Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 745 Siege
Sun Quan frowned and said, "A long-distance march? Where exactly is he going? Is he going to bypass our defenses and attack the city behind us?"

Lu Xun stepped forward and said, "My lord, it is possible that Jia Changsheng deliberately created the illusion of disappearance to confuse us and make us disperse our forces to look for him, while he took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on one of our defense lines."

Sun Quan felt that what Lu Xun said made sense, and said: "No matter what, we can't let him lead us by the nose. The defense of each city must not be relaxed at all, and we must continue to intensify the search. At the same time, we must pay close attention to the movements of surrounding forces to prevent them from colluding with Jia Changsheng and harming us."

After a few days, the search still made no progress. Sun Quan was extremely anxious and kept pacing in the tent. He knew that if Jia Changsheng didn't show up, it would be like a sword hanging high in the air, which could fall at any time and bring a heavy blow to the Eastern Wu.

At this time, a spy came again to report: "My lord, we found some suspicious signs near Guangling City. Some people said that they saw some strange faces asking for information in the city recently, and their behavior was sneaky. But when we went to track them down, those people had disappeared without a trace."

After hearing this, Sun Quan's heart tightened and he said, "Could it be that Jia Changsheng's target is Guangling City? Tell the Guangling City garrison commander to be on high alert and not let go of any suspicious person. If he finds any trace of Jia Changsheng, report it immediately."

However, despite Sun Quan's series of measures, Jia Changsheng still disappeared without any definite news. Sun Quan was filled with anxiety and uneasiness. He didn't know when Jia Changsheng would suddenly appear and how he would attack. The whole of Dongwu was shrouded in a tense atmosphere. Everyone was waiting for Jia Changsheng's next move. A war seemed to be imminent.

After careful planning, Jia Changsheng decided to launch a surprise attack on Guangling City. He selected two thousand of the most elite soldiers, all of whom were selected from various camps. They were not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also loyal to Jia Changsheng. Jia Changsheng gathered them together and personally gave them a speech: "Brothers, this mission is crucial. We must sneak into Guangling City and control the city gate without the enemy noticing. This is not only about our life and death, but also about the victory or defeat of the entire battle. Do you have confidence?"

"Yes!" Two thousand soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens and their morale high.

Jia Changsheng looked at these brave soldiers, nodded with satisfaction, and said, "Good! Remember, the action must be secret and no noise can be made. Once discovered by the enemy, our plan will be ruined. Once we enter the city, all actions must be under command and no actions can be taken without authorization."

As night fell, Guangling City was shrouded in silence. At Jia Changsheng's command, two thousand elite soldiers quietly marched towards Guangling City like ghosts. They were dressed in black and had black paint on their faces, blending in with the night. Along the way, the soldiers were careful and tried to avoid patrolling enemy troops.

When approaching Guangling City, the spy sent by Jia Changsheng came back to report: "My lord, there was a moment of confusion when the patrol soldiers in the northwest corner of Guangling City changed their posts. It is a good time to enter the city."

Jia Changsheng made a prompt decision, waved his hand and said, "Let's go!" Two thousand soldiers acted quickly, using the ropes and climbing tools prepared in advance to quietly climb up the northwest corner of the city wall. The guards on the city wall were busy changing shifts at this time, and their attention was distracted, so they didn't notice that the enemy had quietly climbed up the city wall.

After Jia Changsheng's soldiers successfully climbed up the city wall, they quickly dealt with the few guards on the wall, their movements were clean and neat, without making any noise. Then, they walked along the stairs on the inside of the city wall and carefully moved towards the city gate.

At this time, the enemy troops near the city gate were still patrolling normally, unaware of the approaching danger. Jia Changsheng's soldiers were divided into several teams and quietly approached the city gate from different directions. When they were still dozens of meters away from the city gate, Jia Changsheng gave an order: "Go!"

The soldiers rushed towards the gate guards like a tiger descending from the mountain. Before the guards could react, they were subdued by Jia Changsheng's soldiers. For a moment, there was a brief sound of fighting near the gate, but it soon returned to calm.

Jia Changsheng's soldiers quickly took control of the city gate and opened the gate mechanism. Outside the city, Jia Changsheng had already led the army to wait for a long time. Seeing the city gate open, Jia Changsheng shouted: "Brothers, enter the city!" The army poured into Guangling City like a tide.

