kingnovel Chapter 1308 Jiangdong troops invade Qingzhou
Chapter 1308 Jiangdong troops invade Qingzhou
Yuan Shang, panting heavily, grabbed the military tally: "Pass on my orders! Zhang He will lead 5,000 cavalry to reinforce Guangping, Gao Lan will lead 8,000 infantry to relieve Yangping, and Chunyu Qiong will lead 10,000 elite troops to defend Dongjun! If Ma Chao advances even one more step, you will all come to me with your heads!"
The generals below responded with a roar, the clanging of armor rattling the windowpanes. Only Feng Ji stared at the two characters "Guangping" on the map, stained with wine, his brows furrowed. He felt that Ma Chao's use of force this time was too fierce, unlike a normal surprise attack, but rather like a long-planned general offensive.
Just as order was beginning to form in the council hall of Ye City, a fast horse from Qingzhou burst through the gates. A scout tumbled to the ground, brandishing a blood-stained battle report and roaring, "Urgent report from Qingzhou! Chengyang Kingdom has fallen! The Jiangdong navy has breached the city walls!"
Yuan Shang snatched the battle report, his fingers turning white from the force, the ink-stained words almost crushed in his hand: "Zhou Yu is the commander-in-chief, Gan Ning and Taishi Ci are the vanguard, leading 60,000 naval troops from the sea, and Yangping City will fall in half a day!"
"At sea?!" The hall erupted in commotion as the strategists crowded around the map, pointing at the coastline of Chengyang Kingdom and discussing it endlessly. Yuan Shang slammed the battle report to the ground, grinding it hard with his boot: "Absurd! How could wooden ships possibly sail on the sea? The wind and waves would surely tear them to shreds!"
"But the battle report says that the enemy's warships are lined up end to end, their sails like dark clouds obscuring the sun, and their planks are covered with iron!" the scout cried out. "Their ships are not afraid of the waves; they rammed our intercepting fleet and rushed straight ashore!"
Feng Ji's face turned deathly pale. Suddenly recalling the records in ancient books from the previous dynasty, he said in a trembling voice, "Could it be... a multi-tiered ship? A legendary giant vessel that can sail the deep sea, with multiple decks and capable of carrying a thousand people..."
"A warship?" Yuan Shang was stunned, then flew into a rage. "Isn't that just a legend? How could Jiangdong possibly build such a ship?!"
The council hall was in chaos. Some slammed their fists on the table, calling for a land counterattack, while others were eager to check the coastal defenses. Yuan Shang, however, stared blankly at the location of Chengyang Kingdom. If the Jiangdong navy could truly move freely in and out of the Qingzhou coast, wouldn't their defenses be riddled with gaps?
"Reinforcements! Quickly recall Yan Liang and Wen Chou!" Yuan Shang paced anxiously in the hall, the corner of his robe scraping against the shards of porcelain on the floor with a harsh scraping sound. "No matter how powerful the Jiangdong navy is, can they cause any trouble on land? Send Yan Liang and Wen Chou with their iron cavalry to Qingzhou, and they'll definitely drive them back into the sea!"
"My lord, you mustn't!" Xun Chen rushed forward, his sleeves almost brushing against the overturned table. "Generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou are stationed far away in Youzhou, a thousand miles from Qingzhou, separated by the passes of Ji and Yan provinces. By the time they arrive, the capital of Beihai will likely have fallen, and the heartland of Qingzhou will be occupied by the Jiangdong army. This is truly a case of distant water not quenching immediate thirst!"
Yuan Shang abruptly stopped, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. "What can we do? Are we just going to stand by and watch Zhou Yu run rampant in Qingzhou?" He glanced at the strategists below, his voice filled with pleading urgency. "You must think of something! Hurry!"
"My lord, do not panic." Xu You stepped out from the crowd, gently waving his folding fan, a hint of certainty flashing in his eyes. "The Jiangdong soldiers are skilled in naval warfare, but not necessarily in land warfare. They have just landed and are not yet firmly established, so it is a good time to send an elite force to meet them. I recommend General Ju Yi. His Vanguard Battalion is composed of veteran generals who were able to defeat even Gongsun Zan's White Horse Cavalry back then. They will surely be effective against these newly landed naval forces."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Shang's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had grasped a lifeline: "That's right! Ju Yi! Quickly pass on my order, have Ju Yi take the lead and set off immediately to block Zhou Yu in Chengyang Kingdom and not allow them to advance another step!"
