Chapter 19 - Going to Battle
Gu Hai was not just playing Weiqi with Elder Wuya, Gu Hai was also listening to the approximate situation of the Chen Kingdom at the same time.
If one had to say, the Chen Kingdom was truly in a precarious situation. One could even say that it was on the verge of being destroyed.
The place where the Chen Kingdom was located was known as the Nine-Five Island. Apart from the aloof and remote Immortal Sects there were also a lot of Mortal Kingdoms. Whereas, there were seven other mortal kingdoms in the vicinity of Chen Kingdom.
Additionally, it was indeed true that King of Chen Kingdom was critically ill. And according to Elder Wuya, the days of Chen’s King were numbered just like Elder Wuya.
Moreover, Chen Kingdom’s national strength was not formidable. It was the weakest existence in the eight kingdoms. Now, facing one misfortune after another would naturally invite the prying eyes of the other seven kingdoms. How could the surrounding seven kingdoms give up this fat piece of meat. The only way to make their own kingdom stronger and flourishing was to plunder the lands and natural resources of others; this was the way way of the Kings.
However, amongst the seven kingdoms, the Yan Kingdom is the closest to Chen Kingdom, and if the other six kingdoms wanted to dispatch their troops, they would be pa.s.s through Yan Kingdom, which was absolutely impossible. Therefore, only the Yan Kingdom had dispatched troops to cut down Chen while the other six kingdoms could only wait and watch.
Obviously, whether the Great Yan Kingdom had signed any pact with the other six kingdoms was something that Elder Wuya didn’t know about!
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High Pa.s.s, Perfect Mountain Pa.s.s, Jade Beauty Pa.s.s, these three pa.s.ses were called the three big gateways to the Chen Kingdom. Once these three pa.s.ses fall into the hands of the enemy, the Chen Kingdom would be like a meat put on a chopping block, who would have no choice but to allow its invaders a free reign.
High Pa.s.s was the first protective barrier of the Chen Kingdom which was being guarded by 100,000 soldiers.
But now, the Yan Kingdom’s 300,000 strong army had already arrived at High pa.s.s. The High Pa.s.s could fall into the enemy’s hands at any moment. The Chen Kingdom was on the verge of destruction, and Chen’s Crown Prince, Chen Taiji wanted to ask Elder Wuya to go the battle together. However, as Elder Wuya’s days were already numbered, he was not fit for battle. Now he could only pin his hopes on this Gu Hai!
However, in actuality, how could Chen Taiji easily accept a stranger of unknown origin. The first thing that he did after returning to the palace was not to seek an audience with Chen King, but rather mobilized the strength in his hands to investigate this Gu Hai whose origin was unknown.
However, even though Chen Taiji had a country’s strength at his disposal, he still lacked time. The Yan Kingdom’s army had already reached the city and he, Chen Taiji, had to go to battle the next day.
Therefore, in this short amount of time, Chen Taiji could only obtain the report on Gu Hai’s series of actions and conduct in Antiquity Town!
Chen Taiji carefully perused these materials and despite the lack of too much information about Gu Hai, Chen Taiji could see that this Gu Hai was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with wisdom!
He was not only a genius merchant, but from this auction, Chen Taiji could see the unparalleled resourcefulness of Gu Hai as well as his formidable strategic ability. If this person went to the battlefield, he would surely be the best military advisor. Chen Taiji suddenly felt a bit of confidence that Gu Hai was capable of saving Chen Kingdom from this crisis.
As for Gu Hai’s origin, with the kingdom in danger, Chen Taiji couldn’t think too much!
Therefore, he immediately wrote the imperial edict.
The Chen Kingdom had already arrived at the point of destruction. And with the Old Chen King being terminally ill, therefore the actual authority lied in the hands of Chen’s Crown Prince, Chen Taiji, despite the Old King Chen being the ruler of the Chen Kingdom. Even the symbol of the King—the Imperial Jade Seal of the Kingdom had been pa.s.sed into Chen Taiji’s hands.
The so-called recommending to Father Emperor was only an excuse. Chen Taiji had great authority, and making Gu Hai an official was actually a very simple matter, however, in order to keep the mouths shut of several state and military officers, he had to sketch such a stance.
