Chapter 22 - Destruction of the Yan Kingdom
Even though Chen Taiji and Niu Baicheng didn’t understand the meaning of the words “Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao”, they believed Gu Hai and believed in Gu Hai’s unparalleled ability in strategies. The “Sparrow Warfare” and “Tunnel Warfare” strategies which seemed to come from fantasy tales which when implemented by Gu Hai, it reached perfection producing such a magical effect.
So even though they understood only a little bit of the basic contents of the stratagem “Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao”, they had already decided to totally follow Gu Hai and implement this plan!
“Bypa.s.sing the Yan Army at the borders, directly attack the Royal Capital of Yan Kingdom. The Yan Army would have to return back, and the crisis of the High Pa.s.s would be resolved automatically!”
These were the words that Gu Hai had said to Chen Taiji as an explanation, but there were some words that Gu Hai didn’t say. His stratagem was not as simple as just solving this crisis before the High Pa.s.s!
The next day, under the leadership of Gu Hai, a hundred thousand Chen Kingdom’s elite soldiers quietly set off from High Pa.s.s, meanwhile, Chen Taiji continued to guard the High Pa.s.s with 100,000 soldiers whilst putting on a facade as if the number of defenders at the High Pa.s.s hadn’t lessened in the least!
However, even if High Pa.s.s only had 100,000 soldiers, with Sparrow Warfare and Tunnel Warfare, the Yan Army simply didn’t have any way of attacking High Pa.s.s!
Even though the Yan Kingdom was regarded as a strong power amongst the eight kingdoms, when compared to the Chen Kingdom, it was not that much greater. Although the Yan Kingdom had a greater number of soldiers compared to the Chen Kingdom it only amounted 500,000 soldiers more or less. Leaving aside the army of 300,000 soldiers that engaged in the attack, 100,000 soldiers were stationed at various places, whereas 100,000 soldiers were stationed at the most important checkpoint of the Yan Kingdom!
Under the leadership of Gu Hai, the hundred thousand Chen Kingdom elites swept everything in their paths, with no one capable of resisting them. Very quickly, they arrived at the Yan Kingdom’s final checkpoint. It was here that the Yan Kingdom’s 100,000 troops were stationed!
If he used to attack by force, Gu Hai naturally had confidence in winning but that would take some time. Although it may result in the 300,000 strong army being called back thereby resolving the danger before High Pa.s.s, this was not Gu Hai’s wish. So-called “Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao”, if you have several opportunities to destroy “Wei”, then naturally you would not just go to “Zhao”!
Gu Hai naturally wished to destroy the Yan Kingdom, forever eliminating the Chen Kingdom’s danger. Naturally, he wasn’t doing this all for the Chen Kingdom, he was doing this to get in touch with those aloof and remote Immortal Cultivation Sects, nothing more!
“Tunnel Warfare!” Gu Hai used this stratagem again at this place again.
During the course of a few days, on one side he pretended to attack this Yan Kingdom’s checkpoint, while on the other, tunnels were dug through several li away. Even though the Yan Kingdom’s city walls were deep, the Chen Kingdom’s soldiers dug deeper!
The soldiers guarding the Yan Kingdom’s walls simply couldn’t figure out how the Chen Kingdom soldiers who had been attacking the city walls in futility all along, suddenly emerged like ghosts from the ground at very late into the night, when they were prepared the least.
It was bound to be an utter defeat. Even though the Yan Kingdom had 100,000 soldiers stationed to defend, these unprepared 100,000 soldiers were like lambs set for slaughter; they were completely vulnerable!
Furthermore, the attack was accompanied by a shout, “Those who surrender will be spared!”
Countless Yan Kingdom soldiers gave up resistance and surrendered one after another. It was because they could see that since the Chen Kingdom had already a.s.saulted this final city of the Yan Kingdom, it meant that the destruction of the Yan Kingdom was near at hand and resistance was already futile.
Gu Hai led the around 100,000 or so troops into the Yan Kingdom’s Royal Capital. In the face of so many soldiers, Yan Kingdom was powerless to resist.
The Yan Kingdom’s Royal Capital was destroyed, the Yan Kingdom’s Royal Family was nearly exterminated, with the only remnant being a toddler prince. Gu Hai used his tactics to subdue to the remnant soldiers of Yan Kingdom. He used the last remnant of Yan Kingdom"s royal bloodline and the people within the Yan Kingdom’s Royal capital as hostages to completely subdue the army of 300,000 soldiers that was returning from the borders.
