Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 657: The Island Nation Returns
The atmosphere in the main tent was solemn. Jia Changsheng, wearing armor, stood tall in front of the map, staring at the mark of the sea area adjacent to Baekje and the island country. The generals and counselors around him looked solemn, waiting for the commander's decision. The sea breeze blew in through the gaps in the tent, carrying a faint salty smell, as if foreshadowing the upcoming naval battle.

"Marshal, the invasion of the island nation is fierce, but our army's preparations for the war in the north are at a critical stage, so we must not act rashly. In my opinion, we can send a capable general to lead the navy to meet the enemy, and you will stay in the central army and continue to command the preparations for the war in the north. This is a safe strategy." The speaker was the steady and prudent veteran Sun Qi. The years have left deep marks on his face, but his eyes still reveal the perseverance and wisdom of a veteran. He frowned slightly, clasped his hands together, and gave Jia Changsheng a sincere speech, trying to dissuade the commander from going to the dangerous place.

Jia Changsheng did not answer immediately, but just looked at the map quietly, as if thinking about something. After a moment, he slowly said: "I have also considered what General Sun said. However, the invasion of the island country comes at a sensitive time when our army is fighting on two fronts. Its purpose is probably not only to plunder, but also to disrupt our deployment and shake our army's morale. If we fail to deal a heavy blow to it and make it retreat, our army's subsequent operations will be seriously hindered." His voice was low and firm, with unquestionable majesty, and every word echoed clearly in the tent.

The young general Lin Yue could not help but step forward, clasped his fists and said: "Marshal, I am willing to lead the navy to meet the enemy! Although I am still inexperienced, I have considerable experience in naval warfare, and the soldiers under my command are all brave and good at fighting. They will definitely crush the enemy's morale and protect the peace of the Baekje Sea. Marshal, you are responsible for the decisive battle in the north, and you must not go into danger because of a temporary enemy. I hope you will think twice!" Lin Yue's posture was agile, and his eyes revealed the spirit of a newborn calf who is not afraid of a tiger and the desire to make achievements. His words were full of respect for the commander-in-chief and confidence in victory.

Jia Changsheng shook his head slightly and said solemnly: "General Lin's courage is commendable, but this time the invasion of the island country is by no means as simple as before. They must have made careful preparations and have some understanding of our army's deployment and tactics. I will go there in person, one is to boost morale and let the soldiers know the importance of this battle; the second is to be able to make decisions quickly according to the battlefield situation, respond flexibly, and seize opportunities. The war in the north is certainly critical, but if a fire breaks out in the backyard, it will be difficult for our army to go north with peace of mind." His eyes revealed a kind of determination and responsibility, as if he had seen the turbulent waves and fierce fighting on the battlefield.

The counselor Su Wen twirled his beard lightly and said slowly: "Marshal, in my opinion, we might as well take a long-term view. We can first send a vanguard fleet to test the enemy's strength, and at the same time speed up the preparation of reinforcements and supplies in the rear. After finding out the enemy's situation, we can formulate a detailed battle plan, and perhaps we can defeat the enemy in one fell swoop. Marshal, if you lead the army in person at this time, if something goes wrong, our army will be leaderless, and the war in the north will be in trouble. It is better to take command and remotely control the overall situation to ensure that nothing goes wrong." Su Wen has a thin face and deep eyes. He speaks clearly and tries to persuade Jia Changsheng to change his mind from the perspective of strategic layout.

Jia Changsheng turned around, glanced at everyone, and said with a firm look: "I understand your concerns. But I have made up my mind. This time the island country's invasion must be dealt a head-on blow to demonstrate the power of our army and protect the safety of our borders. The war in the north is certainly important, but I have made detailed arrangements before I went on the expedition. All generals only need to act according to the plan and continue to prepare for war with all their strength. During the time I am away, General Sun Qi will temporarily take over the command of the central army and must ensure that all preparations are carried out in an orderly manner." His words were loud and clear, full of trust in the generals and control over the situation.

Upon hearing this, Sun Qi hurriedly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together and said: "Don't worry, Marshal. I will do my best to live up to your trust! But Marshal, I hope you take good care of yourself and return triumphantly soon. I'll be waiting for your victory news in the rear!" Sun Qi's voice trembled slightly, and his eyes showed both loyalty and reluctance to the commander-in-chief, as well as the solemnity and responsibility of accepting orders in times of crisis.

