Chapter 754
Only by helping the Han army defeat the Liao army can there be a glimmer of hope!
The fourth floor of Da Liao Fang.
The hall was so quiet that one could hear the soft dripping of a copper kettle. Xiao He stood with his hands behind his back by the window, exuding a calm and collected aura that suggested he had been through many battles.
"Grand Marshal."
Ma Su and Fei Yi entered the room and bowed respectfully.
The two men looked tired but alert, clearly having just returned from a long day's work.
Xiao He didn't turn around, his voice low and steady, devoid of any extra emotion, simply asking:
"The operation is over?"
"Yes, Grand Marshal."
Ma Su stepped forward, cupped his hands, and reported:
"As you predicted, the informant lurking on our side is named Chen Xun."
He paused, then added:
"This person is Gongsun Yuan's informant planted in Fangcheng. He has been captured on the spot by us without any warning."
Upon hearing this, Xiao He paused slightly, then nodded slowly, a hint of barely perceptible confidence flashing in his eyes.
Everything was under his control; this hidden cancer had finally been eradicated.
A moment later, he slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, his brows furrowing slightly:
"How is the probe in Liaoyang City progressing? Have the scouts sent out sent back any news?"
Upon hearing this, Ma Su's expression slightly changed, and he bowed in reply:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, as of now, we have not received any news from the scouts."
"Oh?"
Xiao He frowned, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Normally, the scouts should have sent back news long ago; their silence is highly unusual.
He remained silent for a moment, his gaze hardening. After a brief moment's thought, he made up his mind and decisively gave the order:
"Pass on my order: the entire army shall immediately prepare for battle and stand ready for action. As soon as the scouts arrive, we shall immediately march on Liaoyang City."
"This subordinate obeys the order."
Ma Su bowed and accepted the order.
Xiao He turned around again, gazing at the distant outline of Liaoyang City outside the window, and couldn't help but mutter to himself:
The scouts haven't returned yet; could something have gone wrong?
He was unaware that the scouts he had sent to investigate the surrounding five cities a few days earlier had all fallen into enemy hands, and none of them had returned alive.
All cities within the Liao Kingdom's territory are now on high alert, heavily fortified and guarded, ready to mobilize their forces at a moment's notice.
As a result, the Han army's scouts were captured and dealt with by the ambush troops that had been laid out before they even approached the city's border, and they were unable to send back a single message.
The news that the five surrounding cities were fully prepared for war was like a dense net, tightly enveloping Fangcheng. Xiao He and the people in the city were completely unaware of this.
The unease in his heart grew stronger, surging like a tide. Xiao He no longer hesitated and said in a deep voice to Fei Yi beside him:
"Immediately strengthen patrols within the city, dispatch more elite scouts, and send them to surrounding cities to gather information. If any anomalies are discovered, report them immediately without any delay."
"Your subordinate obeys."
Fei Yi dared not delay and quickly turned to leave to arrange patrols and scouts.
Silence returned to the hall, with only Xiao He standing by the window, his expression growing increasingly solemn.
At this time, Fangcheng appeared peaceful on the surface. The streets were bustling with people and vendors were calling out their wares. Ordinary people continued to live their lives in peace and were completely unaware of the lurking crisis.
But no one knew that the five cities surrounding Fangcheng were already fully prepared, with the Liao army fully armed and ready, their weapons and provisions ready, just waiting for Yu Xuan's troops to arrive and join them.
Yu Xuan was busy reorganizing his troops and sorting out his forces. Once everything was ready, he would immediately lead his army toward Fangcheng.
Therefore, the garrison troops of the five surrounding cities were all anxiously waiting, while strictly blocking any news. If any Han scouts approached, they were all captured and dealt with, and no information was allowed to leak out.
This is precisely why all the scouts Xiao sent out have lost contact.
This tight blockade meant that everyone inside the city, from government officials to ordinary citizens, was completely unaware of the war preparedness of the surrounding five cities.
The strict lockdown policies of the five surrounding cities not only blocked the transmission of information, but also had a great impact on the commercial exchanges in Fangcheng.
In the past, Fangcheng had trade connections with the five surrounding cities, with frequent exchanges of goods. However, now that the roads are blocked and business travel is hindered, Fangcheng's commerce has quickly become abnormal.
The first to notice something was wrong were the merchants who traveled between the cities year-round.
As night fell, the city gates closed on time, and twilight completely enveloped the city.
Chen Li led dozens of merchants to the fourth floor of the Da Liao Fang in a hurry. Everyone had their heads hanging down, their brows furrowed, and their faces full of worry. Even when they spoke, they were sighing.
