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墨書 Inktalez
The morning mist rose as usual, enveloping the earth tightly at this hour. It was as if a shy beauty had drawn a white curtain, quietly hiding in her boudoir to groom herself. It also seemed like a weariness from the bustling world, using the heavy fog to restore tranquility to the surroundings.
Along the newly constructed mountain road, the sudden sound of urgent hoofbeats shattered the silence. A group of shadows emerged from the mist, revealing the armored cavalry of the Qin Army. Among them was Wuan Jun Bai Qi, who patrolled various defense zones daily amidst the fog.
According to the previously established Encirclement Plan, the Qin Army successfully completed an iron-clad encirclement that trapped Zhao Kuo's Army firmly within their formation. King Zhao of Qin had made it clear regarding this battle: no Zhao Soldier was to be allowed to escape! Otherwise, military law would take effect!
Along with this royal decree came the eagerly awaited latest statistics on military achievements from the entire Qin Army. The accomplishments from the Shangdang Campaign not only continued the previous reward system but also promised that all soldiers participating in this battle would be promoted three ranks upon their return home.
Bai Qi, as Commander of the Qin Army, was somewhat aware of the current situation within the country. The protracted conflict between Qin and Zhao had pushed Zhao's economy to the brink of collapse, and life in Qin State was not easy either. All measures taken to address this economic regression seemed ineffective at this time.
Accompanying the promotion was an increase in salary proportional to rank, which undoubtedly added further strain to the already struggling economy of Qin State. King Zhao of Qin's sudden heavy investment at this moment clearly indicated a desperate gamble.
Riding on his superior steed, Bai Qi shook his head at this thought. In his view, returning home in triumph was predicated on the Qin Army's victory. If they failed, it wouldn't just be a matter of accountability; it would likely mean total annihilation for all participating soldiers of the Qin Army!
According to inside information from within the country, Luzi's sudden departure from the Shangdang front had a purpose. The subsequent results were even more unexpected. During this time, Luzi not only received a title from Zhou Tianzi but also successfully disrupted plans for alliance and diplomacy among the feudal states.
What Bai Qi worried about most at this moment was precisely this news, which was certainly not excessive. On the surface, it appeared that the feudal states were swayed by someone’s persuasion not to assist Zhao; in reality, they were all watching the developments of the Shangdang battle.
Whether one wanted to admit it or not, the feudal lords actually hoped for a defeat of the Qin Army!
The relationships among these lords were either familial or once close friends. If it weren't for territorial disputes leading to brotherly conflicts, they might still be united now. Because of their mutual understanding and familiarity with each other’s capabilities and thoughts, they were well aware of what lay beneath.
Those lords who could still stand strong in Central Plains were certainly not mediocre individuals. If they couldn't figure out such a simple issue, they would have been eliminated long ago! They understood each other's abilities better than anyone else and knew what was truly on each other's minds!
As the current King Zhao, he was no longer the Zhao Wuling Wang who once rose in the Central Plains with ambitions for the world through Barbarian Clothing and Cavalry Archery. If the Zhao Army were to secure Shangdang, it was believed that Zhao Wang Dan, who had no intentions of swallowing the world, would subsequently order his legion to rest and recuperate. Even with access to inland salt lakes and rich mineral resources from Zhongtiao Mountain, he would never use these to enhance the combat capabilities of the Zhao Army.
Thus, allowing Zhao State to win aligned with the interests of various feudal lords.
However, as the king of Qin State, aside from nearing old age, there were no other issues. The acquisition of Shangdang by Qin State was merely the first step into the Central Plains. With a significant influx of salt and copper bolstering Qin State's national strength, declaring war on the various feudal lords was only a matter of time.
Considering all these factors, the advantages and disadvantages of Qin Zhao were already clear. According to reports on the military situation, Wei Kingdom's main force of two hundred thousand was eyeing the boundary with great interest. At present, the Qin Army could not even handle the allied forces of the feudal lords; just this Wei Army alone could completely alter the situation in Shangdang.
Is reality frightening? Only those who are in it truly understand what this term means!
As the highest officer at the front lines of the Qin Army and one of Qin State's most outstanding generals, Bai Qi was well aware of the current situation. What made him feel even more pressured was the Zhao Army he had successfully trapped.
It was believed that the commander of the Zhao Army, well-versed in military strategy, had received guidance from a master. Not only was he familiar with long-distance raids and blitzkrieg tactics, but he was also extremely capable in static defense. Faced with the main force of the Qin Army charging from all directions, their entire defensive formation appeared orderly yet highly lethal.
The Qin Army suffered tremendous casualties as a result; after a month, they hadn't even touched a single foot of Zhao Army's defensive formation. Most of Zhao Army's losses were due to their elite forces attempting breakthroughs. If they continued to hold their ground without making any moves, their exceptionally solid defense could gradually wear down the Qin Army completely.
King Zhao of Qin did not concern himself with these issues; he only wanted results from Bai Qi. Just last night, an eighth order had been sent to Daliang Mountain's command center demanding an expedited conclusion to this battle with an emphasis on annihilating the Zhao Army.
If one were to say that Bai Qi was not troubled at this moment, that would be nonsense. Fortunately, despite his worries, he understood that he must remain calm and composed. For the Qin Army to achieve complete victory, it was essential to ensure that the trapped Zhao Army could not escape. If any serious issues arose within a defensive formation, it would not yield a desirable outcome for anyone.
It was precisely because of concerns regarding these defensive formations that Bai Qi insisted on inspecting them daily. This was not due to a lack of trust in his generals' abilities but rather for his own peace of mind.
He now found himself unsure how to respond to King Qin's ninth order for an attack; it felt less like a call to arms and more like a death warrant! It urged him and all soldiers of the Qin Army to hurry up and perish so as not to be an eyesore!
In response to the urgent call for battle from King Qin, Bai Qi insisted on replying before leaving the camp that the timing for an attack was not yet ripe. As for when the timing would be considered mature, he believed the king would see it soon enough.
He did not want to explain that a forced attack would result in heavy casualties for the Qin Army, as he had already mentioned this multiple times in previous military reports. The best strategy for dealing with the besieged Zhao Army was to starve them out rather than kill them! This approach would not only achieve the goal of annihilating the Zhao Army but also effectively preserve the strength of the Qin Army.
Why insist on a reckless assault instead of employing a strategy of waiting for the enemy to tire? Sigh! Where has the once wise and insightful King Zhao of Qin gone!?
"Grand Commander! Just ahead is the encampment of our Twentieth Legion."
With this reminder breaking his train of thought, Bai Qi returned to reality and looked at the mountains shrouded in mist around him. The Twentieth Legion! General Cheng Ji! He had heard that they were struggling in battle and had been requesting reinforcements. Just yesterday, they suffered another thousand soldiers lost!
"Let’s go! Let’s see what’s happening!"
"Set off!"
Just as the soldiers were preparing to spur their horses, Bai Qi suddenly fell from his mount while in the middle of the ranks.
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