If Zhao Feng had not known about historical records, if he had not been aware of Mi Qi's lineage and background, he might never have suspected that this grandfather of Fusu would one day betray Qin and defect to another state.
But since he did know history, Zhao Feng naturally had to be on guard.
Of course, this precaution was not just for Huan Yi's sake it was for the tens of thousands of elite warriors under his command.
If they were to die honorably on the battlefield, then they would have died bravely, and their deaths would have been worthwhile.
But if they were to perish due to treachery, if they were to fall on the battlefield because of betrayal from their side, then their deaths would be meaningless.
With Huan Yi's forces now mobilized, Zhao Feng had already dispatched men from Yan Court into the border city where Mi Qi was stationed. They were to monitor him closely. If Mi Qi showed any signs of betrayal, those signs would surely appear among his trusted subordinates and troops. These movements would not go unnoticed.
As long as there were any indications of rebellion, messengers would immediately inform Huan Yi. Given Huan Yi's capabilities, the situation could then be turned around.
Things would not unfold as recorded in history where the first Qin campaign against Chu ended in total annihilation.
"Understood!"
"I will immediately send a message by carrier pigeon to Ying Bu. If Mi Qi makes any suspicious moves, we will immediately alert Huan Yi."
Zhang Ming bowed deeply before withdrawing.
After Zhang Ming had left, Zhao Feng closed his eyes, and his consciousness entered his small world.
After more than half a month, his small world had undergone a drastic transformation.
The once barren and lifeless land was now filled with vitality.
With spiritual energy acting as a catalyst and given that the world itself was only a thousand li across Zhao Feng had ordered people in Xianyang to gather various seeds, saplings, fruit trees, and other plants.
These had been scattered throughout his small world, and now, many areas were beginning to grow trees and fruit-bearing plants.
Of course, for the world to be fully thriving, it would still take time.
In addition to this, Zhao Feng had specifically collected water from a large lake and introduced it into his small world. With the infusion of spiritual energy, water elements began to spread throughout, gradually forming natural bodies of water.
Furthermore, dragons were creatures that controlled water.
Even though this was a ferocious beast, the black dragon was still capable of summoning wind and rain.
Over time, the black dragon had grown to a massive size.
When it had nothing else to do, it would summon rain at will.
This allowed water to continuously replenish within the small world, as even the spiritual energy of heaven and earth contained abundant water elements.
"This creature certainly enjoys itself," Zhao Feng chuckled as he observed the progress of his small world.
This world was the key to his future, the foundation upon which the longevity of his family would be built.
Breaking the unspoken rules of the natural order this was the ultimate goal.
Zhao Feng was determined to develop his small world properly.
"The next step is to have Yan Court prepare for settlement within this world."
"Within a few days, everything should be in place."
On the city walls, the banners of Great Qin now fluttered in the wind.
Within the city, bodies lay strewn across the streets.
Blood had been spilled everywhere, a testament to the brutal battle that had taken place.
Qin's elite warriors patrolled the streets, while logistics troops worked to clear the dead and transport them outside for burial.
Cart after cart of corpses was hauled away by the logistics division, resembling a scene from Zhao Feng's past when he had served in the rear lines.
"General!"
"The city has been fully secured. The Chu troops inside have been completely wiped out."
"In this first battle, we have left no survivors!"
Li Xin approached with large strides, making his report.
"Have we assessed the battle losses?" Huan Yi asked, his expression solemn.
"Reporting to the General!"
"In this battle, our forces slew over 9,000 enemy troops, while we suffered around 5,000 casualties."
"Given the disadvantage of attacking a fortified city, this result is a great victory!"
Li Xin's face was filled with excitement.
"Something isn't right," Huan Yi said, his expression dark.
"General, what do you mean?" Li Xin asked, puzzled.
This battle had been fought fiercely.
The elite warriors of Hangu Camp had fought bravely, refusing to retreat even an inch. The Chu soldiers had also resisted desperately, but ultimately, they had failed to hold the city.