Seeing this, Xiao He felt extremely puzzled.
These merchants, who are usually so successful, must have run into some serious trouble to look like this today.
Seeing this, Ma Su was the first to speak and ask:
"Gentlemen, why are you all gathered here today with such solemn expressions? Could it be that something has happened?"
Chen Li stepped forward, bowed slightly to Xiao He and Ma Su, and spoke with a hint of helplessness:
"Reporting to the sir, reporting to the Grand Marshal, it is all our goods, and something terrible has happened."
Hearing this, Xiao He frowned even more, his unease deepening, and asked:
"What happened to the goods? Tell me in detail."
Chen Li sighed and slowly explained:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, the goods we sent to the surrounding cities have not only failed to reach the city yet, but the escorts have also completely disappeared without a trace."
"This situation has never occurred before. We are truly at a loss and can only bring everyone here to humbly request the Grand Marshal to offer guidance and a solution."
The merchants behind him echoed his sentiments, their faces showing even more worry, and for a moment, the hall was filled with a depressing atmosphere.
Upon hearing this, Xiao He's unease intensified instantly, and an ominous premonition became increasingly clear.
The loss of contact with scouts and the obstruction of goods are no accident; there must be an unknown conspiracy behind them.
The merchants inside the hall were also in a panic, whispering among themselves, fearing that all their goods would be lost and they would lose everything.
Looking at the panicked crowd before him, Xiao He slowly raised his hand and waved:
"Don't panic, everyone. I have already figured out some clues. This matter may be related to the unusual activities in the surrounding cities."
Upon hearing Xiao He's words, everyone's tense nerves instantly relaxed.
A wave of doubt instantly washed over Chen Li. He frowned, his gaze fixed on Xiao He, and asked with his hands clasped in respect:
"What exactly has the Grand Marshal thought of? Please tell us so that we may have a clear understanding."
Xiao He's expression was solemn as he directly gave the order:
"Go quickly and convey my orders: each of you lead a squad of troops to guard the four gates of the city, and there must be no negligence whatsoever."
"Furthermore, issue an order to the entire army to immediately enter a state of highest combat readiness and be on high alert. The Liao Kingdom is likely about to make a major move."
These words caused an immediate and deathly silence in the hall. Everyone was stunned, and for a moment, no one spoke. Although they had sensed something was amiss, they had never imagined that the Liao Kingdom's actions would be so swift and so sudden.
After a moment of stunned silence, Ma Su was the first to react, his expression instantly turning grim. He immediately bowed and accepted the order:
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go and relay the order immediately."
After saying that, he turned around and quickly left.
Chen Li remained puzzled, his unease growing stronger, and cautiously asked:
"Does the Grand Marshal mean... that the Liao Kingdom is going to launch an offensive against Fangcheng?"
The merchants who had accompanied him were already anxious because of the loss of their goods. Upon hearing this, they panicked even more, whispering among themselves and looking terrified.
Xiao He raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Chen Li, a meaningful smile playing on his lips:
"You are quite clever; you've already figured out the crux of the matter."
Upon receiving Xiao He's confirmation, Chen Li felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his whole body stiffened, and the color drained from his face instantly.
He knew that if the Liao Kingdom really attacked the city, Fangcheng would be severely damaged, and they, the merchants who depended on the Han army, would be the first to suffer.
After a moment of panic, Chen Li quickly regained his composure, bowed to Xiao He, and said in a deep voice:
"Rest assured, Grand Marshal, I will immediately gather all the merchants in the city, lead their private armies, and work together with the Han army to resist the Liao army's invasion and defend Fangcheng to the death!"
Xiao He slowly raised his hand and waved it, his tone indifferent:
"Go, and do it as soon as possible, lest you miss the opportunity."
After saying that, he turned his head to look out the window again, as the night deepened.
A fierce battle is now inevitable.
Chen Li said no more, bowed deeply to Xiao He, and then turned and led the merchants away in a hurry.
As soon as he left Da Liao Fang, he immediately gathered everyone and headed straight for Yan Shan Winery.
That place was a frequent gathering spot for merchants in the city, making it convenient to convene everyone for discussions. At the same time, someone could be dispatched at full speed to notify other merchants in the city who had not yet arrived, urging them to come as soon as possible.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes in the blink of an eye, and the Yanshan Winery is already full of people. All the merchants, big and small, from the city have arrived, and everyone is whispering and speculating about the reason for the urgent gathering of people today.
