Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Li Xiang was bound hand and foot.

A rag was stuffed into his mouth.

He looked up and saw Chen Jie, struggling violently, making "mmm" sounds for a long time.

Chen Jie smiled calmly and removed the rag from his mouth.

"Cough cough—cough cough—!"
Li Xiang coughed violently and said in a harsh voice:

"Kid, don't be so arrogant. My dad will definitely save me. I won't let you get away with this!"

finished,

He shouted at the people around him:

"Listen up, all of you! My father is Li Zicheng, the King of Shu!"

"If you know what's good for you, let me go. Otherwise, when our 800,000 Shu troops arrive, we will definitely not let you go."

Snapped--!
Chen Jie slapped him across the face and sneered disdainfully:

"Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten who I am?"

“I am the Prince of Qian, why would I be afraid of your father, the Prince of Shu? Your father has to kowtow and pay respects to me, what is he?”

"If a vassal king from southern Sichuan doesn't obey me, I can strip him of his power at any time!"

"He's lucky he didn't lead his troops here personally this time. Even if it were in front of him, do you think I would dare to kill you?"

boom--!
Next,
Chen Jie exuded a sharp and domineering killing intent, chilling to the bone.

hiss--!
Li Xiang suddenly realized what was happening and was completely stunned.

Although he didn't know exactly how powerful the 'Prince Qian' was, he had personally witnessed his father behaving humbly in front of Chen Jie yesterday.

Om-!
An overwhelming killing intent instantly enveloped him.

this moment,
Li Xiang felt as if he were being watched by a ferocious wild beast, filled with boundless fear.

Immediately afterwards, he began to tremble all over, and a warm current gushed out from below.

Scared of urine!
Puff-!
Then, Li Xiang suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Chen Jie, saying, "Prince Qian, I was wrong!"

"Spare me! Spare my dog's life! Let me go!"

"My dad sent me, it wasn't me, boohoo—please forgive me!"

His face turned deathly pale, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Chen Jie shook his head dismissively, withdrew his killing intent, and said calmly:

"I thought you were a tough nut to crack, but it turns out you were just bluffing. You've certainly learned your father's temperament."

"You better remember this: if you want to bluff and act tough in the future, you need to assess the situation and choose your target carefully!"

"Let him stay in the Ximentang military camp for a few days. If your father remains stubborn and inflexible, I don't mind letting him keep you company."

finished,

He ordered his personal guards to take Li Xiang away and imprison him in the Xiaogan Prefecture jail.

Next,
Chen Jie ordered all the soldiers of Ximentang to retreat, just as Yan Chenghao led his army back to Xiaogan.

Because it was anticipated that Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, would likely send troops to attack Xiaogan again.

Therefore,
Chen Jie instructed everyone to prepare and begin setting up the position.

Sure enough, when Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, received the military report that his 100,000-strong army had been completely routed and that even his son Li Xiang had been captured, he was shocked to learn that the army had been utterly defeated.

He was furious; his eyes turned bloodshot.

Although he had many children, Li Xiang was one of his most beloved sons.

Upon hearing that his son had been captured, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, did not even send anyone to find out why his 100,000-strong army had suffered such a crushing defeat.

Desperate to save his son, he immediately mobilized 200,000 troops from Xiangyang Prefecture and marched menacingly towards Xiaogan.

Two days later,

The 200,000-strong army of Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, approached the city of Xiaogan and marched towards the military camp of Ximentang.

but,

By this time, Ximentang had already made preparations.

Upon seeing the Shu army's charge, they were met with a fierce barrage of artillery fire.

This time, unlike the last time when only a thousand mortars were fired, five thousand mortars were fired simultaneously.

After a round of artillery bombardment, the Shu army suffered heavy casualties.

The heavy armored brigade didn't even need to deploy its tanks; they had already routed the Shu army, making it impossible for them to get within 800 meters of the Ximentang military camp.

