Chapter 113: The Impending Siege War

  Luosi knew that if she told Tianyu everything that had happened to her on the way to Nanzhong and in Nanzhong, he probably wouldn't sleep all night. She only told him about the important things, such as making amends with the Night God Sect, and then continued to ask him why he didn't send troops to rescue Zheng Guo.

  Tian Yu was surprised to hear that the Night God Sect had actually made amends with Luosi Qiuda, but since Chu State was currently facing external threats, it was good news for him that the Night God Sect would not cause trouble. He didn't say anything more and began explaining to Luosi Qiuda why he had been defending Chengfu all along.

  At that time, Tian Wu led his army to advance towards Chengfu after Lu Suiqi left. After careful consideration, he still felt that the chances of winning would be much lower without the support of Lu Suiqi and Qu Li's reinforcements. When he led his army into Chengfu, the scouts sent to Zheng Guo brought back more bizarre information.

  Scouts reported that in the days when the allied forces of Qi and Jin surrounded the capital of Zheng, the troops responsible for the siege were often those of Jin, while the Qi troops who participated in the attack were almost all just going through the motions, rather like cheerleaders shaking their pom-poms on the sidelines.

  Especially after Tian Yu led the main force of the Chu army to garrison Chengfu, even the Jin army, which had been actively attacking the capital of Zhengguo, gradually slowed down its offensive. Sima Yue felt that it was because the Jin army had been attacking the strong city for many days without success, and its momentum had already declined. Therefore, he suggested that Tian Yu immediately lead his troops to rescue Zhengguo. At that time, as long as they responded from inside and outside, and attacked together, the Jin army would surely be defeated.

  But Tian Yu, with his rich experience, did not think so. He felt that the Jin army's slow advance seemed to be waiting for him to lead his troops to battle. Moreover, the Qi state's army had always been holding back, and their soldiers could be said to have been conserving their strength for a long time. The Chu army led by Tian Yu, on the other hand, was like an emergency rescue team rushing to Chengfu, with all the soldiers extremely exhausted. Therefore, no matter how many times the Zheng state's ruler sent envoys to plead for help, the Chu army did not dare to make any rash moves after entering Chengfu.

  After a few days, the Jin army began to attack the capital of Zheng again. Meanwhile, the Qi army marched towards Chengfu and stationed in Zhucheng, 150 miles away from Chengfu.

  It is clear that Qi and Jin saw that Chu was not daring to send troops to rescue Zheng, so they changed their original strategy of temporarily stopping the attack on Zheng to wait for the Chu army to come and decide the battle. Instead, the Qi army advanced to the small town of Zhucity, which the Chu army had to pass through to reach the capital of Zheng, to block the Chu army, while the Jin army began to attack the capital of Zheng with all its might in order to quickly swallow up Zheng.

  Chengfu is 150 miles away from Zhucheng. Zhucheng is 130 miles away from the capital of Zhengguo. Originally, according to normal military marching speed, the Chu army could have arrived at the city gate of Zhengguo within two days, but now 50,000 Qi troops have entered Zhucheng. Thinking about rescuing Zhengguo so quickly has become not that easy anymore.

  In the city of Chengfu, there were originally 30,000 Chu soldiers, led by Crown Prince Jian and Wu Xuan to defend the border. With Tian Yu's arrival with 50,000 troops, the total number of Chu soldiers in Chengfu reached 80,000. These forces clashed with the combined army of Qi and Jin, totaling 150,000 men, making it difficult to emerge victorious. However, the armies of Qi and Jin had split apart, leaving only 50,000 Qi troops. Therefore, Sima Yue urged Tian Yu to attack Zhu City as soon as possible. Once they lured the Qi army out of the city for a decisive battle and defeated them, the Chu-Zheng allied forces would not be at a disadvantage when facing the Jin army.

  Although Tian Yu still had concerns, he was really afraid that the capital of Zheng Guo would fall under the siege of the Jin army. Just as he finally made up his mind to lead the troops out, Luo Siqi and Tang Xiaoxia suddenly returned like gods.

  Luosi replied to Tianyu's question about why she and Tang Xiaoxia arrived in Chengfu so quickly from Nanjiang, saying that it was a unique magical technique that only they possessed. She didn't explain any further, but this made Tianyu even more respectful of Luosi, who now seemed like a god-like existence in his eyes.

  Of course, after thinking so, Tian Yu began to ask Luosi Qi if she had any powerful techniques that could be used in the battle between the two armies, such as the ability to make sand and stones fly in the enemy's formation, causing them to become disordered without a fight.

  Luosi thought to herself, "Isn't what you're talking about the Chiyou who fought against Huangdi in ancient times?" However, since she fully activated the green Lingluo Stone that symbolized betrayal, she hadn't actually tried whether this green stone would bring her another astonishingly powerful ability like the orange stone had before.

  Thinking of this, she decided to keep a low profile for the time being, lest she boast too much and fail to deliver when the time comes, which would be really embarrassing. So she shook her head and said that she had only been studying magic for a short time and didn't have anything that could be used in a battle involving hundreds of thousands of troops.

  Tian Yu's eyes revealed an uncontrollable disappointment upon hearing her words, but Zheng Guo still wanted to save him. Sima Yue was eager to lead the army into battle immediately, and so they decided that they would launch a surprise attack on Zhu City at dawn the next day.

  Of course, Chengfu, as the rear base of the large army, cannot be left unguarded. Tianyu's original intention was to let Sima Yue lead 3,000 troops to defend the city, but Sima Yue wanted to make a name for himself in this battle and had no intention of staying behind to guard the city, especially since Tianyu only left him with 3,000 men.

