Double penetration: This Three Kingdoms has dragon energy

Chapter 146 Qingzhou Army Formation Secret Technique: Earth Vein Resonance!

"Although Ji Qiu has already integrated his internal forces and is preparing to send troops to occupy the entire territory of Qingzhou."

But his first target will definitely be the Northern Sea Kingdom.

The Beihai Kingdom is quite powerful; it can at least hold off Ji Qiu for a while.

Therefore, Ji Qiu cannot attend to Pingyuan County in the short term.

Therefore, we hardly need to consider the issue of intervening in Plain County in late autumn.

Meanwhile, the situation within Pingyuan County was extremely favorable to our army.

The Plain Hua clan has reached a dead end and has no choice but to seek refuge with me.

This gave our army a justifiable reason to send troops to Pingyuan County, and laid the foundation for our future successful rule over Pingyuan County.

Liu Bei, who now occupies most of Pingyuan County, was just an unknown soldier from a humble background.

I can win him over with just a little bit of benefit!

Therefore, this is a golden opportunity for our army to occupy Pingyuan County. If we handle it well, we may not even need to fight and can take Pingyuan County without bloodshed!
Thirdly, from a long-term development perspective, taking Pingyuan County is an essential step towards realizing our army's long-term strategy!

Our army's overall strategy is to hold the Yellow River in the south, defend the Yan and Dai regions in the north, and also control the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes, while striving to conquer the world from the south.

Pingyuan County, however, is located north of the Yellow River.

If this prefecture falls into Ji Qiu's hands, then the natural barrier of the Yellow River will be nothing to him.

With him watching me like a hawk, how can I feel at ease to conquer the rebellious and unify the area north of the Yellow River?
Therefore, we must seize this golden opportunity and take Pingyuan County.

Only in this way can we defend the Yellow River and prevent Ji Qiu from interfering with my unification of Hebei!

Yuan Shao slowly revealed his considerations, leaving Xu You somewhat speechless.

He had to admit that Yuan Shao's considerations were not without merit.

Therefore, it is clear that Yuan Shao's plan to send troops to Pingyuan County was not a decision made on a whim.

However, he still felt uneasy.

Will Yuan Shao really be able to seize Pingyuan Commandery as he wishes?
I have a really weird feeling about this.

Pingyuan County is the second largest county in Qingzhou, second only to Beihai Kingdom.

Ji Qiu had long harbored ambitions to occupy Qingzhou, so how could he not make arrangements for Pingyuan County?

How could such a huge flaw have been left behind?!

Xu You was completely baffled, but ultimately said nothing more.

Because Yuan Shao is the true lord.

The analysis Yuan Shao just gave was not only telling Xu You the reasons for his expedition to Pingyuan County, but also telling Xu You that he had made up his mind to send troops to Pingyuan County.

A qualified strategist should not try to persuade his lord once his mind is made up.

At this point, the strategist should be considering how to help the lord identify and address any shortcomings, and how to effectively implement the lord's decisions!

Therefore, Xu You bowed to Yuan Shao and said, "Since my lord has made up his mind to send troops to Pingyuan County, then I will not say anything more."

"I will now go and prepare the troops and provisions needed for this expedition, my lord. I hope you will achieve a resounding victory and a swift success!"

"Excellent! With Ziyuan assisting me, I am truly fortunate!" Yuan Shao said with satisfaction.

What he liked most about Xu You was this: knowing when to advance and when to retreat!

……

Outside Huashi Wubao in Pingyuan County, Liu Bei's main camp.

Ten thousand banners stretched endlessly, like a crimson ocean, surging with the wind with magnificent momentum.

Inside and outside the gate, five thousand elite soldiers in white feather armor were guarding and patrolling.

They held long spears, their eyes were piercing, their ranks were straight and their postures were upright like pine trees. Even their breathing was uniform, and a chilling aura was palpable.

On the drill ground, 100,000 ordinary soldiers were practicing military formations.

As the command flag was waved, these ordinary soldiers quickly changed formation, their steps were neat, and their slogans were deafening.

The spears danced like silver snakes emerging from their holes, and the shields crisscrossed like a solid city wall; every move they made demonstrated their well-trained skills.

