Chapter 353:Choice
The Fall of the Sixty-Four Cities
In the dense white fog, sixty-four cities lay within its shroud.
Over three months, twenty armies swept through the region with astounding speed. Wild wolves and tigers played crucial roles in these swift conquests. The cities, hidden in the fog, were caught off guard, taken so rapidly that there was barely any time to pacify the populace before the armies moved on to the next target.
By the time the fog cleared, all sixty-four cities had fallen.
This significant victory meant that the Daguang Dynasty, with its original 180 cities, had now lost two-thirds of its territory. With the sixty-four cities captured, the next challenge was to face the stronghold of Jiguang City.
The Situation in Jiguang City
Inside the royal palace of Jiguang City, in the study of Emperor Han Jiguang.
"Father, Third Brother is dead, and we've lost the sixty-four cities!" an anxious crown prince reported.
"The armies of the Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty will soon be at our gates," added another crown prince.
Both princes were visibly distressed.
Looking up at his two sons, Han Jiguang furrowed his brows and said, "Why are you panicking?"
At his stern reprimand, both princes immediately fell silent.
"The Mud Buddha's defeat was unexpected, yet not entirely surprising," Han Jiguang mused, his brows knitted.
"Father, did you anticipate that the Mud Buddha would be defeated?" the crown prince asked.
"As a leader, one must consider every possibility. There is no such thing as absolute defense," Han Jiguang replied.
"Father, I remember that throughout this ordeal, our 'Ice Army' has not been deployed. Are you planning to use the 'Ice Army' now?" the second prince inquired eagerly.
"The Ice Army? It has taken me thousands of years to build it up. I'm not going to squander it here," Han Jiguang shook his head.
"Not use it? Father, the Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty will launch a full-scale attack on Jiguang City within two months. When will you use it if not now? Father, we can't wait any longer," the second prince insisted.
"Silence!" Han Jiguang's voice thundered, silencing the second prince instantly. Both princes looked at their father in confusion. Why was their father so calm, even in the face of such an imminent threat? Why was he not deploying his trump card?
Seeing the persistent worry on his sons' faces, Han Jiguang sighed and said, "Don't worry, I've made arrangements. Soon, I will send you both to a safe place."
"Father, I don't want to leave. I want to stay and defend against the enemy with you," the crown prince declared.
"I don't want to leave either," the second prince echoed.
Seeing their determination, Han Jiguang smiled warmly, "Though you both lack great talent, you do understand filial piety. Don't worry, I'm not planning to fight the Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty head-on."
"Uh, Father, are you planning to surrender to the Great Xuan King?" the crown prince asked, perplexed.
"Surrender? To the Great Xuan King? Hmph, he's not worthy! Don't worry, I just want to test the limits of this so-called Great Xuan King, and refine my martial arts in the process," Han Jiguang said with a dismissive wave.
"But, but what about Jiguang City?" the crown prince asked with concern.
Looking at his worried sons, Han Jiguang smiled faintly, "We won't need Jiguang City anymore."
"Won't need it anymore?" both princes exclaimed in shock.
"The Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty is too dominant this time. Even though we still have sixty cities left, it's only a matter of time before we are completely overrun," Han Jiguang said.
"But, Father!" the crown prince protested.
"I built the Daguang Dynasty with my own hands, and I've witnessed countless battles. I can see what's happening. The Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty's campaign aligns with the will of Heaven, resonates with the people's sentiment, and adheres to moral righteousness. Even without the Mud Buddha's formation, it's only a matter of time before they conquer us. When a force aligns with Heaven, has the support of the people, and upholds righteousness, it becomes invincible, no matter how small the army," Han Jiguang explained.
The Grand Strategy of Han Jiguang
The fall of the Dayu Dynasty is merely a precedent, and my Daguang Dynasty will follow suit. The other three empires that are besieging the Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty will meet the same fate. War is not just about individual battles; it's about understanding the broader trends of the world," Han Jiguang shook his head, looking at his sons with a hint of disappointment.
"Father, are we just going to give up so easily?" the second prince asked anxiously.
"Haha, it seems that your luxurious and pampered lives have clouded your judgment. Yes, our cities in the Daguang Dynasty are lost, but losing something doesn't mean it can't be regained. We've lost something intangible, but as long as we still hold on to what's substantial, we are not truly defeated," Han Jiguang said with an air of confidence.
"Father, I don't understand," the crown prince said, looking puzzled.
"The Ice Army is still intact, my wealth is secure, the finest talents of our dynasty are still with us, and most importantly, we three are still here. If we lose the Daguang Dynasty here, who's to say we can't establish another Daguang Dynasty elsewhere in this vast land?" Han Jiguang said with a tone of pride.
Only someone like Han Jiguang, who built an empire from scratch, could say such words. A ruler who created an empire through sheer willpower and determination naturally possesses the courage to start anew.
Surrender? No emperor who has founded an empire would ever yield. They all possess the audacity to challenge the heavens and forge new paths.
"Father, do you mean we should leave this place, take our strength, wealth, and talents, and establish a new dynasty elsewhere?" the crown prince finally grasped the idea.
"That's a last resort. Moving to another place? Not necessarily," Han Jiguang shook his head.
"Uh?" Both princes were confused again.
"How long can the Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty last? As long as Gu Shentong exists in this world, the Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty will remain. But Gu Shentong? He won't last much longer. The Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty is close to fracturing. Once it falls, we can immediately rise again and establish an even greater Daguang Dynasty here!" Han Jiguang said resolutely.
