This rain continued for three days straight.
The siege also stalled for three days.
The Great Qi army was all resting and reorganizing in their main camp.
In the commander's main tent, there had been so wavering about this battle for Shuofeng.
"Logically speaking, we've already lost nearly twenty thousand to malaria, though mainly civilian laborers, but shouldn't Shuofeng City have lost quite a few as well?" one general raised his doubts. "How co it feels like their resistance hasn't weakened from before?"
"They must have lost quite a few, it's just unclear how many can still fight." soone echoed.
"So farrs said that all the nearby dicinal herbs were completely harvested by the Yu army. Did Wei Wusheng anticipate there would be malaria from the start?"
"In midsumr, and during a siege at that, the most common thing is malaria." Chen Xing explained. "It's not so much anticipating it, but rather being extrely well-prepared. This kind of behavior is like sothing that Song Shi'an would do."
"General Mi and Xiao Qun have had several skirmishes, both sides losing several hundred n each, but they've never really engaged in full battle." soone suggested. "Your Majesty, what if we attack Xiao Qun first? We could still follow the Wuwei pattern—surround Shuofeng but don't attack."
Everyone looked toward the emperor, who sat with his hands crossed and clasped, supporting his chin, head lowered in contemplation.
After a long while, he raised his head and reminded them: "The moisture in the wind is getting colder."
These words made the atmosphere in the tent grow even colder.
The northernmost cities of Qi, near the Xiongnu territory, might see snow in half a month.
And this Shuofeng would enter winter in just over two months at most.
Right now, Shuo Commandery on the other side of the Chishui River had been almost completely stripped bare.
They were basically entirely dependent on supplies coming all the way from Qi.
Although Shuo Commandery produced half of all of Liang Prefecture's grain, this was an army of over a hundred thousand—if half a commandery could supply them, war would be too easy.
Once the snow fell, the difficulty of supplying them would increase more than fivefold. Originally, transport ant about half the supplies arrived; now it would be one in ten at best.
And fighting all the way into winter also ant that Ji Yuan had been fighting in Northern Liang for a full year.
The nation's strength had already been stretched to its limit.
So this wasn't like the situation at Wuwei.
Now there were only two choices: attack or retreat.
And within "attack," there were also only two choices.
Give up on Shuofeng and attack Xiao Qun and the two affiliated provincial armies.
Or continue dividing off small forces to tie them down while focusing wholeheartedly on Shuofeng.
They no longer had the capital to be half-hearted.
What Ji Yuan was struggling with was one question:
Would it be worth it to suffer heavy losses taking the entire Northern Liang valley, then accumulate strength for another three years?
But this question actually didn't require much struggle for him.
When would have been most profitable?
Taking Wuwei, then withdrawing troops, then stationing troops and farming on the northern bank of the river, waiting for circumstances to change—like Wei Ye dying, for instance—then finding another opportunity to take the other half of Shuo Commandery.
But now, he had raised the stakes again and again until there was no turning back.
The worst outco would be giving up halfway.
"Attack again after the weather clears." Ji Yuan finally decided. "Send an envoy over to probe the situation."
————
The Qi army rested, and the Yu army also gained precious rest ti.
In the military camp, in the cramped, dim adjutant's hall, Wei Wusheng sat in his seat with Xinyue standing guard beside him, while his subordinate main generals and civil officials all sat on the ground.
Ran Jin, Zhu Qing, Qin Kuo, Wang Dalong, Zheng Tong—three main battalion generals, one vanguard fierce warrior, and one chief clerk in charge of military administration.
Just then, Song Shi'an walked in.
And then, he casually took the half-piece of bing cake from Qin Kuo's hand as he sat on the ground and started eating it.
"You fucking—if you want to eat, go get one from the ss yourself!" Qin Kuo kicked at him.
Song Shi'an just lay down on the ground next to Qin Kuo like a dead dog and gnawed on the cake.
Everyone looked at his exhausted state with gratitude.
As generals, they rarely had opportunities to fight such a comfortable battle.
Rarely could they put their full attention on killing the enemy without worrying about anything else.
Even Ran Jin, who held the highest rank here as Marquis of Chenxiang, had developed considerable respect for Song Shi'an.
If they could win this battle, he would absolutely be the first rit—no question about it.
Well-deserved.
"Gentlen, what do you think?" Zheng Tong opened the discussion. "After this rain, will Ji Yuan just take the opportunity to withdraw his troops?"
This sparked everyone's interest.
"Logically speaking, with Tongn Pass and Wuwei, he's already gained enough. He could stop here." Zhu Qing said.
