I am a commoner, but I will lead the empress to unify the world

"Bullshit, you just don't want to support. You said support in the early morning, but that's just your words. Do you have any evidence?

We didn't support you because we were blocked, and you watched our army get defeated without supporting us. Isn't that the truth?"

"Bullshit! You're so weak and yet you have the nerve to blame others. No army in the world can be defeated in just one hour. Even if it's 400,000 pigs, they can hold out for an hour, right?

I knew your Chu army was weak, but I didn't expect you to be so weak!"

Seeing that the quarrel between the generals of the Qian army and the generals of the Chu army was getting more and more intense and was about to start a fight, Gongyang Ge and Xiang Qu shouted together,

"shut up!"

Everyone then sat down indignantly.

Xiang Qu knew that they had no food or supplies, and had suffered heavy losses. They didn't know how many people had escaped. They could only rely on the Qian army, and they must not offend the Qian army.

He was the first to give in.

"General Gongyang, the entire responsibility for the failure of this battle lies with me. It was my failure to defend properly that led to the swift defeat by the Yan army.

I will report the outcome of this battle truthfully to my emperor and allow him to be punished accordingly.

For the next battle, I and the Chu army will have to rely entirely on the brothers of the Qian army. General Gongyang, rest assured, this time, I will fight the way you tell me to, without hesitation!

Gong Yang Ge saw that Xiang Qu had surrendered, and knew that it was pointless to continue fighting with them, and that it would only lead to greater division, so he took the opportunity to back down.

"I, the coach, also bear some responsibility. Our two failures, in the final analysis, are all due to our own ulterior motives and lack of unity.

After these two failures, I believe both your army and mine have realized that if we unite, we will both gain, but if we separate, we will both lose. Only by uniting as one can we survive the attack of the Yan army.

However, there is one thing I, Gong Yang Ge, can swear to heaven: this time my Qian army did not deliberately watch you die without helping.

During the day, I gave the order to let the Qian army prepare to support the Chu army at the hour of Yin in the early morning. I took advantage of the Yan army's exhaustion to launch a surprise attack and defeat the enemy.

It’s just that I didn’t expect it, alas…”

"I absolutely believe in Marshal Gong Yang. The Qian army brothers are definitely not the kind of people who would stand by and watch someone die without helping."

Xiang Qu immediately expressed his opinion, which made Gong Yang Ge feel much more comfortable.

"Alright, General Xiang, let's stop talking about this. The most urgent matter is how to fight.

I have already sent five thousand men south to build a pontoon bridge on the banks of the Han River.

This place is sixty miles away from the Han River. Tomorrow morning, our army will march south quickly, quickly deploy defenses and set up camp beside the Han River.

Then we fought a desperate battle with the Yan army to buy time to build a pontoon bridge.

Our army then retreated, crossed the Han River, destroyed the pontoon bridge, and moved into the city of Xiangyang on the south side of the Han River.

Yuliangzhou on the Han River is too far away, making it inconvenient for us to cross the river.

General Xiang may still remember that when our army crossed the river, in order to make it easier for the people to cross the river by boat, we only retained the bridge from the south bank to Taohua Island and demolished the bridge from Taohua Island to the north bank.

Now, our army only needs to build the bridge between Peach Blossom Island and the north bank. Our army can quickly move south to Peach Blossom Island, then dismantle the pontoon bridge, quickly cross the river from Peach Blossom Island, and then head east into Xiangyang City.

Then, our army can deploy defenses along the shore to prevent the Yan army from crossing the river."

Hearing this, Xiang Qu nodded and said,

"That's the only way. However, the width and flow rate of the Han River cannot compare to the Luo River. Even large ships cannot enter. Our Yangtze River Navy's warships cannot support us through the Han River.

Back then, the Yan army was able to cross the Luo River and launch a surprise attack on Luoyang. Now they are crossing the even narrower Han River. I’m worried that I won’t be able to stop them.”

"There's nothing we can do. We'll stop them if we can, and we'll stop them if we can't. Unless General Xiang is determined to retreat all the way to Jingzhou, cross the Yangtze River, and use the Yangtze River navy and the natural barriers as a barrier to resist the Yan army."

Xiang Qu found it hard to accept the thought that he would have to lead his army across the Yangtze River again and lose all the northern territory of Chu to the Yan people, but he had no choice.

"Well, I'll follow the Marshal's instructions.

Tomorrow morning, our army will set out, break camp, and head south to the Han River."

Xiang Qu sighed heavily.

However, Gong Yangge shook his head and said,

"Our army must march south in battle formation, with the baggage and food supplies guarding the center. Soldiers must wear armor and hold weapons, and then march south at full speed."

Xiang Qu was surprised.

"The Israeli army marches south? Can the soldiers handle this?"

Gong Yangge glanced at him coldly and said,

"Have you, General Xiang, forgotten the pain of being hunted by the Zhennan Army so quickly? The Yan Army's infantry can't catch up to us, but the Zhennan Army is purely cavalry.

If we advance in a marching formation, the Zhennan Army can easily cut through our army, cutting it off from both ends. This will cause chaos, forcing our army to flee immediately. By then, let alone a decisive battle, we won't be able to fight anymore because we'll be left with no food or supplies. How can we even fight?

"Okay, then we'll march in formation."

Xiang Qu also knew that there was no other way and he had to do this.

It would not be a good idea to leave troops behind to cover the rear. If too few troops were left, they would be attacked by the Zhennan Army in one wave. If too many troops were left, there would be fewer people on the main force, and the Zhennan Army could completely bypass the rearguard troops and attack the main force.

Thinking of this, Xiang Qu couldn't help but sigh,

"The key to the Yan army's invincibility is artillery and the Southern Guards.

These 100,000 cavalrymen could sweep across all the field armies in the world, yet we have no way to stop them."

"Otherwise, why do we say cavalry is important?"

Gong Yang Ge also said,

"Unfortunately, we in the South have few horses. Without horses, we have no cavalry. We are subject to control in every way and are helpless in the face of enemy cavalry.

Maintaining cavalry is also very expensive. Even with the great national strength of Yan State, almost all of which was invested in the war, they could only afford to maintain 100,000 cavalry. They would not be able to support more."

"Alright, everyone go get some rest. Tomorrow morning, our army will retreat south."

"As ordered!"

……

Yecheng.

The Yan army occupied Yecheng and the two large camps on both sides.

This place was originally where the 800,000-strong Qian-Chu coalition army lived. There was more than enough space, and the supplies from the rear camp were all transported here. After the army set up camp, they cooked and rested.

Inside the City Lord's Mansion, the commanders of the Yan Army were reporting on the battle situation at this point.

The Flying Eagle Army and the Peaceful Southern Army in the east killed and wounded more than 35,000 enemy troops, and suffered more than 10,000 casualties of their own.

The Shenfeng Army and the Zhengnan Army in the west killed and wounded more than 90,000 enemy troops, and suffered more than 30,000 casualties of their own. They fought so fiercely.

Then came the Tianyu Army in the middle, which killed and wounded more than 30,000 enemy soldiers and captured more than 10,000.

After the other Chu troops escaped, many of them were killed by the Zhennan Army. It is impossible to count the exact number of people killed, but it is estimated to be tens of thousands.

In other words, of the 350,000 Chu troops, only 150,000 escaped to the Qian army camp, and the remaining 200,000 were either killed or captured.

The Yan army won a great victory this time.