The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 320: War in Shu, Shi Feixuan persuades people to surrender

"According to the spy, the enemy has 150,000 troops, claiming to have 300,000 troops. They are led by Yuwen Chengdu, the general of the pseudo-Zhou Dynasty, and Li Shimin, the second son of the Li family, as their deputy commander. They will take the Luogu and Baoxia routes."

Camp outside Chengdu.

Song Que was wearing black armor, with a resolute face, sword-like eyebrows, and a pair of eyes like deep lakes, revealing unquestionable majesty and decisiveness.

There was a huge map in the tent, showing the deployment of troops, mountains and cities from Guanzhong to Bashu.

Pei Ju, Li Jing, Kou Zhong, Song Lu and others gathered here to prepare for the upcoming battle. The camp was filled with a serious and tense atmosphere.

Song Que looked at the direction of Hanzhong on the map and suddenly laughed, "With an army of 150,000, it seems that the two families are determined to swallow us up."

Kou Zhong could no longer suppress his excitement and immediately said, "Master, the Guanlong coalition is nothing but a bunch of chickens and dogs. I am willing to be the vanguard and give them a head-on blow."

The young man was so brave and daring that everyone present couldn't help but smile, but no one laughed at him. Xu Ziling had already reached the level of a grandmaster, and not long ago, Kou Zhong's martial arts also went a step further and he successfully became a grandmaster. He was also a rare master in the world. In addition, he had been training in the army, so he was the best candidate for the first battle.

Li Jing was afraid that he would act impulsively, so he quickly reminded him, "Xiao Zhong, the enemy's new troops have just arrived, so don't underestimate them."

Kou Zhong stroked the stubble on his chin and said confidently, "Don't worry, big brother. I won't act impulsively. In this battle, we should wait for the enemy to tire themselves out and focus on defense. We should abandon the city when necessary, preserve our strength, and let the enemy in."

"Okay, with that insight, I will send you as the vanguard in this battle. Lead your two thousand elite soldiers to rush to the aid of Lecheng. Try to consume the enemy as much as possible, and there is no need to fight to the death."

Kou Zhong's face was filled with joy, "I obey your command!"

Immediately, he turned and left.

He opened the tent and saw an endless expanse of tents. Not far away was a large parade ground. Through the wooden fence, he could see the sweaty soldiers on the parade ground from afar. Their neat movements and shouts made his eardrums buzz and his blood vessels seem to become hot. The whole military camp was shrouded in a solemn atmosphere. Soldiers shuttled back and forth, their busy figures casting long shadows in the sun.

Kou Zhong rode towards the parade ground, "White Tiger Camp, follow me!"

Then a distinctive drum sound was heard, "Boom, boom!"

Soon, the soldiers came out of the tents, gathered in an orderly manner with their weapons and armor.

"Brothers, the barbarian bastards from the north are coming to attack us. It's our chance to make achievements. Suppressing the bandits before was not enough. Going to the battlefield is the real military achievement. Are you willing to kill the enemy with me?"

The resounding voice echoed throughout the camp, and then the soldiers raised their weapons and shouted, "Yes, yes."

"Kill the enemy!" Everyone's eyes were wide open, their faces were red with excitement. Following the young commander meant eating meat. When they attacked the mountain stronghold before, the young commander didn't want any spoils. Except for the part that was handed over, the rest was distributed to the subordinates. Where can you find such a commander? It's worth it even if you sell your life to him.

"set off!"

Half an hour later, the army, stretching like a long dragon, walked out of the gate and rushed towards the north.

……

After Kou Zhong left, Song Que glanced at everyone and said, "Whatever you think, please feel free to speak up."

Li Jing was shocked and spoke again, "General, I think that we should focus on delaying this battle. The northern troops are in high spirits, so we should avoid their attack, use the terrain to delay them, and then find an opportunity to counterattack and annihilate them in one fell swoop."

There is no doubt that the Song clan was inferior to the Guanlong coalition forces in terms of military strength, but Bashu had the barrier of Hanzhong, which was a barrier of layers. Even if the coalition forces had strong military strength, they could not use it. Only by taking the dangerous pass could they make further progress, otherwise they would return empty-handed.

Shi Zhixuan glanced at Li Jing inconspicuously. What was this person's background? He was not an ordinary person to have such insights. Everyone present understood that it was not difficult to repel the enemy, but the difficult part was how to expand the results of the battle and obtain the greatest benefits.

Without a doubt, the most direct way is to annihilate the 150,000 troops of the Guanlong Alliance. Without these 150,000 troops, the future Northern Expedition of Bashu will save a lot of trouble.

However, Song Shidao also stood up and said, "Father, the alliance's 150,000 troops will suffer heavy losses if they break through Hanzhong and attack Shu. The autumn harvest is just a few months away. If the enemy gets the grain from Bashu, the consequences will be disastrous."

Shi Zhixuan also said, "Master, what the eldest son said is not without reason. The past of Shu Han cannot be ignored. The coalition army's entry into Shu is of great significance. People's hearts are in turmoil and unexpected events are happening. I think Hanzhong can be a barrier and also a place for a decisive battle."

