Chapter 292: Iron Cavalry On the March

Inside the military tent, lamplight flickered as Jiang Mingyu sat at the main seat, staring at the large map, his face set with resolve. Tukesiluo hesitated and said to Jiang Mingyu, "Big Brother, Maoling is heavily fortified; it will be extremely difficult to contact the townspeople inside."

Before he finished speaking, a sentry suddenly galloped into the tent: "Your Majesty, urgent military intelligence from Jizhou!"

Jiang Mingyu immediately asked about the new situation in Jizhou. The sentry wiped sweat from his brow and reported: "Li Haoyang was stunned upon hearing Quyang had fallen; he immediately ordered Commander Zou Jingtong to lead fifty thousand troops to reinforce Maoling. By the time I returned here, Zou Jingtong had already set out. At this marching pace, he'll arrive in no less than two days."

"Fifty thousand?" Tukesiluo paced back and forth, calculating. "Add that to the original one hundred ten thousand, Maoling's forces will reach one hundred sixty thousand. Our position will become extremely passive."

Li Goudan's eyes blazed with battle lust: "Big Brother, why not ambush them on the road? Catch them off guard and annihilate the fifty thousand reinforcements in one strike!"

He shook his head immediately after speaking: "Once they're gone, Jizhou will have less than fifty thousand left—no threat at all, easily taken!"

Jiang Mingyu spread out the map, furrowing his brow. "This plan is too risky. There are five roads from Jizhou to Maoling—we don't know which one Zou Jingtong will take. If we split our forces to ambush each route, we'll have only thirty thousand per path, nowhere near enough to stand against Zou Jingtong's still-morale-high army."

He spoke gravely: "Several days have passed. Li Haoyang must already know of Qin Lihai's defeat. Zou Jingtong's march will be heavily guarded. An ambush may not work—and could easily turn into a trap."

Seeing everyone agreed, Li Goudan pressed: "Then what should we do?"

Jiang Mingyu thought for a moment,

his sword-like brows knitting tightly, a sense of urgency rising within him. He fixed his gaze on Maoling's position on the map, mentally racing through the five possible routes Zou Jingtong's army might take.

The five routes emerged one by one in Jiang Mingyu's mind. He rapidly analyzed each terrain, calculated marching speeds, simulated possible battlefield scenarios... Yet every outcome remained hazy, impossible to confirm. His temples throbbed; a thin sheen of sweat coated his body.

"We must buy time!" Those four words echoed endlessly in Jiang Mingyu's mind. He knew he was racing against the tide of fate—fighting for every single moment that could alter the course of battle!

"Send word! Order our entire army to march at full speed toward Maoling!" Jiang Mingyu finally made his decision, yet he understood: even a single moment's hesitation could turn this favorable situation to ruin.

At Jiang Mingyu's command, the already prepared one hundred fifty thousand troops surged into motion, flooding onto the road. Their vast formation stretched like an endless serpent. Amid clanging war drums, heavy iron hooves pounded the earth, raising thunderous roars like spring lightning. Armored warhorses galloped forward, clashing with metallic clangs. Above, banners fluttered, their double-phoenix emblems of Dajiang blazing brilliantly.

As the column advanced, the iron-clad troops vanished into swirling dust, leaving only the distant thunder of war drums. One hundred fifty thousand soldiers moved like a bolt of lightning, swiftly sweeping across the wasteland, heading straight for Maoling's gates!

Watching the army streak across the sky like a meteor, Jiang Mingyu felt his heartbeat quicken. He took a deep breath and murmured: "I will strike with the force of thunder, shatter the bronze-and-iron wall around Paowenguang's city, and seize Maoling's paradise!"

This time, he must win—because these one hundred fifty thousand subjects placed all their hope in his decisions and strategy!

Gazing at the one hundred fifty thousand troops blazing across the vast desert like daylight, Jiang Mingyu's furrowed brow never eased. Along the way, his greatest fear was the weather turning foul again, severely hindering the march. Only when they reached fifty li from Maoling did the sky remain clear—and only then did he breathe slightly easier.

Yet as the horizon opened, another worry lingered: where was Zou Jingtong's fifty-thousand-strong reinforcement force now? If they joined Paowenguang, our position would be dire.

Jiang Mingyu ordered Li Goudan to dispatch twenty light cavalrymen, each taking a different route to scour Maoling's gates and surrounding key roads for Zou Jingtong's army. He repeated his orders thrice: if they found anything, return immediately without delay.

At the third watch of the night, scouts began returning with reports. Jiang Mingyu listened gravely: first, he learned Maoling's gates were tightly sealed; contact with the townspeople remained impossible.

After the report, Tukesiluo asked: "All scouts are back—why is only your face lit with joy? Have you found good news?"

