Do you have the strength to force me to join the Liangshan bandits?

Chapter 616 A Cicada Shedding its Shell? A Feint to the East, a Sweep in the West? [3 Updates, Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Tanzhou.

"what?"

Jin Wuzhu was greatly surprised: "Cai Nanman actually saved Yelü Dezhong?"

The disheveled Jin soldier who had escaped to report the news cried out:
"Your Highness, Cai Nanman is quite ruthless!"
"Marshal Pu and Marshal Gao have both been killed in action, and our entire army has been wiped out..."

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"

Upon hearing the military intelligence, the strategist Hami Chi's heart sank:
"Previously, deserters reported that four marshals, Jin Hua Gu Du, Yin Hua Gu Du, Tong Hua Gu Du, and Tie Hua Gu Du, were killed in action, and their entire army was wiped out!"
"In less than half a day, both groups of men were wiped out!"

"The fighting strength of the Qi army far exceeds our expectations!"
"The most terrifying thing is that this will allow the Qi army and Yelü De to reunite!"

"If they join forces to attack our army, we will be attacked from both sides, and I'm afraid we will not be able to resist..."

Jin Wuzhu frowned deeply: "Strategist, what should our army do?"

This plan was devised by Hami Chi. Although it failed, Jin Wuzhu did not blame Hami Chi.

The plan was good, but Jin Wuzhu and Hami Chi did not expect the Qi army's fighting power to be so terrifying.

It should be noted that the four Huagudu brothers led 20,000 cavalry to ambush Gao Chong's 5,000 troops, while Puluwen and Gao Dabao led 20,000 troops to ambush Yelü Dezhong's several thousand defeated soldiers.

Not to mention that Gao Chong and Yelü Dezhong had just fought a major battle, even if they were fresh troops, they could still overpower them with four times the strength.

However, the Jin army ambushed them, outnumbered them four to one, and waited for them to tire themselves out, resulting in two defeats!

This unscientific!

Hami Chi also thought it was unscientific, but fortunately he didn't believe in science:

"Your Highness, our army can no longer continue attacking Tanzhou!"

"If we wait for Cai Nanman to arrive, we won't be able to leave..."

"But the strategist..."

Jin Wuzhu shook his head: "Father has entrusted me with an army of 200,000 this time!"
"If we return empty-handed and lose more than 60,000 men, my three brothers will surely kick us while we're down!"

"My father already harbored resentment towards me, and I'm afraid he'll lose trust in me now!"

Hami Chi sighed: "If Your Highness is unwilling to withdraw your troops, then we will have no choice but to take a risky gamble!"

Jin Wuzhu pressed, "Strategist, what is your plan?"

Hami Chi: "Blah blah blah..."

Jin Wuzhu immediately beamed with delight: "Wonderful! Wonderful!"

With my strategist, why should I worry about not being able to drink from the Yangtze River?

……

"Boom... Boom..."

The 40,000-strong allied army is heading towards Tanzhou. After two days of travel, they are only 50 li away from Tanzhou.

They are expected to arrive in Tanzhou before dark, so they can rest and prepare for a night raid on the Jin camp.

"Night attack?"

As a staff officer accompanying the army, Zong Ze couldn't help but remind Cai Fu:

"Our army arrived in Tanzhou at its last gasp."

"If it's a sneak attack, I'm afraid..."

"Not afraid!"

Cai Fu said confidently, "The Jin army has been busy in Tanzhou, and they have been besieging the city for days without success. They are under more pressure than we are!"

"I know everyone is working very hard, but we need to grit our teeth and persevere at this time!"

"Our chances of success in a night raid on the Jin army are the greatest, with the fewest casualties. Even if it's a bit tough, it's worth it!"

Zong Ze thought about it and agreed, so he said no more.

"Quack! Quack!"

A rapid sound of hooves came from the opposite direction, and Cai Fu looked over and, sure enough, it was his adopted sons' group.

"Report——"

Yang Zaixing, Yu Hualong, Gao Chong, and He Yuanqing arrived at Cai Fu's horse at full speed:
"Father, we didn't find any ambushes on the road!"

"When we arrived in Tanzhou, we saw that the Jin dogs were holding back their troops in the stronghold!"

