Chapter 302

At noon, sunlight filtered through the gaps between the city's tall buildings and spilled onto the quiet streets. The daytime heat was mild, with a gentle breeze blowing as Kuang Boya hurried along the wide road, his furrowed brow and muttering lips revealing the fierce inner struggle within him.

Fuxiang, Li Haoyang's last remaining territory in Hongzhou, stood on the brink of collapse. But Kuang Boya knew his own position was unstable—he must earn glorious military merit by capturing Fuxiang to win Jiang Mingyu's complete trust. Only by personally severing Wu Yongyan's head could he prove his loyalty. This thought dominated his mind, driving him to constantly devise schemes.

Finally, a bold idea took shape in his mind. This was why he had requested an audience with Jiang Mingyu...

After deep contemplation on the bustling city street, Kuang Boya solemnly said, "Your Majesty, I have accepted the full surrender of Dingchuan. Now, the entire Hongzhou remains with only Fuxiang County. I suspect Your Majesty will soon dispatch troops to seize it."

Jiang Mingyu turned half his face, asking coolly, "General Kuang, what clever plan do you have to swiftly conclude this?"

"Your Majesty, I have already devised it." Kuang Boya rubbed his hands eagerly, eyes blazing. "Send Lord Zhen Guo to accompany me into the city—I guarantee I'll sever Wu Yongyan's head in the blink of an eye! The city will then fall into our hands naturally."

Jiang Mingyu raised an eyebrow; the plan seemed moderately sound. After a moment's thought, he said, "Explain the details."

Tu Kesiluo, upon hearing it, fell into deep thought. The plan was indeed bold, but the risks were formidable. Kuang Boya was unpredictable—if anything went wrong inside the city, he himself might not escape disaster... These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

Yet upon reflection, he realized Li Haoyang was now cornered—Kuang Boya would never risk dying with him. Smiling faintly, Tu Keshiluo clapped his hands and said, "Brother, let's proceed as planned. I'll go to Fuxiang."

Jiang Mingyu and Zhang Jiani still wore expressions of concern. Tu Keshiluo added quickly, "Rest assured—I know my limits."

Jiang Mingyu hesitated three times before finally nodding. He said gravely, "Brother, this concerns my nephew—you must be extremely careful!" Tu Keshiluo laughed heartily. "I haven't even met your nephew yet—why would I be careless?"

Seeing Jiang Mingyu had agreed, Kuang Boya secretly rejoiced. He immediately turned to Tu Keshiluo: "My Lord, time waits for no one—let's set out at dawn tomorrow!"

The next day, after bidding farewell to Jiang Mingyu, Tu Keshiluo and his party, accompanied by Kuang Boya's eighty thousand troops, quietly marched toward Fuxiang. Jiang Mingyu watched them depart, their figures soon vanishing into the distant dust. He stood rooted in place, unable to tear his gaze away as worry and anxiety slowly filled his heart.

Jiang Mingyu knew this opportunity to seize the city was rare and decisive. But the risks were equally grave—Tu Keshiluo's life now rested in the enemy's hands. If anything changed inside the city, the consequences would be unthinkable... Jiang Mingyu shook his head forcefully, trying to dispel the horrific images flashing in his mind. He told himself this was the only way, yet unease clung to him, refusing to fade.

Jiang Mingyu left Zhang Jiani behind with four hundred thousand troops to rest, while he personally led one hundred fifty thousand men, trailing far behind.

Two days later, Jiang Mingyu's army followed at a distance. The long wait left his mind in turmoil, his brow tightly furrowed, devoid of even the will to exchange pleasantries. Suddenly, thick smoke erupted into the sky in the distance—Jiang Mingyu's heart leapt to his throat. Had something gone wrong inside the city?! He gripped his saddle tightly, eyes locked on the city walls. Just as despair threatened to swallow him, several firework signals burst from the ramparts, exploding in brilliant red light.

When the thick smoke surged skyward, Jiang Mingyu felt his heartbeat stop. He gripped his saddle, staring unblinkingly at the black smoke rising above the distant city, and the flickering shadows of buildings amid the flames. The moment stretched into an agonizing eternity—he didn't even have time to wipe the sweat from his eyes, only praying silently: Don't fail!

