Nantong City.
Zhao Cheng and his generals stood on the city wall, watching the dark mass of troops rushing towards them from afar, as if dark clouds were pressing down on them.
Zhou Nuo led the archers up to set up defenses.
Cheng Xu said, "Deputy Commander, the Southern Zhou army is making a huge show of force. Is the entire army out on the offensive? Are all the camps in the city in position?"
Zhao Yan said, "As you instructed, people have been assigned to every alleyway."
Cheng Xu waved his feather fan and said, "Dispatch two more battalions to transport defensive fortifications."
"Wait a moment."
Zhao Cheng suddenly spoke, took a step forward, and reached out to catch the rain falling from the sky.
"The rainy season has arrived..."
The generals were puzzled as to why Zhao Cheng was discussing the weather at this time. Cheng Xu said, "Time is of the essence, General, please speak frankly."
Zhao Cheng clenched his fist, gathering the rainwater in his hand, and said, "Let's retreat."
"What?!" Cheng Xu thought he had misheard, and the generals looked at each other in bewilderment.
Zhao Cheng said, "I said retreat."
Zhao Yandao: "Big brother..."
Zhao Cheng glared at Zhao Yan.
Zhao Yan changed his tune, saying, "General, Nantong City is a transportation hub in central Yunjing. Such an important strategic location, how could we just hand it over to them without even fighting?"
Tuo Tiewuhua chimed in, "That's right, General! Even if we have to go out of the city to meet the enemy, I'm not afraid of them!"
Zhao Cheng said, "There's no need to fight here."
Cheng Xu frowned and said, "General, I cannot understand your actions! Nantong City has ample food supplies and is well-equipped with weapons. Although the enemy has 300,000 troops, we can defend the city and are not afraid at all!"
Zhao Cheng insisted, "Since we're relying on the city to resist the enemy, wouldn't it be better to go to Jiangxia Pass?"
Cheng Xu argued, "But if we give up Nantong City, the Southern Zhou army will use it as their base and be able to confront us at Jiangxia Pass!"
Zhao Cheng suddenly let out a cold laugh.
Cheng Xu asked doubtfully, "Is there something wrong with what I said?"
Zhao Cheng patted Cheng Xu on the shoulder, leaned close to him and said, "Have you ever considered that the Southern Zhou army isn't attacking the city, but besieging it?"
Cheng Xu paused for a moment, then said, "Even if we're besieged, our city's food supplies will still be..."
"It's not a problem with supplies."
Zhao Cheng raised both hands, extended the index fingers of both hands, and then pulled them to the sides.
"If the Southern Zhou army really besieges the city, then they can divide their forces and send a team to attack Jiangxia Pass. If Jiangxia Pass falls, we are finished, and Jiangyang County is finished too."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xu's pupils contracted sharply, and he fell silent.
Zhao Cheng turned and walked down the city wall, saying, "Just like you said, time is of the essence, let's retreat quickly! Take as much food and supplies as you can, but forget about the weapons."
The rain poured down.
Zhao Cheng retreated through the north gate before the Southern Zhou army reached the south gate, and led the entire army toward Jiangxia Pass.
When the Southern Zhou army entered Nantong City, the generals couldn't stop smiling as they looked at the weapons in the armory.
He Biao looked at the gray-robed man with eyes full of admiration.
"Strategist, you're simply amazing!"
As he spoke, He Biao ran over and hugged the gray-robed man, laughing, "This unexpected gain is quite substantial!"
Seemingly uncomfortable with being touched, the man in gray robes quickly broke free and deliberately distanced himself from He Biao.
"Hahaha, the strategist is shy!" Li Yunqing laughed loudly.
Yang Qingzhi said, "No rudeness is allowed. Pass down the order that all soldiers must strictly discipline themselves, treat the people kindly, and refrain from burning, killing, and looting. Anyone who disobeys will be beheaded, and the general in charge will be demoted three ranks!"
"promise!!!"
...
