Chapter 367: Battle of Wits and Courage

Jiang Jiang Mingyu slightly raised his chin, his gaze sharp as he scanned the surroundings. His brows furrowed slightly, the corners of his mouth appearing solemn, and his fingers occasionally tapped the table as if pondering urgent military matters. The generals stood straight, each with a serious expression, waiting for the commander-in-chief to issue orders.

Seeing no further objections, Jiang Jiang Mingyu raised his right hand and gave a slight wave in the air, speaking in a deep voice: "Issue the order: from now on, the main army remains entirely in camp; send only five hundred elites, led by He Jing, in full battle gear to create a commotion beneath the walls of Xiongzhou."

His tone conveyed unshakable resolve, every word ringing with power. Hearing this, the generals nodded in understanding, their expressions grim, and immediately saluted in response.

"Go, prepare quickly, and act according to my command!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu frowned slightly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

The generals responded in unison once more, then filed out of the tent one by one, quickly organizing their respective subordinates to prepare to execute the commander-in-chief's orders.

"Has Commandant Feng sent any recent letters reporting on the military grain transport situation?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu turned to the adjutant standing nearby inside the tent.

"Reporting to my lord, yesterday Commandant Feng sent an urgent military report stating that grain transport progress has slightly stalled, and the shortfall will be made up within three days," the adjutant replied with utmost respect.

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu could not help but slightly press his lips together, and his right hand unconsciously clenched into a fist. "Three days have passed, yet Commandant Feng is still nowhere to be seen. Now, the military situation is like fire; our main force holds firm, but morale urgently needs boosting." His expression was solemn, his gaze deep.

"Then send a fast rider to Guizhou to urge him on, telling Commandant Feng that the situation is critical and he must transport grain to meet me immediately." He said with determination.

The adjutant hurriedly agreed, then immediately dipped his brush to write an urgent report, quickly affixed the wax seal, and handed it to the rider waiting outside the tent. Seeing this, the rider immediately mounted his horse and galloped swiftly toward Guizhou.

At this time, the five thousand troops had already set out in great numbers under He Jing's leadership, heading to the walls of Xiongzhou to serve as a decoy and create noise. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood at a high vantage point gazing into the distance, seeing the Xiongzhou defenders on the city tower layered upon layer, flags fluttering, their momentum overwhelming. He Jing, rushing to the front lines, looked back into the distance; seeing this, he unconsciously clenched his fist tighter, a sinister smile crossing his face, as if anticipating the great battle to come.

At this time, the sky was gradually darkening. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood alone in the empty military tent, letting the gentle breeze lift the tent curtains and flags, producing a rapid rustling sound. After the main force departed, only the candlelight remained, flickering dimly in the corner. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood alone under the swaying light, his eyes slightly closed, his expression solemn, as if brewing a grand strategy for what was to come.

His mind rapidly reviewed major military affairs, while at the same time he was constantly worrying about the situation on the front lines. If Commandant Lu still did not appear after three days, with no grain in the rear, how could the front-line troops continue? Thinking of this, he unconsciously reached for his sword hilt, as if drawing strength from it to cope with the difficult situation ahead.

Outside, the wind gradually died down, and silence reigned everywhere, with only the crackling of the candle flame. Jiang Jiang Mingyu slowly sat down in the lonely candlelight, sitting cross-legged in the tent with a solemn expression, his eyes deep, as if calculating countermeasures to deal with the coming storm...

At this time, the five hundred elite troops sent by Jiang Jiang Mingyu, led by Commander He Jing, were marching in great numbers to the walls of Xiongzhou. On the city tower, the Xiongzhou defenders were packed tightly, layered upon layer, their momentum overwhelming. He Jing, not to be outdone, stood within the military formation beneath the city where the great flag waved, raising both arms arrogantly and shouting insults without cease.

"The Xiongzhou defenders are incompetent, having lost the Southern Pass! They are nothing but a headless swarm!" He Jing roared with ferocious momentum.

