Chapter 601: Chapter 280: Nanzhao’s Surprise Attack_2

Even though we have successfully made it out now, an innumerable amount of people died in the mountain forest along the way.

This is the price we paid to forge this path.

Now it is time to tally how heavy this cost was.

After lunch, half an afternoon later, after a half day of bustle, tents started to rise on the plain like stars.

Countless people moved busily between them, organizing supplies and equipment.

Zhao Changqing stood on the hillside, looking down at all that was occurring, his heart full of pride and ambition.

This vast multitude of soldiers is the foundation of his achievements, it is the reliance for Nanzhao Country to win. The initial difficulties of the march have been overcome, now it is time to reap the rewards.

Just as he was thinking this, Hua Kaiyun approached him. After paying his respects, he reported: “Your Highness, after the old minister and the various departments have checked, there are currently 91,126 soldiers left in the entire army. To pass through the jungle, we lost 8,231 soldiers.

And during the journey, in many dangerous places, it was impossible to transport supplies, causing us to abandon a fair share of food and weapons.

Because of this, the army now only has ten days of rations left, and many soldiers have discarded their armor and weapons. All they have left are light, short arms like swords.

Presently, the strength of the great army does not exceed 70% of its former glory.

If we do not quickly take the cities of the Xichuan people and secure supplies from them, these remaining 91,000 soldiers will also be trapped here.”

Hua Kaiyun reported several sets of data, with a bleak expression.

The price of the establishment of a new route in the wilderness was unexpectedly substantial.

It was much higher than they initially estimated at departure.

Therefore, after passing through the mountain ridge, they found that their original preparations were simply not sufficient.

They are now facing a critical situation.

“We lost more than 8,000 soldiers, the casualties along the way were that severe?”

Hearing Hua Kaiyun’s report, particularly the casualty numbers, Zhao Changqing’s brow furrowed slightly, but he soon relaxed and laughed, “Well, that’s acceptable. 91,000 soldiers remaining is still enough for use.”

He looked at Hua Kaiyun, comforting him, “Also, after our surprise attack on Xichuan’s rear, that old monk Jihui will never anticipate us. At this point, he is not in the country. Without this Inborn Grandmaster, the current weak national strength of Xichuan can’t stop us at all.

Even if we only have ten days of military food remaining, to attack Xichuan, it is already more than enough.”

In his words, Zhao Changqing carried boundless confidence.

This surprise attack was a strategy he had proposed, and it was a decision made by his father and the ministers of the court.

To carry out this surprise attack, Nanzhao not only spent a fortune to secure passage from the Qiang People in the highlands.

They also assembled a force of 100,000 troops, all of them the elite of the nation, made up of full-time warriors to complete this surprise attack.

In addition, the commanding general was him, a prince who already possessed Inborn strength, and the old general Hua Kaiyun.

All preparations and arrangements can be said to be at the pinnacle.

In contrast,

The Eastern Yang people in Xichuan are still fooled by the army of Nanzhao composed of militias located outside the capital city, unaware of the surprise attack.

As for Xichuan’s domestic defense forces, Nanzhao also has clear information; at most there are only 20,000 people and mostly civilian soldiers.

With such strength, facing 91,000 soldiers led by an Inborn Grandmaster, Zhao Changqing does not know what the other side could use to win?

With his strength, to attack those exposed cities in Xichuan, even if it was just him alone, it would take less than half a day to conquer.

Not to mention only ten days of military food.

Even if only three days of military food remain, as long as we can find a city in Xichuan, we will quickly obtain supplies.”

That is the confidence brought by strength.

“With Your Highness here, this surprise attack will definitely not fail.”

Looking at the young confident face in front of him, Hua Kaiyun could not help but be inspired, a slight smile appeared on his stern face, and he nodded in agreement.

He was extremely satisfied with the prince before him.

The other party was not only young, but also has exceptional talent and strength.

At the young age of twenty-six, he had already broken through the Inborn in terms of Martial Arts cultivation and became one of the world’s Grandmasters, making the number of Inborn Grandmasters in their Nanzhao country officially break through to three, surpassing the other two major Yi countries of the southwest.

And his talents are in no way inferior.

Like the strategy of circumventing the mountains and launching a surprise attack on the rear of Xichuan, it was proposed by the prince.

Although this strategy seemed dangerous at first glance and was opposed by many people, looking at the practical results now, the benefits are indeed significantly achieved.

Being able to quietly infiltrate the hinterland of Xichuan without detection, is all due to this strategy.

“Those Eastern Yang people invaded the southwestern Yi peoples in large numbers, Da Changhe, and Dali were successively defeated, losing soldiers and land, and in a desperate situation, they have completely lost the face of the Yi peoples.

Even in my Nanzhao Country, Xichuan’s troops invaded, seized the territory of the Moxie Kingdom, and they are still fighting against Jianchuan’s army there.

The situation in our southwestern Yi-tribes is now hanging by a thread.

Facing the invasion of the Eastern Yang people, if we don’t respond, I’m afraid we will end up like the Yue, Miao, Qiang, and Man, gradually defeated and have our ancestral homes taken away. Our people will also be enslaved.”