After two days of interaction, Liang Xiao also agreed with Lü Yi and Yue Yun's assessment of Heraclius.
Serious, meticulous in his work, possessing the bearing of a national scholar.
As a member of the Roman imperial family, Heraclius maintained his aristocratic spirit.
Yue Yun led the Central Plains cavalry to harass the enemy forces and, at the same time, dispatched scouts to investigate the enemy's supply lines. Heraclius remained to await orders, familiarizing himself daily with the Central Plains cavalry.
In the military camp, Liang Xiao took advantage of his rest time to chat with Heraclius.
"Big cousin, you must be thirty-two now? Have you married and had children during your time in Da Gan?"
Heraclius shook his head, his expression resolute.
"My family, including my wife and children, were all tortured to death by the Tian Ri clan. The King of Tian Ri even demanded that I eat my sister's arm... Revenge against the Tian Ri clan will define my life! And the Liang family army, who saved my life, must surely be waiting for my good news!"
Liang Xiao offered no comment but did not press Heraclius.
"When General Nan arrives with his troops to rendezvous in Yuzhang, our army's provisions should also be ready, and we can launch a full-scale counteroffensive. After retaking Jiaozhou and Daliang, we will engage in a decisive battle with the Peacock Dynasty and the Kushan Dynasty."
Heraclius, filled with gratitude, bowed repeatedly in thanks.
In the western continent of Europa, the continent of Africa, and Western Asia, the Ayyubid Dynasty and the Golden Rose Dynasty from the island kingdom of Britannia were locked in fierce combat. Both sides engaged in a great battle at Asuf.
Ultimately, the army of Richard the Lionheart triumphed over the Ayyubid cavalry, conquering cities and territories, shattering Saladin's undefeated legend.
"The Tian Ri clan has been covertly supporting the enemy and disrupting our logistics!"
After the battle, Saladin listened to the indignant reports from his generals and shook his head helplessly.
"Even without the Tian Ri clan's support, we might not have won this decisive engagement, so we must reflect deeply. If not for the armor sold by the Da Gan kingdom, our army might have suffered immeasurable losses! This defeat will lead the Xiongnu and the Liang family army to underestimate us. We need to strengthen trade with the Da Gan kingdom and acquire more armor and crossbows from them."
"The Da Gan kingdom has its own water-patterned steel weapons; the weapons of Damascus have lost their appeal. Go, bring more sulfur, iron ore, and gold. Under the guise of countering the Tian Ri clan, request more 'Bu Ren Jia' (foot soldier armor) and cost-effective crossbows and 'Heng Dao' (sabre) from the Da Gan kingdom."
Two more fleets set sail from the waters controlled by the Ayyubid Dynasty, bypassed the waters controlled by the Peacock Dynasty, and headed straight for the Jiangnan region of Da Gan.
The King of Tian Ri, who had already arrived in the Kushan Dynasty, quickly learned of the battle of Asuf, his eyes gleaming with ferocity.
"The Ayyubid Dynasty should be grateful that Da Gan in the East is tying down our forces! If we weren't trying to seize this opportunity to crush that land, we could completely divert our cavalry and annihilate these clowns, including the Scourge of God and the Lionheart!"
In the temporary palace in southern Palestine, after an urgent consultation with his ministers, Richard I, the Lionheart, declined the mediation offered by Attila's envoy and decided to fight the Ayyubid Dynasty to the end.
"Tell Attila that this is God's world expelling heretics. Even if our great Lionheart were willing to accept peace, the people of Britannia would never agree."
Upon receiving the reply, Attila was helpless. He could only accept the reality, bide his time, and strengthen himself.
The Peacock Dynasty and the Kushan Dynasty, advancing from two directions, dispatched large armies and logistical support, determined to fight a decisive battle with Da Gan.
"Your Majesty, without enough troops to suppress them, the local low-caste people have started to revolt everywhere!"
The Kings of Kushan and Peacock, respectively in their palaces, received reports from their ministers and erupted in fury.
