Chapter 368

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's main camp was extremely quiet, with only the rustling sound of the night wind blowing through the tents audible. Inside the main tent, several flickering oil lamps burned, casting light on Jiang Jiang Mingyu, who sat in the main seat wearing chainmail with a composed expression, a faint smile playing on his lips, his gaze sharp as a torch. Several high-ranking generals in military attire stood on either side of the tent, their faces expressionless, occasionally exchanging meaningful glances, each wearing a deep and unfathomable look.

"Everyone, it is inevitable that Tong Wa has fallen into the trap; I expect he will definitely send troops tonight," Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke, his voice low and full of energy.

Only the burly man wearing a silver helmet standing on the far left—Tu Tu Kesiluo—laughed twice, his laughter loud and abrupt, echoing through the tent. "That Tong Wa really takes himself seriously, hmph, he is merely a pawn in Big Brother's hand." His tone was full of contempt, his arms crossed, looking eager to act.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved his hand, his pair of hawk eyes revealing determination; he said in a deep voice, "This opportunity must not be missed, everyone, listen to orders—" As he spoke, he placed both hands on his crossed long swords, slowly scanning the surroundings, meeting everyone's gaze with his own, "Tu Tu Kesiluo, take 30,000 troops to ambush the left flank; He Jing, take 30,000 troops to ambush the right flank; I will personally lead 20,000 troops to ambush the rear army to block the retreat. E Bu, you and the remaining troops, block Tong Wa's path completely."

Seeing everyone press their lips tight and nod solemnly and firmly to indicate they understood, Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Also, immediately order the soldiers to pour oil over the tents; as soon as Tong Wa arrives, set them on fire immediately."

"With the help of the great fire, plus the element of surprise, Tong Wa's chance of victory is almost non-existent." A cold smile played on his lips, his tone revealing complete confidence.

The generals nodded again, responding in a tight and urgent manner. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's gaze suddenly darkened, his tone as cold as winter: "Tonight, I will annihilate that dog's leg Tong Wa and his more than 100,000 Southern Border troops completely!" He gripped the sword hilt tightly, his voice booming like a bell. Having spoken, he turned and strode out of the main tent with long strides.

The surroundings immediately became busy; soldiers moved quickly, pouring oil over the tents, waiting only for the dead of night to set the fire. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood at a high point, gazing far in the direction of Xiongzhou City. A cold smile curled his lips: With the help of the flames, Tong Wa is doomed; when Xiongzhou falls, all the military supplies and resources in the city will be mine. Thinking of this, he could not help but secretly rejoice in his heart, his eyes revealing cunning and a look of absolute determination.

The time was late, with countless stars hanging high in the night sky, and a layer of thin mist filled the camp. Tong Wa gripped his whip tightly, riding at the head of the 110,000-strong army with a stern expression. As this army marched, their iron hooves shook the ground, radiating killing intent.

Before long, a towering camp appeared not far ahead. Sentinels lazily dozed by the camp gate, obviously lacking vigilance. Tong Wa sneered, raised his hand, and shot two arrows, both hitting the sentinels' vital points. "The discipline is so poor; it seems Jiang Jiang Mingyu expected my army to come. No matter, let him taste the flavor of a sudden attack!"

Having spoken, Tong Wa raised his long sword high, crouched low on his horse, and the entire army roared as they charged into the camp.

Only the clashing sound of weapons rang out loudly, yet not a single person responded. A thud hit Tong Wa's heart; he roared, "An empty camp?!" Before his words had fully faded, fires blazed from all four directions and eight corners. It turned out that countless torches were lit simultaneously, illuminating the entire camp. Tong Wa's heart panicked greatly; just as he was about to turn and break out, he saw a tall figure emerge from behind.

It was Jiang Jiang Mingyu! This fellow had actually led a large army to ambush here!

Jiang Jiang Mingyu swung himself onto his horse, looking utterly at ease. He raised his eyes to look at Tong Wa and sneered disdainfully, "Commandant Tong, coming here and leaving in such a hurry is truly improper."

Tong Wa's face changed abruptly; he suddenly realized, "So I have fallen into your trap! You never cut off the grain supplies! Everything just now was a scheme to lure my army into a trap!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded slightly and praised, "Worthy of being a Commandant, your calculations are flawless. Unfortunately, you are one step too late. My 50,000-strong army has tightly surrounded you in the middle; tonight is your day of death!"

