C130

Wang Jian looked at Qiang Yu's expression as if he was still uncertain about his judgement. He then asked, "Qiang, how long have you been following this general in the war?"

He did not know what purpose he had, but he immediately cupped his fists and replied, "Qiang has been in the army since the age of eighteen. At the age of twenty-five, he was promoted by the Great General and promoted to the rank of deputy general and vice commander until today."

"Eighteen men join the army and twenty-five men follow me. Counting the time now, your military career has been more than twenty years." Wang Jian's expression was indifferent, as if he was carefully considering the passing of time.

"Exactly." After hearing Wang Jian's meticulous calculations, Qiang Qian replied with a cupped fist.

"But you have been fighting alongside this general for so many years, why have you never made the slightest bit of progress in your path of battle?" Wang Jian, after calmly calculating Qiang's career in the army, suddenly changed the topic and asked a question of Qiang Yu.

"This ?" Qiang Yan was caught off guard by Wang Jian's question, but he didn't know what his boss wanted, so he mustered his courage and said, "Qiang Ming, please enlighten me."

In fact, the reason why Wang Jian promoted Qiang was not because of his military prowess, but rather because of his unstoppable courage. In his view, on the battlefield, only those who were fearless and daring enough to lead soldiers and charge into a battle were qualified to be a general. As for the lack of a strategy, he would have to make up for it with the support of his advisor. That was why he did not blame Qiang Yu for his dull and wooden expression. Instead, he rather liked it, because this kind of person was loyal and reliable. What he needed was his fearless courage and reliable loyalty.

"Hehe, you are indeed a brave warrior, but you are still lacking in observation," Wang Jian smiled faintly, staring at the distant city wall of Ju Yang City, looking at the banner with the word "Xiang" written on it swaying in the wind, then casually pointed towards it and slowly said, "A month ago at this time of the day, smoke would be rising from the kitchen of Ju Yang City every day, every household would be covered in smoke, and even the flag on top of the city wall would be hard to distinguish, because now is the time to prepare dinner. However, at this time, the smoke that had been slowly rising into the air had now turned into bits and pieces of smoke. The flags could clearly see that most of the families could no longer keep their pots open. Most of them had gathered together to eat a few big pots. A few days ago, I sent someone to check the back of Giant Sun City and found that all the wild vegetables within three miles of the city had been dug up. This meant that the food within the city had already been used up and Xiang Yan's army wouldn't be able to hold on for more than a few days. "Our army may also be lacking food, but we're already on our way back and forth to the Great Sun. If we wait a few more days, Xiang Yan definitely won't lose."

After carefully listening to Wang Jian's analysis, Qiang realized what had happened and could not help but exclaim in admiration, "So that's how it is. The great general is truly mysterious. That Xiang Yan man must have been captured by him!"

"You, ah, I haven't seen much progress in the art of military service these years. You've learned quite a few words of flattery." When Wang Jian heard Qiang Qian's praises, although he spoke of words of advice to Qiang Yu, he could not suppress the pride in his heart.

However, Wang Jian only made them look ashamed. He could only smile at Wang Jian for a while with a blushing face, and then Wang Jian also laughed out loud. In his laughter, there was a hidden determination and certainty that they would win.

Wang Jian had been marching and fighting for many years, and his grasp of the enemy's movements could be said to have been fended off. He guessed that Xiang Yan had already reached the end of her rope in Great Sun City, and it was true. Although the Great Yang City was one of the most important border cities in Chu, it was located in a remote area. It was constantly at war with the Song Empire, causing the citizens to be unable to live in peace. Back then, Huan Feng's army had suppressed the world and could have taken down the Great Yang in one go. However, Huan Feng had fallen for Xiang Yan's plan of disbanding him and mistakenly killed the resourceful Han Fei.

When the king of Qin, Ying, was in command of the army, he sent Huan Geng to suppress the army and sent Wang Jian to attack the Great Sun, but Wang Jian only surrounded him and did not attack. He knew that Xiang Yan's Xiang army was famous for their death soldiers, so if he tried to force an attack on them, the losses would be great.

