Large numbers of able-bodied men were conscripted as soldiers, and under the high-handed supervision of the Helian family, they were rushed to various locations.
In the Sichuan region, over ten thousand people were drafted as soldiers, and a considerable number were secretly murdered by the Returning Spring Cult, all of whom were scholars who had refused to join the cult, and their families.
"Even if the Great Qian Kingdom manages to pacify Western Sichuan, they will have to slaughter the scholars of Western Sichuan, leaving the Great Qian Kingdom with a mess to clean up!"
The masked Ilis coldly watched the thirty scholars being escorted to the execution ground and sternly questioned, "Do you regret opposing the Returning Spring Cult!"
The thirty scholars, already disfigured by torture, turned their heads in unison, gnashing their teeth, and after casting hateful glances at Ilis, they silently turned back, walking towards the distant bonfires.
"What are those eyes for!!"
Ilis was finally enraged.
These scholars had refused to cooperate with Helian Heng, resulting in the annihilation of their entire clans. They themselves were sent by the Helian family to the stronghold of the Returning Spring Cult, enduring severe torture. Yet, they did not yield, nor did they beg for a swift death!
Flames soared into the sky, and from the sea of fire, the scholars' furious roars finally emerged.
"The Marquis of An Guo will surely pacify Western Sichuan and avenge the people of Western Sichuan! When the clouds clear and the dawn breaks, you villains will be brought to justice!"
As soon as the words were spoken, hundreds of Returning Spring Cult followers present, all staring at the inferno that was continuously erupting with cracking sounds, were filled with trepidation.
They believed in the doctrines of the Returning Spring Cult. What did these scholars, who had never received any favor from Liang Xiao, believe in?
Ilis's eyes seemed about to spew fire: "If you are to become vengeful ghosts, you should seek out Liang Xiao!"
Her sister, Christia, had transformed into the envied wife of the Marquis of An Guo, enjoying domestic bliss.
But she, a princess by birth, had to travel far and wide for the great cause of the Tianri clan...
"Continue! Burn every single one of them!!"
Ilis's hysterical screams echoed over the fiery scene.
More than half of the hundreds of cult followers had already slumped their shoulders in dejection.
Undoubtedly, the scholars marching to their deaths possessed a more steadfast faith than they did.
"I heard that the Marquis of An Guo of Great Qian wrote a book called 'Refutation of the Returning Spring Cult'?" a question suddenly arose in their minds.
Liang Xiao, who was setting up a formation in Jianmen Pass, preparing to take it, also received news from Hanzhong.
Zhuo Ying's forces had captured Badong and were advancing into Bazhong!
Liang Xiao was deeply pleased but did not rush to attack.
The cost of attacking Jianmen Pass was too high, and meticulous preparations were necessary. He could not risk the lives of his soldiers to probe the enemy's defenses.
Helian Heng, having suffered a previous devastating defeat, was terrified and dared not engage in battle. He could only strengthen the defenses around Jianmen Pass and simultaneously order his personal guards to supervise all units to prevent further mutiny and desertion.
However, Helian Heng was thus unable to extricate himself and could not divert troops to support Badong and Bazhong. He could only watch helplessly as various locations in Badong fell, cooperating with the Returning Spring Cult's defensive withdrawal.
Helian Heng remained uneasy and summoned Zen Master Longyue.
"How many troops does your Returning Spring Cult still have? Send them all to defend Bazhong! If Sichuan falls, the Returning Spring Cult will also lose its foundation!"
Zen Master Longyue said ominously, "We lost over seventy thousand in Lu Zhou and north of Jianmen Pass. We now have only a little over ten thousand left!"
King Jinpao, standing beside him, gave a wry smile, "Don't count on the Sun-Moon Army either. The Sun-Moon Army lost over ninety thousand in Lu Zhou and north of Jianmen Pass. Now they also have to guard the southwest and Jiaozhou, and cannot spare any troops!"
Helian Heng's scalp tingled, "Are we to be confined to Jianmen Pass?"
Zen Master Longyue replied, "To stall Liang Xiao is a great achievement! If Liang Xiao cannot return to the capital, Great Qian will be deprived of ninety thousand elite troops and will be unable to conquer Jiaozhou, the Southwest, the Kushan Dynasty, or the Xianbei. When the time is ripe and various factions are alerted, perhaps we can turn the tide!"
