Chapter 366: Requesting Reinforcements

Just then, a long spear suddenly thrust from behind! Tu Tu Kesiluo's face changed drastically; he hurriedly sheathed his sword to block, barely parrying this fatal strike. Though the spear was blocked, the force remained, knocking him back several steps, his face turning pale. Lord Tong Wa took the opportunity to fiercely squeeze the horse's flanks; the warhorse galloped wildly toward the city gate. Sweat drenched his head, his eyes were bloodshot, and he screamed hoarsely, "The enemy outnumbers us; retreat into the city!" His tone was full of despair.

Upon hearing this, the Southern Border soldiers, each with a terrified expression, turned and ran, desperately charging toward the city gate. They ran swiftly, as if they had grown eight legs, shouting continuously, fearing that one step slower would mean burial here. The few soldiers at the very front had already leaped over the moat and rushed into the city gate. Behind them, however, came a chorus of ghastly screams—the Iron Cavalry Camp and the One Da Jiang soldiers were charging and pursuing, killing as they went. Sword glints and flying blood made it look like hell.

Lord Tong Wa barely managed to reach the city wall, covered in blood, his lips pale. Hoarse and desperate, he roared down at the defenders below, "Release arrows, release arrows quickly! Under no circumstances can we let the enemy follow us into the city!" Hearing this, the defenders on the wall immediately picked up their bows and aimed at the enemy. Waves of arrows shot out like a sky-blocking storm, not only blocking the path for Tu Tu Kesiluo and others but also taking the lives of over a hundred One Da Jiang soldiers. Tu Tu Kesiluo, furious beyond measure, let out a roar and reined his horse to a halt.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu and He Jing were also forced to stop. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes fixed intently on the city gate: "We cannot let them escape like this! We must stop them before the enemy fully enters the city!" Saying this, he sharply turned his horse's head and charged back toward the main army. He Jing and the leader of the Iron Cavalry Camp immediately followed. At this moment, more than half of Lord Tong Wa's main force had already entered the city; if they let them escape like this, it would be a complete waste of the effort just spent repelling the enemy. Moreover, Feng Xiwie had not yet arrived, and the army's grain supplies were nearly exhausted. Once the grain ran out, even if Lord Tong Wa did not attack the city, they would fall into a desperate situation.

Tu Tu Kesiluo was just about to order a fierce assault, determined not to let the enemy escape unscathed. But just then, Jiang Jiang Mingyu suddenly spoke up to stop him: "Wait, postpone the fierce assault! He Jing, immediately release arrows to pin down the enemy's rear guard!" His tone was solemn and resounding. He Jing also knew time was of the essence; he immediately waved his hand, ordering the soldiers to raise their shields, draw their bows, and aim at the city gate. A round of arrow rain shot out swiftly; the enemy's rear formation immediately fell into chaos. Those who could not get up lay dead everywhere; those fleeing stumbled and staggered, suffering heavy casualties.

The Southern Border soldiers, originally fleeing in panic, were now even more disordered, even beginning to shove each other, trampling on their comrades' corpses without hesitation. Seeing this, the leader of the Iron Cavalry Camp was about to lead a charge, but he was held down tightly by the defenders on the wall and could only curse angrily in place. With no other choice, Jiang Jiang Mingyu ordered He Jing to release arrows again to kill the enemy soldiers.

Lord Tong Wa, anxious in his heart, loudly urged the city gate defenders to close the gate quickly. But the gate was narrow, and too many people were entering in a chaotic mess, making it impossible to close quickly. At this moment, another wave of arrow rain shot down; Lord Tong Wa had to raise his chainmail to block in front of him. His hands were already trembling, sweat beads dripping down his forehead like beans. The few thousand Southern Border soldiers who had not yet fully entered the city now suffered heavy casualties again. The sound of bronze drums on the city wall urged death; Lord Tong Wa let out a roar and frantically waved his sword to supervise the troops: "Why aren't you entering quickly? If you dawdle any longer, I will kill you!" The soldiers, each with a deathly pale face, stumbled and finally squeezed through the city gate.