This plan of his could be said to have been made to clink against each other, and he had already achieved more than half of his goals. Because at this moment, the Giant Sun City was already experiencing chaos due to the cold and hunger, and many of the Yang guards had already started to lose their morale.

"General Xiang, the food within the city has been exhausted. The wild vegetables within three miles of the city have been dug up. If this goes on, our army will become starving to death even before the Qin attacks the city." "Why don't we abandon the city ?"

"Bastard!" As the county governor of Ju Yang, you do not know how to stabilize the confidence of the city's civilians and soldiers, but your bewitching words have dispelled my morale. What crime should you be punished for? " When Xiang Yan heard that the county governor had thoughts of abandoning the city, she immediately flew into a rage. She took out her sword and pointed it at the county governor, reprimanding him loudly.

"How could this subject dare to lower myself to the enemy? "It's just that we're out of food for a few days now ?" The county governor was frightened stiff, and he wanted to explain something to Xiang Yan.

"If you say another word, don't blame me for following the military law!" How could Xiang Yan have heard the county governor's explanation? Before he could finish, she scolded him once more.

When the county governor saw the shining sword in front of him, he was afraid that his head would be separated from his body at any moment.

"Scram!" When Xiang Yan saw how cowardly the county governor looked, she was even angrier. With a single word, she chased the county governor out of the military gates. When the county governor saw Xiang Yan's anger, which seemed as if it could devour a person, he did not dare to stay any longer. He quickly saluted and retreated, carrying his pants with him as he ran out.

After the county governor left, Xiang Yan's anger had yet to subside. However, beside him, a deputy general frowned slightly and spoke to Xiang Yan in a low tone, seeming to be worried, "Father, although that county governor has lightly said that he's giving up the city for being unscrupulous, the situation he's talking about is also true. If he doesn't come to rescue them, our army probably won't be able to hold on for more than a few days."

Hearing the words of the deputy general beside her, Xiang Yan's previous anger was greatly dissipated. She could only sigh helplessly, "I am naturally aware of the lack of food in the city right now, and I have already sent a message to Chu Ying about the situation here. Whether or not we can last until the king's reinforcements arrive will depend on our good fortune. "If I have to reach the end of the line, I will have to fight to the death. Even if I have to bury this body in this giant Yang City, I will not surrender to Qin Thief."

"So the marshal had already planned this for a long time," the deputy general understood Xiang Yan's determination after hearing her words, so he clasped his fists and said, "If father wants to fight Qin Thief to the death, then your son is willing to follow beside you and live or die with you!"

Xiang Yan was a naturally unyielding person, and she was the one who governed the army like he was. She was strict and never condoned. Therefore, this innate pride wouldn't allow him to surrender to any enemy, nor would it easily change his stone-hard determination. However, at this moment, when he heard his subordinate speak like this, he couldn't help but feel moved in his heart, causing a wave of heat to churn within his heart. He originally wanted to praise that person, but in the end, he couldn't say it out loud. This was because praising his subordinates was indeed not his way of doing things, and in addition, he originally thought that his subordinates should have this kind of quality as a soldier, so there was no need for him to praise any more. Thus, he could only whisper to that person, "Xiang Shu, come with me to the city and have a look."

"Okay." Xiang Shu immediately cupped his fists in acknowledgement, then left to help Xiang Yan prepare the armor and horses.

This deputy general, who had always been loyal to Xiang Yan and was willing to follow her lead, was a member of his Xiang Family and Xiang Yan's eldest son. Therefore, no matter what Xiang Yan decided to do, he would follow her orders without a shred of doubt, even if it meant losing his life. Since Xiang Yan had decided to hold out, he definitely wouldn't advise her to retreat. As for what would happen in the future, he had never thought about it, nor did he want to think about it. All he wanted to do was to help Xiang Yan prepare for the journey and accompany him to check up on the people's affairs.

