Slave Empire [Complete] - 11

Volume 5, Chapter 65: Selling Treasures at a Bargain Price.
"Young Master, we must retreat! Delay may be too late!" Shi Heng, commander of the First Division of the Bright Army, known as "Corpse-Strewn," though unable
to capture Qiu Shuishang after a long siege, still had the strength to observe the battlefield situation. Seeing the dire circumstances, he quickly reminded Xu Xiaoyao not to linger. In the midst of thousands of troops, even experts at the Innate Saint Rank or even Divine Rank levels could not withstand the relentless attacks. A super expert might fight one hundred, five hundred, or even one thousand ordinary soldiers, but when their true energy was exhausted, they might die under the swords and spears of the one thousand and first! Moreover, the enemy still had experts of similar rank engaged in battle; continuing the fight would likely lead to an even faster death! Tonight, the Bright Army had no chance of victory!
"Retreat!" Xu Xiaoyao had originally intended to use the "Thirteen Yinming Clans" technique to kill Qiu Shuibo, the commander of the Jade Dragon Army, but the battle had dragged on without success. Qiu Shuibo's skill was no less than his own, and he had considerable stamina. It seemed that even if they fought for another half a day, the two might not be able to determine a winner. The Bright Army, however, could not withstand the Jade Dragon Army's continuous attacks for more than half a day! At that moment, Xu Xiaoyao forced back Qiu Shuibo's spear attack with his sword, joined forces with Shi Heng and the two elders of Yinming, and took the lead in attacking eastward! His movements were faster than a galloping horse, even faster than Qiu Shuibo and his men on horseback!
At this time, the Yinming Iron Guard was reduced to only about two hundred men after being attacked by the Qiufeng Silver Guard. They followed Xu Xiaoyao and the other four leaders as they attacked eastward from the encirclement!
Qiu Shuibo led the Silver Guard in hot pursuit, relentlessly cutting down the Yinming Iron Guards left to cover their retreat. However, they fell further and further behind Xu Xiaoyao and his companions, who were unleashing their full agility. In the end, they could only watch as more than twenty highly skilled Yinming Iron Guards escorted Xu Xiaoyao and his group of four, fighting their way out of the encirclement and fleeing towards Shunhe Town.
"Don't pursue a desperate enemy!" Qiu Shuibo stopped the Qiufeng Silver Guards from giving chase, ordering, "Quickly resolve this battle; the important matter is paramount."
Leaving Hua Yinghong with a formidable enemy who could cause trouble was a good option. A faint smile appeared on Qiu Shuibo's handsome face. If he went all out, he was absolutely confident he could kill "The Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao with his bright silver spear, but why provoke a top-tier master like "Yinming Divine Fist" Xu Ling for this? If a master of Xu Ling's caliber disregarded all restraints and was determined to kill someone by any means necessary, very few in the world could escape!
Only that seemingly unremarkable young man was the true rival Qiu Shuibo always considered his real adversary—despite the formidable martial arts of the amorous young master Xu Xiaoyao and the immense strength of the Yinming Sect, they were not yet a threat to Qiu Shuibo.
In his heart—wisdom was a hundred times more terrifying than brute force!
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Ten miles east of Beigang City, on a quiet beach,
Hai Tianqing watched as thousands upon thousands of Yulong soldiers boarded the ships, his heart filled with turmoil—
he hadn't fully understood the "gentleman's agreement" between Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo at first: even with the Yulong army's superior numbers and strength, he believed the Free Army, with its overwhelming advantage, could still annihilate them on the island, albeit at a considerable cost.
The sudden prospect of making peace with a former enemy was psychologically difficult for him to accept.
He didn't hide his deep-seated hatred for the Yulong army, especially the Qiu family: the hatred for Qiu Shuiliu's abduction of his lover Su Xiaoxiao, the hatred for the massacre of dozens of his family members—none of these were unforgivable. However, his argument with Hua Yinghong wasn't entirely driven by personal grudges. His reasoning was that if they could annihilate Qiu Shuibo's pacification army while the Qiu family was facing a powerful offensive from the Liang army and in dire straits, their future campaign against the Free Army on the Hua Long continent would be much smoother.
Only after Hua Yinghong explained the true significance of this agreement did Hai Tianqing truly accept it—sending the Yulong army away would minimize the Free Army's casualties, allowing them to capture Riyue City, Beigang City, and even Jilong City without bloodshed. Moreover, Hua Yinghong was more concerned about the lives of Donggang City and the more than 200,000 Hua Long civilians nearby: with the Japanese army constantly reinforcing its troops and launching a prolonged siege, how long Donggang City could hold out was uncertain. Every person on Zhenbao Island was well aware of the shamelessness, despicable nature, and inhumanity of the Japanese ronin. Hai Tianqing, having served in the Yulong Navy and fought against Japanese ronin, was certainly aware of this as well.
"Expel the Japanese invaders and uphold our divine might." Qiu Shuibo specifically included this clause in the "Gentleman's Pact," which perfectly aligned with Hua Yinghong's intentions. Once the Jade Dragon Army withdrew from Zhenbao Island, the Free Army would seize the opportunity to declare to the entire Hualong Continent: the problem of Japanese ronin, which the Great Tang Empire, the New Song Kingdom, and the Great Liang Kingdom had been unable to solve for centuries, would be no problem for the Free Army! At that time , all the valiant men of the continent would gather under the Free Army's banner, and the situation after landing on the Hualong Continent would be completely transformed!
Hua Yinghong's vision extended beyond Zhenbao Island, a point where Hai Tianqing was inferior to him. Moreover, the Free Army's immediate priority was to strengthen itself, not weaken the enemy. If a war of attrition were to break out, the Qiu family's vast power might not collapse even with the loss of 100,000 soldiers, but the newly formed Free Army, if suffering more than 50,000 casualties, might face collapse!
What moved Hai Tianqing even more was that when Hua Yinghong secretly discussed the details with Qiu Shuibo, he mentioned the grudges between Hai Tianqing, Qiu Shuiliu, and even the Qiu family. If not handled properly, the cooperation between the Free Navy and the Jade Dragon Army would face obstacles. A few days later, Qiu Shuibo replied: there were other hidden reasons for the massacre of Hai Tianqing's family. Su Xiaoxiao was still temporarily residing in the Qiu family in Baiyang City, unable to be sent out due to the siege by the Liang army. Qiu Haoyu, the head of the Qiu family, had ordered that Su Xiaoxiao be escorted to Treasure Island immediately after the siege was lifted, at which point everything would be clear. If Qiu Shuiliu dared to obstruct this, his right to inherit the family headship would be revoked. Qiu Haoyu's handwritten edict was in Qiu Shuibo's possession. Once the "gentleman's agreement" was fulfilled and the Jade Dragon Army withdrawing from Treasure Island reached their destination, the edict would be given to Hai Tianqing as proof. Failure to fulfill the agreement would result in the Qiu family losing credibility with the world!
"Xiao Xiao!" Hai Tianqing thought of the gentle, kind, and warm-hearted Xiao Xiao, and a tender feeling welled up in his heart: as long as Xiao Xiao was safe and sound, most of the hatred in his heart had disappeared. As for the massacre of the entire Qiu family, he could only pursue the main culprit and accomplices, and would not hold the grudge against the entire Qiu family.
"Brother Hai, thank you for your great help despite past grievances." Qiu Shuibo's handsome, dashing, and composed smile finally appeared before Hai Tianqing, so kind that it was like a spring breeze.
Hai Tianqing immediately sensed Qiu Shuibo's astonishing cultivation level—his swordsmanship had improved since the battle with the pirates, and with his diligent practice of the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Void-Breaking Technique taught by Hua Yinghong, his power had advanced by leaps and bounds. He would at least have the courage to fight an ordinary eighth or ninth-grade master. But as soon as Qiu Shuibo appeared, he intuitively felt that he was no match for him, even more so than when he faced Hua Yinghong at this moment!
"I, Hai, am acting on the orders of Commander Hua, cooperating with the Jade Dragon Army. There's no need for thanks." Before uncovering the truth, Hai Tianqing remained unwilling to become sworn brothers with the man surnamed Qiu, even though Qiu Shuibo truly had nothing to do with his deep-seated hatred.
"This is a handwritten order from my father, ordering the young lady to be sent to Treasure Island to reunite with Brother Hai. Please accept it." Qiu Shuibo, seemingly unconcerned, handed over the order, originally intended for the Jade Dragon Army after their arrival. His refined demeanor was captivating.
Hai Tianqing accepted it with some excitement, only to find a plain sheet of paper that read, "Within one month of the siege of Baiyang City being lifted, Su Xiaoxiao is to be sent to Treasure Island. Her safety is to be strictly guaranteed. Anyone who obstructs this will be killed. Any member of the clan who obstructs this will be expelled from the clan. Qiu Haoyu." This note could not be fake; Hai Tianqing clearly recognized the handwriting and seal of the Qiu family head.
"I, Hai, guarantee with my life that until the Jade Dragon Army reaches its destination, as long as one ship and one person of my Free Army survives, I will not allow the Jade Dragon Army to lose a single one." Hai Tianqing knew that people like Qiu Shuibo and Qiu Haoyu would not deceive him on such a matter, so he sincerely conveyed the words Hua Yinghong had entrusted to him, which were also his own current thoughts. With the secret assistance of the ship guild and the Nangong family, plus the spoils from the suppression of pirates, Hai Tianqing now had fifty modified warships under his command, even though the new warships had not yet been launched. With two full-strength naval squadrons, he was capable of fighting even if he encountered any situation en route.
"Thank you again, Brother Hai. The lives of the 130,000 soldiers of the Jade Dragon Army rest entirely on your shoulders." Qiu Shuibo turned to watch the Jade Dragon Army, well-trained and orderly, board the transport ships, and said calmly. In the battle to annihilate Xu Xiaoyao's Bright Army, the Jade Dragon Army suffered 4,000 dead and over 3,000 wounded. Even the Qiu Feng Silver Guard suffered over 50 dead and over 30 lightly wounded. But he still believed it was worthwhile: after all, only a reserve force tested by bloody battles could become true warriors. With these 130,000-strong army, his and the entire Qiu family's grand plan, conceived under extremely unfavorable circumstances, could be realized.
This was an enormous gamble, entrusting the lives of 130,000 people to the Free Army, their former enemy. If the Free Army harbored malicious intentions and attacked the transport ships at sea with their warships, all 130,000 Jade Dragon soldiers and their provisions on the more than 800 transport ships would sink to the bottom of the sea! Qiu Shuibo, however, was not worried: a man like Hua Yinghong, the Son of Freedom, would not do something so outrageous. As for Hai Tianqing, besides having to respect Hua Yinghong's authority, Su Xiaoxiao's safety would prevent him from being blinded by hatred and recklessly attacking the transport ship.
This adventure, seemingly extremely risky, was actually incredibly safe, which was the most important reason why Qiu Haoyu and Qiu Haoran did not object to the "gentleman's agreement."
"Commander Hua has ordered a four-day curfew in Riyue City, Beigang City, and Jilong City starting tonight. Anyone daring to release carrier pigeons or fireworks privately, or to violate the travel restrictions, will be killed without exception. The news of the Jade Dragon Army boarding and withdrawing should not be leaked before reaching their destination," Hai Tianqing replied.