Hearing this, the defenders on the city tower turned red with anger, wishing they could immediately rush out of the city to fight a life-and-death battle. The Commandant of the Xiongzhou Southern Gate even raised his bow and arrow, aiming at He Jing and firing a volley of random shots, shouting in hatred: "Incompetent rats of One Da Jiang, how dare you shout!"

"Commandant, quickly let me go out of the city to exterminate this rascal!" The Commandant, full of indignation, begged Lord Tong Wa to send troops.

At this time, Lord Tong Wa was standing on the city tower gazing into the distance, his expression steady and calm. Hearing the Commandant's plea, he turned slightly, scanning the Commandant with a cautious and profound gaze, and slowly shook his head, saying: "No, this move is too rash."

"We were just soundly defeated; our military edge is sharp. These five thousand troops are likely a decoy tactic; Jiang Jiang Mingyu's main force must be hidden not far away." He spoke slowly and deliberately, every word ringing with power. "If our army rashly goes out of the city and falls into their trap, it will cause great disaster."

Although the Commandant felt extremely frustrated, he had to admit that Lord Tong Wa's judgment was very appropriate. He could only angrily sheath his long sword, glare at He Jing with hatred, but was helpless.

Seeing this, He Jing below the city became even more arrogant, continuing to point at the city tower and provoke: "Are the Xiongzhou defenders men, or do they dare not fight? No wonder they were routed in the Southern Frontier!"

Hearing such insults, the defenders on the Xiongzhou city tower ground their teeth in hatred, their whole bodies trembling, yet they were held down tightly by Lord Tong Wa, truly filled with shame and fury. Although Lord Tong Wa's face remained calm, his hands had slightly clenched; he secretly observed the situation outside the city, waiting only for reinforcements to arrive to eliminate this band of arrogant enemies.

The Commandant pointed toward the distance; the camp of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army was faintly visible with swirling cooking smoke. Lord Tong Wa squinted his eyes, and through the ethereal cooking smoke, he gazed intently at the scene on the opposite bank.

In Jiang Jiang Mingyu's military camp, small stove fires swayed in the evening wind; dozens of large pots were set up on wooden frames, and soldiers were busy pouring water and adding ingredients into the pots. However, the cooking smoke in the entire camp was sparse and scattered, not at all resembling the bustling scene expected of a camp with tens of thousands of troops.

Lord Tong Wa's brows gradually furrowed, and a hint of doubt flashed across his face. He gazed intently at Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great flag; that huge Bai Qi waved in the center of the camp. Beneath the Bai Qi, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's figure was faintly visible; he was standing alone at a high vantage point gazing into the distance, his expression solemn.

"This cooking smoke... seems a bit strange..." Lord Tong Wa murmured, his expression becoming serious.

"Strange? Where is it strange?" the Commandant asked in pursuit, completely confused.

"According to Jiang Jiang Mingyu's current troop strength, there should be at least one hundred and twenty-three thousand," Lord Tong Wa explained. "But look at the cooking smoke in his camp; it is sparse. How does this look like the scene of an army of over a hundred thousand eating?"

Saying this, a hint of a meaningful smile suddenly curled at the corner of his mouth, and he said: "If this Commandant guesses correctly, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's military grain should be running very low."

Hearing this, the Commandant's face first showed confusion. After a few seconds, his eyes suddenly widened, and a look of sudden realization flashed across them.

"Where does this statement come from, Commandant? To be able to see that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's grain is exhausted is truly incredible!" the Commandant asked, his voice unable to hide his surprise.

Lord Tong Wa, as if discovering something interesting, explained to the Commandant with animated eyebrows: "Jiang Jiang Mingyu's main army is in urgent need of grain, so he sent a small unit to shout beneath our city walls, attempting to provoke our army into a life-and-death battle. He is luring our army out of the city to inflict heavy damage upon us."

"Unfortunately, this trick is already well-known to this Commandant," Lord Tong Wa said with pride. "His military grain is running very low; I see that in less than three days, his army of over a hundred thousand will collapse and scatter. At that time, it will be a great opportunity for our army to turn defeat into victory!"

