Chapter 299: Chapter 178: Shangguan Seeks Help_2
Translator: 549690339
For a time, the united army swelled to three hundred thousand, a formidable force that seemed to block out the sky.
At this moment, Bai Mengyang finally stopped and stayed in Tianmen Prefecture.
This place, because it was close to Yueyang Prefecture, could receive certain guarantees in terms of money and food, so the morale of the troops could be maintained without causing chaos and mutiny.
So this Wuan Marquis gathered the court’s troops in Tianmen Prefecture and led fifty thousand men to defend the city, blocking the advance of the thirty thousand enemy troops and preventing them from crossing the river at will.
However, with a six-fold difference in strength, Bai Mengyang, at best, could only defend the city, and it was hard to say how effective he would be in blocking the enemy.
Even how long the city could be defended was now a question mark.
Perhaps in a few days, or two months, Tianmen Prefecture would follow the footsteps of Yuzhong Prefecture and Wushan Prefecture, falling to the bandits.
Regardless of the fate of Tianmen Prefecture, the presence of the three hundred thousand enemy troops across the river in Dongting District undoubtedly exerted immense pressure on Shangguan Ming.
Even the originally shrunken Zhou-Miao united army in Anxiang and Shiyang began to stir after hearing the news from the north, showing signs of wanting to attack Baling City again.
The Poison Sect mobilized twenty thousand troops from the rear to reinforce the front line, restoring the Zhou-Miao united army in Yueyang Prefecture to one hundred thousand strong.
In this way, there were three hundred thousand enemy troops in the north of the river and one hundred thousand in the south.
With four hundred thousand troops bearing down the borders, the court’s defenders in the north consisted of Bai Mengyang’s fifty thousand troops in Tianmen Prefecture City and Shangguan Yang’s ninety thousand troops in Baling City.
As for the Inborn Grandmasters, there were six from the alliance of Zhou, Shu, and Miao factions, while the court had only three.
With more than twice the numerical disparity in troops and twice the gap in top-notch combat strength, the situation for the court was far beyond terrible.
Under such circumstances, Lu Yuan’s old acquaintances, the Shangguan siblings, came to Luyang City again.
“Wucheng Marquis hopes that I will lead my troops to attack Wuling Prefecture?”
In the reception hall, Lu Yuan looked at Shangguan Guangbai, who was explaining his purpose, and couldn’t help but frown slightly.
“Yes, Brother Lu.”
Shangguan Guangbai nodded and said earnestly, “Now that the Zhou, Shu, and Miao bandits have joined forces with a total of four hundred thousand strong, my father has only ninety thousand troops and is hard-pressed to resist.
In order to avoid the collapse of the battlefront and the bandits’ rapid advance, my father hopes that you can lead your troops to attack Wuling Prefecture and strike directly at the Poison Sect’s Old Nest.
If we can force the Poison Sect to withdraw from Yueyang Prefecture, then without the sixty thousand Miao soldiers, the pressure on Baling City will be greatly reduced.
In this way, my father will then be able to sweep away the Zhou soldiers in Jiangnan and set up a defense along the river to block the enemies in the north.”
The ten prefectures of Dongting District were divided into two parts by the Yangtze River.
The north of the river was Tianmen Prefecture, while the south was made up of the other nine prefectures, headed by Yueyang Prefecture.
So, if Lu Yuan could attract the six thousand Miao soldiers from the Poison Sect, the Zhou soldiers in the south would be left with less than forty thousand men.
As such, Shangguan Ming could quickly sweep away the forty thousand Zhou soldiers in the south with his ninety thousand troops.
After getting rid of the Zhou people entrenched in the south of Jiangnan, with no one to assist them there, and relying on the advantages of Yue’s navy, they could set up defenses along the river and keep the thirty thousand united troops of the Zhou and Shu factions north of the Yangtze River.
It must be said that this was an excellent strategy.
Lu Yuan looked at Shangguan Guangbai and said calmly, “Guangbai, although I have sixty thousand troops under my command, forty thousand of them are new recruits who have been trained for less than a year and do not have much combat strength.
The Miao people in Wuling Prefecture, despite having been repeatedly dispatched, still have over ten thousand troops stationed there as far as I know.
To break into this place, at least thirty thousand elite soldiers are needed to shake it up.
But in my jurisdiction, Shaoyang Prefecture is still being attacked by tens of thousands of Miao people, with tens of thousands of soldiers tied down there and unable to move.
Even in the south of Luyang Prefecture, there are thirty thousand Miao soldiers eyeing us closely, so this place also needs to be watched.”
Under these circumstances, I am unable to mobilize my troops.”
Although what Shangguan Guangbai said made sense and the strategy devised by Shangguan Ming was not flawed,
Why, for the overall situation, should Lu Yuan draw fire for the other party and attract the main force of the Poison Sect? That’s a whopping six thousand Miao soldiers!
By attracting these people back, wouldn’t it be tantamount to Lu Yuan taking on the pressure that originally belonged to Shangguan Ming?
Even when the main force of the Poison Sect returned, and joined forces with Miao soldiers from Wuling Prefecture and Shaoyang Prefecture, Lu Yuan would face an army of over one hundred thousand Miao people, which might even include Inborn Grandmaster Lan Cai’er.
So what is Lu Yuan’s strength?
Over ten thousand battle-hardened veterans, about fifty thousand new recruits, and perhaps one or two more ten thousand militiamen from the prefectures and counties
Yes, this nearly eighty thousand force would indeed be enough to contend with the Poison Sect and even fight back and forth.
However, after fighting such a battle, it’s clear how much damage Lu Yuan’s strength would suffer.
If we count the almost certain assassination attempt by Lan Cai’er, the risks increase exponentially.
Although Lu Yuan had joined the court’s Ten Grandmasters plan and had become a partner in interests with Shangguan Ming,
No matter how deep the ally was, there was no way he could pay without bottom line, right?
What right did Shangguan Ming have to make him pay such a price?
Was it the title of superior or his slightly attractive daughter?
“Brother Lu…” Shangguan Haimoon also pleaded at this moment, trying to step forward but was quickly stopped by an indifferent gaze, her face turning slightly pale..