"My lord is wise." Xu You bowed and replied, but in his heart he thought to himself that although the Vanguard Camp was brave, Gan Ning and Taishi Ci of Jiangdong were not easy to deal with. This battle might not be so easy to win.
Before long, the sound of messengers' hooves thundered out of Ye City, galloping towards Ju Yi's camp. Yuan Shang stood under the eaves, gazing at the horizon towards Qingzhou, his palms drenched in cold sweat. He could only hope that Ju Yi could create a miracle, unaware that on the coast of Chengyang, Zhou Yu stood on the deck of a warship, watching his soldiers methodically unload provisions and equipment, a cold smile playing on his lips. The storm in Hebei had only just begun.
The tranquility of Jiangdong concealed a hidden sharpness.
The years of peace were not due to complacency, but rather a means to quietly weave a vast net beneath the surface. Ever since Ma Chao quelled the rebellion, Zhou Yu had known that river defense was the lifeblood of Jiangdong, and the navy was the foundation of their survival. Thus, for years he devoted himself to perfecting the navy with the full strength of the province. The hardest timber was selected, the most skilled craftsmen were chosen, the sails were soaked in tung oil for moisture protection, and the hulls were lined with iron plates to prevent reef damage.
One by one, the multi-storied ships were built. At first, they were only used for drills in the nearby river. Later, as they grew bolder, they tried to go to the deep sea. When the waves crashed against the deck, the ship would initially rock violently. The craftsmen reinforced the keel and adjusted the center of gravity again and again until the multi-storied ships were as stable as flat land in the deep sea, and could cleave through the giant waves with a single hoist of their sails.
Horses could run on the deck, grain could be stored in the hold, and even catapults could be set up. Such a sturdy behemoth could not be harmed by ordinary winds and waves, and could move freely even in the deep sea.
Therefore, this sudden landing was not a fluke. Under the cover of night, those warships silently crossed the strait and approached the shore. The guards thought they were ordinary merchant ships until the Jiangdong flag was suddenly raised on the deck and the soldiers surged ashore like a tide, only then did they realize that the situation was hopeless.
Years of dedicated effort have been for this day. When we finally speak out, we will let the world know that the Jiangdong navy can not only guard the spring waters of the river, but also cut through the waves and plant our battle flags on more distant lands.
The silence of Jiangdong was actually a tiger gathering its strength.
Gan Ning, Taishi Ci, Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Ling Cao, and Wen Qin—these fierce generals, having gone without a major battle for years, were practically rusting with rage. Upon hearing of the impending expedition to the North Sea, they were all eager to fight, their eyes gleaming brighter than swords. Although most were naval veterans and not skilled in cavalry raids, they possessed a fierce determination to "tear the tide of war," treating their warships like land and their oars like horse reins, carving out a formidable force on land and demonstrating the might of a naval army.
The governor of Beihai, Yin Kai, and his prime minister, Peng An, initially believed that Jiangdong was only formidable in naval warfare and posed little threat in land battles. They kept the city gates tightly shut, urging reinforcements while simultaneously strengthening the city's defenses, waiting to see the Jiangdong army meet its match. But they forgot that a tiger's claws only become sharper when it leaves the water.
"Prefect Yin, look! They've divided their forces!" Peng An pointed outside the city, his voice trembling.
Taishi Ci and Gan Ning each led a squad, like two curved blades, flanking from the left and right. Before the defenders on the city wall could react, Taishi Ci had already leaped onto the siege ladder, his spear tip whistling through the air, aiming straight for the defending general, Cen Bi. Cen Bi was originally a fierce general under Yin Kai, confident in his strength, and drew his sword to meet the attack. But in less than ten rounds, Taishi Ci struck him down from his horse with a single spear thrust, his body rolling down the city walls, startling the defenders on the walls into an uproar.
"Open the city gates! I'm going to meet them!" Yin Kai roared, about to rush out, but Peng An held him back tightly: "Prefect, you mustn't! Let's wait for General Ju Yi's reinforcements to arrive!"
