My father, King Chu, was besieged at Gaixia

Chapter 162 An unjust defeat
Next, Xiang Chang ordered Qu Fu to distribute the furs in the warehouse to all the soldiers as soon as possible, making sure that everyone got one. Upon hearing the news, the generals were stunned, and the soldiers shouted with joy.

The value of these tens of thousands of furs, especially in the north, was simply invaluable. Unexpectedly, Xiang Chang did not even blink an eye and distributed them all to the soldiers to keep warm. However, the King of Yan Zang Tu was reluctant to part with them, and most of his soldiers were still shivering with cold.

The Yan generals and nobles who were about to be executed were also greatly shocked. Looking at the Chu soldiers who were cheering loudly around them, they vaguely understood why the Chu soldiers were so powerful. They regretted it in their hearts, but then they smiled bitterly: Even if they knew, so what? Even if time could go back and do it all over again, let alone Zang Tu, even themselves and others, how could they be willing to give away such a huge fortune and give it to those soldiers who came from humble origins?
It’s not unfair that we suffered a crushing defeat in this battle!
When Ji County City was breached, the people inside were trembling with fear, with their families huddled together with their heads in their hands, filled with despair and fear, ready to be robbed and hacked.

Except for those who surrendered voluntarily, every time a city was broken and the army entered the city, even if they did not massacre the people, burning, killing, looting and plundering were inevitable.

However, to their surprise, after the Chu army entered the city, they were extremely disciplined and focused on clearing out and killing the stubborn Yan soldiers. They did not harm the shops and residential areas in the city, and even turned a blind eye to the civilians hiding in their homes.

As the shouts and cries of killing in the city gradually faded away, they were replaced by cheers from the Chu army from time to time. It was obvious that all the Yan army in Jixian City had been killed and the entire city fell into the hands of the Chu army.

Just when the people in the city were at a loss, not knowing what cruel fate was waiting for them, on the road outside the city, many soldiers of the Great Chu army walked around the city with loud speakers, shouting: "People of Ji County, don't panic, don't be afraid! We, the Great Chu army, killed the royal family and nobles of Yan State. It has nothing to do with you ordinary people. We will absolutely guarantee your personal safety. From tomorrow on, you will work, farm, and rest as usual. At 3:00 p.m. today, in the square in front of the palace, we will publicly execute the kings, princes, generals and ministers of Yan State. You are welcome to come and watch the ceremony!"

As the soldiers of the Great Chu continued to shout, some of the brave people in the city who were huddled in their homes, anxiously waiting for the final verdict of their fate, began to tentatively walk out of their homes.

On the streets of the city, there were two rows of mighty and majestic soldiers of the Great Chu in distinctive armor standing on guard. From time to time, there were also teams of soldiers patrolling back and forth. Apart from that, it was no different from usual and they turned a blind eye to the common people and ignored them.

The people gradually calmed down and flocked to the square in front of the palace. Soon the square in front of the palace was crowded with people.

On a temporary platform, King Zangtu of Yan and the kingdom's generals and ministers were escorted there, tied up like pigs, and prepared to be slaughtered.

Seeing that most of the people had gathered and the time had come, although more people were coming in, the square could not accommodate so many people. At Xiang Chang's nod, the soldiers of the Great Chu standing on the high platform loudly read out the crimes of Zang Tu and the generals and officials of the kingdom, and then gave an order, and swung the big axe, chopping off the heads of Zang Tu and all the generals and officials in front of the people of the city.

When the people saw their king and the nobles die in such a tragic way, they were horrified, saddened and angry.

Next, the soldiers of the Great Chu loudly declared that they would divide the land of the slain Zang Tu and all the generals and ministers equally among them.

Hearing this, the sadness and anger in the hearts of the people were miraculously healed, and they all cheered in support. Some people even felt that the killing was not enough, and took the initiative to surrender and seize the land and private property of those nobles...

Looking at the people of Dayan who were cheering wildly in the square, Qu Fu chuckled and said, "The Great Yan Kingdom has been pacified. Even if Zang Yan comes back, he won't be able to get support from now on."

Xiang Chang also nodded. Just as he was about to give the order to the generals to divide the troops into several groups and sweep across the remaining cities of Dayan, Meng Xia suddenly came over with a grim look on his face and reported in a low voice: "My lord, I just received a report from the flying cavalry. The general Zhongli Mei who was attacking Jiujiang Kingdom fell into Chen Xi's trap and was defeated and besieged in Yinling County. The right general Ji Bu died in the battle!"

Upon hearing this, the generals were shocked and looked at each other in disbelief.

Although Chen Xi was highly appreciated by Liu Bang in the Han army camp, he had never been well-known and had not made any earth-shattering military achievements. Not to mention being compared with the "Three Kings" Han Xin, Peng Yue and Ying Bu, he was far inferior to Cao Shen and Fan Kuai.

