Chapter 459: Defeat

Jiang Xuan has been very busy lately.

Because the ships at Longqi Gorge are still blocking the way.

However.

After experiencing the initial panic and turmoil, at this moment, Liangzhou has gradually stabilized.

It was only at this time that Jiang Xuan understood a remark made by Qingyang Shuo in Yintan City back then.

The Blockage of the Ship is not necessarily a bad thing.

At least for Liangzhou.

This is a time to test a great province's manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and even commerce—every single field.

It is also an opportunity to test how much pressure Yintan City and the Yinzhou Coin can withstand.

During this period.

Wealthy merchants from all over the country have been buying Yintan City out. At the worst point, orders for Yintan City were already backed up for two years! At that time, Yintan City was almost forced to stop accepting orders—but doing so would have meant the total collapse of the Yinzhou Coin.

Fortunately, with the establishment of the Liangzhou Workers Union and the restoration of social order, Yintan City also began to resume production one after another.

Yintan City has begun to face the buying-out wealthy merchants once again!

"Sir, how long do you think the Young Master will be before he returns?"

When Jiang Xuan was in Yintan City, he asked Qingyang Shuo this.

Qingyang Shuo smiled and replied, "In another half a month."

Half a month.

Deep down, Jiang Xuan still let out a massive sigh of relief.

In half a month, he believes that the current predicament will be solved easily once the Young Master returns; he is just that full of confidence in the Young Master.

"General Jiang is here!"

"General!"

Jiang Xuan arrived at Longqi Gorge by boat, and a group of shirtless Liangzhou Army soldiers saluted one after another.

Jiang Xuan smiled and asked, "How is it?"

"It's no good, it's still too hard..."

"This Cement is simply..."

"General, we can only chip away at it slowly; at this rate, I'm afraid it will take a year or half a year to fully break it open!"

A group of people poured out their grievances.

It is too difficult!

The Cement on the three large ships has all solidified! In this era, there is no heavy machinery, so they can only use manual labor to hold hammers of various sizes and chip away slowly. For the Liangzhou Army, it is unknown how long such a project will continue. It is not just the Liangzhou side; in fact, the merchants from other places are anxious too!

Are you kidding?

How great are the profits from the goods of Yintan City? For every moment they are stranded here, their losses mount!

They are also helping, but these three massive chunks of Cement are like three small mountains, completely immovable.

No one has the slightest Method to deal with them.

They even invited many craftsmen to study a Method, but all were at their wits' end.

Jiang Xuan chuckled, "The Young Master will be back soon. Once he returns, everything will be solved!"

Upon hearing this, the whole crowd cheered with joy.

The Young Master!

Governor Liu!

He is the god in their hearts; as long as he returns, what are three chunks of Cement?

Take it slow...

Young Master, Qin Dage, how are they doing?

Rhodes has been very happy lately.

He is the only Western Ocean person in this Yintan City. When he first arrived here, he was held in great contempt. His fiery red hair, his blue eyes, and his long leg hair and body hair led people to mock him as an unevolved beast.

However.

As time passed, relying on his scientific knowledge and his huge contribution to the "Yinzhou Ship," he not only gained a firm foothold but also became the Technical Director of Yintan City!

Well, no one else knows what kind of title this is.

But Governor Liu conferred upon him a sixth-rank official position!

Yintan City Superintendent!

Good heavens, everyone knows that Yintan City has such a foreign gentleman.

At this moment, Rhodes is sitting in a Horse Carriage, and the carriage is speeding along.

"Liangshan?"

Why did the Young Master summon him to Liangshan?

The current Rhodes has gradually come to regard himself as an official of the Longyan Dynasty. Therefore, he has also become accustomed to having maids, servants, and a coachman accompany him when he goes out.

From a slave to his current status, where else could this be achieved besides Liangzhou?

Of course.

Rhodes has not gotten carried away.