In recent days, the Qiu family's army and the Free Army's intelligence departments had done a great deal of work to fulfill the "gentleman's agreement." Intriguingly, even Cao Leshui's Jade Dragon spies provided a wealth of intelligence. In the eyes of most people on Zhenbao Island, the more than 100,000 Jade Dragon Army soldiers had been driven out of Beigang City by the Free Army and were now forced to the beach in a desperate situation, facing a last stand. But no one knew that this was a deliberate
illusion created by both sides! "Reporting to the Deputy Commander, carrier pigeons flew from six private residences in Beigang City suspected to be the domain of the Great Liang Kingdom's spies. They have all been shot down, and the people inside have all been captured and killed." Just then, a military intelligence officer came to report, corroborating Hai Tianqing's statement.
"Please thank Commander Hua for me." Qiu Shuibo became even more wary of Hua Yinghong's meticulousness and ruthless methods. The Free Army had clearly taken control of the Great Liang Kingdom's secret intelligence outposts on Zhenbao Island. It was likely that the intelligence outposts hidden by the Qiu family and the Jade Dragon spies could not escape the Free Army's intelligence organization's surveillance... What else could escape the schemes of such a terrifying person?
"Reporting to the Division Commander, all troops have boarded the ships." A Jade Dragon Army messenger came to report.
"Commander Hua specially ordered me to present this—" Hai Tianqing took out a gleaming gold coin and said to Qiu Shuibo, "Please accept it—"
"Such a valuable gold coin." A faint bitter smile finally appeared on Qiu Shuibo's face—the vast Treasure Island, which alone contributes five million gold coins to the kingdom's treasury annually, brings countless benefits to the Qiu family, yet he has only sold it for a single gold coin! He wondered if this was right or wrong, and whether he would become the Qiu family's eternal sinner. A
gentle west wind blew across the sea. The wind was just right for hoisting the sails, and a fleet of thousands of warships and transport ships silently sailed into the depths of the Treasure Strait in the darkness…

Volume 5, Chapter 66: Sudden Changes in the Wind and Clouds,
October 13th, 994 of the Hualong Calendar.
Another shocking event occurred on the Hua Long Continent—the Jade Dragon Army's pacification force and the Treasure Division, along with their reserves, totaling 135,000 men, who were originally stationed on Treasure Island, were secretly transported to the coast of Yangjiang Prefecture in Nanhai County of Daliang, where they landed under cover of night. Forty thousand of them, led by Qiu Changhe, marched over sixty li and seized Maoming City, which was only defended by ten thousand reserves and a small number of local guards; the remaining ninety-five thousand marched over sixty li and launched a surprise attack on Yangjiang City, the seat of Nanhai County, which was defended by only forty thousand Daliang reserves. After successfully annihilating the garrison of Yangjiang City and taking control of the entire city, Qiu Haoran led a division of 40,000 men on a forced march of over 80 li north, reaching the capital of Yunyuan County—Zhanjiang City. Ten thousand elite cavalry, with the help of an inside agent from the Qiu family, opened the south gate of Zhanjiang City and swiftly stormed into the city, seizing control of the southern district. Subsequently, 30,000 infantrymen swarmed in, annihilating the reserve division of the Liang army stationed there, capturing over 20,000 men, and occupying the entire city of Zhanjiang in one fell swoop!
Almost simultaneously, the Yulong Army, which was on the defensive in Baiyang County, suddenly launched an offensive—
the Third Guard Division of Yulong County, originally stationed in Yulong Prefecture, which borders Tianshui Prefecture of Baiyang County, and the secretly mobilized Baiyi Special Division marched eastward to Tianshui Prefecture, along with the Qiu family's newly established reserve division in Tianshui City, totaling 120,000 men, and launched a major offensive towards Dongguan Prefecture and Changlong Prefecture!
After a short period of intensive training under Qiu Shuiliu, the Yulong Naval Reserve Division at Tenglong Port was able to hold its ground and, together with the naval regiment, withstand the attack of the Daliang Navy. With their forces freed, Qiu Shuiliu's two elite regiments began to launch proactive attacks, harassing the Daliang army's supply lines in Qingyuan Prefecture.
The Ding family's Northern Army's Third Division, stationed in Nanjiang Prefecture of Jianghan County, also moved towards Shunde Prefecture on the orders of the Yulong King, keeping the newly established reserve division of Shunde Prefecture in Yunyuan County of Daliang inactive. The Ding family's four reserve divisions in the four prefectures of Jianghan County had already undergone initial training, and the Later Tang army in Zijiang Town had not reinforced their forces to exert greater pressure, allowing them to spare some mobile troops to threaten the rear of the Daliang army in Shunde Prefecture, forming a coordinated force with Qiu Shuiliu!
Outside Baiyang City, at the Daliang army's command camp.
Long Feiyang, one of the four great generals of the Hualong Continent, wore a solemn expression, suppressing his frustration as he examined the massive military map and carefully analyzed the battle situation.
The current conflicts on the Hualong Continent primarily revolved around seizing densely populated key towns and waging wars for control of cities. Normally, controlling the capital cities or important central cities of each prefecture made capturing surrounding towns much easier.
Yunyuan Prefecture, bordering the Yulong River to the north, was divided into three prefectures: Shunde Prefecture, Zhanjiang Prefecture, and Meijiang Prefecture, from west to east. Shunde Prefecture bordered Nanjiang Prefecture of Jianghan Prefecture and Qingyuan Prefecture of Baiyang Prefecture. Zhanjiang Prefecture was in the center, while Meijiang Prefecture bordered the Yulong River to the north and east. Nanhai Prefecture, located directly south of Yunyuan Prefecture and facing the sea to the south, was also divided into three prefectures: Maoming Prefecture, Yangjiang Prefecture, and Baiquan Prefecture, from west to east. Maoming Prefecture, the westernmost prefecture, bordered Qingyuan Prefecture.
Before Qiu Shuibo's surprise attack, the two main battlefields, Baiyang City and Qingyuan City, were initially besieged by the Daliang army with superior forces.
For over twenty days, Baiyang City had been under heavy attack by 280,000 troops, including 120,000 men from the Daliang Western Army Corps' direct divisions, the Third and Fourth Divisions, and 160,000 men from the Eastern Navy Corps. Qiu Haoyu, defending the city with only two direct division regiments, 40,000 private soldiers, and 80,000 reserves, managed to hold Baiyang City intact thanks to its nearly seven-zhang-high walls and comprehensive defenses. In the initial fierce fighting, the poorly trained reserves suffered heavy casualties under the Daliang army's relentless attacks, almost a two-to-one ratio. However, after several days of intense fighting, the Baiyang City reserves rapidly improved through combat experience. The continuous return of retired soldiers made the Baiyang City defenders increasingly stronger, making the Daliang army's siege increasingly difficult and resulting in a significant increase in casualties! After losing 30,000 men, Long Feiyang had no choice but to change his strategy, besieging the city on all sides with 160,000 troops and dividing his forces
into several routes to capture surrounding towns, thus controlling large areas of Changlong Prefecture, Qingyuan Prefecture, and Dongguan Prefecture, greatly relieving the pressure on logistics. On the Qingyuan City battlefield, Long Feiyang also reorganized the 40,000-strong guard force of Maoming Prefecture into a reserve division to reinforce the First and Second Divisions attacking the city. However, it was too late—after being caught off guard initially, Qiu Shuiba mobilized the city's forces, summoning retired soldiers and civilians to replenish the army, bringing the total strength to 60,000. The Liang army, with 120,000 men, launched repeated assaults, but aside from losing over 10,000 men, they achieved nothing.
Long Feiyang's strategy was not flawed: directly attacking Baiyang City was indeed striking at the Qiu family's Achilles' heel. However, the general made a grave mistake in tactical execution—if he had waited for the entire Eastern Sea Fleet to arrive before the Qiu family's hidden war potential was fully realized, and then launched a surprise attack with over 200,000 regular troops, even a direct assault on Baiyang City would have been successful. The biggest mistake was deploying troops in stages, which allowed the forces hastily mobilized by the Qiu clan to grow stronger with each battle!
Even so, Long Feiyang originally had a chance of winning: after the stalemate was formed, Long Feiyang had already reported to the Liang royal court and obtained their approval to activate the wartime emergency system. The local guards of the two counties and six prefectures under the jurisdiction of the Liang Western Army were all converted into reserve forces, totaling 240,000 men. The retired soldiers under the Long family's management were also recalled to the army. After only a little training, they could be transferred to Baiyang County to participate in the battle and crush the Qiu family with an overwhelming force! At this time, the situation in Baiyang County was still generally in the favor of the Liang army. It was like a balance scale. Just add the last straw to one side and it could achieve a complete and overwhelming advantage!
Long Feiyang's biggest miscalculation was that he misjudged the situation on Zhenbao Island and the determination and schemes of the Qiu family: in his estimation, the Jade Dragon Army led by Qiu Shuibo was entangled with the Free Army, the Demonic Sect's Bright Army occupying Keelung, and the Japanese army besieging Donggang. In any case, it would be impossible for them to break free in the short term. Even if troops could be diverted to reinforce the mainland, it would amount to at most a division of 40,000 men. Adding to this the need to draw naval forces and transport ships from Donggang City, as long as prior intelligence was obtained and preparations made, it wouldn't significantly impact the overall situation.
The Qiu family reached a "gentleman's agreement" with the Free Army, demonstrating a resolute determination to cut off their own arm, even withdrawing Qiu Haoran's entire division from Zhenbao Island—an inconceivable act even Long Feiyang, a renowned general, couldn't have imagined! With the aid of the Free Army's warships and transport ships, and through extremely strict martial law and secrecy, Qiu Shuibo led 130,000 Yulong troops in a surprise attack, capturing Yangjiang, Zhanjiang, and Maoming cities without anyone knowing. This effectively seized control of three former Long family prefectures, and more importantly, completely severed the connection between the Long family's two major armies and the rear of the Great Liang Kingdom, completely reversing the entire war situation! Such boldness and such ingenious strategy made the similar sneak attack orchestrated by Long Feiyang four years ago seem like child's play!
For several days, the Liang intelligence organization on Zhenbao Island failed to send back its routine intelligence, which surprisingly failed to garner sufficient attention from Long Feiyang—this was Long Feiyang's greatest blunder as a renowned general!
The Sword Inquiry successor, "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue, chose to visit the Qiu family first and the Free Army last, seemingly without reason, yet demonstrating the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's unique insight and grasp of the mainland situation—unfortunately, this had not previously attracted sufficient attention from the Liang Kingdom, including Long Feiyang himself.
In war, nothing is impossible! Compared to capturing three prefectures in one fell swoop, changing the entire war situation, and even potentially annihilating Long Feiyang's army and then seizing Yunyuan and Nanhai prefectures, the Qiu family's sacrifice of abandoning Zhenbao Island was invaluable! Understanding only military affairs while lacking an understanding of political maneuvering was perhaps Long Feiyang's greatest shortcoming as a renowned general.
"Order! All units of Qingyuan City must launch a full-scale attack at all costs and capture Qingyuan City!..."
"Order! Attack Baiyang City from all sides at dusk..."
