Chapter 190: A Justifiable Cause

A surprise attack that shocked the world.

"This is preposterous, absolutely preposterous!"

Upon receiving the military report, the King of Shu spat out a mouthful of old blood on the spot.

I was careless!

He was still careless!

To him, this was simply a supreme humiliation!

In such heavy rain, the provisions were burned by someone? If this matter were to spread across the world, would he still have the face to see anyone?

Originally, with the rain pouring down, the soldiers had no heart for battle and thus grew lax. This allowed the Hanzhong Army, whose tracks were washed away by the rain, to launch a surprise raid and directly destroy the granary. Furthermore, these thirty thousand Hanzhong Army soldiers had come to carry out this mission already holding the mindset of certain death; as the saying goes, a desperate army will win. When the Shu Army's granaries were completely destroyed, they began to counterattack.

They actually encountered the stubborn resistance of these thirty thousand Hanzhong Army soldiers.

In an instant, the Shu Army suffered forty thousand casualties before they managed to rout these thirty thousand Hanzhong Army soldiers.

A fatal blow!

As everyone knows, provisions must move before the troops and horses. Since ancient times, these provisions have been the most important of the important in war. Once the granary is lost, the morale of the army will surely fall into chaos.

For an army of two hundred thousand, the provisions consumed every day are an astronomical figure.

People are iron, rice is steel; if you don't eat a meal, you feel famished.

Now that the provisions have all been burned, how can this war continue to be fought?

"Your Highness, why don't we..."

The Strategists suggested retreating.

The King of Shu was furious: "Retreat?"

"Am I, the dignified King of Shu, to be beaten into retreat by the King of Yong of Hanzhong?"

The King of Shu gritted his teeth and clenched his fists: "How could I let the world laugh at me!"

"Pass down the order to launch a full-scale attack. I will spare no cost to take this Hanzhong and make that good-for-nothing King of Yong kneel before me and beg for mercy!"

"Yes!"

Inside Hanzhong City.

The officials under the King of Yong cheered and jumped for joy.

This surprise attack greatly boosted morale, and the hearts of the people gradually stabilized.

"The King of Yong is divine and martial!"

"After this battle, the name of the King of Yong will surely spread throughout the world."

These people began to flatter him without restraint.

The King of Yong watched coldly, a self-deprecating smile in his heart.

A mere small victory was not enough to overturn the war situation. Although the King of Shu had a violent temper, he was well-versed in military strategy and cautious in nature; how could he have only this one granary?

The King of Yong's move was also a last resort.

He had not expected that Zheng Yuxing of Liangzhou would be trapped at Liuguan, unable to reinforce Hanzhong City.

He sighed faintly.

Could it be that only the Yinzhou Army could save Hanzhong from fire and water?

But wouldn't that be driving away a wolf in the front only to welcome a tiger in the back?

These days, the morale of the Hanzhong soldiers had already fallen to the extreme. The King of Yong had no choice but to use the tactic of a surprise attack. However, he knew that the King of Shu, who occupied an overwhelming advantage in military strength and dignity, would never truly let it go.

Sure enough.

On the very next day, before the heavy rain had even stopped, the King of Shu's full-scale offensive began.

Hanzhong City was once again in a state of chaos.

The King of Yong once again went to the city wall in person to command.

"Hold them back, hold them back for me!"

"Even if we die, we cannot let the West Gate be breached!"

The mountains and plains were filled with the Shu Army. Although the rain was pouring, the oil-pouring and Rockets on the Hanzhong City side had all misfired. The King of Yong only regretted at this moment that he had not prepared some Lime in the city to perform the feat of the then-Governor Liu, who repelled the enemy with lime.

The Shu Army was very skilled at fighting in the rain.

The people of Sichuan were naturally fierce and seemed to never fear any challenge.

With the war drums thundering, attack after attack kept Hanzhong City running ragged. The West Gate was breached, then taken back... The South Gate collapsed, and the craftsmen and commoners in the city hurriedly seized the time to repair it.

The pressure faced at the main gate was even greater.

At this time, inside and outside the city, the city walls and the top of the walls were already full of wreckage; there was not even a place to stand.

"Your Highness, this King of Shu, this is clearly a war of annihilation!"

"How can one fight like this!"

The King of Shu was angry, and the Shu Army fought regardless of their lives.

Those who had just stabilized their morale began to fall into chaos again.

"Block!"

