Whale Falls and Becomes a God

Chapter 183 The Pact at Chitai
"Without the assistance of Marquis of Nanyang or Yun Xihai, it would be quite difficult for the Fengming Army to capture Hailing City. However, a few generals are sufficient to defend it, so Your Highness need not worry!"

Seeing the worried expression on Prince Jingwu's face, the strategist Wang Caixuan hesitated before offering words of comfort.

That being said, Wang Caixuan wasn't actually very confident.

The current defense of Hailing City is mainly composed of the Left, Right, and Rear Armies, assisted by 200,000 able-bodied soldiers, led by Generals Xu Qiubai, Chen Hanyu, and Liu Ziyi, totaling 350,000 troops, most of whom are new recruits. Whether they can stop the Fengming Army and defend Hailing City is really hard to say.

Both sides have their strengths and weaknesses. The Sui army at Hailing had the advantage of having several great generals and the ability to defend the city. However, the Fengming army had the advantage of having more soldiers and generals, but lacked top-tier generals.

However, if the battle were to take place outside the city, the Sui army of Hailing would clearly be no match for the Fengming army. The only hope is that the generals of the Sui army of Hailing would not rashly leave the city to meet the enemy!
Military strategist Li Baiyao was not as optimistic as Wang Caixuan, and instead solemnly reminded her:
"Our army still needs to deal with the Jianghuai Army as soon as possible! The outcome of the battle at Hailing is uncertain, and the greatest threat is still the rebel army led by the Yuwen clan. Neither Yuwen Chengdu nor the Xiaoguo Army can match the Sui army of Jiangdu, not to mention the Wagang Army whose subsequent attitude is unclear..."

Wang Caixuan didn't refute, but suggested, "How about... we split into two groups, with the Prince and General Phoenix as the leaders respectively, heading to Hailing City and Jiangdu. If we defend the cities, our chances of winning will be higher!"

There was no way around it; the influence of an invincible general who was unstoppable was too great.

The threat posed by an invincible general is not just the casualties he causes, which are relatively insignificant; even the strongest individual cannot kill many soldiers. More important is the impact of his achievements in breaking through enemy lines, revitalizing the army, being the first to scale enemy lines, and even exceptional feats like beheading generals or capturing flags.

Yuwen Chengdu was no ordinary invincible general; his lightning magic alone, seemingly an innate divine power, could kill countless Sui soldiers. Under his leadership, the already formidable Xiaoguo Army could probably unleash over 100%, perhaps even 200-300% of its fighting strength!
Looking at all the Sui army, perhaps only Xiao Ying and Dugu Feng could hold their own against Yuwen Chengdu and give him some restraint, but they still lost more often than they won. Other Sui generals were probably no match for Yuwen Chengdu in just a few rounds!

"We can consider it! However, since we're already facing off against the Jianghuai Army, let's first try to see if we can eliminate their threat!"

Wang Caixuan only offered a general suggestion, but Xiao Ying and the others basically understood the key points she was referring to. Xiao Ying frowned first and said, then paused and quickly ordered, "Send a message to the Jianghuai Grand Commander. I wish to meet with him privately!"

"Ah? Yes!"

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening and quickly responded.

It's not hard to guess that Prince Jingwu, Xiao Ying, wanted to make peace with the Jianghuai Army and end the war through a private discussion between the two of them!
Fortunately, Prince Jingwu and Empress Xiao had a special relationship. If it were anyone else, this method would not have worked and they would have easily been accused of treason! At least one charge of "colluding" with an enemy general would have been unavoidable and impossible to refute.

If the leader of the Sui army is still Emperor Yang Guang, then Xiao Ying will at best be dismissed or replaced as commander, and at worst be imprisoned or beheaded, and may even be implicated in others' crimes!

"Then the Hailing Fengming Army and the Jiangdu rebels..." Wang Caixuan asked hesitantly.

"We'll see how things go then! If it really doesn't work out... then we'll split up!"

