Chapter 337

The sound of artillery fire mixed with the sound of battle cries, shooting straight into the clouds.

Gunsmoke filled the entire battlefield, blocking the clouds and the sun.

Countless rebel soldiers, braving the hail of bullets, set up scaling ladders and risked their lives to launch a charge at the city walls.

"Pour the molten gold!"

Following the order of the defending general, boiling molten gold poured down onto the heads of the rebel soldiers.

In an instant, screams resounded across the battlefield.

Both sides of the conflict were striving to inflict maximum damage on the enemy.

At this moment, the world was filled with slaughter.

"Those who retreat will be beheaded!"

After a wave of the offensive failed, the rebel soldiers had just turned around to return when they were forced back onto the battlefield by the supervision team.

The unlucky ones running in the front were even beheaded and displayed to the public.

Some clever old soldiers, on the way of the charge, took the opportunity to fall into the pile of dead bodies.

In fact, playing dead does not mean safety.

If one wants to survive, one must not only dodge the enemy's artillery fire but also avoid being trampled by one's own people.

The bloody battle continued; as soon as one team of soldiers was finished, new soldiers would immediately fill in.

The rebel army attacked regardless of the cost, and in just one day, they suffered over ten thousand casualties.

"Viceroy, Provincial Military Commander, the rebel army has gone mad.

They are purely attacking for the sake of attacking; they don't care about casualties at all!"

Assistant Regional Commander Liu Qifeng said with a grave expression.

The fierce fear the stubborn, and the stubborn fear those who don't value their lives.

This rule of life is equally applicable on the battlefield.

The fierce offensive of the rebel army also made the defenders feel the pressure.

"This is a good thing.

The crazier the rebel army behaves, the more it proves that our planning is successful.

Assistant Regional Commander Liu, put your mind at ease.

If I'm not mistaken, it should be that the Jiangxi battlefield has achieved a breakthrough, threatening the rebel army's lair.

Without support from the rear, that little bit of grain the enemy army stockpiled on the front lines cannot last for long.

The rebels have been driven to a dead end, which is why they are seeking a decisive battle with us.

The more it is a time like this, the more we must remain calm.

Just wait for now; such an offensive cannot be sustained for long.

Drag it out for a few days, and the heavy casualties will make the rebel army's high command understand that a forced attack is not advisable."

Li Yuan said with a smile.

For the sake of secrecy, the initial planning was known only to him and Li Mu.

The various generals in the army were likewise kept in the dark.

Now that the planning has succeeded, continuing to keep it secret has no meaning.

Even if the rebel army learns the truth, they can only face reality.

"Uncle is right; at a time like this, we only need to wait patiently; it is the rebel army that should be anxious.

The rebels' forced attack at this time is purely a dog jumping over a wall in desperation.

Judging from the rebel army's movements, the Wei traitor has abandoned the idea of annihilating us completely and only wants to win the Battle of Wuchang, even at the cost of mutual destruction.

However, this is limited to his own troops; the Fu traitor's army is also participating in the siege, but the intensity is much smaller.

The two rebel armies appear to be fighting in cooperation, but in reality, they are already harboring their own ulterior motives.

One is fighting for their lives, while the ally is slacking off; no one will feel comfortable in their heart.

The more fiercely they fight on the battlefield, the faster their internal contradictions will be intensified.

Order all units to defend strictly and not leave any opportunity for the enemy army.

Drag it out for ten days or half a month; when the rebel army realizes they cannot win, that will be the time for a full-scale counterattack."

Li Mu then added.

The more the rebel army wants a decisive battle, the less we can go out and have a decisive battle with them.

After their three-pronged attack is used up, they cannot achieve a breakthrough on the battlefield, and logistical supplies also encounter problems.

When all the pressure converges together, that is the time when the enemy's high command will make one bad move after another.

The essence of war, besides the comparison of hard power and logistical consumption, is comparing who makes fewer mistakes.

Generally speaking, the more tricks one plays in war, the greater the probability of making mistakes.

"Provincial Military Commander, dragging it out like this, I'm afraid it's not good, right?

The situation in the Shu region continues to deteriorate; if the Wei traitor leads troops to kill from the rear, I'm afraid our defense line will have problems."

The Huguang Provincial Governor on the side spoke up.

For him, this war started in a muddled way and is being conducted in a muddled way.

