Chapter 419 - 351: When Autumn Comes on the Ninth Month’s Eighth, My Bloom Shall Slay All Other Flowers
Chapter 419: Chapter 351: When Autumn Comes on the Ninth Month’s Eighth, My Bloom Shall Slay All Other Flowers
Not to mention, the Northern Wilderness Army’s strength lay in its iron cavalry, but their effectiveness in a siege was extremely limited.
So Xiao Mo continued to taunt and challenge them from below the city walls.
But his opponent, much like that old turtle Xiahou Nan, had no intention of leaving the city to meet him in battle.
On the seventh day of Xiao Mo’s standoff with Fengshang City, a letter arrived from Prince Zhenbei, Xiao Shi. It stated that Xiao Mo only needed to hold Du Beiwang in place and that a forced assault was unnecessary.
Xiao Mo acknowledged the order but replied that if an opportunity presented itself, he would certainly attempt an assault.
Afterward, Xiao Mo once again reviewed the files on the life and career of the Wei Kingdom’s Great Pillar of the Country.
’I don’t think this will necessarily end in a stalemate at Fengshang City.’
Although the Great Pillar of the Country of the Wei Kingdom was only a Dragon Gate Realm cultivator, with a lifespan of five hundred years at most, his military accomplishments were extraordinary, and his fame had spread throughout the Allied States.
Xiao Mo refused to believe that such a decorated veteran, who had served three successive sovereigns, would truly be content to simply defend the city.
Furthermore, the Great Pillar of the Country was now over four hundred and fifty years old. Due to constant campaigning in his youth, he suffered from numerous old injuries and was in poor health.
It was safe to say that when the Great Pillar of the Country, Du Beiwang, set out on this expedition, he had no intention of returning alive. Even if he didn’t fall in battle, it was highly likely he would die of exhaustion along the way.
A proud old man like him, this Great Pillar of the Country, would surely want to reclaim lost lands while he was still alive, so that he could face the late sovereign in the afterlife without shame.
On the tenth day of the standoff, Xiao Mo wrote a poem, intending to provoke the old general.
...
"Come autumn, on the eighth day of the ninth month,
When my flower blooms, all others are slain.
A scent to pierce the heavens will engulf the Wei Capital,
And the entire city will be clad in white-scaled armor."
Du Beiwang read the letter, which had been shot onto the city wall by an arrow. The more he read, the more his eyes filled with admiration.
"A fine poem, a truly fine poem! Just what you’d expect from a twenty-year-old. Only youthful fire could produce such verses." Du Beiwang turned to the generals beside him and lamented, "Tell me, our Wei Kingdom is, after all, one of the seven major powers of the Warring States Period. How is it that we’ve never produced a young man such as this?"
"..."
The assembled generals all lowered their heads, their faces tinged with shame.
"Sigh..." Du Beiwang shook his head. "To think that my Wei Kingdom is now rife with cronyism and corruption, that the Imperial Court is filled with base dealings... Even if we had such a fine young man, he would struggle to rise through the ranks. How has my Wei Kingdom fallen to this state...?"
"Great Pillar of the Country, this is merely Xiao Mo’s attempt to provoke you. I urge you not to take it to heart, lest it trouble your spirit," a Vice General said, stepping forward with a clasped-fist salute.
"I know." The Great Pillar of the Country shook his head. "But do you truly believe that even if we stop Xiao Mo, and Xiahou Nan holds back Xiao Shi, our other generals can really stop the famous commanders of the Northern Wilderness? If the Imperial Capital City falls, what use is there in us holding this position?"
Everyone fell silent.
Du Beiwang shook his head. "Xiao Mo wants to use me as his breakthrough. But are we not trying to do the same to him?"
...
「On the night of the seventeenth day of the standoff.」
Du Beiwang personally led ten thousand iron cavalry in a surprise raid on Xiao Mo’s camp, but Xiao Mo was long prepared.
Xiao Mo led the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry in a counter-charge, and the two sides clashed violently.
Xiao Mo gave chase for thirty li, right up to the city walls. Unfortunately, Du Beiwang still managed to retreat back into Fengshang City.
In addition to occasional night raids on Xiao Mo’s camp, Du Beiwang also sent men to cut Xiao Mo’s supply lines and even attempted to break the dikes to flood his army.
But Xiao Mo had anticipated all of these moves.
In the ongoing game of wits between them, Xiao Mo wasn’t always a step ahead. On two occasions, Du Beiwang’s schemes caught him off guard, allowing the old general to gain a slight advantage.
For the most part, however, it was Xiao Mo who came out on top.
Thirty days into the standoff, another letter arrived from Xiao Shi. The Chu Kingdom to the west had betrayed their alliance and taken the opportunity to attack the Qin Kingdom. The Sovereign of Qin was greatly alarmed and had ordered the Northern Wilderness Army to meet the new threat. Xiao Shi’s decision was for Xiao Mo to abandon Fengshang City and lead his forces to repel the Chu People.
Xiao Mo had a furious argument with Xiao Shi’s messenger, insisting that he would break through Fengshang City. He pleaded for a little more time, or for other generals of the Qin Kingdom to be sent to defend against the Chu Kingdom.
