Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 637 New Goal
In the following siege, Jia Changsheng fully demonstrated his outstanding military talent and leadership wisdom. He skillfully used tactics and flexibly deployed troops. After a hard and arduous battle, he finally succeeded in conquering the eight northern cities of Baekje.

At this time, Jia Changsheng's army was in high spirits and had great prestige. But Jia Changsheng was not carried away by victory, as he knew that greater challenges were still to come.

He immediately set about arranging the occupation of the island. First, he sent envoys to some of the surrounding forces, trying to establish friendly relations with them, or at least keep them neutral, so as not to be threatened from the rear when he attacked the island.

At the same time, he reorganized the army, selected a part of elite troops, formed a special navy, strengthened the navy's equipment and training, and prepared for naval warfare.

Jia Changsheng also made full preparations for supplies. He ordered the logistics troops to collect a large number of ships, food, and weapons to ensure sufficient supplies during the occupation of the island.

After everything was ready, Jia Changsheng stood on the high ground by the sea, looking at the vague island in the distance, with a determined light flashing in his eyes.

"Let's go!" With Jia Changsheng's order, the warships hoisted their sails and headed for the unknown island. A new journey began, and Jia Changsheng's name will also leave a deeper mark on this vast land and sea with this journey.

In the magnificent and solemn palace of Baekje, the atmosphere was so solemn that it seemed to suffocate people. The Baekje king sat high on the throne carved with dragons and phoenixes, his face gloomy, and his eyes swept across the ministers below, trying to find the answer to the current crisis from their faces.

The King of Baekje was the first to break the silence. His voice was low but full of unquestionable majesty: "My dear ministers, I believe you have all heard about Jia Changsheng's movements? He has captured eight cities in the eastern part of Baekje in a short period of time, and now he is aiming at the northern part of Baekje. His wolfish ambitions are obvious. I have summoned all of you here today to discuss a countermeasure to protect the country of Baekje!"

In the court, the ministers looked at each other, and no one dared to speak first. After a long time, an old general walked out of the queue with a steady step. This man was General Park, who was well-known in the Baekje army. He clasped his hands together, saluted to the Baekje king, and said: "Your Majesty, I think that although Jia Changsheng is fierce, our Baekje is not powerless to fight back. Our army can strengthen the defenses of the eight cities in the north, store food and weapons, and wait for the enemy to tire. At the same time, send elite cavalry to harass their rear supply lines, so that they can't take care of each other, which will surely dampen their spirit!"

As soon as General Park finished speaking, a civil official stood up and refuted: "General, you are wrong. Jia Changsheng's army can be so unstoppable all the way, so his military talent and military strength should not be underestimated. If our army rashly attacks and harasses his rear, what if he is surrounded by us? In my opinion, it is better to send envoys to other countries to seek reinforcements or alliances to fight against Jia Changsheng together. Only in this way can we ensure the safety of Baekje."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was a burst of discussion in the court. Those who supported General Park and those who supported the civil officials were divided into two factions, each holding their own opinions and arguing endlessly.

At this time, a middle-aged man named Jin Moushi stood up. He had a deep gaze, was good at strategy, and was quite famous in Baekje. He cleared his throat, and the court suddenly became quiet. Everyone looked at him, hoping that he could come up with a better idea.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan." Advisor Jin bowed slightly and said, "Although Jia Changsheng's army is brave, they are foreign troops after all, and they have limited understanding of the terrain and people of Baekje. We can set up ambushes in some key roads and valleys in the north, and use the terrain to deal a heavy blow to them. At the same time, spread rumors that Baekje has formed a powerful alliance with other countries and will soon encircle and suppress it, causing chaos in its army. Then, send envoys to pretend to negotiate with them, delay time, and buy more opportunities to prepare."

After listening to the words of the counselor Jin, the king of Baekje nodded slightly, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes: "The plan of the minister Jin sounds quite feasible, but how to implement it specifically requires further discussion and improvement by the ministers."

Then, the ministers discussed the plan of the Jin strategist in detail. Some suggested setting up strong crossbows and secret sentries at the ambush site, some suggested the selection of peace envoys and negotiation strategies, and some expressed their opinions on how to spread rumors to make them more credible.

