Chapter 391: The Final Battle

When Peng Mu went into the city to muster troops, Li Goudan, dressed in military attire, was staring at Jiang Jiang Mingyu with burning eyes.

"What, is letting the army rest in place also part of the plan?" He crossed his arms and asked with keen interest.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded slowly, a cunning smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "Correct, I did this first to let the soldiers rest well, preparing for future battles." He narrowed his eyes, his expression deep.

"As for the second point, it is to make Weiyang Yang in the city think we are arrogant, not taking them seriously at all." Jiang Jiang Mingyu lowered his voice, a hint of a successful conspiracy in his tone.

"I suspect the enemy will likely raid the camp by taking advantage of this, thus drawing them out?" He raised his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth turning up, as if he already had Weiyang Yang firmly in the palm of his hand.

He had already told Tu Tu Kesiluo about this when sending the order; no matter which side the enemy attacked, it was better to be safe than sorry. After hearing this, Li Goudan snorted heavily, as if expressing agreement.

But until nightfall, everything was calm; Li Goudan thought Jiang Jiang Mingyu had made a mistake and was about to speak to mock him, but Jiang Jiang Mingyu kept saying "wait a bit more," his demeanor calm and unhurried.

Autumn days are short, and it quickly reached the first watch; just then, a scout suddenly ran into the main camp in a panic, panting heavily to report that Weiyang Yang had finally sent out troops. Li Goudan's eyes widened, his face filled with surprise.

"They really came fast! Now it's good, the rat has taken the bait!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu laughed heartily, his upturned mouth stretching almost to his ears.

In less than the time it takes to eat half a meal, Peng Mu, leading five thousand cavalry, rushed toward Jiang Jiang Mingyu's pitch-black camp like the wind. Peng Mu, wearing armor, reined in his horse and stopped, raising his long spear high, his eyes blazing like torches.

"Brothers, charge in!" He roared, leading the way with a single horse at the front, rushing straight for the main camp gate.

Amidst the chaos of battle, Jiang Jiang Mingyu heard that Peng Mu had successfully broken into the camp and was fighting recklessly toward the central command tent, preparing to take his life.

Just then, Ebu suddenly led troops to block Peng Mu's path. "Thieving general, how dare you come with mere thousands to die in our One Da Jiang army? Who gave you the courage?" He shouted with fierce momentum.

Peng Mu did not answer; his eyes were bloodshot, his long spear pointing directly at Ebu's vital points, and they were about to clash.

At the same time, several times the number of One Da Jiang soldiers were locked in a fierce struggle with the five thousand Southern Border soldiers, swords and spears clashing, unable to separate.

Under the night sky, weapons clashed, and screams echoed continuously. The moonlight was dyed red by blood, and the ground was already covered with corpses.

The One Da Jiang soldiers were full of energy, while the Southern Border soldiers were clearly at a disadvantage, their ranks completely broken.

When the last Southern Border soldier fell, Peng Mu was already wounded in several places, covered in blood, and on the verge of death. His eyes were bloodshot, staring fiercely at the messy corpses and wounded on the ground.

Ebu glanced at the dying Peng Mu, and his tone surprisingly revealed a hint of respect.

"Bury them with honor..." Before the words were finished, Jiang Jiang Mingyu strode out of the tent, cutting him off directly.

"Wait." Jiang Jiang Mingyu raised one hand, his expression cold and stern.

Ebu, confused, asked again: "Your Majesty, they were all heroes; they should be acknowledged."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu, however, flashed a cold sneer. "You are right, but their heads still have great use." He raised his eyebrows, his eyes dark and sinister.

Ebu suddenly looked up, realizing the truth. "Your Majesty wants to use this to intimidate the enemy army?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded slightly. "Such good things, if not utilized well, would it not be a pity?" He narrowed his eyes, his gaze obscure and hard to read.

"I know you respect them, but you are a soldier, and we are at war; I hope you can understand." Jiang Jiang Mingyu's tone was calm but allowed no contradiction.