"Urgent report to the capital, Yajing, suggesting that the national wartime system be activated!"...
After careful consideration, a series of orders were issued by Long Feiyang. Qiu Shuibo's fatal blow had plunged the Western Army and Eastern Navy of Daliang into a crisis of possible annihilation. If not handled properly, not only would the Daliang Kingdom lose Yunyuan and Nanhai counties west of the Yulong River, but the entire country might face national extinction due to the complete annihilation of the more than 300,000 elite troops of the two armies!
The Jinlong Army and the Later Tang Army had achieved initial victories in Changyin Prefecture of Wuling County and Zijiang Town of Jianghan County, respectively, but then remained inactive, clearly violating the initial secret agreement to plot against the Yulong Kingdom. Could there be something fishy going on here? As one of the four great generals, Long Feiyang faced an unprecedentedly unfavorable situation. He really didn't know how he could pull off a miraculous turn of events...
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Keelung City. Hua Yinghong, who had been riding high recently, also encountered a troubling matter—
the situation on the mainland had reversed between the Qiu family of Baiyang County and the Daliang army, just as he had expected. The Qiu family had agreed to withdraw from the entire Zhenbao Island in their "gentleman's agreement," and if they didn't receive a corresponding return, wouldn't it be a losing proposition? However, Qiu Shuibo's clean and decisive ambush and annihilation of the Guangming Army's First Division at the cost of several thousand men, and his swift capture of Maoming Prefecture, Yangjiang Prefecture, and Zhanjiang Prefecture of Daliang, were somewhat beyond Hua Yinghong's expectations.
Ten years ago, the Qiu family lost Maoming Prefecture in their struggle with the Long family, but that didn't mean they lost their influence over Maoming Prefecture and the entire Nanhai County and Yunyuan County. News from the Military Intelligence Bureau indicated that the Jade Dragon Army's capture of these three important cities was due to Qiu family spies who had preemptively seized the city gates. The fact that three armies could launch a surprise attack dozens of miles at night without being detected or alerted by the Liang Kingdom's intelligence organization, the "Jinyiwei," or the Long family's intelligence organization was an almost impossible task. Yet Qiu Shuibo had accomplished it!
Hua Yinghong gained a deeper understanding of the immense potential possessed by these deeply rooted aristocratic families!
Qiu Shuibo was definitely a potential rival whom Hua Yinghong admired, but that wasn't what he was currently worried about. The military situation was excellent, so there was no need for Hua Yinghong to worry.
The night the Jade Dragon Army was sent away, the contest between the Free Army and the Bright Army failed to test the Free Army's combat capabilities at all!
"Azure Snow Sword" Mo Wentian led 20,000 Bright Army soldiers to defend Jinsha Bridge, but after the two major regiments of the Free Army advancing eastward arrived at Jinsha Bridge, they dared not move at all. With Ji Wumou's assistance in reorganizing the defenses within Keelung City, and after learning that "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao had broken through and escaped eastward, Hua Yinghong ordered the Special Operations Brigade and the First Regiment of the First Division, totaling 20,000 men, to attack and cut off Mo Wentian's retreat. Xue Qianqian, as the Palace Master of Peach Blossom Palace and an elder of the Brightness Cult, demanded that the followers of the Brightness Army be loyal to the Holy Cult, not the Yinming Sect. The rank-and-file soldiers of the Brightness Army, already dissatisfied with their commander's incompetence, and now learning of the fall of Keelung City and the loss of their retreat, rose up in response! "Azure Snow Sword" Mo Wentian led several hundred core disciples loyal to the Yinming Sect in a charge against the Free Army. Under the intense barrage of crossbows and sun-shooting arrows from the Special Forces, only a few managed to reach the front lines, a futile, desperate struggle.
Hua Yinghong personally intervened, slaying "Azure Snow Sword" Mo Wentian beneath the "Three Clans of Breaking Heaven"—the remaining nearly 20,000 members of the Brightness Army surrendered and were reorganized into the Free Army.
The day after capturing Keelung City, the two main divisions of the Free Army and Batian's Special Forces rushed to Shunhe Town. Xu Xiaoyao, the "Amorous Duke," who had just escaped to Shunhe Town to join forces with Tan Yingxiao's troops, suffered another blow—more than 10,000 rank-and-file soldiers, who were already extremely dissatisfied with the incompetence of Xu Xiaoyao and the high command of the Bright Army, mutinied and surrendered under the strong pressure of the Free Army and the influence of Xue Qianqian, the Peach Blossom Fairy. Although Xu Xiaoyao, the Yinming Elders, Shi Heng, and hundreds of core disciples were highly skilled in martial arts and killed hundreds of people, they could not withstand the overwhelming numbers of the mutineers and the siege of the Peach Blossom Palace experts. In the end, only Xu Xiaoyao, the Yinming Elders, Shi Heng, and Tan Yingxiao escaped to the north with their superior martial arts skills and their whereabouts became unknown—this was only because Xue Qianqian, the Peach Blossom Fairy, was ultimately somewhat restrained by her identity as a member of the Holy Sect and did not want to kill them all. Otherwise, whether these five could escape is highly questionable!
Following Qiu Shuibo's orders, two battalions of the Jade Dragon Army in Shunhe Town transferred control to the Free Army and temporarily stationed themselves near Shunhe Town. Once the Free Army lifted the siege of the Japanese forces in Donggang City, they would return to the mainland with the Jade Dragon Navy, at which point the main contents of the "gentleman's agreement" would be fulfilled.
As for Baonan City to the south, the Free Army only dispatched two battalions to take control of Baonan City, which was guarded by only three thousand guards! Faced with the Free Army's strength, no one was willing to be a fool seeking death! Especially not these local guards!
Everyone could clearly see that with the Free Army's current powerful military, expelling the Japanese and unifying Zhenbao Island was only a matter of time!
However, no one knew that Hua Yinghong would be troubled by this powerful military force...

Volume 5, Chapter 67: The Suffering of Running Out of Rice
. Hua Yinghong's biggest worry right now was that the Free Army's expansion was too smooth and too fast, far exceeding his expectations!
The Free Army was expanding rapidly, like an inflating balloon: it currently had one naval division, two regular army divisions, two reserve army divisions, one special operations brigade, one women's regiment, and had recently incorporated over 50,000 members of the Bright Army. This massive expansion of military power brought military initiative and successive victories, but the pressure on domestic affairs and finances was rapidly becoming apparent.
Not only were the 700,000 gold coins in Liu Ju's household registration account and the newly collected October taxes completely spent, but the first donation of 500,000 gold coins from the Nangong family according to the secret agreement was also gone, and Xue Qianqian's Peach Blossom Palace's 200,000 gold coins were almost gone as well... If no solution was found, the Free Army's internal and military administration would be in trouble, not to mention developing people's livelihoods and pacifying the people, among other things.
Disarmament was out of the question. With war raging and the situation on the Hualong Continent in chaos, this was a golden opportunity for the Free Army to fish in troubled waters; how could they afford to disarm? Even the newly incorporated Bright Army couldn't be disbanded. If they weren't kept in the military and disciplined, who knew what kind of trouble these habitually undisciplined people would cause on Treasure Island!
"Ju-mei, how could millions of gold coins be spent all at once?" Hua Yinghong recalled the scene two days ago when Liu Ju in his arms complained—Liu Ju was almost crushed by the financial pressure and was exhausted.
Hua Yinghong knew that war required money, domestic affairs and logistics required money, economic development required money, education required money, and arms manufacturing required money—so many things were inseparable from money… When considering the policy of expanding the army, he was already quite mindful of the pressure on domestic affairs, unlike the few fictional novels he had read before, where hundreds of thousands or even millions of troops were casually mobilized, as if the army only needed to fight and didn't need to eat, drink, or relieve itself, or consider where the weapons would come from… He simply hadn't carefully calculated it.
"My great army commander, my husband! Let me explain it to you one by one—" Among the women, Liu Ju was the most gentle and kind, but she would sometimes be playful and teasing when alone with Hua Yinghong, and Hua Yinghong's affection for her was no less than that for the other women.
At least Hua Yinghong would take some time every day to buy a few bouquets of flowers from the florist according to each woman's preferences, or when he was too busy, he would have someone order flowers delivered to their offices.
Women are always emotional creatures, always needing romance and affection. Women may not remember many things, but they might remember a bouquet of flowers or a heartwarming word they love for a lifetime! Because of Commander Hua's romantic nature, his influence spread, and the flower shops in the Free Army-controlled area saw a significant increase in business.
"Last month, 150,000 gold coins were paid out for military and internal affairs personnel," Liu Ju said, bending her left thumb. "Fifty thousand gold coins were spent on expanding and training internal affairs personnel." She then bent her index finger—"150,000 gold coins were spent on expanding and upgrading the weapons battalion and purchasing raw materials; 100,000 gold coins were spent on transporting grain; and 300,000 gold coins were spent on receiving and resettling over 400,000 influxes of people..." Liu Ju counted off and raised her fingers one by one... Hua Yinghong was overwhelmed and his eyes were blurry; he couldn't remember how many expenses there were, yet Liu Ju remembered them all perfectly.
"And—" Liu Ju finally finished counting, then gently bit Hua Yinghong's ear, her breath sweet as orchids, and said, "You and Qiu Shuibo agreed to pay one gold coin to buy Treasure Island. Shouldn't that be deducted from your pay?"
Hua Yinghong, recalling the extremely profitable "deal" he had made with Qiu Shuibo, chuckled, "My wife, just deduct it. Once my pay is deducted, your secret stash will have to be used to support me!"
"Pah! No matchmaker, no betrothal, who is your wife!" Liu Ju blushed. A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Even though they had consummated their marriage, she was just calling him "husband," but suddenly her tone changed, "When exactly are you going to marry Sister Yufei, Sister Youlan, and Sister Qianqian... and Lan'er and... me?" Liu Ju's voice was almost inaudible by the end, like a mosquito buzzing...
"Report! Director Lü and Director Liu invite the Legion Commander to the reception room. All the representatives are here!" Just as Hua Yinghong was lost in sweet thoughts, the voice of the guard captain, Fang Shiling, rang out from outside the room. Although Xue Qianqian dispatched a group of experts from Peach Blossom Palace to protect important figures of the Free Army and prevent further assassinations, Hua Yinghong still kept Fang Shiling and her eighteen guards as his personal bodyguards. He provided detailed martial arts instruction, frequently tested their moves, and even used his Hunyuan True Qi to open their meridians—after all, his Hunyuan True Qi recovered quickly!
The eighteen guards' skills improved by leaps and bounds every day, and they refined their combined defensive and combat techniques. With Hua Yinghong's current peak ninth-rank skill, he couldn't defeat four or five guards working together within a few moves. Compared to "Laughing Monk" Xiao Wufa and "Lewd Snake" Ouyang Bin, who were easily defeated during their assassination attempt in Jubao Town, the improvement in the eighteen guards' skills was immeasurable.
"Alright! I'll be there soon," Hua Yinghong replied casually after gathering his thoughts.
Although facing financial difficulties, even a skilled cook like Liu Ju couldn't cook without rice. After careful consideration for two days, Hua Yinghong decided that he had to make something out of nothing!
