Hearing that the Jin army had been routed and had already fled toward Youhua City, Xun Tianzhang’s son couldn’t help but feel it was a pity. Originally, flooding Longyang City would have caused heavy casualties to more than half of the Jin army’s forces.

But if there was no way to flood Longyang City, when the army departed for Youhua City, there would be another fierce battle.

“The Bai Family Army’s Little Commander…” Zhao Sheng, riding slowly into the city with Xun Tianzhang’s son, sneered coldly and wiped the rainwater from his face. “Nothing special after all! Wasn’t she still beaten into fleeing in defeat!”

Xun Tianzhang’s son asked Zhao Sheng, “Did you find Zhao Tong?”

“The Zhao Family Army people went to look for him. It should be soon! They fled so miserably, they didn’t have time to take Zhao Tong with them!”

Just as Zhao Sheng finished speaking, he saw a squad leader from the Zhao Family Army hurrying over, kneeling on one knee and saying: “General, we found General Zhao Tong. General Zhao Tong was… was…”

Zhao Sheng’s heart tightened. He dismounted and grabbed the Zhao Family Army squad leader, asking: “What happened to my brother?!”

Xun Tianzhang’s son also dismounted: “Don’t be anxious first!”

“General Zhao Tong was subjected by the Jin army to the interrogation methods created by Old General Zhao! His descendants…”

Before the man could finish speaking, Zhao Sheng kicked the squad leader in the chest. The squad leader clutched his chest and quickly propped himself up, kneeling on one knee: “This subordinate is incompetent!”

Zhao Sheng gritted his teeth, his fists clenched tightly, his heart filled with hatred for Bai Qingyan.

He stepped forward through the rainwater and asked through gritted teeth: “How many people know about this matter?!”

“Reporting to the general, only six of us who went to the prison to rescue General Zhao Tong know!”

Zhao Sheng crouched down, his hawk-like eyes looking at the squad leader: “Go back and tell the other five that if this matter gets out, I’ll take their lives!”

“Yes!” The Zhao Family Army squad leader quickly lowered his head in acknowledgment.

“Take me there!” Zhao Sheng stood up and spoke.

Xun Tianzhang’s son watched Zhao Sheng anxiously ride away to rescue his brother, pursed his lips, and climbed the city tower in the rain. Looking at the scene of Liang soldiers in the city holding torches, searching everywhere for treasure, and breaking down doors, he felt that this habit of the Liang army still needed to be corrected!

He raised his hand to touch the bricks and stones of Longyang City’s wall, thinking that not flooding Longyang City was good. Their Liang army wasn’t here just to fight and leave. Afterward, Longyang City would be a city of their Great Liang, and this would also avoid Great Liang having to spend enormous manpower and resources to rebuild Longyang City later!

He patted the city tower’s bricks and stones that had been washed clean by the rainwater, turned his head, and ordered: “Go back and report to the commander that our army has captured Longyang City! Request the commander to enter the city!”

“Yes!”

Tianlan Mountain was located between Longyang City and Youhua City.

Moreover, going from Longyang City toward Tianlan Mountain, the terrain became higher the further one went. Since ancient times, there had been a saying that “the Dragon Mother’s fury stops at Tianlan.” As long as one reached Tianlan Mountain, there was no fear of flooding.

Bai Qingyan and Liu Hong had sent part of their forces to retreat to Tianlan Mountain, prepared all nearby boats early, and were quietly waiting between Tianlan Mountain and Longyang City.

That night, the torrential rain still hadn’t stopped.

After today’s battle, Xun Tianzhang, whose body could no longer hold up, felt even more uncomfortable. He had moved into the county government office in Longyang City, but was still worried about the Longmu River causing floods.

“Father need not worry. Tonight’s rain is too heavy, it’s not suitable to camp outside the city!” Xun Tianzhang’s son came over carrying medicine and said in a low voice. “Tomorrow morning, our army will depart for Youhua City! Even if there is flooding, it won’t happen so quickly! Even if you don’t think of yourself, you should think of our Liang army soldiers! Listen to the sounds outside – they’re still searching for treasure! If you give the order to retreat now, who would be willing?”

Xun Tianzhang took the medicine his son brought, nodded, and instructed: “Send more people to guard the embankments and channels. If there’s any loosening, we’ll evacuate early!”

The torrential rain couldn’t extinguish the Liang army’s enthusiasm for treasure hunting. Outside was bustling with excitement – some comparing what they had looted, others asking what had been found in the Xiao mansion.

Xun Tianzhang heard someone laughing and shouting that General Cheng had almost smashed down the walls of the Xiao mansion and was looking for secret chambers!

Someone else jokingly shouted: “Why bother struggling over the Xiao mansion’s treasures?! When the commander gives the order later, won’t you all have worked for nothing!”

“Go to hell! Our commander isn’t that kind of greedy person!”

Xun Tianzhang’s personal guards were standing watch outside the government office, but such noisy laughter and cursing still kept coming through.

Xun Tianzhang sat in the government office feeling uneasy…

The Jin army had indeed abandoned their armor and fled, so what was there to worry about?

“This time it’s just a pity!” Xun Tianzhang’s son sighed. “I forgot that the Jin army isn’t the Bai Family Army – they would abandon the city and flee! If it had been the Bai Family Army, they would have defended Longyang City to the death. Then, when we flooded Longyang City, no one could have escaped!”

“My heart is uneasy… I always feel that with that Bai Qingyan there, she would never abandon the city and flee so easily. That… is Bai Weiting’s eldest granddaughter! Even Bai Weiting praised her as a talented general!” Xun Tianzhang clenched his fists.

“No matter how capable, those here are all Jin army, not their Bai Family Army! Besides… this time the commander is Liu Hong. Could Liu Hong listen to a young girl?” Xun Tianzhang’s son reassured him. “Father, don’t forget, our spies said that the Jin Emperor should be very displeased with this Duke’s daughter, Bai Qingyan. With the Jin Emperor’s personality – unable to tolerate even loyal ministers like Bai Weiting – how could he tolerate Bai Qingyan acting presumptuously before him and achieving more military merit?”

Xun Tianzhang nodded.

“Moreover, the Jin army in this battle truly showed the determination of not retreating without fighting to the death. Later, they probably really felt the situation was hopeless, so they abandoned their armor and ran! Father needn’t overthink it! Rest well. If this rain still doesn’t stop tomorrow, when we depart in the rain, Father will still have much toil ahead!”

Xun Tianzhang nodded: “Go relay orders. Tell our soldiers that due to continuous torrential rains, we will depart tomorrow to avoid Longyang City encountering floods! Tonight, no matter how late they search, whoever delays tomorrow’s departure will face military law punishment!”

“Yes!”

Xun Tianzhang listened to the sound of torrential rain outside, suppressed the unease in his heart, and lay down to rest with his son’s assistance.

It was already deep into the night.

Bai Qingyan and Fu Ruoxi stood with the Jin army on high terrain. Even though visibility was extremely low in the torrential rain, standing here, they could still see the bright dots of firelight throughout Longyang City.

Seeing this scene, the Jin army knew that the Liang army was probably having a grand time treasure hunting right now.

Where was any trace of the Jin army soldiers who had abandoned their armor in the city today? Each stood straight-backed in the rain, ready for battle.

Bai Qingyan had already sent a thousand men to Longmu River to kill the Liang soldiers guarding the embankments and waterways, and to break open the embankments and channels.

Calculating the time, it should be about ready!

The boats were ones Liu Hong had ordered transported up the mountain early, waiting for after Longyang City was flooded to let the Jin army enter the city by boat and slaughter the Liang army that would be half-dead from drowning.