An awkward silence fell over the room. Seeing that Xu Jia was no longer speaking, and not wanting to be remembered by this villain, Sun Zheng said, "This place is less than fifty miles from Pingyang. After we enter Pingyang and set up camp, I will send someone to gather information."
"At that time, we can discuss the next steps together, shall we?"
"General Sun, we don't know anything about military affairs, so let's go with your plan!" Xu Jia's eyelids were drooping, but his complexion had improved considerably.
Seeing this, Sun Zheng nodded, waved his hand and shouted, "In that case, order the entire army to speed up and enter Pingyang City to set up camp."
Xu Jia knew that the next battle would depend on Sun Zheng, and he didn't want things to get too tense with him. After all, Sun Zheng had come with a mission, and if he could really keep the Qin army in check, he would receive a great reward.
"General, you just focus on defense. I won't interfere with your command. But if there's anything I can do to assist you, just let me know." Xu Jia's tone was sincere.
Upon hearing this, Sun Zheng nodded slightly, somewhat satisfied with Xu Jia's attitude. He was the military supervisor sent by the King of Wei, and if the two of them truly couldn't get along, it would be detrimental to the upcoming battle.
"Thank you for your understanding, Lord Xu. I will certainly consult you if needed," Sun Zheng replied politely.
The atmosphere between the two gradually eased, and Xu Jia stopped asking about military strategies and started chatting with Sun Zheng.
Fifty miles passed in the blink of an eye.
But when they got closer and saw the Qin flag atop Pingyang city, the two froze in place.
"This... Pingyang... has also been captured by the Qin army?"
Sun Zheng's face was ashen, and he was secretly astonished. He had not expected the Qin army to move so quickly and reach Pingyang City in such a short time.
Xu Jia's expression changed drastically. He realized that the information he brought was outdated, and the task he was responsible for had become extremely difficult.
They had only been gone a few days since they received the message and set off, and they dared not delay for even a moment, for fear of missing the opportunity to fight.
But the large flag fluttering in the wind before them forced them to accept this reality.
"General Sun, what... what should we do?" Xu Jia's voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating his great unease about the sudden change in the battle situation.
Sun Zheng took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. He knew this was not the time to panic. "Lord Xu, although the situation is unexpected, we cannot lose our composure. The fall of Pingyang means that the Qin army's offensive is much fiercer than we anticipated."
Xu Jia nodded. Although he still had doubts, he understood that he had to rely on Sun Zheng's military talent now. "General Sun, we'll do whatever you say. Whatever you say, we'll do."
Sun Zheng quickly issued orders to send out scouts to intensify reconnaissance of the surrounding area, while simultaneously deploying troops outside the city to prepare for an attack at any time.
"Lord Xu, I suggest you retreat to the temporary camp, where it is relatively safe. The situation in Pingyang City is currently unclear, and if war breaks out, I may not be able to attend to you."
Although Xu Jia was unwilling, he knew that his own life was the most important thing, and he couldn't become a burden to Sun Zheng. "Alright, General Sun, be careful. I'll go back and wait for your news."
Sun Zheng nodded in acknowledgment and immediately dispatched a team of a thousand elite soldiers to escort Xu Jia's retreat.
After everything was done, he breathed a sigh of relief and sent someone to challenge the Qin army commander.
Little did they know, the city had already made preparations.
Le Ye had previously deployed a large number of scouts, and before Sun Zheng had even approached within fifty miles of Pingyang, his whereabouts were brought back by the hidden scouts.
At this moment, as long as the evil man gives the order, the army lying in ambush outside the city can launch a surprise attack, cut off the Wei army's retreat route, and surround them here.
"Le Ye, do you still want to waste a few more words with him?" The wicked husband revealed a hint of teasing on his face.
Le Ye quickly shook his head and said with a wry smile, "I know Sun Zheng quite well. He's a loyal follower of King Xi of Wei. Meeting him would only be a waste of breath. Why bother?"
The wicked man laughed loudly, "Since that's the case, then open the city gates and meet the enemy. You stay inside the city and mobilize the ambushing army."
Le Ye nodded and then climbed directly onto the city wall.
The wicked man remained unchanged, carrying a halberd and leading the Black Dragon Armored Army out of the city gate.
Outside the city, Sun Zheng saw the Qin army commander-in-chief personally leading the troops and became secretly wary. He knew that this wicked man was not only exceptionally brave but also quite intelligent, and today's battle was bound to be a fierce one.
"You wicked man! So few men have gone out to meet the enemy? Have all the other Qin soldiers died?" Sun Zheng shouted tauntingly, trying to provoke the enemy and demoralize the Qin army.
The wicked man remained unmoved and sneered, "General Wei, don't waste your breath with words. Do you know that these three thousand men are the Black Dragon Armored Army that broke through your Anyi City earlier?!"
Upon hearing this, the Wei army was thrown into turmoil.
Sun Zheng's attempt to steal a chicken backfired, and he immediately stopped talking, drew his long sword, pointed it at the wicked man, and said, "Since you are confident that three thousand men can stop my Wei army, then you will stay here today." As soon as he finished speaking, the Wei army surged towards the Qin army like a tide.
Even though the situation is unclear and there may be a large number of Qin soldiers lying in ambush in the city, he does not want to miss the opportunity to keep the wicked husband.
He refused to believe that the Black Dragon Armored Army and the Evil Husband, no matter how strong, could withstand the overwhelming Wei army. He was convinced that even the strongest can be overwhelmed by overwhelming numbers, and that the Evil Husband would surely die before the Qin army came to his aid.
The wicked man brandished his halberd and led the Black Dragon Armored Army to meet the enemy. The two armies engaged in a fierce battle outside Pingyang City.
The battle was exceptionally fierce, with both sides giving their all. The wicked man led from the front, displaying unparalleled bravery, and cleaved through the Wei army's battle formation like a sharp blade.
Meanwhile, the Black Dragon Armored Army behind them completely blocked the Wei army, preventing them from advancing an inch.
Xu Jia anxiously awaited news of the battle in the temporary camp. He knew that the success or failure of this battle was also related to him, and he kept praying that Sun Zheng would win.
However, just as the battle was at a stalemate, a commotion suddenly broke out in the rear of the Wei army.
It turned out that the ambush troops mobilized by Le Ye launched a surprise attack, cutting off the Wei army's retreat and surrounding Sun Zheng's troops outside Pingyang City.
"kill--!"
The fluttering banners came into view, and countless Qin soldiers stared menacingly at them, their menacing killing intent sending chills down the spines of the Wei soldiers.
"How dare you!"
Sun Zheng's face turned ashen. He suppressed his fear and said in a deep voice, "You wicked husband is indeed worthy of his reputation. Using yourself as bait, I admire your courage."
"However, our numbers are roughly equal, and we'll only know who wins and who loses after the battle."
These resounding words calmed the Wei soldiers considerably, and the battle formation, which was on the verge of collapse, stabilized.
The soldiers weren't blind; seeing that the Qin army's numbers were indeed roughly equal to their own, their morale slowly began to recover.
"Enough talk, let's fight!"
The wicked man suddenly exerted force with the soles of his feet, and his body shot out like a cannonball, heading straight into the midst of the Wei army.
Another great war has broken out!
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