If possessing advanced theories and knowledge from thousands of years ago still didn't allow him to thrive in this strange world—he might as well just buy a block of tofu and smash his head against it! —Although he had only studied finance for a year, given Hua Yinghong's love of reading, he had already grasped most of the material…

Xiliang County, Longxi Prefecture, Xinshi Town. The sun was setting; it would be dark in a little over an hour.
Dozens of riders stood on a small hill, gazing northeast towards Longxi City. One of them was about forty-five years old. With the tall, robust physique of a Chimeng man, his hair flowing over his shoulders, his features distinctive: a prominent, high-bridged aquiline nose, deeply sunken eyes, and a high, bony forehead that inspired awe. Beneath his thick eyebrows were eagle-like, piercing eyes that seemed to see through everything. Sitting on horseback, he exuded an aura of supreme authority.
At this moment, his gaze was fixed on the horizon, gleaming, as if he could already foresee the Jade Dragon Army fleeing in terror, collapsing and perishing under the trampling of his allied army, primarily composed of the Chimeng, Silver Wolf, and Wusun tribes, along with other grassland tribes—this man was none other than Mengmuzhen, the chieftain of the Chimeng tribe, the largest tribe on the grasslands, and the King of the Grasslands.
Half a horse behind Mengmuzhen on his right was Babuli, the chieftain of the Silver Wolf tribe, known as the "First Warrior of the Grasslands." Babuli was ten years younger than Mengmuzhen, his stature as imposing as a mountain, towering over Mengmuzhen by a head. He possessed handsome features, long, jet-black hair flowing over his shoulders, a steel band around his forehead, and deep, unfathomable eyes. His upright posture exuded an indescribable, awe-inspiring aura.
Riding alongside Babuli to his left was Hutu, a fierce general of the Wusun tribe, whose reputation on the grasslands was second only to Babuli's. Though short and stocky, appearing shorter than most grassland men, he had a thick neck and broad back, a bronze-like face, a leopard's head, and eyes like copper bells. He wielded a heavy, hundred-pound black iron spear; anyone who dared underestimate him would surely regret it.
Behind Babuli and Hutu were dozens of riders, all among the most outstanding warriors of the time, each robust, fierce, and exceptionally brave.
But at this moment, everyone, including Mengmujin, the leader of the grassland allied forces, held their breath, quietly waiting for a man who was half a horse's length taller than Mengmujin to speak. This man was tall and robust, like a mountain, like a sturdy pine, extremely majestic, yet he gave off a kind of amiable feeling. This contradictory temperament made him infinitely charming. His snow-white, silvery hair cascaded over his shoulders, making him appear radiant. He gave people a sense of awe and reverence, making them want to approach him but dare not be presumptuous. He was the national advisor revered by all the tribes of the grassland—Pang Deyan.
Pang Deyan was not a grassland native but a Han Chinese. Twelve years ago, Pang Deyan came alone to the only city on the Jade Dragon Grassland—the royal city of Hulan. At that time, the grassland was experiencing a drought of unprecedented severity, the pastures were withered, diseases were rampant, famine was widespread, and the total population of all the tribes on the grassland had plummeted to less than three million, facing imminent annihilation. Pang Deyan, with his profound knowledge of both the divine and the divine, met with Meng Sihan, the father of Meng Muzhen, the king of the grasslands at the time, and presented him with a prescription. He used common herbs and tree bark to prepare medicinal solutions to treat the plague, cutting off the source of infection and saving countless lives.
Especially during the period of drought, when the various tribes of the grasslands were vying for the only two hundred li of pasture around Hulan Lake, and hundreds of thousands of cavalry were about to kill each other, Pang Deyan, with his incredible, almost supernatural martial arts skills, captured two tribal chiefs, Babuli and Hutu, and dozens of smaller tribal chiefs in one night. He sternly rebuked them and taught the various tribes of the grasslands how to build canals, diverting water from Hulan Lake across three hundred and fifty li of grasslands to artificially irrigate the pastures. He also taught them rotational grazing to improve soil fertility and methods of aquaculture and fishing to catch fish from Hulan Lake for food… The two-year drought was barely overcome. In the following ten years, the grasslands recuperated, and although the exact population is difficult to quantify, it undoubtedly rose to seven million.
To express their gratitude for Pang Deyan's salvation of the various tribes of the grasslands, the tribes jointly built a grand palace covering a thousand acres, honoring Pang Deyan as "National Preceptor" or "Master Pang" without using his given name. Tens of thousands of children from various tribes practiced martial arts, miscellaneous skills, medicine, and more within the palace. Pang Deyan had twelve direct disciples, all of whom became top masters and important generals in their respective tribes. Countless others received his instruction or further instruction. If Pang Deyan had wished to proclaim himself "King of the Grasslands," even Mengmujin would have willingly conceded, accepting the title. However, Pang Deyan never intended to do so, earning him even greater respect from the tribes.
The Central Plains, a prosperous land, had always been the dream grazing ground for the grassland tribes. Pang Deyan, being Han Chinese, did not oppose the grassland tribes' invasion of Yulong Pass, only advising against a forced attack on the fortress, lest it weaken their strength, and he did not interfere further. For nearly a decade, almost every year, various tribes of the grasslands would send cavalry to plunder outside Yulong Pass, seizing people and wealth. Occasionally, they would attack Yulong Pass, but they would retreat swiftly, coming and going like the wind. Only twice was it that Li Xuanji, the head of the Li family, cleverly led 100,000 elite troops to ambush the pass from within 30 li, using crossbows and other military weapons to kill more than 30,000 cavalrymen each from the Silver Wolf and Wusun tribes, earning him the reputation of one of the "Four Great Generals."
This time, the chaos caused by the Free Army of Zhenbao Island and the Demonic Cult in the Yulong Kingdom has triggered a sudden upheaval in the world. Pang Deyan, who had been out of the public eye for a long time, suddenly emerged from seclusion, gathering 600,000 elite cavalrymen from various tribes and secretly training 100,000 infantrymen. He openly attacked Yulong Pass while secretly raiding Minglun City, opening a breach in the Great Wall in one fell swoop. After more than a month of coordination, there were actually only 150,000 troops outside Yulong Pass, with the remaining 550,000 concentrated within a radius of several dozen li around Minglun City, Xinshi Town, and Ma'an Town. Almost identical to the martial law order issued by Hua Yinghong on Zhenbao Island—Pang Deyan ordered that not a single carrier pigeon or even a sparrow was allowed to fly out of the grassland army's control area, let alone a single person!
Everything was ready, awaiting only a thunderous strike!
Pang Deyan remained silent, and no one dared to speak, not out of fear, but out of genuine respect.
"Muzhen, when I left Yulong, I never imagined I would return in this way." No one but Pang Deyan dared to address the grassland king by his name, "Muzhen."
"Grand Preceptor, you once said that Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs; the Dragon King is ruthless, treating the people like grass and trees. Let us, the brave warriors of the grasslands, cleanse the world of turbidity and sweep away the evil." Influenced by Pang Deyan, Meng Muzhen greatly admired and studied the ancient Chinese learning. Seeing that Pang Deyan seemed to have a heart that could not bear the suffering of the people of his former kingdom of Yulong, he offered words of comfort.
"What Muzhen said is absolutely right. There is no distinction between Han and barbarian in the world; those who follow the Way reside there. However, the Way of Heaven is mysterious and unpredictable. Despite my years of arduous cultivation, I have yet to grasp even a glimpse of it. I will immediately set off to return to Hulan. Be careful in your actions here, and remember to restrain your tribes. Do not let your actions alienate the people," Pang Deyan advised calmly.
"If the Grand Preceptor personally leads the army, wouldn't conquering cities and fortresses be a piece of cake?" Meng Muzhen knew that his master Pang Deyan's martial arts had reached a level of communion with Heaven and Man, an unfathomable realm
. With him by his side, what city could not be breached? "Rules," Pang Deyan said calmly. "The Central Plains are vast, full of hidden talents and countless extraordinary skills. You all should take care of yourselves. I'm leaving."
"Respectfully seeing off the Grand Preceptor!" Dozens of riders respectfully watched as the man and his horse rode off towards the setting sun. The imposing figure floated lightly on the horse's back as if it were nothing, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, seemingly merging with heaven and earth, inspiring an indescribable sense of admiration.
"Marching towards Longxi, our horses will trample Xiliang!" As soon as Pang Deyan's figure disappeared, Meng Muzhen pointed his whip eastward and galloped down the hill.
"Marching towards Longxi, our horses will trample Xiliang!" Dozens of riders echoed in unison, following closely behind Meng Muzhen!
"Marching towards Longxi, our horses will trample Xiliang! Marching towards Longxi, our horses will trample Xiliang!..." Soon, a powerful roar resounded across the mountains and plains. Hundreds of thousands of elite grassland cavalry split into two groups, heading straight from Xinshi Town and Ma'an Town towards Longxi City and Taihe Pass, thirty miles away! ...

Volume 5, Chapter 68: The Way to Accumulate Wealth.
Keelung City, City Guard's Council Hall.
"Gentlemen! If you have any opinions on the Land Ordinance, please raise them now. We will adopt any reasonable opinions. Once it is promulgated and implemented, it will be difficult to change it. The Free Alliance will never change its orders overnight." To cope with the Free Army's financial difficulties, Hua Yinghong, with his knowledge that was a thousand years ahead of its time, analyzed the political and economic systems of Zhenbao Island and Hualong Continent. After racking his brains for two days, he actually came up with some ways to accumulate wealth. The core of these methods was "selling the future."
Taking the Land Ordinance as an example: Hua Yinghong's solution was to take over all land under the Free Army's control and transfer it to the Free Army. Any user would have to pay a certain amount of usage fees to the Free Army's Internal Affairs Department's Household Registration Department for a period of fifty years. The specific price would be auctioned publicly, with the highest bidder winning and a land use certificate issued. Those who already had land deeds or property deeds could have the usage fees deducted from their purchase price. Special land used in cooperation with the Internal Affairs Department and the military could be granted special reductions or exemptions from usage fees. Land use rights could be resold, but a certain amount of transfer registration fees would be required.
Based on Hua Yinghong's ideas, Liu Ju roughly estimated that, within the currently controlled areas, mainly through auctioning off commercial and residential land and expansion land within the cities, at 500 gold coins per mu, at least 50 million gold coins could be obtained! Of course, this would require gradual auctions, purchases from powerful individuals, and understanding and compliance from all parties and the people under his jurisdiction. Although Hua Yinghong was primarily responsible for military affairs, he still personally convened a meeting with representatives from the shipbuilding guild, the Nangong family, the Chamber of Commerce, and major forces and local gentry from the central and northwestern regions of Zhenbao Island. This was to discuss the matter beforehand and avoid escalating conflicts that could negatively impact domestic development.
Given the current situation on Zhenbao Island, no one dared disobey the Military Affairs Department's orders. Even a blind man could see who the true leader and key figure of the Freedom Alliance was. Even just to meet with the brilliant strategist "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong, was something many local powerful figures and gentry would fight tooth and nail for!
"May I ask the Legion Commander, this land has always belonged to the buyer. How can it be said to be taken over by the Free Army? Moreover, what benefit can one expect from purchasing a fifty-year usage right with a large sum of gold coins? And how can the Free Army guarantee that there will be no changes during these fifty years?" A man who looked like a local gentry asked three questions in a row, all of which were of concern to everyone.
