Chapter 2787: Ascension to Office

Chapter Forty-Eight: Ascending Mediocre Heights

By the time Yuan Jiao, the Prefect of Nan Kang, learned that the Prefect of Ping Wu had been defeated and fled, it was already past midday. A messenger came from Nan Kang City in such a hurry that he nearly broke his neck.

"Prefect, Prefect, disaster! The Prefect of Ping Wu has been defeated and is retreating, the enemy is charging at us!"

Prefect Yuan was in the middle of enjoying his lunch. Hearing this, he slammed his chopsticks down, causing a piece of pork belly to fly out and land squarely in the lap of a subordinate kneeling before him.

"What nonsense! When did this happen? Who is the enemy?" Prefect Yuan shouted.

"It...it was the morning of the day before yesterday, early morning. The enemy is the one with the iron armor, the one who fought at Guan Ling Pass," the messenger stammered, picking the greasy pork belly off his knee and wiping his oily hands on his shirt.

"The day before yesterday? Early morning?" Prefect Yuan's eyes widened. "Then why are you only reporting now? How many enemies? How is the Ping Wu army doing?"

"Reporting to the Prefect, the Prefect of Ping Wu was defeated at Shi Nan Ford. Only a thousand or so soldiers were left, retreating in disarray. The main force is gone, and the enemy… I heard there are thirty thousand of them, all riding swift horses and equipped with iron armor."

"Thirty thousand armored cavalry?" Prefect Yuan collapsed into his chair, his face ashen. "Finished, we're finished!"

He understood that even if the Prefect of Ping Wu had been at full strength, they might not have been able to stop thirty thousand armored cavalry. Now, with only a thousand remnants, how could they possibly resist? Nan Kang City was merely a minor county town. What could it do?

Prefect Yuan paced back and forth anxiously. "Quick, send a messenger to the Prefect of An Yuan, tell him what happened at Shi Nan Ford. Hurry! Also, send messengers to the county magistrates of the surrounding counties, tell them to consolidate their troops and prepare for battle."

He didn't dare to flee. Fleeing now meant abandoning the city and being instantly labeled a traitor. He could only brace himself and fight. But how could he fight with only three thousand soldiers?

The messenger, trembling, said, "Prefect, the enemy has already reached Nan Kang. We...we have surrendered."

Prefect Yuan froze, then angrily cursed, "Idiot! Who surrendered? Did I order a surrender?"

"The City Gate Officer...the City Gate Officer ordered the surrender. He said that resistance is futile and that we would all be killed if we resisted, so he surrendered."

Prefect Yuan was so enraged he nearly fainted. At this moment, sounds of fighting could be heard outside the official residence. Soldiers rushed in. A general wearing a tiger-head helmet and carrying a large saber strode in, radiating an air of dominance.

"You are the Prefect of Nan Kang, Yuan Jiao?" the general asked, his voice like thunder.

Prefect Yuan trembled and bowed. "This humble official is Yuan Jiao. I have been awaiting the General's arrival."

"Awaiting my arrival?" The general sneered. "You didn't know I was coming, did you? No need to put on airs. I am Xu Chen, the Vanguard General of the Da Qi Army."

"General Xu."

Xu Chen looked at Prefect Yuan, then at the kneeling soldiers and servants. "The Prefect of Ping Wu has been defeated and has fled. You have no other choice but to surrender. Will you surrender, or resist?"

"This humble official is willing to surrender. Please, General, spare the lives of the people of Nan Kang."

"That depends on your attitude," Xu Chen said. "Follow me and welcome His Royal Highness."

Prefect Yuan had no choice but to follow Xu Chen out. Outside, the courtyard was already filled with soldiers in iron armor. The gate of the official residence was also guarded by soldiers. Prefect Yuan followed Xu Chen to the main gate. Outside, on a large white horse, sat a young man. His face was expressionless, but his aura was imposing.

"Your Royal Highness, this is Yuan Jiao, the Prefect of Nan Kang," Xu Chen reported.