Ebu fell silent for a moment, nodded heavily, and then slowly closed his eyes.

Half an hour later, Ebu led his troops straight to the walls of Gebao City; he put on an arrogant and rude demeanor, ignoring the reaction of the defenders, and spoke directly:

"People above, listen! I am Ebu, the Commander of One Da Jiang. Today I have come with a gift for Weiyang Yang."

Before he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and immediately five thousand bloody heads were carried out by One Da Jiang soldiers, thrown heavily onto the ground beneath the city walls amidst flying dust.

It was already late at night; the lights on the city wall were dim, and the defenders squinted their eyes looking down, but could not see clearly.

Seeing this, Ebu sneered. "Can't see clearly, right? Don't worry, this Commander will send them up to you right now."

The soldiers picked up the heads and threw them fiercely onto the city wall; immediately, screams erupted. The Southern Border soldiers defending the city saw the heads still bearing expressions of terror and were instantly stunned.

"This is... Commander Ren... it is Commander Ren's head!" A soldier shouted out, his voice trembling like a sieve.

Ebu, with a cruel smile on his lips, raised his head and laughed heartily.

"Correct, it is your Commander Ren, and the five thousand troops he brought; my Your Majesty, in his benevolence, has sent them all back to you!"

He shifted his tone, his smile vanishing from his face, and shouted sternly: "Go back and tell Weiyang Yang that Peng Mu's death is merely a small punishment for a major offense; if he does not surrender, this will be his fate too!"

Ebu turned and left, giving the defenders no chance to catch their breath.

As the news spread, the Southern Border soldiers in the camp were terrified, wails rising one after another. The Terracotta Warriors had thus met their doom in the sand; this was clearly telling them that death was within reach!

Moreover, rumors spread everywhere, saying that Peng Mu had acted on his own to provoke the attack, putting the five thousand brothers to death.

The Southern Border soldiers shot hateful and venomous glances toward the main hall, as if wanting to grind the people there to dust and scatter their bones.

The officials in the city, upon hearing the news, were also terrified, their hearts churning like a stormy sea, filled with shock and horror. Many began to secretly pack their belongings, preparing to surrender to the enemy.

When this terrible news reached Weiyang Yang's ears, his face instantly turned as white as paper.

"Damn it, Peng Mu, this good-for-nothing, unable to succeed but always able to fail, even wanting to release Mu Qian, truly a pipe dream!" Weiyang Yang smashed his fist onto the armrest of the dragon chair.

"Saying he would boost the morale of the entire army; well, now it's good, not only did the morale not rise, but the army's heart is even more unstable." He ground his teeth in hatred.

Afterwards, he ordered his subordinates to arrest Peng Mu's entire family and behead them in front of everyone as a warning.

"Immediately send an order to Huo Zhun, commanding him to take men and defend Gebao City to the death; anyone who dares to show cowardice or oppose the war shall be executed on the spot."

The city gates groaned shut, and the Southern Border soldiers climbed the city wall with heads hung low, their future uncertain.

At the same time, inside Jiang Jiang Mingyu's camp, the lights were brilliant, and tents stood in rows.

Li Goudan rushed into the tent in a hurry to report the latest battle situation, only to see Jiang Jiang Mingyu savoring fragrant tea contentedly.

"It's working; the number of troops on the city wall has increased significantly; it's obvious Weiyang Yang is afraid." Li Goudan snorted, feeling very proud.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu also chuckled, a glint of sharp light flashing in his eyes.

He immediately ordered Tu Tu Kesiluo to have troops rotate out of the camp, creating the illusion of an imminent attack on the city.

"Just like this, we will drain their energy and morale bit by bit, and our opportunity will come."

Huo Zhun and the Southern Border soldiers' nightmare began to unfold from here...

That night, before the fourth watch, Tu Tu Kesiluo donned his armor and personally led troops to attack the west gate of Gebao City, with spears and lances standing in rows, the killing intent surging.

