyes! Relying on your numerical advantage to imitate Zhao Gao’s ‘calling a deer a horse’ trick, are you?"
He burst into loud laughter: "What a Great Liang! What a celestial empire!"
The Liang officials were visibly angered by his sarcastic insults, and Fan Yuan stepped forward directly: "You scum, say that again! Last time, I regret not personally knocking out your dog teeth—it was too easy on you!"
Chen Wei and Li Xun, standing nearby, sensed the danger and hurriedly restrained him: "General Fan, General Fan, don’t act rashly! The Princess is watching!"
Liu Zhixian, whose hand had been crushed by Xiao Li and who had been imprisoned for days, was already seething with pent-up rage. Convinced that Pingzhou would never admit defeat today, he vented his true feelings: "Nothing but a pack of stray dogs barking!"
His gaze swept over Wen Yu, filled with greed and admiration, but mostly malice: "What I said earlier was right—your Hanyang Princess truly acts like a rare commodity, waiting for the highest bidder!"
Wen Yu, seated above, narrowed her eyes coldly. In that instant, Fang Mingda felt a chill run down his spine.
Fan Yuan and the other martial generals glared at Liu Zhixian as if they wished they could tear him apart.
Fan Yuan struggled violently against Chen Wei and Li Xun’s restraint: "Today, I will rip your head off!"
But Xiao Li was faster. No one saw how he moved forward, but the next moment, Liu Zhixian was facedown on the ground, blood streaming from his nose, with Xiao Li’s black boot pressed ruthlessly against his face, his expression cold and menacing.
Fang Mingda broke out in a cold sweat. He hadn’t expected this fool to utter such reckless words in such a setting. Just as he was about to say something to salvage the situation, an icy voice rang out from above: "Enough."
The voice was not loud, but it instantly silenced the chaotic hall.
Wen Yu’s gaze shifted to Xiao Li: "General Xiao, step back."
Xiao Li ground his boot forcefully into Liu Zhixian’s face, as if intending to shatter his jaw, before withdrawing his foot.Fang Mingda, quick-witted in desperation, hurried forward and theatrically kicked Liu Zhixian twice, cursing, "Who gave you the nerve to speak disrespectfully to the Princess? Do you not realize you’re only alive today by her mercy?"
Liu Zhixian’s entire facial bones throbbed with excruciating pain. The earlier fall and the force of Xiao Li’s foot grinding down as he withdrew had left his head nearly numb with agony, so much so that he barely reacted to Fang Mingda’s kicks.
Wen Yu watched coldly as Fang Mingda put on his blustering act and said, "There is no need for this, envoy."
Fang Mingda’s back was drenched in cold sweat, terrified that Liu Zhixian’s actions would undo all their efforts to atone on this mission. He hastily bowed to Wen Yu and said, "Princess, this foolish general’s audacity to offend you is truly unforgivable. Our Southern Chen would never tolerate anyone who dares show disrespect to the future Princess Consort. This humble official will order his execution at once to appease your wrath!"
As he spoke, he shot Jiang Yu a look, signaling him to act.
Jiang Yu’s eyes were cold and weary, as if he too had not expected Liu Zhixian to cause such trouble again. He stepped forward to comply, but then the clear, icy voice from above, like shattering jade, spoke once more: "There is no need for the envoy to intervene. This person… Great Liang will execute him ourselves."
Jiang Yu halted, his gaze sweeping toward Wen Yu before quickly exchanging a look with Fang Mingda. He chose to step back for now.
Fang Mingda smiled obsequiously. "As the Princess commands."
Wen Yu’s cold glance fell upon Liu Zhixian. "Do you remember what I said before this sandbox deduction began? If you won, I would not pursue your previous insolent remarks. But if you lost… I would have you beheaded outside this hall?"
Having lain on the ground all this time, Liu Zhixian finally regained some awareness. At Wen Yu’s question, he remained slumped like a limp rag but let out a disdainful sneer. "I remember. But isn’t Great Liang refusing to admit defeat?"
Hearing his brazen, unrepentant words, Fan Yuan was so enraged he wanted to rush forward and kick him again, but Li Xun held him back.
Fan Yuan fumed, "You wretched scoundrel! Soon enough, Southern Chen will concede defeat with utter conviction!"
Jiang Yu, noticing both Fan Yuan and Wen Yu seemed utterly confident that Pingzhou had not lost in this deduction, glanced again at the sandbox and grew pensive.
There must be something he had overlooked…
Wen Yu paid Liu Zhixian no further mind and called to Xiao Li, "General Xiao, tell them why Pingzhou has not been defeated."Thank you to the little angels who nourished with nutrient solution: Nan Ye's Cat 15 bottles; Flying Catkins 13 bottles; Angry Lemon Essence, zzZZZZ 10 bottles; Lam 8 bottles; Ultimately at Ease 6 bottles; Whale Doesn't Eat Cilantro, 59903316, Please Have Some Lettuce 5 bottles; A Barrel Wood, Silent Mo, Lilia 2 bottles; Rice Ball, Stella, Xiao Wang Doesn't Like Salad, Mu Zi Tells Stories, 27428371, 65140677, Ji Ji, kfpy_L, Would You Like Some Hami Melon 1 bottle;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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