Chapter 443: Chapter 227: Slaying Inborn Again_2
Translator: 549690339
Yes, indeed, at this moment, like Lu Yuan, King Ninghai had set his sights on attacking the Zhou people’s soldiers.
After all, the Zhou people in the city, even though they were just bait, should amount to 20,000 or so, right?
Considering those wounded soldiers who couldn’t move, their numbers would be even greater.
Su Xuange didn’t have high demands; as long as he could capture more than 10,000 Zhou prisoners, and then combine them with the local soldiers from his homeland’s prefectures and counties, he would be able to reorganize an elite force of 20,000 soldiers.
With this force as a foundation, a slight expansion could easily result in an elite force of 50,000 people.
As long as they had 50,000 soldiers and his own strength, Ninghai country could barely protect itself.
As for the original plan of having 100,000 elite soldiers to conquer the world, it was just a grand vision for the future.
For now, the main concern was to solve the issue of survival before considering the future.
Seeing Su Xuange accept the mission, Bai Mengyang continued, “The Zhou people escaped overnight, and their main force is no longer in the city. This army must not be allowed to escape back to Xiangyang.
Otherwise, Xiangyang’s high walls and deep pools, along with a heavy garrison, would be difficult to assail even with all our strength.”
Therefore, I will lead the elite forces in pursuit through the night.”
At this point, Bai Mengyang looked at Yan Wangqiu and said, “King Nanhai, I will take my 30,000 troops ahead to chase the Zhou people.
However, to be safe, King Nanhai, please mobilize your forces as well and follow me a little later.
In the end, we will rendezvous under the walls of Xiangyang City with King Changsha, and together we will break the city.”
Compared to Bai Mengyang’s elite court soldiers, Yan Wangqiu’s ordinary civilian workers, although they had undergone bloody battles over the past half month and had gained a bit of ferociousness, were still inadequate.
Without training, without understanding the team, and even lacking physical fitness, they wouldn’t be able to keep up.
Such an army couldn’t be expected to chase at night, so this responsibility could only be placed on Bai Mengyang’s 30,000 elite court soldiers.
As for Yan Wangqiu’s troops, they could only march slowly and follow from behind.
Yan Wangqiu didn’t have as many thoughts as Su Xuange. When he saw the Zhou people fleeing, the opportunity to defeat the enemy had come, and he happily replied: “Wuan Marquis, rest assured, this king will gather his troops immediately and set off soon.”
Bai Mengyang nodded slightly, and then looked at the excited people in the tent. He said loudly, “Gentlemen, this time the Zhou people are defeated, and Xiangyang is shaken. This is a rare opportunity in a hundred years.
Whether we, the Nan people, can break Xiangyang, and whether we can hit the northern people so they dare not look south, depends on this encounter.
If Xiangyang is defeated and the city is taken, the Zhou people will lose more than 200,000 soldiers, a Pillar State general will die, and their southern defensive line will be wide open.
The Zhou territories Nanyang and Hanzhong will be threatened by our forces, allowing us to take what we please.
At that time, don’t even mention recovering Xichuan; it wouldn’t be impossible for the Zhou people to lose another territory or two.
With the Zhou people losing soldiers and territory in succession, they will suffer heavy losses and no longer have the strength to invade the south.
Our threats to the north will also be resolved with ease.
This matter concerns our survival, and it is a matter of vital importance for a hundred years. Hence, I hope you all will have the courage to fight, and together we will destroy the Zhou people.
For the sake of our future generations, we will achieve a hundred years of peace.”
Upon hearing this, the people in the tent were all stirred with enthusiasm, and they said with emotion, “We are willing to follow the general, destroy the Zhou people, and achieve a hundred years of peace for our future generations.
Bai Mengyang laughed loudly, “That’s good. In that case, proceed with the military orders.”
At this point, the military conference concluded.
Afterward, Su Xuange returned to his own barracks, summoning the remaining 50,000 soldiers in the camp, waking them all up, and once again led the troops to attack the city.
Yan Wangqiu was also gathering his troops, but after fighting for more than half a month, he had fewer soldiers left compared to Su Xuange, only about 40,000.
Moreover, these people had low morale and were weary of war. They were becoming unstable.
Fortunately, at this moment, the military order was relayed, announcing that the Zhou people had fled and that they were going to pursue them.
This news finally cheered the soldiers, who started rejoicing.
The Zhou people had already fled. Didn’t that mean they wouldn’t have to risk attacking the city anymore and wouldn’t have to worry about dying in a cruel fight?
Instead, the Zhou people had lost their courage, so they could give a knockout blow, chase them, and take advantage of the situation to make gains along the way.
Yes, that’s what it was, making gains.
Don’t expect soldiers in those days to have lofty ideals.
Regular soldiers who have undergone extensive training, have military discipline, and receive their salaries on time can usually behave well and avoid harming civilians as long as military law is enforced strictly.
But those forcibly conscripted civilian workers didn’t receive any salary, had to risk their lives in dangerous battles, and expected to loot after winning a battle. Not letting them do so would be truly inhumane.
Believe it or not, even if you’re an inborn king, if you push them too hard, they might just stand up and bite you.
So at this time, the many soldiers of Nanhai Country were already starting to calculate in their minds how much money and goods they could seize and how many women they could sleep with as they passed through towns and villages while pursuing the enemy.
Yes, the wishes of these ordinary soldiers were just that simple and straightforward.
Meanwhile, on the side of the court forces, who had already begun mobilizing the troops before the military conference, 30,000 soldiers had been assembled by the end of the conference.
Therefore, Wuan Marquis led the troops in person, tracing the Zhou people’s withdrawal and chasing them northward all the way.