Xiao Ying replied with some difficulty, then looked outside the tent and murmured, "It's a pity. If only we could persuade Yun Xihai and his group to surrender. Let's try our best to persuade Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi to surrender!"

With Xiao Ying's current strength, plus Wu Yun's summoned star soul, he was confident that even if he couldn't defeat Yuwen Chengdu, he wouldn't be easily defeated and could hold him back. However, there were too many powerful enemies, and he couldn't be in two places at once!

However, if the Jianghuai army can be dealt with or persuaded to retreat, then splitting the forces would be feasible, greatly increasing the chances of victory, and the two cities would be much safer.

"It's probably very difficult right now! Insisting on persuading them to surrender is likely to have the opposite effect!" Li Baiyao replied with a wry smile and a shake of his head.

Everyone fell silent. Regardless of the circumstances, Wu Yunzhao died at Chitai Mountain. Even if it was suicide, the responsibility of Prince Jingwu and the Sui army could not be escaped.

Whether it was due to the death of their elder brother or indirect responsibility, Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi could not possibly submit so quickly. It was already quite good that they did not continue to retaliate against the Sui army!

……

Three poles in the sun!

The Sui army at Chitai Mountain had just repaired their camp and cleaned up the mess. The Jianghuai army at the foot of the mountain was in a similar situation, having also just repaired their camp and cleaned up the mess.

Xiao Ying then led her four maids and twelve monks down the mountain to the Jianghuai military camp. Several miles away from the camp, she openly set up a table and laid out food, waiting for Du Fuwei to arrive.

Dugu Feng, Hong Lingtian, and others watched from afar on Mount Chitai, keeping watch and ready to strike at any moment.

If possible, Xiao Ying didn't want to bring her four maids and twelve monks to show her sincerity. However, since the four maids and twelve monks were her close confidants, she usually brought them along, so it was understandable!

After a while...

Du Fuwei, along with two generals, Kan Leng and Wang Xiongdan, as well as many adopted sons, generals, and retainers, numbering in the hundreds, poured out of the Jianghuai military camp. Among them were generals from the Chu King's lineage, such as Zuo Youxian, Zhang Shan'an, and Feng Huiliang, who had now clearly joined the Wu King's lineage.

In other words, the Jianghuai Army is now truly under the sole command of Du Fuwei, and there is no longer any worry about division or internal strife.

After pausing at the entrance of the military camp, Du Fuwei led Zuo Youxian, Zhang Shan'an, as well as generals, several adopted sons, and more than twenty other people to meet Xiao Ying.

The remaining hundreds remained at the entrance of the military camp, which was still densely packed with figures inside the fence, clearly a large army ready to launch a surprise attack at any moment!
"Brother Du! A get-together during wartime leisure time, with fine wine and delicious food, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Seeing Du Fuwei and the others arrive, Xiao Ying did not get up to greet them. Instead, she smiled and raised her glass as if welcoming an old friend.

"Brother, you're in high spirits!" Du Fuwei shook his head in annoyance, but then readily took a seat, much like a familiar face.

The others, including the four maids, the twelve monks, and Kan Leng, stood behind the two men, wary of each other.

"Your Majesty!"

Seeing Du Fuwei readily take his seat, pick up his chopsticks and cup to eat, Zuo Youxian called out as if to show his loyalty, and with a flick of his wrist, a silver needle appeared in his hand, clearly intending to test for poison.

"Brother, what do you want to talk about by inviting me to a get-together? Are you trying to make peace?"

Du Fuwei waved his hand dismissively, gestured to Zuo Youxian, raised his cup to Xiao Ying, and asked directly.

"Brother, that's awesome!"

Xiao Ying raised her cup in response, praising him repeatedly, and then, without beating around the bush, said directly:
"I believe you are somewhat aware of the current situation of our army, so I won't make any empty threats. I simply want to negotiate peace with the Jianghuai Army and hope they will withdraw their troops to avoid a prolonged standoff that wastes time and benefits other forces!"