The young man nodded slightly. "Prefect Yuan, since you have surrendered, from today onwards, you are a civil official of the Da Qi court. The people of Nan Kang are also the people of Da Qi. As long as you are loyal and serve the court, you and your family will be safe. If you have other intentions, you will regret it."

"This humble official understands," Prefect Yuan said, his head lowered. He felt a wave of fear wash over him. This young man was the Prince of Da Qi? His aura was so cold, like a statue carved from ice.

The Prince of Da Qi continued, "I will not change the administrative system here for the time being. You are still the Prefect of Nan Kang. However, all important matters must be reported to the military governor. Military affairs are under the command of General Xu Chen. I have important things to attend to, so I will not stay here long."

The Prince of Da Qi dismounted. "Let's go in."

Prefect Yuan followed the Prince of Da Qi into the official residence. He felt like he was in a dream. Nan Kang was captured without a fight, and the Prefect of Ping Wu's main force was annihilated. This was like a celestial army descending from the heavens.

Inside the residence, the Prince of Da Qi sat on the main seat. Xu Chen stood by his side. Prefect Yuan and the others stood below.

"Prefect Yuan, what is the current situation in Jiangzhou?" the Prince of Da Qi asked.

Prefect Yuan immediately reported everything he knew. "Your Royal Highness, the Prefect of Jiangzhou is Huang Jing Yao. He has an army of over 300,000, stationed at Jiangzhou City. General Liu Ping An has 100,000 soldiers, stationed at Nan Ping Pass. General Zhu Wen Zheng has 50,000 soldiers, stationed at An Yuan. General Wang Chen Dong has 50,000 soldiers, stationed at Yu Zhang."

The Prince of Da Qi nodded. "Where is Nan Kang located?"

"Nan Kang is a county under Jiangzhou. It is located in the northeast of Jiangzhou. To the east is Nan Ping Pass, to the west is An Yuan, to the north is Ping Wu, and to the south is Yu Zhang."

The Prince of Da Qi was silent for a moment. "General Xu, how long will it take to reach An Yuan?"

"Your Royal Highness, it is less than a hundred li from Nan Kang to An Yuan. If we travel quickly, we can reach it in a day."

"An Yuan has 50,000 soldiers. Are they strong?" the Prince of Da Qi asked Prefect Yuan.

Prefect Yuan quickly replied, "General Zhu Wen Zheng is a fierce general. His army of 50,000 is one of the strongest in Jiangzhou. But compared to the elite troops of Da Qi, I fear... it would be difficult to win."

The Prince of Da Qi stood up. "Very good. General Xu, lead a portion of the troops to take An Yuan immediately. Leave five thousand people to guard Nan Kang. The rest will follow me to An Yuan."

"Your Royal Highness, what about the people of Nan Kang?" Prefect Yuan asked.

"Don't worry," the Prince of Da Qi said. "As long as they don't resist, their lives and property will be safe."

Xu Chen immediately selected ten thousand cavalry and left Nan Kang City towards An Yuan. The remaining five thousand cavalry guarded Nan Kang City.

The Prince of Da Qi did not stay in Nan Kang. He took the remaining cavalry and followed Xu Chen towards An Yuan. An Yuan was only a hundred li away from Nan Kang, and with the speed of the cavalry, they could reach it in a few hours.

When the Prince of Da Qi and Xu Chen arrived at An Yuan, it was already late afternoon.

An Yuan City was a large city with tall walls and a wide moat. The defenders of An Yuan had also received news of the defeat at Ping Wu and were on high alert. The gates were closed, and soldiers were patrolling the city walls.

Xu Chen led ten thousand cavalry to the city gate and shouted, "We are the Da Qi army! Surrender immediately, or we will flatten your city!"

On the city wall, General Zhu Wen Zheng snorted disdainfully. "A mere ten thousand soldiers dares to threaten to flatten my city? Delusional! Open the gates and let me wipe out these presumptuous rebels!"

A deputy general quickly advised, "General, don't be impulsive. The enemy is wearing iron armor. They must be the elite troops of Da Qi. We should defend the city and wait for reinforcements from Jiangzhou City."