Since its establishment, the Free Army has implemented a new policy of freedom of speech. In particular, with the example of major internal affairs in Jubao Town being decided through council discussions, local gentry who were accustomed to obeying official orders have gradually begun to dare to speak out and express their opinions—this was the result of Hua Yinghong's deliberate arrangement. Only by hearing the true voices from the people can governance proceed more smoothly. Even Lu Jingwei, the Director of the Internal Affairs Department, did not quite understand this at first, but after the initial effects of the favorable policies became apparent, he understood the purpose of this move.
Decisions that have been discussed and passed by a majority of various forces will face minimal resistance in implementation. Even if there are a few who do not support the new policy, they will not dare to make any small moves when the majority agrees, because that would mean making an enemy of the majority! Democracy is about the majority suppressing the minority, which is far better than the Freedom Alliance facing the brunt of public criticism alone! Besides, when the situation is beyond our control, how many people will resist the Freedom Alliance's new policies?
"Good question!" Hua Yinghong patiently explained, "This person must be a learned man, knowing that all land under heaven belongs to the king; all people within the realm are subjects of the king. Historically, land sales were first granted by emperors to meritorious officials, bestowed with titles, or sold by the government. I believe everyone can see that on Zhenbao Island today, the Freedom Army is the king. In fact, this is no different from the usual practice, except for the addition of a time limit."
Seeing everyone nod, Hua Yinghong continued, "As for the purpose of purchasing the land and how to obtain profits, let me give a few examples: Recently, ships..." "The new gang has signed a special land use agreement with the Ministry of the Interior, purchasing 1,000 acres of land near the North Port Wharf at a preferential price of 200,000 gold coins to build two shipyards. They have also secured an order from the Ministry of the Interior for 1 million gold coins, resulting in a gross profit of nearly 300,000 gold coins. Brother Gui, is this true?"
A man in his forties, with a rough appearance but extremely shrewdness—the elder brother of Gui Yuande, the leader of the shipping guild who controls the transportation industry on Treasure Island and the owner of the carriage and horse shop in Jubao Town—Gui Yuanhai nodded upon hearing this, saying, "What the Legion Commander said is all true. If the Ministry of the Interior auctions it off, the shipping guild is interested in making a few more deals."
"Buzz!..." Many people began to whisper among themselves. The Ship Guild was one of the first to secretly cooperate with the Free Army, and they had profited handsomely from their cooperation. The sixty warships being built in West Port City alone would earn them 100,000 gold coins; during "Operation Lightning," they assisted in transporting millions of bushels of grain, earning them nearly 100,000 gold coins in cash; they helped the Free Army transport people from the mainland, earning them no less than 100,000 gold coins in pure profit; a few days ago, they heard that they had mobilized almost all of their thousands of transport ships to help the Free Army fulfill their "gentleman's agreement" with Qiu Shuibo, earning them no less than 100,000 gold coins... Every time, the Free Army claimed to the outside world that they were "forcibly conscripting" the Ship Guild's vehicles, ships, and personnel, but just by looking at the Ship Guild members, all of them beaming with joy and practically grinning from ear to ear as they received their bonuses, it was clear how popular such "forcible conscription" was—the Free Army indeed had no record of mistreating its partners.
"Furthermore, Baoyue Tower purchased 2,000 mu of land outside Jubao Town for 300,000 gold coins. 1,000 mu have already been used, with 10,000 two-story residential and commercial buildings constructed. 8,000 households from the mainland have already moved in, generating a net profit of 100,000 gold coins. The remaining land will likely yield even more. Master Nangong, is this true?"
Nangong Wang nodded, "Indeed! The Nangong family also intends to bid for a few more plots." He secretly held the position of Deputy Director of the Household Registration Department under another name, "Gong Wang," and naturally hoped the Free Army would grow stronger so he could make more money. Moreover, the Nangong family had indeed begun to profit handsomely from their cooperation with the Free Army, reaping both political and economic gains, which significantly elevated his position within the Nangong family.
"Director Liu, how many people from the mainland have flowed into our Free Army-controlled areas so far?" Hua Yinghong asked.
"As of yesterday, there were 550,000 people. Furthermore, today we received a letter from the Deputy Commander of the Hai Army, stating that due to the outbreak of war in the Nanhai and Yunyuan counties of the Great Liang Kingdom, approximately 150,000 refugees were being transported back on their return journeys. The Household Registration Department is preparing to receive them." Liu Ju recounted the events in detail, her coordination with Hua Yinghong being remarkably smooth.
"Gentlemen! With over 700,000 people flowing in, how many shops, how many houses, how many supplies, etc., will be needed? Moreover, a large number of people are pouring into Zhenbao Island every day, bringing it under the jurisdiction of my Free Army. I'm sure you all know better than I how much money we can make from this. I won't list them all. As for how the Free Army guarantees its interests for fifty years, I only want to ask one question: In Zhenbao Island today, is there any rival to my Free Army? Have any of you heard of my Free Army ever breaking a promise?" Hua Yinghong suddenly exuded an aura of domineering arrogance, leaving the dozens of people in the hall speechless with awe and submission!
Indeed, with Qiu Shuibo leading a large contingent of the Jade Dragon Army to withdraw, and the Bright Army being defeated and absorbed, the Free Army is now the undisputed hegemon on Zhenbao Island. The Jade Dragon Army temporarily stationed in Donggang City and Shunhe Town numbers only a little over 30,000, and they are determined to withdraw from Zhenbao Island. As for the hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers, they are absolutely no match for the Free Army; the expulsion of the Japanese is only a matter of time—
no one believes that the Free Army, constantly training and improving its combat capabilities, under the endless and unbelievable military strategies of "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong, has any chance of the Japanese army winning by chance! Moreover, facing the Japanese invasion, the people of Hualong have always been united in their hatred of the enemy, and almost all major forces will intervene openly or covertly. The entire island's military and civilians are enemies of the Japanese army. With the advantages of timing, location, and popular support, the Free Army has no reason not to win.
As for the various countries and major powers on the mainland, especially the Jade Dragon Army under the Qiu family and the Great Liang Army under the Long family, which are closest to Zhenbao Island, they are already praying that the Free Army will not help their opponents. How could they dare to invade Zhenbao Island and invite trouble? Once the Qiu and Long families have settled their score, with the current momentum of the Free Alliance, they will definitely make Zhenbao Island impregnable—even without landing to participate in the struggle for mainland dominance, they will be more than capable of ruling a region. Hua Yinghong's words were arrogant, but they were incredibly convincing and completely dispelled everyone's concerns.
Under Hua Yinghong's powerful persuasive skills, the "Land Decree" was passed smoothly without controversy, and the rest was much easier—
more than ten decrees for accumulating wealth for the Free Alliance, such as the "Mineral Resources Decree" and the "Gold Trading Decree," were passed smoothly.
In particular, the "Gold Trading Decree" was a method that Hua Yinghong copied from modern banks. The people of Hualong are known for their integrity and trustworthiness, and their simple and honest character. They are often described as having the reputation to die for a promise, providing a solid foundation for establishing a bank.
However, in accordance with Hualong's customs, Hua Yinghong simply changed the name to "Gold Bank." At this time, the renowned Nangong family and other prominent families and merchants on the Hualong continent mostly operated private money shops, using gold notes (called "flying money") for settlements. However, these were all guaranteed by private credit, limiting the scale and influence of these money shops. Hua Yinghong's Gold Bank, on the other hand, used the Free Alliance government as a payment guarantee, pooling capital and attracting deposits, naturally having a far greater impact than private credit. Hua Yinghong then explained in detail the profit-making principle of accumulating large sums of money from small amounts. The attendees, already experts in making money, listened with rapt attention. The initial offering of one million gold coins was immediately met with a willingness from dozens of people to subscribe, with Nangong Wang even offering to subscribe for 500,000! Finally, Hua Yinghong and Liu Ju had to claim that this was a draft, and that they would decide on the additional share issuance amount after the draft was approved...
After the meeting, everyone dispersed. When no one was around, the charming Liu Ju quietly hugged Hua Yinghong and kissed him, saying sweetly, "Husband! Your head is worth more than a gold mine!" Then she ran away as fast as she could.
Hua Yinghong smiled bitterly, but a sudden idea struck him: many things that seemed ordinary to him were, after all, ahead of their time, and were now remarkable inventions. If he used them well, wouldn't that be...
Suddenly, a strange scene appeared before his eyes: a sky full of gold coins rushing towards him. Hua Yinghong saw the Free Alliance's "financial future" as limitless, a golden road leading to the gate guarded by the God of Wealth... He must discuss this with Lu Shenggong another day.
**** ********
Changlong Prefecture, beneath Baiyang City.
Long Feiyang commanded the Liang army in a frenzied assault on the four gates of Baiyang City. By nightfall, each side had suffered three to four thousand casualties, and the defending Yulong army had also lost two to three thousand men on each side. Only then did the Liang army retreat to their camp for a temporary truce.
Qiu Haoyu, however, dared not be careless. He personally rode a swift horse, leading the renowned "Autumn Wind White Gold Guards" to patrol the four city walls. The Liang army knew their predicament was dire; their last stand would be devastating. Long Feiyang's reputation was well-deserved. He repeatedly sent his elite troops to attack the walls at night, attempting to breach them. Fortunately, the patrolling soldiers were alert and discovered the attacks quickly, and the Qiu family's experts and Yulong spies swiftly responded, repelling each attempt and ensuring the city's survival for over a month. If, after Qiu Shuibo had turned the tide with his army, Long Feiyang had managed to storm the city at night, destroy his stronghold, and ruin the Qiu family ancestral hall, the world would laugh at them!
Without the support of sturdy city walls and defensive equipment, the elite, well-trained Liang army of over 100,000 men was far more formidable than the Yulong army, half of whom had only undergone intensive training a little over a month!
The Liang army's densely packed, orderly camp was as dark as ever, without a single light, a single sound, not even the neighing of warhorses. Long Feiyang's strict discipline and rigorous laws truly made him a renowned general. Anyone attempting a night raid on the camp would be shooting themselves in the foot—asking for trouble.
Long Feiyang—how long can you hold out? Qiu Haoyu felt a sliver of respect for his longtime adversary, and even if this battle ended in a victory for the Qiu family and a crushing defeat for Long Feiyang, this respect would not diminish. After all, abandoning the entire Treasure Island was a painful blow to the head of the powerful Qiu family. Defeat at the hands of such a brilliant plan wasn't unjustified; even renowned generals are human and can't predict every situation.
The bold plan, secretly proposed to him by his second son Qiu Shuibo before his departure, though costly, had plunged their arch-enemy, the Long family, into dire straits—truly a brilliant strategy. Qiu Shuibo's importance in his heart rose once more. But what kind of person was Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," whom Qiu Shuibo considered his "lifelong enemy"?
The night was so peaceful and serene. Tonight, there should be no more bloodshed in Baiyang City…
On the same night, Qingyuan City was filled with an overwhelming stench of blood…

Volume 5, Chapter 69: Escalating War
Under the cover of night, the walls of Qingyuan City were ablaze with fire and the scene of fierce fighting between the two armies.