In fact, our ancestors had already left behind various battle examples of how Guanzhong should attack Shu. You don’t even have to think about how to fight and how to defend, as they are all ready-made in history books.

Song Que nodded in satisfaction, and then said, "You two are right. The land of Tianfu is flat and has no strategic location to defend. Only by controlling the pass can we win. I wonder where the battle will be held?"

After saying this, he subconsciously glanced at Su Ming.

Sensing the other person's gaze, Su Ming raised his eyelids and slowly uttered two words, "Jian Ge."

Jiange is located at the break of Dajian Mountain, with steep cliffs on both sides reaching into the sky. The peaks are like swords against the sky, and the cliffs are separated and the two walls are opposite. It looks like a gate, so it is called "Jianmen". According to historical records, when Zhuge Liang was the prime minister of Shu Han, he saw a 30-li pavilion road between Dajian Mountain and Dajian Mountain, and saw that the wall at the break of Dajian Mountain was thousands of feet high, and there was a line of sky, so he piled stones here to build a pass as a barrier, called Jiange, also known as Jiange Pass. Later, Zhuge Liang went to Qishan five times, and Jiang Wei went to the Central Plains eleven times in the north, all of which passed through this place. This place is the throat of entering Shu and a military town, and it is a place that military strategists must fight for.

The danger of Jiange is well known to the world. Will the Guanlong coalition army ignore other places and go for this tough nut to crack? Li Jing and others couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

……

When the Guanlong coalition warlords issued the manifesto of war, the land of Bashu was suddenly in a state of panic. Merchants and wealthy families in Zitong, Mianzhu, Langzhong... and other cities evacuated towards Chengdu overnight. Before the refugee tide came, these wealthy families had already set off. As they were heading in the direction of Chengdu, the government seat, was also in a state of panic. The patrol soldiers and runners added to the city walls and streets made the people in the city feel oppressed as if chaos was about to come.

Kou Zhong led two thousand elite troops to Hanzhong. Along the way, he saw common people with their families and children, and a cold look appeared on his face. It was all because of the remnants of the Hu people in the north!
In the past two years, he led his army into the mountains to suppress bandits, and watched the entire Shu area gradually improve and prosper. But at this time, the Guanlong Allied Forces arrived, forcing the people to leave their homes.

Fortunately, the Zhennan Mansion had made preparations in advance and set up post stations along the way. The people were resettled one after another, with able-bodied men being drafted to do logistical labor and the elderly and the weak being sent to the rear for resettlement.

A few days later, Kou Zhong arrived in Lecheng.

The city here is not big, but its location is strategic. Looking to the northeast, you can see the rippling water on the surface of the Xushui River, and the water flows southward to merge into the Mianshui River; the shadows of mountains can be vaguely seen in the distance.

Han and Le are the garrison nodes of Hanzhong's east-west lines. The Hanzhong Basin is about 200 miles long from east to west, and the main threats are concentrated in the east and west directions. Therefore, Zhuge Liang built two cities on the south bank of the Mian River in the east and west. In the west, Hancheng was newly built on the south bank of the Mian River opposite Yang'an Pass to block the enemies invading through Chencang Road and Baoxia Road. In the east, Lecheng was newly built on the south bank of the Mian River opposite Chenggu to resist the enemies invading from Ziwu Valley, Tangluo Road, and Xicheng. Lecheng here is the largest city in the eastern part of the Hanzhong Plain. It was originally in disrepair for a long time, but since the Song clan entered Shu, Song Que has strengthened the defense of Hanzhong and re-established the city defense. Lecheng controls the eastern front of Hanzhong and is a military town in the direction of Tangluo Road, Ziwu Road, and Dongsanjun.

On August 15th, the moon is full.

The 150,000 Western Route Army set out on the march, and the war in Shu began.

During the more than half a year since the northern troops moved south, from Taiyuan to Chang'an, and then to Hanzhong, there was a panic. Now in mid-August, the 150,000 troops of the Western Army have gathered and officially kicked off the expedition against Bashu.

In front of Seoul, the Zhou army took the lead in launching an attack.

Li Shimin, a descendant of the Li family, led 30,000 vanguard troops to launch an attack. On the city wall, countless swords clashed, screams sounded, and arrows flew through the air, and the battlefield exploded in an instant.

Kou Zhong was wearing armor and holding a rough knife. The knife was not very sharp and not good-looking. At first glance, it looked like a formed knife blank. However, in Kou Zhong's hands, it could be transformed into magic. Every time he swung the knife, the enemy's life would be taken away.

"There are so many enemies."

While fighting, Kou Zhong counted the number of enemies. The soldiers defending the city were rotated out wave by wave, but the enemy's attack never stopped.

A few days later, a hill of earth was piled up on the top of Seoul City. The enemy climbed up the hill and easily climbed onto the city wall. The war had entered a white-hot stage and both sides were competing in endurance.

In the distance, Li Shimin, wearing armor and a sword on his waist, saw the scene on the city wall and couldn't help but sigh, "The enemy general is so brave. If he could join my Li family, it would be a great help."