"Squeak, squeak..."

Du Fuwei ate heartily, his mouth greasy and his face full of enjoyment, but he waited for Xiao Ying to continue. He knew that peace talks would not be so simple. In any case, the Jianghuai Army was not in a hurry; it was the Sui Army that was.

Under such circumstances, the Sui army would certainly have to pay a price if it wanted to negotiate peace.

“Brother, you can represent Her Majesty the Empress and acknowledge your status and position!” Xiao Ying thought for a moment and said frankly, then added, “If we can form a private alliance, a defensive alliance, that would be even better.”

"Not bad!"

Du Fuwei ate and drank heartily with gusto, praising the food repeatedly. He then put down his wine glass and chopsticks, smiled at Xiao Ying, and asked, "That's it? Is that all?"

"that's all……"

Xiao Ying's expression turned serious, her smile vanished, and she nodded earnestly, sighing helplessly:

"Time waits for no one! In this situation, either you lead your troops to fight to the death today, or we negotiate a truce and withdraw to face other powerful enemies!"

"Threatening my brother?" Du Fuwei narrowed his eyes and asked with a half-smile.

"It's just being realistic!"

Xiao Ying shook her head in agreement, raised her cup again to invite him to ease the tense atmosphere, but did not say anything more.

"That's true, it's indeed the case!"

Du Fuwei nodded in agreement, completely ignoring Zuo Youxian, Kan Leng, and the others who hesitated several times before speaking, and shook his head to himself, saying, "But, this is not enough! Brother, you can't explain this to the army, and our army isn't in a hurry either!"

Xiao Ying glanced meaningfully at the people behind Du Fuwei, especially Zuo Youxian and Zhang Shan'an, then looked at Du Fuwei and reminded him:

"Aren't you in a hurry? War is raging everywhere, and the kings are ambitious, conquering in all directions and vying to expand their territories. Moreover, the King of Chu has just died, and the Jianghuai region is unstable. If you don't go back soon to appease the people and reorganize the territory, it's hard to say how much territory and soldiers will be left after the war!"

“It’s still not enough…” Du Fuwei didn’t argue, and he understood Xiao Ying’s unspoken meaning, but simply insisted.

Xiao Ying raised his glass for the third time, seemingly casually smiling wryly, and said, "Then let's just say it, brother. There's no need for this back-and-forth haggling! Let's be frank and straightforward. Either we settle this now, or we go back to prepare for battle and fight tonight!"

"Unconditionally release the prisoners and... return the Black Cloud Cavalry's weapons and armor, and swear an oath never to invade your territory!"

Du Fuwei raised his cup in response, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. He pondered for a moment and slowly replied, then continued, "It's acceptable for Empress Xiao to issue an edict acknowledging it, but as for the alliance of offense and defense... forget about it! The Sui army should take care of themselves first. When the Jianghuai army needs the Sui army's help, there's no point in persisting!"

"Brother, you're so generous and carefree!" Xiao Ying praised, giving a thumbs up.

Du Fuwei shook his head and smiled, without saying or explaining anything further.

"A word is settled!"

Xiao Ying's mind raced, and she readily accepted the invitation for the fourth time.

"Keng..."

The clinking of wine glasses symbolized the success of the peace talks, and both parties agreed to this.

The seemingly high-profile negotiations between the two armies were settled in just a few words and four cups between Xiao Ying and Du Fuwei. It was only because both of them were able to make their own decisions that the negotiations were so simple and quick; otherwise, there would have been a lot of wrangling between them!

"Brother, what's your opinion on the current situation, with all these rebel kings and traitors?"

The meeting was successful, but Xiao Ying was in no hurry to carry it out. Instead, she casually asked for advice, as if they had returned to the time when they first met, when there was no hatred or conflict and they chatted casually.

"With your abilities, brother, it wouldn't be difficult for you to deal with the Fengming Army, the Yuwen rebels, or the Liang and Nanyue armies that have been eyeing Piling for a long time. There's no need to worry!"