"Right, the Great Yu's barrier is now just a river. Even if he goes back now, he's accomplished an extraordinary feat." Ran Jin analyzed from a strategic perspective. "For him, whether he waits for circumstances to change or rests and recuperates to return with full force, both are viable options."
"After all, Ji Yuan is in his pri."
The Sixth Prince nodded.
"Then there's at least a fifty percent chance he'll withdraw."
Qin Kuo also supported the view that this battle might already be over.
Then everyone looked toward Song Shi'an.
Expecting his thoughts.
Until he spoke: "The chance of withdrawal is zero percent."
"Tch." Qin Kuo clicked his tongue and jabbed at him, protesting his precise demolition.
"Why?" Ran Jin asked Song Shi'an with courtesy and respect.
"Because," Song Shi'an looked at the rafters and murmured, "he is Ji Yuan."
Song Shi'an wasn't praising him.
Although he was indeed an extrely tricky opponent, that didn't an he was invincible.
In Song Shi'an's view, the Great Yu's Emperor Wei Ye and the Great Qi's Emperor Ji Yuan were the sa type of personality.
Absolutely not diocre or weak.
Right now, both of them had been driven by the sa person to keep raising stakes until they were sick of it.
The stock's smile curve hasn't appeared yet—who's going to sell first?
Ji Yuan: I didn't sell after two limit-ups, and now you want to liquidate?
"Hmph, like you understand Ji Yuan so well." Qin Kuo still held a grudge about Song Shi'an having several hundred people cut themselves with knives earlier, so he habitually jabbed back.
"I understand Ji Yuan like a farr uncle understands rice."
The bickering between the two made Wei Wusheng and the others couldn't help but laugh.
So idle chatter in the military camp was the only comfort in this desperate existence.
"So you understand him that well? Tell us, what will he do now if he's not attacking the city?" Qin Kuo asked.
"How the hell would I know what he'll do? I'm not a tapeworm in his stomach."
After Song Shi'an's complaint, he continued muttering to himself: "But idle is idle anyway. If I were him, since there's nothing to do, I'd just send soone to try to get them to surrender..."
Before Song Shi'an's words had fallen, suddenly a soldier entered the tent to report: "Your Highness! Ji Yuan has sent an envoy holding a ceremonial tally at the city gate requesting an audience!"
"!"
Hearing this, everyone including Xinyue stared wide-eyed at Song Shi'an like he was so kind of monster.
His eyes lit up too, though he didn't care at all about having guessed Ji Yuan's behavior. He looked toward Wei Wusheng, struck by a sudden inspiration: "Your Highness, idle is idle anyway—shall we commit so mischief?"
Everyone looked confused.
————
With his eyes covered, the Qi envoy was brought into Wei Wusheng's main tent. Then the black cloth was removed. However, guards with halberds flanked him on both sides, strictly controlling his position and line of sight, not allowing him to look around.
Of course, just because he couldn't see didn't an he couldn't gather intelligence.
Slls, sounds—all could reveal important information.
The sll of blood was faint, with no particularly obvious stench, indicating that the city's logistics hadn't collapsed. Beyond defending the city, they still had energy to deal with miscellaneous matters.
The sounds along the way could also reflect population density.
Summing it all up, he reached an unfavorable conclusion—Shuofeng seed like it could still hold out for quite a while.
"What does your emperor want to say by sending you here?" Wei Wusheng asked casually.
"His Majesty sent to offer surrender terms." the envoy answered.
These words made the guards in the tent show fierce expressions, glaring at him.
"Offer surrender?"
Wei Wusheng remained relaxed, pointing at himself and asking in confusion: "Before you ca, did you not inquire who my father is?"
"The Emperor of Yu."
"Then in this world, how could there be a prince who surrenders!"
Wei Wusheng asked angrily.
"Then besides war, we can also negotiate peace."
The envoy said with a smile, not wanting to offend.
"What are the terms for peace negotiations?" Wei Wusheng asked.
"My emperor is willing to have the entire army retreat ten li, allowing General Wei to lead the troops and civilians out of the city and vacate Shuofeng." the envoy said. "But the general must first sign a peace agreent."
"Is this peace negotiation? Then wouldn't I lose all of Shuo Commandery?"
"But the great army would be preserved."
The envoy still carried an air of confidence.
"Then please go back. This prince does not accept such peace negotiations." Wei Wusheng dismissively waved his hand.
"General Wei, you could also state your requirents." the envoy said humbly. "Negotiations can always be negotiated."