Following a round of mortar bombardment.

The Shu soldiers were terrified of the cannons at Ximentang.

therefore,

As the second round of artillery bombardment began, the Shu army did not hesitate and fled.

The elite Shu troops behind, seeing those in front retreating in panic, dared not advance.

The Shu army's morale was immediately shattered.

The two sides were not even in the same league; the Shu army's attack was like moths drawn to a flame.

Although the elite troops under the command of Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, launched three consecutive attacks under his personal supervision.

but,

They never managed to charge within 800 meters of the Ximentang camp before being driven back in disarray.

Heavy casualties!

Although King Li Zicheng of Shu ordered his men to set up heavy muskets to supervise the battle and prevent anyone from retreating.

But it was all in vain, and in the end, nothing could stop the entire army from collapsing.

Just when Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was at his wits' end and had no other options.

Ximentang launched a full-scale counterattack, again using artillery to pave the way, with mobile field guns firing in unison, causing the Shu army to retreat in defeat.

Can't stop!
It's impossible to stop it!
The Shu soldiers knew that continuing the fight would lead to certain death.

then,

Everyone turned and fled, their lives at stake, and even Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, could not stop them.

Ximentang pressed his advantage, slaughtering his way through the enemy lines.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, knew that if he didn't run away soon, he might not be able to escape.

He didn't want to be captured by Ximen Tang.

If he were captured, his empire would be completely destroyed.

therefore.

With the assistance of several powerful warriors with extraordinary internal energy, King Li Chuang of Shu rode his horse back at full speed, all the way to Xiangyang.

Fortunately, he ran away in time and managed to save his life.

Only then did Li Chuang, the King of Shu, realize how terrifying Ximentang's fighting power was.

Damn it!

"That bastard Ximen Tang, how powerful is he!"

King Li Chuang of Shu sighed deeply.

He finally understands many things he couldn't figure out before.

No wonder Simon Tang was able to sweep away the Western Allied Forces and rise to power so quickly.

No wonder the Allied Forces of the East were so frightened by Ximen Tang that they fled in terror.

No wonder that after Prince Ning, Li Mu, occupied the capital, he ultimately failed and was driven out of the capital by Ximen Tang.

No wonder Guan Qilin's army dared not head south after entering the grasslands, and instead kept recruiting soldiers outside the pass.

No wonder the Japanese Kwantung Army was so obedient and never dared to invade Shanhaiguan.

No wonder the elite Kwantung Army troops at Daisan Rock had no confidence in fighting Ximentang and chose to flee the Hanzhong region instead!

call--!
King Li Chuang of Shu couldn't help but let out a long sigh, wishing he could slap himself twice.

Why did you provoke Ximen Tang when you were doing just fine in Xiangyang?
Prince Qian, Chen Jie, is absolutely the most dangerous person, without exception.

Unfortunately, he had never taken the Daqian Dynasty's court seriously and was used to being arrogant, so he had never suffered such a great loss before.

Now look what happened, he kicked a thick iron plate and broke his own leg.

Especially when he thought of how Qianwang Chen Jie had killed Qianye Hui and Hongmen leader Situ Wushang with a single sword strike, Shuwang Li Chuang felt his scalp tingle.

Even if they wanted to send top experts to assassinate Prince Qian, Chen Jie, it would probably be like throwing a meat bun to a dog—a one-way trip with no return.

but,

Even if he regrets it now, it's too late.

Since Li Xiang has already been captured by Ximen Tang, if they give up now, how will he maintain his standing in Sichuan? How will his other children view their father?

Damn it—!
How could I have been so foolish as to provoke such a terrifying person?

King Li Chuang of Shu was so regretful that he vomited blood. He thought for a long time but still didn't know how he could turn the tide.

We definitely can't win if we fight!

Even if Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, had an army of 800,000 under his command.

However, Sichuan is such a vast region that he could not possibly deploy all his troops to Xiangyang and Yichang.

