Chapter 416: The Strategy of Po Jun: Alliances and Divisions

"Yes, it's Qin Wu Hou!!!"

"Retreat, retreat!"

Panicked voices carried on the wind.

Li Guanyi's thirty-thousand-strong army effortlessly wiped out several outposts deployed by Lu Youxian beyond the city walls, then split into three columns, galloping forward—dozens of li vanished in an instant.

A towering fortress stood before them.

This fortress had been renovated from the original Chen Kingdom's border defenses for the Western Regions, reinforced and expanded over generations, with inner and outer walls constructed—almost pushing the defensive principles of military strategy to their absolute limit.

Even the Yu Langwang had failed to break it.

When Li Guanyi arrived on the Fire Qilin before Zhenxi Xiongcheng, even he felt a sense of helplessness—the thick walls, massive crossbow mechanisms arrayed along the ramparts, and faintly perceptible formations hovering above the city.

Too solid.

With such a complete fortress and Lu Youxian's tactics, just fifty thousand men could hold off three hundred thousand, backed by Chen's interior for endless logistical support—total, all-around defense.

Some of the generals from the Western Regions turned pale.

"No wonder it's Lu Youxian—this kind of fortress is nearly impossible to take by conventional means."

"Even the defensive formation is in place."

"No flashy tricks—just pure, overwhelming force."

Li Guanyi said: "Mr. Yuan Zhi, is there a way to take this city?"

Yuan Zhi, already in his thirties, rode beside Li Guanyi and gazed at the towering fortress: "My Lord, this city is a fortress continuously reinforced by the Chen Kingdom, and now Lu Youxian is in command."

"It will drag everyone into the most brutal defensive battle."

"Even the first line of defense is nearly impossible to breach—Lu Youxian built it as an inner and outer city. After the outer wall falls, elite troops and civilians retreat inside, turning any invading force into sitting ducks."

"The retreat space is compressed—Lu Youxian's high walls, heavy crossbows, and cavalry archers will crush even the heaviest armor and shields."

Li Guanyi said: "Is that so?"

Mr. Yuan Zhi replied: "The only option now is to rely on the contingency left by Wen He. Lu Youxian's defense and siege tactics have reached the pinnacle of this era—on a direct defensive battlefield, no one can defeat him except by sheer attrition."

Li Guanyi said: "Then that's all we can do."

The Fire Qilin Army camped outside Zhenxi Xiongcheng, their banners stretching endlessly. Those with the ability to sense qi and observe aura could see the martial ferocity rising like a storm, stretching over ten li—every observer was stunned.

Those inside the city were even more awed. Captains and generals stood atop the walls, arrows in hand, gazing far off—they saw Qin Wu Hou's army, solemn and majestic, the finest of this age.

Previously, the strongest general of the Chen Kingdom was Yu Langwang Chen Fubi.

The strongest general of the Ying Kingdom was unquestionably Grand Tutor Jiang Su.

On the Western Regions battlefield, Li Guanyi had directly clashed with both nations' strongest—whether by strategy or whether those two top generals had erred through arrogance or haste, in military eyes, victory was victory.

Even with Lu Youxian inside, the morale of the soldiers and officers within the city remained low.

Li Guanyi's reputation and battlefield record were enough to suppress their spirits.

Li Guanyi sent Nangong Wumeng out to wander—perhaps she'd find a weakness. Nangong Wumeng rolled her eyes but still went for a stroll. Yet Lu Youxian's defense was too tight—even Nangong Wumeng, with her extraordinary fortune, had no solution.

Lei Laomeng, Pan Wanxiu, and Gong Sun Huai Zhi stared at the defense system, scratching their heads until they nearly pulled out their hair—still no way to break it.

Khan Qibili's and the Western generals' favored tactics were utterly useless.

Fan Qing, whose own tactics resembled Lu Youxian's, frowned deeply—he faced an opponent whose style mirrored his own, yet was far more cautious, with superior combat experience and strategic judgment—Fan Qing was at a complete loss.

Mr. Yuan Zhi's Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation couldn't trap this old turtle.

He just wouldn't come out.

