Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 830 - 689: A City Falls in a Single Day

Chapter 830: Chapter 689: A City Falls in a Single Day

After a brief respite of seven days, Li Xuan led his army away from Gan River by water route.

A thousand sails appeared like clouds, and a thousand large grain ships, catching the east wind, sailed away from the mouth of the Gan River like arrows released from their bows.

Jiangxi Governor Lei Li delivered on his promise, and within less than five days he had assembled 140,000 soldiers for Li Xuan, which was 20,000 more than planned.

The organization was essentially the same as that of Prince Ning’s original forces, but Lei Li incorporated a large number of Jiangxi Weisuo soldiers, the Jiangxi standard militia, and officers from the Liaodong Cavalry into it.

Additionally, some repentant military officers who had defected were kept on after Lei Li’s scrutiny and were allowed to redeem themselves.

This maximized the reliability and combat effectiveness of these troops.

Although these sin troops had been civilians just a month ago, Prince Ning’s domain had nurtured a rebellious spirit for decades.

Under the name of the Baojia system, in actuality, it was the practice of the Weisuo.

Every year during the farming off-season, Prince Ning’s subordinates often assembled the common people under various pretenses to drill military formations and study battle tactics.

In terms of combat strength, they were even stronger than the majority of Weisuo soldiers and possessed more formidable organizational capacities.

Li Xuan had no worry that these people would be reluctant to fight to their deaths, as their families were under Lei Li’s control.

To avoid being exiled to the frontiers in the future, these soldiers had to establish their merits in this battle.

At that time, in addition to these 140,000 sin troops, Li Xuan commanded his own 40,000 men of Shenji Camp, and 20,000 knights from Liaodong. Furthermore, 30,000 well-equipped Forbidden Army soldiers from the southern directly ruled region of Zhili joined Li Xuan’s forces, bringing the total number of his troops to 230,000.

Accompanying the army northward and escorting this great force were the 50,000 Yangtze River naval forces, progressively mustered by the Duke of Dong, Duan Dong.

It is worth mentioning that among the naval fleet, there were six three-layer gunships of twelve thousand "liao" and as many as fourteen warships of eight thousand "liao."

The former had forty-eight big and small pedreroes, while the latter had thirty-six.

In addition, there were sixty double-layered gunships of three thousand "liao," each one equipped with twenty-four big and small pedreroes.

The battle at the mouth of the Gan River a few days prior could be considered as having fattened up the Yangtze River naval forces.

During that battle, they had seized more than one hundred and seventy ships, and subsequently, several dozens of ships, with nowhere to escape, surrendered voluntarily, totaling over two hundred warships.

Most of these warships were newly built, and their condition was much better than the older ships of the Yangtze River naval forces.

Ever since the Tumu Crisis, the Court hadn’t spent money on the naval forces for more than ten years, and the ships had barely been replaced.

Among them, forty were large ships with a capacity over three thousand "liao," all built within the last ten years.

To Li Xuan’s delight, the shipbuilders under Prince Ning were abreast of the times and had imitated the warships of the Westerners. The ships were designed low and narrow, with all the cannons placed on either side.

In the world of Li Xuan, there were various interpretations of the ancient term "liao": some said it reflected carrying capacity, some said volume, and others said material.

However, in this world, "liao" specifically referred to displacement.

Three thousand "liao" is equal to three thousand "dan" or one hundred and fifty tons—already a significant size for inland rivers.

Those twelve thousand "liao" gunships had a displacement of six hundred tons, reaching the level of a sailing-era ship of the line.

It should be noted that the British ’Sovereign of the Seas’ of the sailing era had only a displacement of fifteen hundred tons.

Therefore, Duan Dong’s spoils from the battle at Gan River instantly doubled the main force of the Yangtze River naval forces.

After they left Panyang Lake’s mouth, they sailed up the Han River, and near Wuchang, they assembled forty thousand units of local Huguang militia and thirty thousand elite troops selected from the Weisuo.

It wasn’t until they reached the vicinity of Qianjiang Prefecture that Li Xuan’s forces, which had grown to a massive land and naval army of 300,000, were finally allowed to go ashore and spread out along both banks of the Han River.

At the time, the riverbed of the Han River had not yet risen as it would in later centuries, and it was very easy for ships with a displacement of two thousand tons to pass through, allowing direct navigation all the way to Xiangyang without any problem.

The issue was that ’Zhongxiang Government’ ahead of them had been occupied by the Rebel army from Xiangyang, with around seventy thousand troops attempting to block and defend using the treacherous terrain of Zhongxiang.

To counter the Yangtze River naval forces, the Rebel army from Xiangyang had even used several iron chains to span the river, blocking the Han River’s waterway.

"They intend to defend themselves layer by layer, to wear down the momentum of our army," Li Xuan said.

Li Xuan stood on the command platform of a ten thousand "liao" ship, with his hands clasped behind his back, observing the front with a calm and composed gaze.

His focus wasn’t on the city of Zhongxiang ahead, but on the figure standing in the void on the opposite side.

The woman, dressed in the attire of an ancient priestess and wearing a bronze mask, stood there as if a Heavenly Emperor had descended, exuding boundless authority.

A powerful Divine Consciousness pressed down on Li Xuan from afar.

Li Xuan knew that this woman must undoubtedly be the ’Dasiming’ from the Jinque Palace.

Since being appointed as the ’County Prince of Fenyang’ and ’Dadudu of the Five Armies,’ he had rarely encountered anyone who could surpass him in martial intent and momentum, yet the woman before him managed to do so.

Meanwhile, the one conversing with Li Xuan was Master Zhongliu.

