Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 751 Situation
Upon hearing this, the lieutenant was greatly alarmed and said, "General, if we lose Youzhou City, how will we explain it when the junior commander returns?"

Qiong Yaona retorted, "The Liang army is coming with overwhelming force, and the deputy commander is now in grave danger. Instead of going to Jizhou to join the junior commander and concentrate our forces, are we going to let the Liang army defeat us one by one?"

"If you want to stay and hold out to the death, I can't be bothered with you. I'll take my family to Jizhou right now."

After saying this, Qiong Yaonayan headed straight for her residence.

Upon seeing this, the deputy general guarding the city hurriedly shouted, "General, I am willing to go to Jizhou with you. But how can you abandon the city's provisions and the families of all the generals?"

Upon hearing this, Qiong Yao Nayan shouted, "Go and inform the officers and their families in the city to take their valuables and abandon everything else. They must leave the city immediately for Jizhou. If we are too late, the Liang army will come and we will all be trapped like turtles in a jar."

"He ordered his men to gather the Khitan people in the city, and they all went to [Jizhou] together."

After saying this, Qiong Yaona returned to her residence, ignoring the deputy general guarding the city, and urged her family to pack their valuables.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zhen's forces were undone by Fan Rui, the "Demon King," who used magic to dispel the fog. The Liang army caught up with the Liao army, slaughtered them, and then withdrew to their camp.

The soldiers returned to their posts, their merits were recorded, and then, with Shi Wengong as the vanguard, they led their troops toward Youzhou.

Having wasted three hours, the elite cavalrymen, one man on two horses, once again embarked on the pursuit.

Zhao Zhen also broke camp and headed straight for Youzhou.

When Shi Wengong arrived at the walls of Youzhou, the city was already in chaos.

Those who saw the opportunity early, along with Qiong Yaona Yan and other soldiers, opened the city gates and headed towards Jizhou. Those who hesitated became even more confused upon seeing this.

Some people hurriedly packed their things and followed the soldiers leaving the city, while many more remained in the city, caught in a dilemma.

With the Liao army no longer stationed there, most of the officials in the city also fled, and the city suddenly descended into chaos.

Murder, arson, and looting were taking place throughout the city of Youzhou.

When Shi Wengong saw him outside the city, he assumed that Zhang Qing had arrived in Youzhou City ahead of him.

[General Shi Bao of Nanli] led three hundred cavalrymen into the city to scout. Upon seeing the situation in the city, he knew that the Liao army had abandoned the city and fled.

Shi Wengong led the Imperial Guard Cavalry into the city, issuing proclamations to reassure the people while simultaneously extinguishing the fire.

Su Yi, the "Peach Blossom Gentleman," and Jin Zhuang, the "Flower Arms Gentleman," each led five hundred cavalrymen to suppress the lawless and wicked idlers, ruffians, and scoundrels in the region, killing them all.

Once Zhao Zhen's army entered the city, no one in Youzhou dared to resist anymore.

Upon learning that Qiong Yao Nayan had led the Liao army to escape to Jizhou, Zhao Zhen left behind Shi Xiu, Wang Feibao, and Shi Yong to lead 8,000 infantrymen to garrison Youzhou.

The army set off, heading towards Jizhou.

Meanwhile, in Jizhou, the three imperial sons-in-law, Taizhen Xuqing, Li Ji, and Yelü Zonglin, endured the bombardment of various cannons from the Liang army outside the city and finally received a reply from Youzhou.

Commander-in-Chief Wuyan Yanshou led 10,000 elite troops to the rescue.

Upon hearing this news, the three men refrained from abandoning the city and fleeing. However, the morale of the soldiers within the city visibly declined. Apart from the artillery bombardment that caused countless casualties, none of the three—Taizhen Xuqing, Li Ji, and Yelü Zonglin—dared to lead their troops out of the city to fight.

With the troops being passively attacked every day and the general in charge of the army defending against the enemy, the morale was on the verge of collapse. Finally, Wuyan Yanshou, who led the troops from Youzhou, entered the city through the north gate.

