Chapter 868: Breaking the Deadlock

"What an arrogant fellow."

As Qiefusi's figure vanished, Yang Zhen frowned slightly.

This time, he had personally escorted Qiefusi here.

Of course, this did not mean he held Qiefusi in high regard.

Rather, he needed to meet with Yan Wang and, based on the outcome of that meeting, decide whether to take action next.

"It is quite normal. Before falling from the altar they have built for themselves, whether it is the Ross people or other nations of the Western Lands, they will maintain their contempt for the common people of other regions," Zhao Xu said slowly.

In the jungle of the world, cooperation between nations is built upon the foundation of strength.

Otherwise, it is merely the oppression and exploitation of one side by the other.

For hundreds of years, this is exactly what the Westerners have been doing.

And the sense of superiority formed over hundreds of years will not disappear all at once.

Unless they are thoroughly beaten down, they will not talk about cooperation.

Therefore, this war between him and the nations of the Western Lands must be fought.

"Hmph, this subordinate doesn't think much of them either!" Yang Zhen said. "Since the Ross people are so arrogant, this subordinate will teach them a harsh lesson on behalf of Your Highness."

Zhao Xu nodded. "It won't be long. The last batch of Qin-series rifles issued to your Ningjin Army still requires further training; besides, wait a while longer for the rear-loading cannons."

He paused and said, "By then, the war in the south should be over, and we will be able to free up our hands to deal with the Northern Di."

"Yes, Your Highness." Yang Zhen was overjoyed.

Both the Qin Army and the Prince's Personal Army were fighting, and as a general of the Ningjin Army, he was itching for action.

The generals under his command often complained that he did not ask Yan Wang for combat missions.

Now, Yan Wang had spoken these words.

Perhaps before long, their Ningjin Army would be able to display its might.

The two chatted for a while longer about the defense of the Ningjin Dusi.

In the afternoon, Yang Zhen returned to Jin City.

Zhao Xu, meanwhile, took a steam locomotive back to Yancheng.

Thinking of Qiefusi's final words, he decided to head to Jiameng Pass immediately.

Threatening him? Who did he think he was?

Now, no one could point a finger at him at his own doorstep.

Traveling by steamship, combining water and land routes, he arrived at Zhongling Pass in five days.

After leaving Zhongling Pass, he trekked through the mountains for another four days before reaching Jiameng Pass.

By this time, the First Army of the Prince's Personal Army, led by Commander Qin Shan, had already arrived at Jiameng Pass.

Guan Tong's Second Army and Huo An's Fifth Army were still processing prisoners and would arrive one after another within half a month.

"Your Highness!"

At Jiameng Pass, Ma Han, Dian Zhang, Lv Chang, and Qin Shan saluted Zhao Xu with a military salute.

Zhao Xu returned the salute, then entered Jiameng Pass and climbed the southern city wall.

Jiameng Pass was situated on a hilltop; attacking from the south was not easy, and attacking from the north was not easy either.

Standing atop the southern wall, he could overlook the flat Yizhou Plain.

"What is the situation in Yizhou now?" Zhao Xu asked.

Yizhou was the most important point in the current triangle of Bazhou, Yunzhou, and Yizhou.

Breaking this point would allow them to head south directly to Yunzhou, or east directly to Bazhou.

It was precisely for this reason that he placed such great importance on the battle for Yizhou.

Of course, there was another reason, which came from Qiefusi.

What exactly did he mean by "wait and see"? He was quite interested.

Ma Han stood at Zhao Xu's side; here, he was currently the highest-ranking general.

Pointing toward the Yizhou Plain, he said, "Just like the situation in the three southeastern prefectures back then, Southern Liang and the Northern Di have relocated all the common people within a three-hundred-li radius of Jiameng Pass. Furthermore, they were even more ruthless than the Liang Family; they burned everything, including the villagers' huts, to the ground."

"Another 'strengthen the walls and clear the fields' strategy. They are doing this to target our supply lines," Zhao Xu said.

This strategy was simple and brutal; he could naturally guess it.

"Indeed. That is why this subordinate has been mobilizing the war chariots during this time," Ma Han said. "They have a countermeasure, and we naturally have a way to break it."

Qin Shan smiled triumphantly. "Back then, we wiped out the Black Iron Royal Tent relying on war chariots; I didn't expect these war chariots to come in handy again."

Zhao Xu nodded; the method Ma Han chose to break the strategy was correct.

War chariots were suitable for combat within short to medium distances.

This was because the grain and baggage carried within the war chariots were limited.

If they traveled too far, it would be troublesome once the grain was exhausted.

Therefore, war chariots had always been used to deal with Northern Di tribes near the Yanguan line.

They had never ventured too deep into the Grassland.

Yet, the region of Yizhou was precisely within a short to medium distance from Jiameng Pass, about six hundred kilometers from north to south and over eight hundred kilometers from east to west.

Yiyang City, the capital of Yizhou, was even only a little over three hundred kilometers from Jiameng Pass.

The grain loaded in the war chariots was enough for the soldiers to fight their way across the entirety of Yizhou.

Their wishful thinking had been in vain.

Thinking of this, he asked Ma Han, "How long will it take for all the war chariots to be in position?"

"Replying to Your Highness, about half a month," Ma Han said.

"That's about right; by then, the Prince's Personal Army will also be almost entirely in position," Zhao Xu nodded.

Another half a month passed.

During this period, just as Ma Han had said, war chariots arrived one after another at Jiameng Pass.

Chang Wei also arrived with the soldiers of the Prince's Personal Army.

The two armies converged, and everything was ready.

Zhao Xu decided to launch an attack on Yizhou.

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