Having spoken, a flash of cruel cold light passed through Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes. He pointed his long sword and said grimly, "Tong Wa, when you fortified your positions and cleared the fields, poisoning and killing tens of thousands of my comrades, today I will return it to you with interest!" Raising his arm and waving, the 50,000 fierce warriors behind him drew their swords, their killing intent soaring to the sky!

At this moment, Tong Wa's mood grew even more tense; breaking out seemed hopeless, and this battle likely held more misfortune than good! But then he thought again, he was no pushover; if he could carve out a line of survival, perhaps there would still be a chance to turn the tables! Immediately, he grabbed an iron spear and shouted loudly, "Break out with me! Capture Jiang Jiang Mingyu alive!"

Only the "whoosh whoosh" sounds of dozens of fire arrows whistling in from all four directions and eight corners were heard, striking the Southern Border infantry; instantly, blood flowers splashed everywhere. Tong Wa's face turned pale, his pupils suddenly contracting; before he could react, the second round of arrow rain had arrived. The arrows, gleaming with cold light, were as fast as lightning, striking vital points and shooting hundreds and thousands of Southern Border soldiers to the ground.

"Ah—" "Save me!" Immediately, screams filled the surroundings; blood seeped from beneath them into the soil, quickly forming pools of blood. Tong Wa's face was filled with panic, his lips trembling; just as he was about to turn and break out, he saw that he was tightly surrounded by a raging sea of fire behind him. His troops trampled on their comrades' corpses, charging left and right, but it was all in vain. The tongues of fire licked all four fields, rolling heat waves rose, and thick smoke billowed up; everyone was rolling in agony in this fire prison, emitting chilling screams.

"Break out! Break out with me!" Tong Wa roared with a hoarse voice, beads of sweat popping out on his forehead. Just then, two thunderous roars came from the left and right flanks: "Grandson, want to leave? I, Tu Tu Kesiluo, am here! One Da Jiang's He Jing has arrived!" The two men's eyes were bloodshot; like hungry wolves pouncing on food, they led the fierce generals of the two flanks to charge into the encirclement. The northern warriors held steel knives and giant axes high; seeing the weaklings under Tong Wa, they became even more arrogant and vicious, killing indiscriminately in all directions.

Tong Wa's remaining chance of victory vanished at this very moment. Amidst the rising and falling wails, the Southern Border soldiers lost their fighting spirit and scattered in all directions. Just then, another unit of E Bu's elite troops, who had been ambushing in the dark, broke out of the encirclement. "Block the path; let not a single one escape!" Accompanied by the crisp sound of knives and axes sinking deep into flesh, more Southern Border soldiers fell to the ground; blood flowed freely, corpses littered the fields, a sight too terrible to behold.

This massacre had undoubtedly reached its end. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes opened wide in anger, a cruel cold smile playing on his lips, like an Asura from hell. He raised his blood-stained long sword high, reflecting the burning anger in his eyes. "Someone! Quickly bind Tong Wa!" He let out a violent roar, his voice thundering through the ears. E Bu and Tu Tu Kesiluo, following on his left and right, immediately responded in unison, rushing toward Tong Wa in a race to be first.

Soon, Tong Wa was bound tightly with five flowers and knelt before Jiang Jiang Mingyu. "You... let me go... I am willing..." he pleaded with a hoarse voice. "I am not as merciful as you!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered, the tip of his sword pointing directly at Tong Wa's throat. "Someone! Cut him up slowly!" "No—" A scream echoed in the night sky; Tong Wa's body gradually fell apart...

The 50,000-strong army, with high morale and perfect coordination, quickly cut down the remaining 3,400 men under Tong Wa until not a single piece of armor remained. At this moment, the four fields were silent, with only the chirping of insects and the low murmur in the night wind audible. The ground was covered with hideous corpses and dark red pools of blood, emitting a sweet, fishy scent.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu held his long sword, walking slowly through the wreckage; beneath his feet were the severed limbs and internal organs of the Southern Border soldiers. His face was calm, even somewhat at ease, as if he had grown accustomed to this bloodshed. The generals following on his left and right were all expressionless, also numb.

"General, this was truly a fierce battle..." one fierce general could not help but sigh. "Indeed," Jiang Jiang Mingyu replied lightly, "Fortunately, the chaos in One Da Jiang can finally be considered concluded." Having spoken, he raised his head to look at the sky; the night grew darker, and the starlight was brilliant. He knew that tonight's great victory would surely establish a monumental merit for him in his future conquest of the Southern Border. Thinking of this, he could not help but curl the corners of his lips slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.