Qiu Shuiba led the "Autumn Wind Golden Guard" across the city walls, assisting the First Division in repelling wave after wave of Liang troops who had scaled the walls. From nightfall, the Liang army suddenly launched a relentless and frenzied attack on Qingyuan City. At the west, north, and south gates, the Liang army left only 10,000 men each for probing attacks, while the remaining nearly 90,000 men relentlessly assaulted the east gate and nearby walls, regardless of casualties—a pure test of attrition!
Although it appeared that there were only 10,000 Liang troops at each of the other three gates, Qiu Shuiba dared not be complacent: another 10,000 remained at the other three gates—among an army of nearly 100,000, the exact number could not be discerned by sight alone. The Liang troops attacking the east gate had many easy ways to conceal their numbers, such as raising more flags, setting up cover, slightly disorganizing their formation, and carrying more torches. The attacking side faces its own set of challenges against a fortified city, but also has the advantage of controlling the direction of the attack. The defending side, on the other hand, has the advantage of relying on the city walls, but can only deploy troops according to the direction of the enemy's attack, putting them at a disadvantage. If reinforcements are not received in time, the enemy may launch a focused breakthrough and breach the city, at which point the battle will be lost! Therefore, the defending side must accurately judge the enemy's main attack direction and troop deployment, which is the greatest test of the commander's ability.
Of course, if the troop disparity is too great—for example, 100,000 attacking 10,000—if the enemy launches a relentless attack regardless of losses, except for insurmountable natural barriers like the "Heavenly Pass," even the most accurate judgment will only lead to defeat.
For four whole hours, the Liang army did not cease its attack. Siege engines, ladders, battering rams, catapults… the Liang army deployed every siege weapon currently available at the Hua Long Continent's technological level, frequently sending elite assault teams to seize city walls and attempt to create a breach… Meanwhile, the Yu Long army on Qingyuan City responded with equally formidable defensive weaponry! This was a battle of flesh and blood, a contest of wills and strength, a test of who would give in first!
The Yu Long army, receiving no rest, fought purely on sheer willpower. Their casualty ratio, initially 1:2, gradually rose to 1:1, and then nearly 1:2… Of the 30,000 defenders of Qingyuan's east gate, less than 10,000 remained, while the Liang army suffered only a few thousand more losses. Qiu Shuiba had sent a signal two hours earlier, requesting reinforcements from Qiu Shuiliu at Tenglong Port on the southern coast of Qingyuan Prefecture, but the seventy-mile night journey was not a short trip.
Long Feiyang, who always valued the lives of his soldiers, rarely risked such heavy casualties to secure victory in a siege. Qiu Shuiba understood that Long Feiyang had been forced into a desperate situation by his second brother, Qiu Shuibo, who had cut off his retreat.
Holding off the Liang army's frenzied attack would be crucial for victory !
"Kill!" One of the two directly subordinate regiments of the remaining nearly 70,000 Liang troops, which had not yet been deployed in the siege, suddenly joined the attack. The exhausted Yulong army could not withstand the onslaught of the Liang reinforcements, suffering countless casualties. A large section of the city wall was firmly occupied by the Liang army, and reinforcements surged forward! The situation was extremely critical!
"Glory! It is my life! Follow me and kill!" Qiu Shuiba's incomparably fierce "Autumn Wind Falling Leaf Blade" whipped up gusts of wind, leading the charge against the Liang troops who had scaled the city wall! The "Autumn Wind Golden Guard" behind them also unleashed a murderous aura!
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!..." A series of metallic clangs rang out. Firstly, Qiu Shuiba and the "Autumn Wind Golden Guard" had been fighting for a long time without rest, and their true energy and strength had not had time to recover, greatly reducing their combat power; secondly, the direct regiment of the Great Liang Army was a fresh force that had been resting and recuperating, and was itself the elite of the elite, so unlike the previous siege troops, they were not easily defeated by Qiu Shuiba and the "Autumn Wind Golden Guard," or even cut in two along with their swords! Many Great Liang soldiers were only knocked back a few steps!
"Kill!—" Seeing that Qingyuan City was about to fall, thousands of masked men in black with excellent lightness skills and extraordinary agility rushed to the city wall from the other end, wielding swords and blades, their powerful energy surging, causing the Great Liang army to retreat step by step, many retreating or falling off the city wall, resulting in countless deaths and injuries!
"Jade Dragon Spy!" Just as the city was about to fall, the mysterious Jade Dragon Spy finally came to the rescue, greatly boosting the morale of Qiu Shuiba and the "Autumn Wind Golden Guard," who had always been at odds with the Jade Dragon Spy, and immediately turning the tide!
"Kill!" Several miles to the south, the sound of hooves and shouts of battle rang out—
"The Tenglong Port reinforcements have arrived, brothers, kill!" Qiu Shuiba knew that it was the cavalry of the Second Regiment of Qiu Shuiliu coming to the rescue. He gathered his inner energy and loudly encouraged the thousands of exhausted Jade Dragon soldiers. The Jade Dragon soldiers, who were already almost too weak to wield their swords and spears, were indeed greatly encouraged upon hearing that reinforcements had arrived. They either annihilated or forced the Liang army that had already stormed the city walls to retreat!
Just as the city walls and strongholds, forged by countless sacrifices of the Liang army, were about to be completely recaptured by the Yulong army, rendering all previous efforts futile—
"Boom... boom boom... boom boom boom boom boom boom!" The Liang army's war drums sounded outside the east gate. Twenty thousand men formed ranks to block the cavalry attacking from Tenglong Port in the south. Meanwhile, the last remaining fresh force, the most elite direct regiment of the First Division, led the charge, while the remaining thirty thousand men, who had been resting after shifts of fighting, launched a full-scale attack on the nearly six-mile-long eastern city wall!
"Boom... boom boom... boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!" Almost simultaneously, deafening war drums resounded from the south, west, and north gates of Qingyuan City—
"Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!" The smoke signals rising from the three gates made Qiu Shuiba's face change drastically—the signals clearly indicated that no less than forty thousand Liang soldiers were attacking the city from each gate! When and where had the Liang army, like divine soldiers descending from the heavens, gathered in Qingyuan City?
"Kill!" Amidst the deafening battle cries, the morale of the Jade Dragon Army crumbled, and they could no longer withstand the overwhelming onslaught of the Great Liang Army. Qingyuan City, which Qiu Shuiba had held for over a month, finally fell!
**** ********
Xiliang Prefecture, before Longxi City.
Xiliang Prefecture is located in the north-northwest region of the Jade Dragon King's territory, mostly loess plateau, with scarce water and grass, poor resources, and a smaller population than other prefectures. The prefecture comprises four prefectures from south to north: Longxi Prefecture, Xiliang Prefecture, Wulan Prefecture, and Dangxiang Prefecture. The two northern prefectures, near the Jade Dragon River, are mountainous, forming a natural barrier against the Golden Dragon Kingdom to the north. The vast area of Xiliang Prefecture has a total population of only about five million. The important cities are Longxi City, Xiliang City, Wulan City, and Dangxiang City, the seat of each prefecture, plus the important border town of Jade Dragon Pass. The populations of other cities are mostly less than thirty to fifty thousand, with some having only a few thousand.
Like the Qiu and Ding clans, the Li family of Xiliang, though obeying the orders of the Jade Dragon King, actually held near-absolute control over Xiliang Prefecture, with its military and political systems operating independently. Xiliang was not rich in resources and had a small population, but its people were fierce and warlike, and their iron cavalry had held their own against the steppe allied forces for many years. The 160,000 soldiers of the Western Army were so numerous that they knew only the Li family and were unaware of the Sima clan. In terms of military supplies and the economy, the Sima clan had to provide substantial support to the Li family, because if the Li family were to lose, or even turn against them and allow the steppe cavalry to enter the pass, the vast Jade Dragon Kingdom might become a pasture for the steppe army, and the Sima clan's rule would be in grave danger!
For ten years, the various steppe tribes had been plundering people and supplies outside Jade Dragon Pass, and had been defeated several times by Li Xuanji's clever schemes. Because of the Great Wall, the Li family had become somewhat careless, and the steppe allied forces easily breached Minglun Pass in the south, amassing a large army in Longxi Prefecture. Despite the excellent secrecy of the steppe army, making it impossible for Li Xuanji's Jade Dragon Army scouts to approach, how could
Li Xuanji, with the wisdom of his four renowned generals, not know that the steppe army was preparing a major operation? They simply lacked the details. At this time, Li Xuanji commanded four regular divisions and three reserve divisions, totaling 280,000 men. Jade Dragon Pass was currently guarded by one regular division and one reserve division, totaling 80,000 men. Dangxiang City, Wulan City, Xiliang City, and Taihe Pass were each garrisoned by one regular army regiment and one reserve regiment, respectively. The remaining two regular army divisions and one reserve division, totaling 120,000 men, were deployed in an inverted triangular formation centered on Longxi City, forming a defensive perimeter. They had dug deep trenches and laid numerous traps, blocking the route to Xiliang Prefecture, adopting a posture of protracted warfare.
Winter had arrived, and the steppe army, historically plagued by food shortages, found its supplies in the three small towns it currently controlled, along with its over a thousand-mile supply line, insufficient for a prolonged campaign. The longer the conflict dragged on, the more disadvantaged the steppe allied forces would become. They could then simply pursue the retreating steppe army, decisively defeating them, recovering lost territory, rebuilding the city walls, and allowing the renowned general Li Xuanji to once again write his undefeated legend against the steppe army.
However, at this moment, Li Xuanji stood on a small hill, gazing at the distant battlefield with a grave expression. Li Xuanji was only forty-three, in the prime of his life, with a square face, large ears, short beard, long hair, a majestic physique, a restrained aura, and gentle eyes. His "Shocking God Technique" and the world-renowned "Shocking God Spear Technique" had reached a state of perfection; apart from a very few elders in his family, no one knew the true extent of his cultivation.
The actions of the steppe allied forces had greatly surprised him—the area outside Minglun City was also a mountainous region with poor transportation. In his estimation, even if the steppe army wanted to capture Longxi City or break through Taihe Pass in one fell swoop, they could only muster around two or three hundred thousand men at most. However, the steppe army before him numbered no less than four hundred thousand, stretching as far as the eye could see. This stark disparity in strength filled him with a sense of unease.
The battle raged fiercely. The steppe army was no longer helpless against fortified cities and deep moats, forced to resort to brute force with the corpses of men and horses, as it had been more than ten years ago. The infantry and cavalry coordinated their attacks with remarkable skill, and siege weapons such as catapults, previously only seen in the Central Plains, were now prominently displayed in the steppe army's ranks. Even siege towers, powerful siege engines, were being deployed. The opposing commander and generals were not reckless either; their troop deployments and maneuvers were well-controlled and efficient, making them a formidable opponent.
However, Li Xuanji was, after all, a renowned general of his time, and his Western Legion was no weakling. Relying on pre-built fortifications and a large number of excellent weapons such as catapults and superb crossbows, they inflicted heavy casualties on the steppe army, reaping the lives of countless steppe warriors. In particular, the super crossbows, which required several people to cock simultaneously, had a slow firing rate, but each bolt, nearly three feet and eight inches long, was propelled more than four hundred paces by the powerful spring, almost piercing through cavalrymen and their horses. Some bolts could even pierce through several people in succession. Ordinary steel shields were basically useless against them, and even highly skilled masters had to avoid their attacks!