Lord Tong Wa let out a long sigh and immediately ordered, "Quick, close the city gate! Lower the drawbridge! Defend with all might!" At this point, he was at the end of his rope; only by holding the city firmly did he have a sliver of hope for survival. The city defenders also did their utmost to complete all defensive measures. For a moment, arrows and stones flew together, surrounding Tu Tu Kesiluo and others below the city wall. Both sides were deadlocked. Lord Tong Wa knew that the situation today was lost; he clenched his fist and struck the city wall hard, his face turning iron-green.

But facts proved that, aside from being incompetent in martial arts, Lord Tong Wa did have a system for commanding troops.

Originally, according to his plan, it would be best if Zuo Zhao could kill a general on the battlefield; even if Zuo Zhao failed, he could still attract the enemy's firepower. At that time, the entire army would charge unexpectedly, and with the advantage of numbers, they could definitely inflict heavy damage on Jiang Jiang Mingyu's main force.

But no one expected that Tu Tu Kesiluo was even more ferocious than rumored; the moment Zuo Zhao appeared, he was met with a crushing blow and died on the spot. Seeing this, Lord Tong Wa was greatly shocked; he clearly felt his legs going soft, and cold sweat poured out like a brush.

Fortunately, at this critical moment, he gradually regained his usual composure, quickly adjusted his deployment, and ordered the remaining troops to retreat into Xiongzhou City. Under his command, although the Southern Border soldiers hiding in the city were in a wretched state, most of them entered the city in an orderly manner.

Seeing the city gate closed tightly again, Tu Tu Kesiluo ground his teeth in extreme frustration, wishing he could immediately hang Lord Tong Wa up and chop him. He clenched his fist, his eyes bloodshot, and said hoarsely, "Big Brother, let us attack the city quickly! We cannot let this grandson escape!"

The leader of the Iron Cavalry Camp nodded immediately behind him: "Yes, Your Majesty! Lord Tong Wa is an old fox; he is like a starving madman!"

If not for the obstruction by those few ambushers just now, Lord Tong Wa would have already been beheaded. Now that the cooked duck has flown away, how could they, who worked hard for half a day, not be angry?

Attack the city? Jiang Jiang Mingyu frowned, thought for a moment, and quickly shook his head.

"Impossible. Now Lord Tong Wa's main force has retreated into the city. By my estimate, he still has at least a hundred thousand troops under his command. With his command ability, he will definitely defend Xiongzhou to the death. You all saw the arrows on the city wall just now; if we force an attack, our army will definitely suffer heavy losses."

After the recent chaotic battle, although Jiang Jiang Mingyu's people held the advantage, their losses were at least ten to twenty thousand. Now that Lord Tong Wa is defending the city, the situation is completely different. Forcing an attack on a city defended by a hundred thousand troops—what a huge price that would require; Jiang Jiang Mingyu had a vague idea in his heart and couldn't help but sigh slightly.

Even if Tu Tu Kesiluo and others were brave and good at fighting, forcing the breach of Xiongzhou would inevitably result in countless casualties. At that time, not only would unifying the entire Great Continent be impossible, but even the later plan to conquer Qu Province would surely be difficult to realize.

Speaking thus, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, who originally thought he could definitely take Xiongzhou in one go, couldn't help but sigh, a myriad of feelings surging in his heart.

Watching the city wall defenses gradually calm down but with no sign of relaxation, Tu Tu Kesiluo's brows were tightly furrowed together, and he radiated a low-pressure aura. After a long while, he finally spoke in a deep voice:

"But Big Brother, if we do not force an attack on the city, how can we break through? The army's grain is already nearly exhausted; if we do not act now, it will be too late!"