The army under his command is no more than 10,000 people. Even if the nobles in Jiujiang are forced to offer all their family private soldiers, there are only more than 20,000 of them. However, he is a dog that bites without barking. Unexpectedly, he pulled such a big shit without making any noise!
Especially since Zhongli Mei was a famous general of the Great Chu who had experienced hundreds of battles and led tens of thousands of strong soldiers of the Great Chu to destroy the enemy, and the battle situation was considered foolproof, it was unbelievable that he suffered such a great defeat.

Qu Fu next to him thought more deeply. Zhongli Mei's defeat was a big setback for the Great Chu, which was currently thriving and launching a full-scale counterattack against the Han camp.

Being besieged in an isolated city, we have to rescue them. But only the Overlord Army and Xiang Chang Army have the ability to rescue them. At present, the Overlord is advancing rapidly to the west to attack the Han camp, and the progress is in full swing, so it is difficult to withdraw.

As for Prince Chang, Yan was just conquered and is still in turmoil. It has not been completely digested and is very unstable. In the neighboring Han, although King Xin of Han was defeated, he fled, leaving a lot of hidden dangers, and it may revive at any time. As for Zhao, it has been keeping its troops in place, and the situation is unclear. It may reach out and stab you at any time...

Thinking of the current complicated situation, Qu Fu felt a headache and couldn't help cursing Zhongli Mei inwardly for being unworthy of being the general of the Great Chu State. He created such a big loophole at the critical moment. What a waste!
While cursing, he couldn't help but look at Xiang Chang with hope as he did in the past.

Although he was inexplicably angry, Qu Fu was not actually that panicked because he had the support of a magic needle in his heart!

Following Xiang Chang all the way, I have witnessed with my own eyes how he can turn the tide, kill people and win everything he does. I have always had complete admiration and trust in him in my heart!

No matter how difficult the situation was, he didn't think that Master Chang could not handle it!
Xiang Chang was also furious at this news. A murderous look appeared on his face and terrifying light flashed from his eyes: "Hehe, hehe, this wild boar has really become something powerful!"

As he said this, he threw his cloak and strode towards the military camp.

Qu Fu, who followed closely behind, showed a look of surprise and delight on his face.

Faced with such an unexpected defeat, he did not angrily denounce Zhongli Mei for his incompetence, nor did he curse the Chu army's soldiers as useless. Instead, he discarded all unnecessary emotions and focused on solving the problem and calming the chaos. Master Chang is truly becoming more and more like a great general.

Not long after, the south gate of Ji County, which had been captured by the Chu State, was opened wide. Xiang Chang personally led 30,000 cavalrymen of the Chu State, like a raging tide swallowing the wilderness, and left the land of Youyan and rushed straight to the fiefdom of Jiujiang.

In order to consolidate the results of the battle, Xiang Chang appointed Li Yi as the main general, Wang Zhou and Ji Bi as deputy generals, to stay in Yan and pacify the remaining cities that had not been taken. In addition, he should speed up the attack on Han and pursue Han Wangxin, not giving him a chance to catch his breath. At the same time, he should keep an eye on Zhao and beware of Zhao Wang Zhang Er.

After leaving Yan, as they got closer to Jiujiang, the number of cavalry increased day by day, and the details of how Zhongli Mei's attack on Jiujiang led to his defeat became increasingly clear.

It can be said that the defeat in this battle was entirely his own fault. The battle situation of the Chu army was too smooth, especially the decisive victory over the Han camp in the battle of Gaixia. The Chu army, from high-ranking generals like Zhongli Mei to the old soldiers who had followed the Overlord in the war, became arrogant again and looked down on the remnants of the Han camp.

Zhongli Mei, who personally led tens of thousands of troops into Jiujiang, did not think that Chen Xi and Li Shang could cause any trouble with only tens of thousands of soldiers and horses. He also wanted to recapture Jiujiang as quickly as possible and re-establish his power as a general in the Chu military camp.

The new generals that Xiang Chang has been using recently are all very powerful, have made outstanding military achievements, and are so brilliant that even he, a powerful general, feels the pressure and urgency.

Therefore, he arrogantly divided tens of thousands of Chu troops into three groups. He led one army, Ji Bu led one army, and Xiang Guan led one army. They spread out in the Jiujiang area, using the rough and crude method of pulling a net to hunt fish, intending to cover the entire Jiujiang area from north to south and take it all into his pocket in one fell swoop.

It was because of his division of troops that Chen Xi and Li Shang, who were stationed in Jiujiang, saw the opportunity to fight.

After hearing the news of Liu Bang's defeat at Gaixia, the two men plundered the noble families in Jiujiang again, taking out all their remaining savings and gathering an army of nearly 30,000 horses.

Faced with the fierce advance of Zhongli Mei's troops in three directions, the two adopted the strategy of "showing weakness to the enemy, luring the enemy deep into the territory, and defeating them one by one". As soon as Zhongli Mei's three armies entered Jiujiang, they started fighting with them. Then they were defeated in battle after battle and kept retreating.