A few days later, another letter came from Xiao Shi. The Chu Kingdom had already conquered a city. The letter contained a strict order for Xiao Mo to proceed there at once.
Xiao Mo was so furious he couldn’t sleep the entire night, but in the end, he had no choice but to agree.
However, all of this was learned by a surrendered general within Xiao Mo’s army, who secretly sent a letter to Fengshang City.
Upon learning this, Du Beiwang immediately summoned his generals to discuss the matter.
"According to a report from a surrendered general in Xiao Mo’s army, the Chu Kingdom has invaded the Qin Kingdom. The Qin front is now stretched thin, and Xiao Shi has ordered Xiao Mo to march against the Chu. I wish to seize this opportunity to retake our lost cities. What are your thoughts?" Du Beiwang asked his generals.
"Great Pillar of the Country, I believe we can. This is a golden opportunity. With Yanmen Pass and our other cities undefended, this is our best chance to reclaim our lost territory."
"I disagree," another Vice General interjected. "Xiao Mo is treacherous. What if this is a ruse? What if Xiao Mo deliberately allowed that turncoat to send us this message?"
"Impossible. It’s a waste for Xiao Mo to keep his fifty thousand Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry bogged down here. Dealing with the Chu Army first is his best option. Otherwise, if the Chu Army penetrates deep into their heartland, I ask you, what becomes of the Qin Kingdom?"
"How can you be so sure the other border cities of Qin will fall so quickly? What if they hold their ground? If we fall for a trap, Xiao Mo could take Fengshang City and then send his troops to reinforce the front. What would we do then?"
"Do you think Xiao Mo would dare to make that gamble? Do you think the Sovereign of Qin would dare?"
"Why wouldn’t he? Xiao Mo is the son of the King North Desolate. Even if the Qin Imperial City falls, if he occupies the Wei Kingdom, he can counterattack from here. He would become the sovereign of two kingdoms!"
"So we should just let this opportunity pass? Wait for Xiao Mo to defeat the Chu Army and then return to face us?"
"And what if we walk into an ambush?"
Inside the command tent, the generals argued back and forth, the dispute growing heated.
After the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, the Great Pillar of the Country tapped the table. The tent gradually fell silent.
"For the next few days, send out more scouts. Monitor the movements of Xiao Mo’s army at all times. The moment Xiao Mo withdraws, we prepare to march and retake our cities. As for an ambush, we will advance along the main road. It is all open plains—how many traps can he possibly set? Furthermore, Xiao Mo’s forces total two hundred and fifty thousand, while ours number three hundred and fifty thousand. If our armies clash, the victor is by no means certain."
As he finished speaking, the Great Pillar of the Country sighed. "At this critical juncture for the survival of our Wei Kingdom, getting bogged down here with Xiao Mo is no solution. This isn’t a matter of what we choose to do. It’s a matter of being given a choice, and yet, having no choice at all..."
「Four more days passed.」
At dawn, Xiao Mo gave the order: the army was to break camp and retreat.
The next day, the Great Pillar of the Country, Du Beiwang, personally led his army out of Fengshang City. They marched toward Shengxue City, intent on reclaiming their lost lands.
Throughout the march, Du Beiwang was exceedingly cautious. Although they encountered a few minor traps, they were of no consequence, merely slowing their advance.
But just as Du Beiwang was about to lead his army across a nameless plain, their path was blocked. Before the Wei Kingdom’s army stood a masked man in snow-white armor, leading ten thousand iron cavalry.
From all sides, save for their rear, the rest of the Northern Wilderness forces—forty thousand iron cavalry and two hundred thousand infantry—surged toward the Wei Army like an avalanche of snow.
"The Chu Kingdom invades, yet the Frost King does not defend. Are you so certain your border cities will hold?" Du Beiwang asked, looking at Xiao Mo with calm eyes as he spoke slowly.
"I’m not," Xiao Mo said, shaking his head.
"Then that letter, supposedly from a surrendered general... was that your doing, General Xiao?" Du Beiwang asked.
"The surrendered general is real, and it’s true I allowed him to send it," Xiao Mo added. "Your Wei Kingdom has its share of fiercely loyal men."
"And the contents of the letter, were they also true?" Du Beiwang continued, his tone as casual as if they were making small talk.
"False."
Xiao Mo shook his head.
"I was merely putting on a show. What His Majesty actually said was, ’Even if the Qin Imperial City falls, you are not to withdraw. You are to press the attack and conquer the Wei Kingdom in one fell swoop.’"
"His Majesty also said that he can handle the brats from the Chu Kingdom himself. Losing a few cities temporarily is a small price to pay. Afterward, he intends to take the entire Chu Kingdom."
"One last question." Du Beiwang glanced at the surrounding Northern Wilderness Army. "Does the Frost King truly believe you can defeat me?"
Xiao Mo, still mounted, gave a clasped-fist salute. "I await the Great Pillar of the Country’s instruction!"
Du Beiwang sat ramrod straight. He pointed forward, his voice, aged yet powerful, thundering across the plain:
"Kill!"