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly, stepped forward to help Sun Qi up, patted him on the shoulder and said: "General Sun, I believe you have the ability to stabilize the rear. This time, I will fight quickly and make a quick decision to minimize the impact on the war in the north. During my absence, if there is any urgent military situation, be sure to send someone to inform me in time." After that, he turned and looked at the other generals and advisers, his eyes full of expectation and trust: "Everyone, our army is now facing a difficult situation of fighting on two fronts, but as long as we work together, we will be able to overcome the difficulties. The soldiers in the front are fighting bloody battles, and our preparations in the rear cannot be slack. When I defeat the enemy of the island country and return, it will be the time for our army to march north and make achievements!"

Everyone in the tent stood up and shouted in unison: "We are willing to obey the commander's orders and follow him to the death!" The voice was deafening, full of fighting spirit and determination. Jia Changsheng looked at these soldiers and counselors who had followed him for many years, and a warm current surged in his heart. He knew the difficulty and cruelty of this war, but for the peace of the country and the integrity of the territory, he had no choice.

Surrounded by the crowd, Jia Changsheng strode out of the tent. It was sunny outside, but the sea breeze was still a little chilly. He looked at the sea level in the distance and secretly vowed in his heart that he must make the island invaders pay a heavy price and lay a solid foundation for the peace and stability of Baekje. Then, he led the carefully selected naval officers and soldiers to embark on a journey to fight against the invading enemies of the island countries, while the generals in the tent, with the instructions of the Marshal, turned around and devoted themselves to the intense preparations for the war in the north. A war concerning the fate of Baekje quietly kicked off on this land.

The sea breeze was howling, and the waves were hitting the side of the warship, making a dull and powerful sound, as if the sea was beating the drum to cheer for the upcoming battle. Jia Changsheng stood on the bow of the flagship, his posture was as straight as a pine tree, and his eyes were deeply staring at the sails of the island fleet gradually emerging on the sea level in the distance. The sea breeze fluttered his battle robe, and the soldiers behind him were ready for battle, revealing determination and resoluteness in their eyes. "Marshal, the enemy is coming this time with great momentum, strong ships and powerful guns, and we can't underestimate them!" The deputy general Lin Yue beside him frowned and said worriedly. He looked at the dense enemy ships in the distance, and couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. After all, the island country had been preparing for this invasion for a long time, and its weapons and equipment were also quite sophisticated.

Jia Changsheng's face was stern, but his eyes were burning with fighting spirit. He raised his chin slightly and said firmly: "Deputy General Lin, don't worry. Our army is fighting to defend our country, and our morale is high. Justice is on my side. Moreover, we know this sea area very well. As long as the tactics are appropriate, we will be able to defeat the enemy. Pass on my order, the entire army will line up and prepare to meet the enemy!" His voice was low and powerful, and it was clearly transmitted throughout the entire fleet under the blowing of the sea breeze. The soldiers moved at the command and quickly adjusted their formation. The warships were arranged in an orderly manner, like a giant steel dragon winding and stretching on the sea.

The first battle started, and the island fleet took the lead in launching an attack. Shells rained down on Jia Changsheng's fleet, stirring up water columns. Jia Changsheng commanded calmly: "The port warships speed up and fan out the enemy's right wing; the starboard warships maintain a defensive formation and wait for an opportunity to move. Archers, get ready, wait for the enemy to approach, and shoot arrows at once!" His instructions were passed down in an orderly manner, and the warships responded quickly. In the fierce exchange of fire, the warships shuttled between the artillery fire, and the soldiers on the deck performed their duties. Some rowed hard, some controlled the catapults to fight back, and the archers pulled the bowstrings to the full, aiming at the approaching enemy ships.

"Shoot!" With Jia Changsheng's order, arrows rained down like locusts at the enemy ships. Soldiers from the island country fell down one after another, and screams were heard. However, the army of the island country was no ordinary person. They quickly adjusted their tactics. Several warships gathered together to form a solid square formation, trying to break through the defense line of Jia Changsheng's fleet. Seeing this, Jia Changsheng immediately shouted: "Concentrate firepower and attack the center of the enemy square formation!" The gunners quickly adjusted the muzzles and loaded the shells. With a roar, the shells accurately hit the center of the enemy ship square formation. An enemy ship was instantly blown up with wood chips flying, flames soaring into the sky, and a gap was torn in the formation. Jia Changsheng took the opportunity to lead the fleet to charge. For a time, shouts of killing and the collision of weapons were intertwined. The sea was filled with smoke. The warships of both sides were intertwined, and the soldiers launched a fierce close combat. Jia Changsheng waved the sword in his hand and boarded the enemy ship himself, as if he was in an empty space. Wherever he went, the enemies fell one after another. His bravery and fearlessness greatly boosted the morale. The soldiers fought bravely and after a hard battle, they finally repelled the first attack of the island army. Many damaged warships and floating corpses were left on the sea.