But reinforcements were slow to arrive. The Jiangdong army's offensive was like a raging tide. Jiang Qin led his troops to break through the east gate, Zhou Tai climbed the city wall over corpses, and Ling Cao's sword flashed brighter than the sun. In just ten days, a breach was torn in the walls of Beihai Kingdom. Yin Kai and Peng An died in the chaos of battle, and the flags on the city walls were replaced by Jiangdong's battle flags, fluttering in the wind.
Taishi Ci stood atop the city wall, gazing at Beihai City under the setting sun, and suddenly burst into laughter. He ripped off his soaked battle robe, revealing his muscular arms, and shouted to Gan Ning below the city, "Xingba! Look at this land, isn't it more exciting than being on a ship?"
Gan Ning took a swig of wine, the liquid flowing down his chin and neck: "Refreshing! It's just a little lacking in the fishy taste, not quite satisfying!"
Jiang Qin, who was counting the prisoners, kicked him upon hearing this: "Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and clean up the battlefield! There's still more to fight!"
In the distance, Zhou Tai approached, carrying a knife, a fresh wound on his face, yet his smile was brighter than anyone else's. The battle flag of Jiangdong fluttered atop Beihai City, and the pent-up courage finally blossomed in its most dazzling glory on this unfamiliar land.
When Ju Yi led his army to Linzi, he found the city gates tightly shut and the people in a state of panic. Zhao Rui, the prefect of Linzi, personally greeted him outside the city, his battle robes still dusty. He grabbed Ju Yi's sleeve, his voice trembling with tears: "General Ju! You've finally arrived! Beihai has fallen, and Zhou Yu is marching towards Donglai. Donglai is likely beyond our control! But Linzi cannot be lost! It is the heart of Qingzhou. If Linzi falls, the entire Qingzhou is doomed!"
Ju Yi reined in his horse, gazing at the towering city walls of Linzi, his brow furrowed in worry. He had intended to rush to Donglai's aid overnight, but Zhao Rui's plea struck him like a hammer blow—Linzi, as the former capital of Qi, was indeed the lifeblood of Qingzhou. He looked up towards the east, where battle reports were arriving intermittently, each one stained with blood.
Sure enough, less than half a month later, the news of the fall of Donglai County came like a thunderclap: Ma Yan, the governor of Donglai, died fighting to the death, and Zhang Nan, a general, died on the battlefield. The entire Donglai County fell into the hands of Jiangdong.
In just one month, the three prefectures of Qingzhou changed hands one after another. Ju Yi stood atop the city wall of Linzi, gazing at the direction in which the banners of the Jiangdong army swept across the land, his fists clenched tightly. The city wind ruffled his beard and hair, carrying the ancient aura unique to Linzi, but it could not dispel the melancholy in his heart. He knew that Zhou Yu's offensive was far more ferocious than he had imagined, and the battle for Qingzhou was likely to be even more difficult.
Ju Yi stood atop the city wall of Linzi, gazing at the densely packed Jiangdong army camp outside the city. His Adam's apple bobbed twice. He whirled around and roared at his personal guards, "Pass on my order! Burn all the grain and firewood outside the city, fill in the wells! Don't leave Zhou Yu a single grain of rice or a drop of water!"
The vanguard soldiers moved with lightning speed, and in moments, flames roared outside the city, thick smoke billowing into the sky. Ju Yi gripped the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white: "Zhou Yu wants a quick victory? We won't let him have his way!"
However, within five days, the Jiangdong army had already reached Linzi City. Ju Yi looked at the Jiangdong army gathering below the city and gritted his teeth: "Go! Send another urgent report to Ye City, saying that Yangcheng Kingdom, Beihai Kingdom, and Donglai County have all been captured by the enemy, and we have no choice but to defend Linzi to the death! Tell the lord to send reinforcements quickly, or the city will fall!"
Just as the guards received their orders and were about to rush down from the city wall, they saw a commotion among the Jiangdong army outside the city. Ju Yi squinted and looked closely, and saw that Zhou Yu was standing in front of the formation, holding a letter in his hand, shouting something.
"General! Zhou Yu is hurling insults at us!" a soldier reported urgently.
Ju Yi spat, "Swear? Wait until reinforcements arrive, I'll cut his tongue out!" But despite his tough words, the wrinkles around his eyes deepened. He knew better than anyone that without reinforcements, this siege wouldn't last much longer.