Bai Qingyan turned to look at the boats of varying sizes, then turned back to gaze at Longyang City with pursed lips in silence. Originally, she had suggested to Liu Hong that since the boats were limited, she should divide forces with General Fu. General Fu would stay behind to lead troops by boat to eliminate the dying Liang army in Longyang City.
She would lead troops around Longyang City to the area between Puwen City and Longyang City, waiting quietly to slaughter all the retreating Liang soldiers. Only in this way, after this battle ended, could they make Liang soldiers tremble with fear upon seeing Jin army banners and not dare to advance.
But Liu Hong felt it was too risky, especially with the torrential rain and unclear roads ahead, fearing that something might happen to Bai Qingyan.
For Liu Hong, there was no need to completely defeat Great Liang in one go. Under the premise of ensuring Bai Qingyan’s safety, slowly taking back the lost Puwen City and Chunmu City step by step, then driving Great Liang back, would be more prudent.
General Liu Hong was cautious, and Bai Qingyan didn’t force the issue, since General Liu Hong was the commander after all.
However, if this battle left the Liang army with room to maneuver and retreat to Puwen City, there was no guarantee that the Liang army wouldn’t send reinforcements from their homeland to fight back again. That would truly be a back-and-forth drain on Jin’s military strength.
Compared to Jin, which had just lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the southern border battle, Great Liang bordered the sea in the north and was only adjacent to Jin and the Rong-Di tribes… This was the perfect time to expand territory. Great Liang had strong soldiers and excellent horses, and the Rong-Di had already fallen into internal chaos. If she were the Liang Emperor, she wouldn’t miss this opportunity either.
After all, opportunities lost don’t come again.
Bai Qingyan had already analyzed the stakes with Liu Hong, only hoping that Liu Hong would understand during the retreat and send troops around Longyang City to the area between Puwen City and Longyang City, also to prevent Xun Tianzhang from seeking aid from Puwen City.
The Liang army had almost turned upside down an entire mansion bearing the Xiao residence nameplate. Digging the ground and smashing walls, they still hadn’t found anything substantial.
Despite being exhausted from fatigue, the Liang soldiers who had broken into the Xiao mansion acted like they were in a competition. No one was willing to rest, afraid of missing the treasures that Xiao Rongyan, the world’s richest merchant, had hidden in the Xiao mansion.
Whether it was because the torrential rain was too heavy and the city’s waterways couldn’t drain in time, the water in Longyang City had already reached people’s ankles and showed a trend of gradually rising.
Xun Tianzhang and his son were resting in the upper floors of the pavilion and hadn’t noticed anything unusual yet. But Zhao Sheng, who had rescued his brother from prison and was caring for him, had already noticed the anomaly and immediately called over the Zhao Family Army.
Zhao Sheng had already moved Zhao Tong to the second floor. Kneeling under the lamplight, the Zhao Family Army general, his whole body damp, came upstairs and knelt on one knee to salute Zhao Sheng: “General!”
“I vaguely heard people outside saying that after killing their way into the city… they didn’t see a single civilian, nor a single Jin soldier?!” Zhao Sheng asked.
“That’s natural. Our Liang army slaughtered the Jin army completely, leaving not a single piece of armor. How would the Jin army dare to stay behind?!” The burly general said proudly.
The more refined-looking general spoke truthfully: “Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. There were still some Jin soldiers who couldn’t escape, and we killed them all. It’s just that after entering the city, everyone was busy seizing treasures, so quite a few Jin soldiers escaped!”
Zhao Sheng’s brow furrowed tightly as he lowered his eyes in deep thought: “Civilians… did any of you see them?!”
The several generals kneeling in the pavilion looked at each other. It seemed no one had paid attention to civilians. Even if there were civilians, they weren’t Liang people, so naturally they would be cut down with a blade upon sight. Who would pay attention to that?!
Seeing the generals’ expressions, Zhao Sheng suddenly stood up: “Something’s wrong!”
Zhao Sheng didn’t dare delay and immediately rushed downstairs, running wildly toward where Commander Xun Tianzhang was located.
At the yin hour, the Liang soldiers guarding the city tower inevitably complained. Even the supply train that had entered the city last were out searching for valuable items everywhere, yet they still had to guard the city in the torrential rain.
Who among them didn’t want to see how magnificent the golden carved auspicious beast that the world’s richest merchant used to guard his residence really was? They also wanted to pry off a gem to take back to honor their old mothers, and maybe even marry a wife.
“Forget it, stop complaining. Who told us we’re soldiers under General Xun! We never get the good deals, but we’re always first to charge when it’s time to risk our lives!” The Liang soldier sighed, looking into the distance.
“Look… what is that?!”
“On such a rainy and dark day, what could you possibly see?” A Liang soldier joked but also moved over to look in the direction his comrade was pointing.
In the distance, a dark mass was charging wildly through the torrential rain, like a frightened herd of cattle, unstoppable, carrying the roaring sound of floodwater, rushing straight toward them. The massive waves carried broken branches and stones, surging rapidly forward!
The flood that was rushing toward them violently crashed against the city gates and walls, rapidly squeezing through the gaps in the city gates into the city. The impact was deafening.
“Flood! It’s a flood!” The Liang army shouted loudly, immediately blowing horns and beating drums.
The Liang soldiers on guard duty turned toward the city and shouted loudly: “The flood is coming! The flood is coming!”
But the sound of rain was too loud, and the sound of the flood was too loud, almost drowning out the soldiers’ shouts. The massive stones and trees carried in the floodwater crashed heavily against the thick city gates, wave after wave, almost breaking open the city gates.
The Liang soldier hurriedly came down from the city wall, intending to rush to where the commander was located, but when he came down from the wall, the floodwater had already reached his waist and was still rising rapidly.
Longyang City’s walls were only about two zhang high. At this rate, they would soon be submerged.
“The flood is coming! The flood is coming!” The Liang soldiers guarding the city shouted everywhere.
The Liang soldiers still searching for treasure in the Xiao mansion only felt that the water was rising too quickly. In just the time it took to say a few words, the water had already reached their knees and was still rising. Hearing the horn sounds and drumbeats faintly carried through the storm, even the slowest realized something was amiss.
Zhao Sheng had just reached the front of the pavilion where Xun Tianzhang was located when he heard horn sounds and drums coming from the direction of the city tower. These sounds, mixed with the storm, weren’t very clear, but they still awakened Xun Tianzhang.
“Someone come!”
Xun Tianzhang’s voice came from inside the room, and the guards stationed downstairs quickly responded and went upstairs.
Zhao Sheng couldn’t wait and hurried up: “Commander! Something’s wrong! This subordinate feels this is a trap set by the Jin army! Our Liang army entered the city without seeing a single civilian, which means the civilians were evacuated by the Jin army in advance. Our intention to flood the Jin army has probably been detected. We need to leave the city quickly!”
Xun Tianzhang calmed down and asked again: “What’s with the drumbeating at the city gates?!”
“Reporting to father, we don’t know yet! Your son has already sent someone to investigate!” Xun Tianzhang’s son said.
At this moment, Xun Tianzhang’s heart was beating very fast. While putting on his boots, he said: “Have the soldiers assemble and leave the city immediately!”
The person Xun Tianzhang’s son had sent to investigate the city gates had just reached the main street when he heard the sound of the heavy city gates being struck repeatedly. Before he could react, the city gates were suddenly smashed open, crashing heavily against the city walls.