Chapter 1759 - 559: Lin Chu Changes Hands, Wei Bo Arrives (Part 2)
Chapter 1759: Chapter 559: Lin Chu Changes Hands, Wei Bo Arrives (Part 2)
Of course it worked!
Chu Mountain lost half its lands, Cai Qiu gained Lin Chu County, and from then on they could push their defensive line right up to Chen Cang’s face. Chen Cang lost its high-ground advantage and didn’t dare rashly send troops against Cai Qiu.
Among the Four Vassals, Chen Cang was the strongest, the one most likely to move first, and in fact it was always Chen Cang. If Chen Cang did not move troops, the other three vassals naturally would not move either.
Thus the peaceful tableau among the Four Vassals that everyone saw now had been maintained for a full hundred years.
Hearing this, the soldiers instantly had the same thought. When they recalled that Chu Mountain had lost half its territory, they couldn’t help but show regret and indignation on their faces.
The regret was because, if that half of Chu Mountain’s territory hadn’t been lost, it was entirely possible Chen Cang would long ago have marched east and taken Cai Qiu.
The indignation was naturally because Cai Qiu and the other two vassals had seized the chance to strike when someone else was in trouble.
"But starting today, the situation has completely reversed!"
Very quickly, as Chu Dongying spoke again, the regret and indignation on everyone’s faces vanished in an instant, leaving only pride and smug satisfaction.
Starting today, the situation really had turned completely around.
Because just now, their 150,000-strong army from Chen Cang had already breached Lin Chu County City, stormed into the Governor Mansion. Cai Qiu’s 100,000 defenders had been completely routed. Although Cai Qianshan had appeared at the last moment and managed to reorganize the shattered troops, the fall of the County City was already a foregone conclusion.
"With the Landgrave here in person, no matter how capable Cai Qianshan is, it’s useless. In Caiqiu City there are at most fifty to sixty thousand remnants left; the battle is already in its final stage. Otherwise Father wouldn’t have sent me here to watch the eastern flank. Even if Cai Qiu sends reinforcements now, it’s pointless. Next, it all depends on whether the Landgrave can kill Cai Qianshan."
Chu Dongying’s face at this moment was full of excitement.
For a general, the greatest merit of all is to recover lost lands.
This time, reclaiming Chu Mountain’s old territory—one could say all the credit belonged to Heyang County.
He was the Princely Heir of the Chu Family’s Heyang Prefecture; the Heyang County Governor Chu Tianming was his eighth-generation ancestor. He could already see that once this war ended, the County Ancestor’s position in Chen Cang would inevitably rise to an incomparably exalted height.
"Reclaiming Chu Mountain’s homeland, such a great merit—Great-Grandfather being conferred as Little Landgrave is practically nailed in place. Once the heir-apparent seat is secure, Yanling will never again be able to challenge my Heyang line."
The Chu Family had stretched on for several hundred years; its five branches had passed down for more than ten generations. The second and third generations might still have some affection for each other, but beyond that there was almost no familial sentiment left.
Under the system of precedence by seniority, the County Ancestor Chu Tianming being Little Landgrave should have been beyond doubt. But in recent years, the Lord Landgrave’s growing favoritism toward the Yanling County Governor Chu Tianxu had become more and more obvious; even a junior like Chu Dongying, separated by several generations, could see that something was off.
The seniority system had been created by Landgrave Chu Longteng himself. Moreover, as a descendant of the Heyang line, Chu Dongying naturally stood on the side of the County Ancestor Chu Tianming. He was of course delighted to see Chu Tianming win the heir-apparent struggle and ascend to the high seat of Little Landgrave.
At this point, the County Ancestor’s accession should no longer face any obstacles.
Taking Lin Chu County City was only the beginning. The Landgrave and Commander himself had both come. When he had just left the city, he’d personally seen the sight of Landgrave Cai Qianshan besieged on all sides by the two of them, in extreme peril. If they truly managed to kill Cai Qianshan here, then the gains from this Chen Cang campaign would surely far exceed just Lin Chu County.
"Commander, look to the east, it seems someone’s coming!"
Chu Dongying was in the middle of envisioning the glorious future awaiting the Heyang line when a subordinate beside him interrupted.
Though he was displeased, Chu Dongying didn’t forget his mission. He hurriedly followed the soldier’s pointing finger and looked at the sky to the east.
At a glance, his expression froze.
In the eastern sky, a dozen figures were streaking toward them. Radiant power flared from their bodies; even at a distance of several kilometers, Chu Dongying could clearly feel the terrifying pressure contained in that light.