As Jiang Mingyu's anxiety peaked, the city gate creaked open. A tall, blood-splattered figure galloped out. The instant Jiang Mingyu recognized the man, he nearly shouted aloud.

"Hahaha, Brother! You've returned safely! How did it go inside?" Jiang Mingyu clapped Tu Keshiluo on the shoulder. Tu Keshiluo wiped sweat and blood from his face, smiling wearily but contentedly. "Brother, rest easy—Fuxiang is ours! Wu Yongyan and his men are all dead. Kuang Boya has earned great merit—he awaits your promotion."

Jiang Mingyu burst into laughter. He went to meet Kuang Boya, promoted every member of the party by one rank, and bestowed lavish treasures. Then he led his army into the city in orderly procession, incorporating the six thousand surrendered enemy troops into his own ranks. A great victory achieved, Jiang Mingyu's spirits soared, his face glowing brighter than ever.

The next morning, all was settled. Jiang Mingyu sat in the commander's tent, staring long at the map. At last, he looked up at Tu Keshiluo, his voice firm with certainty: "I've sent word to Fang Hang—the day we agreed upon is only days away. Now, we wait for the right moment to annihilate Li Haoyang."

Two days later, in the dead of night, Zhang Jiani's four hundred thousand troops finally entered Fuxiang.

After resting one more day in Fuxiang, Jiang Mingyu addressed his men.

"Tomorrow, our army will attack Jizhou. The sole objective: Li Haoyang's stronghold—Jizhou City."

"Ignore all surrounding counties. Once Jizhou falls, Li Haoyang's forces will scatter like clouds and stars."

Jiang Mingyu stared at the flickering candlelight, his face etched with resolve. The deputy left to defend Fuxiang had been ordered; now, he would lead the main force straight to Jizhou, exterminate the last remnants of Da Liao, and seize Li Haoyang's stronghold!

This decisive battle had been brewing for long, but Jiang Mingyu knew a direct assault would be difficult to overcome. Li Haoyang would surely gather every soldier in Jizhou to make a final stand. Heavy casualties were inevitable—but for ultimate victory, he must risk everything.

At dawn the next day, four hundred thousand troops marched forth. Jiang Mingyu, clad in military uniform and boots, stood atop the high city wall, gazing back. Facing the rising sun, the orderly formations stretched for miles, radiating unstoppable momentum. Amid the thunderous blare of horns, he shouted: "Advance! Seize the final victory!" The soldiers' morale surged, full of confidence as they marched toward their destiny.

Meanwhile, Feng Xi had already led his army deep into Jizhou territory. He understood his role: to divert Li Haoyang's main forces. Feng Xi raised a great clamor, feigning a massive assault.

Jiang Mingyu watched the soldiers moving through the ranks, his gaze complex. This final, life-or-death moment demanded his full effort—but victory remained uncertain. As he ordered the troops forward, he paused involuntarily, his mind flooded with thoughts.

At that moment, Tu Keshiluo stepped beside Jiang Mingyu, snapping him from his turmoil. Tu Keshiluo frowned at the vast army and asked, "Brother, at this final hour, is there something you haven't told me?"

Jiang Mingyu sighed lightly, patting Tu Keshiluo's shoulder. "I only fear Li Haoyang's forces will split into two columns and flank us. If we're surrounded on all sides, our position will be dire..." He fell silent again, brow furrowed.

Tu Keshiluo quickly spoke up: "Brother, rest easy—with our united strength, we'll crush those scoundrels!" Jiang Mingyu turned to him, smiling confidently. "Good! With you here, how could we possibly lose to Li Haoyang?"

"But rest assured—I've already sent Feng Xi with a detachment to feign an attack on Jizhou's outer defenses."

"This will draw away Li Haoyang's main forces. We'll then strike Jizhou City directly, targeting its vital core!"

Tu Keshiluo suddenly understood. "So Brother had already planned this—it's brilliant!"

Jiang Mingyu smiled. "Do you think I'd have the luxury to wait like this otherwise? Li Haoyang's eyes are fixed solely on Feng Xi as the big fish—who would suspect we, the tigers and wolves, are hiding in the mountains?"

As they spoke, the group entered the mountains. Jiang Mingyu raised his hand, halting the army. Standing atop a high ridge, he scanned the surroundings, confirmed their concealment, and finally exhaled in relief.