The scout hurried to reply: "Your Highness, Zou Jingtong's army was halted by heavy rain and mud—they're still nearly a hundred li from Maoling, their advance stalled. I learned this and rushed back to report the good tidings!"

"What? Still a hundred li away?" Tukesiluo beamed with delight. "Quickly inform Big Brother—we can seize Maoling now!"

Jiang Mingyu's face brightened: "Excellent news! Since we can't reach the townspeople, we strike directly—attack Maoling before Zou's reinforcements arrive!"

He slammed his hand on the table and shouted to the officers: "Order the army: full assault! Head straight for Maoling's gates!"

Li Goudan roared in response: "Yes! Seize the initiative now—we'll take Maoling! Brothers, follow me—charge!"

Instantly, one hundred fifty thousand troops surged forward, roaring with battle fury, heading straight for Maoling's gates...

The entire army surged like a raging flood, crashing toward its target with overwhelming force. The ground trembled; the thunder of armored infantry and hooves merged into a stirring war song. Dajiang's banners snapped in the wind, as if transmitting victory's breath into every soldier's heart.

Jiang Mingyu commanded from the center, his expression solemn and resolute. He knew this battle was not merely an assault on Maoling—it was a race against time. The thunderous momentum would crush enemy morale, and the people inside Maoling might now be waiting for their salvation.

In Maoling, the defenders stood ready. Paowenguang stood atop the walls, gazing down at the approaching Dajiang army. Arrows lined the battlements; soldiers held spears in perfect formation. His eyes burned with determination—he knew the stakes of this battle.

"General! The Dajiang army advances in force—massive numbers!" an officer rushed to report.

Paowenguang spoke gravely: "We've waited long enough. Let them see the strength of Maoling! Prepare for battle—no slackness allowed."

Instantly, war drums boomed from the walls; tension thickened the air. Jiang Mingyu's army drew near, converging into a vast formation, like a storm unleashed upon the walls.

Paowenguang stood atop the ramparts, frowning slightly. He saw the enemy horde flooding toward him, his gaze hardening. Maoling's walls were tall and thick—an ancient city weathered by time, now more impregnable than ever.

Jiang Mingyu's one hundred fifty thousand troops finally arrived beneath Maoling's gates, standing solemnly beneath the morning mist. Along the battlements, faint outlines of sentries could be seen.

"Hey, men on the wall! Listen up!" Tukesiluo bellowed. "His Majesty of Dajiang leads this army—go inform Paowenguang and have him come out to greet us!"

Moments later, a helmeted commandant appeared on the wall, his expression shifting: "You're Jiang Mingyu's men? Quickly report to General Paowen!"

He waved to the thousand defenders behind him; swords flashed, bows drew taut, and with a rustle, they surged onto the ramparts. In the dawn light, the glint of arrowheads foretold inevitable bloodshed.

Seeing the glinting arrowheads, Tukesiluo sneered dismissively: "General Paowen, you've fortified so well—surely you're just afraid? I'd like to see just how 'invincible' you really are!"

Jiang Mingyu said nothing, waiting silently for Paowenguang's arrival. Moments later, the gates swung open—and out strode a disheveled middle-aged general: Paowenguang himself. His guards, emboldened by his legendary reputation, surged forward, eager for battle.

Paowenguang's eyes flashed sharply as he sized up Jiang Mingyu and Tukesiluo. These two infamous enemy commanders now stood beneath his walls—his vigilance and unease surged.

Pang Wenguang's eyes flashed with sharp light as he sized up Jiang Mingyu and Tukesiluo. These two enemy commanders, who had marched boldly across the land, now stood beneath his city walls—filling him with intense wariness and turmoil.

Tukesiluo stepped forward boldly, pointing at the wall: "I am none other than the famed Tukesiluo! Have you heard of me?"

Paowenguang's brow furrowed; he sneered: "A mere bandit from some backwater town of Dajiang—how dare you speak to me? Today, I'll show you what true Liao steel looks like!"

Instantly, a roar erupted behind him. Thirty burly Liao warriors, fully armed, surged to the wall's edge, eager to fight.

Tukesiluo laughed triumphantly: "I love a worthy opponent! General, you've brought such force—I'll gladly test your mettle!"

Jiang Mingyu watched the fiery Tukesiluo, shaking his head slightly. He knew his friend's nature—this would surely become a brutal fight. To prevent greater losses, he spoke: "General Paowen, why provoke conflict? Our army stands before your gates—why not negotiate a peaceful resolution?"

Jiang Mingyu gazed intently at the fiery Tuxeslu and shook his head gently. He understood his old friend's temperament—this would surely end in a bitter fight. To avoid greater losses, he spoke to dissuade him: "General Pang, why stir up trouble? Our army has already reached the city walls—why not discuss a resolution together?"