Seeing him say this, the leader of the Iron Cavalry Camp, who had just returned, also nodded repeatedly with great unwillingness: "Yes, Your Majesty! Our army's grain is indeed running low; we simply cannot last a few more days!" To prevent the soldiers behind him from noticing that the grain was nearly exhausted, his voice unconsciously grew quieter towards the end.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu knew all this clearly. He turned his gaze back to Xiongzhou again; the stern defense on the city wall seemed like an impenetrable copper wall and iron barrier, with no flaw visible. After a long time, he finally made up his mind, shook his head at the two men, and spoke in a similarly lowered voice: "With our current military strength, a fierce attack on Xiongzhou is unlikely to succeed. The grain can still last a few days; let us first set up a large camp outside the city and then make further plans."

Tu Tu Kesiluo and the leader of the Iron Cavalry Camp exchanged a glance; after sighing silently, they led the army away from below the city. For a moment, the two armies, which had been tense with drawn swords and raised bows, fell into a brief calm both inside and outside the city. However, whether it was the soldiers in the camp outside the city or the defenders inside, everyone had ulterior motives, secretly speculating on the other side's next move...

On the city wall, Lord Tong Wa's expression was solemn; his hands were behind his back, and his demeanor was somewhat haggard. He stared intently at the enemy army gradually moving away until their figures completely disappeared on the horizon. Only then did Lord Tong Wa let out a long breath, and a look of survival after disaster appeared on his face.

"Finally escaped this disaster for now..." he muttered to himself, "Today's defeat was truly unexpected. Tu Tu Kesiluo is indeed well-deserved; Zuo Zhao died so easily, and my main force also suffered heavy losses..."

Thinking of this, Lord Tong Wa couldn't help but grind his teeth in secret and punched the city wall beside him. He knew that Jiang Jiang Mingyu had by no means given up on the idea of attacking the city; the current truce was only temporary. Once the enemy's grain supplies were sufficient, they would surely launch an even fiercer assault.

And this time, in what way should he respond to defend Xiongzhou?

Lord Tong Wa's eyes stared slightly blankly, looking at the red sun gradually setting in the west. This battle was destined to be unforgettable for a lifetime...

Watching the enemy army gradually retreating in the distance, Lord Tong Wa's face was gloomy, and endless anger and hatred rose in his eyes. He bit his lips tightly, and a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Turning around, he strode quickly to the arrow tower on the city wall, waved his hand fiercely, and roared, "Someone come! Immediately transmit my order as the Commandant!"

Moments later, a soldier with a small beard ran over quickly, stood at attention, and waited respectfully. Lord Tong Wa sized him up from top to bottom before speaking in a deep voice: "You must depart immediately, leave the city through the West Gate, take a boat down the Honghe River, and go directly to the capital to request reinforcements! This concerns the survival of Xiongzhou; speed is essential; you must depart within half a day!"

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Tu Tu Kesiluo's strength far exceeds my expectations as the Commandant. If we do not urgently dispatch reinforcements, Xiongzhou fears cannot be held!" Speaking thus, Lord Tong Wa couldn't help but furrow his sword eyebrows, and his tone became more anxious.

Originally, relying on his strong troop numbers, he was confident he could compete with Jiang Jiang Mingyu and never thought of asking for emergency reinforcements from Gebao City. But after today's battle, he deeply realized that if no reinforcements arrived, the fall of Xiongzhou was only a matter of time!

"You must hurry to Gebao City, meet the Emperor, and request Your Majesty to personally dispatch a large army to rescue us! You must make it clear the current critical situation of Xiongzhou; we cannot wait even a moment!" Lord Tong Wa slapped the table hard, his tone now carrying a tone of pleading, "Our hundred thousand troops are trapped in the city; if reinforcements do not arrive soon, it will be too late!"

"Understood, Commandant, rest assured; I will do my utmost!" The soldier respectfully accepted the order, his face full of solemnity.

"Then go quickly! Don't dawdle anymore!" Lord Tong Wa urged.

