Chapter 404
Chapter 404
“Has the fog lifted?”
“My lord, it’s beginning to lift.”
A warrior replied to Wu Mu’s question. Wu Mu asked again.
“It’s summer. Why is there so much fog?”
Wu You answered.
“The weather here is always like this. In autumn and winter, the fog gets even thicker and doesn’t clear until noon.”
In the end, the game of Go could not be finished.
“Let’s stop.”
Wu Mu tossed the stone in his hand aside and walked out onto the battlements. On the sea, a fleet of over a hundred ships of various designs was arrayed in an orderly formation. The fog had lifted by about half. Though it was summer, the dense morning mist that had blanketed the sea quickly dissipated with the rising sun.
Wu You suddenly spoke.
“Jin Shiying told us to spare the members of the Jin Clan.”
Wu Mu replied nonchalantly.
“Still, we must kill them all, mustn’t we? Only then will he lose his emotional anchor, and his feelings for you will deepen.”
“And Jin Mulan?”
“After we capture her, we’ll sever her meridians, cripple her martial arts, and hand her over to the Hidden Yuan Society. They’ll likely present her as a gift to Ning Yi, the Crown Prince of Yue.”
As they walked to the docks, a subordinate handed him a helmet. Wu Mu donned his helmet and cloak, then slowly boarded the flagship.
“All forces, advance! Let us land at Raging Tide City. The time has come to win great merit!”
In an instant, the fleet of over a hundred ships majestically sailed south, charging toward Raging Tide City, a hundred miles away. There wasn't a single ship in the waters of Raging Tide City, as Qiu Hu had already seized control of the sea.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*
The thunderous beat of drums, seeming to shake the very heavens, echoed from a nearby ship. It was the sound of Qiu Hu’s fleet currying favor.
“Marquis of Nankang, rest assured. The seas are clear. I, Qiu Hu, wish you a swift victory and immortal glory the moment the battle begins!”
Wu Mu replied in a clear voice.
“My thanks, General of Jinhai.”
After speaking, Wu Mu averted his gaze. He didn't like Qiu Hu in the slightest. The man’s character was too fickle and vile; he had no regard for honor and was utterly ungrateful. Jin Shiying, by contrast, possessed the spirit of a nobleman, even if he wasn’t a true descendant of an aristocratic family. Wu Mu knelt, facing northwest.
“Your Highness, I will not disappoint you. I will be victorious in this battle and seize Raging Tide City and the Leizhou Archipelago for you.”
***
The main fortress of Baiye Commandery.
It was the seventh day since the battle began. The place had already become a living hell. All the young military officers now knew that Prefect Zhang Chong had deceived them. On the first day of the battle, the soldiers had been stunned by its ferocity. The Su Clan’s grand army had launched a relentless assault. Many of the young commanders and soldiers thought they would lose the fortress on that very first day. Zhang Chong had reassured them that the attack would only be this intense and difficult to withstand on the first day, so the young soldiers had taken his word for it. But in hindsight, the first day had been the easiest to defend. Each day was more arduous and grueling than the last—today was harder than yesterday, and tomorrow would be harder than today. The enemy boasted overwhelmingly superior numbers. They could constantly rotate in fresh troops to attack the fortress, whereas the defending force of less than four thousand had no one to relieve them.
The second, third, and fourth days were so unbearable it felt as though they could collapse and die at any moment, yet paradoxically, things seemed to be getting better. Not because the overall situation had turned optimistic, but because Zhang Chong’s soldiers had finally become numb to the battle itself. The young military scholar who had first questioned Zhang Chong was dead. Three of the ten young, outstanding military scholars had perished. A third of the original four thousand men were gone. Yet the defending army still numbered four thousand. Money moved mountains. Zhang Chong had spent a great sum of gold to recruit exiled warriors from within the city. In truth, as new soldiers constantly joined the defense, their combat effectiveness was actually declining. And so, every evening, not only Zhang Chong but also his young officers found it utterly unbelievable that they had survived another day of battle and defended the fortress.
*Today’s battle is over? We defended the fortress again today? It’s still standing? How is this possible?*
From the very first day, they had believed they couldn’t hold the fortress, yet they fought with their lives on the line, mustering every ounce of their willpower. They had thought they wouldn't last a single day, but they had already held out for seven. Zhang Chong took the medical staff to visit the wounded officers one by one, personally dressing each man’s wounds. He had even learned how to suture wounds beforehand. Would he even suck the pus from a soldier's wound? It was said that was how Cao Cao inspired his men to fight to the death. That, too, was a matter of course.
In any case, as a commander, Zhang Chong did everything he was supposed to do and everything he possibly could. At a time like this, empty promises to the soldiers were useless. Leading by example and being seen among his men at all times was what mattered most.
“With soldiers like these, our State of Yue will surely prosper.”
Zhang Chong couldn't help but say the words aloud. As the saying goes, you can know the whole by seeing a part. A crucial indicator of a nation's decline is whether its military has become corrupt. Whether he was in Lu River Commandery or fighting here in Baiye Commandery today, Zhang Chong could clearly feel that while the State of Yue was old, its army was filled with a new vigor. Though inexperienced, they were as vibrant as tiger cubs fresh from the mountain.