At this time, Shi Feixuan on the side said, "If Master Li wants to persuade this man to surrender, Feixuan can help you."

After Cihang Jingzhai was forced to move out of Zhongnan Mountain, its influence declined greatly, and the former fairies had to come down from the clouds and rush around all day long, just to give more help to the Li family and get greater rewards in the future.

Li Shimin's heart warmed and a bit of confusion flashed in his eyes, "Thank you, Fairy." Then he ordered the troops to retreat.

"Boom, boom!"

When the drums sounded, the soldiers on the city walls fought and retreated, slowly leaving the wall. A few people who were so bloodthirsty that they were unaware of the situation and were besieged to death.

Kou Zhong wiped the sweat and blood off his face and looked at the enemy camp in the distance in confusion, "Why did they retreat?"

"Hurry up and take over."

A few quarters of an hour later, a figure slowly walked over from the city in the distance. The person was wearing a white dress, with long fluttering hair. She was walking among the corpses on the ground. The white dress was spotless, her pretty face was full of holiness, and her eyes were compassionate, like the incarnation of Bodhisattva.

"Amitabha, may Buddha have mercy on me, may I ask the name of the commander defending the city?" The clear voice was carried to the city wall by the wind.

Kou Zhong leaned against the wall and took a gulp of tea. When he saw the person coming, he looked even more puzzled, "What is this woman doing here?"

"General, do you want us to take her..." His personal soldiers came forward and made a beheading gesture.

"No, I want to see what she wants to do." Kou Zhong threw the bowl down from the top of the city wall. It fell on the corpse and rolled over, swaying in the blood. "My name is Kou Zhong. Are all the men of the Li family dead? Why would I ask you, a woman, to come?"

Shi Feixuan's eyes flickered. It turned out to be him, Song Que's apprentice, the boy who had practiced the art of immortality. "General, please be patient. I am Shi Feixuan, and I am here on behalf of the Li family."

She opened her red lips slightly, her long black hair flying behind her, looking extremely beautiful. Her gentle voice was filled with compassion, "When two armies fight, countless lives will be lost. The general is a young genius and a disciple of the leader of the Song clan. The world is in chaos, so what are the people to blame? The Li clan came here this time to stop the war and bring peace back to Bashu."

"The Song clan has brought chaos to the south and occupied Bashu without reason. They are not righteous people. For the sake of the people of the world, I hope the general will listen to me. Song Que is not a wise leader, and the Song clan will not be able to go against the trend. If the general can abandon the dark and join the light and make way, Feixuan will be grateful."

After hearing this, Kou Zhong was unable to come back to his senses for a long time. He turned to the soldiers beside him and said, "Do you think this woman has lost her mind?"

At this moment, many soldiers on the city wall showed fascination with it, as if they had seen something they had dreamed of.

The guard suddenly woke up, his face flushed, and he nodded frantically, "Young Marshal, this woman is definitely mentally ill." Then he looked regretful, "I see she is so beautiful, but mentally ill, otherwise it would be great if the young marshal could take her home and make her his wife."

Kou Zhong nodded, then shook his head, he didn't want it.

Then, he gathered all his inner strength and shouted, "What's the point of your gratitude? Bah, you really think you're a piece of cake. The battlefield is not a place for a woman like you. I advise you to go back and tell the people of the Li family to clean their necks and wait. Sooner or later, I, Kou Zhong, will chop off their heads to commemorate the dead soldiers."

"Get out of here, you stinky nun, or I won't be polite to you." Kou Zhong didn't have any good feelings towards the people of the Buddhist sect.

When his powerful voice resounded throughout the battlefield, the soldiers on the city wall were suddenly awakened and couldn't help but feel fear. Soldiers like these had stronger wills than ordinary people, but they were not as perceptive as warriors. The influence of the immortalization was only superficial and they recovered quickly.

Shi Feixuan sighed in her heart, clasped her hands together, and said with compassion, "Amitabha, General, take care of yourself."

In the distance, when Li Shimin heard Kou Zhong's words, his eyes suddenly darkened and his gaze towards the top of the city was filled with murderous intent.

After Shi Feixuan came back, he ordered another attack. However, after the delay just now, the defenders in Lecheng were already prepared. The advantage gained from the previous desperate fighting was gone. The piles of earth that had been painstakingly piled up were also knocked down. It was unknown how many lives would be lost to fill the gap.

Ten days later, the flames of war are still spreading.

Passing the county town ahead, the sun set and rose again. As the dark color was quickly dispersed by the edge of the morning light, Lecheng was crumbling.

Gray clouds reflected the fire and spread over the top of the city. Occasionally, huge rocks flew up and smashed against the city wall. Spider-web-like cracks spread out. The Song army running on the top of the city threw stones down amid the shouts of officers. Archers hid behind the battlements and shield soldiers and shot arrows down. Arrows flew up from time to time. Soldiers screamed miserably, covered the part where they were shot by arrows, fell to the ground and rolled over, and were then pulled down by their companions. Everything seemed chaotic.

Looking at the local soldiers who were constantly attacking the city, Kou Zhong gradually began to think of retreating.

(End of this chapter)