He doesn't understand Li Mu's layout and fighting style, so he accepts it; anyway, he isn't following the Confucian general route.

Not having enough military level is no big deal.

Among the civil officials in the court, everyone's military level is about the same; there are not many who can even talk about military strategy on paper.

He can be ignorant, but that doesn't mean they can just leave this Provincial Governor hanging!

The Huguang Viceroy position of the Marquis of Zhenyuan is not a permanent position and will be left after the war.

According to the rules of the Great Dayu, he, as the Provincial Governor, is the local boss.

He doesn't have the guts to jump out directly and confront the Li family uncle and nephew.

In the current Huguang, they are still the ones calling the shots.

If he truly turned against them, it would only make his predicament more awkward.

During wartime, all kinds of accidents can happen; if things go wrong, he, the Provincial Governor, might also accidentally die suddenly.

Having finally discovered a loophole, he must certainly take the opportunity to express himself and brush up his presence.

He doesn't hope to compete with the Li family uncle and nephew, but at least he must let the civil and military officials of Huguang know that there is still this Provincial Governor in Huguang.

"Provincial Governor, if the Shu region doesn't have turmoil, so be it; once turmoil occurs, it will never be pacified in a short time.

The Wei traitor wants to occupy the entire Shu region, which is not something that can be accomplished in a short time.

Even if he is willing to split troops to support the rebel army, he must consider his own actual situation.

Even if he immediately sends troops, killing from the Shu region to the Wuchang line is by no means an easy task.

Don't forget that we still have Xiangyang Prefecture and Jingzhou Prefecture acting as barriers for the rear.

No matter where the Wei traitor sends troops from, he cannot bypass these two places.

By the time they arrive at the front lines, the Battle of Wuchang will have long since ended."

Li Mu refuted with a blank expression.

He has no time to pay attention to the little thoughts of the civil officials.

Unlike his caution when he first started, he now holds heavy troops and has become a pillar among the meritorious nobility.

Even if there is party strife in the court, the ones playing the opposite role should be the cabinet elders, or at the very least, the real-power Ministers of the Six Ministries in the capital.

The sidelined Huguang Provincial Governor is no longer a player of the same level.

Seeing that the probing failed, the civil officials who were originally eager to make a move one after another lowered their flags and silenced their drums.

Wartime is not a good time to stir up trouble.

Even if they came from the capital with political missions, they have to wait until the great battle ends.

By then, Li Mu, this Provincial Military Commander, will have long since left Huguang, and there will be no core interest conflict between the two sides.

Allied army camp.

"The grain in the rear is still delivered on time, and the supply of meat has even been increased.

The puppet dynasty's invasion of Jiangxi has not affected the work of procuring military rations.

My dear ministers, you can rest assured now!"

Wang Weijiarui said with a smile.

However, the worry between his brows still exposed his inner anxiety.

With half of Jiangxi plunged into the flames of war, continuing to guarantee the army's logistical supply is clearly an impossible task.

The quantity of this batch of supplies that just arrived is much less than planned.

It looks like ships are gathering, but in reality, many transport ships are filled with sand and soil inside.

Putting on the appearance of abundant grain is mainly to appease the morale of the army.

"Prince, I have an uninvited request.

Originally, I didn't know whether I should say it or not, but now that I see your country's grain is worry-free, I can rest assured.

The puppet dynasty's army moved south, and the war burned to many prefectures along the Yangtze River, seriously affecting the Wu State's grain production.

The domestic grain was prioritized to support the northern battlefield, to the point where our logistics encountered problems.

I hope the Prince can lend a helping hand and lend me one hundred thousand shi of military rations; as soon as the next batch of grain is transported over, I will immediately return it to your country!"

The words of Marquis Weiyuan Yin Mufeng placed Wang Weijiarui on a fire to be roasted.

Logically speaking, if an ally is short of grain, he should extend a helping hand.

The problem is that sufficient grain was a play staged by the Chu State itself to appease the morale of the army.

The grain stored in the army is only enough for one month; it seems like a large quantity, but in reality, this is already a very dangerous number.

Given the combat will shown by the imperial army, even if Wuchang City is captured immediately, it is very difficult for the great battle to end within a month.

Once the grain supply cannot keep up, a great victory can just as easily turn into a great defeat.

