Transmigration begins with archery training

As for the remaining garrison, needless to say.

On the city wall, Chen Sanshi held the Five Tiger Soul-Severing Spear, without neglecting his daily cultivation.

[Technique: National Guardian Dragon Spear - Transformation of Internal Energy (Mastery)]

【Progress: 256/1000】

However, without Qianxun around, he didn't have much time. Fortunately, he had Linghe ointment and precious medicine, so his progress wasn't slow.

In the blink of an eye.

Nearly three months after the expedition began, it was already May of the 73rd year of the Longqing reign.

Sister Lan is five months pregnant, and her belly should be quite noticeable by now.

Those of you in Liangzhou, after learning about the situation in Mingzhou, must be very worried. You might even think that they are all dead, but unfortunately, the news can't get out.

"When war raged for three months, a letter from home was worth a fortune"—this is the meaning of the saying.

The gyrfalcon is also used for intelligence gathering; it's not something to be used for delivering messages.

"General Chen!"

Yu Song returned, travel-worn: "News has come from the rear that 10,000 Western Qi troops have been transferred to Jianmen Gorge to pursue us. We can't stay any longer. You were the one who devised the plan, so you're the one to tell us what to do next."

"Head south."

Chen Sanshi had already made his plans. He tapped on the southernmost pass on the map: "Head straight for Luotian Pass! Let's see if we can evacuate Mingzhou!"

Luotian Pass is the last checkpoint in the south.

If we can get through here, we can escape!

"it is good!"

Yu Song nodded: "Listen to my command! The entire army marches straight for Luotian Pass!"

……

Yangchun Prefecture.

"kill!"

"Brothers, hold on!!"

"..."

Sha Wenlong cleaved the enemy general who had charged up the city wall in two with a single stroke, finally repelling the enemy's offensive temporarily.

Beside him, Cao Fan was utterly exhausted and collapsed to the ground the moment he heard the signal to retreat.

The 15th!

For the past fifteen days, they haven't slept a wink!

They were basically either defending the city or building fortifications, and the losses were getting bigger every day. Their food supplies were also running out. At this rate, it would be impossible to wait for reinforcements to arrive.

"Go."

After taking the intelligence from the gyrfalcon, Sha Wenlong let it fly away.

"Cough cough..."

Cao Fan coughed twice: "General Sha, is it a letter from Chen Sanshi and the others? How is it?"

"Alive."

Sha Wenlong clenched his fist, his inner energy pulverizing the intelligence report: "Prepare to take Yu Song and the others south to Luotian Pass."

"Luotian Pass should be called Tianluo Diguan Pass instead!"

Cao Fan sneered: "They only have a little over three thousand men, yet they have three Martial Saints. Neither Dong An nor the Western Qi Kingdom will let them go. They will soon reinforce Luotian Pass with heavy troops. They are doomed. All we need to do is wait for the news of their deaths."

After the owner of the gyrfalcon died.

The gyrfalcon would immediately seek refuge with another general who also possessed a gyrfalcon.

This also means that the original owner is dead.

"What a pity..."

Cao Fan closed his eyes and said, "We might not even survive."

"Your Highness, do not be discouraged."

After a long campaign, Sha Wenlong calmly said, "Even if the city falls, I have a way to take the young master away from here. When that Chen fellow dies, the young master will return to Liangzhou and naturally be able to take over the position of the true successor."

……

outside the city.

The rebel army's central command tent.

"Report——"

A scout rushed into the tent, knelt on one knee, and said, "Commander Dong, less than four thousand men from the reserve battalion have crossed the river to the east and are heading south. It seems they intend to conquer Luotian Pass and then escape from the Great Wilderness."

"Ah."

Dong An's expression was somber.

Upon arriving at this location, they received intelligence that the Liangzhou troops had split up outside Yangchun Prefecture, with one group crossing eastward and the other remaining to attack and defend the city. They also learned from a captured centurion that this strategy was proposed by Chen Sanshi, Sun Xiangzong's close disciple, who had been bestowed honors by the Emperor. Chen Sanshi had even argued with Sha Wenlong and ultimately forcibly led less than four thousand men away, abandoning their warhorses in the process.

"What courage! Knowing that staying to defend the city would mean certain death, they dared to disobey the commander's orders and act alone. They will surely amount to something in the future. It's a pity they have no future."

Almost at the same time, in different spaces.

At the same time, Liang Jinian of Meishan and Dong An outside Yangchun Prefecture issued their orders.

"Tell the Western Qi generals in Jianmen Gorge to immediately dispatch another 20,000 troops to pursue them from behind. Also, prepare 30,000 troops at Luotian Pass in advance, and send a Xuanxiang Realm general to guard it. Make sure to annihilate them all here!"

……

Before Luotian Pass.

Xiaoluo County.

Leaving this county town, Luotian Pass lies ahead.

The intelligence from Yangchun Prefecture has arrived.

As he predicted, the losses were heavy, and they were fighting like cornered beasts.

In addition, there has been news about Zhao Wuji.

After being scattered, he led the remaining troops to flee westward, running back and forth between various counties. They wanted to take Wutong Prefecture, the westernmost prefecture with relatively weak forces, as a place to settle down, but they did not have enough troops. If they had another three to four thousand men, it would be no problem. They asked if they could send some men to support or join them. Wutong Prefecture was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it also had a lot of food and fodder. If they could take it, they could definitely hold it for a long time, more than forty days.

Chen Sanshi and his group waited outside the city gate for the last intelligence report to make a final decision.

"Report——"

Zhao Kang rushed back in a panic: "My lord, something terrible has happened! Luo Tian Pass... Luo Tian Pass has at least 30,000 troops, and it seems there are even generals at the Profound Elephant Realm among them!"

"Report——"

Another panicked sound came from behind. A scout reported, "Another pursuing army has joined us. We can't accurately determine the number, but it's at least 20,000."

"This……"

"This is how to do?!"

"..."

Xie Sishu paced anxiously, saying, "We're surrounded by enemies, retreating means death, advancing means death too! I've already told you not to come to Luotian Pass, but you insisted on coming. Commander Chen, what do we do now?!"

Lu Shuhua frowned, staring intently at Chen Sanshi: "If I had known, I would have stayed with the young master and the others to defend the city. With a few thousand more men, we could have held out for a longer time, and maybe even held out until reinforcements arrived!"

"Commander Chen, this was your idea!"

Yu Song drew his sword: "Tell me, what should we do now! If all else fails, shall we go back and fight our way out?"

"Map!"

Chen Sanshi waved.

Xu Wencai had been preparing for this for a long time and immediately spread out the map.

"Crossing Hongze for the Second Time!"

Chen Sanshi slammed his palm on the west side of the map.

"Still crossing the river?"

Xie Sishu looked puzzled: "If we go west from where we are now, we'll reach Eagle Beak Mountain and Jinquan Prefecture. General Sha and his men just suffered a crushing defeat in a decisive battle against the Red Eyebrow Army there not long ago. Are you crazy to go there?"

"Times change."