The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Chapter 293 Wang Li Heads North

After Wang Li returned to Puyang City, he was planning the next battle plan.

He frowned, stared at the map, and gestured on it with his fingers from time to time.

At this moment, the spy hurriedly reported, his voice filled with urgency: "Report, Your Majesty, Li Liang of Zhao has surrendered and has sent a special messenger."

Wang Li was surprised when he heard this, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, "Oh?"

Then, Wang Li waved his hand and said, "Bring it up."

Soon, the messenger was brought to the front of the hall. He lowered his head, walked hurriedly, and looked a little nervous.

After entering the hall, he knelt on both knees, saluted respectfully, and then said, "Sir, my general Li Liang was once highly valued by the King of Zhao, but was framed by treacherous men and now has no place to stay in Zhao. I have long heard of your great name and have come to you to seek refuge. I am willing to serve you wholeheartedly."

Wang Li listened quietly to the messenger's words. After a moment's silence, he slowly said, "Since your general has such a heart, why doesn't he come here in person?"

The messenger raised his head and replied hurriedly, "My general is afraid that something might happen on the way and that the king will become suspicious, so he sent me here to express his intentions. The general will follow shortly."

Wang Li nodded slightly, his eyes sweeping over the messenger before he said, "In that case, go back and tell your general that I welcome him. However, if he has second thoughts, don't blame me for being ruthless."

The messenger repeatedly said yes, then stood up and walked backward out of the hall. His steps were a little unsteady, as if he was still immersed in the tense atmosphere.

Wang Li watched the messenger depart, pondering inwardly. He knew that Li Liang was a formidable general in the Zhao army, and if he could employ him, he would be a great help. But he also knew that human nature was unpredictable, and he must be cautious.

After the messenger left, Wang Li summoned his advisors to discuss the matter.

The counselor said, "Your Majesty, we must be cautious in this matter. We can send someone to secretly observe Li Liang's whereabouts and actions to prevent any accidents."

Wang Li agreed with this and immediately arranged for people to closely monitor the movements in the direction of Zhao State. At the same time, he also began to prepare to welcome Li Liang.

The next day, Li Liang led his 20,000 troops to Puyang.

After entering the city, Wang Li held a grand banquet to welcome Li Liang.

After three rounds of drinks, Li Liang suddenly stood up and drew his sword, shocking everyone.

Li Liang then offered the sword with both hands and said, "This sword has accompanied me in battle for many years. Today I present it to you, my Lord, as a token of my loyalty."

Wang Li took the sword and laughed, saying, "General, you are a man of true character."

Then Wang Li asked, "General Li Liang, what is the current situation in Zhao?"

Li Liang quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I would like to inform you that Zhang Er and Chen Yu have established Zhao Xie as King of Zhao. Zhang Er has also appointed himself Prime Minister and Chen Yu as Generalissimo, with Xindu as their capital. Meanwhile, in the Dai and Hengshan Commanderies, a rising army has been invading Zhao from the south."

Wang Li said in a deep voice, "Zhao is facing internal and external troubles! It seems this is our chance to march north and pacify Zhao!"

At this time, Li Liang said, "Your Majesty, although I have just arrived, I am quite familiar with Zhao. I am willing to serve as the vanguard and clear the way for you."

Wang Li was delighted after hearing this, "General Li Liang is truly a loyal and righteous man."

He stood up, walked over to Li Liang, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "With the general's help, why worry about the injustice of Zhao?"

A few days later, Wang Li sat upright in the tent, with the generals standing on both sides.

The atmosphere in the tent was solemn, and everyone had serious expressions, waiting for Wang Li's instructions.

One general was the first to speak up, expressing his concerns: "Your Majesty, isn't it too hasty to entrust Li Liang with the important task of vanguard just when he has just surrendered? If he were to collude with the Zhao army, our army would be in danger."

Wang Li smiled faintly, his smile tinged with confidence. He said, "Don't worry, everyone. I have my own considerations. First, if Li Liang truly surrenders, this will test his loyalty. Second, I have sent spies to monitor him and his troops. If there are any unusual movements, we will be able to respond promptly."

His voice was loud and powerful, as if it gave everyone a shot of adrenaline.

A counselor spoke up and said, "Your Majesty, although Xiang Liang's troops suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Dingtao, they should not be underestimated. I believe we should first attack the Chu army and then march north to attack Zhao."

Another general countered, "Your Majesty, I believe Xiang Liang's troops have already fled to Chenjun, and that our army destroyed 100,000 Chu troops at the Battle of Dingtao. The Chu army is no longer a concern. The civil unrest in Zhao is a perfect opportunity for our army to launch a northern expedition."

After listening to the generals' words, Wang Li glanced among them, as if weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, he spoke, "Everyone has their reasons. However, the situation in Zhao is currently unstable. If we miss this opportunity, once Zhao recovers, another northern expedition will be extremely difficult. As for the Chu army, although it has suffered heavy losses, it cannot be completely ignored."

Wang Li stood up, put his hands behind his back, and glanced at the generals. He said, "I have decided to split the army into two groups. Su Jiao will lead a small force to monitor the Chu army's movements. In the other group, I will lead the main force and take Li Liang with me to the north to attack Zhao."

All the generals responded in unison: "We will obey the orders of our Lord!"

So the army set out towards Zhao.

Along the way, Li Liang showed great bravery. He led the troops, charged into battle, and captured cities and territories with ease.

Wang Li's army easily defeated the Zhao army and advanced all the way to Handan.

In Handan City, Zhao's general Chen Yu lined up his troops to await Wang Li.

Chen Yu was wearing armor and looking at the enemy in the distance with a serious expression.

He confidently said to the generals around him, "Wang Li has come a long way. Our army is well-rested and ready to take advantage of his tired army. With our well-prepared army facing his exhausted army, we will definitely be able to gain some advantage over him."

However, it turned out that Chen Yu was overthinking.

On the battlefield outside Handan City, although Wang Li's army was exhausted, they were in high spirits and fought bravely.

Chen Yu's so-called well-prepared army was defeated under Wang Li's fierce attack.

Chen Yu's face turned pale. He shouted, "Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

The soldiers turned around and fled, and Chen Yu, under the protection of his confidants, fled back to Handan City in a panic.

After Wang Li defeated Chen Yu, he did not rush to attack Handan City because he had come from a long distance and had just experienced a great battle. Instead, he ordered his troops to rest for a few days.

Meanwhile, news arrived from the north of Handan City: another rebel army had passed through Jingxing Pass and reached the city of Xindu.

Seeing this, Zhang Er in Xindu City panicked and fled to Julu City with King Zhao.

That night, Wang Li was just beginning to feel puzzled after hearing the news when a spy arrived with a report: "Your Majesty, the rebel general Chen Yu led a large army and fled towards Julu City overnight."

Wang Li frowned and muttered to himself, "Where did this rebel army come from? How could it be so powerful?"

He pondered for a moment, then ordered his men: "Attack Handan City tomorrow. Don't let Chen Yu have a chance to breathe!"

Because Chen Yu fled overnight, only a small number of troops were left to guard Handan.

Wang Li's vanguard camp rushed towards Handan City like a tiger descending from the mountain. They were extremely brave and unstoppable.

Under Wang Li's command, the soldiers quickly broke through the city gate and rushed into the city.

The defenders of Handan City were panicked and surrendered one after another.