"Manager Chen, what's the matter that you've summoned us so urgently today? Could it be that there's been some progress regarding the goods?"
One merchant couldn't help but ask, and as soon as he finished speaking, many others echoed his words, wanting an answer as well.
Chen Li raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and said with a solemn expression:
"Gentlemen, I'm sure many of you have encountered the same thing today: goods destined for surrounding cities have failed to arrive in Fangcheng on time, and even the deliverymen have disappeared without a trace. You should all know about this, right?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the distillery became lively, with merchants all speaking up.
"What? So many people's goods are overdue?"
"Impossible! I specifically dispatched my own private army to escort them, and the security along the way was extremely tight. How could something go wrong?"
"My goods are priceless. If anything goes wrong, I'm finished!"
In an instant, complaints and questions arose one after another, the entire distillery was in chaos, and everyone was filled with anxiety.
"Quiet!"
Upon seeing this, Chen Li shouted loudly, drowning out all the noise.
Everyone was intimidated by his imposing presence, shut their mouths, and turned their gazes to him.
Chen Li took a deep breath, spoke slowly, his tone heavy:
"Just now, I went to the Liao Ward and met with the Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal personally told us that the Liao Kingdom is about to make a big move; they are going to attack."
These words struck like a thunderbolt, instantly creating another uproar in the distillery.
"What? The Liao army is coming?"
"How could it be so fast! We weren't prepared at all!"
"It's over, it's completely over. If the Liao army gets in, we're all going to die!"
Seeing everyone in a panic and in complete chaos, Chen Li sighed helplessly.
"Quiet down!"
Just then, a loud voice rang out, and Zheng Ji stood up:
"At this point, panicking is useless; only by remaining calm can we find a glimmer of hope!"
Hearing Zheng Ji's shout, the crowd gradually calmed down. Their faces were still full of fear, but they were no longer as panicked as before. They turned their gazes to Chen Li and Zheng Ji, hoping that they could come up with a solution.
Zheng Ji's gaze swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice:
"Now, our only way out is to assist the Han army in resisting the Liao army and defend Fangcheng to the death. Only in this way can we save our lives and our property."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone fell into deep thought, their faces full of hesitation.
Assisting the Han army in resisting the Liao army meant risking one's entire private army and all one's wealth; if one lost, it would be utter ruin.
However, if they do not assist, and the Liao army attacks the city, they will not have a good end either.
Seeing the crowd hesitate, Chen Li said sternly:
"Gentlemen, don't forget that we are no longer good citizens of Liao, but traitors in their eyes. When we chose to side with the Han army, there was no turning back."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, his tone growing increasingly heavy:
"If the Liao army were to retake Fangcheng, you might want to think carefully: would the Liao Kingdom let us off the hook? What would they do?"
Chen Li's voice wasn't loud, but every word was piercing, sending a shiver down their spines. The hesitation on their faces was gradually replaced by fear.
A moment later, Feng Qian, his face pale and his voice trembling, spoke the words of concern that everyone held:
"The Liao Kingdom... the Liao Kingdom will probably raze Fangcheng to the ground and exterminate us traitors!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces showed fear, their bodies trembled, and no one dared to speak again.
They knew in their hearts that what Feng Qian said was true.
The Liao Kingdom had long hated these wealthy merchants who disobeyed orders and had always wanted to wipe them out.
In the past, they fought back desperately, and the Liao Kingdom found it difficult to take them down. In addition, Fangcheng was developing into an important commercial hub. The Liao Kingdom was hesitant to act rashly, fearing that it would affect its own economy. Therefore, it had not made any rash moves.
But now, everything is different.
In the eyes of the Liao Kingdom, these merchants had already surrendered to the Han army and become outright traitors, no longer showing any of their former scruples.
If the Liao Kingdom were to actually recapture Fangcheng, they would surely end up bankrupt, beheaded, and have no chance of survival.
After a long silence, everyone gradually came to a conclusion:
Only by setting aside their hesitation, uniting with the Han army, fighting desperately to defeat the Liao army, and defending the city, could they have a chance to survive and protect their lives and property.
After a moment of silence, the hesitation in everyone's hearts completely dissipated, and their fear gradually turned into determination. They quickly reached a consensus.
Now that things have come to this, the only way to survive is to go all in and give it our all.
Every merchant present understood that it would be extremely difficult for the Han army to withstand the Liao army's large-scale offensive on its own. Only by deploying all their forces, fighting side by side with the Han army, could they maximize their chances of victory, defend the city, and preserve everything they owned. (End of Chapter)