To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck-Chapter 850 - 363 The Key to Breaking the Situation

Chapter 850: Chapter 363 The Key to Breaking the Situation

This battle with Ning Country for the title of Master of Yangzhou had been brewing for several years, yet once it began, the progression of the war was quite swift.

The originally mighty and strong United Army of the four kingdoms—Ning, Su, Song, and Nanhai—was highly regarded by all countries for its power. However, after the war broke out, their true weakness was quickly exposed.

Though both their territory and population were stronger than that of Chu State, and even in military strength, they seemed more robust in the eyes of outsiders.

Yet in the battle in September of the previous year, the main force led by Emperor Ning was first thwarted at Jiangxia City, with defeats in both their naval and land armies following in succession.

Afterward, Ning Country lost an entire prefecture in Xiangyang, leading to a rapid deterioration on the northern battlefield.

The three-route United Army from Lingnan, with Nanhai Country as frightened as a tiger, dared not engage in battle with the Chu Army, only blindly holding fast and watching as their own territory was taken by Chu forces.

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Later, when the Ning Army finally rushed to provide reinforcements, the Nanhai Army still just sat in the city, lacking even the courage to venture out and assist the reinforcements.

Eventually, a few troops did emerge, but they were no match and were defeated on the battlefield, leading to a significant defeat for the Ning Army.

After this battle, the people of Nanhai were deemed cowardly, useless, and incompetent, becoming the laughingstock of the world.

Of course, Nanhai Country wasn’t the only one to lose face.

Su Country, originally seen as the dominant power of Lingnan and lauded as a strong nation, and Song Country, with its flourishing national strength and formidable army, both turned out to be all show and no substance.

The confident united army of two hundred thousand from both countries launched a massive Northern Expedition.

Yet within just over a month of marching north, they hadn’t even managed to penetrate Chu territory when they were swiftly defeated by the Chu Army.

The united Su-Song army of two hundred thousand returned in disastrous defeat, with King Song escaping alone on horseback and the Su Army relying on betraying their allies to barely escape back to their capital.

Then the Chu Army swept through, effortlessly capturing the entire territory of Su Country apart from the capital, Yulin.

Su Country was left barely surviving in the cold tide and snow.

By the spring of this year, with the snow and ice melting and the protection of natural disasters gone, Su Country was rapidly broken by the Chu Army and became the first force of the United Army to be annihilated.

From north of Jiangxia to Lingnan, the Chu State had clearly gained an advantage or victory on every battlefield, reversing their initially unfavorable situation in one fell swoop.

Now, taking an overall look at the battlefield, Chu State has already achieved a significant advantage and is gradually overpowering Ning Country.

Furthermore, with more minor victories accumulating, this advantage will grow even greater.

Now is the time for earnest and vigorous effort.

For Chu State, to decide the victory or defeat this year and completely defeat the United Army, claiming victory in this battle for supremacy, is far from an illusion.

And now is the time to strive toward that goal.

…

After a winter’s rest and preparation, the wounds inflicted on both Chu and Ning countries by last autumn and winter’s battles had gradually healed, and each had gathered the strength for another round of warfare.

Here in Jiangxia.

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Benefiting from the brutal siege warfare before, the originally immature hundred thousand new soldiers, having seen blood and after a winter’s settling, had now transformed, acquiring the beginnings of a battle-hardened elite’s demeanor.

Therefore, although the total military force had decreased by ten thousand, the remaining ninety thousand were thirty percent stronger than the previous hundred thousand, which was quite remarkable.

After a few more major battles and a couple of years of settling, they would undoubtedly become truly battle-hardened elites.

Given the intensity of the current Chu-Ning war, it seemed that completing this transformation would not be difficult.

However, even though this transformation was not yet complete, having these ninety thousand soldiers, who could be considered half veterans, along with Lu Yuan, the Inborn Grandmaster of the world, made the city secure.

The Ning Army was still the same. After the navy retreated to Xia Kou Water Fort in Xiangyang, only about a hundred and ten thousand soldiers remained outside Jiangxia City.

This strength naturally could not threaten Jiangxia, and even in a direct confrontation, they would likely be defeated by the Chu Army.

Therefore, knowing their own weakening position, the Ning Army had been holed up in the camp, shutting themselves in and completely ignoring the provocations of the Chu Army.

This posture seemed as if one didn’t know better, they might think it was the Chu Army who was actively attacking and the Ning Army who was actively defending!

Yet it must be said, the turtle-like posture of the Ning Army did indeed have an exceptional effect.

Lu Yuan, limited by the Chu Army’s numerical inferiority and not wanting to suffer heavy losses in storming the city, had no good solution for now against the Ning Army’s encampment outside the city, which had gradually turned into a small fortress with three Inborn masters and a hundred thousand soldiers entrenched like a turtle shell.

Hence, after the spring began, while other battlefields were blazing with action, Jiangxia remained eerily calm, maintaining a peculiar peace.

The Chu Army could not do anything to the Ning Army, and the Ning Army could not do anything to the Chu Army, so the two sides continued the standoff.

However, both Chu and Ning were well aware that this situation could not be the norm.

Once the other battlefields determined their victors, with various minor victories accumulating and slowly evolving into a big advantage, sweeping through, the time would come for victory or defeat here.

And if nothing unexpected happened, this victory or defeat should arrive this year.

“On the Nanhai Country front, I have three hundred thousand troops, among them five Inborn Grandmasters. On the enemy side, the united forces of Ning and Nanhai count only a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, along with two Inborns.

In terms of both military strength and masters, Chu State clearly has the advantage, so taking this city will not be difficult.

Therefore, this battlefield should turn out in favor of Great Chu.

As for the northern Xiangyang, after Xiaoqing took Anlu Prefecture, she continued to station eighty thousand troops, plotting to conquer Xiangyang Prefecture of Ning Country. Yang Jing, relying on naval support, barely led Ning’s three thousand leftover soldiers against Xiaoqing’s.