Chapter 976: Despair

Xiao Qian was about to fly into a rage seeing how stubborn Liu Zheng was.

"Vice Minister Liu."

His complexion turned leaden.

Yes, he admitted that Vice Minister Liu was very capable, but when it came to leading troops in battle, he did not feel that Vice Minister Liu had any outstanding track record. In the current situation, retreating was the only best choice. Because they truly could not afford such attrition—fifty thousand! This was only the first day of the general offensive, and they had already lost fifty thousand!

Then what about next?

One must know that the Li Dynasty's current ragtag army was down to only two hundred and fifty thousand!

Five days!

They could only hold out for five days.

Furthermore, as the Li Dynasty's soldiers dwindled, the losses would only increase.

Pessimistically speaking, it was very likely they would not even be able to hold out for five days!

This was the true gap in hard power!

:

"Vice Minister Liu, we have already done our best."

"Vice Minister Liu, as long as the green hills remain, there is no need to worry about firewood."

Total annihilation?

Was this Vice Minister Liu waiting for the entire army to be wiped out?

This real, overwhelming gap in combat power could not be made up for by a Declaration of War against the Wa!

"What?"

The group was stunned for a moment.

Liu Zheng stood beside the operational map, lowered his head, and said calmly: "Everyone, it makes no sense for the Wa army to launch a general offensive at this time. They could have completely waited for those Wa pirates who landed at Baoning Port to join us in a pincer attack from the front and rear. If that were the case, they would certainly have found it easier to take Qinghe Town."

"Vice Minister Liu."

The group also sighed and urged him.

Liu Zheng, however, said coldly: "Why would the Wa army launch a general offensive?"

Everyone looked at each other in dismay.

Liu Zheng nodded: "It is very likely due to the grain and fodder. Everyone, it has been raining in the Li Dynasty for the past few days; no matter how much grain was stockpiled, it is very likely to have molded. Is ours not the same?"

These generals became excited upon hearing this.

Once these words were spoken, everyone looked at each other in dismay.

Xiao Qian's eyes also lit up.

The great battles of the past few days had left him too exhausted, so he had not thought of this point! He took a deep breath: "The Wa army has run into trouble!"

They were fighting a long-distance war! They could be considered a Mandarin force deep in enemy territory! In terms of the supply of grain and materials, they were certainly not as convenient as the Li Dynasty!

"Vice Minister Liu means they have no military rations left!"

Someone exclaimed in shock.

That's right!

It had been raining for days, and the grain they had previously stockpiled had all molded and been thrown away! Fortunately, the Li Dynasty was continuously transporting grain from various places; after all, fighting on their own soil, they still had the advantage in this regard.

But what about the Wa army?

If this Wa army's grain supply had run into trouble, it would definitely affect their combat effectiveness. Today's general offensive might just be their last, which is to say, their most aggressive one. Who knows what they will be like tomorrow?

However.

Under these circumstances, if the Li Dynasty were to retreat in a panic, they would certainly not be able to look after the grain in their hands. If that grain were then to go on to resupply the Wa army, the Wa army would immediately be restored to full health, and the threat to the Li Dynasty would be too great!

Liu Zheng nodded with a smile: "At the very least, there should be some problems. On rainy days, not only will grain mold, but the speed of transporting grain will also be greatly affected. That is why this Wa army could not help but want to launch a general offensive. Everyone, once we retreat at this time, our grain will become theirs! Therefore, we must hold firm! We absolutely cannot abandon Qinghe Town!"

Everyone could not help but gasp.

Isn't that so?

These generals shouted out one after another.

Liu Zheng also slowly closed his eyes.

"Hold firm!"

"Hold them off!"

"You must hold the line!"

At this moment.

The Wa camp was already in chaos.

Mizuno Masashige's face was livid.

"General, General, what should we do? We have nothing to eat here!"

"General, we are even eating the moldy grain! Several brothers have been poisoned after eating it!"

"General, we must think of a Method."

That was why Mizuno Masashige could not help but launch a general offensive today. Because he could not wait; the result he wanted to see was the Li Dynasty's army retreating in a panic so he could seize their military rations! It was just that he had not expected this Vice Minister Liu to be so capable of holding his ground! Damn it, this guy was even more cold-blooded than he was!

Losing fifty thousand troops in a day, and he was still holding firm!

What on earth was he holding firm for!

Who could have imagined that this sudden heavy rain would last for so many days. It not only slowed down their speed of transporting grain, but a batch of their stockpiled grain had also molded. At this time, he still had an army of three hundred thousand! The daily consumption of military rations for these three hundred thousand troops was an Astronomy figure.

If a problem arose in this regard, it would definitely affect morale!

No, it was not just morale; this would cost lives!

Mizuno Masashige stood up: "Isn't it because you are all useless? If you could have taken Qinghe Town today, would this kind of thing have happened? Hmm?"

These people also showed expressions of guilt.

"Continue tomorrow!"

Mizuno Masashige asked himself, if he were in this situation, he would absolutely choose to retreat.

Listening to the arguing of these people in his ears, he shouted angrily: "Shut up!"

A group of people looked at each other in dismay.

"Hai!"

Just as Liu Zheng had predicted.

Mizuno Masashige shouted angrily: "The Samurai of our Great Wa Nation cannot be stopped by such minor difficulties. The Li Dynasty hasn't retreated yet, are we worse than them? What do these little difficulties count for to our Wa Samurai? Hmm? What do they count for!"

A group of people straightened their backs.

"Tomorrow, continue the general offensive!"

The battle, which began at daybreak, lasted until nightfall.

Cannons.

Corpses.

On the second day of the general offensive, the Wa army appeared to lack strength. Of course, the posture of a general offensive remained, but it no longer had the invincibility of the first day.

But despite this, the Li Dynasty still lost twenty thousand soldiers on this day.

It was too miserable.

Expressions of unhesitating resolve.

A heart full of hatred.

The third day.

Broken remains and wreckage.

Muddy blood.

A ferocious expression.

Almost everyone was in despair.

Without those dozen or so Red Barbarian Cannons, could they still withstand the Wa army's destructive onslaught?

It was time to retreat, right?

It remained the same.

However, just as the Wa Nation encountered food supply problems, the Li Dynasty side also fell into a near-desperate situation. Because the cannons brought by the Longyan Army were gone. There were only cannons, but no cannonballs. For the Li Dynasty, this was an absolutely devastating blow.

Everyone.

But Liu Zheng.

Did not agree.

But just at this moment.

Everyone was thinking this.

Even.

Li Tun and Li Xuanya in Hancheng also issued seven consecutive military orders, commanding the Li Dynasty to retreat.

Large groups of Wa pirates began to appear near Qinghe Town.

The situation fell into despair once again.