Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 555 - 489: No Water to Drink

Wu Kudan saw that Ting Mao was in a fit of anger, so he turned to persuade several deputy generals.

These deputy generals were all Ting Mao’s cousins or relatives, including one who was Ting Mao’s uncle. They all agreed that it was not advisable to advance on Yangcheng.

Because they took Linzhou City too easily, the city gates hadn’t even been breached when the King of Linzhou retreated from the South Gate with his men, leaving an empty city for them to capture.

Tell me, who would dare continue the pursuit under such circumstances?

It’s clear that the King of Linzhou wants to lure the enemy deep!

Everyone unanimously agreed to retreat, except for Ting Mao, who held a contrary opinion.

Ting Mao stubbornly insisted on attacking Yangcheng, so Wu Kudan had no choice but to patiently analyze the pros and cons for Ting Mao.

"We’ve already captured three cities in succession and acquired countless supplies. If we retreat now, then you will return home victorious, like a triumphant general.

If we continue attacking Yangcheng and fall into the Liang army’s trap, then all our previous gains will be for naught. I advise the general to quit while you’re ahead!" Wu Kudan held in his anger, thinking to himself that he would first persuade this stubborn mule to retreat, and later report all of Ting Mao’s behavior to the Monarch.

Ting Mao was the epitome of obstinacy, immune to both soft and hard tactics. He resolutely decided to continue the attack on Yangcheng and ordered the army to set out on a chosen day.

Linzhou City wasn’t far from Yangcheng; in just three days, Ting Mao managed to station his 20,000-strong army five miles outside of Yangcheng.

Ting Mao instructed the Fire Head Army to set up stoves, fetch water, and cook while he dispatched the vanguard to scout the enemy’s situation.

Ting Mao’s command tent was set up centrally, with soldiers’ tents guarding the periphery.

The Fire Head Army hadn’t even had time to set up their stoves before soldiers began collapsing one after another, foaming at the mouth, tossing the camp into chaos.

Hearing the commotion, Ting Mao strode out of the tent and pointed to the soldiers on the ground, who were foaming at the mouth and convulsing, asking, "What’s happening? What’s wrong with them?"

"General, I just sent them to fetch water from the river earlier, and it seems they drank the river water. That’s why they’re like this — the Liang people poisoned the river!" The leader of the Fire Head Army lamented with a mournful look.

Ting Mao, upon hearing this, cursed, "The Liang people are despicable, resorting to such underhanded tactics.

Hmph, do they think that by using such methods they can force me to retreat? Wishful thinking."

Ting Mao loudly summoned two deputy generals, pointing to one of them and saying, "Didn’t we pass by a village earlier? Take people to check the wells there to see if the water is drinkable.

Take a team and go upstream to inspect the river, protect the water source as much as possible, and prevent the Liang people from poisoning it again."

This river is flowing water, so even if the Liang people have poisoned it heavily, the current will carry it away. As long as they don’t continue poisoning, after a few days, the water will be clean and drinkable again.

However, who knows how far upstream the river goes? If the Liang army poisons it daily upstream, it would indeed be difficult to defend against!

People might survive without food for three days, but without water for three days, that’s genuinely life-threatening.

Ting Mao, realizing the limited water they brought from Linzhou City, immediately ordered everyone to save water, not to drink until extremely thirsty.

With the river water unusable, the Hu army had no water to cook with, so Ting Mao had to send a thousand men to villages along the way to fetch water.

"These damn Liang people have indeed set a trap for us!" Ting Su, having led his men through several villages, found every well marked with notes declaring them poisoned.

The person putting up the notes seemed worried they wouldn’t understand the Great Liang script and thoughtfully provided translations in the Hu language.

"General, when the King of Linzhou retreated, he must have ordered poison to be placed in all accessible water sources along the way. The Liang army is truly insidious. General, what should we do? If nothing else, let’s go back and tell Xu Lun to withdraw the troops?"

"Would you dare say ’withdraw’ in front of him? Go ahead, say it!" Ting Su glared fiercely at the soldier who spoke.

If they could persuade that stubborn Ting Mao, they’d already be on their way home by now.

Recalling Wu Kudan’s attendant who was killed with a single chop by Xu Lun, the soldier felt a chill on his neck, unwilling to risk destabilizing army morale.

"So what do we do?" Finding no water, going back would mean no face to report with!

"Keep searching!" Ting Su said helplessly.

"But if we continue, it will get dark soon!" The soldier mustered the courage to speak again.

"Are you thirsty? Then stop talking nonsense!" Ting Su eyed the soldier’s water pouch.

"Give me a drink of your water!" It was a command, not a request.

Even if the soldier was unwilling, he did not dare defy Ting Su.

Reluctantly, he handed the water pouch to Ting Su, who shook it and, finding it nearly empty, drank it dry in one gulp.

The empty water pouch was tossed back to the soldier by Ting Su.

"Go, see if there are any survivors in this village, search every household to see if there’s any water in their barrels." Although they might not find enough water to supply the army, those searching wouldn’t die of thirst, would they?

The soldiers, following orders, quickly split into groups to search the village.

When Linzhou City hadn’t yet fallen, Su Jingchen had already sent people to relocate villagers from nearby settlements, so there wasn’t a single person left in the village.

Although devoid of people, there was still some water. The soldier who had his water taken by Ting Su was the first to discover a large water jar. Eager, he drank his fill before refilling his pouch.

While happily securing the lid of his water pouch, the soldier suddenly doubled over in unbearable stomach pain, dropping the pouch with a splash, wetting his shoes and trouser cuffs.

"The... the water is poisoned..." As the poison took effect in the soldier, the other two were drinking too, and upon seeing their comrade fall, they panicked, trying to induce vomiting, but it was too late. They only managed to curse in their hearts before perishing.

Ting Su, sitting on the edge of the village well, awaited the return of his soldiers, but soon realized his platoon of two hundred returned less than a hundred strong.

Spewing curses until he’d had enough, Ting Su hurriedly led the remaining men away from the village.

Ting Mao, his face an icy mask, glared at teams returning empty-handed for water, his fury escalating by the minute.

Not only was there no water, but they’d also lost half their men. The enemy even left notes warning them about the poisoned water, yet they still drank it?

"I thought it was a bluff from the Liang people; didn’t expect they truly poisoned it."

With grievances aired.

Once more, Ting Mao felt the urge to lash out, "Idiots! Did you think the Liang army ran around the village just to scare you with notes?"

"If they poisoned it, fine, but why bother with notes?" Their losses, with only a few returning, were significant.

He’d never heard of notifications following a poisoning.

"Psychological warfare — the Liang army aims to attack the spirit!" Wu Kudan suddenly spoke up.

"Xu Lun, there’s surely a strategist of exceptional cunning in the Liang ranks, having laid these traps long before, waiting for us to fall into them. In my opinion, our best course now is to retreat swiftly to preserve our strength."