Chapter 67: A Sick Cat Is No Match for a Fierce Tiger

Wanyan Yi looked up.

By the riverbank, the Iron Pagoda heavy armored cavalry were lined up in a row, like a wall of copper and iron!

He clasped his hands behind his back and laughed conceitedly.

"Whether it's a demoness or a Goddess, they cannot withstand a single strike from our Daye armored cavalry!"

A soldier stepped forward and knelt.

"Your Highness, the river has thawed, and the water level has dropped."

Wanyan Yi frowned, a trace of vigilance rising in his heart. "The ice has thawed, yet the river level has dropped; this is not normal! Send men to the upper reaches to investigate the situation!"

"Yes."

After speaking, Wanyan Yi immediately ordered, "While the water is shallow, command the craftsmen to speed up the bridge construction! We attack the city in three days!"

Chishu spoke up, "Once we take Heyuan, I will surely drag that demoness out and hang her on the city wall for all to see..."

"Report—"

A hurried, drawn-out shout interrupted the two.

Wanyan Yi turned around, displeased. "What is it?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, the Prince of Northern Suppression, Xiao Moting, has arrived with a great army, and our rear is surrounded!"

"Xiao Moting?" Wanyan Yi's gaze turned sharp instantly, and he immediately strode toward the riverbank.

By the riverbank, several simple watchtowers had been erected.

Wanyan Yi climbed a watchtower and held a Telescope. Sure enough, he saw the Beijiang Army, a dark mass, stationed seven or eight miles behind the Daye Army. The "North" flag, with black characters embroidered on a deep red background, fluttered in the cold wind!

The army was divided into orderly square formations.

In the rear, rows of tents were pitched, and cooking smoke was rising.

Further away, it was impossible to see clearly.

"Hah!" Wanyan Yi held the Telescope, his right eye fixed on the lens, and a cold laugh burst from between his teeth. "He, Xiao Moting, is surrounding my rear, thinking he can coordinate with Heyuan County to trap me here? This young man really doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"

He was not in the least bit anxious.

The Daye Army had brought sufficient provisions, enough to last for more than a month.

Therefore, he was in no rush to attack the city; he only ordered the army to surround it, and anyone attempting to break out would be killed without mercy.

Wanting to play a war of attrition with him?

They had likely miscalculated.

Seeing the Beijiang Army, intense hatred immediately surfaced in Chishu's eyes.

"Xiao Moting! If not for your sorcery, how could I have been defeated by your hand?"

"I will take your head myself and use it as a ball to kick!"

"No need to rush," Wanyan Yi said leisurely. "The Beijiang Army wants to wear us down, but they haven't weighed their own strength! Xiao Moting has fewer than seventy thousand troops, and his provisions and weapons are insufficient. I fear that by the time we still have surplus grain, the Beijiang Army will have already starved to death."

Chishu hesitated. "What if they attack from both sides then?"

Wanyan Yi waved his hand.

"We have besieged Heyuan County for many days; the grain in the city is exhausted, the water is cut off, and the soldiers and horses are weak."

"Two sick cats, even added together, are no match for our Daye fierce tiger."

"Deploy two thousand Iron Pagoda to garrison the rear; the rest proceed according to plan. We attack Heyuan in three days."

Wanyan Yi was a veteran general; he had considered all situations before setting out.

The arrival of Beijiang reinforcements was also within his expectations.

That was why he had besieged Heyuan first—to drag the Heyuan army down until they lost their combat effectiveness, so that even if Xiao Moting arrived with reinforcements, he would be unable to hold up on his own.

The Beijiang troops had already set up camp, surrounding the Daye Army from the rear.

Xiao Moting lifted the tent flap and walked inside.

Inside the military tent, there were no soldiers, only a massive Bed Crossbow.

More than three hundred Bed Crossbows were all hidden inside the tents to avoid being discovered by the enemy.

The most precious wardrobe was placed in his Chief Commander's tent, under his personal guard.

"Chirp!"

Outside the tent came a crisp eagle cry!

Xiao Moting immediately walked out of the command tent and raised his arm toward the sky.

