Chapter 1539 – Hammering Nie Liang, Attacking Yang Tao, Sword Pointing to the World (Seventy-Seven)
“Even though we’ve prepared to retreat to the Second City, that doesn’t mean we’re rushing out blindly,” Qi Guanrang understood this well.
“Slowly but surely, we will make our move.”
We must keep the enemy unaware while ensuring our soldiers know that this retreat isn’t defeat but a strategic maneuver.
Thanks to this caution, the Nie army had no suspicions.
“What’s the situation up ahead?”
Wei Ying was always keeping an eye on the battlefield; looking at the brutal scene, he couldn’t help but frown tightly, leaving a mark on his forehead.
Thinking they would have an advantage from the surprise attack on Zhanjiang Pass tonight, the enemy turned out to be surprisingly resilient—a real tough nut to crack.
Both armies remained locked in a stalemate, and the losses on both sides were multiplying.
“The enemy is showing signs of collapse; they’re likely not going to hold much longer.” The officer finally revealed some joy on his serious face, lightening his tone a bit, “The resistance we’re facing now isn’t nearly as fierce as it was at the start, and their morale is plummeting. They will break soon enough!”
Wei Ying pinched between his brows, his tightly pressed lips nearly forming a straight line. Anyone unfamiliar with him could tell he was in a foul mood.
The officer cautiously asked, “Military Advisor… is something wrong?”
Wei Ying coldly replied, “We took advantage of a surprise attack, and after holding off for so long, now the enemy shows collapse—what’s there to be happy about?”
The officer felt embarrassed, but he was dark-skinned and the night was dim; others couldn’t tell.
“I admit my error.”
Wei Ying shifted the topic, “Liu Xi is our fierce competitor; it’s no surprise they have such strength.”
How to showcase our own power?
Naturally, by being stronger than our formidable foes.
If Zhanjiang Pass were as fragile as paper, then Nie Liang in the afterlife would never rest in peace.
Below the city, the Nie army relentlessly positioned their ladders against the walls, while catapults constantly bombarded the enemy behind the ramparts with flaming projectiles, also providing cover for soldiers climbing the ladders. Meanwhile, soldiers at the city gate were battering the gate with heavy siege equipment.
Their faces flushed, teeth clenched, veins bulging on their foreheads, sweat soaked through their clothes.
They shouted war cries, pushing together at the same time, and even though Zhanjiang Pass’s gate was solid, it was now showing cracks.
Upon seeing the cracks, the crowd was greatly encouraged, feeling victory was almost within reach, and they pushed themselves even harder.
The sound of expanding cracks reached their ears; it was music to their ears.
With a thunderous bang, the city gate was utterly demolished, and the crowd looked through the gap, stunned at the boulders blocking the entrance.
Clearing the stones would take time, and the number of soldiers able to climb the ladders onto the walls was limited, posing little threat.
Qi Guanrang ordered a withdrawal to the Second City; thanks to the obstruction of the walls and the gaps, there weren’t many pursuers and casualties were naturally minimal.
The commander conveyed the news to Wei Ying, whose expression didn’t change, seeming to have anticipated this.
“It’s fine, clear the stones, take a short break, and then chase after them.”
The leading general was dissatisfied, “Our momentum is strong; we should seize the opportunity and completely crush the enemy.”
Wei Ying coldly replied, “The entrance has been completely sealed by the enemy. May I ask how you plan to send a large number of elite troops and supplies to pursue the enemy in such a short time? Surely, they would be ambushed before even catching up. Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the job of chopping wood; does the general not understand such common sense?”
Were they able to pry open Zhanjiang Pass’s gates purely by overwhelming supplies and numbers?
They didn’t hold an advantage in soldier quality.
Attacking the enemy’s strengths with their own weaknesses? That was pure madness.
The general, however, disagreed with Wei Ying’s perspective.
Since Nie Liang was still alive, he had never really liked Wei Ying.
He admitted Wei Ying had notable abilities; if not, Nie Liang wouldn’t have valued him so much.
But there’s a saying: humans’ plans can’t match heaven’s schemes.
What good are clever strategies if the execution diverges greatly from theoretical designs?
Fighting isn’t just about talking; it requires adapting to battlefield changes and making timely adjustments.
Wei Ying was so cautious in battle it frustrated him; now he was letting a golden opportunity slip away—what was he thinking? Reflecting on this, the general felt even more pent up. As a military advisor, Wei Ying should focus on strategy, not interfere and overstep bounds; many of Nie Liang’s former officials believed Wei Ying was trying to seize power and undermine the new Lord Nie Qing.
Initially, the general didn’t think this way, but seeing Wei Ying’s current actions, he couldn’t help but waver.
“The enemy is in disarray; with their morale shattered, I thought we should pursue relentlessly, not giving them a moment’s breath. The military advisor is overthinking it, rather letting one thing cause another, delaying the chance to take action. When it comes to war, I pride myself on being no worse than the military advisor.”
Wei Ying couldn’t help but sneer, “Does the general really think Liu Xi’s elite troops can be easily defeated?”
Nie Liang had orchestrated a feigned attack on Zhanjiang Pass, and while not all the elites were deployed, it was a tough battle.
The former lord placed great importance on the enemy and now was even more vigilant.
That was a true elite army, not some ragtag bunch, and they wouldn’t collapse just from one defeat.
Did this general really think Jiang Pengji was like those other enemies they had fought?
The general angrily retorted, “Military advisor, don’t undermine your own authority, boosting the enemy’s confidence and affecting the morale of our troops.”
Wei Ying’s gaze turned cold, “Do you plan to disobey military orders?”
The general was loyal to the Nie Clan but had his own thoughts. He looked down on Wei Ying’s methods, saying, “Military advisor, remember your roles; you handle strategies, I lead the troops. You can meddle in troop movements but can’t act unilaterally.”
Wei Ying had some military power as the advisor, but when it came down to it, he was still in a civil position and couldn’t overpower the general.
If Fan Chen or the young master Nie Qing were here, he wouldn’t be worried; just being alone put him in a bit of a bind.
“If the general insists, I have nothing more to say. Just one thing—if pursuing the enemy at this moment leads to losing the battle, will the general take responsibility?”
The general snorted, brimming with confidence, “The military laws will handle it; I hold no grudge.”
Saying this, he mounted his horse, causing Wei Ying an immense headache.
He couldn’t deny that this general was loyal to the Nie Clan, but differing opinions and positions couldn’t help but lead to escalating conflicts.
The officers under Wei Ying were extremely worried.
“Military advisor, what should we do now? We can’t really send the general into the enemy’s trap, can we?”
Wei Ying’s capabilities were affirmed repeatedly by the former lord Nie Liang; the enemy was cunning, being cautious was certainly wise.
Wei Ying coldly stated, “It’s fine; we won’t lose many people anyway; let him suffer it himself.”
As it turned out, Wei Ying’s judgment was indeed correct.
