Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Chapter 158: 158 Attack on Fengchi County

”Report!”

A thin-faced man in military attire hurriedly came before Zhang Ping, knelt on one knee, and said, ”General Zhang, report from the rear, Qingwan Town has been captured by the Song Army, and General Xu has been taken prisoner.”

”What?” Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping’s expression changed, and he immediately said, ”Qingwan Town has fifty thousand troops garrisoned there, combined with other prefectures and counties, amounting to a full one hundred thousand troops. How could a hundred thousand troops not defend one Qingwan Town? What was Xu Liang doing?”

Qingwan Town was an important thoroughfare for their shift towards Western Shu.

Now that Qingwan Town had been captured, it meant their retreat path was cut off.

The personal soldiers beside Zhang Ping also began to feel anxious.

The man in military attire who reported was also sweating profusely from his forehead, fearing that Zhang Ping might kill him in a fit of anger.

After a moment of silence, the man in military attire gathered his courage and said, ”General, what should we do next?”

”Give the order to hold Fengchi County.” Zhang Ping knew that anger would not solve any problem, and after calming down, he said in a deep voice.

”Understood.” The man in military attire went off to relay the orders.

After the man in military attire had left, Zhang Ping asked a personal soldier to bring a map, then traced the pre-drawn relocation route on the map, and immediately said, ”Wang Fu, transfer the treasures along this route. I will hold Fengchi County to buy you time.”

”Understood.” The personal soldier Wang Fu nodded, then looked up at Zhang Ping and said, ”General Zhang, what about you?”

”I cannot leave for now. If I leave, this army will fall apart. I will hold Fengchi County for some time, buy you time to retreat, and during the chaos of battle, I’ll find a way to withdraw myself.”

Zhang Ping was not foolish enough to die defending Fengchi County.

As the main general of the Yellow Turban Army in Nanyang,

Zhang Ping now fully understood the combat strength of the troops under his command.

So many men couldn’t even hold a key town like Qingwan Town.

Let alone the less defensible Fengchi County.

After Wang Fu left, Zhang Ping said to another trusted subordinate, ”Find some people you know, assemble three thousand men, and also take my five hundred personal soldiers to find Luo Zhen on Jiyang Mountain. Once found, relocate them directly along this route.”

”Understood.”

”Wait, Luo Zhen is mine. I don’t want to see her defiled by others.”

”I understand.”

...

Before setting out, one may drink once.

The liquor was strong.

A single sip filled the throat with a burning sensation.

As tens of thousands of troops appeared simultaneously, the ground shook with dust, and they galloped swiftly towards Fengchi County.

To reach Fengchi County, there were still multiple cities along the way.

However, the rebels in the cities, upon hearing of the approaching army, coupled with Huangfu Hao taking the lead and directly leaping onto the city wall, opening the gates single-handedly, allowed the cavalry to charge in without hindrance, the entire process taking no more than a quarter of an hour, and the city was captured as rebels fled in terror.

Since the Song Army was bound for Fengchi County, the cavalry naturally pursued from behind.

This made the rebels think they were being pursued to the death.

Any rebels who couldn’t run knelt and begged for mercy.

The Song Army naturally had neither the time nor provisions to control the prisoners, as the Imperial Court had not issued a decree permitting independent recruitment of soldiers.

If Huangfu Hao privately assimilated this Rebel Army, it would raise suspicions of rebellion.

Therefore, what lay before Huangfu Hao was,

the only option was to kill!

Rebel soldiers encountered on the way to Fengchi County were all slain.

Those fleeing elsewhere were left unchecked due to the focus on defeating the main rebel forces.

This decisiveness and ruthlessness,

caused rebels in the next few cities to abandon their positions and flee at the sight of the army.

Some even disguised themselves as refugees, feigning ignorance of the events.

...

Three quarters past noon.

The swiftly marching Song Army reached the outskirts of Fengchi County.

With each city captured, news would be sent to Fengchi County.

After taking multiple cities,

by the time the army arrived at Fengchi County, the defenders inside were already in a state of panic.

Huangfu Hao deployed decoys, scattering countless Song Army flags across the landscape.

The presence of over thirty thousand troops standing there immediately projected the image of a mighty force.

Huangfu Hao loudly proclaimed, ”If you surrender and leave the city, I will petition His Majesty to spare you from death.”

The defenders inside the city felt tempted at his words.

Despite Zhang Ping and his several thousand personal soldiers stabilizing morale,

the recent setbacks had eroded the initial momentum of the uprising, leaving everyone somewhat agitated.

Zhang Ping loudly countered, ”Don’t believe his deceit, rebellion is not an impulsive act that one can regret later; it’s a path of no return. Once chosen, there is no going back.

From the day of rebellion until now, whose hands among you are not stained with guilt? Witnesses remain in all prefectures and counties, they saw your deeds when you killed. Only by standing fast with me and defending Fengchi County can you have a chance at survival.”

This was precisely why Zhang Ping hadn’t stopped them from committing acts of excess these days,

they needed to all be in the same boat to proceed.

Upon Zhang Ping’s rallying cry, their minds cooled somewhat.

...

The main force of the Rebel Army was based in Fengchi County.

Huangfu Hao didn’t rashly seize the city first,

instead, he repeatedly issued challenges and ”persuasions”, stirring the rebels’ morale.

The main army rested, replenishing their strength.

After one quarter of an hour, they would attack the city again.

Meanwhile, inside Fengchi County, already on edge, every rustle of grass and chirp of birds seemed like a threat.

Zhang Ping also noted that Huangfu Hao was resting his troops.

Immediately, he beat the drums to assemble the generals.

Moments later,

a force of fifty thousand rebel soldiers charged vigorously out of Fengchi County’s gates attempting to storm the Song Army camp.

Giving the Song Army no chance to catch their breath.

Upon receiving the news, Huangfu Hao, eager for action, slammed the table and said, ”Deploy as planned, prepare to engage.”

The three armies formed their battle array.

They even opened a path for the rebels to charge in.

Once within suitable distance, Huangfu Hao gently waved his hand, signaling with the command flag as drumming intensified, and cavalry flanked in from both sides.

The onslaught was as effective as slicing through vegetables.

On the city wall, Zhang Ping swiftly formed hand seals, chanting words under his breath.

Moments later, ”Duke of Thunder, aid me!”

Zhang Ping pointed towards the Song Army’s Central Army, and a bolt of lightning struck down abruptly, tearing a gap in the battle array.

”It’s the General of the Heavenly Lord, the Heavenly Lord has shown his might, brothers, charge!”

The rebels, believing themselves aided by divine forces upon seeing the celestial thunder, surged forward with boosted morale.

”Yin Thunder? Do the rebels have Daoist disciples?”

Huangfu Hao felt a shield tinged with lightning’s power, sensing the air above, and spoke in surprise.

Since Lin Su Ya quelled Buddhism through Daoism, Daoism had reached its peak within the Great Song Dynasty.

Yet it was more accurate to speak of the Shenxiao Sect rather than Daoism as a whole.

Daoism was vast, and the Shenxiao Sect was only one of its branches.

Nonetheless, in the Great Song Dynasty, the Shenxiao Sect was the mainstream of Daoism.

”Looks like there are formidable individuals among the rebels. In that case, let me deal with them.”

Subsequent bolts of lightning summoned by Zhang Ping were all thwarted by Huangfu Hao.

Soon,

the rebels who charged out of the city were left fleeing in disarray, drenched in sweat, appearing equally wretched.

But just then, another wave of rebel forces emerged from the city.