Hèlian Heng also knew well that these fifteen thousand men alone could not breach the city. To ensure complete victory, he dispatched a swift rider to Miànzhú, informing the garrison commander to send reinforcements, and simultaneously sent a messenger back to Jiàn Gé to report the situation.
Jǐn Chéng and Miànzhú still held a combined force of twenty thousand soldiers, including ten thousand new recruits.
With Fú Chéng fallen, Miànzhú faced direct threat.
Once Miànzhú fell, Jǐn Chéng would be exposed to the full might of the Great Qián army. By then, even if Jiàn Gé held, and the Hèlian family's ancestral home was razed, their cause would be lost.
The Prince of Brocade Robes gazed at the Great Qián banner on the distant city wall, a chill running down his spine. He roared, "Hèlian family head, you're on your own. This King must proceed to Bā Nán to rendezvous with allied forces!"
Hèlian Heng, knowing he was in the wrong, offered no objection. After seeing the Prince of Brocade Robes and his entourage depart, he stared at Fú Chéng, consumed by regret.
If only he hadn't been so eager for glory and had seen through Liáng Xiāo's feint, with over a hundred thousand men supporting him, he wouldn't have ended up in this predicament!
And Fú Chéng was particularly crucial, a place that absolutely could not be easily abandoned!
Hèlian Heng still clung to a sliver of hope.
Hǎo Píng would never betray him, and Péi Gān had no reason to. Perhaps they could still "abandon the darkness and turn to the light"!
After Nan Jiyun captured Fú Chéng, with ample supplies, he felt confident in defending the city. At the same time, he worried about Jiāng Yóu falling and their forces being surrounded. Thus, he was always prepared to sally forth and engage the enemy.
Now, both sides were testing each other's rear support. Whoever's reinforcements arrived first would secure victory!
While Nan Jiyun defended the city, Zhuó Yīng and Shì Liúyún split into two divisions, heading directly for Central and Southern Sichuan.
Facing the two Great Qián royal armies, the local garrison commanders surrendered at the mere sight of them, not daring to resist.
Shì Liúyún's route, originally intended to capture Jiāng Yáng and Bó Dào consecutively, heading straight for Jiàn Wèi, was altered due to march distance. He ultimately chose another route provided by Liáng Xiāo, ascending the Tuó River, passing through Hàn Ān and Zī Zhōng, advancing to Niú Bèi, and rushing towards Luò Xiàn.
Zhuó Yīng's route, departing from Bā Jùn, turned north to Diàn Jiāng, then diverted via Fú Shuǐ, conquering Dé Yáng and Guǎng Hǎn consecutively. He was now en route to Fú Chéng, also to support Nan Jiyun, who might have already taken Fú Chéng, and solidify the gains. This was also to support Nan Jiyun, who might have already taken Fú Chéng, and solidify the gains. 138 Reading Net
Liáng Xiāo's forces were divided into four routes: his main army, Nan Jiyun, Shì Liúyún, and Zhuó Yīng. Once the situation in Fú Chéng stabilized, they would advance to Miànzhú.
Once Miànzhú was broken, they would collectively surround Jǐn Chéng, and the overall situation would be decided!
The Jǐn Chéng of the Great Qián nation actually had another alias: Chéng Dū...
At this moment, every household in Fú Chéng was hiding indoors, fearful of causing trouble for the Great Qián army.
They had already heard about "Tāndīng Rùmǔ" (a tax reform) and agricultural colonies. The government took only a small portion from official colonies, leaving the majority to the colonists.
This was an unprecedented benevolence!
Both publicly and privately, these people wished for Liáng Xiāo to pacify the entire Western Sichuan region as soon as possible, so they could escape the poison of the Returning Spring Cult and the exploitation of landlords!
Liú Fān was not idle either; he was inventorying supplies while disciplining the new recruits and surrendered veterans within the city, to prevent any further incidents.
Meanwhile, Nan Jiyun was responsible for defending the city, a perfect blend of civil and military governance.
Hèlian Heng's army was blockading the city's north gate. Three full hours passed.
Just as Hèlian Heng was at a loss, the swift rider dispatched to Jiàn Gé suddenly returned in a panic, bearing terrifying news.
"A cavalry force of ten thousand is heading towards Fú Chéng!"
Upon hearing this, Hèlian Heng's face drained of color in shock: "Where would Jiàn Gé have so many cavalry!"
Hèlian Tíng, standing beside him, asked in horror, "My lord, has Jiàn Gé fallen?!"
"Jiàn Gé is personally guarded by Master Lóng Yuè..." Hèlian Heng became utterly bewildered.
Lóng Yuè had no reason to defect at this time!
Then there was only one possibility.