If it weren't for the fact that the super crossbows were too expensive, costing thousands of gold coins each, and required a large number of people to move them, the super crossbows alone could have prevented the steppe army from crossing the line! Unfortunately, Li Xuanji's entire Western Legion only had one thousand of them, and most of them were deployed on the walls of Yulong Pass. He brought only two hundred to guard Longxi City this time. Even so, the two small crossbow formations arrayed in front of the left and right camps of the city still inflicted heavy casualties on the steppe army.
After more than an hour of fierce fighting since dusk, the first line of defense, mainly consisting of earthen ramparts and trenches, had been captured by the steppe army. The Li family's Jade Dragon Army retreated to the second line of defense 250 paces away. With their overwhelming numerical superiority and powerful bows and arrows no less formidable than the Divine Crossbow, the steppe army also inflicted heavy casualties on the Jade Dragon Army. The first line of defense was piled high with the corpses of both sides. Due to the Jade Dragon Army's advantage in weaponry and terrain, the steppe army suffered over 20,000 casualties, but the Jade Dragon Army also suffered 15,000!
The steppe army temporarily ceased its attack, but Li Xuanji knew this was a harbinger of an even fiercer offensive. He ordered his soldiers to rest and regroup for another battle.
"Send word! Report to the royal court immediately: the steppe army, numbering no less than 500,000, is attacking Longxi City and Taihe Pass. Xiliang Prefecture will activate its highest level of emergency preparedness and requests the royal court to provide immediate support in the form of weapons and provisions."
"Order the garrison of Xiliang City to immediately dispatch a regiment to reinforce Taihe Pass. Secretly instruct Zhimin to report to the clan elders that they have approved the activation of the Shocking God Plan." Li Xuanji ordered his trusted family confidants.
"Zhimin" was Li Xuanji's eldest son. Li Xuanji had only one son and two daughters. His eldest daughter, Li Zhongxiu, was twenty-four years old and married Fang Shilun, the commander of Yulong Pass and the first division commander. His second son, Li Zhimin, was twenty-two years old, mature beyond his years, and was the family's only male heir. His second daughter, Li Hanshuang, was eighteen years old and studied under a reclusive master in the Yulong Mountains south of Longxi Prefecture. The
so-called highest level of emergency preparedness meant that the Li family would take all necessary actions in an emergency, mobilizing all forces in the prefecture to resist the steppe army's invasion. As for the details of the "Shocking God Plan," no one else knew. The fact that Li Xuanji had to convene the clan elders' meeting, held only once every ten years, indicated its extraordinary nature!
The Li clan of Xiliang—another family visited by the "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue, the successor of the Sword Inquiry lineage—was beginning to unleash its potential under the powerful stimulus of external forces!
The war, like a runaway horse, was escalating relentlessly!

Volume 5, Chapter 70: A Glimmer of Hope
. The red sun rose in the east, but did not stir up any fiery clouds. Around it was a pale rose-colored dawn, carrying a bright yet soft light, faintly emerging from behind a narrow cloud layer, briefly appearing before disappearing back into the light purple mist surrounding it. At the highest point of the cloud layer, on either side, shimmered small, bright snakes, shining like polished silverware. Before long, the leaping pillar of light moved forward again, carrying a solemn joy, as if soaring upwards to embrace the rising sun...
Long Feiyang stood atop Qingyuan City, facing that rising sun. To the east, in what was once his jurisdiction, the six prefectures of Nanhai County and Yunyuan County, three of which had now fallen into the hands of Qiu Shuibo's Jade Dragon Army. The remaining prefectures of Shunde, Meijiang, and Baiquan, each guarded by only a newly trained reserve division and without any external support, were likely to soon meet a grim fate.
He had always been quite dissatisfied with his ranking last among the four great generals, and had originally intended to take advantage of the fact that the Qiu family's third division and navy had been severely damaged by the Free Army and the Demonic Sect, and that Qiu Shuibo's army was on a campaign to Zhenbao Island, to seize Baiyang County in one fell swoop and truly establish his unparalleled reputation as a great general.
With the formidable strength of the Long clan's two major legions and reserve forces, this was originally a battle they could have easily won. However, they hadn't anticipated that the Qiu family would make such a drastic decision, abandoning the wealthy Treasure Island and cooperating with their enemy, the Free Army. Instead, they launched a surprise attack and occupied Long Feiyang's rear, putting the Western and Eastern Liang Legions at risk of total annihilation. Fortunately, he acted decisively and devised a plan to salvage the situation—
after a night of fierce fighting, the city of Qingyuan, with its nearly 300,000 inhabitants, was captured by the overwhelmingly superior Liang army. In this battle, Long Feiyang ordered the First and Second Divisions under Qingyuan to launch a full-scale assault at all costs, engaging in a war of attrition and morale-testing battle with Qiu Shuiba's forces. They used a strategy of attrition warfare to wear down the Jade Dragon Army within Qingyuan, and in a final burst of energy, used fresh troops to capture the city walls and storm into the city!
However, the first to breach the city walls were not the First and Second Divisions of the Liang army besieging Qingyuan, but rather the troops that had rushed from Baiyang City overnight outside the west gate.
Long Feiyang's final, desperate attack on Baiyang City, seemingly a last-ditch effort, was actually a cover for his retreat. Logically, the Liang army, having suffered losses of up to 50,000 men at Baiyang City, would not give up easily. If Long Feiyang had truly concentrated his forces to launch a relentless assault on one or two sections of the city walls, he might have had a chance to break through. However, the Liang army's strength would have been severely depleted after the initial assault, making it unlikely they would have been able to truly occupy and control the Qiu family's long-established stronghold.
The difference between Baiyang City and Yangjiang City in Nanhai County, which was occupied by Long Feiyang, lies in the fact that Baiyang City was the origin of the Qiu family's power, the location of their ancestral temple and clan hall, and home to countless clan members and descendants. Its potential, accumulated over generations, was immense—this was the real reason why Long Feiyang had been unable to conquer Baiyang City, while Qiu Haoyu dared to use a small force to draw in an army several times larger than his own.
In contrast, while Yangjiang City in Nanhai County also had high walls and deep moats, the Liang army's actual control of Nanhai County and Yunyuan County west of the Yulong River was only achieved ten years ago during the chaotic period of the "Five Kings' Rebellion against Tang," when various forces fought over it against the Qiu and Ding families. Subsequently, when the previous generation's successor to the Sword Inquiry Sect, the current Sword Inquiry Pavilion Master, "Fairy of the Misty Clouds" Ling Hanyan, joined forces with the three top-tier masters of Hualong—"Sword God" Lang Qingyun, "Knife God" Guan Shanyue, and "Gun God" Yan Nanfei—to exert pressure and quell the conflict, the main principle was to demarcate the actual control line at the time of the ceasefire. The Qiu family and the Liang army had been in constant friction for ten years, and four years ago there was also a large-scale "South China Sea Battle," largely due to this.
For the Liang army to truly control the entire city, they would need at least 80,000 men remaining after a strong assault on the city walls—a possibility that was extremely slim given Qiu Haoyu's vigilance. Precisely because of this, after feigning a strong attack, Long Feiyang ordered the Liang army under Baiyang City to lower their flags and silence their drums, cloth-cover their horses' hooves and muzzles, and for all soldiers to be silent. The besieging army even abandoned their camps, leaving only a small number of cavalry as a rearguard, while the majority secretly marched towards Qingyuan City under cover of night. The Liang troops sent to sweep through the towns and villages also hastily retreated to the Qingyuan City line. If Qiu Haoyu had seen through Long Feiyang's night escape plan and led his cavalry in pursuit, the Jade Dragon elite cavalry, with their fighting strength and agility, could at least have held off or even annihilated Long Feiyang's rearguard. Unfortunately, his excessive caution caused him to miss a crucial opportunity!
Because the elite 80,000 cavalry of the Great Liang army had not participated in the attack on Baiyang City and suffered no losses, they marched nearly 100 li overnight under the personal leadership of Long Feiyang, arriving at Qingyuan City almost simultaneously with Qiu Shuiliu's 10,000 cavalry. While Qiu Shuiliu launched a flanking attack on the Great Liang army besieging the east gate, Long Feiyang also launched an attack on the other three gates.
Qiu Shuiliu had deployed most of his elite troops, including the "Autumn Wind Golden Guard," to the east gate to withstand the Great Liang army's fierce assault. The other three gates were no match for the attack of Long Feiyang's directly subordinate divisions! The Great Liang army stormed the city walls with a single charge, opening the west gate. The subsequent battle within the city was a stark contrast in numbers and fighting strength, and the outcome was predictable.
In this battle, the Great Liang army ultimately captured Qingyuan City at the cost of 45,000 casualties, annihilating the 60,000-strong Yulong army defending the city without taking any prisoners. Under the fierce protection of the "Autumn Wind Golden Guard," Qiu Shuiba led less than a hundred men to join forces with Qiu Shuiliu's remaining five thousand cavalry after a fierce battle, and together they retreated to Tenglong Port.
The changes in the battle overnight, the scheming and intrigue involved, are too numerous to recount.
"Have all the units reached their designated positions?" Long Feiyang, having recovered from admiring the magnificent sunrise, casually asked. After capturing Qingyuan City, at least they had a stronghold to hold, and with the support of the neighboring Yunyuan County and Shunde Prefecture, they were not about to be swallowed up by the combined forces of the Yulong Kingdom's Third Royal Guard Division, the Baiyi Special Division, and the Qiu Clan's Yulong Army. The situation had eased slightly, and a glimmer of hope had appeared.
Under extremely unfavorable circumstances, Long Feiyang's ability to achieve this was tactically impeccable, truly deserving of the title of a renowned general.
"All units have reached their designated positions. The rearguard led by Legion Commander Long Xiaoyun has escorted supplies and provisions less than twenty li from Qingyuan. Furthermore, General Long Xiaotian has led 40,000 cavalry on a forced march of over a hundred li, arriving at Shunde City. The Ding family's Third Division has quietly withdrawn."
Long Xiaoyun is the legion commander of the East Sea Fleet, a cousin of Long Feiyang. His experience and prestige are far inferior to Long Feiyang's, and he only ascended to the legion commander's position at the age of thirty thanks to Long Feiyang's patronage. In this great battle, he willingly served as a deputy, demonstrating meticulous planning and the talent of a great general. Long Xiaotian is Long Feiyang's eldest son, the commander of a division directly under the Western Legion. He is a man of both literary and military talent, and the most promising candidate to succeed Long Feiyang as head of the family and commander of the Western Legion.