"Coward!" Zhu Wen Zheng glared at his deputy. "We have 50,000 soldiers. Are we afraid of just ten thousand? I'd rather die fighting than be a turtle hiding in a shell!"

Zhu Wen Zheng ordered the city gates to be opened and led out twenty thousand soldiers to engage the enemy.

Xu Chen saw the city gates open and twenty thousand soldiers march out. He sneered and ordered, "Form a square formation! Attack!"

The ten thousand armored cavalry formed a square formation and charged towards the An Yuan army like a sharp sword.

The An Yuan army had never seen such a formation before. They were surprised and confused. Before they could react, the armored cavalry had already crashed into their ranks.

The armored cavalry were like tigers entering a flock of sheep. They were invincible. The An Yuan army was instantly thrown into chaos. Their swords and spears could not penetrate the iron armor, while the cavalry's lances and sabers easily pierced through their leather and cloth armor.

The An Yuan army was routed. Zhu Wen Zheng saw that the situation was dire and desperately tried to rally his troops, but it was useless. The armored cavalry's charge was unstoppable.

In less than an hour, the twenty thousand An Yuan soldiers were annihilated. Zhu Wen Zheng was also killed in battle.

The remaining thirty thousand soldiers in An Yuan City were terrified. They had seen the power of the armored cavalry. They no longer had the courage to resist. They opened the city gates and surrendered.

The Prince of Da Qi and the rest of the cavalry arrived after the battle was over.

Looking at the piles of corpses and the surrendered soldiers, the Prince of Da Qi's expression remained unchanged. He entered An Yuan City.

He was not a bloodthirsty person, but he understood that in wartime, bloodshed was unavoidable. He would not hesitate to kill those who resisted, but he would also not kill innocent people.

After entering An Yuan City, the Prince of Da Qi ordered Xu Chen to take over the defense of the city. He then ordered the recruitment of local officials and soldiers to assist in maintaining order.

The people of An Yuan were also terrified at first, but they quickly realized that the Da Qi army was not as brutal as they had imagined. As long as they did not resist, they were not harmed.

The Prince of Da Qi stayed in An Yuan for two days, reorganizing the surrendered army and stabilizing the situation. He then left five thousand soldiers to guard An Yuan and continued his march south with the rest of the troops.

His next target was Yu Zhang. Yu Zhang was located to the south of An Yuan and was an important city in Jiangzhou.

The march from An Yuan to Yu Zhang was long. The Prince of Da Qi and his army traveled day and night. On the way, they also encountered some small resistance, but they were easily dealt with.

By the time they reached Yu Zhang, it had been five days since they left An Yuan.

Yu Zhang City was even larger and more heavily defended than An Yuan. General Wang Chen Dong, who was stationed there, had also received news of the defeat at An Yuan and was fully prepared for battle.

The Prince of Da Qi and Xu Chen arrived at Yu Zhang City. Looking at the tall city walls, Xu Chen's expression was solemn. "Your Royal Highness, Yu Zhang City is heavily fortified. It will be difficult to take by force."

The Prince of Da Qi was silent for a moment. "General Xu, how many soldiers does Yu Zhang have?"

"Reporting to Your Royal Highness, Yu Zhang has fifty thousand soldiers. General Wang Chen Dong is also a fierce general. He is known for his defensive strategies."

"Fifty thousand soldiers," the Prince of Da Qi muttered. "We have less than forty thousand now. Attacking by force would indeed be difficult."

He looked at Yu Zhang City, his eyes deep in thought. After a long while, he said, "General Xu, surround the city. Do not attack for now. Send a messenger to demand surrender."

"Demand surrender?" Xu Chen was surprised. "Your Royal Highness, will they surrender?"

"It's worth a try," the Prince of Da Qi said. "Their main forces have been annihilated one after another. Their morale is low. Perhaps they will surrender."

Xu Chen followed the order and sent a messenger to Yu Zhang City to demand surrender.

On the city wall of Yu Zhang, General Wang Chen Dong received the messenger. Hearing the demand for surrender, he was furious. "Surrender? I, Wang Chen Dong, would rather die than surrender! Tell that Prince of Da Qi, if he wants to take Yu Zhang, he will have to step over my dead body!"