Hearing these words, the Commandant was first startled, then his eyes lit up, and he excitedly clenched his fist and cheered. The two exchanged a meaningful look, both seeing the dawn of hope in each other's eyes.

Seeing that the Commandant finally understood, the corners of Lord Tong Wa's mouth rose slightly, his thick eyebrows arched, and he continued to speak loudly:

"Issue the order: the main army must prepare, closely monitoring the movements of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great camp."

The Commandant hurriedly responded, strode quickly to the camp gate, and loudly repeated the orders to the soldiers. Hearing this, the soldiers immediately stopped their current tasks, stood up in unison, picked up their weapons, and stood ready with expressionless faces, all eyes focused on the enemy's great camp in the distance.

"But once the cooking smoke in their camp completely ceases, the main army will immediately march out of the city to attack and kill; the chaos of One Da Jiang will surely be settled in one battle." Lord Tong Wa continued, his deep and powerful voice echoing in the night. His tone was firm and full of confidence.

The Commandant ran back to Lord Tong Wa's side, nodding in agreement while panting heavily. He was full of confidence in this campaign, radiating heroism all over his body. But soon, he thought of something, and a hint of doubt flashed across his face. The Commandant looked up at the sky; the sky was already gradually darkening, and the last red glow of the setting sun had disappeared below the horizon. He stroked his beard, hesitated for a moment, and finally opened his mouth to ask:

"But Commandant, what if Jiang Jiang Mingyu sees that our army is not falling for the trap and going out of the city? With his grain about to run out, will he simply withdraw his troops?"

His tone subtly revealed anxiety and deep worry. Lord Tong Wa smiled knowingly, patted the Commandant's shoulder, and said steadily: "Cunning as Jiang Jiang Mingyu is, how could he sit and wait for Lord Tong Wa to deal with him? I have already anticipated all his possibilities."

Saying this, he glanced around at the soldiers who were on high alert. Everyone held their breath, anxiously waiting for his next judgment.

"No, he will not," Lord Tong Wa shook his head, his tone very certain. "Previously, Jiang Jiang Mingyu flooded Jiangzhou with water; the grain in Jiangzhou probably could not escape either. If Jiangzhou had sufficient grain, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's main army would not have reached the brink of starvation at this time."

The Commandant listened intently, and his brows gradually relaxed.

"In that case, even if he retreats to Jiangzhou, it makes no difference from staying here. Moreover, as long as Jiang Jiang Mingyu retreats, the army's morale will surely scatter; our army will pursue on the momentum, and Jiangzhou will surely not be safe. At that time, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's efforts during this period, as well as his troops, money, and grain, will all be wasted; perhaps even Shaogong will be difficult to preserve."

Saying this, Lord Tong Wa glanced around once more; everyone was listening quietly, their faces filled with awe and conviction. This made Lord Tong Wa feel immensely gratified and proud.

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu is not a person who accepts bitter losses silently, so this Commandant is certain that he will not easily withdraw his army." Finally, Lord Tong Wa reached a conclusion with a resolute attitude.

The Commandant was finally completely reassured. He praised repeatedly, clapping his hands in delight. "Commandant's strategy is divine; indeed, you predict events like a god!" He stroked his beard, his eyes showing boundless admiration and trust for Lord Tong Wa. This was the highest praise he had given Lord Tong Wa in the many years he had followed him.

"What the Commandant says is absolutely right. As long as Jiang Jiang Mingyu finds a way to pry open the gates of Xiongzhou before running out of grain, he can obtain the military grain in the city. Before reinforcements arrive, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, possessing superior troop strength, will certainly not leave easily."

"And this, I suppose, is the opportunity the Commandant refers to?" The Commandant's eyes lit up, extremely excited.

"Correct, that is exactly the meaning!" Lord Tong Wa laughed heartily, full of heroic spirit. He patted the Commandant's shoulder heavily and said with deep feeling:

"This is a Da Gong. You have followed this Commandant for many years; do not disappoint my expectations."

The Commandant responded repeatedly, his face flushing with redness, filled with excitement and a sense of responsibility. He stood at attention and saluted Lord Tong Wa heroically, then strode quickly toward the soldiers to begin arranging the work of monitoring the enemy camp.

