activa-t Chapter 854 Unstoppable
Chapter 854 Unstoppable
To Keluke Shengyan's utter surprise, the Great Wall Army, which he had been guarding against, did not attack; instead, it was the Yang Family Army from the west that attacked...
This forced Lu Shengyan to make the decision to transfer the Youzhou army to the west to intercept Yang Zheng.
"As ordered!"
After receiving the order, Lu Changjiang hurriedly left. Soon after, several martial artists rode fast horses from the Lu family to the north to convey Lu Shengyan's orders to the Youzhou army stationed there.
Meanwhile, the Yang family army, which split into two groups, was also rapidly conquering cities and seizing territory.
Lu Shengyan and Lu Changjiang were right. In just two days, Lingshui and Qingyou counties had already fallen, and it didn't even take two days!
Having fought countless battles, large and small, Yang Zheng naturally understood the importance of speed in warfare. Although he cherished the lives of his soldiers, he also knew that those who achieve great things cannot be soft-hearted.
Therefore, this time, Yang Zheng did not choose to wait and wear down the enemy as he had done before when he marched on Qingzhou. Instead, he conveyed his message to the soldiers and civilians in the city as soon as his troops were at the gates:
Within half an hour, you either open the city gates and surrender, or the army will forcefully attack the city!
Most of the officials in Lingshui and Qingyou counties were loyal to the Lu family and naturally would not surrender. Thus, a massive siege began.
Although the officials within the city were determined to resist, they only had a little over a hundred city guards at their disposal, and the Yang family army had not given them any time to organize the able-bodied men within the city to assist in the defense. Therefore…
In less than half a day, Lingshui and Qingyou counties were captured one after another!
After resting in the city for a night, the two armies left only a small force to defend the city before continuing to penetrate deeper into the heart of Youzhou!
In just two days, a large number of cities fell one after another, and the army's advance was getting closer and closer to Youzhou Prefecture!
At this moment, Lu Shengyan and many other Lu family heads were still able to maintain their composure, because they still had the Youzhou army at their disposal. They believed that as long as the Youzhou army could arrive, they would be able to defend Youzhou City and then drive Yang Zheng's army out of Youzhou.
However, the Youzhou army, which received Lu Shengyan's order, did not set off to return because... there was also a problem in the north!
On the third day after Yang Zheng launched his campaign, the Great Wall Army, having received the news, also mobilized!
Under Tian Yu's orders, Tian Yu's adjutant Chang Yong led 100,000 Great Wall troops to the city gates, igniting war in northern Youzhou and also tying down the Youzhou army that was about to return!
"hateful!"
Inside the Lu family manor, Lu Shengyan slammed his fist hard on the table in the conference hall, shattering it into pieces.
The elders inside the house were also furious!
"How dare this country bumpkin, Tian Yu, act like this?"
"He actually colluded with the rebels! I will definitely report Tian Yu to the imperial court!"
"What should I do?"
"..."
Amidst their anger, the Lu family's high-ranking members inevitably felt a bit panicked. Now, the Yang family army was conquering cities and seizing territory in the west, while the Great Wall army was restraining the Youzhou army in the north.
The Lu family is now facing enemies on all sides and is in a very difficult situation.
"The only course of action now is to defend our clan's manor to the death!"
An elder, barely managing to remain calm, said, "Only by preserving our clan's manor and waiting for the Youzhou army to defeat the Great Wall army and return to reinforce us will our clan have a chance to reclaim our lost territory!"
The Lu Family Manor contains the wealth accumulated by the Lu family over thousands of years. As long as this wealth is preserved, the Lu family will still have the power to fight back.
"not enough!"
Lu Shengyan shook his head. "The elders should know that with the capabilities of the Youzhou army, there is absolutely no way they can stop 100,000 Great Wall troops!"
Lu Shengyan knew that although the Youzhou Army had been the Lu family's private army for many years, the Lu family did not actually value the Youzhou Army because it was nominally under the control of the imperial court. They would cut back on the Youzhou Army's food, clothing and supplies whenever possible.
Over the years, due to the Lu family's continuous reduction of the Youzhou Army's benefits, desertion has frequently occurred in the Youzhou Army. On paper, the Youzhou Army appears to have a strength of 100,000, but the actual number of soldiers in active service is probably less than 50,000!
The 50,000 troops of Youzhou in service were mostly poorly fed, poorly clothed, and poorly trained beggar soldiers. It was almost impossible to expect these beggar soldiers to stop the battle-hardened Great Wall Army.
The only way to defeat the Great Wall Army and the Yang Family Army is to seek help from outside!
"Our only chance now is to ask the barbarians for help!"
Lu Shengyan said resolutely, "Only by requesting the barbarians to send troops can our people have a chance of survival!"
Ask the barbarians for help?
The clan elders looked at each other, not because they were particularly morally superior and unwilling to make peace with a different tribe.
But...
They knew the barbarians' greed!
"Homeowner!"
An elder hesitated before speaking, "If we ask the barbarians for help, their king will surely demand an exorbitant price, and our tribe will likely suffer heavy losses!"
Upon hearing this, the other clan elders nodded in agreement. Having traded with the barbarians for many years, they knew all too well how greedy the barbarians were. If they wanted to ask the barbarians to send troops to help them, the Lu family would definitely have to offer a considerable amount of benefits.
Having grown accustomed to being misers, they are naturally unwilling to relinquish massive profits.
"Now is not the time to think about that!"
Lu Shengyan looked at the elder who had spoken and said, "What good is our clan's wealth if we don't have the help of the barbarians?"
Upon hearing this, the elders immediately came to their senses.
Yes!
Without the help of the barbarians, the Lu family manor would likely be breached by the Great Wall Army and the Yang family army in no time, and then...
The vast wealth within the manor will also belong to Yang Zheng and Tian Yu, and their lives will be in danger!
Upon realizing this, everyone immediately abandoned their miserly mentality and nodded in agreement.
"Master, I agree to ask the barbarians for help!"
"No matter how much benefit is involved, as long as the barbarians send troops to help and relieve our tribe's siege, it will be worthwhile."
"That's settled then! We request the barbarians to send troops to help us!"
"..."
Soon, a tall martial artist was summoned into the meeting hall and, at Lu Shengyan's instruction, set off for the barbarian tribe to request reinforcements.
After the warrior left, Lu Shengyan continued, "The barbarians alone are not enough! We still need to ask our ancestor to take action!"
The clan elders inside the house looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
…………
…………
Within Youzhou, the flames of war are burning ever brighter!
Yang Zheng launched his campaign on February 2nd, and by noon his troops had reached the cities of Lingshui and Qingyou. In the afternoon, he captured both cities and continued his advance, rapidly conquering cities and seizing territory within Youzhou. In less than half a month, half of the cities in Youzhou had fallen into the hands of Yang's army. Their military might was aimed directly at Youzhou Prefecture, and they stationed troops on the west side of Youzhou Prefecture to intimidate the entire city!
Meanwhile, another army, led by General Bai Yong of the Yang family army, continued to penetrate deeper into Youzhou, aiming to capture as many cities as possible.
Meanwhile, on the northern battlefield, the Great Wall Army was also advancing with unstoppable momentum!