northernbook Chapter 552 Conquest of Chu 8
Chapter 552 Conquest of Chu 8
A few days later, Chu general Jing Qi led an army of 180,000 reinforcements, arriving in a grand procession about fifty li south of Chen City. Soon, they encountered the intercepting force that Wang Jian had prepared in advance. War drums thundered, horns blared, and the southern sky was shrouded in smoke and killing intent; a fierce battle had begun.
The sounds of battle cries and war drums faintly reached the city walls of Chen. Xiang Yan knew that the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
He took a deep breath, put on the familiar armor, stained with the marks of war, and personally fastened his cloak. His gaze swept over the 30,000 elite Chu soldiers around him, who were also ready. These soldiers had resolute eyes; they were the last elite of the Chu army.
"Open the hidden door on the northeast side!" Xiang Yan ordered in a deep voice. "Soldiers, the fate of Chu rests on this day! Follow me—attack!"
The secret door of Chencheng opened silently, and Xiang Yan took the lead, leading 30,000 elite Chu troops like tigers unleashed from their cages. Taking advantage of the terrain and the morning mist, they quietly and swiftly rushed toward their predetermined target—Que Shu Valley.
Meanwhile, in the central command tent of the Qin army, Wang Jian quickly received reports of the arrival of Chu reinforcements from the south and the ensuing fierce battle. He also received intelligence that Xiang Yan's troops had left the city and were suspected of moving northeast.
Wang Jian stood before the enormous sand table, his brow furrowed slightly. He tapped the edge of the sand table lightly with his fingers, pondering, "Xiang Yan is indeed restless. Is the attack to the south a feint, or the main attack? Sparrow Valley in the northeast... what is he planning? To support a small force? Or is he planning a counterattack?"
Without much deliberation, he quickly made a judgment: "Order the southern troops to intensify their attack and make sure to entangle the main force of the Chu army reinforcements! Also, order Wang Ben's troops to be on high alert and guard against the direction of Queshu Valley. If they encounter the Chu army, they must repel them and plug the gap! The central cavalry reserve is on standby to provide mobile support towards Queshu Valley!"
Wang Jian's response was swift, but the battlefield situation was constantly changing. Xiang Yan's decisive attack, with its carefully chosen timing and breakthrough point, was extremely cunning. When Xiang Yan's elite Chu army suddenly appeared in Queshu Valley, the Qin army responsible for defending that section, though somewhat prepared, was still caught completely off guard!
"Kill!" Xiang Yan, wielding a long spear, charged into the Qin army's ranks, leading the charge. Though no longer young, his martial skills and experience remained. With each swing of his spear, Qin soldiers fell to the ground. The Chu elite troops behind him, seeing their commander's bravery, were greatly encouraged. They fought valiantly, like tigers descending a mountain, relentlessly assaulting the Qin army's defenses.
Upon learning the news, Wang Ben was both shocked and furious, and immediately led his elite cavalry to reinforce the area. However, Xiang Yan gave Wang Ben no chance to complete the encirclement. The Chu army's objective was very clear—to break through the defenses at any cost!
The battle was exceptionally fierce. The Chu army, with a do-or-die mentality, launched a relentless offensive. Finally, after suffering heavy casualties, the Chu army successfully tore a narrow but crucial gap in the Qin army's encirclement!
Xiang Liang, who had been waiting outside, led an elite vanguard force, escorting the first and most important batch of grain and medicine, and charged through the gap like an arrow!
"Father!" Xiang Liang saw Xiang Yan, covered in blood, still fighting fiercely.
"Quickly! Enter the city!" Xiang Yan roared, ordering his troops to hold off the Qin army that was frantically counterattacking from both sides.
Xiang Liang dared not delay and led the grain transport team at breakneck speed toward Chencheng. Seeing that the grain was about to enter the city, Xiang Yan felt somewhat reassured and ordered his troops to take turns providing cover as they gradually retreated into the city.
Wang Ben led his army in a fierce attack, attempting to reseal the breach and even try to seize the opportunity to catch the Chu army off guard and rush into the city. However, Xiang Yan was a shrewd and experienced strategist, and his retreat was well-organized. He used powerful bows and crossbows and a suicide squad to hold off Wang Ben's pursuit.
Ultimately, most of the Chu army that had launched the attack, under Xiang Yan's command, successfully retreated back to Chencheng. Although they lost over ten thousand elite troops, they successfully received the first batch of valuable supplies, and more importantly, they brought news and hope that reinforcements had arrived!
When the defenders of Chencheng saw the supplies being transported in and learned that reinforcements were nearby, their previously low morale instantly soared! A deafening cheer erupted from the city walls!
Wang Jian stood on the high platform, gazing towards Chencheng, listening to the cheers coming from there. His face was calm, but his eyes were even more profound. This veteran general, who had experienced countless battles, was experiencing a difficult situation for the first time in this southern expedition.
"General, that old scoundrel Xiang Yan is cunning! He actually succeeded!" a general said indignantly. "This humble general is willing to lead the troops and launch a fierce attack tonight to avenge this humiliation!"
Wang Jian slowly shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the blurry outline of Chencheng: "Xiang Yan's move is intended to boost morale and replenish supplies. If we act rashly because of this, we will be playing right into his hands. Pass down the order: the southern troops will continue to block the Chu reinforcements and prevent their main force from approaching within thirty li of Chencheng. Wang Ben's troops will reinforce the defenses of Queshu Valley and other connecting areas, adding hidden sentries, traps, and chevaux-de-frise. I want to turn Queshu Valley into a true dead end!"
He paused, his tone calm and unwavering: "As for a direct assault? Not necessary. Xiang Yan's ability to breach the defenses once is a testament to his skill. But we can afford to wait, while he cannot. Order the rear to allocate another three months' worth of provisions. I want everyone inside and outside Chen City to see clearly how unwise it is to compete with the Qin Dynasty in terms of national strength!"
Wang Jian's response remained steadfast. He swiftly patched up the defensive gaps and, with superior logistical support, demonstrated to Xiang Yan and the entire Chu state the insurmountable gap in national strength between them. He did not allow a minor tactical setback to shake his overall strategic plan.
News of Chencheng quickly reached Yingdu, the capital of Chu. Upon learning of this, the Chu court immediately launched a large-scale propaganda campaign.
The scholars of Chu picked up their pens and, with ornate language and impassioned words, wrote articles praising the Chu army's victory. These articles, vigorously promoted by the Chu court, quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys of Chu, immersing the people in the joy of victory.
These articles, supported by the victory at Chencheng, are vividly and figuratively described. They spare no effort in exaggerating the "great victory of the Chu army," portraying Xiang Yan as a pillar supporting the sky, as if he were the savior of the Chu state, capable of holding up the world.
The Chu army was described as an invincible force of tigers and wolves, their bravery and fighting prowess astonishing. The article details their heroic performance on the battlefield, such as charging into battle and killing countless enemies, making the reader's blood boil with excitement.
Such propaganda not only filled the people of Chu with confidence in the Chu army, but also made other countries look at Chu with new respect. The prestige of the Chu army was greatly enhanced at this moment.
Inside Yingdu City, in taverns and teahouses, people began to openly discuss the war again, although most of them kept their voices down.
"Have you heard? General Xiang Yan is slaughtering the Qin army, causing rivers of blood to flow!"
"Yes, they've also brought in a lot of grain! It seems Chencheng is safe!"
"General Xiang is truly the savior of our Chu Kingdom!"