"Low-caste people are still low-caste people. It seems we should deal with them using the methods of the Tian Ri religion. Dispatch cavalry. Wherever resistance is encountered, all the people in that area will be slaughtered, and women and children will be taken as military prostitutes and rations, sent to the front lines!"
Where there is oppression, there is resistance.
However, facing the heavily armored Tian Ri clan, the rebels ultimately could not escape extermination. In the territories of the Kushan Dynasty and the Peacock Dynasty, numerous scenes of hell on earth appeared, just like in the Taiji Kingdom.
"The southern barbarians have also been defeated?!" The coalition forces stationed south of Yuzhang also successively received news of Da Gan pacifying the south and defeating the Izumo country's troops.
Xiao Chang, Xiao Che, and others wore crestfallen expressions, finally feeling the urge to retreat.
"Hold firm in Jiaozhou, block the roads, and establish our own domain there... it doesn't seem entirely unacceptable..." Xiao Chang muttered to himself.
Xiao Che sighed, "Liang Xiao and Gongsun Ye are not vegetarians; they will surely take advantage of the situation and move south to deal with Jiaozhou!"
Dugu Qun, having heard that Dugu Yuncheng was beheaded by the soldiers of Daliang, looked haggard and sighed, "At this point, without reinforcements, our army is in a dilemma. Liang Xiao's counterattack is a certainty! The Da Gan kingdom has just finished harvesting and captured a large amount of our grain in Luzhou. They can last for at least another five months!"
As everyone was lamenting, an urgent report arrived from outside.
"Gongyang Qiu and Achilles request an audience!"
Gongyang He, who was accompanying the army, his old eyes lit up, and heaved a great sigh of relief, ushering the two into the military tent.
Father and son reunited, they lamented endlessly.
Achilles, with a grim expression, asked, "What is the situation with our army?"
Dugu Qun, with a distressed look, replied, "The Tian Ri cavalry from all regions combined numbers only fifteen thousand. Marshal Alexander and Marshal Jianbei have both died on the battlefield. Our army is powerless to conquer Jiangnan, with Liang Xiao defending it..."
Achilles angrily declared, "Hannibal will surely lead troops to reinforce us, and the Kushan Dynasty is mobilizing troops from the western border and gathering more catapults! Even if we cannot conquer Jiangnan, we must drag the main force of the Da Gan kingdom into a quagmire to prevent them from reinforcing the western border!"
"Marshal Hannibal is indeed on his way with troops," Xiao Che nodded.
"I will lead the cavalry deep into the hinterland to destroy their logistics. We still have a chance to win!" Achilles vowed, patting his chest.
Everyone remained noncommittal, their prospects grim.
One day later, an urgent report arrived from the eastern front.
"The Daliang army has mutinied. Su Wencheng has been captured by Daliang soldiers and sent to Daliang. The Daliang army has retreated from Wurong Prefecture and returned home!"
Upon receiving the news, Xiao Chang staggered backward, falling to the ground, and sighed to the heavens.
"The timing is unfavorable!"
The people of Jiaozhou became even more despondent, while only Achilles and the generals of the Tian Ri clan vehemently advocated for a stalemate.
To stabilize troop morale, Achilles personally led the Tian Ri cavalry, harassing north of Yuzhang daily.
Meanwhile, Liang Xiao also received news from Wurong Prefecture, and the military and civilians rejoiced.
Da Gan's defensive war against Daliang had ended in complete victory, allowing them to concentrate their efforts on dealing with the Jiaozhou coalition forces!
Nan Jiyun's thirty thousand Yizhou soldiers, who had advanced down the river, landed and, after a rapid march, finally reached Yuzhang, coming under Liang Xiao's command.
The Daliang army assembled in Yuzhang for the counteroffensive against Jiaozhou numbered a total of two hundred thousand.
Concurrently, the Tian Ri cavalry, dispatched from Jiaozhou and led by Hannibal, finally arrived at the military camp of the Jiaozhou coalition forces.