  Luosi Qi was clueless about fighting and didn't want to see the terrifying scene of blood and flesh flying everywhere on the battlefield, so she suggested that she and Tang Xiaoxia stay behind to guard the city. However, Tian Yu refused to agree, as he had now become convinced that Luosi Qi was the key to winning or losing this war, and how could he possibly leave this trump card behind without using it? He said that no matter what, she would have to follow the main army, otherwise, this war would be very difficult to win. He suggested leaving a general to replace Luosi Qi and Tang Xiaoxia to guard the city together, looking at Tang Xiaoxia with great tension, fearing he wouldn't agree.

  It was unexpected that Tang Xiaxia readily agreed, but said that three thousand people were too few, and at least five thousand people had to be left for him. The general also had to be under his command, which meant that the military power of Chengfu City had to belong to him. Tian Yu hesitated slightly when he heard this, but still agreed. It was possible that in his opinion, as long as Luo Siqi could go on an expedition with him, it didn't matter who guarded Chengfu City. Moreover, although Chengfu would be controlled by Tang Xiaxia after he left, the generals under Tang Xiaxia's command were all Chu State generals. Not to mention that Tang Xiaxia, as the senior brother of the Chu State goddess, would not rebel, even if he really did rebel, the generals and soldiers below him would not listen to him.

  Luoshi didn't know why Tang Xiaxia agreed to separate and come alone to guard the city, but with Tian Yu and Sima Yue present, she couldn't ask more questions. She suppressed her doubts in her heart and waited for the two of them to leave.

  It was unexpected that Tang Xiaoxia's explanation to her after Tian Yu and Sima Yue left had no persuasive power at all. He actually told Luosi Qi: "I really don't understand anything about fighting, so I went there and couldn't help you, so it's better to stay in Chengfu to guard the rear for you."

  Luosi heard Tang Xiaoya say that, but she wasn't very happy. Because she had never followed the army to participate in the war, let alone this time's massive battle with tens of thousands of people killing each other. Although she had abilities beyond those of ordinary people, as a girl, she couldn't help but feel some fear.

  Of course, she wouldn't directly tell Tang Xiaoxia that she was afraid and wanted him to accompany her. On the contrary, she asked Tang Xiaoxia: "Tang Xiaoxia, you don't want to go so badly, are you afraid of death? Don't worry! Follow me, I'll protect you!"

  She finished her speech, preparing for Tang Xiaoxia's "counterattack", but unexpectedly Tang Xiaoxia nodded seriously and replied: "Yes! The battlefield is too dangerous, you have to be more careful when you go there!"

  Luosi Qi looked at Tang Xiao Xia's serious and sincere expression as he spoke to her, and she really couldn't help but want to punch him hard in the face. But perhaps Luosi Qi was truly shocked by Tang Xiao Xia's abnormal reaction, so she only muttered a curse: "Split personality!"

  The sky was just slightly bright on the second day. Tian Yu and Sima Yue had already begun to prepare for departure, and Luo Siqi saw that Tang Xiaoxia had actually put on a general's uniform, with his Lingyun sword hanging from his waist, looking like a young general from afar.

  However, Luosi thought that he would have to separate from her again and act alone, so when she arrived at his side, she didn't smile and tease Tang Xiaosheng about his outfit. Moreover, Tang Xiaosheng was too serious today, and when Tian Yu called the deputy general who led the 5,000 people left behind in Chengfu City and the other small generals to come before him, pointing at Tang Xiaosheng and saying that during his expedition, they would all have to listen to Tang Xiaosheng's command, Tang Xiaosheng's expression became even more serious, as if he had accepted a glorious yet arduous task.

  At this moment, a thought suddenly flashed through Luosiqi's mind: "Could it be that Tang Xiaoxia has always had a general dream since childhood? Always dreaming of commanding thousands of troops and horses?" So he was willing to stay here in order to experience the fantasy of commanding 5,000 troops and horses.

  However, Luosi could see that these generals under Tang Xiaoxia's command seemed to be somewhat dissatisfied from the deputy general downwards. After all, at Tang Xiaoxia's age, it was indeed a bit ridiculous for him to sit in this position now.

  Military situation is urgent. The army will set out soon, Luosiqi looked at Tang Xiaoxia before departure, hoping he could say something to her, and he did, saying: "Wishing my junior sister a victorious start and success upon arrival!"

  。。。。。。。

  For this reason, Luo Siqi was actually unhappy for a long time when he followed the army to Zhucheng.

  When she came to, Zhucheng was already not far away. She thought that originally, it was just about letting the two people return to modern times to be good students, and their feelings could also be properly discussed, and they could have a romantic little life. However, when they returned to modern times last time, they unexpectedly discovered that modern times had been occupied by evil spirits. The beautiful and peaceful campus had become such a terrifying place that almost took her life on the spot.

  She has arrived in the spring and autumn, it can be said that she escaped here. So, will she stay in this era for a lifetime? Will she never go back? What about dad and mom? Can they never see them again?

  Originally, modern times were safer than the Spring and Autumn period, but now the Spring and Autumn period has become a place where she can feel slightly more at ease compared to modern times. If that's the case, does she still need to go through great difficulties with Tang Xiao Xia to find a way to return to modern times permanently? Wouldn't going back like this be sending herself to her death?

  She felt that the promise she had made to Tang Xiaoxia to help King Chu win this war and then quietly leave with him to find a way back to modern times would be difficult to fulfill, and she didn't know how Tang Xiaoxia would react if she told him later that she had changed her mind.

  At this time, a messenger came to report that they were less than 20 miles away from Zhucheng. The vanguard had already occupied several small outposts built by the Qi army in the vicinity. As they had been marching for a long time, Tian Yu decided to set up camp here first, prepare the siege equipment, and launch a full-scale attack on Zhucheng early tomorrow morning.