To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

Chapter 827: Chapter 355: The Changing Nature of Offense and Defense_2

The Ning Army’s camp, although not as fortified as Jiangxia City, was still constructed according to formal military manuals. It featured all types of defensive installations such as traps, barricades, deer antlers, arrow towers, and strong perimeters, none of which were in short supply.

Moreover, the camp was equipped with a large number of formidable war machines including catapults, ballistas, and well fences.

Given these defenses, if the Chu Army wanted to break through the twenty-plus miles of connected camps, it would definitely be a massive project and undoubtedly a blood-soaked meat grinder that would strike fear in anyone’s heart.

If they truly had to fight their way through each camp, even with Lu Yuan and the Spiritual Woman joining the fray, without several months of effort and the deaths of hundreds of thousands, they would definitely not be able to take down the Ning Army Camp.

And what’s more despairing is,

that the Ning Army outside the city is only a part of their forces.

Apart from the troops in Jiangxia City and those in Changsha City, Ning Country had about another hundred thousand troops in Yuzhang Prefecture alone that had yet to mobilize.

These hundred thousand troops were stationed in the Pengli main camp and could be called upon at any moment to support any front as needed.

If these hundred thousand troops were to be deployed to the Jiangxia battlefield and decided to stubbornly defend the main camp, I fear that no matter how many troops Lu Yuan had in Jiangxia, they would all perish without ever breaking through the Ning Army’s camp.

‘In a couple of days, once the Ning Army withdraws and stops their assault on the city, I could perhaps send someone to provoke a battle. Regardless of the outcome, there’s no harm in trying; maybe Shen Qiu will really be foolish enough to desire a decisive battle with me?’

Lu Yuan made up his mind.

First, he’d try to deal with the main force of the Ning Army currently before him, to see if he could resolve the matter once and for all. If Shen Qiu didn’t take the bait, he could deal with the other battlefields later.

In Changsha City there’s Sun Siwen.

Although Brother Sun, being of scholarly background, was not particularly adept at combat, he was still an Inborn, and with the city’s defenses, he should have no problems holding off Xiang Duan.

As for the other two prefectures, Luyang and Hengyang, there’s no need to worry too much about the remaining hundred thousand troops of Ning Country in Yuzhang Prefecture and the two concealed Inborn attacking them.

In these two prefectures, after all, there are nearly a hundred thousand troops stationed. If they opt not to launch any reckless offensives and simply focus on guarding the city,

Then even if an Inborn Grandmaster leads the attack, they cannot expect to breach the city in such a hurry.

The fact that Changsha City survived under Xiang Duan’s hands before is the best proof of this.

When these two prefectures are under attack by Ning Country, Lu Yuan can dispatch an Inborn Grandmaster for support, and it won’t result in any problems.

Moreover, it is now the eleventh month, and under the influence of the cold wave from the north, the snowfall has become much heavier.

Even here in Jiangxia City, the snow on the ground has already piled above the ankles and is quickly thickening.

In the south, while Luyang and Hengyang are slightly better off, it’s probably also covered in deep snow.

After some time, it will practically be impassable with snow, and everything will be blanketed in white.

Faced with such natural phenomena, man’s strength is simply unable to defy it.

If you wish to send troops in this snow, the Ning Army better be prepared to lose more than half of their numbers along the way.

And even if they do lose more than half, by the time they arrive at the city, what they will face is an army that has benefited from city defenses, ample supplies to keep out the cold, and soldiers who have been conserving their strength and vigour.

With all these advantages on my side, I can’t see how the Ning Army could possibly break through the city.

Therefore, apart from the ongoing battle in Changsha Prefecture, it’s unlikely that Ning Army will invade the other two prefectures, Luyang and Hengyang, this winter.

The remaining hundred thousand Ning Army troops will probably spend this winter hunkered down in the Pengli main camp, unlikely to brave the snow to reinforce other battlefields.

The current situation on the Dongting battlefield is likely to continue in its stalemate and then it becomes a matter of who loses patience first and commits an error.

Having analyzed the situation so far, Lu Yuan felt some assurance and was no longer overly worried.

Then, he looked at the various generals in the camp and after giving them a few orders, he sent them off to attend to their duties.

Even though there are only a few days left, the Ning People’s final frenzy could not be taken lightly.

If we’re not careful, we might find a hole in our defenses, allowing the Ning People a chance to break through, which would be ludicrous.

Lu Yuan didn’t want to turn what was almost a sure thing into a farce due to carelessness.

The necessary caution is still needed.

…

After making his decision, Lu Yuan began to arrange his plans accordingly.

And just as predicted, the Ning Army outside the city launched fierce attacks for another three days before leaving behind more than seven thousand corpses and sheepishly choosing to retreat and cease hostilities.

For the following two days, the Ning Army stayed huddled in their camp, shutting their doors and venturing out no longer.

Even the routine skirmishes between the two armies’ cavalry had decreased in frequency and scale with the Ning Army’s retreat.

Seeing this situation, everyone knew that the Ning People simply couldn’t sustain the losses and had become intimidated.

The soldiers in the city were immediately elated, congratulating themselves on having survived a disaster and finally being able to catch their breath.

But in contrast to the joyful soldiers below, Lu Yuan chose this happy moment to issue an order to go into battle.

First, he sent out a large number of cavalry units, dividing them into dozens of teams to boldly venture near and even behind the Ning camps to scout for information and actively hunt and kill Ning soldiers venturing out, attempting to lure the Ning troops from their camp.

However, in the face of Chu State’s provocations, the Ning Army only sent out cavalry to chase them away in the beginning.

But after being outmatched and outnumbered by Chu’s better-skilled cavalry tribesmen, they miserably left behind a thousand corpses and again retreated back into their camp, no longer venturing out.

Seeing this, Lu Yuan dispatched ten thousand infantry to leave the city, actively challenging Ning Country to field battle.@@novelbin@@