On the distant watchtower, military flags fluttered as messengers rode by on horseback, swiftly relaying orders to each battalion.

Inside the central command tent, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stood on the left and right respectively.

Guan Yu, holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, stood tall like an iron tower, his red face and long beard adding to his majesty.

Zhang Fei's eyes were wide open, his eighteen-foot spear pointed diagonally at the ground, and his rough and bold laughter shook the air.

Liu Bei and Fa Zheng, on the other hand, were strategizing and planning the battle, and their discussions were often heated.

The entire camp remained brightly lit as night deepened, with 100,000 soldiers standing ready, like sleeping beasts, waiting for a single command to unleash their astonishing power and sweep away the enemy.

Ji Qiu surveyed the camp through the drone and nodded repeatedly.

Liu Bei was indeed capable!

Half a year ago, he won over Liu Bei and funded Liu Bei's army so that Liu Bei could conquer Pingyuan County.

Liu Bei had only three hundred elite White Feather soldiers and twenty thousand ordinary soldiers.

In just six months, he has already amassed 100,000 ordinary soldiers and 5,000 elite White Feather soldiers.

Most importantly, with just this small force, he managed to suppress the Hua clan of Pingyuan, who possessed a strong army of 30,000, within the Hua clan's fortress, rendering them unable to move!
He was indeed the protagonist of this era, the future Emperor Zhaolie of Shu Han who would be remembered in history.

Later generations often believed that Liu Bei's talent lay in his ability to recruit talented people.

It was because of his two sworn brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, both invincible warriors, and because of his wise strategist Zhuge Liang, that the Shu Han dynasty was able to be established.

Little did people know that, compared to Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei was the true soul and core of the Shu Han camp!

No matter how strong Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhuge Liang were, they were still just generals serving as ministers, only responsible for certain tasks assigned by their lord.

But Liu Bei was capable of becoming a truly independent lord and establishing his own empire!
No wonder Cao Cao said, "The only heroes in the world are you, my lord!"
Throughout the entire Three Kingdoms period, only Liu Bei could truly be compared to Cao Cao!

Ji Qiu sent a message to Liu Bei.

Then, not long after, the gates of Liu Bei's camp were seen to be wide open.

Liu Bei, accompanied by Fa Zheng, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, rushed out of the camp gate and galloped towards this direction.

"Your subordinates pay their respects to our lord!" The four men came before Ji Qiu, dismounted, and knelt down in unison.

Ji Qiu quickly stepped forward to help Liu Bei up: "Xuande, please get up quickly, no need for formalities. You have worked hard in the past six months fighting in Pingyuan County."

"Thank you for your praise, my lord, but I dare not take credit. You conquered Beihai Kingdom with your own efforts, while we have been fighting against Pingyuan County for half a year and have not yet conquered it. We have to trouble you to come from afar to help us. I am truly ashamed!" Liu Bei said with a face full of shame.

Behind him, Fa Zheng, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei all had their heads down and looked dejected.

They had already learned that Ji Qiu had obtained the internal report of the Beihai Kingdom in just one day.

They were all deeply shocked.

They have been playing very well all along.

In just six months, they went from nothing to almost conquering a prefecture.

Looking across the world, how many people can do that?

But now, compared to Ji Qiu, they realize they were truly ignorant and arrogant.

Their small victory was truly insignificant in Ji Qiu's eyes!
Seeing their state, Ji Qiu quickly comforted them, saying, "Gentlemen, please don't underestimate yourselves!"

My ability to conquer the North Sea Kingdom in a single day was not solely due to my efforts.

It was only after the entire army spent nine months rectifying its internal affairs and enhancing its strength that it was able to accumulate strength and launch a thunderous attack.

However, your situation is completely different from mine.

In my opinion, you have all done a great job.

In just six months, they were able to transform a small, isolated army of only 20,000 ordinary soldiers with no territory.

They have grown into a force with over 100,000 troops, occupying most of Pingyuan County, and suppressing the Hua clan of Pingyuan within Wubao.

It’s really not easy!
Your talents are all unparalleled in the world!

"We are all unworthy of such praise from our lord. We will serve him with utmost loyalty and devotion until our dying breath!"

Upon hearing Ji Qiu's sincere praise, Liu Bei and the other three immediately showed excited expressions and said in unison.