He refused to duel. When they sent women's clothing, Lu Youxian had his maidservants dress in it, dance, and play music atop the walls, while soldiers shouted loudly: "Thank you, My Lord, for the women's attire—it's very comfortable! If you're willing, please send more of high quality!"

These cheap goods don't do justice to your Lordship's status.

Along the entire wall of Zhenxi Xiongcheng, a soldier stood every fifteen steps, cupping their hands to their mouths, shouting in regional dialects: "Cheap goods! Cheap goods!" The shouts rose and fell, echoing for miles.

Li Guanyi's temple twitched.

Lu Youxian—from tactics, to strategy, to formations, to spirit.

Not a single flaw.

The kind of general who achieves no glory but makes no mistakes.

Though his lack of spectacular achievements kept him low on the Divine General Rankings before the chaos, after the Jiang Su battle and the Western campaigns, Lu Youxian's rank surged rapidly—he now stands at fourteenth.

In contrast, Xiao Wuliang, due to his amputated arm and lost generals,

Has fallen to twenty-seventh.

After returning, Nangong Wumeng loudly mocked "cheap goods."

Li Guanyi pinched her forehead with one hand—not hard, but enough to sting. Nangong screamed: "Ow! Easy! I won't laugh anymore, okay? I won't laugh!"

"Sorry, sorry—I'm the Scout General. Subordinates can't mock their Lord."

It was just playful banter among comrades who rose from humble beginnings.

Li Guanyi hadn't used much force; hearing her deliberately silly jokes, he knew she was trying to ease his tension. He sighed and let go.

Nangong Wumeng squatted to the side, tears welling in her eyes.

The silver-haired girl stroked Nangong Wumeng's hair. Nangong glared at Li Guanyi and muttered: "Cheap goods? Cheap goods! How can Western silk compare to Central Plains silk? Besides, this kind of clothing is fine—it's wearable."

"I think it looks good."

"Yao Guang is better—soft, sweet-smelling."

Nangong Wumeng hugged Yao Guang and rubbed against her.

Li Guanyi stared at the terrain map, then suddenly remembered something: "Nangong?"

Nangong Wumeng glared at him warily: "What?"

"No money. No gold mine found. No silver mine either!"

"Only two copper veins and one tin vein."

"Not that—ah, really?!"

Li Guanyi stared, gazing at Gong Nong Wumeng over there.

Twenty-three-year-old Gong Nong Wumeng crouched behind Yao Guang, her eyes fixed on Li Guanyi, holding up two fingers and pinching them together: "Just… a little."

She thought for a moment, then pulled the gap between her fingers slightly upward.

"Hmm, about this much."

"Above there are stone steles inscribed with Chen state documents—they should be the ore vein Lu Youxian found and hid. I got lost in a sandstorm and stumbled upon them."

Li Guanyi stared.

His eyes flickered faintly; suddenly he pointed at the wall of Zhenxi Xiongcheng and said: "Didn't you once summon a wind? This wall is far too thick, far too obstructive—stone-throwers smash into it and not even a speck of dust falls."

"Could you make a few meteorites fall from the sky?"

"Smash this wall to pieces."

Meteorites?

Several of them?!!

Gong Nong Wumeng's eyes widened; she stammered: "Y-you—you're planning to wager away your fortune, your next life's fortune, and the one after that?!"

"No, no!"

"Besides, even if you threw away all your fortune, I still couldn't do it!"

"Do you think I'm a Bodhisattva?!"

Li Guanyi stepped forward half a pace, clasped his hands in salute, and said devoutly:

"Gong Nong Wumeng, Bodhisattva of Mercy."

"Have pity on this humble one."

Gong Nong Wumeng's face flushed crimson; her white, jade-like finger pointed at Li Guanyi as she stammered: "Y-you—you're shameless!"

"Y-you!"

Gong Nong Wumeng.

She turned and fled.

Li Guanyi smiled: "Truly, when provoking, you had so much courage—but run off at the first chance. What a pity. If she could really summon meteorites, I'd trade eight lifetimes of fortune for it."

"Then, in battle, crack one right on Jiang Su's head."

"Even a martial legend—"

"Still needs an opening."

