Whale Falls and Becomes a God

Chapter 185 Mysterious Situation

"Forget it! Let them go. Although we can't persuade them to surrender for now, they won't become our enemies!"

"Being moved is just a greedy impulse," Xiao Ying finally shook her head and replied, offering no further explanation.

There are things a real man does and things he doesn't do.

"Yes!"

Li Baiyao hesitated for a moment, but ultimately agreed with great regret. This was an excellent opportunity to keep the two of them, which would have been much more difficult on the battlefield, requiring a price many times higher.

"Report..."

"The Fengming Army arrived at Hailing City and launched an attack on the city after only resting for an hour or two and being unprepared!"

Just then, a shout came from inside the tent, and a scout entered to report.

"So urgent?"

Everyone, including Xiao Ying, was somewhat surprised, as this happened earlier than expected.

Immediately, they were all relieved that the Jianghuai army had already begun to break camp and withdraw, otherwise the Sui army would have been in trouble!

The battle at Chitai Mountain was not only much shorter than expected, but also resulted in far fewer casualties, and in some cases even more, which is something to be thankful for.

This is destiny, and the will of Heaven is with the Sui Dynasty, which everyone firmly believes!
"Pah! Pah..."

Xiao Ying clapped her hands several times, waking everyone up, and then frowned and gave the instructions:
"If war breaks out again, then let's proceed as previously agreed!"

Li Baiyao declared as if making a solemn pledge: "Your Highness, rest assured! With the abilities of Consort Chen, Consort Xu, and other generals, they can hold off the Fengming Army until we return. There shouldn't be any major problems. If the Fengming Army doesn't retreat by then, they will be defeated!"

This was a promise to Prince Jingwu, and also a way to appease the generals.

Because they had made preparations in advance, the generals did not have much time to organize their troops, and they quickly completed their preparations and replenished their respective units.

The nearly 30,000 casualties last night will be temporarily drawn from Zhao Pojun's middle-ranking Martial Army. Once the middle-ranking Martial Army returns to Hailing City, the full strength will be replenished!
The sun sets and the sky is dyed with rosy clouds!
The Jianghuai camp at the foot of Chitai Mountain had already withdrawn a significant portion of its troops, while the Sui army at Chitai Mountain had completely withdrawn, with the last to leave being the Jingwu Prince's force.

The army that rushed to Jiangdu consisted of 3,000 Jingwu Guards, 20,000 Jingwu Army under Hong Lingtian, 50,000 Fangwu Army under Dugu Feng, and 50,000 Dongfangwu Army under Xie Yingdeng, totaling 123,000.

Although this army is small in number and has not been in service for long, it can be considered a veteran. It has experienced several battles, from the recapture of Jiangdu to the south bank of Tianjiang, then to Hailing City, and then to Chitai Mountain. It has experienced four major battles.

Now that they have returned to Jiangdu, the morale, combat effectiveness, and military strength of this army have undergone a complete transformation!
……

Jianghuai Camp.

Although the Jianghuai Army had withdrawn more than half of its troops, the Jianghuai Commander-in-Chief Du Fuwei had not yet left, along with General Wang Xiongdan, the Purple-Faced Heavenly King Xiong Kuohai who had just returned to reunite with his subordinates, and the invincible Wu Tianxi, among others.

Such a large-scale troop movement could not be kept secret from the Jianghuai Army, which was nearby.

Du Fuwei could clearly see the waves surging down the mountain, heading straight south towards Prince Jingwu and the Sui army. This was the last batch of Sui troops from Chitai Mountain!

Zuo Youxian looked at Du Fuwei with eager anticipation and reminded him, "Your Highness! The Sui army and Prince Jingwu retreated in such a hurry, their military situation must be dire. Are we just going to let them leave like this? Isn't that too easy on them?"

"Oh? Does General Zuo intend to lead his troops to hunt down Prince Jingwu?" Du Fuwei glanced at Zuo Youxian and asked calmly, his meaning unclear.