The messenger returned and reported Wang Chen Dong's words to the Prince of Da Qi.

The Prince of Da Qi's expression did not change. "Since he refuses to surrender, then we will fight. General Xu, prepare for the siege."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

Xu Chen immediately ordered the army to prepare for the siege. However, the Prince of Da Qi stopped him.

"General Xu, we are short on manpower and siege equipment. A direct assault would be costly. We need to think of another way."

"Your Royal Highness has a brilliant plan?" Xu Chen asked.

The Prince of Da Qi looked at Yu Zhang City. "General Xu, have you heard of the saying, 'Attack the heart first, then the city'?"

Xu Chen's eyes lit up. "Your Royal Highness means... psychological warfare?"

"That's right," the Prince of Da Qi said. "Wang Chen Dong is stubborn, but the soldiers under him may not be. We will spread rumors within the city, saying that the Prefect of Jiangzhou has abandoned them and fled, and that resistance is futile. We will also promise lenient treatment to those who surrender. This will cause panic and division within the city."

"Your Royal Highness is brilliant!" Xu Chen exclaimed. "This plan is excellent."

The Prince of Da Qi smiled faintly. "This is just the beginning. We will also use other methods to weaken their morale and create opportunities."

For the next few days, the Da Qi army did not launch a direct attack. Instead, they surrounded Yu Zhang City and began their psychological warfare. They sent spies into the city to spread rumors, and they also used catapults to launch leaflets containing surrender offers into the city.

As the days passed, the rumors spread throughout Yu Zhang City. Many soldiers and civilians became fearful and began to doubt Wang Chen Dong's leadership. Some even started to consider surrendering.

Wang Chen Dong was aware of the situation, but he was powerless to stop the spread of rumors. He could only strengthen the patrols and try to maintain order. However, the fear and uncertainty were already deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

Finally, after a week of psychological warfare, a rebellion broke out within Yu Zhang City. Some of the soldiers, led by a few disgruntled officers, opened the city gates and welcomed the Da Qi army.

The Prince of Da Qi seized the opportunity and ordered a full assault. The Da Qi army poured into Yu Zhang City.

Wang Chen Dong fought bravely, but he was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and the demoralized state of his own troops. He was killed in the battle.

Yu Zhang City was captured.

With the capture of Yu Zhang, the entire eastern part of Jiangzhou fell into the hands of the Da Qi army. The road to Jiangzhou City was now open.

The news of the capture of Yu Zhang quickly spread throughout Jiangzhou. The Prefect of Jiangzhou, Huang Jing Yao, was shocked and infuriated. He had never expected that the Prince of Da Qi would be so decisive and effective. In just a few days, he had taken three major cities and annihilated the main forces in the eastern part of Jiangzhou.

Huang Jing Yao knew that he could no longer rely on passive defense. He had to take the initiative and confront the Prince of Da Qi head-on.

He immediately ordered the mobilization of all available troops and prepared for a decisive battle at Jiangzhou City.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Da Qi was consolidating his control over the captured territories. He appointed new officials, restored order, and began to recruit new soldiers from the local population.

He knew that the final battle would be at Jiangzhou City. He had to be fully prepared.

After resting and replenishing his troops in Yu Zhang for a few days, the Prince of Da Qi led his army towards Jiangzhou City.

The journey to Jiangzhou City was not easy. They had to cross mountains and rivers, and they also encountered some resistance along the way. However, with the momentum of victory and the increased numbers, they were able to overcome all obstacles.

As they approached Jiangzhou City, the Prince of Da Qi's scouts reported that Huang Jing Yao had gathered over 300,000 soldiers in Jiangzhou City, ready for a final showdown.

The Prince of Da Qi knew that this would be the most difficult battle yet. He had less than 100,000 soldiers, including the newly recruited ones. The enemy outnumbered him three to one.

However, he was not afraid. He had faith in his army and his strategies. He believed that with careful planning and execution, they could still win.

He ordered his army to set up camp outside Jiangzhou City and began to study the terrain and the enemy's formations.

The final battle for Jiangzhou was about to begin.