The citizens of the city were no longer lighting a fire and cooking in their homes, but rather a few large clans and even a group of people living in a circle. They were eating a huge pot of clear porridge that was so thin that only a few grains of rice could be seen. "One old man, holding a wooden ladle, began to shakily scoop up spoonfuls of soup and clear congee. He then put it into a basin that had a gap in it. He didn't forget to mutter," "Women and children, the old and weak shall first, women and children, the old and weak shall first ?

Xiang Yan sat on the back of a horse, patrolling the entire city. Seeing this kind of situation, she couldn't help but feel sad, but she could only helplessly watch, because his army was as starved of food as these commoners were, unable to even bring out a single grain of millet rice to help them.

"Bastard, you still want to run? Let's see where you can run to!" Xiang Yan, who was currently on horseback, looked down at this sorrowful scene. Suddenly, she heard a ruckus not too far away, as if someone had been caught and was cursing her. This immediately aroused his curiosity, so he pinched the horse's belly with his legs and urged the horse forward to investigate.

When he got there, he saw that a few soldiers were pressing a young man down to the ground. The young man's arms were already tied behind his back, and he was lying on the ground, unable to move. The leader of the group, who was currently furious, pointed at the young man and scolded him.

"What's wrong?" When Xiang Yan saw this, she asked the leader of the group with a low voice. Although her voice was soft, it was still extremely intimidating.

As soon as the leader saw the person on the horse, he immediately recognized that it was the Marshal of Chu. He immediately cupped his fists towards Xiang Yan and said, "Marshal, this scumbag, as a soldier of the Xiang Family, actually took off his armor and went to steal the food of the common people. He was caught red-handed by Mo Wuji while he was patrolling the city."

It turned out that the officers under Xiang Yan were the Xiang Family soldiers that were under Xiang Yan's command. That was why they had instantly recognized Xiang Yan and respectfully reported to him about the reason for the current situation.

"Hmph, a bastard like this simply doesn't deserve to be called a member of our Xiang Family's army!" As the general was speaking, one of the soldiers who had previously pushed the fleeing soldier to the ground started to shout loudly.

Although there was some anger in that voice, it clearly still had the aura of a child. Xiang Yan turned her head in the direction of the voice, only to see that there was indeed a child amongst the group of soldiers. At this moment, the child had his butt pressed against the soldier on the ground as he shouted out.

Xiang Yan took another look at the child and was immediately shocked. She immediately shouted, "Grandson, don't come here and cause trouble!"

The moment the child heard the voice of the person shouting, he looked up and recognized the general on horseback. His face was immediately filled with a happy smile, but that smile was gone in a flash, immediately turning back into an unconvinced expression. He muttered to himself: "Grandfather, I'm not messing around, I was the one who caught the cowardly one who was afraid of death!"

Xiang Yan had been shocked by the child because she had recognized him as her grandson, Xiang Yu. In addition, he was born in the family of generals, and had been influenced by the martial arts of the family of generals all day, so he had even trained in a set of skills. Don't look at his age of only seven or eight; if he were to act so arrogantly, ordinary adults would not be able to compete with him. Besides, he was under the influence of the hero of the Xiang Family, so he didn't want to interfere with the common thieves. Now that he heard someone shouting to catch the thief, he rushed forward, leaped onto the fleeing soldier's neck, and pushed him to the ground.

"Don't spout nonsense. You're just a kid, how could you capture a trained soldier?" Seeing Xiang Yu being so mischievous like a child, Xiang Yan had assumed that he was just playing around. She simply couldn't believe that he was the one who had pushed the deserter to the ground.

"Reporting to the marshal, young master's words are not empty words. When we captured this fellow just now, it was indeed young master who stepped forward bravely and pounced on him. He was the first to reach the ground before us." Just as Xiang Yan thought that Xiang Yu was just joking, the general beside him explained everything that had happened. He gave Xiang Yu a personal proof.