knife

Chapter 232 The Big Net
The sound of the gong signaling the end of the battle echoed across the battlefield.

The Yuan soldiers who had been attacking Tongquan Fort retreated as if granted a pardon, and all the way back to their starting camp.

Cheers erupted from halfway up the mountain.

They were celebrating their victory over the Yuan army's attack once again.

Down the mountain, the Yuan army was humiliated and dejected.

I've been trying for several days, but there's been no progress at all.

It's not that we don't try,
The Qin army is really too cunning!
They've only been in charge of Tongquan Fort for a short time, yet they've already reinforced the entire main fort and its subsidiary forts, and the various defensive equipment they've acquired is dazzling.

It was as if they knew this would happen after they captured Tongquanbao, and immediately began to make defensive plans, as if they were going to hold this place to the death.

Fortunately, the higher-ups didn't force everyone to attack relentlessly. They fought one battle in the morning and one in the afternoon every day, and they didn't seem to care much about whether there was any progress.

Except for the first day, when everyone foolishly attacked desperately and lost two or three hundred men at Tongquan Fort, the second day, the attack was still lively, but it became all bark and no bite.

The drums thundered and arrows flew everywhere, but in reality, the number of casualties on both sides was very limited.

Just like today, apart from the dozens of injured, only about ten people who were sheltered from the wind died.

As Lengge watched the sun about to disappear behind the mountain peak, he turned and spurred his horse, heading straight for the camp.

If Jebe's initial strict order to capture Tongquanbao within ten days had made him both angry and anxious, he was now somewhat indifferent.

Jebe is covered in mud all over his crotch now, why would he care about him?
Seven or eight squads infiltrated the territory of the Anxi Protectorate, but before they could do anything, they were ambushed and wiped out by the Qin people.

He is currently in a state of utter chaos and confusion.
The entire army is mobilized to find Xiao Changche and Li Dachui for a decisive battle.

He has no time to care about himself.

When he returned defeated and with his troops severely damaged, he was even more helpless.

Lengge was just a little confused. It was just Tongquan Fort, so why did the Anxi Protectorate attach so much importance to it?

Not only did they quickly begin repairs, increase manpower, and transport large quantities of defensive equipment after taking control, but they also dispatched two key generals, Fang Xiaomao and Xia Zhi, to the area.

Isn't the main point the decisive battle with Jebe involving tens of thousands of cavalry?

The war between Qin and Yuan, a large-scale battle involving the mobilization of tens of thousands of cavalry at once, was not something that could be organized casually.

How could the Anxi Protectorate be so extravagant as to leave important generals like Fang Xiaomao and Xia Zhi aside and not use them?
If something goes wrong, there must be a demon!

The Anxi Protectorate must have had its own purpose in doing this.

Back in his tent, Lengge was still pondering this question.

why?

"Report!"

The loud, panting voice of the scouts outside drifted in.

"Come in!" Lenger ordered, instinctively feeling that his doubts should be answered.

The scout, his clothes soaked through, looked unwell and even somewhat panicked.

"General, Longgou Fort has fallen!" The scout's first words struck Lengge as somewhat absurd.

"What did you say? Longgou Fort is lost? How was it lost? Who lost it?" Lengge asked in rapid succession.

"It's Chen Liang's troops from the Andong Protectorate in Yuntai Wilderness!" the scout said. "I encountered several garrison soldiers who escaped from there. There are secret tunnels leading to the outside from Longgou Fort. Chen Liang's troops sent a small force to sneak into Longgou Fort under cover of night, creating chaos, and then they captured Longgou Fort in one fell swoop. Our troops stationed there, except for a very few who managed to escape, were basically either killed in battle or taken prisoner!"

"Chen Liang, Chen Liang!" Lengge's face was terribly gloomy: "Have you found out if it was just Chen Liang's troops, or the entire Andong Protectorate involved?"

"I don't know!"

"Then let's go scout again!" Lengge roared, startling the scout who jumped up and ran outside.

Lenger paced back and forth in the room like a trapped beast.

Things were clearly much more serious than I had imagined.

Tongquanbao could not be captured, and Longgoubao had already fallen, cutting off Jebe's retreat.

Although this is a good thing for the Second Prince, if the whole thing is a joint operation between the Anxi Protectorate and the Andong Protectorate, then things will get very serious.

If that's the case, the Qin people's goal isn't just Jebe; they want to take back both Qingtongxia and Yezhuling.

This would completely collapse the Yuan Dynasty's defenses in the south. Whoever controls these two locations will hold the initiative in the offensive—this is an undeniable fact.

Once these two places are lost, even if the Second Prince becomes emperor in the future, it will be extremely difficult to regain them.

Jebe may die, but Qingtongxia and Yezhuling must never be lost.

Late at night, Lenger, who had been waiting for news without sleeping, finally received the thing he least wanted to believe.

The Anxi Protectorate and the Andong Protectorate have joined forces.

Tens of thousands of cavalrymen set off from Zhenwu City and were rushing towards Tai'an City, while nearly 20,000 infantrymen were approaching Yezhu Ridge.