He is still recording the local customs and people of this Longyan Dynasty along the way, and still translating the various ancient books preserved from this thousands-of-years-old Huaxia civilization. Yes, he is a Priest after all; he wants to take more things back to the Holy See in Europe... However, the more he translates, the more he feels that this Huaxia civilization is truly too profound and vast... Those Hundred Schools of Thought, that Sun Tzu's Art of War, that Thick Black Theory—this, this, this, it is so high-end that his scalp tingles...

He has started to get addicted.

Not only addicted, he has already started to think.

With the Longyan Dynasty under such broad and profound traditional culture, plus an unparalleled genius like Prefect Liu...

What will the future world landscape look like?

That still-powerful Roman Empire, and the soon-to-rise Great Britain Empire, what kind of powerful opponent will they face?

He shook his head and gave a bitter smile.

Why should someone like him, who would struggle to stir up even the slightest ripple in the long river of history, worry about these things?

"My lord, it is time to rest. There is a wine stall ahead; shall we go over and sit for a while?"

At this moment, the coachman said with a smile.

Rhodes, wearing a set of Longyan official robes, nodded, put away his notebook, then stepped out of the carriage and took a deep breath of the fresh air of Chuan Shu. They had come by land, so they were not affected by the boat traffic jam.

"Ah, a red-haired monster!"

"Look quickly, a red-haired monster!"

As soon as he stepped out of the carriage, he caused quite a few exclamations from the people.

Rhodes seemed to have grown accustomed to such scenes, and naturally, the coachman stepped forward to handle the situation. Only then did the frightened people calm down one by one, though they still pointed at Rhodes.

"Where have we reached?"

Rhodes asked while drinking a cup of tea he had ordered.

The coachman replied, "My lord, we have already reached the territory of Zitong."

Rhodes nodded and began to look casually at the surrounding environment.

Who would have thought that with this casual glance, his eyes would stop abruptly in one direction, and then his pupils would begin to contract, his face full of shock.

He knew why Prefect Liu had sent him to Liangshan!

That flower, blooming enchantingly in a corner.

He happened to recognize it!

"Hold on, hold the line for me!"

"Kill for Mandarin, kill!"

Xie Zhen was already insane at this moment.

The Small Trouser Leg Tribe, which had suddenly "defected," became the force that turned the tide of the battle. Huobu Quli, being able to become the Headman of the Small Trouser Leg Tribe, was naturally a man of substance. He knew that his army was just a rabble compared to this Longyan Dynasty. Therefore, he was willing to lead his brothers to act as the vanguard, escorting these thirty thousand Liangzhou Army soldiers to charge forward!

Having lost twenty thousand of the Liangzhou Army, this engagement had almost no further losses.

The entire Yuexi Plain was swarming with these Liangshan People of the Small Trouser Leg Tribe. They began to disrupt the battle, they began to break through the battle formations of the Shu Army, and although they lost many men, they had no complaints.

The evil ghosts that had just crawled out of that farm had ignited their monstrous rage.

Liangshan could no longer fall into the hands of such people.

Fight!

If we fight, there is a chance!

Puchi!

Puchi!

They used their own flesh and blood to block the fierce attacks from the Shu Army, all to give the Liangzhou Army behind them a chance to counterattack.

Clearly.

Their goal was achieved.

Thirty thousand Liangzhou Army soldiers can fight against one hundred thousand soldiers of the world!

At this moment, they did not disappoint. Every blade and sword began to harvest the heads of the Shu Army.

The Shu Army was completely thrown into chaos.

Xie Zhen rode his horse, retreating again and again.

Zhou Cheng tried several times to reorganize the troops, but these Liangshan People, who came and went like the wind, gave them no chance to retreat.

Pursuit.

Chasing down.

This was the territory of the Liangshan People; in hand-to-hand combat and close-quarters fighting, they might be slightly inferior, but in their familiarity with and utilization of the terrain, they undoubtedly held the upper hand.

Rout.

The Shu Army was on the verge of a total rout.

Xie Zhen was finally panicked at this moment.

【Author's Note】

Padding another chapter to set the stage. Can't do it anymore, I'm exhausted, resting now, will continue with four chapters tomorrow.