Chapter 401: Plan to Flood the Entire City

Chen Mo did not expect this nearly forty thousand Yellow Turban Army to be overwhelmingly powerful; as long as they maintain formation during battle, that’s enough.

In such a short time, Chen Mo did not expect to train them to be exceptionally brave, so he only had his men teach them to obey orders without question.

Once they achieved this, if there was still time, he would then teach them how to read command flags and form battle arrays.

Therefore, the training only involved the most basic march movements.

Chen Mo toured the military camp with Jiang Ruoqing and Wu Xin’er.

The identity of Jiang Ruoqing, after days of fighting at the front line, was known by most of the soldiers. They understood she was not a mere vase but an incredibly powerful innate martial artist.

Moreover, she did not shy away from battle due to being a woman, nor was she bashful, therefore earning the admiration of the troops.

In contrast, Wu Xin’er’s arrival led to many soldiers whispering and pointing.

Perhaps they wished to demonstrate something.

With Chen Mo’s consent, Wu Xin’er took up a twenty-stone bow when she saw archery, shooting a bird flying through the sky.

Observing those practicing with spears, she took up a spear, demonstrating ’spear emerges like a dragon,’ shattering a wooden stake set as a target into pieces.

This display led to cheering throughout the camp, and many praised Wu Xin’er as a woman who stands equal to men.

Jiang Ruoqing wished to compete with her, but being a Second Grade martial artist and Wu Xin’er merely a Fourth Grade, and seven or eight years younger, she feared it would be seen as an unfair contest.

So she refrained.

"Have you practiced these, Miss Wu?"

Chen Mo observed Wu Xin’er’s masterful archery and spear skills and realized she had clearly received special training.

After all, high strength doesn’t necessarily guarantee excellent archery or spear techniques.

Although greater strength does confer advantages in these areas.

"I’ve delved into the Six Arts of the Gentleman, achieving modest success in each. However, due to strict family rules since childhood, I couldn’t lead troops into battle like a grand princess." Wu Xin’er responded.

The Six Arts of the Gentleman include rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics.

Among the nobility, it’s particularly popular. Apart from those who only know how to indulge in pleasures, the distinguished often compare themselves through proficiency in the Six Arts.

Wu Xin’er glanced at Jiang Ruoqing: "Surely, Sister Jiang surpasses me in these areas."

"Indeed." Jiang Ruoqing did not feign modesty, raising her head slightly like a proud swan.

Wu Xin’er: "..."

Wu Xin’er was eager to witness the power of the rumored fire bottle bombs in the army, but since they had exhausted both the bombs and high-explosive bombs, she couldn’t fulfill her wish.

Even if they weren’t exhausted, Chen Mo wouldn’t allow the use of a blank bomb for Wu Xin’er to admire its power.

After touring the camps of tens of thousands, it was already midday.

Wu Xin’er didn’t express a desire to continue exploring.

In truth, there was little worth seeing in Qinyang County; since the outbreak of war, the residents had lived in fear, leading to deserted streets even during the day, devoid of busy markets to explore.

Chen Mo was uncertain of Wu Xin’er’s intentions.

Originally, he only made a polite invitation for Wu Xin’er to join him for lunch, without truly meaning it.

Yet Wu Xin’er not only accepted but personally cooked a three-dish, one-soup meal.

During wartime, having three dishes and one soup was already quite satisfactory.

...

Meanwhile, Zhao Jiang also learned that the ambush failed and the ten thousand Yellow Turban Army was completely wiped out.

He understood the defeat occurred because Chen Mo took the tower town’s garrison to meet the reinforcements dispatched by the Imperial Court on the road.

This left Zhao Jiang confused.

The ambush plan to detour to Centipede Ravine was highly secretive; how did Chen Mo find out?

Even if he could read celestial signs, they would only indicate a general trend, how could he be so precise?

Celestial phenomena can also be artificially altered.

The only possible explanation was that Chen Mo had spies within the faction communicating with the Yellow Turban Army.

If there weren’t any spies, such a situation couldn’t occur.

And it couldn’t just be coincidence.

Because the manpower for defending his side’s city was insufficient, properly securing the city to wait for reinforcements would have been the most prudent move.

Yet he didn’t; instead, he secretly went to Tower Town, mobilizing its garrison to greet the reinforcements on the road.

If it were mere coincidence, he wouldn’t have risked mobilizing Tower Town’s garrison.

Moreover, to meet these thirty thousand reinforcements, Chen Mo even abandoned Luan Mountain County and Tower Town, stationing all forces in Qinyang County.

Zhao Jiang took a deep breath, his expression turning somber: "Everyone, now that the court’s reinforcements have arrived, and it’s heard that Chen Mo has also incorporated tens of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers, while our forces have suffered great losses, how should we attack Qinyang County?"

One of the marquises said: "Now that Luan Mountain County and Tower Town are in our hands, our army’s rear and flanks are secure, we can gradually encircle them, and Qinyang County will fall without a fight."

"Easy to say, but by the time we encircle them, Western Shu’s forces returning to aid the court or other reinforcements could arrive, leaving us with no place for burial." Zhao Qi had become fearful of Chen Mo, losing his will to fight.

In the bloody battle a few days prior, Zhao Qi had personally seen Zhao Yu and Zhao He fall before him.

Had he not run faster, he would have died at Chen Mo’s hands that day too.

Zhao Qi couldn’t erase the memory of Chen Mo’s cold gaze looking toward him.

It felt as though that glare alone could kill.

"But if we don’t lay siege, can we launch a full-scale attack? Yesterday, even with that good opportunity, we couldn’t break through, and now with reinforcements arrived on the opposite side, there’s even less of a chance."

As the two were about to argue, Zhao Jiang’s gaze shifted toward the Governor of Tiger Forest.

Previously, the Governor had proposed an excellent strategy of luring the snake out of the hole, yet Chen Mo was unexpectedly bold, daring to leave the city and engage their main forces in battle.

The Governor noticed Zhao Jiang’s gaze, hesitated for a moment, and said, "We could flood Qinyang County."

Qinyang County’s geographical advantage is excellent, surrounded by mountains on two sides, but it has a major river, Yao River, passing through. This river, one of Yao River’s tributaries, has never run dry for thousands of years, and it rained recently.

If we could dam Yao River and divert its waters to Qinyang County, the entire county could be flooded.

Yet as soon as the Governor finished speaking, Zhao Bo jumped out in opposition: "There are over a hundred thousand civilians in Qinyang County; if flooded, these people cannot escape. Such an act is inhumane."

Although this plan received the majority of the marquises’ approval.

Zhao Jiang hesitated.

After all, his ambition is to become the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, and the residents of Qinyang County would be his future subjects.

Moreover, his identity was that of an Imperial Prince.

If Qinyang County were flooded, news would spread, and he would be condemned by the world.