"Then my peace negotiation terms are this: the northern bank of the Chishui River belongs to your emperor, you withdraw your troops, and this prince guarantees not to pursue you out of the city." Wei Wusheng said.
"But the north already belongs to us..."
"That is Great Yu's land. Now I guarantee not to raid it—isn't that peace negotiation?"
Wei Wusheng's naive words almost made the envoy want to laugh.
Just as he prepared to respond, a voice suddenly ca from outside the tent: "Your Highness, Northern Yan..."
Before the words finished, Wei Wusheng rebuked: "I'm in negotiations with the Qi envoy, don't you know that!"
"...Yes!"
The soldier quickly withdrew.
The envoy's heart tightened. But he exerted all his strength to appear normal, afraid of showing any inappropriate reaction that might invite fatal disaster.
"Is there a compromise thod your emperor has?" Wei Wusheng asked.
Forcibly calming himself, he responded smoothly: "If the general has one, my emperor has three other proposals as well."
Their conversation continued.
This professional envoy lived up to his mission, using his senses to gather information about conditions in the city. After exchanging a bunch of aningless nonsense with Wei Wusheng, he returned alive to the Qi army's main tent and quickly reported everything about the intruding 'Northern Yan' envoy to Ji Yuan.
"Could that Kang Xun from Liaodong be planning to attack us?"
"The pri minister just sent him gold and silver, and he promised not to interfere militarily."
"But this bandit Kang is two-faced to begin with, and he also pledged allegiance to false Yu. Seeing our army growing increasingly powerful, he must be getting anxious."
"If he dares to attack at this ti, next year we'll definitely flatten his Xiangcheng!"
"But if he cos to cause trouble now and blocks the vital passage from Tongn Pass to Qi, we might be trapped in this Northern Liang valley..."
"It's fake."
Just as the generals were seriously analyzing, Ji Yuan's simple two words exposed Wei Wusheng's bluff.
It wasn't that Northern Yan envoys couldn't enter the city.
During the heavy rain, the Qi army all returned to camp.
Northern Yan had so spies and scouts here, disguised as farrs, secretly requesting entry at night—that was possible.
Entering the city was possible, but truly entering was absolutely impossible.
ntioning this person, Ji Yuan showed contempt: "Kang Xun—does he dare?"
Indeed, he didn't dare.
Even though he had pledged allegiance to Yu, in his dealings with Qi, he always very cordially addressed Ji Yuan as "Your Majesty's health and well-being."
Among the four nations under heaven, Qi and Yu were the legitimate states.
Nan Yue was playing tribal conflicts—their so-called emperor was just a big chieftain.
As for Northern Yan, it was bitter and cold, with all its people as soldiers. Plus, the terrain was excellent, with the Great Wall as a barrier—no one wanted to attack them.
On the contrary, Northern Yan had been slacking off regarding Great Yu these past years, but feared Ji Yuan even more.
"Indeed, his fear of Your Majesty runs quite deep."
Everyone nodded, agreeing that Kang Xun wouldn't dare.
But Ji Yuan didn't feel at ease at all just because this matter was logically impossible and the so-called Northern Yan envoy was definitely fake.
Why?
Even though common sense dictated it must be fake.
But what if it were real?
That would be extrely dangerous.
In the end, Ji Yuan frowned and said: "The great army continues to rest and reorganize. Send an eight hundred li ergency dispatch back to Qi to confirm Kang Xun's border troop deploynts."
And so, the weather cleared.
After that, three more days passed.
The scouting cavalry returned, bringing confird news: "Your Majesty, the Northern Yan army shows no movent at all. They're all stationed at their respective passes."
————
Three days of heavy rain, three days of clear weather.
Shuofeng hadn't seen action for a rare stretch.
However, they still hadn't had ti to repair the outer fortifications, because after the weather cleared, troops surrounded without attacking.
Rest—both sides rested.
But how did this benefit Shuofeng?
They'd dragged it out another six days.
"Never thought your sche could actually bluff Ji Yuan, making him stop attacking for a full three days."
Wei Wusheng was extrely satisfied with Song Shi'an's "mischief."
"He definitely wasn't bluffed. With Ji Yuan's intelligence, he absolutely doesn't believe it." Song Shi'an explained. "But there's no helping it—if Northern Yan gets involved at this ti, it would give him an enormous headache. Even soone as decisive as him had no choice but to send people back to verify."
Wei Wusheng asked curiously: "After verification, what then?"
"Then it's simple."
Song Shi'an showed a cheerful smile: "We're going to suffer like hell."
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