The defenders of Guangling City just woke up at this time and realized that the city gate had been controlled by the enemy. A shrill alarm sounded in the city, and Sun Quan's defenders hurriedly assembled and prepared to resist. But at this time, Jia Changsheng's army had already entered the city and occupied the advantageous terrain.

At the city gate, Jia Changsheng stood on the city wall, looking at the panicked enemy troops in the city, and shouted loudly: "Sun Quan's soldiers, you have been surrounded, and those who surrender will be spared!" However, most of Sun Quan's defenders were loyal and did not surrender easily just because the city gate was occupied. Under the command of their generals, they quickly organized a defense line and launched a fierce battle with Jia Changsheng's army.

Jia Changsheng knew that although he had already controlled the city gate, it would still take a tough battle to completely capture Guangling City. He quickly adjusted his deployment and ordered his soldiers to advance steadily and step by step. At the same time, he sent people to notify other troops responsible for feint attacks and surprise attacks to continue their actions according to the plan and distract the enemy's attention.

As Jia Changsheng's army continued to advance, the situation in Guangling City became increasingly tense. Although Sun Quan's defenders fought desperately, Jia Changsheng's army was in high spirits and fought bravely. A fierce battle for the city unfolded in the streets and alleys of Guangling City, and all of this was due to Jia Changsheng's two thousand special troops successfully controlling the city gate, which opened the prelude to victory in this battle.

Jia Changsheng's army poured into Guangling City like a surging tide, and the battle with Sun Quan's defenders broke out instantly. The shouts of killing and the sounds of weapons clashing intertwined and echoed through the night sky.

Although Sun Quan's garrison was caught off guard, they quickly stabilized their position under the command of their generals. Relying on the streets and houses in the city, they built a series of defense lines and stubbornly resisted the attack of Jia Changsheng's army. Jia Changsheng knew that Sun Quan's army had been operating in Jiangdong for many years and was well-trained. It would not be easy to win easily. He stood on the city gate tower, closely watching the battlefield situation and constantly issuing combat orders.

"Archers, concentrate your firepower to suppress the enemy ahead! Sword and shield soldiers, follow me to charge and clear a path for the spearmen!" Jia Changsheng shouted loudly, his voice sounding particularly firm in the flames of war.

Huang Zhong took the lead, leading a team of elite soldiers and charging towards the enemy's defense line. He wielded his long sword, the cold light flashed, and every time the sword fell, it was accompanied by the screams of the enemy. Under Huang Zhong's leadership, the soldiers' morale was boosted and they bravely moved forward. However, the defense line of Sun Quan's garrison was like a solid wall, resisting the impact of Jia Changsheng's army again and again.

"These soldiers of the Eastern Wu are really tenacious!" Huang Zhong roared, swinging his sword even more fiercely, "Brothers, come on, charge them and defeat them!"

At the same time, Zhao Yun led a group of light cavalry, flexibly interspersed in the city, looking for the weak points of the enemy's defense line. They appeared on the enemy's flank like ghosts, and a burst of attack disrupted the enemy's formation. Zhao Yun's long spear was like a dragon, stabbing left and right in the enemy group, and no one could stop him. "The enemy's morale has been shaken, everyone, work harder!" Zhao Yun shouted loudly, boosting the morale of the soldiers.

After about half an hour of fighting, both sides suffered many casualties. Jia Changsheng looked at the tragic scene on the battlefield and knew that such a tough battle could not be fought blindly, and he had to find a way to undermine the enemy's fighting spirit. He turned to the messenger beside him and said, "Go, let the soldiers shout in unison, tell Sun Quan's army that continuing to resist will only lead to death, and surrender is the only way out!"

Soon, a uniform shout rang out from Jia Changsheng's army: "Surrender, you have been surrounded, resistance is useless!" This voice echoed in the city, like a heavy hammer, knocking on the hearts of Sun Quan's defenders.

Wang Wei, the general of Sun Quan's garrison, stood on a high ground, watching the fierce battle in front of him, feeling extremely anxious. He knew that Jia Changsheng was well prepared for this surprise attack, and his army was in a very passive situation. But as Sun Quan's general, he could not surrender easily.

"Brothers, we are the soldiers of Lord Sun Quan. We must not surrender to the enemy! Hold the line and wait for reinforcements!" Wang Wei shouted loudly, trying to stabilize the morale of the troops.