As for Chen Liang's troops in Yuntai Wilderness, their several thousand cavalrymen also headed towards Tai'an City, while their other infantrymen were stationed at Longgou Fort. Their target was undoubtedly Qingtongxia.

Linghu Ye, that bastard, not only deceived Zhebie, but also himself.

Lenger started cursing loudly.

This net was so vast that it encompassed the entire Yuan army in the southern border region from top to bottom in one fell swoop.

No wonder that the small Tongquan Fortress has gathered two important generals like Fang Xiaomao and Xia Zhi.

Their goal wasn't to defend Tongquanbao, but to capture Qingtongxia and Yezhuling.

"Retreat!" Lengge roared, cleaving the large table in two with his sword. "All troops, retreat!"

We must retreat to Qingtongxia as quickly as possible and mobilize all available forces to prepare for defense.

Whether Jebe can win or escape is up to him to decide.
I can neither control him nor do I want to.

Linghu Zhishu sought an audience with Ma Liang once more.

Unlike the last time when he was treated like a VIP, this time he was left waiting outside for almost half a day. Just when he felt he was on the verge of exploding, someone finally came to invite him into the mansion.

Ma Liang appears to have just returned from outside and is removing his armor with the help of his guards.

"General Ma, it's only been a few days, and you've already gone from being all respectful to being obsequious?" Linghu Zhishu said angrily.

Ma Liang rolled his eyes and said, "Brother Linghu, what are you saying? A while ago you came to give me money. Of course, I would be warm and respectful to a god of wealth. Now that I have the money, you actually expect me to treat you the same way as before. Isn't that asking too much?"

Linghu Zhishu never expected the other party to be so shameless. Faced with such a reply, he was stunned for a moment.

Coming from a large family, he had never been trained on how to deal with such a situation. Standing there, his face turned red and then pale, like someone who had opened a paint shop.

"Serve tea to Brother Linghu!" Ma Liang seemed oblivious.

The guards, carrying teapots in one hand and large bowls in the other, poured a large bowl of cool tea for Linghu Zhishu.

They won't even give you a decent cup of tea!
However, Linghu Zhishu was both thirsty and hungry at this moment, so he didn't care about these things. He took the big bowl and gulped it down, leaving not a drop.

"Brother Linghu, why did you rush here to see me again?" Ma Liang said slowly, "Our transaction is complete, and I have no problem fulfilling the agreement!"

"Are you sure there's no problem?" Linghu Zhishu gritted his teeth and said, "Then let me ask you, where did Chen Liang and his subordinates' families go?"

Ma Liang stared at Linghu Zhishu for a long time, then suddenly smiled and said, "Brother Linghu, now that things have come to this, I no longer need to hide it from you. I have detained all the families of Chen Liang and the others on behalf of someone else!"

"What do you want?" Linghu Zhishu gritted his teeth and said, "Or rather, how much more money do you want to hand them over to me!"

“This isn’t about money!” Ma Liang slowly shook his head: “Brother Linghu, Chen Liang won’t go with you. Right now, Chen Liang’s main force is marching towards Tai’an City under his leadership. They will join forces with the Anxi Protectorate to encircle and annihilate Zhebie’s troops under the walls of Tai’an City.”

Linghu Zhishu's expression changed drastically.

"At this moment, Longgou Fort must have already returned to Chen Liang's hands. Zhebie has no way out and will be surrounded by the combined forces of Xiao Changche, Li Dachui, Chen Liang, and the Chang family. He's finished!"

"Who did you say? The Chang family's troops? Which Chang family?" Linghu Zhishu was greatly shocked.

Ma Liang chuckled and said, "Brother Linghu, you mentioned the Chang family outside the pass? They are naturally your Linghu family's in-laws and closest partners, the Chang family! They have gathered tens of thousands of soldiers, divided into infantry and cavalry, with the infantry being transported by the Anxi Protectorate's navy. Now, the encirclement of Jebe's army is basically complete, and Jebe is already trapped!"

Linghu Zhishu's face turned ashen, and his body swayed. He grabbed a chair to keep himself from collapsing to the ground.

"You're talking nonsense!" he roared, his voice trembling with fear.

"At a time like this, why am I still arguing with you?" Ma Liang spread his hands and said, "Brother Linghu, Commander Linghu has abandoned millions of people outside the pass, only wanting to enter the pass to pursue that illusory dream of becoming emperor. Heh heh, he's extremely unpopular. It's not surprising that Chen Liang and Chang Jian are reacting this way. If I were you, I would immediately go back and report to Commander Linghu, see how to cover up such earth-shattering news, and then quickly lead your army away. If the soldiers find out about these things, it will be difficult to get this army to submit to you again."

Linghu Zhishu glared at Ma Liang with hatred: "You were an accomplice too?"

Ma Liang nodded: "You're right. Countless patriots of Great Qin are still fighting to protect the borders of Great Qin and resist the invasion of the Yuan people. Brother Linghu, we have different paths, so we cannot work together. If you want to leave, then leave, but don't interfere with our plans. In this way, at least there will still be some goodwill between us. If you fail in the future and try to escape to the outside world, we will still take you in out of consideration for our past relationship."

(End of this chapter)