The first battle was a victory, and the soldiers cheered, but Jia Changsheng did not relax his vigilance. He knew very well that the island army would not give up and would launch a more fierce attack. After returning to the flagship, he immediately summoned the generals to discuss countermeasures: "Although the enemy retreated in this battle, they have already figured out some of our strength. In the next battle, they will definitely change their tactics, and we need to prepare in advance. Lin Yue, you lead a team of warships to pretend to retreat and lead the enemy into the encirclement; the rest of the warships will ambush behind the islands on both sides, and when the enemy falls into the trap, they will immediately attack and form a siege." The generals nodded in agreement, each took the order and left, and quickly began to arrange tactics.

Sure enough, not long after, the island fleet attacked again, and the scale was larger than the last time. Lin Yue followed Jia Changsheng's plan and led the warships to pretend to be defeated and retreated step by step. Seeing an opportunity, the island army chased them relentlessly and gradually entered the encirclement set by Jia Changsheng. When all the enemy troops entered the ambush circle, Jia Changsheng gave an order, and the warships ambushed on both sides drove out quickly like tigers out of the mountains, cutting off the enemy's retreat and surrounding the island fleet. "Fire!" Suddenly, the sound of artillery roared, the flames shone, and the island army fell into a desperate situation. They fought desperately, but suffered heavy losses under the fierce attack of Jia Changsheng's army. Many enemy ships were hit by artillery fire and began to sink. The soldiers jumped into the sea one after another, but were shot and killed by archers on Jia Changsheng's fleet. The sea was in chaos, and blood dyed the sea red. The battle lasted for a whole day. In the end, the island nation's army was defeated again and fled in panic. Jia Changsheng's fleet successfully won the second battle, further consolidated the defense line, and greatly dampened the enemy's morale.

After two fierce battles, Jia Changsheng's army also suffered certain casualties and losses. During the short rest period, the soldiers took the time to repair the warships, treat the wounded, and replenish supplies and ammunition. Jia Changsheng personally inspected the ships, comforted the wounded, and boosted morale: "Brothers, we have won two victories, but the war is not over yet. The island bandits are still coveting our homes. We must continue to fight for our loved ones and land behind us! Every brother who fell is a hero, their blood cannot be shed in vain, we must make the island invaders pay a painful price!" After listening to Jia Changsheng's words, the soldiers raised their arms and shouted, with a firm light in their eyes, expressing their willingness to follow the Marshal and fight to the end.

The horn of the third battle was blown soon. The island army seemed to have learned the lessons of the previous two times and changed its tactics. They no longer attacked rashly, but adopted guerrilla tactics, sending some small fleets to disperse and harass Jia Changsheng's fleet, trying to find weak links to break through. Jia Changsheng saw through the enemy's intentions and immediately adjusted the deployment: "Each warship maintains a tight formation and must not pursue the enemy's small fleet without authorization. Archers and gunners work closely together. Once the enemy approaches, they will first shoot with bows and arrows, and then attack with artillery fire." Under Jia Changsheng's command, the army responded calmly. Although the small fleet of the island army was flexible and maneuverable, it could not break through the defense line of Jia Changsheng's fleet. Whenever the enemy's small fleet approached, the archers on Jia Changsheng's fleet fired thousands of arrows to suppress the enemy, and then the gunners fired shells accurately, blowing up the enemy ships one by one. However, the continuous harassment tactics of the island army made Jia Changsheng's army quite tired, and the battle fell into a stalemate.

In order to break the deadlock, Jia Changsheng came up with a plan. He selected several highly maneuverable warships, filled them with flammable objects, disguised them as ordinary warships and mixed them into the enemy's small fleet. When these warships approached the main force of the island fleet, Jia Changsheng decisively ordered: "Ignite!" In an instant, several warships were on fire, and the soldiers drove the burning warships towards the main force of the island fleet, and the enemy suddenly fell into chaos. Jia Changsheng took the opportunity to lead the main force of the fleet to launch a full-scale attack. For a time, the sea was full of flames and the sound of killing was deafening. The island army found it difficult to organize an effective resistance in a panic, and was beaten back by Jia Changsheng's army. The third battle ended with Jia Changsheng's victory.

(End of this chapter)