In order to become a Heroic Spirit, I had no choice but to cause trouble in history.

“Wrong. This heavy snow may seem to be helping Tian An, but in reality... it’s helping us.” Xiang Yu swirled his teacup, a slight smile on his face.

"This..." The generals looked at each other, wondering what Xiang Yu meant.

Chen Ping frowned, pondering the details of the situation.

"It's true that Xiang An would have taken Boyang if it weren't for this heavy snow, but... if that were the case, Zhang Er's reinforcements wouldn't have reached Jibei." Xiang Yu picked up a bundle of bamboo slips on the table and shook it. "A full 20,000 reinforcements, already outside Han's defenses, don't you understand?"

Upon hearing Xiang Yu's words, all the generals in the tent had their eyes light up.

"The three Qi states were in turmoil. Tian Bing attacked Tian City. Neither Qi nor Jiaodong could support Jibei. Tian An had no choice but to ask Changshan or Han for help. But... Zhang Er and Zhang Liang had to provide support."

He tossed the bamboo slips aside, drank the tea in one gulp, and smiled.

"The pressure from the General's offensive is immense." Jiang Chun shook his head with a smile. "As expected of the General, the attack on Jibei alone has forced the Changshan Kingdom in the central region to dilute their defenses."

“In that case, Your Majesty, this is our chance.” Chen Ping took a step forward, looking at Xiang Yu with slight excitement.

“I know that the situation in the Central Plains is very complex and interconnected. Crossing the Wen River is our best option now.” Nodding, Xiang Yu stood up and returned to the sand table.

"We...we're going to attack this place."

He pointed to a coordinate on the sand table and said with a stern expression.

All the generals held their breath as they looked at the city that Xiang Yu was pointing to.

Dingtao.

At that time, Xiong Xin was still King Huai of Chu. Western Chu suffered an unprecedented defeat in Dingtao. Xiang Liang, the uncle of Xiang An, the general of Western Chu and King Xiang Yu of Western Chu, died in the Battle of Dingtao.

"We want to get back everything we lost back then in Dingtao."

Xiang Yu raised his head, a bloodthirsty smirk appearing on his lips.

"Attack Dingtao..."

"If we win, we will slaughter the city."

------------

Chapter 965 Unbridled Boasting

The snow continued for two more days. After identifying their target, Xiang An, along with three generals, harassed the defenses of the three cities, causing considerable panic, before returning to their military camp in Tuo County.

"Quickly, have someone boil four buckets of hot water! Damn it, it's freezing!" After dismounting, Xiang An found Liao Ye and rubbed his arms.

"Okay, okay."

Behind Xiang An were three generals who were also rubbing their arms.

"Luckily, I was dressed warmly enough when I went out, and I was exercising the whole time... otherwise, I might have frozen to death..." Wei Hao's physique was the weakest among the group, and his feet were frostbitten and felt numb.

I've been spending the last two nights outside looking for abandoned buildings to sleep in, so frostbite is inevitable. Fortunately, it's not serious, and I'll be fine after a couple of days of rest.

Xiang An looked up at the sky. It was cloudless, the heavy snow had stopped, and the next phase of the attack had to be put on the agenda.

The groundwork laid earlier is about to come into play...

......

Xiang An's army did not delay and set off again the next day, heading northeast. The counties they encountered along the way were like those attacked by strategists. They either had very weak resistance or put up a hasty resistance and collapsed in just a couple of rounds. One county even opened its gates and surrendered directly, as if welcoming Xiang An's arrival.

"General Wei, I'm leaving this place to you. Take them in as you see fit, and if they don't submit... just kill them all. Don't leave any room for error." Xiang An instructed Wei Hao with a solemn expression.

"This subordinate obeys your command." Wei Hao clasped his hands in a fist salute and walked away.

Incorporating surrendered soldiers is a necessary procedure. Western Chu currently has no troops available, and absorbing surrendered soldiers or fleeing defeated soldiers is a good way to replenish its forces. However, this will make the quality of the army somewhat uneven, but given the current situation in the world... it doesn't matter.

"Boyang will be a tough battle," Xiang Anxian concluded, sitting behind the table in the tent and looking at the generals inside, speaking in a deep voice.

None of the generals reacted, because those present were all Xiang An's confidants and family members, and there was no need for them to go against Xiang An. Moreover, no one felt that they could offer more constructive suggestions or opinions than Xiang An.

Inside the tent, all that remained was the sound of Xiang An's brush writing on the cloth; everyone was waiting for Xiang An's next words.

Zijuan sat to Xiang An's right, looking up at what Xiang An was writing, and couldn't help but sigh, "Second Brother's calligraphy is getting better and better..."

Xiang An didn't look up; he continued writing, this was his challenge to Tian An.

"...If Mr. Wu Ju and Mr. Zi Shu knew, they would be very happy." After a long silence, Zi Juan suddenly said this.

Xiang An paused suddenly as he wrote.

“...Ah, um.” Xiang An lowered his eyes slightly and gave Zi Juan a brief reply.

"My older brother and I are the epitome of 'ignorance and incompetence'..."

Wu Ju died in the Battle of Linji, and Zi Shu died in the Battle of Dingtao.

Xiang An put the pen aside, picked up the cloth he used for writing, dried it, and put it aside as well.

"Xiao Ye, once the ink dries, take this challenge letter with you and set off." Xiang An looked at Liao Ye, who was sitting at the end of the table. "Send it to Boyang. You should know what I mean."

