Chapter 459: How Many Days Can Luoyang Hold?

Cui Yan's vision went black, and he staggered, grabbing the edge of the table with one step to avoid falling.

His youngest son is only five! His daughter Wangshuo is still in the inner palace, and now they want to send several more children as hostages? Wei Wenlie has completely broken the agreement!

"Father! I'm not going! I'm not going to the royal palace!"

A childish wail came from outside the door; Cui Yan's youngest son was cradled by his wet nurse, struggling and crying as two expressionless palace attendants "requested" him out.

It's over! The Cui family is completely finished!

He slumped onto the grandmaster's chair, his face ashen.

Wei Wenlie's move completely blocked any room he had for covert maneuvering.

Don't even think about retrieving the city defense map; even a carrier pigeon released from the manor now would likely be shot down.

With his family inside the palace, if he dares any move, his entire clan will be executed!

The Lu Residence, the Wang Residence… the same scene plays out simultaneously in several great families.

"Si Wushuang... you're so ruthless..."

Lu Wen Chang watched his grandson being taken away, old tears streaming, his fingernails digging deep into his palm.

He knows that his old bones, together with the entire Lu family, have been nailed solidly onto Xiliang's tattered, riddled flag.

Jiang Jinshi's offers, however tempting, have now become an unattainable illusion.

Their only remaining lifeline now is to pray that Luoyang Cheng remains impregnable, to pray that Si Wushuang can turn the tide, to pray... for a miracle.

Under Si Wushuang's handling, they did not deliberately conceal this, and it could even be said that this information must reach Jiang Jinshi.

With Si Wushuang present, Jiang Jinshi trying to open Luoyang's gates from within is absolutely impossible!!

"Collective militia? Detaining hostages?"

Jiang Jinshi listened to Wang Hou's secret report, a faint, expected smile appearing on his face, "Si Wushuang... still the same old trick. Using fear to bind hands and feet, forcing everyone to jump into the fire pit with him."

Wang Hou whispered, "Lord, with this, Cui Yan and the others are probably too scared to act. Si Wushuang's move has temporarily steadied Luoyang's interior."

"Steady?"

Jiang Jinshi scoffed, "A 'steady' locked with iron chains—how long can it hold? When fear reaches its peak, it ends in total collapse or... desperate backlash."

His gaze swept over the sand table marking the positions of various armies, "Si Wushuang wants to stall, wants variables? I won't give him that chance!"

He abruptly turned, his eyes scanning the sternly standing core commanders—Han Xiao, Bai Ting, Luo Feng, Zhang Honghong, Wang Hou, Jiang Ze—on both sides.

"Send the order!"

His voice was decisive, laced with murderous intent.

"Han Xiao!"

"Your servant is here!" Han Xiao stepped forward.

"Deploy your 50,000 elite troops, break camp immediately! Within three days, the army will stand before Luoyang's North Gate! Set up a camp, raise a great banner! Beat drums day and night, show a strong offensive stance! I want Wei Wenlie and Si Wushuang to fall asleep hearing the Ming Army's war drums day and night!"

"Your command, sir!" Han Xiao's eyes surged with battle intent.

"Bai Ting!"

"Your servant is here!"

"The Qinling Ancient Road is open; lead your 20,000 mountain elite down immediately! Target Luoyang's southwest gate, Yique Pass! Though the pass is treacherous, its garrison consists mostly of newly recruited troops with low morale!"

"I don't care what methods you use; within ten days, capture Yique! Cut off Luoyang's last external supply route!"

"Your servant obeys! Within ten days, Yique will be breached!" Bai Ting clasped his fists, his tone resonant.

"Luo Feng!"

"Lord!" Luo Feng straightened his back.

"The defenses of Chang'an and Lantian are assigned to the Vice General! Lead 30,000 iron cavalry yourself, together with Zhang Honghong's 10,000 elite, and advance east at once! Rush along the Luoshui River Valley! Target Luoyang's eastern suburbs!"

"Form a pincer with Han Xiao's unit! If any Xiliang deserters or supply convoys appear en route, crush them! Leave none!"

"Understood! We'll make Wei Wenlie unable to attend to everything!" Luo Feng's eyes flashed with cold light.

"Wang Hou!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Inside Luoyang Cheng, move now! Si Wushuang wants to lock the city with fear? Then let fear burn even brighter!"

"Spread the rumor: on the day the city falls, anyone who surrenders a Xiliang commander's head or a city defense map will not only be pardoned, but also, according to the merit, be granted lands and allowed for their family's youths to join the Beijiang official selection!"

Wang Hou's eyes flashed, "Your subordinate understands! We'll make this news spread through every street and alley of Luoyang!"

"Jiang Ze!"

"Lord!"

"Supplies, arms, siege engines—ensure a steady flow, prioritize the Luoyang front! Tell Old Feng, this battle concerns the nation's fate; if anyone in the rear delays, withholds, or obstructs, regardless of who, execute first, report later!"

"Yes! If there are rear issues, Jiang Ze shall bring his head to report!"

With the deployment finished, Jiang Jinshi walked to the massive Luoyang Cheng sand table.

"Two hundred thousand troops will encircle Luoyang! I will lead personally! No room for retreat! No surrender flag! If we don't break Luoyang, I vow not to return the army!"

"Obeying the king's command! If we don't break Luoyang, we vow not to return the army!" The generals thunderously agreed.

This time we won't employ any schemes or strategies; it's pure brute-force siege.

You, Wei Wenlie, either abandon Luoyang, Jiangnan, even Shu lands and crawl back to Xiliang, or die here in Luoyang!

Jiang Jinshi gazed toward Luoyang, then Si Wushuang... do you still have any trump cards?

A few days later, atop Luoyang Cheng.

The Xiliang defenders huddled their necks, the white breath they exhaled instantly scattered in the wind.

An old soldier squinted, looking toward the distant northern horizon.

At first, just a few inconspicuous black dots. Gradually, the dots formed a line, and the line merged into a swath.

Finally, a black tide covered the snowfield as far as the eye could see.

The banners rustled in the cold wind, the huge "Ming" and "Jiang" royal banners glaring as they fluttered at the front of the crowd.

"It… it's coming…"

The veteran's voice trembled, laced with uncontainable fear, "Beijiang… Beijiang's main force… it's Jiang Jinshi's royal banner!"

A dead silence hung over the city walls, only heavy breathing and teeth‑chattering sounds.

They had just endured the tragedies at Tongguan and Lantian, hearing with their own ears the deaths of Bald Yan and Murong Ke.

Now, that terrifying army which had buried Xiliang's elite appeared before them without any concealment.

Two hundred thousand troops! On the vast snowfield outside Luoyang Cheng's north gate, they unfolded in orderly ranks.

The camps rose from the ground at a speed visible to the naked eye, endless and unbroken, stretching beyond sight.

"Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!"

The heavy war drums sounded from the Beijiang main camp, piercing the biting cold wind, each clear beat reaching Luoyang Cheng.

Si Wushuang's "linked militia" and the hostages, in the face of absolute force crushing them, seemed so feeble and powerless.

The shadow of death, never before so real, loomed over everyone's heads.

In the study of the Cui Residence, Cui Yan stood by the window, listening to the Ming Army's war drums, the last hint of color draining from their face.

In their hand they clenched the paper listing Jiang Jinshi's conditions, their knuckles whitening from the strain.

"Jiang Jinshi… you… so fast…" they muttered hoarsely.

Surrender? The road has been completely blocked by Si Wushuang.

Hold the line? With two hundred thousand troops at the city gates, how many days can Luoyang still hold?