Chapter 437
Xun Tianzhang’s son heard that the Jin Army had been routed and was already fleeing in the direction of Youhua City. He couldn’t help but feel regret; the plan to flood Longyang City would have surely crippled the Jin Army’s forces significantly.
But if there was no way to flood Longyang City, by the time the main force moved towards Youhua City, they would have to battle the recovering Jin Army again.
“Young General Bai of the Bai family…” Zhao Sheng, who was riding alongside Xun Tianzhang’s son, sneered while wiping the rain off his face. “So what? Still beaten into retreat!”
Xun Tianzhang’s son asked Zhao Sheng, “Have you found Zhao Tong?”
“The Zhao family’s soldiers are looking for him. They should find him soon! They fled so hastily, they definitely didn’t have time to take Zhao Tong with them!”
Just as Zhao Sheng finished speaking, a corporal of the Zhao family army came running, dropped to one knee, and said, “General, we found General Zhao Tong. General Zhao Tong was… was…”
Zhao Sheng’s heart tightened. He dismounted, dragged the corporal up, and asked, “What happened to my brother?!”
Xun Tianzhang’s son also dismounted. “Don’t panic yet!”
“General Zhao Tong was tortured by the Jin Army… using the method created by General Zhao!”
Before the corporal finished, Zhao Sheng kicked him in the chest. The corporal clutched his chest, hurriedly supporting himself up, and knelt on one knee. “I am incompetent!”
Zhao Sheng gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, hatred for Bai Qingyan boiling in his heart.
“Ancestral integrity” for a man is significant. How could Zhao Sheng, being a man, not understand?
He stepped forward into the rain, teeth gnashing. “How many people know about this?!”
“Only the six of us who went to rescue General Zhao Tong from the prison!”
Zhao Sheng crouched down, eyes like a hawk staring at the corporal. “Go back and tell the other five, if this gets out, I will take their lives!”
“Yes!” The corporal of the Zhao family army quickly lowered his head.
“Take me to him!” Zhao Sheng stood and spoke.
Xun Tianzhang’s son watched Zhao Sheng ride hastily to rescue his brother. He pursed his lips and braved the rain to the city wall. Watching the Liang Army breaking into houses, searching for treasures, he felt this habit needed change.
He ran his hand over the rain-washed bricks of Longyang City’s wall. Perhaps not flooding Longyang City was for the best. After all, they weren’t just here to fight and leave; Longyang City would belong to the Liang Kingdom. To avoid Liang Kingdom having to rebuild Longyang City, it was better this way.
He patted the clean bricks of the city wall and turned to give orders. “Go report to the Commander that our army has taken Longyang City! Please have the Commander enter the city!”
“Yes!”
Tianlan Mountain lay between Longyang City and Youhua City.
From Longyang City towards Tianlan Mountain, the terrain rises higher, and there has been a saying since ancient times: “The Dragon Mother’s Wrath Stops at Tianlan.” Once at Tianlan Mountain, there was no fear of flooding.
Bai Qingyan and Liu Hong dispatched part of their forces back to Tianlan Mountain, requisitioning nearby ships, and waited quietly between Tianlan Mountain and Longyang City.
That night, the heavy rain continued unabated.
After today’s battle, Xun Tianzhang, already physically struggling, felt even worse. He moved into the government office of Longyang County but remained worried about potential flooding from the Longmu River.
“Father, don’t worry. The rain is too heavy tonight. It’s not suitable to camp outside!” Xun Tianzhang’s son brought medicine and advised softly. “Tomorrow morning, our army will move to Youhua City! Even if there’s flooding, it won’t happen so quickly! Think about our soldiers too, listen to them outside, still searching for treasure! Would anyone want to retreat now?”
Xun Tianzhang accepted the medicine his son brought and nodded. He instructed, “Send more men to guard the riverbanks and channels. If there’s any signs of weakening, we will withdraw early!”
The heavy rain did not dampen the Liang Army’s enthusiasm for treasure hunting. The uproar continued outside, with some comparing their loot and others asking if anything was found at the Xiao Residence.
Xun Tianzhang heard someone laugh and shout that General Cheng had nearly destroyed the walls of the Xiao Residence looking for a hidden chamber.
Some jokingly said, “Why bother with the Xiao Residence’s treasures?! If the Commander gives the order, won’t you have worked in vain?!”
“Shut up! Our Commander isn’t someone who craves money like that!”
Even with Xun Tianzhang’s personal guards outside the government office, the noise and laughter still reached him.
Inside the office, Xun Tianzhang sat restlessly…
The Jin Army indeed fled, leaving their armor behind. What was there to worry about?
“It’s a pity!” Xun Tianzhang’s son sighed. “I forgot, the Jin Army isn’t the Bai family army. They would abandon the city and flee! If it were the Bai family army, they would have held Longyang City to the death. Then, flooding the city would leave no escape!”
“I’m uneasy… With Bai Qingyan here, she wouldn’t abandon the city so easily. She is Bai Weiting’s eldest granddaughter! Even Bai Weiting praised her as a talented commander!” Xun Tianzhang clenched his fist.
“No matter how capable, these are Jin soldiers, not the Bai family army! And Liu Hong is the Commander this time. Would Liu Hong listen to a young girl like her?” Xun Tianzhang’s son reassured him. “Don’t forget, our scouts said the Jin Emperor dislikes Commandery Princess Bai Qingyan. With his nature, he wouldn’t tolerate her achieving military success again.”
Xun Tianzhang nodded.
“And the Jin soldiers indeed fought with a do-or-die stance. When they saw they were losing, they abandoned their armor and fled! Don’t overthink it! Rest well. If the rain continues tomorrow, we will move in the rain and you will be fatigued!”
Xun Tianzhang nodded. “Go and relay orders. Tell our soldiers, continuous rain means we move tomorrow to avoid flooding in Longyang City! Regardless of how late they search tonight, anyone delaying tomorrow will face military law!”
“Yes!”
Listening to the rain outside, Xun Tianzhang repressed his unease and lay down to rest with his son’s help.
It was already late at night.
Bai Qingyan and Fu Ruoxi led the Jin Army to higher ground. Despite the low visibility in the heavy rain, they could see the bright flames of Longyang City.
Seeing this, the Jin Army knew the Liang Army was likely treasure hunting fervently now.
The Jin soldiers stood in the rain, ready for action, their eyes filled with murderous intent, unlike their disheveled retreat earlier.
Bai Qingyan had dispatched a thousand men to the Longmu River to kill the Liang troops guarding the dikes and channels and breach them.
Judging by the time, it should be about done!
They awaited the flood of Longyang City to storm in by boat and slaughter the half-drowned Liang soldiers.