He did not directly appear on the battleship but was hidden in a mountain peak on the shore, conversing with Li Xuan from a distance.

"County Prince, you must be cautious. Over the past ten days, I’ve personally witnessed them strengthening the walls and digging deep trenches and high embankments. Jinque Palace has also deployed over a dozen mighty Void magical instruments, and they’ve transported a massive amount of ’Black Iron Stone’ from Taihang Mountain to arrange outside the city walls."

Master Zhongliu’s tone shifted as he continued, "If the County Prince is set on launching a direct assault, I will help you by holding back the Great Dasiming and the several Palace Masters under her command."

Li Xuan knew that Master Zhongliu’s subordinates were not just a single person.

His ’Hunxiao’ method could also ’confuse’ the heavens. In these hundreds of years, he had also established a force of heavenly-level combatants that could be called formidable.

"The city is strategically important and difficult to attack; a direct assault is a last resort."

Li Xuan knew that in ancient times, Zhongxiang and the nearby Jingmen were one entity; they were collectively known as ’Jingmen’ during the Han Dynasty and were the gateway to Jingzhou.

In another world, the Ming Dynasty, the place where Emperor Jiajing claimed his fief before ascending the throne was here; therefore, Zhongxiang had once been renamed ’Chengtian Prefecture’ in later generations.

Li Xuan had taken a quick glance earlier and knew that if they were to force an attack, the casualties would be severe.

At this moment, although he had 140,000 of Ning Wang’s Sin Army under his command, these soldiers could not be deployed in such a way.

Ning Wang’s Sin Army and the chaotic Jingying troops from the Chaobai River were entirely different.

Ning Wang’s Sin Army had been under Prince Ning for nearly two hundred years. From birth, they had no other choice but to serve Prince Ning.

The Jingying chaotic troops, on the other hand, had been instigated to rebel by Liang Heng after feeding on the full rations and pay from Emperor Jingtai for thirteen years, making their nature even more despicable.

Li Xuan could not throw such an army into this bloody quagmire.

Fortunately, the river at Zhongxiang was still wide enough at this time, and the two islets formed by the silting of silt had not yet taken shape, so they would not affect the battle.

Also, though Zhongxiang City was fortified, there were not many cannon emplacements on the river-facing side, just over twenty large and small cannons.

It was unclear whether the enemy’s command had overlooked this, or they lacked heavy cannons.

"Signal the entire army to encircle the city and form up! Be wary of enemy sorties from the city."

Thinking of the scores of surrender letters in his sleeve, Li Xuan withdrew his gaze from the ’Great Dasiming’ and said, "Uncle Duan, could you command your naval forces to deploy in Line Column Formation and fire a few shots towards Zhongxiang City, then ask them if they’re willing to surrender?"

Duan Dong promptly took the order and left, while Li Xuan’s eyes sparkled as he asked with a calm demeanor, "Master, you just mentioned that most of the heavenly-level forces of Jinque Palace have come here. So, at the palace itself, how many heavenly levels do you estimate are still present?"

"The number of heavenly-level figures in Jinque Palace has always been between forty and fifty. They’ve suffered some losses recently, and with the earlier purges, I estimate there are still six to seven people guarding the palace," Master Zhongliu replied.

As he spoke, his expression suddenly shifted, "County Prince, could it be that you mean?"

He stopped speaking, glancing at the Great Dasiming high above Zhongxiang City, holding back his words.

Master Zhongliu guessed what Li Xuan was considering but was worried about revealing heaven’s secrets, which could be sensed and discovered by the Great Dasiming.

Li Xuan then asked with a smile, "So, Master, do you think we have a chance?"

Master Zhongliu hummed, falling into contemplation before responding with a chilly voice, "If it had been a few months ago, even a single person left in Jinque Palace would not be underestimated. Now, however, we might have a chance. But the condition is, we cannot allow that particular individual any spare time to disengage."

※※※※

As Li Xuan and the Master conversed, the Great Dasiming was also looking down from above.

She saw those Jin Army warships arrayed into a formation across the broad river.

"What are they doing?"

The Great Dasiming was not well-versed in military strategies; hence, she inquired of the newly-appointed Lord of Baihu Palace.

The man was named Shi Tianze, a renowned Han general from the Former Yuan Dynasty, who was recruited into Jinque Palace hundreds of years ago.

Over the years, he had served as a military counselor and advisor within the palace, and his judgments on military matters had never faltered.

However, looking at the river, Lord of Baihu Palace’s brow furrowed slightly, "It seems like they want to bombard the city walls?"

At that moment, the ships let out a series of roars. The forty-plus gunships on the river, with over one hundred and seventy flanged cannons, unleashed a fierce barrage towards Zhongxiang City.

Shi Tianze’s face turned ashen, "Great Dasiming, we might need to retreat. We cannot hold Zhongxiang City anymore."

Back in his time, no one attacked cities in such a manner.

There were also no gunships of such low profile capable of withstanding the recoil of dozens of heavy cannons without breaking apart or capsizing.

"Why?" inquired the Great Dasiming in confusion, "Zhongxiang Government is a mile away from the riverbank and the city is filled with numerous defensive installations. We must hold this city for twenty days!"

Shi Tianze couldn’t readily explain, but after three volleys of gunfire from the battle ships, he saw the thirty thousand Jin troops outside the city beating their armor with weapons or drumming the ground with the butts of their spears and lances, producing a tsunami of sound.

"Surrender! Surrender! Surrender! Surrender!"

Amongst this thunderous noise, he saw countless figures on the walls of Zhongxiang City dropping their weapons with a clatter. White flags were raised along nine of the twelve miles of the city wall.

On the remaining three miles of the wall, they were opening the city gates—