According to Du Fuwei, when Dugu Feng assassinated Chu Wang Fu Gongyou, Zuo Youxian was the first to lose his composure and run away, even revealing his secret identity as an elder of the Yinji Sect, which was quite a disgrace!
If it weren't for the fact that Du Fuwei needed to appease the Chu King's faction, and that killing a general without authorization would have a very bad impact, he would have wanted to deal with Zuo Youxian!
However, although Zuo Youxian behaved very badly, it did not count as betrayal or violation of discipline. At least his crime did not warrant death. If Du Fuwei wanted to get rid of him, it would be difficult to do so openly!
"This..." Zuo Youxian's expression froze, and he was speechless for a moment.

If what he saw was correct, Wushuang Fenghuang was also among the last Sui army to retreat. He really wouldn't dare to let Zuo Youxian lead the army to pursue and kill them alone, unless all the Jianghuai army came together.

Wang Xiongdan looked at Zuo Youxian with disdain and spat, "Since it's an agreement, it should be kept! After all, King Jingwu has kept his promise and released King Xiongtian and Chief Wu. He is indeed a man of his word!"

"Yes! Yes!" Zuo Youxian replied repeatedly, seemingly oblivious to the scorn, and then stepped down the stairs.
"King Xiong! Chief Wu! Why don't we return to Jianghuai together and fight for the world? With your abilities, you two will surely dominate Jiangnan, awe the world, and at the very least, become great generals, enjoying wealth and honor!"

Wang Xiongdan was too lazy to argue with Zuo Youxian, that shameless old fox, but instead looked at Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi with burning eyes and tried to recruit them.

Everyone fell silent, including Du Fuwei, all looking expectantly at the two of them…

Now that Marquis Wu Yunzhao of Nanyang is dead, and Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi clearly have no intention of joining forces with the Fengming Army, this presents a great opportunity for the Jianghuai Army.

Looking at the vast Jianghuai Army, including Du Fuwei and the generals, there really wasn't anyone who could match either of the two. It would be such a waste to just turn back to the Taihang Mountains or the Southern Barbarians like this!
In front of Du Fuwei, Wang Xiongdan publicly promised the position of Grand General, which meant being the commander of a large army of at least 100,000 men. This was already a very high level of real power, including military power.

Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi exchanged a glance, and Xiong Kuohai clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying:
"We thank the Jianghuai Army for treating our men so kindly! However, with Brother Wu recently deceased, we have lost our fighting spirit and our men have also been deeply affected. We only wish to return to our home base now and hope to cooperate again in the future. Please forgive us, King Wu and everyone else!"

"Alas...what a pity! Marquis of Nanyang..."

Most of the people present, including Du Fuwei, were visibly disappointed, and Wang Xiongdan even sighed deeply.

No one expected that a surprise attack that was originally a sure thing would have such a result, and that it would leave Wu Yunzhao, the most famous, strongest and most important figure in their camp, forever on Chitai Mountain!
"The Marquis of Nanyang... what a pity..."

With Wu Yunzhao brought up, the Jianghuai people couldn't say anything. Du Fuwei looked at the deserted Chitai Mountain with a complicated expression and sighed deeply.

When the Sui army withdrew, they only took away military tents, machinery, and other items that were easy to pack and transport. The framework of the military camp was still there, but there was no one inside!

Only the solemnly renovated tomb of the Marquis of Nanyang, along with the countless graves of Sui soldiers who died in battle, add a legendary touch to the name of Chitai Mountain!
"Elder brother...Nanyang...Wu family..."

Wu Tianxi gazed at the desolate and empty Chitai Mountain with dazed eyes, muttering to himself, his heart filled with complex emotions, unsure of what to do.

Wu Tianxi wasn't a particularly thoughtful person, and was rather willful and reckless, which led him to run away from the Glory and Loyalty Wu Clan, venture all the way to the Southern Barbarians, and become the chieftain of Tuoluo Village. Now, he's the only one left of the Loyalty and Filial Wu Clan, and an invisible pressure and responsibility falls on his shoulders. He feels he can't continue to drift along like this, otherwise he'll truly be letting down his brothers and the kindness of those who raised him, but he doesn't know exactly what to do.