At this time, Lord Tong Wa turned his head to look at that single point of cooking smoke in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's camp in the distance, and boundless heroism and confidence surged in his heart.

A hint of a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he waited leisurely for the moment the enemy ran out of grain...

At this time, the setting sun had already sunk westward, and small stove fires flickered in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's camp. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood alone at a high vantage point gazing into the distance, his expression solemn. The adjutant hurriedly walked to Jiang Jiang Mingyu's side and reported in a low voice that the grain was running very low, enough to last at most three days. Hearing this bad news, Jiang Jiang Mingyu frowned deeply, closed his eyes heavily, and sighed deeply. After a long time, he opened his eyes, a flash of cold light passing through them, and finally nodded heavily.

Cooking smoke gradually rose, and dawn broke. The Commandant opened his sleepy eyes, jumped up with a start, and ran to the city wall in three steps taking two. Squinting, he looked toward Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great camp in the distance, seeing only a few lonely wisps of cooking smoke rising from the camp, far fewer than the day before.

"Comrades, look quickly!" The Commandant, unable to contain his excitement, shouted loudly. His voice echoed emptily on the city wall in the early morning. Hearing the sound, the Southern Frontier soldiers defending the city rushed to the Commandant's side in groups of three or five.

"Compared to last night, the cooking smoke floating in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great camp has decreased even more!" That Southern Frontier soldier also saw the anomaly and was equally extremely excited.

The Commandant slapped his shoulder hard, beaming with a smile: "Good, just as Lord Tong predicted; the situation of those One Da Jiang dogs is getting worse by the day!"

"You hold your ground here; I shall go immediately to report to Lord Tong. The time for revenge is almost upon us!" With that, the Commandant strode down from the city wall with long, swift steps, rushing in a flurry to see Lord Tong Wa.

At that moment, a general on the city wall was leading a loud curse, hoarsely mocking Jiang Jiang Mingyu. "Incompetent One Da Jiang dogs! Your plan to survive by cutting off supplies has come to naught! Lord Tong will surely behead every single one of you!"

Hearing this, the soldiers on the wall laughed loudly and joined in to cheer. This exceptionally lively scene undoubtedly further hinted at the desperate plight of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army.

In the main camp, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was gazing toward Xiongzhou. Seeing the reaction of the garrison on the wall, he let out a cold sneer. "Excellent! Lord Tong has fallen for the trap!" He slapped his thigh hard, his eyes gleaming.

After a while, Jiang Jiang Mingyu suddenly thought of something; he gave a mysterious smile and summoned Ebu into the tent again.

"Ebu, you and He Jing will continue leading men to shout insults, making Lord Tong believe our army intends to lure them out," Jiang Jiang Mingyu said in a deep voice, a glint of sharp light flashing in his eyes.

Ebu was just about to speak when Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved his hand to cut him off: "Wait, merely this is not enough." Stroking his beard, his gaze grew deep, "You will immediately lead thirty thousand main forces out of the camp; in the afternoon, find a suitable opportunity to attack Xiongzhou City."

"With this, Lord Tong will surely believe our army is about to run out of supplies, leaving him no choice but to risk his life in an assault," Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood up and paced within the tent. "Remember, this is merely a feint; you must also appear physically exhausted, otherwise that old fox Lord Tong will not believe it."

Ebu bowed deeply: "Your Majesty rest assured; this subordinate will go prepare immediately and will certainly not delay Your Majesty's great matter."

He strode out of the main tent with long, swift steps; the sunlight stung his eyes. Thirty thousand troops had already formed ranks awaiting orders, their iron armor clanking, killing intent surging. Hoofbeats thundered like rolling thunder, dust flying as they charged toward Xiongzhou City.

After he left, Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke again to Tu Tu Kesiluo.

"Tu Tu Kesiluo, order the kitchen troops to reduce the cooking smoke by thirty percent again at noon today."

"With this, combined with Ebu's city assault in the afternoon, the two will corroborate each other, and Lord Tong will surely confirm our army's grain is running low."

