I, the military god of the Tang Dynasty, have risen since I destroyed the Turks

Chapter 770 The Perilous City of Xiangyang
Li Zheng stood atop the city wall, his fingers gripping the cracks in the brickwork, the rough gravel stinging his palms.

In the distance, the Mongol army's camps stretched endlessly, like a black tide surrounding the isolated city.

"General, the esteemed officials have been waiting in the council hall for quite some time," the bodyguard Wang Hu whispered from behind.

Li Zheng withdrew his gaze, and as he turned, his cloak drew a sharp arc in the twilight. "Let's go."

Inside the council chamber, candlelight flickered.

Guo Jing sat at the head of the table, his brows furrowed; Hou Junji was bent over examining a map spread on the table; the other generals stood or sat, each with a different expression. When Li Zheng strode in, all eyes turned to this young but highly decorated general.

"General Li, your arrival is timely," Guo Jing rose to greet him. "We were just discussing the recent unusual movements of the Mongols."

Li Zheng did not respond immediately, but walked to the window and suddenly pushed it open. The night wind, carrying the noise of the distant Mongol camp, rushed into the hall, causing the candlelight to flicker violently.

“Listen,” Li Zheng’s voice was cold, “what are the Mongols celebrating?”

Silence fell over everyone. Indeed, what emanated from the Mongol camp was not just the usual sounds of drills, but rather waves of cheers and songs.

"Perhaps it's just an ordinary banquet?" Deputy General Zhao De tentatively suggested.

Li Zheng sneered, turning to face the crowd: "The Mongols dare not march south, they dare not." His tone was full of sarcasm. "That's what those civil officials in the court told us, isn't it?"

Guo Jing frowned even more deeply: "General Li, speak plainly."

Li Zheng strode to the map, his finger emphatically pointing to Xiangyang. "The Mongols aren't afraid; they're waiting for the perfect opportunity." His fingernail scratched a white mark on the map. "Xiangyang isn't just a pass, it's a lock—a lock to stop the Mongols' attack." He suddenly raised his voice, shouting, "But now it's almost completely rotten!"

An uproar erupted in the hall. Veteran general Liu Wei slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Li Zheng! You've gone too far!"

Li Zheng remained unmoved and continued, "I pointed my finger at Xiangyang City and shouted, 'This is a piece of rotting flesh. Once freed from its restraints, it will emit a stench, ultimately destroying this land and causing countless deaths.'"

"Now, Xiangyang is short of supplies, morale is low, and the city walls have collapsed. Why do you think the Mongols would stop their attack?"

Hou Junji frowned and said, "General Li's words are not without merit. The Mongols are most adept at using the tactic of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,' are you aware of that?"

Guo Jing shook his head: "The Mongols have just suffered a defeat; Great Khan Möngke was wounded and retreated. They should be unable to launch another attack in the short term."

“Master Guo is too optimistic.” Li Zheng looked directly at Guo Jing. “Do you remember the battles of Liaoxi Prefecture and Hejian Prefecture?”

Guo Jing nodded and said, "I remember."

"What about the battle in Liaodong Prefecture?"

"At that time, there were even more Mongols. They amassed thousands of cavalry and marched south, capturing several cities along the way."

A sharp glint flashed in Li Zheng's eyes: "Then do you know why the Mongols suddenly stopped their attack?"

Guo Jing pondered for a moment: "Are the Mongol front lines too long and their supplies running low?"

“Because of our Southern Song Dynasty.” Li Zheng’s voice suddenly lowered.

"Oh? The Southern Song Dynasty court?" Hou Junji keenly grasped the meaning behind Li Zheng's words.

A bitter smile played on Li Zheng's lips. In this world, the Southern Song Dynasty had already lost most of its territory. The Mongols had destroyed Tibet and Dali, and were now encircling the Southern Song. Xiangyang City, as the last line of defense, had held out for more than a decade.