However, as the battle continued, the casualties of Sun Quan's defenders continued to increase. An hour later, the battlefield was littered with corpses and the streets were stained with blood. Under the fierce attack of Jia Changsheng's army, Sun Quan's defenders gradually began to be unable to hold on.

"General, we have suffered heavy casualties. If this continues, we will all die here!" A lieutenant general said to Wang Wei anxiously.

Wang Wei looked at the few remaining soldiers around him, his heart filled with helplessness and pain. He knew that if he continued to resist, he would only sacrifice more lives in vain.

"Should I really surrender..." Wang Wei was torn between his conscience and his desires.

At this time, Jia Changsheng's army launched another fierce attack. Huang Zhong led his soldiers to rush over like a tiger descending from the mountain, and the defense line of Sun Quan's garrison was finally torn open.

"Charge! Kill!" Huang Zhong roared, pointing the long sword in his hand directly at Wang Wei.

Wang Wei looked at the unstoppable Huang Zhong, and despair surged in his heart. He looked around and saw that the soldiers around him were all frightened and had lost their fighting spirit.

"Forget it..." Wang Wei sighed and threw away the weapon in his hand. "We are willing to surrender. Please spare our lives, General."

With Wang Wei's surrender, the remaining Sun Quan defenders also laid down their weapons. A fierce battle finally came to an end.

Jia Changsheng looked at the surrendered enemy troops, feeling deeply moved. Although he had won the battle, he had also paid a heavy price. He stepped forward and said to Wang Wei, "You are able to recognize the situation and choose to surrender, which is a wise move. I, Jia Changsheng, never kill surrendered generals. As long as you are loyal to me in the future, I will definitely treat you well."

Wang Wei said gratefully: "Thank you for not killing me, General. We are willing to serve you like a dog or a horse."

Jia Changsheng nodded, and then arranged for the soldiers to clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded. This fierce battle in Guangling City ended with Jia Changsheng's victory. Sun Quan's power in this area suffered a heavy blow, and Jia Changsheng's power was further expanded.

After Jia Changsheng successfully captured Guangling City, he knew that stabilizing the situation was of vital importance. He immediately began to arrange various matters, starting with dealing with the prisoners and pacifying the people.

Jia Changsheng gathered the surrendered soldiers and said loudly from a high place: "Everyone, from today on, as long as you sincerely submit to me, I will forgive you for your past. My army has always been clear about rewards and punishments. Those who are willing to stay and serve me will be incorporated into the army and treated the same as other soldiers. If you want to go home, I will also give you money to let you leave safely."

After hearing what Jia Changsheng said, the captives talked among themselves. Some of the young and strong homeless soldiers thought that following Jia Changsheng might be a way out, so they expressed their willingness to stay. Seeing this, Jia Changsheng was relieved and ordered the generals to register the captives who were willing to stay and arrange them to various camps for training. For those soldiers who wanted to go home, Jia Changsheng also kept his promise and issued enough money for them to travel, and told them to be careful on the way home.

After dealing with the captives, Jia Changsheng turned his attention to the people of Guangling City. He knew that whoever wins the hearts of the people wins the world, so he personally led the generals to patrol the city and comfort the people. He said to the people: "Fellow villagers, now that the war has ended, there is no need to panic. I, Jia Changsheng, will ensure your safety and restore Guangling City to its former peace. If there were any harsh policies during Sun Quan's rule that caused everyone to suffer, I will correct them one by one."

When the people heard Jia Changsheng's words, their fear gradually dissipated. They saw that Jia Changsheng's army was disciplined and did not harm the people, so they trusted Jia Changsheng more. Jia Changsheng also arranged for soldiers to open the granary to provide relief to the poor people in the city, and organized military doctors to treat the injured people. For a time, the people in Guangling City were grateful to Jia Changsheng, and the originally tense atmosphere gradually eased.

However, while Jia Changsheng was busy pacifying the people and dealing with the prisoners, Chen Wu, a trusted subordinate of Sun Quan in Guangling City, was looking for an opportunity to leave the city. Chen Wu knew that if the news of the fall of Guangling City could not be spread in time, Sun Quan would suffer greater losses.

Chen Wu first hid in an abandoned house in the city and observed the patrol patterns of Jia Changsheng's army. He found that in order to prevent the news from leaking, Jia Changsheng had added sentries at the city gates and main streets, and the inspections were extremely strict. But Chen Wu did not give up, he was waiting for the right opportunity.

(End of this chapter)