Chapter 651
Chapter 651
“Shouldn’t we attack Si Fortress?”
At Ning Yi's words, Zhang Zhao rebuked him angrily.
“Si Fortress is a mountain citadel, halfway up a mountain. Without an insider, it's easy to defend but hard to conquer. An army of over a hundred thousand can't form up there, rendering our numerical advantage useless. Besides, we can't scale mountains like those Savage monkeys. In contrast, the area around the capital of Southern Ou is a vast plain where horses can gallop freely, making it the most suitable place for our grand army to deploy.”
Ning Yi still couldn't make a decision. Zhang Zhao exploded, shouting.
“The tide of battle is shifting like wildfire, Your Highness! How long will you hesitate?”
Just then, a general spoke up.
“Can't we divide our forces? One group could head south to attack the capital, while another goes north to attack Si Fortress.”
Nearly everyone present glared at him with angry eyes.
*Divide our forces? What nonsense! Splitting up at a time like this would only get us all killed faster by the enemy!*
Zhang Zhao yelled loudly.
“Your Highness, Su Nan's main army has yet to catch up. Every moment is precious, so why do you insist on wasting time? Such indecisiveness... were you raised by women?”
Those words completely infuriated Crown Prince Ning Yi. He shot Zhang Zhao a fierce glare.
*Once this crisis is over, I will make sure you die a miserable death.*
At last, Crown Prince Ning Yi gave the order.
“The army will march south and attack the capital of Southern Ou. Move out at once!”
In an instant, the army of over a hundred thousand marched majestically toward the southeast. They had just passed the capital of Southern Ou yesterday, and now they had to turn back. Ning Yi, after giving the order, began to quietly regret it. His instincts told him he should have continued north to attack Si Fortress. But he had trusted Zhang Zhao, who had made the right call before, and once an order was given, it was difficult to retract. Besides, as Zhang Zhao had said, the terrain around Si Fortress was rugged, making it difficult for an army of over a hundred thousand to deploy. The capital of Southern Ou, on the other hand, was spacious, allowing their large army to exert its full combat potential.
*Zhang Zhao is right. He must be right!*
Unlike before, this time the hundred-thousand-strong army of Yue marched at lightning speed, reaching the city walls by the next day and finally arraying themselves before the capital of Southern Ou.
* * *
Then, a handsome and spirited face appeared on the city wall, creating a scene of utter despair.
*That's... King Gou?! Wasn't he at Si Fortress? Why is he back at the capital?*
King Gou said with a smile.
“People are all the same. It's easy to swing from one extreme to another. After being overly conservative and realizing your mistake, you tend to make an extremely risky choice. Ning Yi, you should have continued north and attacked Si Fortress.”
Ning Yi trembled so much he couldn't speak. King Gou continued.
“Did you think I was at Si Fortress? You're right, I was. But I predicted you wouldn't have the courage to attack it, so I rode back here alone! Your army of over a hundred thousand must be exhausted after running around nonstop for four or five days. My worthy brother Ning Yi, since you're here, why not stay? It wouldn't be so bad for you and your army to remain here and sleep forever, would it?”
*He predicted it again! Again!*
In that moment, the Crown Prince plunged into an endless darkness, a boundless terror rising in his heart. Just then, a scout from the rear came to report. Su Nan was leading the main Savage army in an attack from the west. This time, they had mobilized over twenty thousand troops, and judging by the dust cloud in the distance, it looked like at least thirty or forty thousand.
Crown Prince Ning Yi felt the world spin around him in an instant. Unable to bear the immense blow, he spat out a mouthful of bright red blood and collapsed from his warhorse, completely unconscious.
“Your Highness! Your Highness...!”
His nearby subordinates rushed to his side. Li Nanfeng stepped forward, took Crown Prince Ning Yi into his arms, and pressed his fingernail into the philtrum below his nose. Ning Yi slowly regained consciousness.
*Who woke me? Why did you wake me? Why couldn't you just let me stay unconscious?*
He felt a painful churning in his stomach and then vomited another mouthful. This time, however, it was mixed with stomach acid, not just blood. It was likely a stress-induced vomit. A symptom brought on by days without proper sleep and the agony of mental stress. Ning Yi was utterly bewildered.
*What do I do now? March north to Si Fortress? No, that's impossible. Marching the same route a third time would completely shatter the army's morale. Then should we stay here and continue attacking the capital?*
Crown Prince Ning Yi looked at the towering city walls and found he truly didn't have the courage. It wasn't just Ning Yi; the entire hundred-thousand-strong army of Yue lacked the courage. The army had been marching back and forth on the same road for several days, covering hundreds of miles day and night. They were physically and mentally exhausted, and their morale was on the verge of collapse.
They say a general is the courage of his soldiers. For the past few days, everyone had clearly seen the Crown Prince, Zhu Lin, and Nangong Ao being played in the palm of King Gou's hand, running around aimlessly. If even the great generals were losing their minds, the soldiers were even more lost. Furthermore, having witnessed Crown Prince Ning Yi vomit blood in front of everyone, the hundred-thousand-strong army was filled with anxiety and fear.
The three leaders held another secret meeting.
*Where do we go next?*
Crown Prince Ning Yi kept his mouth shut.
