Chapter 232: Chapter 155: The Fall ot the County Town – 2
Translator: 549690339
‘However, thinking about it, even though I’ve been constantly on edge, guarding against all potential attacks from the Five Poisons Sect.
But all this is just being trapped in my perspective, overwhelmed by concern, and placing too much importance on myself.
After all, in the eyes of others, I am nothing more than an ordinary first-rate martial artist, at best capable of commanding a few tens of thousands of soldiers.
This might be impressive on a local scale.
But in the eyes of the Five Poisons Sect, how can I compare to a provincial capital, or a military commander of the frontier?
As long as they can capture Baling City and kill the Prefect, the benefits that the Five Poisons Sect will gain far outweigh killing me and seizing Shaoyang
Prefecture.
With such great benefits at stake, why would they squander their energy and opportunities on me?’
Lu Yuan mocked himself in his heart, then looked at the messenger below and waved his hand, “Alright, I know the news already, you can leave.”
“General, the military situation is urgent, Changsha Prefecture is in imminent danger, please, General…” The messenger saw that Lu Yuan had not made any statement and hurriedly urged.
“That’s enough.” Lu Yuan’s voice rose a few notches, looking at the tactless messenger, his tone turned cold: “I will make my own decisions on how to act, you don’t need to teach me. You’ve come to deliver the message and traveled day and night, you must be tired, go and rest.”
“Yes…”
The messenger opened his mouth and eventually could only retreat helplessly.
Watching the messenger leave, Lu Yuan was the only one left in the tent. He continued to sit in his seat, his expression changing constantly, now gloomy, now bright.
The news received tonight was like a bolt from the blue for Lu Yuan.
The Five Poisons Sect’s unexpected strategy hit Dongting Prefecture where it hurts.
Yueyang Prefecture, where Baling City is located, controls the Yangtze River waterway. Controlling this place would cut off the food and fodder supply route to the south and east of Dongting Prefecture, completely severing the logistics for the two hundred thousand-strong army in the northern Tianmen Prefecture and Xichuan Prefecture.
And what would be the consequence of an army without provisions during a campaign?
Having been a military commander for some years, Lu Yuan was well aware of the gravity of this matter.
If the imperial court could not recapture Yueyang Prefecture in a short period of time, the two hundred thousand elite troops would be lost in Xichuan Prefecture and Tianmen Prefecture.
Perhaps even Marquis of Wuan Bai Mengyang would also be buried along with them.
The loss of two hundred thousand elite troops and an Inborn Grandmaster at once is such a massive blow that even at the peak of the Da Yue Dynasty, it would take several years to recover from it.
For the already declining imperial court, it is like losing half of its vitality, and if one is not careful, it may not survive the ordeal.
However, for the Da Yue Dynasty, these consequences may only become apparent in a few years’ time.
But for the various forces in Dongting Prefecture, the fall of Baling City has immediate and disastrous effects.
For the simplest example.
Once Yueyang Prefecture is lost, the fifty thousand elite troops in Tianmen Prefecture to the north will be unable to return from the north of the river. Without these fifty thousand elite troops to protect them, the imperial court’s strength in Jiangnan will decline rapidly.
There are ten prefectures in Dongting Prefecture, including Tianmen Prefecture in the north and nine prefectures in the south. At present, the imperial court only controls Changsha, Shaoyang, Hengyang, and Luyang.
Together with the militia and village braves, Changsha has just over ten thousand troops. Shaoyang Prefecture, including the five thousand troops sent by Hengyang Prefecture, is estimated to have thirty thousand. After several withdrawals and losses, there are probably only two or three thousand troops left in Hengyang Prefecture.
As for Luyang Prefecture, there is no need to mention it.
Even if we count the militia that Lu Yuan has just released and started to reorganize from prisoners, there are only about thirty thousand troops in total.
If you add it all up, the entire imperial court-controlled territory can only muster about seventy thousand troops.
Of these seventy thousand troops, only about twenty thousand can truly be considered elite, the rest are just militias and village braves who can guard the city.
And the Five Poisons Sect?
Under their full strength, they can field an army of two hundred thousand, almost three times that of this side. Not to mention that they also have the advantage of having an Inborn Grandmaster.
No matter how you look at this comparison of forces, it is extremely imbalanced and desperate.
“The current situation is extremely unfavorable for the imperial court. The Five Poison Sect’s unexpected move this time has turned the situation in the prefecture around and even affected the outcome of the war between Da Yue and Zhou Country.
The rear is cut off, and after this setback, Xichuan Prefecture is definitely undefendable.
If the imperial court cannot send reinforcements, especially an Inborn
Grandmaster to oversee the overall situation, the twenty thousand-strong Army of Pacifying Shu and the entire Dongting Prefecture will surely be lost as well.
In one stroke, losing two prefectures, two hundred thousand troops, and one Inborn Grandmaster in battle, such a huge loss, as the imperial court, is absolutely unacceptable.
Therefore, the imperial court must send someone to save the situation.
So now the question is whether the strength of the people the imperial court sends to save the situation is enough.
If it’s enough, the overall situation can still be saved, and at least Dongting Prefecture will not be lost.
If it’s not enough, then it’s a total loss, and an early collapse.”
Lu Yuan slowly integrated various pieces of information, trying to calm himself down as much as possible, deducing the current situation, and slowly came to a conclusion in his heart: “So for me, the most important thing now is to stabilize the local situation as much as possible before the imperial court sends reinforcements.”
“At the same time, during this period, preserve my strength, look for an exit strategy, and prepare to withdraw in time for when everything is irretrievable.”
Lu Yuan was not too worried about the exit strategy issue..