Chapter 194 Utilizing Schemes

Chapter 194 Utilizing Schemes

The twelve-year-old Prince of Huaiyang stood atop the city wall, gazing at the approaching Cheng Army.

The First Imperial Consort, Feng Miaoyin, dressed in luxurious attire, stood beside Xie Hongchen, the Prince of Huaiyang.

The wind on the city wall made clothes flutter.

"Mother, our scouts report that they only sent five thousand troops." Xie Hongchen asked, puzzled. "Didn't they claim to have twenty thousand troops?"

Feng Miaoyin's eyes shone with confidence: "Even if she has 20,000 troops, she will stay here with us to kill the rebels... It's urgent."

Xie Hongchen laughed and said, "Mother, what a brilliant plan!"

Feng Miaoyin: "Outsiders say that our Prince of Huaiyang is an orphan and a widow, with weak soldiers and poor horses."

“We can’t even feed five thousand soldiers. They’re all neglecting us. They’re only doing this because your father isn’t here.”

"In this battle, we'll show them that killing a Princess Consort of Jing is more than enough."

"Chen'er, remember, it's not about having many soldiers, but about being good at using strategies."

"Let these five thousand soldiers go and never return."

Xie Hongchen recalled his mother's previous strategy and his eyes lit up with delight: "Mother, are you planning to lure the enemy outside the city and then trap them like turtles in a jar?"

Feng Miaoyin: "Hmm, that Shen Nanzi is a beautiful but clueless woman. I don't know how she managed to hook up with that old scoundrel Zhao Zhendong."

"This time, all we need to do is capture the leader first. If we capture Xie Chengze and Zhao Zhendong alive, Shen Nanzi will definitely lose this battle."

"After we kill them, we will immediately incorporate their troops into our army. Those who refuse to surrender will be buried alive."

Hope gleamed in Xie Hongchen's eyes. "My mother's wisdom is beyond my reach."

“You’re still young. When you’re older, you’ll definitely surpass your teacher.” Feng Miaoyin looked at Cheng Bing as he approached, a hint of mockery in her eyes.

"Pass down the order from the Prince of Huaiyang: raise the battle flag and immediately launch an attack to capture Xie Chengze and Zhao Zhendong alive."

In a short while, banners on the city tower blotted out the sun, waving signals for attack. Immediately afterwards, war drums thundered, echoing across the sky.

Xie Chengze looked at the army attacking from three sides of the city wall. The army was huge and dark, like a locust swarm passing by.

He said to Yang Zhendong, "General Zhao, my mother guessed correctly. They did not only have five thousand soldiers. They had already prepared an ambush to capture us alive."

Zhao Zhendong's eyes flashed with sharpness, carrying the composure of a veteran general with decades of experience: "Hmm, then let's see how powerful my border army is."

Zhao Zhendong drew his sword from his waist and commanded, "Soldiers, listen to my order! Attack the city with all your might immediately!"

Feng Miaoyin frowned as she watched the five thousand soldiers heading towards Huaiyang City.

"Instead of fighting back, they're attacking the city. What kind of tactic is that?"

"Mother, they are delusional. Do you think our city gates are so easy to take? They have no choice now. Resisting will only lead to their death, so they might as well take a gamble."

The thunderous roar of the troops shook the heavens and the earth.

"Mother, what's going on?" Xie Hongchen looked at the soldiers rushing in from the outside, all of them wearing red scarves around their necks.

He pointed to the army that had suddenly appeared behind him, his voice distorted: "It's the Cheng Army, they're all wearing the same red scarves."

Feng Miaoyin also realized that the information sent by their scouts was wrong, saying that Shen Nanzi was staying put with the remaining 15,000 troops.

"They weren't waiting on the sidelines; they followed closely behind. With such a large army, how could the scouts have made a mistake?"

"Mother, they ambushed and killed our spies, took our tokens and codes, and replaced them with their own people!" Xie Hongchen said with certainty.

Feng Miaoyin's eyes widened in shock as she watched as their Huaiyang army was completely surrounded by the Cheng army, which then scattered.

The previous troop formations are completely unusable.

The flag bearers on the city wall didn't know how to wave their battle flags and waited in vain for news.

"Prince of Huaiyang, our army has been torn apart."

"Prince of Huaiyang, what is our next move?"

“Your Highness, the fire at our other city gate was caused by the people.”

“Your Highness, some uninformed people are spreading rumors in the city that we have lost this battle.”

Xie Hongchen was overwhelmed by the constant stream of news reports.

Feng Miaoyin's previous certainty was shattered.