"Do you think Chu would be unaware that Qin was mobilizing against them?" Huan Yi asked.
"Indeed," Li Xin nodded.
"There must be spies within Qin working for Chu."
"With such a large-scale deployment from Hangu Camp, there is no way they wouldn't have known."
"Exactly," Huan Yi said grimly. "Even if Qin had not launched an attack, this city's defenses should have had at least 50,000 soldiers."
"After all, Lord Changping is stationed at Chen Ying City with similar numbers. Chu would have deployed equivalent forces."
"Yet this time, despite their seemingly determined defense, their actual troop numbers fell below 50,000. Moreover, once we breached the city, their forces quickly withdrew."
"Not only that,"
"Our forces have captured multiple cities in quick succession. Although the Chu soldiers fought fiercely, they kept retreating without engaging in prolonged battles."
Huan Yi furrowed his brows.
"General, do you mean that the Chu army is deliberately luring us in? That they abandoned these cities on purpose to draw us deeper into their territory?"
Li Xin was quick to grasp the implications of Huan Yi's analysis.
"Since the invasion began, the Chu army has never engaged us in a decisive battle. They have been fighting while steadily withdrawing, giving us the illusion of fierce resistance, yet abandoning cities too easily."
"In just ten days, we have taken six cities in rapid succession."
"This seems far too unusual," Huan Yi muttered gravely.
"General!"
"Could it be that Chu is still in turmoil internally?"
"From what I know, there are three major noble clans in Chu, each holding great power. They might not be fully aligned with the new Chu king."
"Perhaps this has led to weak defenses on the border," Li Xin speculated.
"Impossible."
Huan Yi shook his head and turned to look over the now-silent battlefield.
"No matter how divided Chu may be internally, their military strength is no weaker than Zhao's was in the past. If their forces were united, they would be one of the strongest nations in the land."
"Even if they are engaged in internal strife, with Qin invading, there is no way they would have fewer than 100,000 troops defending their borders."
Huan Yi was certain.
"Then what should we do next?"
"Should we halt our advance?" Li Xin asked.
"Dispatch scout cavalry to probe deeper into Chu territory."
"Find out if the Chu army is preparing an ambush."
"In addition,"
"Order the main army to halt its advance and remain in place to rest and reorganize," Huan Yi commanded.
"Understood!"
Li Xin immediately acknowledged the order.
At that moment
"General!"
"We just inspected the city's grain stores. They are empty there's not a single grain left."
"The Chu troops cleared out the food supplies before we captured the city!"
A deputy general hurried over to report.
"They deliberately evacuated the grain beforehand. The Chu forces never intended to hold this city at all."
"What exactly is Xiang Yan planning?"
Huan Yi's brows furrowed even deeper.
At this moment,
A vague sense of unease lingered in his heart.
Although he had successively captured five cities in Chu within just ten days, including the most fortified Danyang, it seemed more like the Chu army was luring them in rather than a true battlefield victory.
A city nestled within towering mountains and steep ridges,
Named Chufang City.
This city was regarded as Chu's true defensive stronghold, the shield against Qin, an impenetrable fortress.
Even if an army of a million stood before its gates, they would ultimately be stopped in front of this unbreakable barrier, doomed to be annihilated by the Chu soldiers defending the city walls.
At this moment, inside the city
Xiang Yan sat in the grand hall, surrounded by a dozen generals under his command.
"Supreme General,"
"Danyang City and several surrounding smaller cities have already fallen to the Qin army."
"In this battle,"
"We lost ten thousand soldiers."
"But we did not allow the Qin forces to seize a single grain of food." A deputy general reported.
Upon hearing this, Xiang Yan's brows furrowed.
"Fool!"
"Who told you to move all the grain away?"
The sudden rebuke made the deputy general, who had intended to take credit, turn pale.
"Huan Yi is the Supreme General of Qin. He has commanded troops for years. On the battlefield, he can read the slightest movements like an open book."
