Historically, siege warfare has always been the most difficult type of battle.
If a direct assault is to be launched, it often requires several times the number of troops of the defending side.
However, Xie Shaoling only had 60,000 troops. Although he had trained these 60,000 men for a period of time, they were only slightly better than a rabble and were no match for the 60,000 elite troops of Jizhou County.
The only advantage of the guard was that it had a general with extensive combat experience.
However, Xie Shaoling couldn't handle 60,000 men by himself, so a direct assault was definitely not an option.
If you want to outsmart the enemy, the most common siege tactics used in siege warfare won't work.
Jizhou County has ample supplies, and in another month or two, it will be harvest time again. If we besiege the city, we will not see any results unless we besiege it for a year or two.
But the emperor would not have the patience to wait a year or two.
The day after Xie Shaoling's troops appeared outside Jizhou County, he received an order from the emperor urging him to attack the city.
Most people in the capital thought that this battle would be a piece of cake for Xie Shaoling, nothing to brag about. Only Xie Shaoling himself knew that it would not be easy.
Having witnessed countless deaths on the battlefield, he cared deeply about the lives of his soldiers and was unwilling to make pointless sacrifices.
If Xie Chang'an hadn't been so prescient and hadn't made preparations in advance—
Long before the emperor sent an imperial envoy to Jizhou to investigate, people from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had already infiltrated Jizhou County with the token given to them by the group of refugees who went to the capital to lodge a complaint.
The fastest way to conquer a city is naturally through a coordinated attack from within and without.
One of the reasons Xie Shaoling brought people into the Taihang Mountains for military training was to wait for internal chaos to break out in Jizhou Prefecture.
Within Jizhou County, ever since the Jiang family and the county governor raised the banner of rebellion, they have begun to plunder the grain and money of ordinary people to fund the army. If it weren't for the fact that there were still crops in the fields that needed to be harvested, they probably wouldn't even be left with enough food to survive.
No one wants to continue living a life where there is no hope whatsoever.
Just when they were in despair, someone found them and, with a keepsake from an old friend, promised them a future where they could see hope.
On a dark and windy night, a fire suddenly broke out in the grain storage area in Jizhou County, with flames shooting into the sky.
While people were busy putting out fires in the city, Xie Shaoling gave the order to attack the city.
In the chaos, someone took advantage of the confusion and darkness to open the city gate.
The 50,000 troops under the jurisdiction of Jizhou County, including the 10,000 private troops of the Jiang family, were almost all native Jizhou people.
Many of them have family members who are the victims of persecution.
The planning, which lasted for more than two months, involved more than just the poor and needy.
In the previous life, after Xie Chang'an raised the banner of rebellion, Jizhou Prefecture was the first to respond.
Where there is oppression, there is resistance. The seeds of hatred have always existed; all it takes is a spark to ignite them and dispel the darkness.
Just as the pampered nobles in the capital had predicted, Xie Shaoling won a decisive victory, an overwhelming one.
Although both sides suffered casualties, and those who died were all citizens of Dayuan, for the emperor and the nobles, the casualties were not important; victory was the most important thing.
Most importantly, the powerful families that had stood for hundreds or thousands of years have fallen, and the industries, influence, and lands they left behind need to be redistributed.
Especially Jizhou County, a highly coveted prize, everyone wanted to take a bite out of it.
But no, Xie Chang'an has already promised them a future.
A gentleman keeps his word; once a promise is made, it must be fulfilled.
Therefore, Jizhou Commandery could only be controlled by them.
Ye Jingchen despises war and death. No one who grows up in a peaceful and prosperous era would like war or death.
So all he knew was that Xie Shaoling had won, but he didn't care how he won, what price he paid, or what price Jizhou paid.
He's still a child; he can still run away from things for a while.
All he knew was that Xie Chang'an had a plan in Jizhou County, and that he had won by using those plans.
Xie Chang'an told Ye Jingchen about his promise to the people of Jizhou County, which his father had instructed him to make.
Father said that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion would not act as powerful ministers. Even if they were fulfilling a promise, they still needed to inform Ye Jingchen and let him make the decision.
What decisions can Ye Jingchen make?
He currently has no capable people under his command.
However, he still trusted the people Xie Chang'an had arranged.
It's better for Jizhou Prefecture to be under Xie Chang'an's control than for it to fall back into the hands of aristocratic families.
People trained by the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion would never do anything to oppress the common people.
"Two things need to be noted: First, all of the Jiang family's overt and covert influence in Jizhou County must be eradicated, and the land returned to the people; second, aristocratic families can engage in business in Jizhou County, but they must absolutely not be allowed to establish themselves there!"
Aside from rice and salt, nearly 90% of the trade in Dayuan is controlled by aristocratic families. If these families are not allowed to enter Jizhou, it will be difficult for Jizhou County's economy and people's livelihood to recover.
The Great Abyss is divided into nine provinces, and Ji Province is considered a prosperous land with a vast territory. Each province is further divided into ten prefectures, with Ji Prefecture being the center of Ji Province.
Controlling Jizhou Commandery is tantamount to controlling Jizhou.
"When I said I wanted to compete for Jizhou Commandery, you didn't doubt my abilities at all?" Xie Chang'an asked with a complicated expression.
The center of a state.
If he said this to anyone else, they would probably think he was talking nonsense.
"Of course I believe in Young Master Xie's abilities," Ye Jingchen said with a smile.
Why would he doubt the protagonist's abilities?
"So you're not worried at all?" This was actually what Xie Chang'an was really suspicious about.
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