Chapter 1249 - 1085: How Are We Supposed to Fight This Battle?
Chapter 1249: Chapter 1085: How Are We Supposed to Fight This Battle?
Gu Chengyu brought Ming Mo and the others to the city tower, presented the tooth card and the official seal, and only then were they allowed to ascend.
The previous Hundred Households Wang, upon seeing Gu Chengyu arrive, hurried forward to salute.
"No need for formalities!" Gu Chengyu took a step forward and looked down. At this sight, his expression involuntarily grew grave.
Below was a densely packed, orderly array of armored soldiers. At the front, mounted on a tall horse, should be the leader of this siege.
Yet Gu Chengyu did not recognize this person and did not know who he was. But he saw the banner below, which had the word "Gong" written on it.
Gu Chengyu turned to look at the archers filling the city tower and asked in a deep voice, "How many troops do we have?"
Hundred Households Wang’s face turned somewhat pale, and his mouth was somewhat dry, "Counting everyone, only fifty thousand soldiers! This is only because we heard of Prince Gong’s rebellion and hurriedly transferred from the border to temporarily defend the city."
No one had expected Prince Gong’s troops to first come and loot Wujun Prefecture because Wujun Prefecture was not the closest Prefecture to the border.
Upon hearing this, Gu Chengyu’s heart sank. It was too few; the camp below far exceeded fifty thousand.
But why would Prince Gong attack Wujun Prefecture first? There’s Fengqing Prefecture and Zifeng Prefecture in between; how did these troops manage to bypass these two Prefectures?
With so many armored soldiers, it’s impossible to quietly bypass these two Prefectures.
Fengqing Prefecture is Prince Jing’s fiefdom; can it be that Prince Jing knows nothing of this? No, though Prince Jing might still be on his way to the fiefdom, he surely would not be unaware.
Prince Jing’s stance is uncertain, and Gu Chengyu felt he must be up to something.
As for why there was no news from Zifeng Prefecture, there could only be one explanation: Zifeng Prefecture was originally Prince Gong’s stronghold.
Understanding this, Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but take a deep breath. Prince Gong truly is a formidable figure. The Emperor values Prince Gong precisely because Prince Gong is much like the Emperor in his youth: ambitious, daring, and strategic.
"How many troops are down there? Do you have any estimates?" Gu Chengyu turned to give Hundred Households Wang a glance. This young officer did seem to have some courage.
"At least a hundred thousand!" Hundred Households Wang frowned and was a bit anxious, unsure if the border could send reinforcements in time.
A doubling? Gu Chengyu’s brows almost knitted into knots, "What about your superior? Is there really only you overseeing things?"
It wasn’t that Gu Chengyu looked down on Hundred Households Wang, but a Hundred Households has no authority to mobilize troops; he has no token.
Moreover, border soldiers generally only recognize generals and tokens; without these, troops cannot be mobilized.
"General Yuan was stationed here earlier, but he went to Yumen Pass a few days ago, saying he would return in these two days. Judging by his journey, he should arrive today!"
"Should? Can you mobilize troops? Besides the archers on the city tower, can you mobilize troops?"
Gu Chengyu’s tone was somewhat displeased. Could a general defending the city casually leave? This was ridiculous!
Hundred Households Wang’s face turned red; he had been worried about this!
"No!"
"Is there no other steward?" Gu Chengyu sighed. How could this battle be fought? Could it be fought?
Hundred Households Wang was speechless. General Yuan wasn’t exactly abandoning his post; General Ren had called him back to discuss important matters. But at this point, saying more was useless; he lacked the token.
"Listen up, those on the city tower; we are Prince Gong’s army. This general is Liu Meng, the commander this time. If you wish to surrender, open the city gates. This general promises once more that if you surrender, your lives will not be harmed, and everything will be negotiable."
Liu Meng looked up at the banners fluttering on the city tower. From such a distance, he could only see rows of archers standing on the tower. There seemed to be two chiefs standing in the middle, but one of them was wrapped in a dark cloak, not looking like a military general.
"Mr. Gu!" A breathless voice came, and Gu Chengyu turned to see Prefect Qiu panting heavily, climbing up the city tower with his belly protruding.
"Lord Qiu, you finally arrived; they are already calling for battle at the city gates!"
Having finally reached the city tower, Prefect Qiu took a step forward, glanced down, and couldn’t help but be startled.
"There are so many enemy troops?" Prefect Qiu swallowed.
"Why? Are all of Wujun Prefecture nothing but turtles, afraid to take the battle?" Liu Meng raised his head impatiently and glanced up at the tower.
"Who is this?" Prefect Qiu asked Hundred Households Wang beside him, as his legs were too weak, he could only cling to the city wall.
"This is Liu Meng, the enemy’s commander!" Hundred Households Wang sighed; he was familiar with this person.
"Does he have any background?" Ignoring the provocations below, Gu Chengyu looked to Hundred Households Wang.
"He came from a rough background and was once a bandit. But he only robbed caravans, never harming innocent lives, quite chivalrous but extremely coarse! However, he’s quite skilled!"
"A bandit?" Gu Chengyu recalled the previous bandit case, and for some reason, he suddenly felt that this person might be related to that case.
Perhaps the bandit was just a temporary identity; this person must not be underestimated.
"Has General Yuan returned?" Prefect Qiu’s hands, clinging to the city wall, trembled, pulling at Hundred Households Wang’s heart.
"Not... yet!" Hundred Households Wang dared not show his worry; if the soldiers saw it, their morale would undoubtedly falter.
If the soldiers knew no one could mobilize the army, what fight was there to fight? How could there be morale?
"But, he should be back soon!" Hundred Households Wang prayed in his heart for General Yuan to return quickly.
"I say, can’t you give an answer? If you don’t respond, this general will order the attack on the city!" Liu Meng, seeing no response from above, immediately turned fierce in his tone.
Hundred Households Wang saw the opponents indeed lifting massive logs to the front; if given an order, those logs would become battering rams for the city gates.
"Sir, what do we do? Perhaps we should strike first." Hundred Households Wang ultimately panicked; who knew when General Yuan would return?
"With our few troops, how do we confront the enemy? If you shoot an arrow, it’s irrevocable. Let’s wait, delay them, and wait for reinforcements!"
Prefect Qiu hurriedly waved his hand; with merely over two thousand archers on the city tower, thinking they could halt a hundred thousand enemy troops was utterly absurd.
While the two discussed countermeasures, Gu Chengyu remained silent. He cast his gaze on Prefect Qiu, and for some reason, he felt the official’s behavior seemed out of place.
Though the official appeared anxious, it was all superficial. Looking closely at his eyes, Gu Chengyu felt as if Prefect Qiu wasn’t even afraid.
Was it an illusion? Gu Chengyu was unsure, but he kept an eye out.
The shouting below continued; just as they grew impatient, about to give the order, Prefect Qiu finally spoke up.
"Daring to defy the court, you risk extermination of your Nine Families! I advise you to retreat, and I’ll petition the court for leniency from the Emperor. With Imperial Censor Mr. Gu as my witness, I will not break my word!"