Upon learning that Liao reinforcements had entered the city, Zhang Qing also gathered his troops, recalling those who had been deployed to the east and west gates back to the south gate camp to avoid being defeated one by one.

Wuyan Yanshou entered the city and summoned Taizhen Xuqing, Li Ji, and Yelü Zonglin to discuss matters.

As soon as the three arrived, Wuyan Yanshou shouted, "What's going on? My father just left, and the situation has deteriorated so much. [Jizhou] has suffered heavy losses, and [Tanzhou] is also asking for help one after another."

Tai Zhen Xu Qing spoke first, saying, "Young Commander, this group of Liang troops that has come is truly elite. They also have siege weapons like cannons, making them very difficult to deal with."

Li Ji said, "We are losing the battle and have no choice but to defend the city. If it weren't for the Junior Commander coming to our aid, we would not have been able to hold out."

Wuyan Yanshou said, "It has always been our Liao soldiers who conquer cities and seize territories, but now we are surrounded in the city by Song reinforcements. Let us rest for a day and send troops out to fight them tomorrow."

Li Ji said, "No, young commander, you don't know. This group of people is really formidable. The general leading the troops is skilled at using stones, and he hits the target every time. General Yelü was rewarded with a stone by one of them."

Wuyan Yanshou shouted, "Are we just going to let them fire their cannons at the city walls without restraint, harming our soldiers? Prince Consort, you tell me, should we go out of the city and take advantage of Liao's cavalry warfare?"

Upon hearing this, Tai Zhen Xu Qing hesitated and said, "Little Commander, we have also fought against this group. They are well-organized, skilled in combat, and heavily armored and armed. They are not easy to deal with."

"The frequency of artillery fire outside the city has decreased by more than half, and it's been almost a month since this group invaded. We should hold the city."

Upon hearing this, Wuyan Yanshou's face darkened, and he asked Yelü Zonglin, "Young General, what do you think?"

Yelü Zonglin said, “Young Commander, it’s not that I’m trying to boost their morale while diminishing our own, but these people are just incredibly powerful. Of the four of us brothers, plus two of Father’s fierce generals, only I am left, seriously injured and recuperating in the manor. To deal with them, holding out until the month is up seems like a better idea.”

Upon hearing this, Wuyan Yanshou flew into a rage and said, "You've all been scared out of your wits. Tomorrow I will personally lead my troops out of the city to meet this Liang army."

Tai Zhen Xu Qing hurriedly said, "Young Commander, this is absolutely unacceptable."

"It is understandable that the Junior Commander has doubts about the Liang army's fighting strength. Tomorrow, the Junior Commander and I will go up to the city wall to observe the battle, and General Li Ji will lead the troops into battle."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji said, "Don't worry, Commander. Tomorrow I will go out of the city and fight the Liang army on the other side, general against general and soldier against soldier."

Wuyan Yanshou said, "Alright, I will hold a banquet in the city tomorrow to celebrate General Li's victory. The soldiers in the city have no morale whatsoever, so I will send two thousand Imperial Guards to accompany you out of the city."

Yelü Zonglin asked, "Young Commander, is Deputy Commander He Zhongbao currently defending Youzhou?"

Wuyan Yanshou said, "Qiong Yaonayan and Kou Zhenyuan, who were sent to rescue Tanzhou, were defeated by the Liang army in just one battle. Kou Zhenyuan died, and the deputy commander had no choice but to go to the rescue."

"Currently, in the city of Youzhou, there is only one deputy general leading three thousand old and weak people to defend the city."

Upon hearing this, the three men exclaimed in shock, “If Deputy Commander General He is no match for the Liang army, wouldn’t Youzhou also be under the threat of the Liang army?”

Wuyan Yanshou said, "Therefore, we must act quickly here. The situation in Tanzhou is even more difficult. We still need to rush to Tanzhou's aid."

(End of this chapter)