Chapter 233: The Natural Moat - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 233: The Natural Moat

“Has the strategist prepared for this in advance?”

Luo Hong smiled faintly, “Of course. I never engage in unprepared battles. If it were the Ding Wang who came today, this plan might be exposed, but since it’s the pompous Ninth Prince, there’s no need to worry.”

Standing tall, Luo Hong was dressed in the typical attire of the Northern Di people.

He had been with the Northern Di for several years now. Although he had become sun-tanned and physically stronger, he was still fundamentally a southerner, full of schemes, unlike the Northern Di, who were straightforward and open.

However, under his strategies, the Di Rong tribe had grown into a formidable power, achieving unification of the grasslands, something even their ancestors hadn’t accomplished.

This was why his words were trusted, and why they had been besieging for nearly two months without attacking.

Only heaven knew how much effort he had spent suppressing the discontented tribal leaders during the siege. Now that the battle was imminent, the various tribes were eager to act. Who would have thought that the five thousand vanguard troops they sent out would be annihilated under the walls of Liangzhou, with those who escaped being unable to continue fighting?

Such a situation was unbearable for him.

Seeing the anxiousness of Keda Wang, Luo Hong cursed silently in his heart, calling him a mediocre talent.

But he needed an appropriate role here, so he could only assist Keda Wang, using the Northern Di forces to expand their territory.

Once the Great Jin’s cities were breached, he would have a way to replace them.

At that time, his troops, loyal only to him, could fight against Ding Wang’s forces. He had not forgotten the enmity between them over the years.

Thinking that his great revenge was near and that his years of hiding were finally coming to an end, he felt a burst of relief.

But even in this moment, he couldn’t afford to be careless, so he reassured Keda Wang again.

“Your Majesty, don’t worry. We are now just waiting for the reinforcements. With internal and external cooperation, Liangzhou will surely fall before dawn!”

Luo Hong’s assurance stirred Keda Wang’s bloodthirsty mood. He greedily looked towards Liangzhou and said, “Good, the treasures, beauties, food, and cloth in Liangzhou will all belong to us Northern Di.”

Keda Wang’s immediate entourage was also excited upon hearing this.

As night deepened, everything fell silent.

After a whole day of fighting, the defending troops were exhausted, but they dared not relax their vigilance. No one knew when the Northern Di would strike again, and if they weren’t careful, the enemy could reach the city walls before they realized it.

In the city’s arsenal, He Qiu was counting the number of crossbow bolts.

Throughout the day, the archers had been rotated continuously. Although they had effectively repelled the Northern Di’s attacks, their supply of crossbow bolts had dwindled to less than a thousand.

A thousand bolts might not be enough for even one round of defense. Without crossbow bolts, they would struggle to hold off the Northern Di’s cavalry, who were adept riders, fast, and well-trained. If their supply of arrows was cut off, the Northern Di would quickly breach the walls.

The walls of Liangzhou were built with a mixture of soil and glutinous rice, making them strong and durable, but also susceptible to water attacks.

Considering that the Northern Di might use water to weaken their defenses, Xiao Ji had secretly applied a waterproof coating to the walls, hoping it would help resist the attack.

As Xiao Ji observed the weathered walls in the dim light of night, his unease grew.

He was uncertain if the messenger could bring back reinforcements, and even less certain when they would arrive.

Several dozen miles away, Xiao Mu Qian was leading fifty thousand troops from Jizhou, racing towards Liangzhou.

The howling wind and grains of sand hitting his face made him feel increasingly assured.

Liangzhou was a typical arid city, with only a few wells for the people’s use. Thus, the sand and dust in the wind were normal, and the sharper the sensation, the closer they were to Liangzhou.

He was used to it, but that didn’t mean the Jizhou troops were.

After all, they were trained in the Central Plains, where the climate conditions were much better than in the northwest.

Cavalry led the way, with infantry following behind. The sand and gravel stirred up along the way had blurred the vision of many soldiers, causing their marching speed to gradually slow.

The night was enchanting. March in the northwest in March wasn’t too cold, but the evening wind still made one want to pull their clothes closer.

“General, traveling at night is quite difficult. Can we rest here for an hour and then continue?”

The suggestion came from Cheng Xiaowei of the Jizhou troops, a man in his forties, respected in the army for his integrity and decisiveness.

“Liangzhou’s situation is critical. Delaying by even an hour might increase the danger. I understand what you mean, Xiaowei, but this is not the time for rest!”

Xiao Mu Qian refused but eased the pace slightly.

Looking back at the exhausted Jizhou soldiers, he felt some resentment towards Emperor Qi’s arrangements.

The Central Plains troops were different from the northwest troops, lacking the experience of enduring sandstorms, making them seem somewhat delicate.

If it were his uncle’s defending troops, they could likely march for three days and nights without issue.

In the night, some infantry, unable to see the road, stumbled and fell, leading to a chain reaction of exhaustion and reluctance to get up once they stopped.

Xiao Mu Qian frowned at the scene and was about to speak when he was stopped by his deputy.

The deputy, surnamed Zhen, had followed General Su for many years and was specifically assigned to assist Xiao Mu Qian. His calm demeanor and extensive knowledge of both Central Plains and northwest soldiers made him a valuable advisor.

“General, we have been marching for a long time and have reached everyone’s limit. Why don’t we let the troops rest here first, and I’ll scout the way ahead?”

Giving both sides an out, Deputy Zhen was a trusted subordinate of General Su, and Xiao Mu Qian didn’t want to argue directly. Thus, he said, “Very well, let’s rest for a while. We’ll set off as soon as we return from scouting.”

“Yes, General!”

With the order to rest, the Jizhou troops could finally take a break.

However, the three cavalry officers sent by Ding Wang were quite disdainful, with one of them harboring strong discontent.

This short distance was nothing compared to what the Ding Wang’s army was accustomed to. The Jizhou troops seemed all show and no substance.

With an army of two hundred thousand, it was uncertain if they could match up to twenty thousand of the Ding Wang’s troops!

Their eyes showed contempt, but their vigilance remained high. The three officers spread out around the area for reconnaissance.

Ahead, Xiao Mu Qian and Deputy Zhen rode swiftly and soon reached the Lan River.

In the moonlight, the river was calm, with the moonlight shimmering on the surface.

Liangzhou was separated from Ganzhou by a hundred miles, with the river dividing the two regions.