The soldier immediately bowed, turned, ran down the stairs, and soon disappeared at the West Gate. Lord Tong Wa watched him leave, a trace of worry and fear passing through his eyes. Just as he was about to retreat, he suddenly turned back to look at the enemy army gradually moving away outside the city, and his eyes suddenly turned sinister.

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu, just you wait! This time, even if I have to die with you, I will fight you to the death!" He clenched his fists and muttered hoarsely, "I have already sent someone to Gebao City to request emergency reinforcements; by then, I will bring a hundred thousand troops to rescue us, leaving you no way to escape!"

Saying this, Lord Tong Wa let out a cold laugh, stamped his foot hard on the brick below, and strode away from the city wall. Only the flags fluttering loudly in the wind were left, seeming to echo his sinister smile...

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sat alone in the military tent, holding a quill pen and drawing markings on the map on the table. His eyes were slightly closed, his brows tightly furrowed, and he radiated a heavy aura.

At this moment, the sound of boots stepping on the ground came from outside the tent. Tu Tu Kesiluo strode in and bowed, saying, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I have already sent someone to tally the battle casualties."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not look up and said indifferently, "Tell me."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Tu Tu Kesiluo stood at attention, "After a rough tally, our army lost nearly twenty thousand brave warriors in the battle the day before yesterday."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu lightly "hmphed," and the pen in his hand stopped. He raised his head, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes: "Calculating this way, plus previous military strength, our army now has one hundred and ten thousand troops remaining. As for Lord Tong Wa, it is roughly around one hundred thousand as well."

Speaking thus, he couldn't help but frown slightly and said in a deep voice, "It seems the strength of both sides is evenly matched. However, Lord Tong Wa currently occupies the city of Xiongzhou and can defend firmly based on the city. Capturing him alive, I fear, will not be an easy task."

Hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo also frowned. His face changed slightly, and anxiety leaked from his tone: "Moreover, Xiongzhou is adjacent to the sea; Lord Tong Wa can transport grain continuously via water routes. But our army's grain is already nearly exhausted! Feng Xiwie went to Guizhou to transport grain and has had no news for ten days now! His dawdling like this is simply not knowing the weight of the situation!"

After hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu couldn't help but sigh lightly, worrying about the possible mishap Feng Xiwie might have encountered. He shook his head and said, "Although Feng Xiwie is usually busy with military affairs, he would never easily delay the big picture. Since he has not returned for so long, I fear he encountered some accident on the road. However, even if our army's grain is short, I am determined to succeed; I must capture Lord Tong Wa alive!"

Tu Tu Kesiluo's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, do you already have a countermeasure?"

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the tent. Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Tu Tu Kesiluo exchanged a glance, and both their faces changed drastically. They saw He Jing stumble in, panting, and report, "Reporting to Your Majesty, just now, spies by the sea reported seeing Lord Tong Wa's people taking boats south; it is highly likely they are going to the capital to request reinforcements!"

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face looked even worse. He pondered for a moment before slowly nodding: "Lord Tong Wa has suffered heavy casualties; for the safety of Xiongzhou, he has indeed sent someone to Jingcheng to request reinforcements. We must hurry to send troops and defeat Lord Tong Wa here before the reinforcements arrive!"

Saying this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression was solemn; he suddenly clenched his fist, and his knuckles made a cracking sound...

"Time waits for no one; delay brings change; our plan must be launched immediately."

Plan?

A question mark appeared on He Jing's face.

"What plan?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not explain directly but ordered the soldiers outside the tent to call Ebu over.

Before Ebu arrived, a fast horse from the south suddenly swept into the camp gate like the wind.

Soon, a young man dressed in commoner's clothes strode up to Jiang Jiang Mingyu and said respectfully,

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Noble Consort has safely arrived in Qu Province and specifically ordered me to come and report her safety."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu hummed once, then asked.

"How is it? What is the situation in Qu Province now? Is Liu Liu Yifei's position still safe?"

The messenger wiped the sweat streaming down his face, then continued speaking.