Very quickly, the Imperial edict arrived at the Weiqi Celestial Hall, ordering Gu Hai and Crown Prince Chen Taiji to promptly go to battle as Military Advisor and Supreme Commander of the army respectively.
Very quickly, the 100,000 strong Chen Kingdom’s army arrived at High Pa.s.s, but at least 30,000 of it comprised of old and injured soldiers. Chen Kingdom’s national strength was inferior from the very beginning after all. These 100,000 soldiers were still gathered immediately from all corners.
Atop the High Pa.s.s...
Up on the city wall, Gu Hai and Chen Taiji, surrounded by countless armored soldiers who stood in deep veneration, stood as they guard against all possibilities of attacks from all direction. After all, ten or so li away from them, the Yan Kingdom’s army of 300,000 soldiers was camped.
Chen Taiji felt somewhat dismal as he looked at the area covered in military tents of Yan Kingdom. Even though he had no idea how strong the Yan Kingdom was as compared to Chen Kingdom, the 300,000 soldiers stationed before him were absolutely the best of the best, when compared to the 200,000 soldiers garrisoned in the High Pa.s.s, were absolutely many, many times stronger.
It was not that Chen Kingdom could not call 300,000 strong army of elites, but Chen Kingdom also had Perfect Mountain Pa.s.s and Jade Beauty Pa.s.s to take care of. Although Yan Kingdom was only outside the High Pa.s.s, the Chen Kingdom definitely couldn’t abandon these two checkpoints. Therefore, a part of the Chen Kingdom’s military forces was stationed in these two pa.s.ses!
If it were not for the Tong Pa.s.s relying on its dangerous terrain, the Yan Kingdom’s 300,000 Tiger Wolf Elites would have already thrust their arms into Chen Kingdom’s belly!
“Mister Gu, do you have some good plan to force back this 300,000 strong army?” Chen Taiji turned to Gu Hai and asked sincerely.
Gu Hai let out a faint smile, “Right now we are outnumbered by our enemies, if the enemy attacks and we defend, the main importance should be laid on hara.s.sing. I suggest we use Sparrow Warfare and Tunnel Warfare!”
“Sparrow Warfare? Tunnel Warfare? Mister Gu, can you please explain it clearly!” Chen Taiji was rendered somewhat blank by Gu Hai’s words.
“When a sparrow goes out to forage for food, it never forms a large group, mostly in the group of ones-twos, three-fives, ten or so. There movements are arbitrary, they will move left and right, up and down, gather and disperse as they wish. With their small objective and quick flying, their movements remains nimble. The military strategy of guerrilla warfare which imitate the way how the sparrows look for food is known as Sparrow Warfare...waiting until the Yan Kingdom’s Army is tired and wearied out, at that time we can just strike to kill……” Gu Hai explained to Chen Taiji in low voice, moreover, he also similarly explained the arrangement and manner of deployment!
The more Chen Taiji listened, the more his eyes shined with a bright light. Even though he had never heard of the tactics of Sparrow Warfare or Tunnel Warfare, in his imagination Gu Hai’s plan should definitely work. Moreover, they should be able to achieve great results.
“Good, Mister Gu is truly amazing. I will fully cooperate with Mister Gu. From today, Mister Gu’s order is equal to my order!” Chen Taiji said solemnly. These words were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with utmost trust in Gu Hai.
Gu Hai slightly nodded, “Since Crown Prince is attaching great importance to this humble self, this Gu would surely make an all-out effort to solve the current crisis before the Chen Kingdom!”
“Good, Haha!” Chen Taiji for the first time let out an excited smile, “Mister Gu, I will now announce the military order to the army now!”
Chen Taiji turned around to walk towards the center of High Pa.s.s!
Standing atop the city wall, Gu Hai looked at the 300,000 strong army in the distance. Looking into the distance, his heart fell into contemplation.
The reason that he chose Tunnel Warfare and Sparrow Warfare was not as simple as solving the crisis of encirclement of High Pa.s.s. These two tactics were just the start…..