At the Battle of Lin Fen, Lu Huai's forces suffered catastrophic casualties and were nearly annihilated. The battle felt as if it were designed specifically to demonstrate how the Zhou Army could annihilate the forces of Qi. The Zhou Army not only recaptured their lost territory with ease but also forced the Qi army to abandon their cities and fall back for dozens of miles along the entire front.
If not for Lu Xiu fighting desperately at Yu Lan, covered in blood, and single-handedly holding the line, the Zhou Army's banners would likely already be flying over Jinye City.
The situation was even more precarious and grim than before the war began.
Battle reports trickled in from time to time, but they brought no miraculous news. Discussions among the common folk were endless, and rumors in the court were incessant. The voices of doom and gloom grew louder, and some had even begun to suggest how they might surrender to Beizhou.
