Chapter 240: Evil Moon In The Sky
Tong Zheng Calendar 5th year, September 12th, before Zhao Shanhe’s team was annihilated.
In the Chong Army’s main camp, Xuan Chong personally met with several “Xu You before the Battle of Guandu”. After accurately verifying the information, he gave them assurances of comfort, ensuring their families could now keep their high positions and generous salaries.
In reality, Xuan Chong had no intention of occupying the local area. Zhen State’s current core advantage was “being good at managing more people”, not “controlling more land”, so Xuan Chong prepared to “keep the people and lose the land”.
After Xuan Chong planned to annihilate the main Hao Army force here, he would take away all the movable laborers to his own stable control zone, then leave this group of “Xu You” to enjoy the local high positions and generous salaries, as well as the revenge from other warlords.
Xuan Chong gazed at the Hao Army’s main camp, continuing to calmly adjust the forces in his hand.
At this time in the decisive battle, a portion of the Chong Army’s elites had already returned to Bei Xie Jing. At this point, Xuan Chong’s target was no longer just Zhao Shanhe, but Zhao Cheng of Ji Prefecture.
The information Xuan Chong currently had was that Zhao Cheng had stabilized Ji Prefecture through the month of August; and by promoting the Yan Family heirs to power, he had clung on in Ji Prefecture. —So Xuan Chong now wanted to interview Zhao Cheng: “Can you really watch your elites and local foundations in the north be squandered by idiots?”
…Evil Moon in the Sky began illuminating the battlefield…
The perspective shifts to Ji Prefecture side, where Zhao Cheng, after painstakingly reorganizing his 50,000-strong army, was working hard with his advisors beside him to discuss the current situation in the north.
The strategies proposed by these advisors were to try to recapture “Bei Xie Jing”. Zhao Cheng sighed that these people were unclear-headed; if the opponent were anyone else it might be fine, but facing Wu Xiao Que, who was famously “cautious”. Wu Xiao Que would absolutely not neglect defense just because “the opponent’s actions carry too much risk”, but would always prepare for everything possible.
Zhao Cheng gave a bitter smile: Especially when facing him, Wu Xiao Que defended like an old hen protecting her chicks. Completely disregarding any famous general’s demeanor.
But Zhao Cheng knew that within his own team at this time, there were three different mindsets at play, which was extremely dangerous. So he had Baili Jue lead 3,000 elites to probe “Bei Xie Jing”, and Zhao Cheng’s exact words to him were: “If you see something wrong, retreat immediately.”
After making this deployment, Zhao Cheng looked at the northern map and murmured: “After locking me up, you’re spreading your wings like a great peng in the north, huh.”
…At this very moment…
Bei Xie Jing, Baili Jue held up the Thousand Mile Mirror, watching the Chong Army guarding the exit as they cleared the piled-up Hao Army cavalry corpses on the bridge. The cleanup method was to stuff soil and stones directly into their clothes and dump them into the river, where with a plop the corpses sank into the mountain stream, fought over by a school of fish.
Baili Jue’s face was grim. He had just launched an impact, but under the continuous blockade of firearms and shotgun on the bridge, it all came to nothing.
Then he tried infiltrating Bei Xie Jing again, this time with field troops going first, followed by cannons and military supplies; now intercepted halfway, he had to withdraw. Baili Jue feared that if he moved too slowly, the Chong Army would seize the high ground on both sides of certain passes in Bei Xie Jing first and ambush him, so everything was kept simple.
Baili Jue noticed Chong Army flying cavalry active on both sides of Bei Xie Jing; clearly, if ambushers found positions, his military supplies couldn’t be brought out.
Baili Jue sighed over this: “Can’t save Brother Zhao Shanhe anymore.”
During the retreat, Baili Jue received a military suggestion from that bastard Zhen Hao using the tiger tally to order him to “break through Bei Xie Jing at all costs”. He gritted his teeth and wrote back: “Our army lacks the strength to break through, please seek another way.”
Then on Baili Jue’s side, he quickly hid the cannons and military supplies in mountain caves to prevent them from falling into Chong Army hands; he led his men quickly out of Bei Xie Jing and withdrew.