Helian Heng was speechless.
He could only blame himself for his arrogance and rashness, which had led to the loss of over a hundred thousand troops.
And now, he dared not even send the conscripted laborers from the rear to defend Jianmen Pass, for fear that these laborers would instigate a mutiny within the army!
"Three thousand men, how long can they hold off Liang Xiao..." doubt lingered in everyone's minds.
Victory and defeat were common in warfare; they did not consider losing to Liang Xiao to be shameful.
But after a single defeat, the army mutinied, and over sixty thousand surrendered to Liang Xiao, which was beyond their comprehension of military affairs.
Liang Xiao, while daily surveying the terrain of Jianmen Pass, also dispatched scouts to bypass mountain paths and observe the enemy's situation.
Jianmen Pass was a formidable natural barrier, but it was still possible for a few agile individuals to traverse various small paths to monitor enemy movements.
"Calculating the time, General Nan should be arriving at Jiangyou soon, shouldn't he?" Liang Xiao muttered to himself while eating in the military tent, looking at the map.
Jiangyou was a pass north of Fucheng, with fewer than a thousand regular troops. Since there was no significant frontal threat here, the original troops had all been withdrawn to Jianmen Pass to assist Helian Heng in attacking Hanzhong.
However, due to the conscription of able-bodied men from various regions, two thousand people were being trained in Jiangyou, filled with resentment but daring not to speak out.
In the deep silence of the night, an army advanced in the dark north of Jiangyou, reaching the city.
It was Nan Jiyun leading eight thousand men. After enduring countless hardships, crossing numerous mountains and rivers, it took twenty-one days to travel over seven hundred li, successfully sneaking through Yinping and appearing as divine soldiers from the heavens!!
After days of arduous travel, all eight thousand men were exhausted and had lost over fifteen catties.
Liu Fan's face was sallow, his cheekbones becoming prominent.
But their eyes shone with excitement.
They had actually traversed those treacherous paths and completed the first step of their strategy!
The guards at Jiangyou Pass also discovered Nan Jiyun's forces and were greatly alarmed. "Who is outside the city!"
"Should we attack the city now?" Liu Fan asked, pressing his now weak legs.
"Everyone is too tired. If we force an attack, casualties will be heavy, but we cannot not attack!" Nan Jiyun sighed.
Liu Fan's expression changed, and he forced himself to stand up, saying, "Don't rush, I'll go see the Jiangyou commander. I heard he's a local official; perhaps we can subdue the enemy without a fight."
Nan Jiyun exclaimed, "Absolutely not! If the enemy is a confidant of Helian Heng, General Liu will..."
Liu Fan waved his hand, "I came to this place with General Nan precisely to pacify the various regions of Western Sichuan. Now that I have two sons and a daughter at home, and my family is prosperous, I am risking my life. If I can avoid several hundred or thousands of casualties for our army, I can repay the Marquis's grace and favor."
After Liu Fan's repeated insistence, Nan Jiyun had no choice but to agree.
Chen Hun, the commander of Jiangyou Pass, rushed from his home to observe the city walls upon hearing that there was an army stationed outside.
"Lord Chen, a young man below claims to be an envoy requesting an audience!"
Chen Hun, upon receiving the soldier's report and seeing the dense Great Qian Town Guards under the moonlight, was so terrified that he immediately sent someone to lower a rope to receive Liu Fan.
Liu Fan, though worn from days of travel, had managed to maintain some decorum by bathing while crossing the river earlier.
"From where do you come, sir?" Chen Hun couldn't help but ask.
Liu Fan replied, "I, Liu, am an envoy under the Marshal, the Marquis of An Guo. Our army has already broken through Jianmen Pass and dispatched vanguards to swiftly attack Jiangyou! However, our Marshal only punishes the main culprit, Helian Heng. All others who surrender will be treated well, their lives spared, and they may even return to Great Qian to serve as subjects of Great Qian, with all past transgressions forgiven!"
Chen Hun's body trembled, and he said urgently, "If Jianmen Pass falls, someone will surely send an urgent report. Do not try to deceive me! We still have three thousand soldiers guarding Jiangyou. I don't know where you came from, but how easy do you think it will be for several thousand of you to take Jiangyou!!"
Three thousand people?
Liu Fan stared at the dense ranks of guards on the city walls, inwardly startled.