“Last month I sent a trusted confidant to infiltrate Lin’an.” Li Zheng took out a secret letter from his robes. “There are already voices in the court advocating for peace, and some have even suggested abandoning Xiangyang in exchange for the peace of half of Jiangnan.” “Absurd!” Guo Jing slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacup to jump. “Abandoning Xiangyang is tantamount to opening the gates to Jiangnan!”

Li Zheng sneered: "The officials of the court don't think that way. They believe the Mongols will be satisfied once they've captured Xiangyang, but they don't realize that once a hungry wolf has tasted flesh, it will only become more greedy."

Hou Junji sighed deeply: "The Mongols have stopped their attack, probably because they received news that the court intends to negotiate peace. They are waiting, waiting for us to abandon this defensive line ourselves."

A deathly silence fell over the hall, broken only by the occasional crackling of the candlelight. Li Zheng's gaze swept across the faces of each general, revealing anger, despair, and hesitation.

"Gentlemen," Li Zheng's voice was low but firm, "I, Li Zheng, swear to live and die with Xiangyang. If the Mongols wish to march south, they will first have to step over my dead body."

Guo Jing remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "General Li is absolutely right. We can't control what the court thinks, but Xiangyang must not be abandoned." He walked to Li Zheng's side and patted him heavily on the shoulder. "Let's guard this 'lock' together."

Hou Junji suddenly said, "If the Mongols are truly waiting for the court's decision, why don't we take the initiative and catch them off guard!"

Li Zheng shook his head: "No. Our forces are insufficient; a hasty attack would play right into the Mongols' hands." He pointed to the map, "But I have a plan."

All eyes were fixed on Li Zheng's finger. He drew a line along the Han River: "The Mongol camp is built along the Han River. Recent continuous rain has caused the water level to rise. If we secretly breach the upstream dike..."

"A water attack?" Guo Jing's eyes lit up, but then dimmed again. "But our villages are downstream."

Li Zheng nodded: "I have already sent men to secretly evacuate the villagers. Three days from now, when it is dark and windy, will be the best time to act."

Hou Junji clapped his hands and laughed: "Well done, Li Zheng! If this plan succeeds, it will at least buy us six months to repair the city walls and replenish our supplies."

The meeting continued late into the night. As everyone dispersed, Li Zheng stood alone on the city wall, gazing at the campfires of the Mongol camp in the distance. Wang Hu quietly appeared behind him.

"General, a secret envoy from Lin'an requests an audience."

A flicker of alertness crossed Li Zheng's eyes: "Bring him here."

A moment later, a cloaked figure appeared in the shadows of the city wall. The man removed his hood, revealing a face familiar to Li Zheng—Zhou Huan, a confidant of Zhang Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of War.

“General Li,” Zhou Huan bowed respectfully, his voice extremely low, “Lord Zhang asked me to convey to you that the court has made its decision: within three months, envoys will be sent to negotiate peace with the Mongols. Xiangyang…I fear we will have to abandon it.”

Li Zheng clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms: "What does Lord Zhang mean?"

Zhou Huan stepped closer: "Lord Zhang said, 'Those who understand the times are heroes.' With your talent, General, why not..."

"Shut up!" Li Zheng roared, startling Zhou Huan into taking two steps back. "Go back and tell Lord Zhang, I, Li Zheng, was born a Song citizen, and I will die a Song ghost. As long as Xiangyang exists, I exist; if Xiangyang falls, I fall!"

Zhou Huan, pale-faced, hurriedly bowed and disappeared into the darkness.

Wang Hu looked at Li Zheng with concern: "General, in this way, we not only have to fight against the Mongols, but also guard against the imperial court."

Li Zheng looked up at the dark night sky and suddenly laughed: "Wang Hu, are you scared?"

"Following the general, I'm not afraid of death!"

“Very well.” Li Zheng’s smile vanished, a resolute flame igniting in his eyes. “Pass on my order: the entire army is on high alert, ready to execute the ‘cut-off’ plan. Also, send men to keep a close watch on all messengers from the imperial court; none are to be allowed to leave Xiangyang!”

(End of this chapter)