Chapter 96 First Place [Bonus Chapter]
The thunderous hooves thundered, dust filled the air, the sea of clouds was dark and gloomy, and even the roadside grass and trees seemed to conceal a murderous aura.
Darkness had fallen, but the war continued unabated. The dim stars offered little light, and upon closer inspection, the piles of bones resembled mountains, as if one had stumbled into some kind of hell on earth.
Guan Zhiwei initially thought that war was indiscriminate, taking everyone down with it. Later, she discovered that war was clever, preferring the best and specifically targeting the good people.
In the end, only a small number of people are the winners.
The common people fled like rats, unable to escape the fate of being slaughtered.
Let's end this miserable life quickly.
With this in mind, Guan Zhiwei continued her conquests, always choosing to attack at night.
Firstly, at night, when normal people are asleep, they are less energetic and more likely to let their guard down.
Secondly, the sound of battle cries at night could easily cause the camp to break up.
Thirdly, Guan Zhiwei had excellent night vision; others couldn't see clearly, but she could. She killed in the dark until dawn, covered in blood, until there were no enemies left to stand in.
With these three tricks proving effective time and again, rumors have spread that she is an owl reincarnated and can only be active at night.
So she surprised everyone by suddenly attacking the city during the day and breaching it in just one afternoon.
The enemy troops were thoroughly fed up with this alternating day and night routine.
Guan Zhiwei captured six cities in succession, and the Yuan generals were so defeated that they either died in battle or surrendered. After capturing another city, the next stop was the Yuan clan's stronghold, Yanyang City.
As long as we capture this place, we can defeat the Yuan family army and capture Yuan Qiuhe alive!
“If I go any further forward, the front line will be stretched too long, and the supplies behind must keep up. I trust your father; in all this time, there has never been a problem with the transport of supplies. Don’t let me down.” Guan Zhiwei didn’t have many people she could trust, so after thinking it over, she entrusted her rear to Zhi Junyuan and had someone stationed at the rear.
Seeing how seriously she spoke, Junyuan immediately knelt on one knee and said firmly, "Junyuan will never let the Grand Tutor down."
Guan Zhiwei patted him on the shoulder, "After the war is over, I'll treat you to drinks and personally bestow upon you a higher title."
"Yes!" Zhi Junyuan's eyes welled up with tears, because he was so excited and looking forward to it.
Guan Zhiwei led his troops to besiege Yanyang City, set up camp under the city walls, and assembled catapults.
This is destined to be a long battle; it will require skill, willpower, and ruthlessness—nothing will be lacking.
Inside the tent, everyone began the meeting.
Siege warfare is not like fighting on two fronts, where Guan Zhiwei's martial prowess can be fully utilized. Siege warfare, especially against a determined and persistent enemy, is a fierce battle, and proper deployment is crucial.
After some discussion, they devised a preliminary plan: to first besiege the city, cut off the enemy's supply lines, and build trenches and fortifications to prevent both an internal breakout and external reinforcements. The goal was to isolate the city like an island until they ran out of ammunition and food.
Gao Huan proposed using catapults to throw rotting corpses and excrement into the city to spread the plague.
Zhang Xiao proposed building an earthen mound outside the city wall, making it the same height as the city wall, so that archers could easily shoot at it.
Wei Fuzhi suggested digging tunnels leading to the base of the city walls. Ideally, soldiers could sneak into the city and launch a surprise attack. If that wasn't possible, hollowing out the foundation and setting fire to the supporting timbers would also cause the walls to collapse.
This is a major and tough battle. The opponent is very strong, and our side is also very strong, with a large number of soldiers. The generals are all eager to fight.
The final decision still rests with Guan Zhiwei.
After discussing it for an entire afternoon, the cooking finally came to an end.
During meals, it's time for the flattery to begin.
"I've discovered that the Grand Tutor's military tactics are truly divine. When the weather is fine, with gentle breezes and bright sunshine, it's an auspicious sign; when the weather is bad, he strikes unexpectedly, seizing the opportunity to win."
Wei Fuzhi was full of admiration from the bottom of his heart.
Guan Zhiwei waved her hand while holding her chopsticks: "It's so-so. I don't think they're very willing to resist."
Zhang Xiao put down his chopsticks and said solemnly, “Since the time of the Zhou Dynasty, there has been the concept that ‘the Mandate of Heaven is not constant, but virtue is the only guide.’ Even the emperor must match the virtue of Heaven. If he launches a war without cause, he loses the Mandate of Heaven. Yuan Qiuhe, as a subject, attacked the king. The tyrannical minister lost his virtue. The Grand Tutor acted on behalf of Heaven. The enemy’s morale was low. The Grand Tutor could subdue the enemy without fighting. The righteous army is invincible.”
Look at his righteous and awe-inspiring appearance; it's hard to believe that he once held a knife to his own throat to repay Yuan Qiuhe.
Guan Zhiwei laughed: "What you said makes sense."
Wei Fuzhi looked at him and sighed inwardly, thinking that not just anyone could be a seductress.
As everyone knows, the Grand Tutor had three vixens around him.
Zhang Xiao ranked third. Although he came later, he quickly won the Grand Tutor's favor with his understanding of warfare, his scholarly background, and his eloquent speech. His only downfall was his face; over forty years old, his skin was as thick as a tree trunk, so he could only flatter and act as a loyal subject.
Zhi Junyuan, ranked second, was the complete opposite. He had the advantage of a good face and a good figure. Although his words were sometimes inadequate, it was precisely because he was not good at speaking that he seemed more innocent. His coquettishness and foolishness, coupled with the contrast between his invincible and brave killing on the battlefield, made him a favorite of the Grand Tutor, who sent him out to be entrusted with important tasks.
The one ranked first is undoubtedly Gao Huan, the strategist. He has a handsome face and eloquent speech, but he lacks battlefield experience. In terms of military expertise, he is no match for the professionals among them, hence his reticence on the battlefield.
After some internal deliberation, Wei Fuzhi concluded that since the second-place finisher was absent, the third-place finisher had won this time.
"Grand Tutor, Yanyang City is easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a strategic location that military strategists must contend for. We must be wary of the Jin and Hong families. Should we summon the Zhai brothers to ensure a safe passage?" Gao Huan asked slowly.
Guan Zhiwei shook her head and refused: "I'm here. If we can take it, we can take it. If we can't, calling more people won't help."
Gao Huan nodded: "I was overthinking it. The Grand Tutor has fought across three thousand miles, and his sword is worth a million soldiers."
"It's not that amazing." Guan Zhiwei narrowed her eyes.
Gao Huan immediately said, "I didn't say that. Everyone outside is saying it. Even the common people know it, and it's been turned into a play. The Grand Tutor had two hundred men against an army of one hundred thousand. They chased and killed them, and the enemy generals were so scared that their hearts almost exploded. They surrendered overnight. Although there may be exaggeration, there is a sense of expectation."
"They seem to be doing quite well, and they even have time to gossip about me."
"Grand Tutor's military discipline is strict. He never massacres cities wherever he goes. The people long for Grand Tutor, their eyes filled with tears." Gao Huan sighed deeply, his face full of compassion: "The rise and fall of the world is the fate of the people. The people have longed for Grand Tutor for a long time, and fortunately, Grand Tutor has never let them down."
Wei Fuzhi slurped down a big mouthful of rice, thinking to himself, "Oh, I drew my conclusion too early. First place is still first place."
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