After Ning Yuanxian ascended the throne, he had carried out a major purge of the old military ranks and recruited a large number of new soldiers. Moreover, he heavily utilized military scholars and provincial graduates. That was why the army of Yue was imbued with a new spirit. After this battle, these young soldiers would be forged into battle-hardened veterans. Unfortunately, there was no telling how many of the three thousand would survive. Or perhaps, would they all be annihilated? Zhang Chong gazed toward the Great Snow Mountain.
“How are things on Young Master Shen’s end? If he doesn’t succeed, our army here will be wiped out. My death is a small matter, but losing Baiye Commandery and causing the collapse of the entire front would be a catastrophe. If that happens, we will go down in the history of Yue as traitors for all time.”
Shen Lang had told Zhang Chong to hold out for a month, but only seven days had passed. Of course, one had to take Shen Lang's words with a grain of salt. If he said to hold for a month, it really meant holding for half a month. But with the Su Clan's army attacking with such ferocious momentum, every day was precarious. Could they really hold on for half a month? It felt as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
The king had placed his hopes in the Count of Zhengta, but Zhang Chong knew there was no point in hoping for anything from him. The Count had been in the Western Army for too long. The Western Army was steeped in the clannish mentality of the Zhong Clan, who treated the soldiers of Yue as their private army and grieved the loss of even a single man. So, while the Count might march south toward Baiye Pass to rescue Zhang Chong, he would never commit his full strength and would surely be stalled at the foot of Xueliang Fortress.
Zhang Chong despised such a detrimental practice. His goal was to be appointed prime minister and ennobled as a marquis, so he knew full well how much damage this warlord mentality did to the nation. Thus, the only one Zhang Chong could rely on was Shen Lang.
*Young Master Shen truly is remarkable! A million gold coins mean nothing to him, nor do tens of thousands of soldiers. He knows that fame and fortune vanish like smoke, and he seeks only a life of thrill. Who on earth could have raised such a man?*
Zhang Chong looked toward the Great Snow Mountain and said, “Young Master Shen, you must hurry. This old man can’t hold on for much longer.”
***
In the barracks outside Baiye Fortress, Su Zhan’s face was as cold as ice. He had boasted to his lord and signed a military pledge that he would capture the main fortress of Baiye Commandery within three days, yet seven had already passed. Zhang Chong had only three or four thousand defenders, while Su Zhan commanded a grand army of twenty thousand, yet he still hadn't taken it. In a typical siege, an attacking force twice the size of the defenders had a fighting chance, and three times the size could take a fortress with ease. Su Zhan’s army was five or six times the size of Zhang Chong’s, and their combat strength was formidable. By all rights, they should have taken Baiye Fortress long ago. But no matter what they tried, no matter how hard they fought, they simply couldn't capture it.
Su Nan was growing impatient, but he didn't fly into a rage. Instead, he advised Su Zhan to maintain the offensive while guarding against arrogance and haste. After all, the current strategic situation was extremely favorable to the Su Clan. The army of Chu was locked in a fierce battle with the Zhong Clan in the northwest, so the Count of Zhengta’s army showed no signs of moving south. This left the Su Clan’s grand army unopposed in Tianshi Province.
Despite Su Nan’s words, Su Zhan was so anxious that he resolved to take the main fortress of Baiye Commandery within three days, no matter the cost. Otherwise, what would be left of his reputation?
“Grand Marshal, the army has finished assembling!”
Su Zhan donned his helmet, slammed his fist on the table before him, and roared.
“Give it everything you’ve got. Today, I will personally oversee the battle!”
Su Zhan ascended the high platform built specifically for the commanding general and bellowed.
“Attack the fortress! Attack!”
As soon as the order was given, the Su Clan’s allied forces crashed against the main fortress of Baiye Commandery like a tidal wave—a savage and violent tide. For Zhang Chong’s defenders, another hellish, arduous day had begun. For them, every day felt like their last.
***
The Great Snow Mountain.
Before the avalanche, a fierce battle had raged in the Great Calamity Palace, with the allied forces of Aronana and Shen Lang clashing with the warrior monks of the Great Calamity Temple. Aronana, Wuyeol, and Eungyang had joined forces to fight Gonan Dhuta, while the Prajna Grand Master was engaged with the Sword King Li Qianqiu. She was slightly outmatched by Li Qianqiu. Yet, though the two had exchanged several hundred blows, no victor had emerged. Why? Because the Sword King Li Qianqiu was too ashamed to kill her. In truth, the Sword Sect owed her a debt.
Each generation of the Sword King of the South Sea had a vastly different personality. As for the previous Sword King—Li Qianqiu’s father-in-law—how could one even begin to describe him? Li Qianqiu, of course, revered him as a father. But when it came to character, his father-in-law was an absolute scoundrel. Even after having a beloved wife, he continued to philander.
However, this same father-in-law had decided that the Sword Sect should not rely solely on the Celestial Meteor Sword Style but should learn other sword arts as well. And so, the previous Sword King began to search far and wide for secret manuals, eventually setting his sights on two incredible manuals held by the Ma'am Dao Palace. The Ma'am Dao Palace was large and powerful, with too many members to rob openly. What was he to do? He had no choice but to use his good looks as a weapon and steal the manuals in secret.