More than half of the 300,000 strong army of the Yan Kingdom surrendered, while the remaining half or so was powerless to resist. Fleers fled, Surrenderers surrendered, Gu Hai, with hardly any cost, had destroyed the entire Yan Kingdom almost effortlessly.
When this news reached the High Pa.s.s, Chen Taiji sent out an order to take over the entire Yan Kingdom. In a moment, the weakest in the eight kingdoms, the Chen Kingdom had already turned into one of the strongest amongst the seven kingdoms!
Even though the Chen Kingdom didn’t have any thoughts of attacking the other six kingdoms, the other six kingdoms didn’t think so. They were completely puzzled by how the Chen Kingdom easily conquered the Yan Kingdom, and they dreaded that the same might happen to them!
The six countries joined together and set out 2,000,000 soldiers to attack the Chen Kingdom, but the power of Gu Hai’s arrangements was beyond their understandings. Rural areas surrounding the Cities, Sparrow Warfare, Tunnel Warfare, Besieging Wei to Rescue Zhao, Obtain Safe Pa.s.sage to Conquer State of Guo, these unknown arts of war led to victory time after time. More importantly, the Chen Kingdom remained undefeated in the hundred military campaigns for five consecutive years.
Gu Hai’s command over the army was too legendary. Even though the six kingdoms came as an alliance, they were still toyed with atop the palm of Gu Hai. The 2,000,000 strong army of six kingdoms were wasted, while the Chen Kingdom followed victory after victory to once again destroy a kingdom.
The army led by Gu Hai was like a sea formed from a hundred rivers, rejecting n.o.body, daring to accept even the hostile troops. The more powerful the Chen Army became, the more tyrannical the Chen Kingdom became.
Gu Hai’s army was like an unsheathed divine sword, whichever direction the divine sword was pointed at, everything turned to ashes and dust. At that time, Gu Hai was preparing to make one strong effort and pacify the five kingdoms, but the various big sects intervened, only then the steps of the Chen Kingdom were halted, there was to be no more war! However, even if it was like that, the remnant five kingdoms also had lingering fears! For several decades they didn’t dare use their soldiers against the Chen Kingdom.
If it were not for the obstruction of the Sects, the Chen Kingdom was bound to destroy the other five kingdoms. It was only a matter of time...
After five years, even though it had been obstructed by the sects, the Chen Kingdom could already be considered to have achieved a great victory. Not only had it settled the danger before the Chen Kingdom, it had also emerged as the strongest kingdom amongst the six kingdoms!
The Chen Army had begun to withdraw its troops in triumph back to the capital, but on the road back came an astonishing news. The Chen Kingdom’s King who was seriously ill had already pa.s.sed away.
Actually, the Chen King’s illness didn’t last for five years. As early as three years ago, Chen King had already died, but the news of it had been kept secret and the funeral conducted covertly!
Gu Hai looked with a complex expression at Chen Taiji. After pondering for a while in his heart, he seemed to have already figured out somethings!
Chen Taiji immediately gave an order. All soldiers are to immediately march back and return to the kingdom for the funeral!
Chen King’s funeral arrangements were concluded very quickly, as Chen Taiji had obtained great merits, and being the sole heir in the Chen Kingdom, he also enjoyed immense popularity in the Chen Kingdom. Therefore, Chen Taiji smoothly ascended the throne to become King. The first imperial edict that he issued after ascending to the throne was to bestow immense reward upon Gu Hai!
Gu Hai was bestowed the t.i.tle of Vast Ocean Marquis, with the Antiquity Town being allotted as Gu Hai’s fiefdom. Moreover, he was bestowed the number one beauty in the Chen Kingdom, Chen Xianer in marriage. After this imperial edict came out, there were a countless number of people who were shocked. The grant of n.o.bility was still fine, after all, Gu Hai’s merits were huge, but giving Chen Xianer in marriage was something that the countless males in the Chen Kingdom were unable to accept!
Chen Xianer, was the most beautiful girl in the Chen Kingdom, she possessed a beauty which could lead to the downfall of nations, and her gentle character was like a fairy amongst the mortals. Every male of the Chen Kingdom dreamt of her! And now she was being married to the Vast Ocean Marquis, how could they accept it…
What the citizens of the Chen Kingdom didn’t know that, in addition to the rewards and the marriage, Chen Taiji and Gu Hai had also become brothers, furthermore, Gu Hai was the elder brother of Chen Taiji!