Hearing Han Jiguang's words, the two princes were speechless, exchanging glances before lowering their heads. Compared to their father's wisdom, courage, and grand vision, they were still far behind. The ability to discard a vast empire so casually is a quality possessed by only a few.
The Campaign Against Jiguang City
As Han Jiguang predicted, two months later, after the Great Luo Heavenly Dynasty had reestablished control over the sixty-four cities and pacified the populace, they finally took a significant step forward.
The target was Jiguang City.
With twenty armies moving forward, with the Great Xuan King at the center, they advanced towards Jiguang City. The scale of this campaign was even grander than the previous assault on the Sky City.
This was the day of the final battle, the moment when the Great Xuan King would harvest the fruits of his military campaign.
Sixty cities lay beyond Jiguang City. Once Jiguang City was taken, the cities behind it would pose no threat—they would be like unclaimed spoils, ready for the taking.
Standing on the head of Yinsha Tian, the Great Xuan King, with his robes billowing in the wind, exuded a majestic presence, full of confidence and dominance. Of the four crown princes, only the Great Xuan King had advanced the fastest, with the most imposing force, and he would be the one to bring the campaign to a swift conclusion.
Seeing the distant city, the Great Xuan King suddenly halted his troops.
"In my absence, Marquis of the East, Zhong Shan, will lead the three armies to attack Jiguang City and seize all the cities of the Daguang Dynasty!" the Great Xuan King commanded.
"Yes!~~~~~~" The three armies roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens and scattering the clouds, leaving the sky clear and cloudless.
Zhong Shan looked at the Great Xuan King, nodding with gratitude. The Dayu Dynasty had already fallen due to his Heavenly Collapse Plan, but the Daguang Dynasty had no such plan in place.
"Marquis of the East!" the Great Xuan King called out.
At Zhong Shan's feet, the blazing fire wolf general immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully, "At your command!"
"Your Highness knows of your ability to extinguish the formative essence, entering Jiguang City, and just like last time, burning down the palace, and extinguishing the aura's golden dragon," commanded the Great Xuan King.
"Understood!" replied Zhong Shan.
At that moment, far in the distance at Jiguang City, atop the city tower, the sky suddenly filled with falling frost and snow. Amidst the swirling snow, a majestic figure in white robes stood proudly.
"Han Jiguang?" called out the Great Xuan King.
"Gu Xuan!" came the voice from afar.
"Let's go!" shouted the Great Xuan King.
With a step on the head of Yinsha Tian, the Great Xuan King soared into the sky, while Han Jiguang in the distance also ascended, two peerless experts, each with their own way of handling things. They transformed into two shooting stars heading towards distant directions.
Once again, Zhong Shan took command of the three armies.
Zhong Shan was also in his element. With a wave of his hand, the grand army marched towards Jiguang City.
The twenty armies' footsteps were thunderous, shaking the earth as they moved. Wherever they passed, it felt like an earthquake, with mountains and boulders tumbling endlessly.
Under the head of the blazing fire wolf, Zhong Shan looked towards Jiguang City in the distance.
Similar in scale to the Sky City, the city walls radiated a chilling atmosphere resembling an ice palace. Above the city, an aura cloud had diminished significantly. At its center, a golden dragon of aura, horns pointing to the sky, glared fiercely. After the loss of one hundred and twenty cities, its radiance had also dimmed considerably, appearing increasingly feeble.
The strength of the aura's golden dragon depended entirely on the current state of affairs. As the Daguang Dynasty was nearing its end, it naturally weakened the aura's golden dragon to an unprecedented degree.
Nevertheless, even in its weakened state, it was stronger than the aura's golden dragon of the Sky City.
While others frowned at the aura's golden dragon, Zhong Shan's eyes gleamed with anticipation!
With the enemy at the gates, Zhong Shan waved his hand, halting the army. Instead of rushing to attack the city, he carefully observed the situation.
The twenty armies waited patiently, with only the defenders on the city tower showing slight nervousness.
"Marshal, the commander of the 18th Army, Marshal Shuijing, seeks an audience!" a guard by Zhong Shan's side called out.
"Oh?" Zhong Shan furrowed his brows.
"Let him come!" Zhong Shan ordered.
"Yes!" The guard immediately withdrew.
Soon, Shuijing approached riding a fierce tiger.
"Greetings, Marshal!" Shuijing respectfully greeted.
"With a major battle impending, why aren't you leading troops? What brings you here?" Zhong Shan asked.
"I've come to deliver a trump card to the Marshal," Shuijing smiled.
"Oh?" Zhong Shan was slightly puzzled.
Shuijing retrieved a letter from his pocket. "Ten years ago, I dispatched scouts to infiltrate Jiguang City, embedding them deeply. Here's the confidential report my scout sent a month ago!"
"Ten years ago?" Zhong Shan's pupils contracted as he stared at Shuijing. This Shuijing had indeed made profound preparations, starting to reclaim Jiguang City a decade ago? Unbelievable! If not for my presence on the battlefield and the grand array of Mud Bodhisattva, perhaps Shuijing would shine brightest in the Daguang Dynasty's battlefield because he had planned and strategized for the entire battlefield more than a decade ago.
It's just that he didn't expect the war to speed up immensely due to some circumstances!
Taking the "trump card" handed over by Shuijing, Zhong Shan examined it closely, then looked up in slight astonishment at Shuijing, saying, "Excellent! This message from Shuijing alone is worth ten million troops!"