"Tribulation Body Realm—those are definitely Tribulation Body Realm experts; someone’s coming!"
"Does Cai Qiu have that many Tribulation Body Realm cultivators?"
"They’re not from Cai Qiu, they must be from a foreign fief."
"To the east there’s only Wei Bo! Wei Bo received the news that fast?"
"No, there’s Great Xia to the south too, isn’t there?"
......
Chu Dongying himself was at the Xianyang Level, so he immediately judged that all dozen people in the sky were Tribulation Body Realm experts. He ignored the guessing of the soldiers around him and shifted his body slightly westward—but then, as if thinking of something, his expression shifted several times, and he stopped again.
"It’s too late to rush back and report now. These people aren’t even trying to conceal their aura. Our mission is to watch whether Cai Qiu sends reinforcements. Stay here on patrol with me. The Landgrave and the honored lords are all in the city. Just do your own job."
Everyone immediately nodded in response, withdrew their gazes, and followed behind Chu Dongying, continuing to observe the situation to the east.
The group that had been extremely excited moments before suddenly all fell silent.
At their head, Chu Dongying kept his eyes fixed on the east, but his complexion had grown extremely grim, and all his earlier smugness had vanished.
He had just mentioned the old affair of Chu Mountain from over a hundred years ago. Back then, the main reason was that Wei Bo and Hezang were unwilling to let Chen Cang grow too powerful; so they had supported Cai Qiu in sending troops to seize Chu Mountain, and in the end, when Chu Longteng sent troops he only retook half the territory.
The scene before him made it hard not to link the two events together.
Wei Bo had moved again—this was clearly an attempt to recreate the situation from a century ago, to once more put pressure on Chen Cang and help Cai Qiu.
"But this time it’s absolutely different. Lin Chu County City has already been taken. Even if Li Gangfeng shows up personally, the Landgrave will never back down. It’s even possible Cai Qianshan is already dead. Even if Li Gangfeng comes, what use will it be? Hmph!"
Chu Dongying quickly sorted out the key points in his mind and let out a cold snort.
Though he was unwilling to admit it, he had largely already seen how things would develop next.
If Wei Bo managed to rescue Cai Qianshan and then gave Cai Qiu full support, then this time Chen Cang would at most hold onto Lin Chu County City. Any hope of devouring more territory would, in all likelihood, be dashed.
Wei Bo did not represent only itself!
Li Gangfeng excelled in Life Technique, while Fu Wanhe’s lifespan was nearing its end; what he most desired was a Longevity Skill. So for years already, Hezang had fallen in with Wei Bo; the two were practically breathing through the same nostril.
If Wei Bo came to pressure Chen Cang, Hezang would certainly follow close behind. In that case, it would be no different than a hundred years ago—Chen Cang would again face the pressure of three vassals at once.
Aside from compromise, there would be no other path!
Fortunately, this time Chen Cang had seized the moment before the other two vassals could react and already taken Lin Chu County City. What has entered one’s mouth naturally cannot be spat out again; no matter how much pressure the Three Vassals exerted, it would be useless.
Boom......
Half an hour or so passed. Just as Chu Dongying was inwardly cursing Wei Bo over and over, a thunderous boom suddenly came from the western sky. He and the dozen patrolling soldiers quickly raised their heads and looked west.
"Such powerful light!"
"What is that?"
"It must be those dozen people who flew over just now—now they’re making a move."
...
"You keep watch down here; I’ll get closer and take a look!"
Chu Dongying, with his Xianyang Level strength, found that at this distance he couldn’t see anything clearly. He gave his subordinates a quick order, then flew up into the air, swiftly closing in on the western side.
Judging from that disturbance, it was likely not just one or two Tribulation Body Realm experts. Those dozen people from Wei Bo had all probably joined the fray.
So many people acting at once—what were they trying to do?
As Chu Dongying streaked forward, his mind racing, he suddenly saw something overhead. His body jerked to a halt, and he quickly tried to drop back down.
Whoosh...
A dozen streaks of blazing light suddenly shot over from the west, not even sparing him a glance as they swept past overhead.
"Li Gangfeng, how many times can Wei Bo save Cai Qiu? Join forces? Fine! This Landgrave is right here in Lin Chu County, waiting for the armies of your Three Vassals to arrive!"
It was the Landgrave’s voice!
Before he could land, Chu Dongying immediately recognized the slightly anger-tinged voice from the west—it was Landgrave Chu Longteng speaking.