"I don't know how many troops the Jin army has, but judging from the smoke from the cooking fires, there should be around 100,000..." "The main force of the Jin army has already escaped!"

Upon hearing this, Zong Ze immediately concluded: "With over 100,000 gold dogs, the daily consumption of food for the people and fodder for the horses would be enormous!"
"If the main force of the Jin army were still here, they shouldn't have remained inactive. In my opinion, the main force of the Jin army has already gone to Jizhou!"

"It makes sense."

Cai Fu pondered for two seconds: "Since the main force of the Jin army has already gone to Jizhou, there is no point in us going to Tanzhou."

"Why not turn back now and block the retreat route of the main Jin army?"

Zong Ze: "Wonderful! Wonderful!"

Having reached a consensus, Cai Fu immediately ordered the entire army to switch ranks, with the front ranks becoming the rear ranks and the rear ranks becoming the front ranks, and to return to Jizhou.

And so Cai Fu returned to Jizhou without stopping, only to find everything calm and peaceful upon arrival…

Shi Xiu, who had been lying in ambush outside the city, ran out and greeted Cai Fu:
"Master, why are you back?"

Cai Fu was taken aback: "Jin Gou didn't come?"

"not coming!"

Shi Xiu smiled wryly as he showed Cai Fu his face covered in mosquito bites.

"Master, we've been lying in ambush outside the city for days, but we haven't even caught a glimpse of the Golden Dog..."

"broken!"

Zong Ze slapped the horse's head:

"Your Majesty, the main force of the Golden Dogs is still in Tanzhou!"
"This humble general believes there are no ambushes on the road, and the Jin dogs are holding back their troops. They must be using a surprise attack to take Jizhou!"
"Although the young general said the amount of smoke from the cooking fires was correct, I believe it was meant to mislead our army and the garrison of Tanzhou!"

"Now it seems that the Jin dogs' inaction was actually a deception to mislead our army and the garrison of Tanzhou!"

"They only need to calculate the days when our army travels from Jizhou to Tanzhou, and then remain stationary for the next two days to lure our army back to Jizhou. Then they can take Tanzhou by surprise!"

"If I am not mistaken, Tanzhou is probably already in their hands..."

Cai Fu also realized: "There are masters among the Golden Dogs!"

Zong Ze sighed: "Our army didn't suffer any losses, we just took a few extra days of unnecessary travel."

"It's just that Tanzhou is suffering..."

……

The garrison commander of Tanzhou was Dongxian Shilang of the Liao Kingdom.

He had four fierce generals under his command: Aliqi, Yao'erweikang, Chu Mingyu, and Cao Mingji.

These four fierce generals all possessed the courage to fight ten thousand men.

Dongxian Shilang was only able to hold Tanzhou for so many days thanks to these four fierce generals...

However, after several days of no attack by the Jin army, Dongxian Shilang felt uneasy and went up to the city to check.

The Jin soldiers remained motionless, and from the city walls, everything seemed normal within the Jin camp.

"Everything being normal is abnormal!"

Dongxian Shilang slapped the edge of the battlement:
"What happened?"

Chu Mingyu, being the more intelligent of the four generals, suddenly remembered something:
"The day before yesterday, I saw a large number of Jin soldiers coming from the direction of Jizhou in a chaotic manner from the city wall!"
"At the time, I was busy defending the city and didn't think much about it."

"After pondering it for a long time, it seems that those many Jin soldiers were defeated and fled back."

"Could it be that the Jin army is using a feint attack in one direction while attacking in another?"

"They're feigning an attack on Tanzhou while actually sending troops to attack Jizhou?"

"Yes!"

Dongxian Shilang suddenly realized:

"No wonder the Jin army is holding back; Wuzhu must have gone to attack Jizhou!"

"The Jin camp appears to be operating normally, but that's all an illusion. You must attack immediately!"
"We must at least break through the Jin camp and seize some merit!"

"Yes!"

Overjoyed, Chu Mingyu and Cao Mingji mustered 10,000 troops, opened the city gates, and charged towards the Jin camp.

Dongxian, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, stood atop the city gate tower, stroking his beard with a broad smile.

We can finally get our revenge!
Goodnight, please vote with your monthly tickets and recommendations~

(End of this chapter)