Against this background, withdrawing one hundred thousand shi of military rations from the army will undoubtedly further reduce the reserves.

"Brother Yin's face, I must certainly give.

However, your country occupies the wealthiest Nanzhili; it seems like one province, but in reality, it is equivalent to several provinces.

Short of grain—are you not joking with me!"

Wang Weijiarui said with a gloomy face.

Regarding the grain shortage in Yin Mufeng's mouth, he doesn't believe a single word.

It is true that the imperial army moving south affected the spring taxes, but there are so many prefectures in Nanzhili, and they are not all affected.

Although the Wu State failed in its northern expedition last year, the troop strength mobilized was not large, and the duration of the great battle was also very short.

The battle with the greatest consumption is still this Battle of Wuchang.

The Wu army only mobilized one hundred thousand people to participate in the war, but they mobilized a full five hundred thousand troops; the consumption of both sides is not on the same level.

Determining that the other side's army is not short of grain, then this scene before us is purely professional sabotage.

"Haha..."

"Prince has sharp eyes; Yin was just seeing that everyone was too serious, so I made a joke.

As for military rations, our Great Wu is naturally not short of them!"

Yin Mufeng answered with a chuckle.

Having probed the true situation of the Chu army, the goal was achieved; there was no need to truly sabotage the ally.

Standing from the perspective of the Wu State, they hope that the Prince of Chu can win the war.

The great battle in the north proved once again that the declining Great Dayu Dynasty is not something they can easily shake.

Occupying Nanzhili was taking advantage of the northern barbarians' invasion.

Similar opportunities cannot be had every day.

"Since that is the case, then for the next great battle, I rely on Brother Yin to exert effort.

In order to win victory as soon as possible, the Chu army has already exerted all its strength.

But the enemy army's defense is too stubborn, and it is difficult to achieve a breakthrough in the short term.

Right now, the place where the enemy army's defense line most likely has a loophole is the battlefield you are responsible for, Brother Yin.

For the sake of the great cause of opposing Yu, I hope..."

Wang Weijiarui said, suppressing his displeasure.

Thinking of himself as a ruler of a country, having to lower his head and call a Wu army general brother—it truly made him lose face.

However, Wang Weijiarui is a realist; face is something without substantial benefits, and as long as it can be cashed in, he doesn't mind cashing it in immediately.

"Prince, rest assured; I will definitely exert all my strength!"

Yin Mufeng guaranteed immediately.

The Prince of Chu's posture is low, but that doesn't mean he can climb up the pole.

The three princes who walked out of the White Lotus Holy Kingdom are a unique existence.

Calling the Prince of Chu brother is equivalent to calling his own Emperor brother.

Although the Wu Emperor often does this, Yin Mufeng still rationally chose to be cautious and dutiful.

As for the promise made, that is a blank silver note.

It is not that he doesn't want to break through the enemy army's defense line; it is purely that he cannot fight.

Since the start of the war, the Wu army has also lost nearly ten thousand troops, with a combat loss rate close to ten percent.

According to the Chu army's desperate fighting style, he only has ninety thousand troops under his command, and they cannot withstand the tossing.

The Chu State's situation is dangerous, and in order to preserve the foundation, the Prince of Chu is willing to perish together with the imperial army, but that doesn't mean he is willing as well.

The troop strength in his hands exceeds one-quarter of the Wu State's total troop strength.

If the army suffers heavy losses, even if they win the war, he won't be able to explain it when he returns.

"Good!"

"As long as everyone works together, we will definitely be able to crush that thief Li Mu!"

Wang Weijiarui immediately boosted morale.

He can find ways to mobilize the morale of his subordinates, but he cannot eliminate the anxiety in his own heart.

Convening this military meeting was mainly to appease the morale of the army and discuss strategies to defeat the enemy.

Being interrupted by Yin Mufeng halfway, the task was only half completed.

It was not that Wang Weijiarui changed his mind temporarily; it was purely that from the eyes of everyone, he had already read the answer in advance.

The imperial army is curled up in the city and won't come out, with only cavalry active outside; besides forced attacks, there is not much they can do.

Of course, they can continue to expand the battle line and attempt to mobilize the enemy army.

Yet, the reality does not allow it.

Stretching the battle line increases not only the logistical pressure but also the difficulty of command.