"Has the Jiàn Gé garrison also rebelled?" Hèlian Heng felt a cold shiver run from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. "Quick, retreat to Miànzhú!"
Fifteen thousand men, who had marched with imposing momentum to the city gates, now retreated in disarray.
Nan Jiyun, on the city wall, noticed the enemy retreating southwest, not towards Jiàn Gé. He quickly sent for Liú Fān.
Liú Fān rejoiced, "There are only two possibilities: either Marshal has already taken Hèlian Heng's Jiàn Gé, or Hèlian Heng fears our army's surprise attack on Chéng Dū. Regardless, our army can pursue them!"
Nan Jiyun understood. He immediately assembled four thousand Great Qián Iron Guards and launched a sortie from the city gates, pursuing Hèlian Heng's army.
"Marshal! The Fú Chéng garrison is pursuing from the rear!"
Hèlian Heng, upon receiving the news, was both shocked and enraged. However, he dared not counterattack Fú Chéng at this moment, so he could only deploy archers to the rear to prevent the pursuers from closing in.
The Great Qián Town Guards all wore padded armor and carried simple shields brought from Fú Chéng and Jiāng Yóu, sufficient to protect vital areas. They advanced, enduring the arrows, pursuing for five li.
Just as the two sides were engaged in a life-or-death chase, shouts of battle and the neighing of warhorses erupted from the northeast, shaking the heavens and earth.
"It's our Great Qián cavalry! Jiàn Gé has fallen!!"
The Great Qián Town Guards, spotting the Great Qián banners, cried out in joy, their spirits soaring.
Yuè Qíng Tiān and Yuè Yún, leading the Great Qián cavalry, also spotted the Great Qián Town Guards. Filled with joy, they immediately merged with Nan Jiyun's forces, relentlessly pursuing Hèlian Heng.
Upon learning of the Great Qián cavalry's arrival, Hèlian Heng was utterly terrified and roared, "Send men to cover our rear, and retreat to Miànzhú!!"
The Great Qián cavalry easily caught up to Hèlian Heng's troops. Yuè Qíng Tiān and Yuè Yún, each leading six thousand men, split into two divisions. Utilizing crossbows and the mobility of their warhorses, they encircled and harassed the enemy from the flanks.
With the advantage of their warhorses, the Hèlian Heng army's crossbows could not easily injure the Great Qián cavalry, while the Great Qián cavalry could periodically charge in, shower them with arrows, and retreat, harassing them repeatedly.
Fifteen thousand infantry, facing the well-trained Great Qián cavalry, were under immense pressure.
Under normal circumstances, even if Hèlian Heng couldn't win, he could certainly command his army to form defensive formations and retreat to Miànzhú in an orderly fashion.
But the current Hèlian Heng had been thoroughly intimidated by Liáng Xiāo. He no longer dared to meet their charge head-on, his sole focus being to escape with his life.
If he didn't run now, he would surely become Liáng Xiāo's prisoner!
Unconcerned with the lives of his soldiers, Hèlian Heng, with five hundred personal guards, mounted his horse, handed over command of the army to a trusted steward, and turned his horse to flee.
The steward who received the military insignia looked at the Great Qián cavalry harassing and attacking their formation in the distance, bewildered, filled with anger and anxiety.
Is our lord abandoning us with this mess and running off himself?
"General Yuè, I see Hèlian Heng's banner, but no sign of Hèlian Heng and his group!"
Yuè Yún reminded him.
Yuè Qíng Tiān exclaimed, "Could this scoundrel have abandoned his army again and fled? You be responsible for persuading them to surrender, and I will pursue him!"
Yuè Yún accepted the order and immediately led his troops to the enemy lines, ordering his soldiers to shout surrender slogans in unison, while also reminding them.
"You have all been abandoned by Hèlian Heng. Surrender quickly, and your lives and property can be guaranteed!"
The rebels, who were resisting, exchanged glances.
They had already suffered nearly a thousand casualties under the harassment of the Great Qián cavalry and were on the verge of collapse at any moment.
"Our lord has fled to Miànzhú alone!"
Finally, someone couldn't help but wail.
Instantly, the morale of the army crumbled. More and more rebels threw down their weapons and surrendered. Those who refused to surrender were captured by their comrades.
Yuè Yún explained to Nan Jiyun, who had arrived, "These soldiers who refuse to surrender must have colluded with Hèlian Heng in the past, specifically apprehending and persecuting civilians. They were likely offered as sacrifices to the Returning Spring Cult, and now they fear retribution."
Without a word, Nan Jiyun ordered these die-hard resisters to be taken into custody, prepared for Liáng Xiāo's judgment.
Yuè Qíng Tiān led two thousand men in pursuit and could already see Hèlian Heng and his personal guards fleeing in the distance.