[{"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-229":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},2289064,4475,"Chapter 229","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-229",229,"\u003Cp>Zhang Jiaqi pulled her longsword from Hamastrel’s chest, blood gushing forth. She watched coldly as he collapsed to the ground, showing no mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave the city, kill them all!” She gave the order and led the cavalry out through the city gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining Xixia soldiers behind Hamastrel, seeing this, panicked and scattered in all directions. But how could they escape Zhang Jiaqi’s pursuit? Soon, they were all cut down, their corpses piled like mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu, watching from the city walls, burst into laughter. He turned to his soldiers and said, “Go cut off their heads and hang them on the city gate. Let the Xixia know Jiang Mou is not to be trifled with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers obeyed at once and soon turned the city gate into a bloody spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a dusty messenger arrived at Yingchang City. He knelt before Jiang Mingyu and said, “My lord, Master Zhuge has urgent news—please return to Cangzhou at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu frowned and asked, “What does Zhuge Yu want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The messenger shook his head. “I don’t know the details, but I know that General Fei Hou has led two hundred thousand troops into Yizhou and is now fighting the Xixia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s heart clenched. He thought of his old friends Tukesulu and Gou Dan. They were the most elite generals of Wei State, his most trusted comrades, entrusted with defending Zhangwu County against the Xixia in a life-or-death struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to return and help,” Jiang Mingyu said. “But Yingchang City has just been taken—it’s not yet secure. I cannot leave now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The messenger smiled. “My lord, rest assured. Master Zhuge has already arranged for the new Inspector Wei Lai to take over Yingchang City. He will arrive shortly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, soon a troop of cavalry galloped from afar. At their head was a tall, handsome, and composed young man—Wei Lai, the new Inspector recommended by Zhuge Yu to Jiang Mingyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dismounting, Wei Lai bowed to Jiang Mingyu. “Wei Lai pays his respects to my lord. Congratulations on capturing Yingchang City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu returned the bow. “Thank you, Inspector Wei, for coming to lend support. From today, Yingchang City is under your command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Lai nodded. “I shall not fail your trust, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded and turned to Zhang Jiaqi. “Jiaqi, let’s go. We must return to Cangzhou as soon as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The messenger hurried after Jiang Mingyu’s horse, calling out urgently, “My lord, Zhangwu County is secure. Master Zhuge has arranged everything. Generals Tu and Li are waiting for your return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded without speaking further. He took only Zhang Jiaqi with him and departed Yingchang City in haste. His fifteen thousand elite troops were left under the command of the new Inspector, Wei Lai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reuniting with Tukesulu and Li Gou Dan in Zhangwu County, they spurred their horses toward Cangzhou, traveling without rest, determined to seize the opportunity in Yizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days later, they finally reached Cangzhou City. Jiang Mingyu immediately went to the Inspector’s residence and met Zhuge Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is the situation in Yizhou?” Jiang Mingyu asked eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu smiled. “Master, our chance has come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tukesulu interjected, “Have Chen Tang and Fei Hou crippled each other?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu nodded. “Exactly. Earlier, Fei Hou sent Governor Hu Bo with two hundred thousand troops to attack Yizhou. Chen Tang, newly enthroned, defeated Hu Bo outside Yizhou City, slaying fifty thousand enemy soldiers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Chen Tang grew arrogant and complacent. Hu Bo ambushed him secretly, breached his main camp, and Chen Tang lost sixty thousand elite troops, fleeing back to Yizhou City under cover of night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hu Bo pressed his advantage, launching a night assault on Yizhou City. After a bloody battle, Chen Tang lost another twenty thousand soldiers, while Hu Bo suffered over forty thousand casualties.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu frowned and calculated: “So now Chen Tang has only twenty thousand left, while Hu Bo still commands a hundred thousand. We have only fifty thousand troops in Cangzhou. Even if Chen Tang and Hu Bo fight again, we still have no guarantee of victory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, if Hu Bo captures Yizhou City, we’ll have wasted our strength and time. How could we possibly take a city defended by a hundred thousand troops?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu spoke calmly. “Master, don’t worry—I still have a trick up my sleeve. I originally thought Chen Tang was doomed. But he had a hidden force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His subordinate Tong Chang arrived with fifty thousand troops from an unknown location and engaged Hu Bo in fierce battle. Now Hu Bo has only sixty thousand remnants, holding position ten miles outside Yizhou City at Qiushan, facing Chen Tang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Both sides are exhausted. If we strike while they’re vulnerable, we can seize Yizhou City in one blow and secure the northern frontier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Zhuge Yu’s eyes gleamed with madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Mingyu was far calmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we have only fifty thousand troops. How can we defeat either side?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tukesulu added, “Yes, Master Zhuge—do you have some brilliant plan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu smiled. “I don’t have a brilliant plan yet—but in this time, I’ve trained another thirty thousand new soldiers. Combined with Cangzhou’s ten thousand garrison troops, you now have eighty thousand under your command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With these forces, are we still afraid of Hu Bo and Chen Tang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eighty thousand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu could hardly believe his ears. In just a few days, Zhuge Yu had doubled Cangzhou’s troop strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Zhuge Yu with gratitude. “Master Zhuge, you are truly the pillar of Wei State. With these troops, we now have hope of victory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuge Yu bowed humbly. “Master, you flatter me. These achievements are yours. Without your wise leadership, how could we have reached this point?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added, “Master, according to our scouts, Fei Hou is now spent. To support Hu Bo, he has left Jingzhou defenseless. Once we eliminate Hu Bo, Jingzhou will be ours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Opportunity knocks but once. Tomorrow, I will lead the army in person and give Chen Tang and Hu Bo a surprise. Let them learn what it means to be the bird waiting behind the cicada.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1025,"2026-06-20T03:28:18.279Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a7201952381e3250b1700b420384492a865c6b61e8ef28bd2a505aa4852afa2b","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-230","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-228",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]