Moreover, his 300,000-strong army was scattered after this battle.

Even if all the troops in Sichuan were gathered together, they would still number less than 500,000.

Can't fight!
There's no escaping it.

He is the King of Shu, with a vast and powerful family and business empire. Where could he possibly hide?
Unless he directly abandons his family business and his status as a vassal king.

But is this possible?
Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was well aware that he had offended too many people over the years.

Once the Shu army is completely defeated, many of its enemies will take advantage of its misfortune.

He knew better than anyone the cost of losing a war.

They were once wiped out by a large army sent by Emperor Li Zheng. After Li Zicheng was defeated, he bided his time for thirty years before finally recovering his strength.

What should we do now?
After returning to Xiangyang, the King of Shu was plagued by headaches.

He was so regretful because of his recklessness that he was filled with remorse.

If I had known that Ximen Tang was so powerful, I would have been more restrained. Otherwise, my 300,000-strong army would still be intact, instead of being utterly defeated.

After this battle, the overall strength of the Shu army was greatly reduced.

Just when Li Chuang was in a state of utter distress, someone outside the military camp sent word.

It turned out that Li Feihu and Zhang Qinghe, generals under Prince Ning Li Mu, had arrived in Xiangyang.

The two sent people to inquire about the situation of the battle between the Shu army and Ximen Tang.

Upon hearing that Li Feihu and his companion had arrived, Li Chuang, the King of Shu, immediately perked up.

The only way to deal with Ximen Tang now is to win over Prince Ning, Li Mu.

No, it's not about winning them over!

It's an alliance!
Only by forming an alliance with Prince Ning, Li Mu, can we have a chance to defeat Ximen Tang.

Otherwise, relying solely on the Shu army, even if they entered the mountainous region of Badong, it would be difficult to withstand Ximentang's army.

Li Feihu fought two major battles with Ximen Tang in the capital, but was defeated and forced to flee back to the Northwest.

He was one of the military generals who had witnessed Ximen Tang's formidable prowess.

at this time,

After he and Zhang Qinghe arrived in Xiangyang, they felt somewhat bewildered.

First, according to intelligence from various sources, Ximentang was besieging the Kwantung Army at Dashanyan in Yingcheng, Xiaogan.

Now, the Kwantung Army at Daisan Rock has fled, heading towards Jingmen, and soon entered the territory of Changde in southern Hunan.

To their surprise, the Shu army led by Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, actually clashed with Ximentang.

Judging from the situation, the two sides are fighting fiercely.

Didn't the Shu army say they were going to cooperate with Ximen Tang to wipe out the Guandong army?
How did they end up fighting with Ximentang?

The two men couldn't understand why Li Chuang, the King of Shu, said he wanted to improve relations with Ximentang.

Why did they go to war with Simon Hall?
Li Chuang couldn't wait to find Li Feihu.

Although in terms of status, Li Chuang, the King of Shu, was on equal footing with Li Mu, the King of Ning.

Li Feihu was merely a general under Prince Ning, Li Mu.

But now, King Li Chuang of Shu couldn't care less about any of that. After finding Li Feihu, he poured out his grievances.

He first berated Prince Qian, Chen Jie, saying that Chen Jie was despicable, shameless, treacherous, extremely arrogant, haughty, and conceited.

In short, every possible insult was used on Chen Jie.

and,

He told Li Feihu that Ximentang had taken everything the Kwantung Army had looted in the Hanzhong area, including silver dollars, grain, warhorses, oxen, and so on.

He even exaggerated, saying that there were 20 million silver dollars, 300,000 dan of grain, and 30,000 warhorses!
Bluster and exaggeration have always been the style of Li Zicheng, the King of Shu.

Chen Jie currently has only over 60,000 troops stationed in the Xiaogan area, which is relatively small.

If the Shu army could join forces with the Northwest army, and then with the Guandong army at Dashanyan, they could wipe out Qianwang Chen Jie in one fell swoop.