"Let's go, to Xiongzhou." Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyebrows furrowed slightly; his pair of hawk eyes locked onto the city wall, as if he wanted to drill a hole through the still-closed city gate. He coughed lightly, a cold smile curling his lips, and his right hand unconsciously gripped the sword hilt. At this very moment, he was impatient to take this city into his possession.

After about the time it takes to eat a meal, figures finally appeared on the city wall. A bloody head was thrown high into the air, tracing a parabola in mid-air, before finally crashing heavily onto the city wall and rolling down. Tu Tu Kesiluo narrowed his eyes to examine it closely; it was indeed the head of the enemy commander, Tong Wa, without a doubt.

"Tong Wa lies dead in the wild, and your 100,000-strong army has been completely annihilated; why do you not immediately open the city gates and surrender?" Tu Tu Kesiluo crossed his arms, sneering as he shouted to those on the wall. His voice carried not only mockery but also impatience and a sense of urging.

A deathly silence immediately fell over the city wall; the defenders looked at each other, seemingly plunged into extreme panic and despair. After a long time, a dull thunderous boom suddenly exploded; the originally tightly closed city gates slowly opened with a tremendous roar. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face finally relaxed slightly; he nodded slightly, revealing a hint of small pride in his expression, and gave Tuokesiluo a signal with his eyes.

Tu Tu Kesiluo immediately shouted loudly, "The entire army enters the city!" One thousand elite cavalry sharply turned their horses, their knives and spears gleaming, and began to gallop into the city. The sound of hooves thundered, dust flew, and they quickly charged into the city. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's lips also gradually curled into a smile; he walked slowly to the city gate, looked up to gaze at the fluttering white flag, and a surge of heroic spirit rose in his heart.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered something, walked quickly to Tu Tu Kesiluo, and said in a deep voice, "You must immediately take over the city's defense, and round up all the surrendered soldiers. If there is any movement, kill them all without exception!" Upon hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo and others flashed a look of cruelty on their faces, nodded heavily, and ran toward the city.

A moment later, Jiang Jiang Mingyu gave orders to E Bu on his right again, "Go quickly to contact General Shi Zhuo and tell him to come immediately to take over the city defense here!" Shi Zhuo, who could govern the city with order and efficiency, was a person of great ability; Jiang Jiang Mingyu had long held him in high regard. Now that Xiongzhou was in hand, a capable general must be sent to guard it.

Just as E Bu was about to rise, Jiang Jiang Mingyu added, "By the way, you should also send someone to check the situation in Jiangzhou; if everything is fine, send Li Goudan here to report." Having spoken, he crossed his arms, his mind active, as if he had already begun to calculate the next military deployment.

When the sky gradually brightened, the two scouting parties sent by E Bu had already galloped away on horseback. Jiang Jiang Mingyu calculated silently in his heart; the great victory in the Battle of Xiongzhou marked a new starting point in his military career. Now, another decisive battle was waiting for him in the south. Thinking of this, he unconsciously touched his sword hilt, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

At this very moment, Jiang Jiang Mingyu finally confirmed completely that his ambition could no longer be stopped by anyone! This time, he would make the enemies taste the flavor of a crushing defeat!

Just as Jiang Jiang Mingyu was carefully calculating the next military strategy, Tu Tu Kesiluo had already led his subordinates to count the military supplies within Xiongzhou City. This vast city possessed ample reserves of grain and weapons, truly a key military stronghold. Now that these supplies had finally fallen entirely into the hands of One Da Jiang, a small surge of excitement and joy rose in Tu Tu Kesiluo's heart.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu strode into the Commandant's Office; before he could sit properly, Feng Feng Xiwei, who had only one arm, stood respectfully outside the door with his fist in his palm.

Feng Feng Xiwei's eyebrows were tightly furrowed, his face full of apology: "Reporting to Your Majesty, heavy rain has been pouring in Guizhou recently; the grain convoy I was escorting could hardly arrive on time. This is my dereliction of duty, and I feel deeply ashamed!" Having spoken, he bent his legs and was about to kneel to atone for his crime.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu hurriedly waved his hand to signal, saying helplessly, "Encountering bad weather on a march is inevitable; you need not blame yourself. The key is that Xiongzhou has been captured, and no great disaster has been caused; this is already a great fortune." Speaking to this point, the corners of his lips curled slightly, and a few rays of relief appeared in his eyes, "You have worked hard; go back and rest first."

Feng Feng Xiwei thanked him repeatedly and then carefully retreated to the side. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stretched, patted his temples, and fell into a deep sleep. The surroundings were silent, with occasionally one or two bird calls drifting in from outside the window, adding a few more touches of tranquility.