The battle went too smoothly, and the cities in Jiujiang were easily captured one after another. The Chu army became even more manic, and the three armies almost treated this battle as a child's play. They chased each other and scrambled for the attack, trying to win the honor of being the first to break through Jiujiang!

Just when the three armies were all full of pride and insolence, Chen Xi and Li Shang saw that the time had come and began to close in.

In the pre-set ambush circle, 30,000 troops came out together, took advantage of the cover of night to launch a fierce attack, and defeated Ji Bu's army in one battle.

Even though the Chu army was very powerful, they were still defeated when they were attacked by enemies several times their size in the middle of the night. Ji Bu was so stunned that he was trapped in the siege and could not break out. In despair, he committed suicide.

If you think about it, it's not surprising. Back then, the Wei Wuzu were also extremely powerful, feared by the world, and extremely arrogant. In the end, they were ambushed by Sun Bin and were wiped out in one fell swoop.

The two generals, who won the first battle, quickly reorganized the army, established positions, and then focused their efforts on sniping Xiang Guanjun, who rushed to the rescue after hearing the news. With the help of the geographical advantage, they successfully defeated him.

Commanding General Zhongli Mei was dreaming of retaking Jiujiang and being granted a title of nobility, when he suddenly heard that the other two armies had been annihilated and defeated respectively, and he was horrified.

Before he could make up his mind whether to continue the attack or to retreat quickly, the armies of Chen Xi and Li Shang, whose morale was boosted by a series of victories, had appeared on the horizon and pounced on his only remaining army.

It was too late for Zhongli Mei to regret, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and order the battle. In the first battle, there was no suspense, and he was defeated. Fortunately, at the last moment, Xiang Guan led the remaining troops under his command to join the battle, barely forcing Chen Xi and Li Shang's army to retreat, and pulled Zhongli Mei's army out of the last moment of complete collapse.

Zhongli Mei and Xiang Guan were now completely sober. They knew that if they continued to fight, they would follow in Ji Bu's footsteps and be in danger of being annihilated, so they immediately began to retreat with their army.

Chen Xi and Li Shang were unwilling to give in, so they led their army in pursuit. In the end, Zhongli Mei and Xiang Guan had no choice but to abandon their infantry and flee with only their cavalry. Li Shang also reacted quickly, personally leading a cavalry to chase them, and successfully caught up with them in Yinling County.

Zhongli Mei and Xiang Guan had no choice but to enter Yinling County and defend themselves against the city walls.

He never expected that Zhongli Mei would be defeated so miserably. As he learned more about the battle situation, Xiang Chang became angrier and his face turned ashen!

That is to say, Zhongli Mei was not in front of him, otherwise he would have killed him personally!

There were tens of thousands of brave soldiers of the Great Chu, which were his assets accumulated bit by bit with all his efforts and talents, but now he destroyed them all in one day!
"Zhongli Mei is a criminal of the Great Chu!" The army traveled day and night and arrived at the northern border of Jiujiang Kingdom in the shortest time. They set up camp at night. In the commander's tent, Xiang Chang circled back and forth like an angry tiger, his teeth chattering and cursing angrily!

At this moment, Meng Xia, with a panicked look on his face, received a report that former general Xiang Guan was here to see him!

Upon hearing this, Xiang Chang felt his head buzzing and his eyes went dark for a moment!
Xiang Guan and Zhongli Mei were holding out in Yinling County, but now they suddenly came here. The meaning of this is self-evident - the army led by Zhongli Mei to attack Jiujiang was probably wiped out!

Xiang Chang felt the pain piercing his heart, and he let out a sharp shout, with a violent aura all over his body: "Let him get in!"

According to family seniority, Xiang Guan should be Xiang Changtang's uncle!

However, Xiang Chang was forced into a corner and even dared to shoot his great-uncle Xiang Chan, let alone his cousin!

Xiang Chang was not like Xiang Yu, who was overly lenient towards the generals and Xiang clan members he liked. Even after losing a battle, he would let them off lightly and not punish them too severely.

Obviously, the former general Xiang Guan was well aware of this, especially with Xiang Chan's previous experience in front of him. Therefore, he heard Meng Xia's "na na" saying: "The former general knelt in front of the military camp to plead guilty. I dare not, dare not enter the account! He did not come alone, but brought thousands of defeated soldiers. According to him, Yinling County has been breached, and General Zhongli Mei fell into the Han army's formation to cover his breakout. I am afraid that he is in danger."

It was the first time that Meng Xia saw Xiang Chang in an enraged state. Even in the urgent and dangerous situation of Linjiang Kingdom, he did not lose his temper. As Xiang Chang's close bodyguard, even though he knew that the anger was not directed at him, he still trembled all over and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Even though Meng Xia had received Qu Fu's instruction in advance and his report was very skillful, Xiang Chang still felt pain in his eyes, clenched his fists, and trembled all over, unable to calm down for a long time.

(End of this chapter)