During the discussion, General Park raised a new question: "Your Majesty, I am worried that Jia Changsheng will win over some forces in Baekje, such as those nobles or local tyrants who are dissatisfied with the court. If they join forces, our army will be in a more dangerous situation."

After hearing this, the King of Baekje's face became even gloomier. He pondered for a moment and said, "General Park is right. This matter needs to be investigated immediately. Once anyone is found to be collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country, no leniency will be shown! At the same time, strengthen domestic control to prevent intelligence from being leaked to Jia Changsheng."

Then, the minister in charge of logistics also stood up and said, "Your Majesty, although our army's current food and fodder reserves are sufficient, if the war is prolonged, I am afraid there will be a shortage. I suggest that we immediately collect more food and fodder in the country and purchase supplies from surrounding areas to ensure the supply of the army."

The Baekje king nodded in agreement and said, "I'll leave this matter to you. Make sure there is enough food and grass."

After intense discussions, Baekje finally determined a comprehensive response plan: on the one hand, strengthen the defense of the eight northern cities and set up ambushes at key locations; on the other hand, actively seek foreign aid, while launching peace talks to delay time, and strengthen domestic control and logistical support.

The King of Baekje looked at the ministers below and said in a firm tone: "My dear ministers, our Baekje is now facing a crisis of life and death. This battle with Jia Changsheng is related to the future of Baekje. I hope that all the ministers will perform their duties and work together. If there are any slacks or derelictions of duty, they will be severely punished!"

The ministers shouted in unison: "We obey your order and are willing to go through fire and water for the king to protect Baekje!"

Subsequently, the preparations of Baekje were carried out in full swing. The army went to the eight cities in the north, strengthening the city defenses day and night. The soldiers were conducting intensive military training under the leadership of the generals. Intelligence personnel shuttled around to collect intelligence on Jia Changsheng's army, while closely monitoring the domestic movements to prevent anyone from colluding with the enemy. The envoys, carrying the letters of the Baekje king, rushed to the neighboring countries to seek reinforcements and alliances. The officials in charge of logistics collected food and supplies everywhere in the country. Although the lives of the people were affected to a certain extent, they all expressed their support when the country was in danger.

However, Jia Changsheng's actions were faster than Baekje had expected. After conquering the eight eastern cities, his army took a short rest before continuing northwards, avoiding some of the sentries and secret posts set up by Baekje along the way, and quickly approached the eight northern cities.

When Baekje received news that Jia Changsheng's army was approaching, the court once again fell into a tense atmosphere.

"Your Majesty, Jia Changsheng's army arrived so quickly. It seems that our previous preparations were not sufficient." General Park said worriedly.

The Baekje king frowned, his eyes revealing a trace of anxiety: "Now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to fight to the death. General Park, you will immediately go to the eight northern cities and command the troops to fight. You must hold the city and wait for reinforcements to arrive."

"I obey your order!" After receiving the order, General Park quickly led an elite force to the eight cities in the north.

At the same time, Baekje's envoys also brought back news. Some of the surrounding countries expressed neutrality, while others wanted to help but were unable to send reinforcements immediately due to their limited strength or being restrained by other forces. This made the situation in Baekje even more serious.

On the battlefield of the eight cities in the north, Jia Changsheng's army and the army of Baekje launched a fierce battle. Baekje relied on its city defenses to resist tenaciously, while Jia Changsheng's army adopted a variety of tactics to try to break through the city. The two sides fought back and forth, and the battle fell into a stalemate. In the court of Baekje, the king of Baekje and his ministers paid attention to the war on the front line day and night, and constantly discussed countermeasures. They knew in their hearts that this war would determine the fate of Baekje. In the vast land in the north of Baekje, the dark clouds of war were hanging over the country. Jia Changsheng's army and the defenders of Baekje were like two angry lions, confronting each other, and the air was filled with tension and killing.

Jia Changsheng stood in front of the tent, staring at the outline of Baekje City in the distance with a cold gaze, secretly thinking about the strategy of attacking the city. The generals beside him all looked serious, waiting for his orders.

"Zhao Meng, you lead the vanguard and launch a feint attack from the east gate to attract the main force of the enemy. Remember, you must pretend to attack, but do not fight to the end. Once the main force of the enemy is attracted, retreat immediately." Jia Changsheng turned and said to a burly general beside him.

