The only reason Liu Xiangnan was able to achieve this was because he was old; had he been in his prime, this arrow would have pierced Baza Khan through and through. However, even in his old age, Baza Khan couldn't withstand such an attack.
Baza Khan let out a cry and spat out a mouthful of blood, staggering backward. The soldiers around him rushed forward to rescue him, supporting him as he retreated into their ranks.
Soon, news of Baza Khan being shot reached Prince Qiao Na's encampment.
Upon hearing the news, Qiao Na let out a sigh.
"I can't hold on, I can't hold on any longer!"
After pacing back and forth in his tent for over a dozen circles with his hands clasped behind his back, Prince Qiao Na finally made a decision. "Sound the retreat! We will fight again tomorrow."
The sound of urgent gongs quickly echoed, and the momentum of the assault on the city came to an abrupt halt, receding like a tide.
On the city walls, Liu Xiangnan watched the Da Tu nation retreat and finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Du Shun, standing beside him, gave a thumbs-up. "Marquis, your might is as formidable as ever. You shot down the enemy commander with a single arrow, forcing them to retreat."
Upon hearing Du Shun's words, Liu Xiangnan waved his hand slightly. "Not so, not so. This arrow may not have killed him, but thankfully, they have retreated tonight. Let the soldiers rest. I suspect they won't be willing to give up so easily."
Liu Xiangnan's suspicions were correct. Qiao Na paced in his tent for the time it takes to steep a pot of tea, ultimately deciding he had to rely on Zhu Meng.
Zhu Meng was soon summoned to Qiao Na's presence.
As soon as Zhu Meng arrived, Qiao Na immediately ordered seats to be prepared and tea to be served, showing great respect and ceremony.
"General Zhu, we have been unable to take Wannian City after a prolonged siege. Do you have any good ideas?"
Upon hearing Prince Qiao Na's words, Zhu Meng pondered for a long time before shaking his head. "Your Highness, I have nothing concrete to offer on such short notice. May I return to think about it? I will surely report to Your Highness once I have an idea!"
Qiao Na understood that he had disbanded Zhu Meng's men and intended to sideline him, so Zhu Meng was bound to have grievances.
However, he had to offer some incentive now. With a smile, Qiao Na said, "General Zhu, I know you have some reservations about me. Have you ever heard the saying, 'good steel is used on the blade'? You are the person I rely on the most. How could I employ you until this critical moment? This siege of Wannian City is the perfect opportunity to showcase your abilities!"
Zhu Meng, being a military man, was overjoyed by Qiao Na's words. "Your Highness, please rest assured, Zhu Meng will do his utmost."
After a few more pleasantries, Zhu Meng returned to his tent. Upon seeing Zhu Meng's return, Zhang Liao quickly went to meet him, helping him to remove his armor.
"Zhang Liao, the Crown Prince just summoned me and asked for my ideas on the prolonged siege of Wannian City!"
Hearing this, Zhang Liao's brow furrowed before he chuckled.
"General, our opportunity has come."
"Oh? Then tell me, what opportunity is this?" Zhu Meng glanced at Zhang Liao.
"I heard that Baza Khan was wounded and might not survive. Now Prince Qiao Na is short of capable men, so naturally, he'll think of you."
"That makes sense, but how can I assault the city? You know Wannian City; its walls are high and thick, and it's heavily guarded," Zhu Meng sighed.
After listening to his words, Zhang Liao smiled and waved his hand. "General is right, but don't forget, the Da Cang soldiers are also exhausted from a day of fighting. Seeing us retreat, they will surely lower their guard. Why don't we launch a night raid?"
"In this cold weather, we'll wait until the fourth watch, just before dawn, when people are most weary."
"We will send out troops to wave flags and feign an attack on the south gate. The enemy will surely divert their forces to reinforce it. As soon as their troops move, we will attack from the north gate. If they then move troops again, we will attack from the west gate, and finally the east gate. After such diversions, the enemy will believe we are still surrounding the city from all sides. Then, we will gather our forces and launch a concentrated assault on one point."
After listening to Zhang Liao's lengthy explanation, Zhu Meng pondered briefly and then smiled.
"I understand. Your strategy is to be deceptive, to feign one action while intending another, to keep the enemy guessing and unsure of our true point of attack."
Hearing Zhu Meng's words, Zhang Liao gave him a thumbs-up.
"General, you are absolutely correct. As long as we help Your Highness break through Wannian City, you will receive the greatest credit. Then you can claim rewards from Emperor Qiao Pu Sen of the Da Tu nation, and we can take this opportunity to break free from Qiao Na's control."
Zhu Meng nodded and, without even taking a sip of water, immediately turned to find Prince Qiao Na.
After listening to Zhu Meng's explanation, Qiao Na's expression lit up with joy. "Excellent! This is wonderful! This plan is truly brilliant. I will assemble my men immediately, and General Zhu will be in command of the deployment and strategy!"
Prince Qiao Na directly granted him command, which made Zhu Meng ecstatic. He repeatedly expressed his thanks.
Little did he know, this was Qiao Na's way of shifting responsibility.
While Prince Qiao Na was busily making preparations, within Wannian City, as Liu Xiangnan had instructed, everyone was quickly eating and resting.
In the blink of an eye, it was the third watch. Liu Xiangnan stepped out of his room and looked up at the sky, appearing somewhat uneasy.
"Marquis, you seem anxious. Is something wrong?" Liu Kai asked cautiously from beside him.
Liu Xiangnan nodded and looked at Liu Kai. "The Da Tu nation suddenly retreated. Logically, they should be anxious and continue their attack tonight!"
Hearing this, Liu Kai nodded. "What Marquis says is true. Are you worried they are devising some trick?"
"Yes. Go and fetch Du Shun for me."
It was already past the third watch, and Du Shun was about to go to sleep when he was groggily woken up to see Liu Xiangnan.
"Du Shun, you must personally go out and inspect all the city towers again. Remember, if the enemy attacks, the guards on the walls must not move blindly. Hold your position as you are ordered. Do you understand?"
Du Shun agreed, turned, and went out to relay the order.
Liu Kai, however, seemed somewhat confused. "Marquis, our troop movements within the city are swift. If any area is attacked, we can quickly dispatch troops to quell it!"
Liu Xiangnan shook his head. "Not so, not so. We must hold our ground. As long as we remain stationary, the enemy will not find an opportunity to exploit."
Du Shun diligently rode his horse around the city with his men, confirming that the guards were in order before confidently returning to report. "Reporting to Marquis, I have inspected every city gate and can guarantee everything is foolproof."
Hearing Du Shun's report, Liu Xiangnan nodded approvingly. "Good. You may return and rest. Dawn is approaching, and the enemy will likely attack early in the morning."
As soon as he finished speaking, hurried footsteps were heard. Turning to look, a soldier approached and knelt on one knee. "Reporting to Marquis, a large enemy force has been discovered outside the south gate, and they have launched a fierce attack immediately."