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys!" Liao Ye stepped out from behind his seat, took Xiang An's challenge letter, and left.

"Generals, this time I will still lead the attack," Xiang An said, tapping the edge of the sand table and scanning the camp.

"But this time, we need to end the battle quickly."

"The heavy snow blocked the roads, and the army did not move an inch for seven days. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the reinforcements from Changshan have also arrived. At that time, Boyang and the three nearby counties will form an extremely solid defensive line, which will facilitate mutual rescue. Therefore, if we still choose to attack the city this time, the difficulty will be many times greater than before."

"So, Xiao Si, this time, I have an important task for you."

Zijuan walked out and nodded to Xiang An.

"This city has 8,000 garrison soldiers, this city has 7,300 garrison soldiers..." Xiang An introduced the intelligence he had gathered. "Xiao Si, I need you to go through here."

“We people in the south are naturally skilled in naval warfare. Even though it’s freezing cold now, we can’t give up this advantage.”

The place Xiang An was pointing to was the Wen River.

"Second Brother means... to lead the army to bypass Boyang from Wenshui and try to attack the Jibei Palace?" Zijuan frowned, considering the feasibility of this plan.

“There’s no need to go that far. The fighting spirit of the Jibei army isn’t strong. We just need to break their morale. Besides, Tian An might have anticipated this move. If the Wen River doesn’t cross, you can attack the city from the flank and coordinate with the main force to forcibly break through the city and destroy Jibei.” Xiang An shook his head and explained.

"I see. I will obey your command."

“This war will be a long one, and everyone must strive to end the battle as soon as possible. Changshan King Zhang Er…” A fierce glint flashed in Xiang An’s eyes, and he snorted coldly, “When the time comes, I will settle this score with him personally!”

......

Xiang An's orders were obeyed very quickly, and the entire army began to move rapidly the moment the challenge was sent out.

Tian An, holding the challenge letter sent by Xiang An, looked at the assembled civil and military officials in the Jibei Palace in Boyang with a worried expression.

vertex

"Xiang An has sent a challenge, demanding a decisive battle at Wenmao Plain in three days. Gentlemen, how do we repel the enemy?"

Xiang An's small seal script was indeed quite good, but Tian An had no interest in appreciating calligraphy anymore.

He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Xiang An's illustrious reputation was earned through his campaigns against Qin. Although Tian An was also in the campaigns against Qin, if he wanted to rival Xiang An, well... that was just wishful thinking.

The two sides are now evenly matched, although he has slightly more troops, but...

"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the troops out of the city to fight," a general among the ministers said, bowing. "When the time comes, Your Majesty may witness it and see me slay Xiang An in three rounds!"

"Oh?" Tian An's eyes lit up as he looked at the general and asked, "Who are you, and how do you possess such abilities?"

"Your Majesty, my name is..."

Three days later.

Xiang An looked at the Jibei general he had killed with a single blow, along with his horse, and spat out a disdainful spittle.

The thunderous hooves pounded the soft earth of Wenmao Plain, and Xiang An roared, "Xiang An, the Pillar of State of Western Chu, is here! What lowly villain dares to challenge me?!"

Standing at the forefront of the flank, King Tian An of Jibei's lips twitched with despair.

“If you have nothing to say and no one to fight, then there’s nothing more to say!” Xiang An raised his halberd and pointed it at the army formation in Jibei.

"Western Chu warriors—follow me into battle!"

! ”

------------

Chapter 966 The Fearsome Han Xin

"Your Majesty! The General is attacking Boyang today!" Chen Ping lifted the curtain, entered Xiang Yu's tent, and reported to Xiang Yu.

"Alright, prepare to cross the Wen River! Chen Ping, be wary of possible reinforcements on the east side. Long Ju, head south and don't let the Han army from the west advance eastward!" Xiang Yu immediately stood up and quickly issued the orders.

"Your subordinate obeys!"

Xiang Yu grabbed his helmet from the shelf next to him and was about to walk out when he suddenly felt his sleeve being pulled.

"...Brother, is this trip really meant to massacre the city?" Xiang Jing stared at Xiang Yu with his single eye, the veins on his hand trembling slightly.

Although he becomes somewhat different from ordinary people after entering the battlefield due to some experiences in his childhood, if victory is achieved, it means the slaughter of an entire city...

Xiang Yu did not answer, but simply looked at Xiang Jing with his usual slightly intimidating gaze, and just stared at him.

Xiang Jing's arm trembled slightly, and he opened his mouth blankly, but then released Xiang Yu's arm.

Xiang Yu said nothing more and walked out of the command tent without uttering a word, leaving behind a trembling Xiang Jing covered in cold sweat.

"Big brother..."

Gritting his teeth, Xiang Jing chased after Xiang Yu, catching up with him.

If the eldest brother thinks this is right, then... we should just follow the eldest brother's lead.

But somehow, Xiang Jing looked northeast, in Xiang An's direction.

Father, second brother, fourth brother... whoever it is, please come back at least once and try to persuade eldest brother...

......

By evening, Xiang An had already captured Boyang.

In wars with long battle lines, individual soldier quality and surprise attacks will prove to be effective.

Zijuan led an army of ten thousand men to attack from the flank, and together with Xiang An's main force, they surrounded Boyang City. Zijuan, the number one female general in the world, took the lead and broke through the city gate from the east side, stormed into the palace of the King of Jibei, and captured the King of Jibei, Tian An, alive.