Seeing that their morale had been rekindled, Ji Qiu couldn't help but show a satisfied expression.

As a lord, one's basic quality is knowing how to motivate employees and provide them with emotional value.

After all, a positive, hardworking employee with ample initiative is a good candidate.

The value created is completely different from that of a lifeless, unmotivated, and passive employee.

Only by constantly instilling the right values ​​in employees and motivating them to work hard on their own can a boss live a better life.

So Ji Qiu chuckled and said, "Alright, now that I'm here, let's not delay and discuss the current battle! What stage has it reached so far?"

"Yes!" the four said in unison.

Then Fazheng stepped forward and said, "Then let me explain the situation to you, my lord."

Currently, our army has completely surrounded Huashi in Huashi Wubao.

The Hua clan of Pingyuan still had 20,000 strong private soldiers who had mastered the secret techniques of the Qingzhou army, but due to their previous defeats, they dared not leave the city to fight again.

However, the secret technique of the Qingzhou soldiers is one of the four strongest plains troops in the inner counties of our Han Dynasty, and they are famous throughout the world for their expertise in defending cities.

With 20,000 Qingzhou soldiers stationed at Huashi Wubao, it is somewhat unrealistic for our army to launch a strong attack on Huashi Wubao.

Therefore, according to our army's original plan, we should persist in the siege.

They surrounded the Hua clan on the plain until their supplies ran out, then let the Hua clan's Wubao fall without a fight!

We have cut off the water supply outside of Fort Huashi.

Now, relying solely on the fresh water stored inside the fort and the few remaining wells, they can only hold out for a maximum of two months before they either have to break out or surrender!

However, plans can't keep up with changes. We didn't expect that the Hua family of Pingyuan would have the secret technique of transmitting messages over long distances, enabling them to contact Yuan Shao of Bohai Commandery.

In exchange for Yuan Shao's military assistance, they pledged allegiance to him.

I've heard that Yuan Shao is currently reorganizing his troops, and his army should be able to enter Pingyuan County in three days at most.

At that time, our army will be in a perilous situation, caught in a pincer attack, and unable to continue. That is why we have no choice but to ask our lord for help!

"It's alright. We are all one. It's only natural that you would ask me for help when you encounter problems here."

Now that I'm here, it's wishful thinking for Huashi Wubao to try and hold out with its fortified city!
However, Heaven cherishes life, and no matter what, the Hua clan of Pingyuan were also members of the human race of Kyushu, so it was never right to kill them without teaching them a lesson.

Alright then, Xuande, go and try to persuade the Hua clan of Pingyuan to surrender again, and see what they have to say.

"If they remain stubborn and unyielding, then we need not be polite any longer!" Ji Qiu said calmly.

Although he knew in his heart that Liu Bei's attempt to persuade Liu Bei to surrender would most likely end in failure.

However, Ji Qiu still intends to give it a try.

Firstly, as he said above, the Hua clan of Pingyuan is, after all, a member of the human race of Kyushu. If this matter can be resolved through surrender, then surrender should be pursued.

After all, at the previous high-level meeting, he had already made the overall decision to do his best to preserve the overall strength of the Kyushu human race.

Then naturally, we must put this decision into practice.

The so-called "taking the form seriously" and "going through the motions in a down-to-earth manner" are all misinterpretations.

Sometimes, even though you know it's just a formality or a formality, you still have to go through it.

He couldn't let people say that even he, the lord, disregarded the decisions made at the high-level meeting; how could he expect his subordinates to follow those decisions?
Secondly, he was also doing this for the sake of the sages and heroes of the Nine Provinces in heaven.

As Yu Ji had previously stated, the human sages of Kyushu abandoned their physical forms and transformed into heroic spirits, merging into the Kyushu barrier.

Ji Qiu didn't know whether these saints and heroes still had their minds.

However, if they were still of sound mind, seeing Ji Qiu's actions would likely make them feel more favorably toward him!

Liu Bei was unaware of Ji Qiu's true thoughts, but he felt genuinely pleased and happy about Ji Qiu's order.

After all, Ji Qiu might be going through the motions, but he truly possesses a heart of benevolence and righteousness.

Therefore, Ji Qiu's order was truly in line with his principles.