"I obey your command!" After receiving the order, Zhao Meng quickly led the vanguard team towards the east gate. For a while, the shouts of killing shook the sky.

Inside Baekje City, General Park stood on the city wall, looking at the surging enemy troops below, with a sneer on his face: "Humph, you want to attack the city? That's not that easy! Archers, get ready, wait for the enemy to get close, and shoot them hard!"

As Zhao Meng's vanguard gradually approached the east gate, the Baekje archers on the city wall fired thousands of arrows at once, and the arrows rained down. Zhao Meng's soldiers raised their shields and resisted the rain of arrows with difficulty, but many soldiers were still injured and fell.

"General, the enemy's defense is too tight. If we attack like this, the losses will be too great!" A team leader ran to Zhao Meng and shouted.

Zhao Meng gritted his teeth and said, "Retreat!" The vanguard team quickly evacuated the east gate, leaving behind corpses and bloodstains on the ground.

When Jia Changsheng learned that the feint attack on the east gate had been blocked, he did not seem too anxious. He knew very well that war was never won overnight and victory and defeat were common in the military.

"Li Xuan, how do you think we should adjust our strategy next?" Jia Changsheng looked at the counselor beside him.

Li Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "General, we might as well suspend the siege and pretend to retreat to let the enemy relax their vigilance. Then at night, send an elite force to quietly climb up from the weak point of the city wall, open the city gate, and let our army enter the city."

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly: "This plan is feasible, but attacking the city at night is also risky. We must select soldiers who are agile and familiar with night combat."

So, Jia Changsheng's army began to pretend to retreat, and the tents were withdrawn one after another and moved backwards.

In Baekje City, General Park saw the enemy retreating and couldn't help wondering, "Are they just giving up? Something is wrong. Send down the order to strengthen the alert to prevent the enemy from cheating."

However, after a day and night of intense vigilance, the Baekje defenders did not detect any movement from the enemy and gradually relaxed their vigilance.

That very night, the elite troops selected by Jia Changsheng quietly approached the city wall under the cover of darkness. They were dressed in black and moved swiftly, like ghosts in the night sky.

When they came to the wall, they quickly threw out their grapples and began to climb the wall along the ropes. The Baekje soldiers on the wall were exhausted from long hours of alert and most of them were taking a nap.

The elite troops successfully climbed up the city wall and engaged in fierce close combat with the few Baekje soldiers who discovered them. After a fierce fight, they successfully controlled a section of the city wall and opened the city gate.

Jia Changsheng's army, which had been waiting outside the city for a long time, poured into the city like a tide. For a moment, shouts of killing were heard everywhere in the city.

General Park woke up from his sleep and was shocked to hear that the enemy had entered the city: "What's going on? How did the enemy get in? Quick, organize a resistance!"

The Baekje soldiers hastily picked up their weapons and started a fierce street fight with Jia Changsheng's army in the city. In the narrow streets, the soldiers of both sides fought hand-to-hand, the swords flashed, and the blood stained the ground red.

Jia Changsheng rode on a warhorse and personally commanded the troops to fight. His eyes revealed determination and courage, and he rushed to wherever the battle was fierce.

"Brothers, kill! We must take this city today!" Jia Changsheng shouted loudly, boosting the morale of the soldiers.

However, the Baekje soldiers knew that this was a battle for the survival of the country, so they fought to the death and did not retreat. In a square, the two armies engaged in a fierce melee, with corpses piled up like mountains and blood flowing like rivers.

The battle lasted from late night to dawn, with both sides paying a heavy price and winning and losing. Although Jia Changsheng's army successfully entered the city, the stubborn resistance of the Baekje soldiers also hindered their advancement.

"General, this is not a solution. Our soldiers have suffered heavy casualties." A general ran up to Jia Changsheng and said.

Jia Changsheng felt very sorry for the tragic scene on the battlefield, but he knew that he could not retreat at this time.

"Pass the order and adjust the tactics. Let the archers provide fire support in the rear, and divide the infantry into small teams to clear out the enemy street by street. Don't give them a chance to breathe." Jia Changsheng gave the order decisively.

(End of this chapter)