Translator: ryangohsff Editor: Nora
Chapter 940 – Risky Advance for Credit
In the following week, siege after siege occurred in the Shu Lands.
The four War Fighting Legions of the Great Xia Dragon Legion headed in two directions split into four groups. With the help of the mimicry flying devices and the cannons, they sieged and occupied cities and passes all the way.
However, the 1st and 2nd legions of Swordsman City were surprisingly tenacious. Although Jiangyang Prefecture was being taken over bit by bit, the morale of the Dragon Legion Corps was being shaken, and they suffered heavy casualties.
Riots happened even in the cities that were occupied.
As a result of that, Baiqi had no choice but to move two more divisions over to calm down all the problems. There were only three divisions left in Yunnan Province.
The battle of Shu Lands was much harder than Ouyang Shuo had expected.
…
9th month, 20th day, Shu Lands, Ganluo Pass.
Ganluo Pass was located west of the central portion of the prefecture. Taking it down would mean entering the core area of Jiangyang Prefecture.
At 10 AM, the left vanguard led by Lai Hu’er arrived under the pass.
If one looked back, the 2nd legion was one of the oldest forces in the dynasty, and they came from the earliest militia. Its position was even higher than the Guards Legion Corps.
This was a group with a legacy.
For Lai Hu’er to take charge of the 2nd legion right as he entered the army, some people were naturally unhappy. Lai Hu’er knew that, so he craved to establish merits and credits through the battlefield and gain prestige.
The battle of Shu Lands was a great opportunity.
With Luo Shixin stealing the first blood, Lai Hu’er wanted to do better to gain more credit.
Hence, he left the heavy resources behind and brought 10 thousand vanguards troops to sweep forward.
In his eyes, as long as he took down the pass, the 2nd legion would be the first to enter the core area of Jiangyang Prefecture. From this, he would get on the board in his competition with Luo Shixin.
The moment they arrived at the pass, with the cooperation of the flying devices, they immediately launched their assault.
Right away, he used all his strength.
Cannons, siege chariots, arrow turrets, and three bow arcublalistas; everything he could use, he used. He even formed a suicide squad to act as the front.
At the crucial moment, he even participated in the killing himself to raise the moral. As a fierce general, his combat strength was exceptional. As he climbed on the city wall and massacred the enemy, they all felt a chill run down their spine.
Such a relentless assault caught them off guard, and in just two hours, the Invincible Ganluo Pass was lost.
To this set of siege tactics, the left and right vanguard troops were already well trained in it. The geographical advantage of the Shu Lands meant nothing to the Great Xia Army.
“Victory! Victory!”
As their methods were intense, his forces paid a heavy price. Even then, this was still a big victory. They were also the first from the dynasty to enter the core area, which won them great honor and glory. The morale of all the troops rose, and the soldiers gave Lai Hu’er more and more recognition.
Seeing that, Lai Hu’er gave a satisfied smile.
He was not a rash person. However, to reach one’s goals, sometimes certain methods had to be used. He did this to establish military prestige. Apart from personal interests, it was also a preparation for the battle ahead.
In the final battle, Lai Hu’er had to ensure that the 2nd legion listened to his commands.
‘Such a sacrifice will be worth it in the end.’ Lai Hu’er thought to himself.
After taking down Ganluo Pass, Lai Hu’er gathered up the troops to take down Ganluo City in one swoop. There were less than two thousand troops there, and they were not a problem.
“Gather the men and enter the city!”
Lai Hu’er rode on his horse and led the way into the city.
Apart from leaving a thousand men in the pass to take care of the wounded, watch the prisoners, and takeover the defenses, the remaining seven thousand followed him into the city.
The soldiers were thinking about having a good meal in the city and taking a good nap before night fell. The fast movement all the way and the intense siege had left them greatly exhausted.
No one was made of iron.
Lai Hu’er had no idea that a huge trap laid ahead of his vanguard forces and him.
…
Ganluo City, some secluded place.
A week before Lai Hu’er’s forces arrived, the 1st legion of Swordsman City had crafted a plan to give Great Xia a lesson.
After being scolded by Feng Qingyang, Wei Yan was naturally furious, and he wanted to regain his face on the battlefield and prove that his troops had skill.
As a result, the defense of each pass was really determined and resilient, shocking Great Xia.
However, that was not enough to save their honor. Wei Yan was going to personally act, making use of Great Xia’s mentality that the enemy was focusing on the passes and not the city to give them a bloody lesson.