"When evening mealtime arrives, cut off all cooking smoke entirely; seeing this, Lord Tong will surely lead men to raid the camp tonight."

Tu Tu Kesiluo's lips curled slightly; he clasped his hands respectfully.

"Big Brother rest assured; tonight is the end of that old fox Lord Tong."

In the Governor's Office of Xiongzhou City, Lord Tong Wa sat in a large armchair, his right hand gently stirring the fresh tea in his cup, while his left hand held a white jade tea cup, his expression relaxed. In the early morning, he had heard that the cooking smoke from Jiang Jiang Mingyu's camp had decreased again, instantly lifting his mood. By noon, the Commandant on the city wall came to report that the cooking smoke in the enemy camp had decreased further compared to the morning; it seemed Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army grain had indeed reached its limit.

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu, oh Jiang Jiang Mingyu, let this Governor see how long you can hold out," Lord Tong murmured to himself, a smile of triumph curling his lips. He had just taken a sip of hot tea when the sound of gongs and drums and battle cries suddenly rang from outside—Jiang Jiang Mingyu had finally come to attack the city.

Lord Tong was not panicked; he simply calmly set down the tea cup, a smile piling up on his face: "They have come at just the right time." Then, he shouted toward the door: "Commandant, come in and speak."

A burly man in military attire strode in with long, swift steps, clasping his hands: "What are your orders, Governor?"

Lord Tong smiled: "Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army grain has reached its limit, so they are acting like a cornered dog to attack the city. Go tell the generals on the city wall not to worry too much; the outcome will surely be decided tonight. This Governor's strategy will not be wrong."

The Commandant quickly responded with a "Yes," and strode out of the Governor's Office. In less than half an hour, he ran back in high spirits, walking quickly to Lord Tong's side and exclaiming repeatedly: "The Governor is wise; Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great army is indeed covered in wounds, morale is low, and they simply cannot hold out much longer."

Hearing this, Lord Tong let out a proud, light snort, playing with the white jade tea cup in his hand; he squinted his eyes and smiled: "Very good, very good; it seems tonight our army going out of the city to annihilate Jiang Jiang Mingyu is as certain as a nail in a board."

By evening, Lord Tong sat before a long table slowly eating his meal when the Commandant rushed in again, his face flushed with excitement: "Governor! Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army grain has been cut off; according to reports from the sentries on the city wall, there is not a single wisp of cooking smoke in the enemy camp!"

Lord Tong put down the rice bowl in his hand, his excitement overflowing: "The cooking smoke has stopped? Are you sure you checked clearly?" The Commandant nodded repeatedly: "This subordinate saw it with his own eyes; there is absolutely not a single wisp of cooking smoke! Jiang Jiang Mingyu truly cannot lift his pot!"

Hearing this, Lord Tong could not help but jump up from his chair, pacing back and forth, a smile blooming on his face. He excitedly slapped the table and said to the Commandant: "Good! Then follow my previous arrangements; at the second watch, the entire army will sortie and strike straight into Jiang Jiang Mingyu's main camp! Tonight I will personally take Jiang Jiang Mingyu's head!"

The Commandant responded repeatedly: "Yes! If the Governor annihilates Jiang Jiang Mingyu in one stroke tonight, your fame will surely be magnificent; at that time, Your Majesty will surely enfeoff the Governor as a King!" With that, he cautiously leaned close to Lord Tong and whispered mysteriously: "In the future, when the Governor's glorious achievements are renowned, please do not forget some of your old subordinates."

Lord Tong laughed heartily, slapping the Commandant's shoulder hard: "Rest assured, this Governor has it in mind!"

Just as the Commandant turned to leave, Lord Tong suddenly called out to stop him: "Commandant, go to the camp again later to transmit orders; for tonight's battle, this Governor will personally take command. I will personally take Jiang Jiang Mingyu's head and present it to Your Majesty to claim merit!"

Thinking of future prosperity, being enfeoffed as a King and appointed as a Prime Minister, Lord Tong could not help but feel overjoyed, his smile on his lips becoming even brighter.