Baili Jue: “The Lord was right.”
But watching helplessly as Hao State’s last viable fresh army was annihilated like this was truly unbearable.
…Switching back again…
Zhao Cheng now looked at the situation in Ji Prefecture, realizing he was already overwhelmed just defending himself.
On the west side upstream, Wu Rui’s camp had already set up firmly.
In other words, if Zhao Cheng now suddenly mobilized a large corps northward, Wu Rui would drift downstream straight for Ji Prefecture.
A key piece of information Zhao Cheng now had was that two prefectures and counties in eastern Xiang Prefecture had fully mobilized; and Wu Rui had them thoroughly conscript rear reserve troops.
From the latest Zhen State intelligence Zhao Cheng obtained through “spies”: Even the laborers repairing roads for Zhen State in Donghua Commandery had all been fully mobilized to the front.
These laborers’ training level was much higher than that of Hao State’s laborers, who trained for just dozens of days over two years of farming off-season, totaling no more than a month;
Hao State’s laborers could barely form ranks, follow commands and drum beats to advance. They lacked precise shooting at 100 paces, and the ability to change formations from “dense” to “loose” within ten breaths on command.
After the war dragged on for over half a year, Zhen State’s follow-up potential began to erupt.
Zhao Cheng couldn’t help recalling his previous life. In the Battle of Changping, Zhao Army’s total strength was 400,000; to supply these 400,000 soldiers, it consumed the nation’s grain, and in that battle, Qin Army also suffered over half losses.
Zhao Cheng paused. Reviewing the entire Warring States period, Qin Army’s records were: in a certain year and month, a certain general led troops against a certain state (Han, Zhao, Wei), generally capturing 3 to 5 cities, beheading 10,000 to 30,000 heads.
Thus, it can be seen that Qin Army’s total troop strength per campaign was roughly 50,000 to 100,000.
Narrator: This also fits the mobilization capacity under the classical militaristic system of Qin and Han. For Qin State, even if these troops were defeated, it was just painful for one or two years, still with surplus; and Qin State’s wars against the states were mostly wins with few losses, the few famous failures in history were due to underestimating the enemy, insufficient troops being ganged up on; for example, Zhao She’s campaign, and Lord of Xinling stealing the tiger tally to save Zhao, both had troop superiority.
Only that time in Shangdang, both sides got heated, gradually raising the stakes, eventually turning into total mobilization.
Zhao Cheng had previously sensed that Xuan Chong did not want to destroy him; in the early clashes, the Hao Army corps were not at full strength, and subsequent reserves were always held back unused.
But as the war grew larger, even if Xuan Chong didn’t want to, it didn’t mean the various forces under Xuan Chong didn’t.
Now on various fronts, the Chong Army had fully gauged the caliber of people like Zhao Shanhe; especially when Wu Rui changed “routing” to “annihilation”, he directly bet the entire Wu Family foundation built over ten years in water and Zhu Prefecture!
Zhao Cheng silently sighed, mocking himself: “If we keep fighting, the mountains and rivers will shatter.”
“Mountains and rivers shattered, Evil Moon descends.” Zhao Cheng really didn’t want to use such an excuse to write a letter to Xuan Chong.
Because during these years when he as a military strategist swept under heaven, he never considered mountains and rivers shattering; when demons appeared locally, he directly led troops to exterminate them; and back when Pu E spoke of all things ascending to evil, he thought Pu E lacked the vision for great affairs.
And now to use such words to persuade Xuan Chong, Zhao Cheng suddenly aged, because this was personally admitting failure in his military strategist domain.
…Obsession shattered…
At the same time in the north, Pu E looked at the system prompt: Obsession broken, begin settling. —(Meaning the summoned consciousness now has no obsession, has integrated into this world.)
Pu E fell silent: Zhao Cheng was beaten into submission by that guy from Zhen State called Wu Fei, unwilling to compete in the military strategist domain anymore.
Pu E sighed, walked into the teleportation gate, she sent several subordinates to the south, instructing: “Take in as many people as we can.”