"Cang Yun!"

A shadow cast from the sky, approaching rapidly.

The massive gyrfalcon landed on Xiao Moting's right arm, folding its wings.

Tied to its eagle talon was a small bamboo tube.

Xiao Moting untied the bamboo tube, took out the small paper scroll inside, glanced at it quickly, and let out a light breath of relief.

"Qin Zhan has been working day and night with the craftsmen and has already blocked the dam."

"This kid moves fast," Xiao Dabao said in surprise, but then he frowned. "But Wanyan Yi is old and cunning. With the river suddenly becoming shallow, he will surely be suspicious and will definitely send men to the upper reaches to investigate."

Xiao Moting's expression was calm.

"I anticipated that."

He wrote a note, tied it to Cang Yun's leg, and tossed it into the air.

"Cang Yun, deliver the letter to Qin Zhan."

Cang Yun spread its giant wings and flew toward the distance.

Soon, it turned into a small dot in the gray sky and then vanished.

"The river water is becoming shallow, making it easy for the Daye Army to cross; they will surely prepare to attack the city within these two days." Xiao Dabao punched his palm in distress, "Is there any news regarding the Explosives from Shennü Daren?"

Xiao Moting shook his head.

He was also anxious, but he could not urge Bai Wei.

She had to help the Beijiang Army forge weapons, craft armor, and also find Explosives... The things she did were no less than his own.

If Bai Wei found the Explosives, she would definitely send them to him.

But if there were no Explosives...

Xiao Moting had also prepared himself mentally.

The Beijiang Army would only be able to fight with their backs to the river, engaging in a hard battle against Daye.

Many people would surely die.

Perhaps he would die too.

But war is just that cruel; there is no other way besides winning victory with blood and life!

Up ahead, a commotion suddenly broke out.

A soldier covered in blood, about fifteen or sixteen years old, stumbled and knelt to the ground, his face sallow.

Xiao Moting started, recognizing that the other party was wearing the armor of the Heyuan army, and immediately shouted sharply.

"Quickly call the Military Doctor!"

The soldier struggled, gasping for air as he looked up.

"Prince, Heyuan has been besieged for several days, a plague is rampant in the city, everyone is either dead or sick, and we have run out of food and water... All medicinal herbs, roots, and tree bark... have all been eaten..."

"Captain Wang Ziliang... sent three hundred Death Squad members out of the city to seek your help..."

"Our three hundred Death Squad members... were all killed by the Daye Army, and I am the only one who luckily escaped. Wanyan Yi wants to starve us to death, I beg the Prince to save Heyuan..."

The voice came to an abrupt end.

The young Death Squad member collapsed on the ground, his bloodshot eyes wide open, a pool of blood flowing beneath him.

He had suffered a fatal wound, his arm was broken, and a black-feathered arrow had pierced through his chest.

A silence fell all around.

The soldiers gritted their teeth, their expressions filled with indignation.

Although Heyuan County was the garrison of Yang Wei, the commoners and soldiers in the city... were all fellow countrymen of Daliang who shared the same blood as everyone else!

Zhang Zhao stepped forward, and upon seeing the Death Squad member, he let out a fierce roar.

"Asheng!!"

Xiao Moting looked to the side, "Old General Zhang, is this someone you know?"

Zhang Zhao gritted his teeth and nodded, his expression terrifyingly dark.

"Wang Ziliang was my former Deputy General, and this child is his only son, named Wang Sheng. I watched him grow up, and he was very brave in battle."

As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere all around became even heavier.

The several officers behind Zhang Zhao also had moist eyes.

They were also soldiers from Heyuan and had likewise watched this child grow up; some had even taught him how to shoot arrows.

Xiao Moting's breath also hitched.

The situation inside Heyuan County was even more critical than he had imagined!

He turned around and shouted, "Military Doctor!"

Several Military Doctors rushed over.

Zhang Zhao shook his head in pain, "He cannot be saved, he has already stopped breathing..."

Before the words were finished, the Military Doctor took out an Adrenaline and injected it with one shot.