"Emptying the grain stores is equivalent to telling Huan Yi outright that we never intended to hold these cities, but rather deliberately abandoned them."
"Our original plan was to lure the Qin army dozens of miles deeper, then cut off their retreat and annihilate them in one fell swoop. But now, Huan Yi will surely be on alert." Xiang Yan scolded furiously.
Hearing this,
The once-eager-to-claim-credit general lowered his head, not daring to speak.
"Report!"
"A scout has just returned. The Qin army has halted its advance."
"Their forces are stationed around Danyang City."
"However, our scouts encountered Qin's reconnaissance troops, and a skirmish broke out." A scout commander rushed into the hall to report.
"Huan Yi has realized we are trying to lure them in." Xiang Yan said coldly.
The general who had taken the initiative to move the grain lowered his head even further, not daring to make a sound.
"Supreme General, what should we do now?" A Chu general asked anxiously.
"Since Huan Yi has seen through the plan, there's no need to keep up the act."
"Pass down my orders."
"Our army will advance and prepare for a decisive battle with Huan Yi." Xiang Yan's gaze sharpened, his voice ice-cold.
Upon hearing this,
The expressions of the Chu generals subtly changed.
"Supreme General,"
"It is the Qin army that has invaded Chu, not the other way around. Taking the initiative to fight them in open battle seems like a risky move."
"Indeed."
"The Qin army is likely hoping we will engage them head-on."
"This move may not be wise."
The generals voiced their concerns one after another.
"Military orders are absolute. Execute my command."
"Anyone who disobeys will be dealt with under military law." Xiang Yan declared coldly.
"Understood!"
Feeling Xiang Yan's chilling aura, the Chu generals dared not argue further and responded in unison.
Clearly,
The news of Mi Qi defecting back to Chu was only known to Xiang Yan, and he had not disclosed it to anyone.
After all,
Qin's network of spies had infiltrated Chu deeply he had to handle this with caution.
After issuing his orders,
Xiang Yan turned to his personal guard commander and beckoned him forward.
"Supreme General, your orders?"
The personal guard commander quickly stepped up, bowing respectfully.
"Send word to Lord Changping."
"As soon as Huan Yi leads his forces out of Danyang, immediately cut off the Qin army's supply lines."
"In this battle,"
"I will ensure these Qin soldiers never return." Xiang Yan said coldly.
"Understood!"
The personal guard commander promptly obeyed.
Xiang Yan's eyes gleamed with chilling determination.
"Huan Yi."
"Qin Army."
"This time, I will utterly annihilate you, proving to the world that Chu is mightier than Qin."
"What a shame that Zhao Feng is not leading this army."
"If he were here, I would shatter his so-called undefeated legend."
A cold glint flickered in Xiang Yan's eyes, carrying an unyielding pride.
Clearly,
With Mi Qi's return to Chu, as soon as he gave the order, Mi Qi would lead his trusted followers to sever Huan Yi's retreat and cut off his supply lines.
In the end,
Huan Yi would be trapped and surrounded.
Of the 200,000 Qin soldiers, Xiang Yan was confident he could wipe out at least half.
Severely crippling Qin's military strength.
"Supreme General's secret order."
"As soon as Huan Yi moves out of Danyang, immediately cut off his retreat."
A shadowy messenger from Chu delivered the command to Mi Qi.
"Understood."
"I will do as instructed." Mi Qi nodded, a glint of cold calculation flashing in his eyes.
"Then I take my leave."
The messenger bowed and swiftly exited the grand hall.
Under the cover of night,
Inside the pitch-dark hall,
Mi Qi's expression was frigid.
"Soldiers of Qin,"
"A man must fight for his cause."
"This time, if you die, do not blame me."
"I, Mi Qi, am of the Chu royal lineage, the rightful King of Chu."
"And now, I will reclaim what is rightfully mine." Mi Qi whispered icily.
Then.
Mi Qi opened the palace doors and said to his trusted aides outside, "Summon General Zhang and General Wu to see me."
Not long after.
Inside Chen Ying City.