After a moment of confused thoughts, Wu Tianxi shook his head and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Du Fuwei and the others, saying:
"Thank you for your kindness, King Wu and the Jianghuai Army. I will remember it and look forward to repaying you in the future. Now we should take our leave!"

"Take care! If you need anything, feel free to write and keep in touch!" Du Fuwei knew it wasn't appropriate to recruit or force anyone at this time, so he readily agreed.

"Take care of yourself!"

A moment later, Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi led their men away, one heading south and the other north, not going in the same direction.

Watching the countless figures disappear into the distance as the north and south parted ways, Du Fuwei sighed again: "Alas... what a pity! If Nanyang hadn't died, these three brothers would surely have become famous throughout the world and left their mark on history, far surpassing the Oath of the Peach Garden from ancient times!"

Du Fuwei greatly admired and valued the Yun Xihai trio, considering their abilities, combat prowess, and character. He even overestimated their abilities. Unfortunately, they weren't meant for him; he couldn't recruit them even at great cost!

"Don't worry, Godfather! I'll keep in touch, and there will be opportunities eventually..." Wang Xiongdan said in a somewhat ashamed voice, as if he was encouraging himself!
"Foolish child! To gain it is my fortune, to lose it is my fate! Let it be, there's no need to force it!"

Du Fuwei chuckled self-deprecatingly and shook his head, then waved his hand in a rather magnanimous manner in response!
……

Jiangdu.

The third capital city under heaven, also known as the Immortal Capital, meaning a capital where immortals enjoy themselves in bliss.

Following the Jiangdu Incident, Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty passed away, and the name of Xiandu once again spread throughout the world, reaching even neighboring countries and remote barbarian tribes.

Several days have passed since the Jiangdu Incident, and under Empress Xiao's supervision and governance, Jiangdu has largely returned to its former state. Residents are peaceful and happy, and commerce is thriving. It is even more stable and peaceful than when Emperor Sui was still alive, because Empress Xiao and her officials are not under as much pressure as before, and there are fewer displaced people, refugees, and bandits outside the city, naturally making the city much more stable as a result!

While Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty is often referred to as a tyrant in his later years, it was only later, when powerful families and factions in Jiangdu realized that Empress Xiao's methods were even more ruthless, no less so than those of Yang Guang in his later years.

The Wang family was one of the six top aristocratic families that supported Empress Xiao during the Jiangdu Rebellion. However, because of the conclusive evidence that they colluded with the rebels, they were slaughtered in droves. All members of the Wang family who were supposed to enter officialdom or join the army were purged without any mercy.

It is said that it was Prince Jingwu, who was away on campaign, who pleaded for mercy; otherwise, the Wang clan would have been wiped out, or at least half of it would have been exterminated!

When the incident occurred, the entire city was shaken, which greatly shocked and intimidated the major forces in Jiangdu. Even the meritorious Wang family suffered such a tragic end. If it were any other force, they would have been wiped out completely.

The Wang family affair was the biggest issue, but Empress Xiao's ruling methods were not gentle either. Those who betrayed the country were killed, those who embezzled and accepted bribes were killed, those who indiscriminately killed innocent people were killed, those who incited crowds to act recklessly were killed, those who stirred up trouble and committed evil deeds were killed, and those who recklessly waged war were killed...

In short, it can be summed up in four words: severe punishment and heavy penalties.

It must be admitted that Empress Xiao's ruthless purge quickly brought stability to the vast, prosperous, and powerful city of Jiangdu.

The thugs and idlers who used to roam the streets, the chivalrous heroes who were quick to settle scores, and the arrogant and unruly nobles have basically disappeared. No one wants to run into the gun of Empress Xiao, who is furious about losing her husband!
Militarily, Empress Xiao did not forget that although she did not take the opportunity to occupy the territory of the Shangliang army and still defended Jiangdu, she continued to recruit soldiers and expand her military.