"Hold them back!"

The King of Yong was calm and composed: "Although the Shu Army is brave, our Hanzhong Army is also over a hundred thousand strong; what is there to fear?"

"Yes!"

Not until the final moment.

He would absolutely not seek help from Yinzhou.

This fierce siege battle lasted for five days.

The expression on the face of the King of Shu had already turned iron-blue.

"Your Highness... the grain and fodder are still on the way, but the soldiers have already started eating horses to stave off hunger!"

Although the King of Shu still had other grain and fodder, the rate of consumption was simply too fast. In five days, because the heavy rain affected the speed of transport, the Shu Army had nothing left to eat, yet the supplies had still not arrived.

This also greatly affected the efficiency of the siege.

The King of Shu had not expected that this Prince of Yong, who usually bowed and scraped to everyone, would be so unyielding this time. He could not help but sigh: "Could it be that I must really retreat?"

He felt quite unwilling in his heart.

This time he had only taken Wudu City; how could Wudu City compare to the wealthy Hanzhong? Calculating it back and forth, if he were to retreat, this war would be a loss!

He spat: "Is that Prefect Liu of Yinzhou also going to swallow a bitter pill this time?"

All of this was a scheme by Yinzhou, and he, the King of Shu, had gone along with the trend, wanting to take advantage of the situation.

He had not expected it.

The situation had turned again and again.

The battle had fallen into a stalemate.

This was also something Liu Zheng and the others had not foreseen.

This Prince of Yong...

was actually so capable of fighting. Even in this situation, he still refused to ask Yinzhou for reinforcements.

"Sir, what should be done about this?"

"Looking at the King of Shu's state, he is about to retreat!"

"Sir?"

Several people looked at Qingyang Shuo, who was still studying the sand table, each of them anxious beyond measure.

Qingyang Shuo, however, was not the least bit anxious, smiling faintly: "Since that Prince of Yong will not ask for reinforcements, why can't we go ourselves?"

Several people were stunned.

Liu Zheng gave a bitter smile: "Sir, without a just cause for sending troops, the world will surely unite to attack us..."

Qingyang Shuo said: "What if there is a just cause for sending troops?"

Liu Zheng's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Could it be that this Qingyang Shuo still had a backup plan?

Qingyang Shuo smiled faintly, picked up a chess piece from the side, placed it into Hanzhong City, and then said: "Young Master, do not blame Shuo for acting on his own initiative."

"This is also the intention of Lady Manqing herself."

"What?"

Liu Zheng shuddered, his expression shifting slightly; suddenly, he had a bad premonition in his heart.

This name, which he had not heard for a long time, touched his heartstrings.

Qingyang Shuo said: "Just as this matter was being plotted, Lady Manqing was invited to Hanzhong to perform zither music."

Boom!

A roar echoed in Liu Zheng's mind, and he looked at Qingyang Shuo in disbelief.

The others were also stunned, their scalps tingling.

In this world, who did not know that when Prefect Liu first entered Yinzhou, he had a romantic past with Shen Manqing, who was now the world's number one zither player? Who did not know that this Shen Manqing was Liu Zheng's confidante?

The two of them had once played the zither in harmony in Liangzhou City, the envy of all men and women in the world.

Men envied Liu Zheng.

Women envied Shen Manqing.

Afterwards, Shen Manqing became famous with a single song, regained her freedom, and began to travel the world. Many wealthy families and Feudatory Kings considered it an honor to be able to invite Shen Manqing to play a song. The title of world's number one zither player was well-deserved.

However...

At this time, Shen Manqing, a zither player who had already attained such a high status, an artist highly affirmed even by the Imperial House.

Was actually in Hanzhong?

In Hanzhong, which seemed on the verge of falling and suffering devastation?

These few people looked at Qingyang Shuo with terrified eyes.

This man who looked so handsome.

It was too terrifying...

They did not believe that Shen Manqing just happened to be in Hanzhong; this must be Qingyang Shuo's arrangement!

This arrangement, ring within ring.

It made those caught in it feel a chill down their spines and gasp in cold air.

Fortunately, this Qingyang Shuo was not an enemy.

A confidante trapped.

Liu Zheng was furious, leading troops a thousand miles to rescue her; was this not a beautiful story, and could this not be considered a just cause for sending troops?

Liu Zheng took a deep breath and gritted his teeth: "Prepare the troops and horses, we march!"

"Yes!"