*If any of you dare to ask me to make another decision, I'll kill you. A decision? What a joke.*
Every decision he had made so far had been predicted by King Gou, leading the army into a corner and crushing his dignity and confidence. Nangong Ao also refrained from making a decision. Aside from the Crown Prince, his rank was the highest, but he wasn't the primary commander on this battlefield. After a long pause, Zhu Lin finally spoke.
“A siege is out of the question. We may have enough men, but our morale has already collapsed.”
King Gou was inside the city, but everyone had been so thoroughly crushed by him, as if played with in the palm of his hand, that no confidence remained. The forces King Gou had stationed in the city likely numbered only ten thousand, but they truly lacked the courage to attack. As long as King Gou was there, they wouldn't dare attack or try to take the city. Zhu Lin continued.
“Let's do this. We'll flee east to Fallen Leaf City, and from there, we'll march north back to the State of Yue!”
Nangong Ao asked.
“Isn't that a journey of four hundred miles?”
Crown Prince Ning Yi also chimed in.
“We haven't lost Fallen Leaf City too, have we?”
Everyone fell silent. For an army of over a hundred thousand to march four hundred miles east to Fallen Leaf City would take at least seven, eight, or even more than ten days. Moreover, during that journey, not only would their morale collapse, but they would also face the risk of running out of food and could be ambushed by the Savages at any time. And what if, when the main army was halfway there, King Gou once again led two thousand Savage warriors on a mad dash to Fallen Leaf City and captured it too? Given the recent course of events, that possibility was very high.
Even if the Yue army had a two-hundred-mile head start, King Gou with two thousand men would still reach Fallen Leaf City faster. Those Savage madmen marched through the jungle as if it were flat ground; their speed was incredible. If the already exhausted army, after nearly ten days of frantic running, were to lose Fallen Leaf City as well, they would collapse on the spot without even attempting an attack. In this situation, they could neither lay siege now nor retreat to Fallen Leaf City.
Zhu Lin asked.
“Where is Zhang Zhao?”
“He's covering the rear, forming up to block the main Savage army led by Su Nan.”
“General Nangong, take ten thousand cavalry with sufficient provisions and ride for Fallen Leaf City at top speed. You must arrive before King Gou gets there. It's our only way out. Your cavalry is fast; you should be able to reach it before King Gou and secure the city!”
Surprised by Zhu Lin's statement, Nangong Ao asked.
“Lord Zhu Lin, why don't you take the ten thousand cavalry to Fallen Leaf City, and I will follow with the main army?”
In the current situation, staying with the main army was the most dangerous position.
“No. We'll stick to this plan. Zhang Zhao will cover the rear with fifty thousand men. General Nangong, you will take ten thousand cavalry and forge a path ahead, heading for Fallen Leaf City at full speed. I will command the main army in the middle.”
Crown Prince Ning Yi was startled by his words.
*Then... what about me?*
Zhu Lin hadn't made arrangements for Crown Prince Ning Yi because he wanted him to choose for himself. Right now, staying with the main army was the most dangerous option. However, Zhu Lin hoped the Crown Prince would voluntarily offer to stay with the main army. That would be the only way to boost the soldiers' morale, even if just a little. But Ning Yi never spoke up, and Zhu Lin sighed inwardly.
“Your Highness, it would be best for you to accompany General Nangong with the ten thousand cavalry, march east at full speed, and secure Fallen Leaf City. Please prepare to receive the main army there.”
Ning Yi replied.
“Understood!”
* * *
A quarter of an hour later, the one-hundred-and-sixty-thousand-strong army of Yue was divided into three groups. Zhang Zhao's fifty thousand men formed up to cover the rear, while the ten thousand cavalry led by the Crown Prince and Nangong Ao set off for Fallen Leaf City at full speed. Zhu Lin's main army of one hundred thousand marched in the middle.
“Hiyah, hiyah!”
Crown Prince Ning Yi hastily mounted his horse and departed with ferocious momentum, leading ten thousand cavalrymen. He didn't want to remain in this strange place for a moment longer; he had to leave as quickly as possible and get behind the safety of city walls, away from the enemy.
“Let's go!”
The moment the hundred-thousand-strong main army saw the Crown Prince leaving with the ten thousand cavalry, they felt a profound sense of betrayal.
*The Crown Prince is abandoning us and fleeing...*
In the hearts of the Yue army, something regarding Crown Prince Ning Yi had completely crumbled.
* * *
“Hiyah, hiyah!”
Crown Prince Ning Yi led the ten thousand cavalry, marching ever eastward. But after traveling only a few dozen miles, they were forced to a sudden halt.
“Your Highness, the road is blocked. It's piled high with stones and logs.”
The cavalry could find a way around a blocked road, but the many carts carrying provisions could not. A chill ran down Crown Prince Ning Yi's spine.
*Could there be an ambush?*
Nangong Ao gave an order.
“The army will form up and prepare to engage the enemy!”
In the end, however, no enemy appeared; it was a false alarm. It took them well over an hour to clear the piled stones and logs, and only then did the ten thousand cavalry set off again. But they had not gone another thirty miles when an urgent report came from the front. The road ahead was blocked again, piled high with mud and rocks.
Nangong Ao gave another order.
“The army will form up.”