Then they stole everything that Ximentang had acquired.

in addition,

Once Ximentang in Hanzhong is eliminated, the army can march east and directly occupy Nanjing, southern Jiangsu, northern Jiangsu, Shandong, and eastern Zhejiang.

These places are incredibly wealthy.

The only thing to worry about is that Ximentang's fighting power is too strong, so they can't fight siege battles.

Otherwise, even with ten times the troops, it would be impossible to breach Ximentang's defenses.

We must drag Ximentang out of the city to fight in order to have a chance to annihilate them.

After hearing the description from Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, Zhang Qinghe, a general of the Northwest Army, was very tempted.

Twenty million silver dollars, three hundred thousand dan of grain, and thirty thousand warhorses!
This is a huge fortune.

If they can acquire these supplies, the Northwest Army will develop even faster, and its weaponry will undergo another upgrade.

In this era of war and chaos.

Whether it's silver dollars, warhorses, or grain, they are all hard currency.

Such opportunities to make money are rare!

Especially after hearing that Ximentang only had 60,000 troops in Xiaogan, the chances of success were very high.

After listening to the account of King Li Chuang of Shu, Zhang Qinghe's eyes lit up.

This battle can be fought!
The profits are too huge!
If they win, the Northwest Army will be completely turned around.

Even if we lose, it's not a big deal.

He immediately wanted to agree to form an alliance with Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, and find an opportunity to send troops to Xiaogan to make a name for himself.

but,

Before he could agree, Li Feihu stopped him.

After King Li Chuang of Shu left, Zhang Qinghe immediately went to find Li Feihu and asked him why he had stopped him from agreeing to the alliance.

Li Feihu shook his head and voiced his concerns.

If Ximentang was really that easy to defeat, why didn't Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, do it himself instead of bringing in the Northwest Army?

To know,
This time, the Shu army mobilized 300,000 troops, but not only did they not gain any advantage, they were completely defeated.

If there were really so many benefits, would Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, be willing to give them up to someone else?
The Northwest Army and the Shu Army had never had any friendly relations, and they had been fighting each other openly and covertly for many years.

Although relations between the two sides had eased somewhat after the Northwest Army's defeat in Beijing, given Li Zicheng's personality, it was impossible for him to give away any benefits.

The only explanation is that Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, suffered a great loss this time and wanted to make up for it by dragging the Northwest Army into the mess.

Next,
Li Feihu described Ximen Tang's fighting strength.

He had personally experienced the power of Ximen Tang's cannons. Back in the capital, he was defeated by Ximen Tang and forced to flee back to the Northwest.

He didn't want to face Ximen Tang's army if there was any possibility.

Li Feihu felt a chill run down his spine, especially after learning that Ximentang had deployed a steel behemoth-like weapon called a 'tank'.

After listening to Li Feihu's words, Zhang Qinghe quickly calmed down.

He thought about it carefully and couldn't help but nod.

indeed,

He had a very good understanding of the character of Li Zicheng, the King of Shu.

That bastard is not a generous person at all; he always tries to keep any benefit for himself.

If Ximen Tang were easy to deal with, why would he need to find helpers?
Next,
When Zhang Qinghe heard that the 300,000 Shu troops had been routed by Ximen Tang, he felt a chill of fear.

Fortunately, he did not agree to form an alliance with the Shu army, otherwise he would have fallen into a trap.

The two quickly sent people to inquire about the news from the front lines and soon learned about the process of the Shu army's deployment.

No wonder Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was in such a hurry. It turned out that his 300,000-strong army had been defeated and his son, Li Xiang, had been captured.

Furthermore, according to information released by Ximentang, Li Xiang is currently imprisoned in Xiaogan prison.

If King Li Zicheng of Shu wishes to redeem his son, he should travel to Xiaogan and plead guilty before King Qian. (End of Chapter)