Dust billowed in front of Jiangxia Pass.

Seeing the gates wide open and countless Dongjing warriors rushing out from inside, Yang Qingzhi's face lit up with joy, and he said, "Strategist, they've accepted the challenge!"

The man in the gray robe grunted in response, his voice devoid of emotion.

Yang Qingzhi immediately gave the order: "Form ranks! Prepare for battle!"

The four grandmasters, Zhao Yan, Nie Zheng, Cui Wuming, and Xiao, were still fighting. The central army was temporarily led by Tuo Tie Wuhua, who led 100,000 men to attack the Southern Zhou army with lightning speed. Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao each led 50,000 men to follow closely behind.

Zhao Cheng and Cheng Xu watched from the city wall and did not go on the expedition with the army.

Yang Qingzhi said, "Men of the Southern Zhou!"

"exist!!!"

"Show your fighting spirit! The Dongjing Army is trying to charge! Stop them!"

"promise!!!"

Seeing that the man in gray robes remained silent, Yang Qingzhi moved closer and whispered, "Strategist, is there something amiss?"

The man in the gray robe stared ahead and said in a deep voice, "I just don't understand why Zhao Cheng, who has been hiding for so long without engaging in battle, chose today of all days. What has he been waiting for?"

Yang Qingzhi carefully observed the battlefield and said, "Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao have no other troops behind them, so they are not waiting for reinforcements."

The man in the grey robe said, "That's what I don't understand."

As he spoke, the man in the gray robe looked around.

Yang Qingzhi guessed what the gray-robed man was thinking and said, "I have arranged for scouts to explore the surrounding area every day. This time, we will not give the Dongjing Army a chance to launch a surprise attack."

The man in the gray robe said, "Zhao Cheng is a man of unpredictable tactics; be careful."

Yang Qingzhi nodded and said, "The vanguard shall form a shield formation! The rearguard cavalry shall split up and prepare to charge!"

"promise!!!"

Rainwater mingled with dust under the trampling of horses' hooves, and mist gradually rose from the ground. Looking through the mist, the man in the grey robe suddenly noticed a change in the Dongjing army as they charged forward.

The central army, led by Tuo Tiewuhua, continued its accelerated charge, but Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao's left and right armies had changed direction.

Instead of charging straight towards the Southern Zhou army formation, they dispersed to the flanks!

Yang Qingzhi asked doubtfully, "Is this a plan to simultaneously attack the flanks of our army?"

The man in the gray robe did not answer.

Yang Qingzhi immediately ordered, "Form shield lines on both flanks as well! As long as we can hold off the first wave of the Dongjing Army's charge, our cavalry will be able to finish them off!"

The soldiers followed orders, but something even more unexpected happened to Yang Qingzhi and the gray-robed man.

Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao had no intention of charging into the enemy formation. They distanced themselves further and further from the Southern Zhou army formation and actually bypassed it, heading south.

It was as if the battle here had nothing to do with them!

At this time, Tuo Tie Wuhua's troops had already encountered the vanguard of the Southern Zhou army.

A great war is about to break out!

“What are Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao going to do…” Yang Qingzhi turned to look at the two groups of Zhao and Heng who were getting further and further away.

“Nantong!” the gray-robed man suddenly said.

Yang Qingzhi frowned and said, "This doesn't make sense! Nantong City is garrisoned by He Biao's 50,000 men. It won't be easy for them to take the city. Why go to such lengths instead of concentrating our forces to fight us? Why leave only Tuo Tie Wuhua's troops here? We already have more troops than them, and now the gap in troop strength is even greater."

The man in the gray robe didn't reply for a moment, his mind racing.

He gazed at the two sides locked in battle ahead, watching the flashing swords, the blood and iron hooves, the torrential rain and the thick fog...

Suddenly, the man in the gray robe froze, his eyes widening in shock!

"not good!"

"What's wrong, strategist?" Yang Qingzhi asked worriedly.

The man in the grey robe countered, "Young Commander, what is the terrain like in Nantong City?"

Yang Qingzhi said, "Nantong is a city on a plain."

The man in the grey robe asked again, "How does it compare to the surrounding cities?"

Yang Qingzhi thought for a moment and said, "After I occupied Yunjing County last year, I investigated the terrain of Nantong City... and it is lower than the surrounding area."

The man in the gray robe suddenly raised his arm, clenched his fists, and shouted, "This rain has been falling for almost a month! We've fallen into their trap!"

Yang Qingzhi also seemed to realize something, and asked intently, "You mean... Zhao Cheng is going to use water attack?"

"We can't take it down with water, but what about our weapons! Our food?!"

The man in the gray robe looked up at the sky and exclaimed, "I finally know what Zhao Cheng has been waiting for these past few days. He's been waiting for God to send down more rain!"

"Return immediately! Junior Commander, return to Nantong City immediately to reinforce He Biao!"

Yang Qingzhi hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Zhao Cheng on the city wall and said sternly, "Our army outnumbers Tuotie Wuhua by two to one. Let's just wipe him out in one fell swoop and capture Zhao Cheng alive!"

The man in the grey robe said, "Absolutely not! Since Zhao Cheng has set up this trap, he will definitely order Tuo Tie Wuhua to retreat back to Jiangxia Pass when he realizes that we are going to take a desperate gamble."

"If we fail to capture Jiangxia Pass and lose Nantong City, we will be caught in the middle with no food or military supplies, and then we will be completely finished!"

The man in the gray robe clasped his hands and said, "Please, Junior Commander, order reinforcements for He Biao immediately. I'm afraid it will be too late if we delay any longer!"

"Our supplies are all in Nantong City!"

Upon hearing the gray-robed man's last words, Yang Qingzhi's expression turned extremely grim. He finally gave the order: "Pass down the order! Li Yunqing will lead the vanguard to cover the rear, and the rest of you will follow this commander back to Nantong City!"

The city wall of Jiangxia Pass.

Watching the Southern Zhou army, whose rear guard had become the vanguard and was quickly leaving, Zhao Cheng smiled broadly, reached out his hands to catch the falling raindrops, and exclaimed, "Good rain knows its season, falling when spring arrives. What a wonderful spring rain!"

Nantong City.

"General He, something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"

He Biao and his deputy were drinking in the hall when a soldier rushed in in a panic.

He Biao angrily shouted, "What are you yelling about? Did you lose a battle at the front?"

"No..." The soldier swallowed hard, then said, "Our food... our food is all moldy!"

"What?!" He Biao stood up and pointed at the soldiers, saying, "Five days ago, didn't I tell you to put all the grain in high places?"

The soldier said tremblingly, "The general's order was to put the weapons in a high place, not to mention food."

"You bastard!"

He Biao slammed the table over his shoulder and roared, "Do I really need to explain this in detail? Are you all useless?! If weapons can be ruined by soaking, surely grain can too?!"

"I'm so angry!!"

"General, please calm down." The lieutenant hurriedly came over and said, "Now that things have come to this, we must make two preparations immediately. First, we must quickly harvest the best edible grains, and second, we must inform the junior commander. This is a matter of great importance regarding supplies, and we cannot keep it from him any longer!"

"Yes, you're right!" He Biao paced back and forth anxiously.

At that moment, another soldier ran in, looking even more flustered.

"General He, something terrible has happened!"

He Biao glared at the soldier, kicked him, and roared, "I'm in trouble! Are you trying to summon my soul?!"