In Li Guanyi's speech, Jiang Su remained a lingering grievance. The world was vast: Chen in the south, Ying in the north—all enemies, all rivals. Li Guanyi stared at the direction of Zhenxi Xiongcheng, determined to find a weakness.

He was no longer the man he once was, no longer placing all his chips and hope on a single stratagem.

And within Zhenxi Xiongcheng—

Lu Youxian stared at the world's topographical maps, his gaze locked on the Western Regions, Jiangnan, and the winding river systems. Finally, he fixed his eyes on Chen's southern frontier—

Three years ago, Yue Pengwu led elite offensive troops in defection to the north.

They crossed Ying territory, reached beyond the Northern Frontier, while the original Yue family army remained stationed in the central-south region, where they had proven effective against Ying forces.

But if Lu Youxian's suspicions proved true—

Qin Wu Hou, entrenched in the Western Regions, would descend along the waterways and swallow the world; then the Yue family army, stationed at Chen's frontier, would crumble.

If the Yue family army rejoined Yue Pengwu—

And Yue Pengwu rejoined the Fire Qilin army—

It would be like chopping off one of Chen's arms.

And Li Guanyi's momentum surged forward.

Even within the city walls, Lu Youxian wore full heavy armor, standing imposingly; he was only in his forties, yet in these two years in the Western Regions, streaks of gray had already appeared at his temples.

He clenched his lips, staring fixedly at Zhenxi Xiongcheng.

To block Li Guanyi's rising tide, this place must not fall. If it fell, he would sweep southwest, seize the waterways, reclaim Jiangnan, and Yue Pengwu would return—reuniting the Yue family army's hundred thousand troops under his command.

Lu Youxian felt as if he stood before a raging tide. This surge of momentum was recorded in history—it signaled the imminent rise of a hegemon of the age.

When fortune turns, heaven and earth unite in force.

And he, Lu Youxian, was the mantis trying to stop the chariot.

Yet even so, the solemn face of this famed general remained expressionless.

He wrote down all his concerns, then sent them by secret letter, using a supernatural beast to deliver them to Chen's capital, hoping to at least caution the Yue family army stationed on the Ying frontier.

"The world surges, while my Chen state is worn thin. Your servant Lu Youxian will spare no effort to block Qin Wu Hou's blade. If we can gain even a few months' respite, Chen may recover its strength and break Qin Wu Hou's momentum."

"May Your Majesty open the gates of counsel, appoint the capable, and not let treacherous flatterers breed chaos."

"The world holds countless talents—not merely Li Guanyi. Chen's vast territory spans ten thousand li—it does not rise because of Yu Langwang's strategy alone, nor fall because of his death."

"May Your Majesty endure a few months of humiliation. Your servant will turn peril into safety."

After receiving the memorial, Chen Dingye first dispatched envoys to Ying. On this day, both Chen and Ying issued new edicts, declaring reconciliation and reopening trade.

Ying relaxed its vigilance along all its borders against Chen.

But along the stretch guarded by the Yue family army, it strengthened its military readiness.

Chen dispatched troops to reinforce Zhenxi Xiongcheng.

The commander was Ye Chongdao, Zhou Xianping, alongside battlefield rising stars Han Siyuan and Tuoba Yang—supporting Zhenxi City. Both Chen and Ying recognized Li Guanyi's rising tide.

Both great Central Plains powers realized:

To recover their strength and rest,

They could not let Li Guanyi rest.

If this generation of young forces also rested, Chen and Ying would lie awake at night in dread.

And wise minds across the land saw: only months ago, Chen and Ying had fought to the death—yet now, because of Qin Wu Hou in the Western Regions, they had forged a new pact. Ying reined in its blades and vigilance, focused on agriculture and economy, and contained the Yue family army.

And the State of Chen, having freed up its hands, threw its full support behind Lu Youxian at the front line.

The previously calmed waters stirred again because of one man; Mr. Pojun took over Master Wen He's strategy, smoothing out its excessive cruelty and violations of Heaven's harmony.

He extended a finger and said: "My Lord, do not worry—I have three strategies."

Pojun's military strategy was more upright and honorable.

Grand and majestic.

First, encircle but do not attack; merely display full military might to exert immense pressure upon Zhenxi Xiongcheng, while dispatching rear units that arrive daily, at nightfall, marching in silence—horses with muzzled mouths—then retreating dozens of li away to lie in wait.