This made him think to himself, "My lord truly deserves to be a pillar of the Han Dynasty, having been promoted by the late emperor and now in the heart of the current emperor."

Judging from his behavior and manner, he is different from those other powerful families and nobles who are full of selfish schemes.

"It is truly my greatest fortune to be able to serve under my lord!"

Liu Bei immediately bowed to Ji Qiu and said, "Yes, my lord, please rest assured, I will do my best to persuade Hua Xin to surrender!"

Liu Bei then went to persuade Hua Xin to surrender; he must have been genuinely sincere.

Because he was gone for quite a long time, about two hours.

However, the outcome was clearly beyond his control.

Two hours later, Liu Bei returned dejectedly.

He told Ji Qiu that Hua Xin's attitude was very firm. Even though he had already revealed to the other party that Ji Qiu had come here, Hua Xin was still determined not to surrender!

Ji Qiu remained completely unmoved by this.

He simply said, "Since that's the case, then we've done our utmost. Let's muster our troops and prepare to attack the city!"

"Yes!" Liu Bei, Fa Zheng, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei said in unison.

Ji Qiu took a single step and arrived at a flat open space several miles away.

Then, the portal was opened, and the first M1 240mm howitzer appeared in sight without warning.

The cannon barrel was still covered with damp soil from who-knows-where, and the heavy cannon wheels crushed the frozen soil, plowing two deep grooves into the ground.

Then came the second, the third... rows of steel behemoths appeared in neat formation, their cold cannon barrels like the fingers of death, pointing straight to the sky.

After all 1,000 M1 240mm howitzers were moved, the soldiers of the artillery battalion began to be moved.

Squads of artillery battalion soldiers in camouflage emerged from the swirling dust.

Their movements were skillful and efficient, their combat boots landing steadily without the slightest sign of panic.

They quickly moved to their battle positions in units of ten.

Then, preparations for launch are carried out.

"On your marks, prepare to fire!"

The commanders of each squad roared in anger.

Accompanied by the deep hum of the hydraulic system, a thousand howitzers simultaneously adjusted their firing angles, and a faint dark red light shone from deep within the barrels.

The entire sky seemed to feel the pressure of this torrent of steel; the thick clouds began to churn, as if gathering momentum for the impending artillery barrage.

"Fire!" Xu He roared.

Then a thousand M1 240mm howitzers trembled simultaneously, as if a sleeping ancient dragon had awakened.

The cannon barrel recoiled violently, and the huge muzzle was instantly engulfed by the orange-red tongue of fire. The scorching air wave formed a visible shockwave, hurling rubble and withered grass within a radius of 100 meters into the air.

In an instant, thousands of shells streaked across the sky, trailing long plumes of flame, weaving a dense, impenetrable net of fire in the air.

The sharp whistling sound made people's eardrums ache, as if the whole world was being twisted and deformed by this terrifying force.

However, just as thousands of cannonballs were crashing down on Huashi Wubao with overwhelming force, the soil at the base of the city walls of Huashi Wubao suddenly rippled with dark golden waves, trembling as if a sleeping dragon were awakening.

At the same time, a rumbling sound came from underground, and several dragon-shaped phantoms meandered up along the cracks in the city wall bricks, with tortoise-shell-like crystal patterns appearing on the surface of the blue bricks wherever they passed.

Dark golden light surged from the base of the four corner beacon towers of Wubao, like eight awakened rock dragons rushing along the ground.

The moss on the ground instantly carbonized into gold dust, and the roots of ancient trees along the way were carried out of the soil by the dragon's energy, twisting and entwining to form natural protective pillars.

A muffled, thunderous pulsation came from underground, and the mountain streams within a five-mile radius suddenly changed course, all flowing into the moat of Wubao.

This is the Qingzhou Army's secret military formation technique: Earth Vein Resonance!
This secret technique can connect a city with the surrounding ley lines, transferring the attacks that the city receives to the surrounding land.

As long as the dragon energy within this secret technique continues, the city will remain unconquered!

Because of this secret technique, even if thousands of 240mm grenades were to fall on Fort Huashi, the explosions would sound like continuous muffled thunder, but when the smoke cleared, Fort Huashi would be almost completely unharmed!