The defenders in the city were instantly panicked, with many rumors spreading; Huo Zhun, hearing the news, was greatly alarmed, hurriedly drew his sword and climbed the wall, shouting slogans to boost morale on one side while adjusting the defenses on the other, using every trick in the book.

The Southern Border soldiers stood ready, fully armed, prepared at any moment to fight to the death against the One Da Jiang soldiers.

Just as the two armies closed the distance to the point where they could immediately engage, Tu Tu Kesiluo suddenly raised his hand to signal; in an instant, the entire army turned around and retreated, vanishing into the night.

Huo Zhun let out a long sigh of relief, his sword in hand relaxing. He understood that if a real battle had occurred, with the army's morale now teetering on the brink of collapse, the Southern Border soldiers would likely have no chance of victory.

Tuke Tuke Siluo, seeing the Southern Border soldiers ready, dared not launch a full assault and withdrew his troops midway.

The Southern Border soldiers defending the city breathed a temporary sigh of relief but still dared not be careless, continuing to watch vigilantly from the ramparts.

Yet before the fifth watch, fighting sounds erupted again at the East Gate; it turned out Ebu had led his forces to attack. Huo Zhun, unable to calm his shaken nerves, rushed urgently to the ramparts to supervise once more.

Seeing the enemy advance with fierce momentum, the Southern Border soldiers prepared to fight to the death, but Ebu withdrew his troops halfway again, leaving without engaging.

Huo Zhun gritted his teeth in fury but could do nothing. He dared not lead the new recruits into battle, and if the veterans went out the rear gate, they might be ambushed by Tu Tu Kesiluo.

Day after day, the generals of One Da Jiang attacked in rotation; the Southern Border soldiers were exhausted from running back and forth, their future bleak.

Later, seeing the Southern Border soldiers on their last breath, Wei Wei Yangyao had no choice but to let them rest briefly, sending new recruits to reinforce the ramparts.

But these new recruits had barely entered the fifth watch; once on the ramparts, they were in a panic, overwhelmed and unable to cope.

Chaos gradually spread across the ramparts; Ebu, seeing this, immediately reported to Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

"The enemy veterans have withdrawn to rest, and novices have taken their place; they are already spent arrows, and we can break them within days!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered for a moment, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "The time is ripe; we can indeed achieve victory in one stroke!"

He immediately issued a secret order to Tu Tu Kesiluo to continue attacking the city by day, then set fire to burn it at the third watch.

"At that time, charge in amidst the chaos, strike directly at the enemy's main camp, and annihilate their veterans." Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes were cold, his killing intent fully exposed.

He then assigned targets to various generals, swearing to crush the defending forces and capture Wei Wei Yangyao alive.

Tu Tu Kesiluo and others besieged the city again to demonstrate their strength, while the disorganized new recruits on the ramparts had no means to respond; Huo Zhun was at his wit's end but had no plan.

The sun had tilted west; the defenders on the ramparts were already exhausted, and Wei Wei Yangyao could finally hold back no longer, wanting to release Fang Wen to reverse the tide.

But the moment he voiced this thought, Prime Minister Cong Xian and others immediately protested loudly, speaking over one another, shaking their heads vehemently.

"Your Majesty, this matter must absolutely not be done!" Cong Xian stepped forward, his attitude fierce.

"Fang Wen has hidden motives and is a man of the deposed Crown Prince. Once he gains power, he will surely release the deposed Crown Prince, putting Your Majesty in danger." His expression was solemn, his tone extremely resolute.

"Indeed, now that war is perilous and battle is deadly, Jiang Jiang Mingyu could break in at any moment; we cannot create internal strife again." Other ministers also voiced opposition, each looking as if ready to face death.

In truth, they knew clearly in their hearts that once the deposed Crown Prince Ou Feng emerged, the first to suffer would be them, these sycophants.

Moreover, even if they luckily escaped this calamity, given Ou Feng's popularity, he would surely lead people to fight Jiang Jiang Mingyu to the death. At that time, the situation for these bureaucrats would still be dire.

