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Chapter 353: The Great Battle Begins
Chapter 353: The Great Battle Begins
September 25th, 2017
At the stronghold, within Xi Zhicai's courtyard.
Xi Zhicai had a habit that no matter how busy he was, he would always finish his work after nightfall.
Upon completing his work, he would brew a pot of medicinal tea for himself, sipping it while gazing at the sky. Whether it was windy, rainy, or clear as far as the eye could see, it rarely changed.
"Young Master, what are you looking at?"
This was a scene that usually wouldn't raise any eyebrows, but today, Afu couldn't help but ask.
"What am I looking at? Yes, I'm looking at something, perhaps it's fate."
Xi Zhicai, who rarely showed signs of being lost in thought, chuckled after a brief moment, retracting his gaze from the sky and looking at Afu, "Is there something wrong?"
He understood Afu very well; in his eyes, Afu was someone who couldn't hide his thoughts, and very few could conceal their thoughts from him.
Ever since Xi Zhicai arrived at Lu HaiKong's stronghold, Lu HaiKong had been frequently visiting him. After numerous visits, Afu also became familiar with Lu HaiKong.
It must be said that the confidence and vitality emanating from Lu HaiKong were quite charming. At the very least, for someone like Lu HaiKong, Afu's initial rejection had transformed into a favorable impression. Moreover, Lu HaiKong often sent various medicinal supplements to Xi Zhicai every few days, a gesture that further increased his favorability.
Therefore, with Lu HaiKong's stronghold now facing such a situation, Afu couldn't help but express his concern, "Young Master, don't you plan to help the Lord of the Stronghold? The imperial court has already dispatched a large army for suppression, and the next round of suppression is imminent. Shouldn't you go and lend him a hand at this time?"
Xi Zhicai seemed to have anticipated this, and instead of answering directly, he took a sip of tea, furrowing his brows slightly.
"No matter how many times I've drunk this tea, it's always so bitter."
Although Xi Zhicai's response was unrelated to Afu's question, after following Xi Zhicai for so long, Afu understood his temperament and patiently waited for Xi Zhicai's next words.
"This tea, I didn't drink it before, not because it's expensive, but because it's bitter. Moreover, I didn't seem to have a reason to drink it. But after coming to the stronghold, I started drinking it because I now have a reason."
Afu was still perplexed, and at this moment, Xi Zhicai seemed to be in a low mood, a situation that was rare before he came to the stronghold. However, for some unknown reason, this situation had become more frequent after his arrival.
Afu could clearly sense that his young master liked this place very much, but he couldn't understand why his young master would feel this way.
"I can't accompany him to the very end, so I can only let him continue on his own."
As Xi Zhicai spoke, he seemed to suddenly realize something, and the desolation on his face dissipated, replaced by a gentle smile, "Rest assured, he'll be fine. This guy always seems to have good luck on his side."
After saying this, Xi Zhicai continued drinking his tea, gazing into the distance with an expression no different from before. However, it made Afu feel a sense of desolation, with a hint of underlying reluctance.
...
Recently, Lu HaiKong had become increasingly busy. Initially, he would visit Xi Zhicai almost every day, but lately, his visits had become less frequent.
There was no choice; news had arrived that Ding Yuan had reached Qiangyin County, and the troops from various counties and prefectures had also been gathered. This great battle was expected to commence soon.
As soon as Ding Yuan's forces reached Qiangyin County, the Flame Camp's soldiers mingled with the county troops and entered Ding Yuan's camp to gather intelligence.
In this regard, Ding Yuan was not particularly vigilant, nor could he be. Ding Yuan focused on one task: training the county troops that had just been handed over to him, and he did so with ruthless intensity.
The members of the Flame Camp, mixed in with the county troops, gained little intelligence, but they did receive a thorough training.
It couldn't be said that there were no results at all; at the very least, they learned that Ding Yuan was indeed skilled in military affairs. In just a few days, he had these county troops looking disciplined and formidable.
Apart from the Flame Camp, the Phantom Guards also began their reconnaissance on Ding Yuan's forces.
Unlike the Flame Camp's circuitous approach, the Phantom Guards infiltrated the enemy camp directly.
Unfortunately for the Phantom Guards, out of the several dozen who went in, only a handful returned, the rest perished. It was fortunate that Ma Pian himself did not enter, for his survival would have been uncertain.
The failure of the Phantom Guards was somewhat expected by Lu HaiKong, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for those dozens of guards, as they had been painstakingly trained.
While Lu HaiKong was probing the enemy, Ding Yuan, amidst his training, also dispatched numerous scouts to gather intelligence on Lu HaiKong's stronghold.
Although Lu HaiKong had already studied the terrain on the map, warfare required consideration of actual conditions. Thus, every day, numerous scouts were deployed around Lu HaiKong's stronghold, with some even venturing into the two mountains outside, seeking alternative attack routes.
In the 1691st chapter, the 1st bar, and the 1st look, there was no mistake in the version!
Lu HaiKong showed no mercy to these scouts, directly dispatching members of the Flame Camp to eliminate any they encountered.
After five days of mutual probing and reconnaissance, Ding Yuan's forces, having trained the fifty thousand county troops to a satisfactory level and prepared their siege engines and siege towers, began their march towards Lu HaiKong's stronghold.
As Ding Yuan made his preparations, Lu HaiKong's side was also nearly ready.
During this period, Lu HaiKong's forces had been steadily reinforced. Aside from the recruitment in the system barracks, the impending battle atmosphere within the stronghold did not cause panic but instead ignited a feverish enthusiasm.
Countless young and strong men stepped forward, requesting Lu HaiKong to recruit them, eager to fight for the stronghold.
In this fervor, Lu HaiKong recruited two thousand more men, but as they lacked training, they were assigned logistical tasks upon recruitment.
There was no other option; although the people's hearts were with him, Lu HaiKong couldn't send them to their deaths.
In addition to the increased troops, various defensive structures were also erected within the stronghold, including the fifteen siege catapults seized from the Zhang Family Legion and the newly crafted Gongsun Crossbows.
Currently, the stronghold boasted twenty siege catapults and fifteen Gongsun Crossbows, significantly enhancing its defenses compared to before.
With both sides fully prepared, the battle finally commenced.
Ding Yuan's forces took position several li outside the stronghold walls, and a cavalry unit led the charge. The leader, holding the Heaven-Splitting Halberd, shouted a challenge beneath the stronghold's walls.
"I am Lu Fongxian of Jiuyuan, who dares to face me in battle?"
(End of Chapter)
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