Now arriving in Xingzhou, Su Ming had already completed the Ao Guang City campaign; after finishing, he received authorization to advance on Sha Prefecture starting late September.
And at this time Zhao Cheng was trapped in Ji Prefecture, the people Zhao Cheng left to guard other prefectures now sensed Wu Hengyu of Bo Prefecture preparing to join the battlefield.
And with the war at this state, everyone even felt fortunate that Hao State’s nominal capital could attract one Chong Army corps; if Chong State’s army bypassed King Hao and went straight east, that would be disastrous.
Now the generals under Zhao Cheng in Sha Prefecture concentrated troops around Yushan Pass to hold it. As for Hao Court, it had already been abandoned.
Time back to August 14th, Su Ming’s War Kui armored corps broke through Xingzhou border. His corps easily recaptured three border fortresses.
After turning all the Hao civilians in the cities into slaves, Su Ming then repatriated 3,000 households, and the army rested for a full month.
During this time Su Ming did not rashly go north, but waited until after the summer harvest, organized subsequent laborer troops, then took Xingzhou.
Su Ming emphasized to his subordinates: “This conquest is fully prepared, completely different from the military strategy ‘speed is of the essence in warfare’, because this time’s strategic objective is not revenge, but to destroy a nation; destroying a nation requires sufficient troops to suppress all potentially defiant forces in the occupied area with overwhelming power.”
Su Ming was a bit uneasy, because this heaven-defying merit of destroying Hao, without permission, he dared not claim alone.
But then Xuan Chong sent him instructions: “Don’t dawdle”, Su Ming immediately attacked Xingzhou’s capital.
September 14th, Chong Army’s large force surrounded Hao Capital, 300 cannons began setting up against Hao Capital’s city wall.
War Kui formed a horizontal line outside the city to intimidate. However in the palace, court ministers frantically asked: “Why hasn’t the Grand Tutor’s reinforcements arrived?” But the dragon descendant imperial kin knew that the so-called “Grand Tutor will come” was fake.
Amid the ministers’ despair, Pu E appeared.
She tossed a gourd, letting these ministers take their own lives; as these ministers swallowed the soldier-dissolving pills, Pu E cast magic to seize the souls of many dragon descendants, taking these unfortunate people who had fought for over thirty years in Xi Ren Realm, and left this tumultuous world.
It was precisely when all under heaven’s attention was on the Heluo battle that this batch of otherworldly forces that turned Da Yao from prosperity to decline quietly exited stage without anyone knowing.
Ten hours after Pu E left, Su Ming’s War Kui breached the city wall and entered the city, armored soldiers began entering Xingzhou.
Sealed off the palace walls and treasury, registered women and goods.
…Perspective to the battlefield…
On the fifth day of encircling Zhao Shanhe, this cat-and-mouse game came to an end.
Xuan Chong’s command ability was beyond reproach.
Tens of thousands moved like an arm’s extension. Reserve forces never ran dry, overall morale rose higher with each fight. This gradually made the Hao Army mid-level generals feel fear, because they couldn’t see the bottom!
The Hao Army troops who had charged several times continuously, looking at the impregnable fortress and the firearm troops advancing in ranks, felt chills in their hearts.
These Hao Army officers with foreheads bloodied by projectiles began thinking they shouldn’t be made to charge to their deaths, but rather have the Great General (Zhao Shanhe) order the giant soldiers to assault the fortified positions.
However, in the main tent where Zhao Shanhe was, no “main force charge” order was issued.
Finally on the twelfth time, some messengers returning to relay orders saw those “giant soldiers” standing motionless, and immediately flew into rage.
They burst into the tent; “Zhao Shanhe, get out here!” “Why make our men charge!” “Where are your men?” “We want to break out!” These Hao Army officers and soldiers were extremely angry.
However, immediately after in the tent, sounds of drawing blades and agonized screams emerged.
Ultimately after three incense sticks, Zhao Shanhe walked out, his mouth corner red, pupils blue, nails purple, and below his neck a green pustule.
Such abnormality in the current army, disrupted for three days with horse meat as food, went unnoticed by anyone.
Zhao Shanhe called his personal soldiers in, having them drag the corpses from the tent. —And this cart of corpses transported to the rear camp had heads chopped off, intestines buried in the soil.