After Zhao Cheng retreated from Nantong City, he sent Zhao Yan and Tuo Tie Wuhua to lead 100,000 men to guard Jiangxia Pass, while he himself built the Jingshan Camp at the foot of the mountain in the rear.
The rain had been falling for ten days, and the Southern Zhou army's attack on Jiangxia Pass had also lasted for ten days.
However, Jiangxia Pass was easy to defend but difficult to attack. Zhao Yan was strict in disciplining his troops and had high personal martial prowess, so he managed to keep the Southern Zhou army outside the pass.
In the Southern Zhou army camp outside the pass, Yang Qingzhi and his generals, wearing straw hats and raincoats, gazed at the battle at Jiangxia Pass.
Cui Wuming walked out of the rain, holding his sword at an angle, rainwater sliding down the blade.
Seeing the way Yang Qingzhi and the others were looking at him, he shook his head.
"We can't beat them."
Yang Qingzhi was not surprised, after all, Cui Wuming had never won since his first encounter with Zhao Yan.
Yang Qingzhi said, "It's just that we can't determine a winner."
Cui Wuming stopped beside the gray-robed man and said, "If you can't beat him, you can't beat him. Zhao Yan is indeed very strong."
The man in the gray robe said, "You are a newly promoted Grandmaster. Zhao Yan became a Grandmaster earlier than you."
Cui Wuming said, "This boy is only in his early twenties and already possesses such strength; his future achievements are limitless. And that Yang Taozhi, his swordsmanship has reached the point where he can borrow all the swords in the city. Although Zhao Cheng is physically weak, his luck is simply too good."
The man in the grey robe said, "Although Yang Taozhi doesn't have the surname Zhao, she is Zhao Huan's adopted daughter. This is the Zhao family's destiny. If we can't conquer Dongjing in this battle, then Dongjing will be swallowed up by the Zhao family sooner or later."
Li Yunqing was fighting on the front lines, while He Biao was assigned by the gray-robed official to defend Nantong City. There were only Zuo Zhu and a few generals there.
One general suggested, "If we continue fighting like this, the morale of our soldiers will be exhausted. General, let's launch a full-scale attack on the city!"
Yang Qingzhi shook his head and said, "The terrain of Jiangxia Pass is useless if we rely on numbers. If the entire army is mobilized and we still return empty-handed, the soldiers' morale will really be gone."
Zuo Zhu said, "Give me a squad of assassins, and I will secretly cross the mountain to raid the Jing Mountain camp and kill Zhao Cheng. With Zhao Cheng dead, they will be leaderless and will surely fall into chaos."
Yang Qingzhi thought for a moment, then shook his head again, saying, "Only Zhao Yan and Tuo Tie Wuhua showed up at Jiangxia Pass. I didn't see Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao, which means that the two of them are with Zhao Cheng. If you take your assassins there, you're really just going to your death."
The man in the gray robe said, "What you can think of, Zhao Cheng can also think of. I've said before that he's a man who values his life. He'll be worried that Cui Wuming will try to assassinate him, so he'll definitely keep those two knives with him."
"Does the strategist have any good ideas?" Yang Qingzhi asked the gray-robed man eagerly.
The man in the gray robe did not respond, and the expression on his face hidden beneath the robe was unknown. The generals dared not interrupt his thoughts, and the scene suddenly fell silent, with only the sound of rain pattering down.
"I've seen the files from the Battle of Muqiaokou a few years ago. That was Zhao Yan's first major battle, and he performed exceptionally well. Later, when Zhao Huan purged the court of corrupt officials, Zhao Yan also played a crucial role. He was not only a martial arts master but also an outstanding general."
The man in the grey robe raised his head, raindrops falling into his cloak and hitting his face.
He continued, "The key to breaking through Jiangxia Pass is Zhao Yan. If we kill him or seriously wound him, no matter who else in Zhao Cheng's army guards Jiangxia Pass, they will not be able to stop us."
Yang Qingzhi said, "Even Cui Wuming couldn't do anything to Zhao Yan, so how can we defeat Zhao Yan?"
The man in the grey robe said, "I've thought of someone."
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