The next day, drums and gongs rang together, banners flapped wildly, stretching over ten li, the sounds of hooves, war drums, and swords never ceasing; from within the city, it appeared as if the Western Alliance's forces surged daily with endless reinforcements.

According to this daily count, tens of thousands arrived each day.

The second day, still tens of thousands.

Each day's battle flags differed.

On the first day, the soldiers of Zhenxi Xiongcheng could still relax, believing their mighty fortress was impregnable, and with the Emperor's reinforcements arriving, this siege would surely be contained.

By the second day, their smiles grew hard to maintain.

By the fifth day, watching the endless tide of troops, no one could laugh anymore—even the most jovial among them now trembled with wide, startled eyes, pale faces, and trembling limbs.

With this momentum continuing.

Soon, a million troops might accumulate outside Zhenxi Xiongcheng.

Meanwhile, Pojun had prepared a full suite of strategies to undermine the enemy's morale.

Each day, he systematically expanded the area covered by cooking stoves: initially, smoke rose within ten li; daily, it spread outward, until after some time, banners and cooking smoke could be faintly seen across a twenty-li radius.

It projected the sheer might of a million-man army—anyone seeing this sight would sense Qin Wu Hou's utter determination to crush this damned Western fortress at all costs.

Merely standing on the walls and looking out made the timid tremble in fear.

At the same time, the merchants previously infiltrated by Master Wen He began spreading rumors.

But they did not promote Li Guanyi's strength.

Instead, following Master Wen He's prior instructions, they spread tales of General Lu Youxian's greatness: years ago, when Qin Wu Hou was merely a fugitive, General Lu Youxian had dominated the battlefield, leading his army to chase Qin Wu Hou into utter disgrace, nearly killing him with his blade.

This revelation of old grudges stirred unrest among the hearts of men.

As this strategy unfolded, at nightfall, Li Guanyi suddenly sensed an aura appearing within the camp—its Wu Gong was extraordinarily high, imperceptible to ordinary men; Li Guanyi took up his weapon and walked slowly toward it.

Chen Wenmian was polishing his double-edged long-hafted battle knife in his tent when he sensed the deliberately released aura and lifted his gaze slightly:

"Who is it?"

A hoarse voice replied:

"Long time no see, Crown Prince. Your Wu Gong has improved greatly."

"The old man is deeply pleased."

Chen Wenmian's expression changed; he saw an old man appear within his camp, his foundation vast and profound, clearly displaying the power of the Ninth Layer—this was one of the two ancient ancestors of the Chen imperial family, from the Jiangzhou Library.

Chen Wenmian's face darkened.

"You?!!"

"Uncle Tianyi…"

The old man smiled and said: "Crown Prince, still calling me Uncle is a comfort to me. But you may put down your weapon—I come not as an enemy, but to offer you a single piece of advice."

He stepped forward half a pace, his form ethereal, and pressed down upon Chen Wenmian's weapon, forcing it down; Chen Wenmian, only twenty, though hardened by battlefield Wu Gong, could not possibly match the hundred-year-old foundation of this Ninth Layer elder.

With just this one move, his weapon was pinned.

The same-origin Wu Gong suppressed him, rendering him unable to strike.

He seized the initiative to suppress Chen Wenmian's aura—otherwise, if this young general linked with his army, the martial momentum would empower him so greatly that even this elder's Ninth Layer might struggle to restrain a commander leading a fifty-thousand-strong frontline force.

Chen Wenmian, unable to move, remained calm:

"Uncle, what is your meaning?"

The old man chuckled: "I obeyed the Emperor's command to come to this Western battlefield, originally intending to retrieve you if things turned dire—but I never found the chance."

Chen Wenmian said: "Jiang Su's divine weapon's edge is indeed impossible to overcome."

The old man ignored the sarcasm in Chen Wenmian's gentle tone and said: "Jiang Su's Wu Gong is indeed formidable, and stronger than ten years ago. Alone, I am no match for him."

Chen Wenmian suddenly switched tactics—his left hand pulled a short sword from nowhere and slashed toward the old man's waist and abdomen.