And on giant soldiers like Jade Lion and Pottery Figurine, blood-flesh pustules were spreading.
After completing a wave of enshrined master offerings, Zhao Shanhe couldn’t help gazing toward the northern fortified position. His eyes revealed despair and madness, even helplessness; in this great war, his army was squarely crushed, to the point now he could only transact with the evil god to pass this hurdle.
…Evil Moon illuminates…
Here Xuan Chong looked up at the sky, casually picking up the peace petition letter from Zhao Shanhe in the south received ten hours ago. The letter’s characters trembled with fear. —Actually written with ash from burning black crow feathers as ink via evil technique, but under Xuan Chong’s Eye of Insight, the evil technique was destroyed with one glance. The caster in the Hao camp suffered backlash.
Nearby non-commissioned officers sensed something off in Xuan Chong’s gaze, then hurried over worriedly. Xuan Chong stared fixedly at the sky, slowly saying: “Pass my order, have the east side troops open a path.”
The non-commissioned officers were all stunned. One asked: “Sir, we can already encircle and annihilate them!” Xuan Chong’s gaze remained locked on the sky, and the non-commissioned officers following his gaze saw nothing.
Of course they couldn’t see; under Xuan Chong’s Eye of Insight, the Evil Moon was now moving above the sky but unable to manifest.
And in Xuan Chong’s current view, he saw a funnel-shaped space cluster falling right on Zhao Shanhe’s main camp. —Clearly the despair, anger, doomsday madness from the war, and mutual scheming betrayals, had drawn the Evil Moon’s invasion.
Xuan Chong: “Open a small gap, encircle three, leave one open. Prepare to pursue.”
Non-commissioned officer: “Yes.”
…Loosen up…
On the road, Wen Siting rode his horse back and forth in the column proclaiming: “Move faster, move faster, don’t block the central road.” In the avenue center, war chariot tracks crushed the road, some puddles padded with wood, vehicles passing unimpeded.
Despite having a tin horn, Wen Siting still shouted until his throat was dry, and constantly paid attention to the reports fed back by scouts.
He received orders to clear a road for the Hao Army to break out. At first he thought the higher command had mis-transmitted.
But later his side’s orders were to take troops to Fan Bridge to block and control the Hao Army’s escape direction. He immediately sighed that his own Marshal still cared for him.
After urging the troops to march, Wen Siting arrived at a village five li ahead of the column; all village stoves requisitioned, now heating meals over fierce fire, so when subsequent troops arrived, each got a biscuit. Continue marching on foot.
Amid pots and pans, he opened the map, using his newly learned operational theory to ponder hard why Xuan Chong wanted his troops to withdraw from the battlefield; he lit a hand-rolled grass-leaf weld smoke, took a puff, exhaled smoke and said: “Mm, that’s the flavor.”
Wen Si didn’t know that after his troops left, a large group of blood-red monsters charged toward his position.
…Dodged…
These blood-red monsters arrived at the empty fortified position left by Wen Siting, pouncing on empty air, madly smashing pits in the ground; but aside from stepping in the few piles of shit left by Wen Siting’s undisciplined troops, found no opponents; these monsters roared and hacked at each other.
Zhao Shanhe was stunned for a moment upon learning the east road was opened, then his subordinate officers and soldiers all urged him to break out; Zhao Shanhe reluctantly looked at the northern position.
All fortified positions were piled with corpses, no soil visible, ditches filled with blood.
Chong Army behind the fortifications were still firing. Currently only a few Martial Qi sixth layer elites could break in. But merely silencing the Chong Army behind for one incense stick’s time.
Then their heads were hoisted up on poles.
At this time the battlefield was like a meat grinder, each fortified position like bone-chopping blades in the grinder; whether famine-shaped laborers or true qi experts who could face a hundred alone, all consumed on the battlefield.
Just as the blood sacrifice was about to start, the east side breach deflated the army’s momentum; originally needing 9,999 deaths, now the progress bar stalled.
Zhao Shanhe gritted his teeth toward the sky: “Then I’ll go?”
