Chapter 222: This Is War

Fight fire with fire?

Liu Zheng looked on in disbelief: "Sir, could it be that the wind direction will change in these coming days?"

Qingyang Shuo shook his head and said: "Young Master, this Xie Xuan is a man of peerless talent; how could he not have someone by his side proficient in observing the stars and the heavens?"

Liu Zheng's heart sank, thinking that was true.

Launching a war in this ancient era was no child's play; the preliminary stages required divination, sky-watching, and even choosing an auspicious day to set out, not to mention the various procedures like sacrificing to the flags and offering prayers before departure.

With a cautious man like Xie Xuan, there would certainly be no deviations.

"However..."

Qingyang Shuo smiled: "Young Master, the daytime winds are long, but the night winds cease. According to my observations, this situation is even more pronounced in the Western Regions."

Liu Zheng's eyes widened: "A night raid?"

Qingyang Shuo nodded: "I have been observing the celestial phenomena at night; in three days, the weather will be mild, and the night should be the best opportunity for a surprise attack! A night raid, and a fire attack at that! Young Master, fire can harm others, but it can also harm oneself."

Liu Zheng smacked his lips.

A night raid... a fire attack...

This was not so easy.

Most importantly, Liu Zheng did not want to fight outside the city; the street fighting he had planned was what he wanted. These Western Regions Cavalry were skilled at fighting in flat plains and deserts, and he wanted to lure the enemy into Cheshi before annihilating them.

Suddenly.

A flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he slapped his thigh: "Got it!"

But immediately following that, he wore a bitter smile.

He felt a bit sorry for the naive and sweet Reguli... Should he tell her the entire plan?

Reguli and the Loulan Army suffered heavy losses today.

But they had won the respect of the Yinzhou army.

They could really fight!

With a force of sixty thousand, they had stubbornly blocked dozens of attacks from the eighty-thousand-strong Yanqi Army.

"Good!"

"Well done!"

"Loulan will surely win!"

Night fell.

The Yanqi Army had gained nothing from attacking the city all day and could only retreat.

Liu Zheng and the others personally came to receive Reguli and her troops, giving them the treatment of heroes.

Reguli was also exhausted; she no longer had the mood to tease Liu Zheng and forced a smile: "Young Master, Reguli did not let you down..."

Liu Zheng felt a slight pain in his heart and almost blurted out his entire plan, but he swallowed it back down.

Because he needed such a desperate, resisting force right now to make the Yanqi Army absolutely believe that his main force was at Sanlinpo... The more it looked like it, the more they would fall for it.

If he told her, who knew what kind of trouble the Loulan Army might cause.

Liu Zheng dared not gamble.

He admitted that he was a bit selfish.

But this is war.

Liu Zheng could only cup his hands and smile: "If one day we take Yanqi, Loulan shall enter first for three days, and then we will arrive!"

Reguli's eyes lit up: "Is that true? Good, good, good! Brothers, did you hear that? Work hard!"

This meant that if they conquered Yanqi, Loulan could go in and loot the wealth; wasn't that what they were after by participating in this war?

The Loulan generals had originally harbored some resentment, but after returning, they received hero-like treatment and, upon hearing this, were overjoyed.

They all declared they would reorganize and rest tonight, and fight again tomorrow!

War.

Is never accomplished in one stroke.

Nor is it ever solved in a day or two.

Both sides had sufficient understanding of this point.

However, Jiulong was still very angry.

"The weak Longyan, they couldn't even take it in a day!"

"What do I need you for, what on earth are you doing!"

He was furious, filled with murderous intent.

Losing Cheshi was one thing, but he thought he must retake Cheshi within a day to let His Majesty see that he, Jiulong, was still the number one fierce general of Dayuan!

He wanted to let those Longyan see just how well the people of the Western Regions could fight!

He hadn't expected.

Even with the cooperation of Quelehuoduo, they hadn't taken it in a day.

That force launching the all-out attack on Sanlinpo had actually lost ten thousand men!

A disgrace!

To him, this was absolutely a disgrace!

"Great General, although we did not take it on the first day, at least we have gauged the true combat strength of the Longyan. These people, despite fighting far from home, still possess no weak combat power. If we redeploy, we can take it in three days!"

At this moment, in the military tent, a fair-skinned scholar laughed softly.

Jiulong glanced at him; he dared not slight this man in the least. He was Luo Quan, the number one Strategist under Xie Xuan. He was also the number one civil official of Dayuan, here this time to supervise the battle.

Jiulong chuckled and said, "Lord Luo, these words have truly enlightened me! However, why would the mere Longyan army need to be redeployed? This bunch of people is relying on the Loulan to hold Sanlinpo to the death. Although the Loulan are decadent and debauched, they are, after all, fierce warriors of the Western Regions. Looking at those Longyan, they must also be relying on the people of the Western Regions!"

Everyone burst into loud laughter.

In other words, once they defeated these Loulan, they would have a clear path to charge directly into the ranks of the feeble Longyan and begin their slaughter to their hearts' content.

"Come, come, drink! You must take it for me tomorrow!"

"Yes, Great General!"

The next day.

The siege continued.

This time, the main force defending Sanlinpo was still the Loulan Army. Liu Zheng had reinforced them with another twenty thousand, bringing the total to sixty thousand—yesterday alone, twenty thousand were lost, most of whom were Loulan soldiers.

It seemed that this Jiulong was also fixated on Sanlinpo.

He was determined to take it!

Qingyang Shuo smiled faintly and said, "Just as you expected, Young Master, these world-renowned fierce generals all have a stubborn temper."

Liu Zheng laughed and said, "That's not a stubborn temper; that's obstinacy, that's arrogance!"

On this day, not only was the offensive against Sanlinpo more ferocious, but the attacks on the gates of Cheshi were also intensified, with the seemingly endless Quelehuoduo burning fiercely.

The physicians accompanying the army were exhausted today.

"Over here!"

"General, this brother has been deeply poisoned..."

"Over here, over here, this one can still be saved!"

It was either arrow wounds, blade wounds, sword wounds, or internal injuries caused by poisonous smoke; stretcher teams ran back and forth through the city, and every place that could accommodate the wounded for treatment had become a clinic. The dozens of physicians accompanying the army could not keep up.

Death.

Injury.

Wailing, twisted faces, terror, and bewildered city residents.

Tears.

Unwillingness.

Hatred.

Despair...

This is war.

Liu Zheng watched all of this, trying his best to let himself become numb to it.

He.

Was he not also one of them?

It was just that he had a better chance of surviving than these ordinary soldiers. He had a better chance of going a little further to see whether this war would end in victory or defeat.

Another day passed.

The Yinzhou army still suffered significant losses.

It was night.

Jiang Xuan, with a face covered in soot, came to report: "Young Master, Xiao Qi has received the news."

The hand with which Liu Zheng had just picked up his wine cup trembled.

Jiang Xuan whispered: "Young Master, Xiao Qi will provide support that very night!"

As he spoke, his eyes also turned red.

"Young Master, Xiao Qi will be fine!"

"He definitely will!"

Liu Zheng, draped in a sheepskin coat, stood up and patted Jiang Xuan on the shoulder with a faint smile. He said nothing.

The wind tonight.

Had indeed begun to calm down.

"Go and prepare."

"Yes!"