Du Fuwei thought for a moment, then spoke frankly and generously, not hesitating to acknowledge and favor the Prince of Jingwu. He then added, "However, in my humble opinion, the Wagang Army is the greatest enemy of you and the Sui Army! Next is the Song family of Lingnan, the Demon Army of Shanghai, then the Li family of Shendu, and the Ming Prince of Hebei. The rest... are not worth worrying about!"

That being said, Du Fuwei was referring to the Sui army, but also to himself and the Jianghuai army.

The Wagang Army and the Ming King of Hebei were both formidable enemies of the Jianghuai Army, one on the left and the other on the top... to the north.

This is also one of the main reasons why Du Fuwei did not refute Xiao Ying's "reminder" earlier. Now, the Ming King of Hebei is leading his troops in all directions, and his power is at its zenith. If Du Fuwei and the Jianghuai army do not return soon, the Ming King may really seize Jianghuai, especially the territory and troops of the former Chu King's lineage. It is estimated that many people already have different thoughts, and some may even be colluding with various rebel kings!
In this chaotic era, numerous kings rose up and heroes vied for supremacy.

The Sui army now appears to be surrounded by enemies on all sides, facing numerous crises and on the verge of annihilation. The Jianghuai army and the various rebel kings are in a similar situation; none are much better off than the others. They too are surrounded by enemies, each with powerful adversaries watching them, and could be swallowed up or destroyed at any moment. It's just that their situations are different; none are as dire as the Sui army's, as war has already officially begun!

More importantly, Du Fuwei and the Jianghuai Army were not confident of a major victory over the Sui Army, and the most likely outcome of a decisive battle between the two sides would be mutual destruction.

After the two previous attacks, both Du Fuwei and the Jianghuai Army are now somewhat apprehensive. They might as well go back to clean up the mess, stabilize the morale of the region, and wait and see how things develop.

As for whether it was Xiao Ying's empty threats or a verbal duel, that was just a negotiation tactic.

Du Fuwei had no doubts, because given the situation, Xiao Ying had no choice but to fight. Could he just let the Jianghuai Army march into Hailing City or Jiangdu? The threat posed by the Jianghuai Army was far greater than that of the Fengming Army, and even greater than that of the Yuwen rebels!

"I wonder how ambitious you are, brother?" Xiao Ying nodded slightly, indicating his agreement with Du Fuwei's words, but then asked a question that was not directly related to the question.

"What do you mean?" Du Fuwei asked, puzzled.

Which rebel king didn't have ambition? If they had no ambition, why would they start a rebellion? Were they just bored and had nothing better to do?
Xiao Ying recalled the deeds of Du Fuwei from her previous life and smiled expectantly:
"How about we make another agreement... If you unify Jiangnan and the Jianghuai Army hasn't made much progress, how about I surrender? With you here, at least my title and power will be guaranteed!"

"Uh……"

Du Fuwei stared in astonishment, and even the people behind the two were speechless with surprise.

Prince Jingwu really dares to say anything, and even wants to get something for nothing. He thinks he can subdue the Jianghuai Army, which is recognized as the strongest force in Jiangnan, with just a few words?
What a pipe dream!
Just when everyone thought Du Fuwei would get angry and that the agreement they had just reached might be jeopardized, they saw Du Fuwei not get angry at all. He simply stood up, waved his hand, and casually replied:
"You're quite thoughtful, buddy! Besides, take care!"

"Take care of yourself!"

This separation means Xiao Ying will face formidable enemies such as the Fengming Army and the Yuwen rebels. Du Fuwei's situation is equally challenging; he must reorganize the Jianghuai region, confront the Ming King of Hebei, and possibly even the Fengming Army or the Wagang Army!
Now, the Wagang Army is closely following the Yuwen rebels, seemingly aiming for Jiangdu, but they are also very likely to invade the nearby Jianghuai region!

(End of this chapter)