The fifty thousand county troops under Mi Qi's command suddenly began to mobilize.
"Pass on the order from Lord Changping."
"To ensure the security of the supply route, from today onward, the entire city is to be sealed off."
"No one is allowed to enter or exit without Lord Changping's command."
"All grain shipments from Qin are to be managed exclusively by Lord Changping."
"Anyone who disobeys will be executed."
One after another, orders were relayed to the army and the logistics units transporting supplies into the city.
…
Danyang City!
"Reporting to the Supreme General."
"Xiang Yan has led the Chu army out of Chufang City and is advancing toward Danyang."
"Their forces number no less than two hundred thousand."
"They appear to be preparing for a confrontation with our army."
Li Xin hurried into the hall and reported to Huan Yi.
"It seems that Xiang Yan has realized I saw through his strategy to lure us deeper."
"So now, he intends to reclaim Danyang."
"But this move of his seems rather foolish."
"Our Qin army is the invader, yet he has abandoned the advantage of defending a fortified city and chosen to face us head-on."
Huan Yi pondered for a moment.
"Supreme General."
"This is indeed a foolish move, but since he has chosen to engage, it works to our advantage."
"It seems Heaven itself desires Qin to destroy Chu."
Li Xin grinned.
"Pass down the order."
"The army is to assemble and prepare to engage the Chu forces."
Huan Yi commanded without hesitation.
"Understood!"
Li Xin bowed respectfully and turned to deliver the order.
Just then
"If the Supreme General engages Xiang Yan, Hangu Camp will be lost."
A voice suddenly rang out from the side of the hall.
"Who's there?!"
The sudden voice made Huan Yi's expression change. He quickly turned his gaze.
A masked figure in black had entered the hall.
Huan Yi immediately drew his sword.
Li Xin did the same.
At the same time
The guards outside heard the disturbance and rushed in, drawing their weapons and surrounding the intruder.
Every one of them glared at the black-clad figure with hostility.
"Supreme General Huan Yi."
"If I intended to assassinate you, I would have done so already."
Ying Bu said coldly, his tone filled with arrogance.
In Ying Bu's world, apart from his master, no one else mattered.
Now that he had stepped into the realm of a grandmaster, even if he were surrounded by thousands of soldiers, he could still fight his way out.
Seeing how composed Ying Bu remained
And sensing the presence of hundreds of elite guards behind him
Huan Yi considered for a moment then raised his hand.
"Stand down."
Huan Yi ordered in a deep voice.
"Yes, sir!"
The guards bowed and retreated from the hall.
"Li Xin shut the doors."
Huan Yi instructed.
"Yes, sir."
Li Xin walked over and closed the hall doors.
"Who are you? What is your purpose?"
"Now you may speak."
Huan Yi fixed his gaze on Ying Bu, exuding the authority of a commanding general.
"I have come under orders from my lord to save your life, Supreme General."
Ying Bu said calmly.
"Who is your lord?"
"And how can you save my life?"
Huan Yi frowned.
"My lord's name is Zhao Feng."
"The Martial Lord of Qin."
"I have come at his command to save not only your life but also the lives of the tens of thousands of soldiers under your command."
Ying Bu spoke with grave seriousness.
Upon hearing the name Zhao Feng
Huan Yi's once-calm expression immediately turned solemn.
"Please, continue."
Huan Yi clasped his hands respectfully.
Having commanded armies for years, he could tell whether Ying Bu's words were true.
And if Zhao Feng had indeed sent him, then the matter was of great importance.
"Lord Changping, Mi Qi, has already betrayed Qin and defected to Chu."
"He has now sealed off Chen Ying City and cut off all supplies and provisions."
Ying Bu stated plainly.
Hearing this
Huan Yi and Li Xin's expressions changed. They exchanged glances, struggling to believe what they had just heard.
"Impossible."
"Lord Changping is the maternal grandfather of the Crown Prince. He is a royal relative. Why would he betray Qin?"
Huan Yi asked in shock.
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