The war had already turned into a defeat, so the commander-in-chief requested permission to lead his men out through the side gate to deliver a crushing blow to the Cheng army in order to stabilize morale.

Feng Miaoyin agreed.

Beneath the city walls, the sounds of weapons clashing echoed as the two armies clashed in a fierce battle.

Outside the city, on the battlefield, yellow dust flew everywhere. When the commander-in-chief took to the field, morale soared.

But at that moment, three thousand cavalrymen charged into the battle, immediately changing the tide of the war.

Cavalry, well-equipped, had a natural advantage.

Seated high on horseback, wielding spears and long-handled swords, they attacked from a distance, killing or wounding their warriors before they could even get close.

These cavalrymen were extremely expensive, and Feng Miaoyin simply couldn't afford to raise them.

She stared in horror at Chengjun's unstoppable advance.

The outcome of this battle is already decided.

When his gaze fell upon the small figure on the tall horse below the city wall, a vicious glint appeared in his eyes.

"Quickly, give the order: full firepower, capture Xie Chengze alive!"

"Whoever captures Xie Chengze alive will be rewarded with one thousand taels of gold."

When Feng Miaoyin received no response from Xie Hongchen, she immediately turned around, and the scene before her eyes shattered her soul.

Two silver knives were held to Xie Hongchen's neck. His face was drained of color, and his thin body was trembling.

Looking down at the other soldiers on the city wall, I realized that they had all been taken down sometime during the night.

Still, nothing.

How could the soldiers of the Prince of Huaiyang be so weak and vulnerable? How could that be?

"A bounty of a thousand gold pieces? That's quite a generous offer!" Shen Nanzi, dressed in full armor, stood behind her, looking at her expectantly.

"Shen Nanzi?" Feng Miaoyin's voice was filled with disbelief.

“Yes, it’s me, Eldest Sister-in-law!” Shen Nanzi looked at her calmly.

"How did you sneak in?" Feng Miaoyin looked at her, her face full of disbelief.

"It's not hard to sneak in. Your taxes are too heavy, and the people are suffering. Give them some food and some silver and silver, and it will be as easy as turning your hand to pry open the city gates."

"Impossible!" Feng Miaoyin's voice trembled.

“What’s impossible? Everyone’s starving to death. Who would still be loyal to the Prince of Huaiyang?” Shen Nanzi said, “You’re focused on increasing troops and funding the army, instead of thinking about how to genuinely improve people’s lives.”

"Instead, they plunder the people's wealth and exploit them to the extreme, making them live like neither human nor ghost. Who would be willing to risk their life for you then?"

"Your fiefdom can only support a maximum of five thousand soldiers, but you are always greedy for more!"

Shen Nanzi pointed below, "Fifty thousand troops, expanded tenfold, but publicly declared as five thousand troops—isn't that just a way to feign weakness and give the opponent a big surprise?"

Feng Miaoyin shook her head and pointed to the soldiers on the city wall, "Our defenses are very tight, how did you manage to bring your troops up here?"

Shen Nanzi said, "Don't you know? Yesterday, your troops guarding the city were given extra food, which included fatty meat."

"They hadn't had meat in a long time, and they were all like wolves and tigers, and they were all exhausted from diarrhea at night."

Feng Miaoyin was extremely indignant, "Shen Nanzi, I never thought you were so despicable! You actually used such a vile method."

"Isn't it your fault? You accuse me of being despicable just because I failed. Weren't your methods despicable towards the people in Huaiyang?"

"On the battlefield, you must use deception to defeat the enemy and strike unexpectedly. Haven't you read any military treatises?"

Feng Miaoyin glared at her hatefully. How could she not have read military books? The weak can only turn the tide and terrify the enemy by arming themselves.

Shen Nanzi: "Elder sister-in-law, you can remain neutral in the struggle for the throne, without harming the people of Huaiyang. You can cultivate yourselves, develop the people's livelihood, and then nourish the army on the basis of the people's prosperity."

"You're too impatient! Aggressive warfare is a cardinal sin in military strategy."

Feng Miaoyin sneered, "So what? The battle is not over yet. Why do you speak so confidently, as if you are certain to win!"

Shen Nanzi: "Feng Miaoyin, you clearly know you've lost! Why don't you give the order for your soldiers to stop?"

"Stop!" Feng Miaoyin sneered. "The victor is king, the loser is villain. You really want to achieve the greatest victory with the fewest casualties."

"Shen Nanzi, I will not do as you wish. Today, my soldiers will fight to the last man and deplete your forces."