Conversely, as long as Ou Feng was firmly controlled, even if the Southern Border kingdom fell, Jiang Jiang Mingyu would not harm them. At that time, relying on their savings, they would still live without worry for food or clothing.

An old minister with a white beard stepped forward, patting his chest and shouting loudly:

"If Your Majesty insists on releasing Fang Wen, this old minister will dash his head to death right here in Jindian; Your Majesty's dragon throne must absolutely not be shaken!"

Another official with a large belly quickly interjected:

"Your Majesty, the current situation is not as critical as you imagine."

Minister Ma smiled and offered a flattery: "Your Majesty is wise and has surely seen through everything. Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great army has come from afar; their supplies must be stretched thin."

"Please, Your Majesty, endure a few more days; when their grain is exhausted and their soldiers weary, our army will annihilate them in one stroke. At that time, all the Southern Border territory will belong to Your Majesty!"

Wei Wei Yangyao, hearing this, rejoiced greatly, repeatedly agreeing. The Prime Minister and others also praised this high strategy.

As long as Jiang Jiang Mingyu's supplies were cut off, the Southern Border would surely be recovered! Thinking thus, Wei Wei Yangyao finally abandoned the idea of releasing Fang Wen.

The ministers secretly breathed a sigh of relief, laughing loudly. They understood that as long as Wei Wei Yangyao sat firmly on this dragon throne, their own positions need not be worried about. Even if the Southern Border fell, relying on their own wealth would be enough to live without worry for food or clothing for the rest of their lives...

While the Southern Border ruler and ministers celebrated, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was inside the main tent discussing the attack plan with his generals.

"The first watch is about to arrive; return to camp and prepare. At the third watch, act precisely on time." His expression was severe, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Quickly dispatch swift riders to inform Tu Tu Kesiluo; he must launch the city assault on schedule, not delaying this good opportunity. Our army's supplies are already stretched thin; we must fight quickly and decisively!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu ground his teeth, anxiety visible in his eyes.

Time slipped away quietly; in the blink of an eye, it was already the second watch, and Ebu returned with his army to report.

"Your Majesty, just now we banged and clattered below the city, tormenting the Southern Border soldiers enough!" He laughed heartily, his spirit vigorous.

"At this moment, the enemy must be catching up on sleep; our army can strike while the void is open; this opportunity must not be lost!"

A sharp glint flashed in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes, and a cold smile rose at the corner of his mouth.

"When the third watch arrives, you will immediately lead the archers to set fire inside the city; I will then personally lead the great army to charge in!"

Just as Ebu predicted, the defenders on the ramparts were already fast asleep, with only occasional people rising at night to whisper.

Ebu waved his hand once; tens of thousands of fire arrows soared from bowstrings, tracing brilliant flames, falling into the city, instantly igniting millions of fires.

The Southern Border soldiers defending the city were instantly awakened, rushing about in all directions, but they could no longer reverse the situation; the great fire spread rapidly.

At the West Gate, Sui Min also led his troops to set fire; the prairie flames instantly engulfed the old city. Residential houses and military camps all turned to ash; countless died and were injured.

The new recruits were in a panic, seven hands and eight feet, but it was of no help. Meanwhile, veteran generals like Huo Zhun and the main forces were still sleeping in the camp; by the time they woke, the situation had slipped beyond control.

Hearing the news, Wei Wei Yangyao could do nothing but order efforts to extinguish the fire. Their own army's morale was scattered; they had no means to respond, only to be at the mercy of others.

Seeing Da Gong within reach, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was overjoyed and immediately ordered all great armies to charge into the inferno, striking directly at the vital points.

At the East Gate, generals like Gou Dan led troops to attack. At the West Gate, He Jing fired three arrows simultaneously, sending the signal for Tu Tu Kesiluo to assault the city...

War flames burned across the vast sky; Jiang Jiang Mingyu's soldiers, filled with killing intent, charged into the city, annihilating the defending forces in one stroke. The victory or defeat of this battle hinges on this one stroke!