"Your Majesty, rest assured. Except for strict defenses against our army's advance, everything in Qu Province is perfectly calm."

"The Noble Consort is perfectly well. She ordered me to inform Your Majesty that the spies there have already gathered quite a bit of intelligence."

"Once the Noble Consort analyzes it, we can have it sent to Your Majesty's main camp. Please, Your Majesty, be patient for a while."

Anxiety seemed to cloud Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face; he frowned, his gaze sweeping quickly around the tent. When the messenger's words revealed news of Liu Liu Yifei's safety, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

The messenger was covered in dust, his face dotted with sweat beads, as if he had ridden hard all the way to return here. He panted heavily, reporting the situation he saw on the road with unclear speech. After hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression clearly eased; he nodded, gestured for a maid to serve clear tea, and signaled the messenger to drink a few sips to moisten his throat.

The messenger took the tea cup with both hands and gulped down a few sops, then said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have already stationed lookouts around Qu Province; the moment anything happens, I will report immediately..." His tone was full of confidence.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction, waved for the messenger to return quickly, and added a special instruction: "Be sure to watch the Noble Consort's safety at all times; if anything changes, set off for Jiangzhou immediately!" The messenger repeatedly agreed. Just as he was about to turn, a sound of footsteps came from outside the tent.

The tent flap was lifted, and Ebu strode in. He seemed to be in a good mood today, a rare smile on his face. Seeing him arrive, Jiang Jiang Mingyu hurriedly explained the reason for summoning him. Ebu said in a deep voice, "We have already occupied the area below Xiongzhou City. The enemy army defending the city is at the end of its tether. Time waits for no one; we must immediately send troops to attack the capital of Qu Province directly and seize the initiative before the enemy mobilizes!"

He Jing was greatly alarmed at this, crying out in a sudden shout, "Impossible! The Qu Province garrison is extremely fierce; taking it will be exceedingly difficult. Better to besiege the city and attack reinforcements, remain immovable, and force them into chaos!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head to reject this, and the two immediately began to argue.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's slender eyes narrowed into a slit, a mysterious smile piling up on his face like a cunning old fox. He coughed lightly, signaling everyone to pay attention to the strategy he was about to reveal.

"I suspect Tong Wa has already sent someone to request reinforcements; it is unlikely he will make a move lightly in the short term." As he spoke, he glanced around, seeing the others holding their breath and waiting for his plan.

"A direct assault will certainly cause heavy casualties. I actually have a brilliant stratagem here." Jiang Jiang Mingyu paused mysteriously for a moment. Tu Tu Kesiluo couldn't help but ask, "Big Brother, just say it quickly!"

His impatient interruption made everyone present unable to hold back their laughter. Jiang Jiang Mingyu was also amused by him; he couldn't help but cough twice before speaking slowly.

"I suspect Tong Wa must have already realized our grain supplies are nearly exhausted. My strategy is to make use of this dwindling grain!" His mysterious attitude made him even harder to read. Everyone looked at each other, all guessing his plan.

After a moment, He Jing was the first to speak: "Your Majesty's strategy is excellent! If realized, Xiongzhou will surely be easily captured!" Joy showed on his face, and his tone was full of praise. However, the other two looked slightly worried.

"Big Brother, what you say is certainly correct, but if Tong Wa drags on for a few more days without engaging, won't that put us in a dangerous position?" Tu Tu Kesiluo said hesitantly. Ebu also nodded beside him, seeming to agree with his words.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was very confident; he shook his head and said, "Everyone, rest assured. Once our army shows signs of defeat, Tong Wa will certainly not let go of this excellent opportunity!" He emphasized his tone as if stressing a point, his expression resolute.

"If this were done to you or me, if it were you, would you let go of such a rare opportunity?" he asked rhetorically. Everyone seemed to think of something and nodded in unison, finally agreeing to his strategy.

Outside the tent, the sky was growing dark; the afterglow of the setting sun cast long, slanted shadows on the ground through the curtains...