Seeing that such a terrifying attack still couldn't break through Huashi Wubao, the Qingzhou soldiers on the city walls of Huashi Wubao all erupted in loud cheers, their morale soaring.

Meanwhile, the soldiers of Liu Bei's army outside the city, who had also witnessed this scene, were all somewhat demoralized.

They originally thought that Warburg would collapse under such a terrifying attack, and then they could take the opportunity to attack and capture the city.

Unexpectedly, they were completely unable to defeat Huashi Wubao. It seems that if they want to break through the city, they will have to use the old methods.

The siege continues.

"Hehe, as expected of one of the four great plains armies renowned for their expertise in defending cities, you truly have something special!" Ji Qiu chuckled.

Since its formation, his artillery battalion has been invincible in battle and undefeated in attack.

Whether it was the Pu Clan's Wu Fortress with its Nine Palaces Formation, the Corpse Demon Army that had cultivated the Corpse Demon Secret Technique, or the North Sea Army that had cultivated the Gentleman's Secret Technique, none of them were able to put up a fight against his artillery battalion.

Unexpectedly, they suffered a setback in front of the Huashi Wubao.

No wonder Hua Xin dared to be so arrogant; even knowing that he had come, he still resolutely refused to surrender.

They really have the confidence!

"So what? You know absolutely nothing about true power!" Ji Qiu sneered inwardly.

The natives of the Dragon Qi Three Kingdoms often regarded the bombardment by the artillery battalion as a powerful secret technique of dragon qi.

The characteristic of the Dragon Qi Secret Technique is that it is a single, overwhelming attack; if you can withstand it, you have withstood it; if you can't, you can't.

But what they didn't know was that for artillery from the modern industrial system, as long as there are shells, they can keep firing indefinitely!

Just like when Ji Qiu first came to this world, he used light and heavy machine guns to wear down Yuan's halberd warriors.

The same is true for the current Wah-Shaughnessy Castle.

It's not much skill to withstand one wave of shelling. If you're so capable, try withstanding a hundred or so waves first!

While Ji Qiu was thinking this, Xu He had already put his idea into practice.

"Ten shots in quick succession, begin!" Xu He ordered coldly.

Then the barrels of a thousand howitzers suddenly rose up, sparks flying as the breechblocks opened and closed, and the hydraulic systems roared incessantly.

The second wave of shells, trailing fiery tails, tore through the sky, weaving a web of light in the night sky more dazzling than lightning.

The shells struck the walls of Huashi Wubao again, only to be completely enveloped by a ghostly blue aura.

The terrifying energy that should have struck the city wall suddenly changed direction and poured into the ground like a surging undercurrent.

In an instant, the earth around Wubao trembled violently, the ground undulated and twisted like boiling water, and cracks spread wildly like ferocious giant pythons. Wherever they passed, sand and gravel were blown into the sky by the powerful energy.

Then came the third round of bombardment, with more energy being drawn into the earth by a secret technique.

The entire land began to rise violently, as if an ancient behemoth was awakening underground.

A massive mound rose from the ground, only to collapse in an instant, turning into a cloud of dust.

A muffled rumble came from underground, like countless muffled thunderclaps exploding at the same time. Hot energy, like magma, kept gushing out from the ground, instantly melting the surrounding rocks. The rising heat formed a huge mushroom cloud, distorting the entire sky.

Round 4…

Round …

Round six...

The seventh round of bombardment saw the energy guided by the secret technique reach its peak.

The land surrounding Wubao was completely out of control, with huge vortex-shaped depressions appearing out of nowhere, as if they were about to swallow the heavens and the earth.

The surrounding mountains began to crumble, turning into dust under the impact of energy and being swept into the underground vortex.

The river on the ground dried up instantly, the riverbed was torn open with huge cracks, and the river water poured into the ground, stirring up bursts of white water vapor.

Eighth round...

Ninth round...

When the flames of the tenth salvo dissipated, the area around Wubao was completely unrecognizable.

The once flat land is now covered with bottomless ravines and towering lava pillars, and the twisted ground continues to twitch and tremble.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur and dust, and the entire area resembled a purgatory scorched by apocalyptic fire, telling tales of the terrifying destructive power brought about by the secret art of guiding the energy of the artillery barrage.

(End of this chapter)