[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-219":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289054,4475,"Chapter 219: Flooded Dongning","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-219",219,"\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu laughed heartily after hearing the scout’s report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect! Now even if Zhao Xiang tries to wriggle out of it, no one will believe him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how strong Dongning City is, it can’t hold against eighty thousand righteous troops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tuke Sulu, send men to keep watch on Dongning City’s movements and report to me at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiaqi, have the army ready. Wait until they’ve worn each other down, then strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. In no more than five days, Dongning City will be ours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fourth evening, Tuke Sulu rushed into Jiang Mingyu’s tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, news has come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu had been waiting impatiently in the hills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu chuckled, glancing at Zhang Jiaqi beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your cousin’s plan is ruthless—and brilliantly executed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After noon yesterday, the eight rebel bands arrived beneath Dongning City. Zhao Xiang was completely stunned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to the scouts, the whole thing caused a uproar—Zhao Xiang had heard rumors beforehand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He thought we were behind it, but he had not a shred of proof—so he’s stuck bearing the blame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He tried to explain himself to Qian Dadan and the others, but they gave him no chance—just attacked outright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu caught his breath and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But don’t underestimate Zhao Xiang—he didn’t hold Dongning City by accident.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qian Dadan’s eighty thousand men fought from noon yesterday until this morning—and still couldn’t breach the walls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Worse still, Zhao Xiang launched a counterattack, sacrificing five thousand men to kill nearly thirty thousand of Qian Dadan’s forces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then someone came up with an idea—they breached a great river outside Dongning City and diverted the water into the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know, my lord, this is precisely when snowmelt swells the rivers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once the flood poured in, Zhao Xiang was finished.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now Qian Dadan’s men are ready—they’re waiting for Zhao Xiang’s forces to die out, then they’ll storm in to loot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu watched the fires beyond the city walls, secretly pleased. “Diverting water to flood the city—brutal. I love people who cause chaos!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Zhang Jiani: “Tell the men to rest. No fighting today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiani frowned: “My lord, what’s this? No battle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled and asked Tuke Sulu: “You know where they cut the river, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu nodded: “Five li north of Dongning City. Why do you ask?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled mysteriously: “Just keep watching Dongning. You’ll see a show.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two days later, Tuke Sulu rushed in: “My lord, disaster! Zhao Xiang’s lost—he’s opened the gates and charged out! He’s about to die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu remained calm: “Take it slow. Wait a little longer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu panicked: “We can’t wait any longer! Qian Dadan will take the city!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu replied coolly: “I’m waiting for him to enter. Then you’ll see my trump card.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu was baffled, but he had no choice but to follow Jiang Mingyu’s orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here is my revision of the text—I hope you like it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu wore white robes, elegant and poised, his eyes gleaming with quiet mastery, as if all things lay within his grasp. He watched Zhang Jiani rush in, a faint smile forming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it, cousin? Any good news?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiani panted: “My lord, Zhao Xiang’s been killed by Qian Dadan—Dongning City has fallen to them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stared at Jiang Mingyu, puzzled—was he really going to miss this golden chance? Hadn’t he planned to seize the city in the chaos?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu spoke calmly: “Issue my order—full army, advance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiani was even more confused: “The battle’s over—where are we going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled mysteriously, waving a finger: “It’s only just beginning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sweep of his sleeve, he ordered: “Move out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twenty thousand troops arrived north of Dongning City. Faint sounds of fighting drifted from within. Jiang Mingyu sneered: “Took the city and still fight among themselves? They’re begging for death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu was baffled: “My lord, what exactly are you planning?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu explained: “I’m going to flood the city—just like Qian Dadan did. Turn his own trick against him. When the flood comes, Qian Dadan won’t hold a thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu suddenly understood. Zhang Jiani was impressed by Jiang Mingyu’s cunning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s move eliminated Qian Dadan and secured Dongning City effortlessly—brilliant indeed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, you’re invincible! Qian Dadan must be cursing himself to death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boss, you’re a genius! Qian Dadan must be seething!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu watched their expressions, secretly pleased. He knew he held Dongning City’s fate in his hands—just a little more pressure, and it would be his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough praise. Move out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He led his twenty thousand troops to the riverbank where Qian Dadan’s men had cut the channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu was a tall, burly man in silver armor, wielding a long blade. He was bold and straightforward, utterly loyal to Jiang Mingyu. He stared at the river’s flow and roared: “Men! Dig! Let the water loose!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the earth was torn open, and the flood surged again, racing toward Dongning City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, inside Dongning City, Qian Dadan’s men were in chaos. Having repelled Zhao Xiang, they’d suffered heavy losses in infighting—only forty thousand remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Qian Dadan gloated, the torrent returned, drowning Dongning City in a hellish flood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days later, Jiang Mingyu’s troops smashed open the gates. No living souls remained—only countless bloated corpses floated in the floodwaters, a horrifying sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu and Tuke Sulu entered the Inspector’s mansion, searching for Qian Dadan’s body. In a side chamber, they found a swollen, unrecognizable corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu frowned: “Is this Qian Dadan? Jesus, it’s disgusting! Dongning’s a ghost town now—what’s the point of taking it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled, clapping Tuke Sulu on the shoulder: “Don’t despise it. This is the ground we fought for. It’s empty now, but if we restore order and revive production, it’ll flourish again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu ordered calmly: “Tuke Sulu, find Zhuge Yu. Have him appoint officials as Subprefect and Inspector of Dongning. Post notices at the city gates: Dongning is now ours. Anyone who moves here gets three years of tax exemption.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also send these notices to all surrounding regions—recruit settlers. Same terms.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuke Sulu nodded: “Yes, my lord! I’ll handle it!” He left with a few men, descending the hill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu turned to Zhang Jiani: “Jiaqi, tell Goudan to bring the remaining forty thousand troops from Xiawei here at once. We’ll rest here, then move on to Zhangwu and Huating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled and nodded: “Yes, Brother Jiang. When that’s done, all of Lanzhou will be ours!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly: “That day is not far off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a quiet inn, a veiled woman sat sipping tea, her figure graceful, her face hidden behind a sheer veil. Her eyes were deep and cold, as if indifferent to the chaos of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, hurried footsteps shattered her stillness. She set down her cup and said calmly: “Enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened. A weary woman stood before her, clad in tattered cloth, carrying a heavy bundle, her face streaked with dust and sweat. She looked barely twenty, yet her eyes held the weight of sorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Jiang Mingyu were here, he would recognize her at once as Tang Youli.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman glanced at her and asked coldly: “Do we know each other? Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Youli heard her voice and immediately knelt, begging: “Master, please take me in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She banged her head against the floor, over and over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman frowned: “You’ve trailed me for days—just to become my disciple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had long sensed Tang Youli following her, but had said nothing. She wanted to know the girl’s true purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Youli nodded, her eyes blazing with hatred: “I want to learn martial arts—to seek revenge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman grew slightly interested: “You have enemies? Becoming my disciple will let you take revenge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Youli gritted her teeth: “My father’s killer! My enemy is Jiang Mingyu! He murdered my father and stole everything from me! I will make him pay with blood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The veiled woman rose, staring into the girl’s eyes…\u003C\u002Fp>",1343,"2026-06-20T03:28:18.279Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3a4299636f31becfeebcd36ef02ef2f3d77427b63f9bb5437138774e036e7aa0","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-220","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-218",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]