By the time Lady Ronghua led 100,000 elite troops from the North and South Armies and 300,000 ordinary troops back to defend Jiangdu, Jiangdu now possesses approximately 130,000 elite troops from the Imperial Guard and the North and South Armies, as well as a massive 800,000 ordinary troops!
Within the confines of a single city, there is a veritable army of a million!
It's estimated that it can be compared to the two major cities of Shanghai and the Shanghai metropolis, and it can afford to support them!
This was also one of the main reasons why Empress Xiao's strict punishments kept Jiangdu stable. With a million soldiers spread throughout the city, who would dare to court death? What force could possibly cause chaos?

Jiangdu, the Forbidden Palace!
"Report..."

"Yuwen's rebel army is stationed about 300 li northwest of Jiangdu, and could arrive at any time. Their intentions are unclear."

Because of the frequent battles, Empress Xiao and the important officials in the court often gathered to discuss the matter, and soon they received the most concerning intelligence about the Yuwen rebels.

"They've stopped again? What exactly are they trying to do? They're neither fighting nor engaging in combat, and they're gradually closing in. Are they trying to intimidate us and force us to negotiate?"

Cai Shuilan, the Minister of War and one of the Four Consorts of the Sui Dynasty, looked at Empress Xiao and the others with a furrowed brow and an angry expression.

There was no way around it; the combined power of Yuwen Chengdu and the Xiaoguo Army was simply too overwhelming!

Ever since the Yuwen rebels failed to advance westward and were blocked by the Wagang army, and began to retreat, Jiangdu... especially the Sui Dynasty, became tense, paid close attention, and received intelligence reports at any time.

Strangely, the Yuwen rebels did not march directly towards Jiangdu, but instead "wandered around" and swept through the cities north of Jiangdu. They neither occupied nor indiscriminately killed and looted, causing the cities to surrender at the mere sight of them. This was quite normal; who could stop them?

Recently, they have been marching at a breakneck pace, with their marching speed slowing to only a few dozen miles a day. This is the strongest elite army in the world, and anyone who doesn't know them would think they are old, weak, sick, or disabled new recruits!

Given the current distance, if intelligence were to report that Yuwen's rebel army was at the city gates and launching a surprise attack on Jiangdu, no one would be surprised at all; the Xiaoguo Army had that kind of speed.

However, the Yuwen rebels did not, and instead halted their troops!

"Could it be... that we've misunderstood? That the Yuwen rebels never intended to attack Jiangdu, but simply had nowhere else to go?"

Zhang Lianyun, the Minister of Rites, hesitated before looking at Empress Xiao and offering a reminder. After a pause, she quickly continued, "After all, Jiangdu is the third most important city in the land, and the capital. As long as the military strength is sufficient and there are no internal collaborators, even the strongest Xiaoguo Army will find it difficult to capture it. If they win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory. How could those traitors be so unwise?"

"It's possible, but we can't let our guard down! What if something happens?" Madam Ronghua shook her head and smiled bitterly.

Everyone fell silent. That made sense. With Yuwen Chengdu and the Xiaoguo Army there, who could sleep soundly?

Empress Xiao had long ago dispatched the Imperial Guard's Grand Commander, General Le Han, to personally guard the north gate day and night, granting him the privilege of acting first and reporting later, just in case of any mishap or accident. Furthermore, generals such as Zheng Zitong, Master Lingyan, and Dugu Ba, who had accompanied Lady Ronghua on her triumphant return, were also stationed at the other three city gates, heavily guarded and extremely cautious, giving no opening for anything!
"This is the fate of the rebels. Let's see where they can go now and how long they can hold out!" Unlike the high-ranking officials who were forced into this position, Princess Yang Qingrui, the Minister of Works, spat out with considerable satisfaction.

Lady Ronghua nodded, her expression softening slightly as she smiled and said, "Fortunately... we just received word that Prince Jingwu has made peace with the Jianghuai army and is leading his troops back to the capital. At that time, the Yuwen rebels will not be allowed to continue to swagger around there!"

"Yes! We're finally back..."

Empress Xiao's pretty face glowed, her beautiful eyes rippled as she looked northeast, and she murmured softly.

Since her adoptive father passed away, this is the first time that Empress Xiao and Xiao Ying have been so far apart for so long since they were children. They are really not used to it!
(End of this chapter)