When Jiang Jiang Mingyu opened his eyes again, the sun had already set in the west, warming the room. He let out a long sigh, as if releasing all the fatigue from his body. After rubbing his temples and slowly drinking a few mouthfuls of clear tea, he raised his hand and ordered those around him, "Someone, go call Tu Tu Kesiluo to see me."

A moment later, Tu Tu Kesiluo's agile figure was already standing at the door. "What does Big Brother order?" he asked, bowing with his hands clasped. Jiang Jiang Mingyu played with his teacup, raised his eyes to look at him, and asked with a gentle expression, "Have all matters in the city been arranged properly?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded and replied, "Replying to Big Brother, everything is ready; please rest assured." After a while, Jiang Jiang Mingyu put down his teacup and paced back and forth in the room. Tu Tu Kesiluo stood quietly to the side, waiting patiently.

After a long time, Jiang Jiang Mingyu finally spoke, his tone revealing concern, "Do the people in the city have any special reactions? Can they accept the new administration?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo pondered for a moment and slowly replied, "The people are relatively calm; after all, having experienced years of war and turmoil, I have also understood some principles." His expression was open and honest, showing a humble demeanor, "Who is the ruler of the world does not matter much to ordinary people; what they truly need is simply to live in peace and security, with food and clothing without worry."

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu could not help but smile understandingly and patted Tu Tu Kesiluo's shoulder approvingly, "Good; with such an enlightened realization, I am at ease."

Afterwards, however, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression darkened, a trace of worry sweeping across his face. He rose from beside the table, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly paced within the tent. Sunlight projected through the window lattice, casting mottled shadows on him.

"Emulating the practice of the city governor, once Shi Zhuo arrives, immediately implement benevolent policies such as reducing corvée labor." Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke in a deep voice, "What you just said is very correct; as long as the people receive benefits, no one will resist us anymore."

Tu Tu Kesiluo sat at the table, gazing at Jiang Jiang Mingyu's back, his hands tightly clenched into fists resting on his legs, nodding slowly with a solemn expression.

"Yes, Big Brother," he nodded and replied, "I will immediately start preparations and notify all the camps under my command to implement this."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's figure swayed in the light and shadow; he stroked his chin, seemingly in deep thought. Tu Tu Kesiluo looked at him, appearing to want to speak but holding back. After a while, Tu Tu Kesiluo spoke with deliberation:

"Big Brother, Xiongzhou is now under our army's jurisdiction; once the intelligence sent by Big Sister arrives, can we send troops to attack Qu Province?"

His tone revealed a certain eagerness, as well as an inability to hide his eagerness to act.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was slightly stunned and stopped his steps. He turned around and looked at Tu Tu Kesiluo with a complex expression.

"Qu Province probably cannot be attacked for the time being," he replied slowly.

Tu Tu Kesiluo was slightly stunned, frowning in confusion, "Big Brother, what does this mean? With Big Sister providing counsel, Qu Province basically has no secrets at all; why say it cannot be attacked?"

His tone could not hide his disappointment, and he looked at Jiang Jiang Mingyu somewhat unwillingly.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sighed, sat by the window, and gently shook the teacup on the table.

"When the spy by the sea reported the news, did you not forget that Tong Wa secretly sent someone to Ge Bao City to request reinforcements?" He looked at Tu Tu Kesiluo, his tone shifting, and continued, "I suspect that Wei Wei Yangyao's reinforcements will arrive soon."

After hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized the truth, a look of understanding appearing on his face. "So that's how it is; in that case, Qu Province indeed cannot be attacked for now." He murmured, his expression solemn, as if rapidly thinking through countermeasures.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu fell silent as well, staring fixedly at the map spread on the table, his gaze deep and hard to fathom. Both were plunged into anxiety and confusion. After a long while, Tu Tu Kesiluo hesitantly spoke up:

"Then... does Big Brother want us to stay in the city like this and wait for reinforcements to arrive?"

His voice was low, faintly revealing anxiety. Jiang Jiang Mingyu closed his eyes and slowly nodded, his brows slightly furrowed: "We can do nothing else. Our army has no experience in naval warfare; if we fight at sea, we risk bringing about our own destruction."

He paused, opened his eyes, and looked at Tu Tu Kesiluo: "The best course of action now is to use stillness to counter movement, waiting for the reinforcements to appear before making a move; only then can we preserve our army's initiative."

Hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo helplessly nodded as well, his expression becoming even more solemn. There was no other way; this was the only response possible. Both fell silent again, their expressions grim, each calculating countermeasures.