Even with the current setup, he cannot take care of everything and is frequently taken advantage of by the enemy army.

If he continues to expand the battle line and dilute the troop strength in his hands, he will receive even more terrible news.

The Chu army in the marginal areas has the most say; they are frequently bullied by the imperial army.

Especially the scouts sent out, whose losses are particularly severe.

Upon hearing about selecting scouts, the soldiers below would one after another pretend to be sick.

As a result, daily reconnaissance missions have to rely on the ancient method of drawing lots to select the unlucky ones to execute them.

By the time they organize a counterattack, the enemy army has long since disappeared.

In the Shu region, looking at the towering city walls, Wei Hao sighed helplessly.

Xu Wenyue is his old rival; the two fought from Liangguang to Huguang, and then from Huguang to the Shu region.

Even if Xu Wenyue is not known for his military skills, after fighting so many times, his military level has been passively raised.

Compared to the officials in Shu, his ability is more than a notch stronger.

With this person presiding over the defense of Chengdu Prefecture, it is certainly not a good thing for the rebel army.

If they cannot take Chengdu Prefecture, declaring himself Prince and establishing his system is a joke; he can only continue to hold high the signboard of the White Lotus Holy Kingdom.

Regrettably, with the rebel army running rampant, the banner of the White Lotus Holy Kingdom has long since stunk.

Not to mention not having much appeal, its ability to attract hatred is still the best in the world.

If one wants to seize the world, one must complete de-religionization; this is a historical lesson left by our ancestors.

"Prince, news has come from Huguang that the Battle of Wuchang has entered a critical moment.

The puppet dynasty has launched a full-scale counterattack, successively launching great battles in Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Nanzhili, and other places.

Among them, the situation on the Jiangxi battlefield is the most special; the puppet dynasty's army quickly seized half of Jiangxi, shaking the foundation of the Prince of Chu.

On the northern battlefield, the puppet dynasty's border army moved out, pinning down most of the Wu State's troop strength.

The overall situation is very unfavorable for the rebel army."

Xu Yanyu reported with a serious face.

Entering Shu does not mean they want to seek peace in a corner.

Wei Hao's goal has always been to seize the world.

Besides the war in Shu, he also pays attention to the world situation at all times.

"It seems that the plan we set back then to temporarily avoid the sharp edge was still successful.

Wu Chu were able to rise rapidly simply because they took advantage of the northern barbarians' invasion; the puppet dynasty's strength is still strong.

Although the Shu region has various drawbacks, as long as we capture Chengdu Prefecture, we can seal the passes and defend, sitting and watching the world's winds and clouds.

However, if one wants to seize the world, the Shu region alone is not enough.

Since ancient times, there has been the saying of 'getting Long and looking at Shu.'

We have now reversed it; first, we seized the Shu region, and the next step is to take Guanzhong.

How is the agitation of the rebel army in the Guanzhong region going?"

Wei Hao asked with concern.

It is impossible not to envy the rapid rise of Wu Chu.

It was only considering that the Yu Dynasty had not yet fallen, and he did not want to bear the last strike of the final dynasty, that he chose to temporarily avoid the sharp edge.

Whether the decision was correct, he himself had no bottom in his heart.

Especially with Wu Chu growing larger, their conquest of Shu was not as expected, and different voices also emerged within the rebel army.

Relying on his personal prestige, Wei Hao forcefully suppressed the opposing opinions, but the hidden dangers still exist.

Now that Wu Chu have encountered trouble, it has instead reduced his pressure.

"Prince, the Guanzhong rebel army has just started the uprising, and the development is not very smooth.

Not long after breaking through Baishui, they were besieged by the imperial army.

The rebel army suffered heavy losses and could only retreat to the mountains to temporarily avoid it.

However, the disaster in Guanzhong is severe, and this year's spring grain production has decreased again; many people cannot survive until the autumn harvest.

It is estimated that in a few months, when the time comes for the old grain to be exhausted and the new grain not yet ripe, a new round of uprising climax will be ignited again."

Xu Yanyu explained immediately.

As a professional rebellion organization, they are also summarizing and learning from experience.

When is the most suitable time to launch an uprising.

When is it necessary to go into hiding.

When can one go out to preach.

A series of experiences were summarized by them and became the activity guidelines for the rebel army.

(End of chapter)