The old man stepped forward, his left hand pressing down, gripping Chen Wenmian's wrist:

"Crown Prince, why not let me finish speaking?"

Chen Wenmian said coldly: "I am no Crown Prince. I am now a general of the Fire Qilin Army. If you do not leave, I recognize you as Uncle—but my blade does not!"

Chen Tianyi said: "A general of the Fire Qilin Army?"

"Do you truly believe that calling Li Guanyi 'big brother' means he sees you as a brother? Do you truly think you have a place in the Fire Qilin Army?! Crown Prince, wake up!"

"Even if Li Guanyi's foundation is weak and he rushes recklessly for glory—even if he somehow stole heaven's fortune and seized a corner of the world, built a lord's legacy—it will still be the Li family's realm. What has it to do with you?!"

"Can Li Guanyi tolerate you? Will his son tolerate you?"

"One day, you, a remnant of this fallen state, will still be purged. The world hangs in balance. You hold troops and generals—why not turn against him, shatter his lines, and aid our Great Chen in overcoming this crisis?!"

"Then I shall personally lead you back to Jiangzhou, Chen, and place you upon the throne. Would that not be a thousand times better than your current state of dependence?"

The Chen elder spoke with deeply tempting words; Chen Wenmian fell silent.

His resistance weakened.

Chen Tianyi said: "That's right, Crown Prince. When you return to Great Chen, I shall stand by you. No matter what, you carry the blood of the Chen imperial family—you have a natural legal claim to the throne. Far better than being purged one day."

He slowly released Chen Wenmian's hand; the weapon fell from Chen Wenmian's grip.

Chen Tianyi's vigilance relaxed for an instant.

Suddenly, a chilling glint pierced him—he felt ice crawl up his spine, and he leapt back—Chen Wenmian now held his double-edged long-hafted battle knife, slashing forward with a ferocious, deadly aura, the divine weapon's martial force surging violently.

"Chen Dingye—he killed my mother! He killed my father!"

"My mother died because of him; my father fled our country because of him. I long to devour his flesh and drink his blood—this knife shall kill him myself. How dare you come here and spout such nonsense!!!"

Chen Wenmian's eyes turned red; he raised his weapon. Chen Tianyi's pupils contracted, sensing the power emanating from it—this was unmistakably a divine weapon fully subjugated to Chen Wenmian!

Divine weapons were exceedingly rare in this world. Chen Tianyi coveted it, yet faintly sensed a malevolent aura upon it—something far beyond what Chen Wenmian could possibly emit.

The old man whispered: "Chen Fu..."

"Even in death, are you still protecting your son?"

He again sensed a flow of malevolent energy within the army, realizing that once he entered, he might not escape. He said:

"Regardless, Your Highness, every word I speak is true. Is our Great Chen's realm not worth more than a distant, mediocre general's post in the Fire Qilin Army?"

"Honest words are bitter to hear—Your Highness, ponder them carefully!"

With that, he said no more, merely shifted his body and unleashed the Royal Family's supreme Wu Gong, escaping swiftly. Amidst the army, he used his movement technique to evade patrolling cavalry, silently pondering: this Qin Wu Hou had gathered a million troops in one place.

Could such an army truly exist?

Or was it merely a bluff? Let this old man take a closer look!

He advanced further, extending his perception—and saw that the rear portion of the army was false: only banners and cooking stoves arranged in formation, no encampments or soldiers. At first, he felt relief and joy, then sighed in admiration:

"Remarkable! Simply with banners and cooking stoves, he has shaken the morale of my entire army."

"Now, within the city, hearts are filled with panic."

"And their cost? Only some flags?"

"Who devised this strategy? A true genius of the world!"

A voice of praise came: "Yes, I think so too."

The old man said: "Indeed, just as I thought..."

"!!!"

Chen Tianyi's pupils shrank violently as he slowly turned. The Ninth Heaven elder of the Chen royal house saw, beneath the moonlight, a man clad in armor and battle robe, about eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing a robe embroidered with Fire Qilin, his hair bound by a black jade hairpin.

The old man whispered:

"Qin Wu Hou..."

Murderous intent surged, suddenly ferocious!

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