Thinking about that, Wei Yan targeted Lai Hu’er.
Being a general, Wei Yan understood Lai Hu’er’s thinking. A person with desire would have weakness. With weakness, one could be exploited.
Wei Yan wanted to make use of Lai Hu’er’s desire to prove himself.
Hence, he split the 1st legion into two, and he scattered them into the passes to fight against the left and right vanguard.
In the dark, the troops in the west gathered in Ganluo City.
The current Ganluo City seemed calm and peaceful, but in truth, Wei Yan was personally leading 30 thousand troops. They were disguised and hidden around the city.
To handle the attacks of the Great Xia Army, this was already the most he could move. If he mobilized anymore, there was a chance that his plan would be exposed.
Wei Yan had witnessed the standards of the Great Xia spies, and he did not dare to take them lightly.
When Lai Hu’er led his troops into the pass, these 30 thousand troops acted. With the Lord’s Manor as the core, they spread out and formed a huge net.
“General, the fish has taken the bait!”
After a short while, a soldier dressed as a civilian came to the spot where Wei Yan was hiding to report.
“How many are they, and are they acting strangely?” Wei Yan was still worried.
“There are six to seven thousand men. Looking at them, they are really excited and came over without even thinking. I do not think they suspect anything.”
“That’s good.”
Killing intent appeared in Wei Yan’s eyes as he said in a deep tone, “Their good days are over. Send my orders, get into battle positions.”
“Yes!” The messenger soldier was similarly really excited.
During this period of time, the Great Xia Army had been winning all the way, and they gave off an invincible aura. This made the Swordsman City Army really depressed, and it dampened their morale.
They were looking forward to making a huge turn around.
Seeing the messenger leave, Wei Yan was still a little worried, and he asked his deputy, “Have the two thousand garrison forces been planned well? Do not let them expose us.”
“Do not worry general. I’ve already told them to defend the manor to their deaths, so they would not dare to surrender without fighting.”
Wei Yan nodded, and he closed his eyes to regain some energy. When the deputy general saw that, he quietly left.
The two thousand garrison forces were bait thrown down by Wei Yan to lead the enemy into the City Lord’s Manor. There, they would enter the trap set by the 30 thousand troops.
To keep the matter a secret, even the garrison forces did not know the role they were playing.
All generals had vicious hearts.
“Whether a change that the Lord hopes for in the Shu Lands can happen or not will all depend on this battle.” For the big picture, Wei Yan did not mind sacrificing a garrison force.
…
Lai Hu’er led his troops and rushed all the way. In less than an hour, he reached Ganluo City.
After learning that the pass was lost, hundreds of thousands of civilians were terrified, and they hid in their houses.
The huge city was unusually cold.
When Lai Hu’er saw that, he did not think that something was up, as the few cities he had taken down before were like this as well.
“Kill our way in!”
Lai Hu’er led the way, and they easily proceeded toward the Lord’s Manor. Only after crushing the stone stele could it be said that he had completed the occupation of the city.
“Kill!”
Under the respectful eyes of the people, the seven thousand elite Dragon Legion soldiers waltzed into the city.
Approaching the front of the manor, they saw two thousand soldiers in the square. Naturally, they were the garrison forces of Ganluo City. Each one of them was nervous, but they had no intentions to surrender.
Since they were given the orders to die defending this place, they were not going to surrender.
If they surrendered, it would affect their families.
Just in case, their families were taken away and sent to the backlines. As such, if they dared to surrender, their families would be buried together with them.
The only thing they could do now was fight.
When Lai Hu’er saw that, he gave out a cold laugh, “Kill them.” Facing these garrison forces, Lai Hu’er was not interested in personally taking part.
“Yes general!”
With the order given, the seven thousand of them charged at the enemy like wolves and tigers.
All of a sudden, blood flowed like a river in front of the Lord’s Manor, and loud and intense shouts broke out. When the neighboring civilians heard these sounds, they were so afraid that they did not dare to show their faces.
Those that were timid not only hid in their basements but also stuffed their ears with cotton.
Lai Hu’er was like an iron turret standing in front of the square as he looked on at the massacre. He had been through numerous battles, so he was totally used to all this.
20 minutes passed, and the garrison forces were not their match. They were being forced back into the manor.
The soldiers did not need him to give orders as they followed the enemy into the manor to kill all these stubborn fellows one by one.
When Lai Hu’er saw that, he was prepared to follow them in.
At this very moment, huge charging shouts spread out from around the Lord’s Manor, causing his expression to greatly change.