Chapter 601

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Qingzhou.

A sudden spring rain announced that the long winter was about to end.

Sitting at the bedchamber door, Xiao Ming chatted with Fei Yuer while eating melon seeds.

Since ordering the attack on Jinling City, his nerves had been tightly strung every day, fearing a disastrous defeat in the Battle of Jinling City.

“Your Highness has been frowning these past few days. Are you still worried about Jinling City?” Fei Yuer shelled melon seeds and put them in a plate. When enough accumulated, she would eat them with Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming was the same; the couple had a tacit understanding.

“Yes, it’s been twelve days since Ye Qingyun set off. Regardless of success or failure, news should have returned by now,” Xiao Ming sighed slightly. The war with Wei had been intermittent for a year, and now it was time for him to fully occupy Wei.

According to the news returned by Wang Xuan, half a month ago, Prince Zhao, with the cooperation of barbarian fire and cannons, finally breached Sword Gate Pass, thus opening the gateway to Bashu. Facing Prince Zhao’s and the barbarians’ iron cavalry, he believed that the King of Shu would not be able to hold out for long before losing this granary of the world.

From then on, Prince Zhao would occupy Chang’an City, using Bashu as a granary, moving freely. Wang Xuan also mentioned that Prince Zhao used a musketeer unit this time. Since the chaos in Chang’an, Prince Zhao had been producing matchlock guns, and this attack on Sword Gate Pass actually employed a musketeer unit of 15,000 men.

Although some of these muskets were sold to him by Xiao Ming earlier, this number was enough to show that Prince Zhao had manufactured many matchlock guns, and what worried him most was that Prince Zhao might hand over the matchlock gun technology to the barbarians.

After all, for royal power, a person would abandon all bottom lines, and Prince Zhao had already submitted to the barbarians. What else could he not do now?

As the two were speaking, a voice suddenly came, “Your Highness, Jinling City has been captured! Ye Qingyun sent someone to deliver Prince Wei’s royal seal!”

The voice rang out in the distance, overpowering the patter of rain. Then Niu Ben walked towards the main hall, enduring the light rain.

Upon arriving, Niu Ben bowed and said, “Greetings, Princess. Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Governor Niu, dispense with the formalities,” Xiao Ming said. Fei Yuer nodded and walked into the hall, as she always chose not to interfere with government affairs.

Niu Ben, after performing the salute, said, “Your Highness, this subordinate has just received a triumphant report from Jinling City. Ye Qingyun has already taken Jinling City, and Prince Wei is also imprisoned in Jinling City’s dungeon.”

“Really?” Xiao Ming stood up from his chair. This time, he couldn’t help but be excited, because the capture of Jinling City basically meant the war in Wei was about to end.

“Absolutely true,” Niu Ben said with a smile, handing the royal seal in his hand to Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming took the jade-carved royal seal, on the bottom of which was carved the character “Wei.” He immediately burst out laughing. This day was the happiest he had been in a year. Although his state had developed in the past three years, its overall prosperity still couldn’t compare to Wei.

Moreover, Wei had many cities and a large population, which itself was a huge asset.

As long as Wei was taken, not only would his goods expand their market, but the state’s financial problems would also be resolved. Wei might not be a granary for the entire world, but it could certainly be compared to half a granary.

“Since that is the case, immediately order Lu Fei to attack Chuzhou. With Prince Wei captured and Xiao Han trapped in Chuzhou City, once Xiao Han is taken, Wei will be completely leaderless. This time, we will take all the remaining cities of Wei in one fell swoop,” Xiao Ming said.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Niu Ben nodded heavily.

Turning to leave, Niu Ben had a scout brave the rain to send the message to the Chuzhou front line. Upon receiving Niu Ben’s order, Lu Fei formally prepared to launch an attack on Chuzhou City.

“General, should we continue to starve the soldiers in the city for a few more days?” Luo Hong asked Lu Fei.

Lu Fei held the military order in his hand. He looked at the dispirited soldiers on the city wall of Chuzhou and said, “No need. The soldiers in the city are probably starving mad by now. Now, have logistics prepare porridge in front of the camp, and at the same time, send someone to tell the soldiers in the city that as long as they surrender, they will have porridge to eat.”

“Yes,” Luo Hong nodded.

“That boy Ye Qingyun really has some ability, but I won’t lose to him,” Lu Fei chuckled.

A few days ago, the reinforcements dispatched by Prince Wei had been heading towards Chuzhou City, but before they reached the city, they seemed to have received news of Jinling City’s fall. This reinforcement army, which was originally unwilling to fight to rescue Xiao Han, had been dragging its feet all the way. Now, they scattered like birds and beasts without them even having to lift a finger.

At that time, he only suspected that something had happened in Jinling City. Now, Niu Ben’s military order confirmed the news of Jinling City’s fall, so he did not prepare for an immediate assault, but instead planned to first conduct a psychological warfare.

Soon, the Southern Expeditionary Army’s cooks transported large iron pots to the front of Chuzhou City and began to boil rice porridge in front of the Chuzhou garrison. The Southern Expeditionary Army’s soldiers formed squares to guard the surroundings.

Fires were lit, and porridge was boiled. Soon, the rich aroma of rice wafted with the north wind towards the city wall of Chuzhou. The already famished garrison immediately gazed eagerly at the iron pots outside the city.

At this moment, a soldier holding a megaphone walked a few steps forward. This megaphone was conical, made of rolled iron, and the soldier’s voice carried far through it.

“Brothers inside the city, are you hungry? If you’re hungry, come out and eat porridge! Our general said that as long as you lay down your weapons, we will absolutely not kill you. We just received news that Jinling City has been captured, your Prince Wei has also been captured, and Wei has fallen. Why sacrifice yourselves in vain?”

The loud voice reached Chuzhou City, and the soldiers immediately erupted in commotion.

“Jinling City has fallen? How is that possible?” The soldiers on the city wall were from Jinling City, belonging to the reinforcements who came from Jinling City. The Southern Expeditionary Army’s words threw them into great disarray.

“How is it not possible? The Southern Expeditionary Army’s firearms are so powerful. With the limited remaining forces in Jinling City, how could they possibly withstand Prince Qi’s army’s attack?” a soldier said.

“Then what do we do? Prince Wei is captured too. I don’t want to die here for nothing,” another soldier cried out.

With the crying, the other reinforcing soldiers also felt a pang of sympathy. The problem they faced now was not being besieged by the Southern Expeditionary Army, but that the food in the city had been almost entirely consumed over the past half month.

A small Chuzhou City was crammed with over a hundred thousand troops, and the city’s provisions were simply not enough. They were already eating only one meal a day, and soon they would probably have no food at all.

While the soldiers were discussing animatedly, a commotion suddenly arose at the gate of Chuzhou City, followed by the opening of the city gate. Chuzhou army soldiers rushed out towards the city.

These soldiers were all Chen Wei’s subordinates. When Chen Wei was imprisoned, they were already dissatisfied with Xiao Han in their hearts. In such a desperate situation, they had no intention of fighting anymore.

“Shoot arrows! Kill them!” the captain on the city wall commanded.

But after his order was given, none of the soldiers on the city wall moved, all looking at him with strange expressions.