"Hmm..." Long Feiyang didn't understand why the Ding family was so slow to act, failing to seize the opportunity to take Shunde Prefecture into their fold. Didn't they know that speed is of the essence in war? After carefully examining the map, Long Feiyang suddenly realized—Ding Zixing, that cunning old fox, knew that if the Ding family occupied Shunde City and the entire Shunde Prefecture, they would act as a buffer between Long Feiyang and the Qiu family's army in Zhanjiang Prefecture, directly shielding Qiu Shuibo from the Liang army's counterattack. This could even lead to Long Feiyang, in a moment of desperation, leading 300,000 Liang troops north to Nanjiang Prefecture, where they could join forces with the Later Tang army to attack the Ding family from two sides. The Ding family's strategy of retreating to advance, observing the tigers fight in Nanjiang Prefecture, and waiting for an opportunity to profit, was the best course of action under the current circumstances.
The Ding family, having held sway over Jianghan Prefecture for a century, was no ordinary family. However, at least they had two fortified cities to rely on, like a game of Go where "one eye kills, two eyes live." The Ding family's failure to take Shunde Prefecture left a glimmer of hope for Long Feiyang's hundreds of thousands of troops!
At this time, Long Feiyang still held the two prefectural cities of Qingyuan and Shunde, with 350,000 troops controlling most of the areas of Qingyuan and Shunde, as well as a large population, grain, and supplies. He also had two reserve divisions in Meijiang and Baiquan prefectures, which he had ordered to be upgraded to regular divisions and held Meijiang and Baiquan pending reinforcements. His navy had already set sail to reinforce Quanzhou Port. If they could withstand the first wave of attacks from the Jade Dragon Army, and after reorganizing the army and administration, there was still a good chance of turning the tide.
"Order all units to intensify scouting! Anyone who delays intelligence will be executed without mercy!" Long Feiyang's voice was not loud, but it was resolute and extremely authoritative.

At the foot of Baiyang City, Qiu Haoyu, having received the urgent report of the fall of Qingyuan City, led his personal guard, the "Autumn Wind Platinum Guard," into the deserted camp of the Liang army. He surveyed the area and found the tents neatly arranged, the passageways and obstacles seamlessly integrated, forming a hidden battle formation. It allowed for both offense and defense, enabling the Liang army to move freely within its walls, while making it extremely difficult for any enemy to attack. He shook his head and sighed, "I am truly inferior to Long
Feiyang in military strategy!" "The way to victory is not about the gain or loss of a single city or territory; although Long Feiyang luckily turned the tide with a clever strategy, the overall situation is still in our hands. Why should the patriarch worry?" The speaker was Ling Tong, the commander of Qiu Haoyu's "Autumn Wind Platinum Guard" and elder brother of "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye. He possessed a composed demeanor, a majestic physique, and a resolute gaze, truly a rare and exceptional general. Qiu Haoyu entrusted him with the command of the family's most elite thousand "Autumn Wind Platinum Guards," tantamount to entrusting him with most of their lives. His skill and cultivation were self-evident.
Qiu Haoyu said calmly, "War is like a game of chess. Even with a favorable overall situation, local tactics are still necessary to accumulate small victories into a major triumph. Otherwise, a single miscalculation can cause the overall situation to collapse, resulting in total defeat. Caution is paramount at all times. One must be able to attack or defend. Before calculating victory, calculate defeat. This time, my Qiu family was burdened by the Treasure Island incident, and our risky actions were truly unavoidable. It can only happen once, not again."
"Ling Tong understands." Despite his reputation as a fierce tiger, Ling Tong showed no sign of ferocity; perhaps only in battle did his fierce side emerge.
"Order the army to prepare! We will march into Qingyuan City in one day!"
"Order Qiu Shuibo to take charge of the military and political affairs of Nanhai County and Yunyuan County. He may make decisions first and report later."
"Order the Tenglong Port Navy..."
One order after another came from Qiu Haoyu's mouth, showing that he was not without a backup plan for the current situation. At this time, two reserve divisions from Tianshui City and Dongguan City, plus the Sima clan's Third Guard Division and the Baiyi Special Division, a total of 160,000 men, were on their way to Baiyang City. Baiyang City had nearly 100,000 men in addition to private soldiers, and Tenglong Port had nearly 60,000 men including the navy. With the more than 100,000 troops led by Qiu Shuibo and Qiu Haoran, they had an absolute advantage in terms of manpower. Moreover, Long Feiyang had been cut off from the Great Liang Kingdom, and the hundreds of thousands of troops were confined to the two prefectures, making it difficult to supply them. The overall situation was still in the hands of the Qiu family!
After issuing several orders in succession, Qiu Haoyu turned his horse around and rode towards Baiyang City.
The large-scale battle in Baiyang County has temporarily come to an end, and a new war needs a new spark to ignite it…

Volume 5, Chapter 71: Fighting Side by Side
. Outside Donggang City, in the Japanese army camp.
A group of more than a dozen high-ranking Japanese generals are drinking and making merry, each using their hands and mouths to tease the Japanese women they hold in their arms, making them moan lewdly, while watching a geisha's erotic dance performance.
In the very center of the tent is a large round plate, about four feet square. Inside are eight white jade ornaments, each shaped like a blooming cherry blossom, exquisitely carved, lifelike, with even the fine stamens carved out, trembling in the air. In the center of the circle formed by the eight exquisite jade flowers stands a petite and delicate Japanese girl with snow-white skin, completely naked, with graceful curves. She is actually a mature woman, but only about four feet tall, smaller and more delicate than most women.
On the young beauty's breasts, two rosy nipples adorned with jade bells, and a fiery ruby embedded in her tiny navel, all contrasting beautifully with her almost translucent white skin. Six identical jade bells hung from her slender waist. Further down, a dazzling pearl flower adorned her alluring triangle, cleverly concealing its most captivating feature. A closer look revealed that the pearl flower was indeed inserted into the peach blossom path of her paradise.
The young beauty on the plate slowly swayed her slender waist, her small breasts trembling slightly. The clear, crisp sound of jade bells began to ring out. Her dance was graceful, but the sound of the bells was even more astonishing, for the melody they created formed a beautiful tune!
The dance gradually quickened, and a strange pink hue gradually rose on the young beauty's delicate, snow-white body, captivating and breathtaking…
Amidst the rapid tinkling of the bells, the young beauty suddenly leaped up, lightly hovering over the surrounding cherry blossoms. Her two snow-white feet lightly touched the white jade flowers, leaping and bounding, raising and lowering her legs, the graceful opening and closing of her legs an irresistible sight!
To dance on such fragile white jade, one must be as light as a swallow, and possess extremely high-level agility, for the white jade, carved into thin petals, cannot withstand pressure; even the slightest pressure would shatter the jade and cause the dancer to fall! But this beautiful young woman danced so freely, completely oblivious to the fact that her feet were treading on fragile jade flowers. Her exquisitely graceful movements flowed freely, her entire being immersed in the joyful dance. Accompanied by simple yet beautiful bell sounds, she resembled a beautiful butterfly fluttering among flowers, possessing an overwhelming and breathtaking beauty…
The young woman swayed her delicate body rapidly from side to side, the sound of the jade bells growing ever more rapid, making the Japanese army generals in the camp almost breathless. They forgot that the Japanese beauty accompanying them had already slipped off her body, enjoying the pleasure of being served…
The Japanese were a peculiar people. According to Hualong people who had traded in Japan, when they traveled to major cities like Nagasaki and Edo on the Japanese islands, they witnessed naked customers freely entering and leaving brothels, leaving them speechless. In the Japanese kingdom, brothels were as ubiquitous as restaurants and taverns on the Hualong continent, a necessity of daily life. As for those psychologically disturbed individuals who openly engage in lewd acts in public during the day, shamelessly committing acts of debauchery in small street corners, they are not few in number.
According to Japanese mythology, the Japanese themselves are the product of the union of a male god and a goddess. A famous, long-standing legend tells of how Amaterasu closed the skylight, plunging the world into darkness. The gods held a dance in front of the skylight, where a goddess exposed her breasts and vulva, performing a sensual dance that amused the gods. The laughter reached the heavens, and Amaterasu herself couldn't resist peeking in. The skylight then reopened, restoring light to the world…
The Japanese people boast of their unbroken imperial lineage. In mythology, the first Japanese emperor, Jimmu, married a queen whose name was "Nymph's Vulva." This Nymph's Vulva queen's parents were also lewd. It is said that when her father first saw her mother, he transformed into a red arrow in excitement and shot it into her vulva, causing her to become pregnant and give birth to "Nymph's Vulva." Japanese mythology views the female genitalia as a signpost to the divine. The Japanese worship nature and revered sexual relations as an integral part of it.
In cities like Hyogo, Tatsusaka, and Kyoto, the custom of "night visits" (夜这) was prevalent, referring to men visiting women's homes at night for sexual intercourse. At that time, throughout the Japanese nation, men and women, around thirteen or fourteen years old, began sexual intercourse under the guidance of "elders," exchanging partners and even living in communal dwellings. Marriage was merely a formality; even after marriage, men and women continued to engage in "night visits" with others. "Night visits" were considered normal social activities across all social classes in Japan, with little shame. Japanese women typically became mothers in their teens, having around ten children in their lifetime. Childbirth increased the population and thus wealth; in other words, sexual intercourse benefited the tribe and the Japanese people, providing both pleasure and enjoyment. Therefore, from the emperor down to slaves, everyone in the country indulged in it.
Under these unique customs, the Japanese people meticulously studied male-female love, reaching remarkable heights. Although Japanese men are short and have unusually small penises, the bizarre and lewd techniques they devised are astonishing. Many of these techniques not only spread to the neighboring Hua Long Continent but also to the Mei Si Continent and the O Ba Continent, far surpassing Hua Long Continent's reputation for "promiscuity and filth," leading a flourishing trend of debauchery!
Decades ago, attracted by the power of the Tang Dynasty, the Japanese sent several "envoys to Tang" to learn about Hua Long Continent's culture. After bringing it back to Japan, they combined it with their own lewd culture, developing a unique "geisha" industry. This added a touch of beauty and sophistication to what was originally a purely direct and lewd affair, instantly becoming popular throughout Japan.
This beautiful young woman, named Kitaba An, is one of Japan's four most famous geishas. Invited by the Japanese general who attacked Zhenbao Island, the daimyo of Shikoku Island, Togo Hachiro, she came specifically to perform a dance. In reality, she also wanted to take the opportunity to travel, and this "flower dance" was one of her signature acts.
A melodious, heavenly cry flowed from the cherry-like lips of Beibo Xing in the dish. She leaped into the air, returning to the space formed by the eight white jade cherry blossoms, assuming a graceful final pose—her supple waist arched back at an incredible angle, her jade head passing between her two snow-white legs, her rosy lips parted as if yearning… The pearl-adorned flower shimmered, creating a breathtaking spectacle, and the soft, crisp sound of the jade bells gradually subsided…
“Yoshi yoshi!” A robust Japanese man, around forty years old and dressed in standard samurai attire, was the first to applaud and praise from the main seat—this was none other than Togo Hachiro, the daimyo (lord) of Shikoku Island and the commander-in-chief of the Japanese invasion of Zhenbao Island.
“Yoshi yoshi! Excellent!” A group of Japanese generals also snapped out of their daze, echoing the praise in their ghostly Japanese chatter.
Kitaba An abruptly ended her dance, her delicate hand gesturing lightly. A thin veil flew out from a corner of the tent, concealing her beautiful and alluring body, and she gracefully departed. The Japanese generals, including Togo Hachiro, drooled, yet none dared to lay a finger on her—Kitaba An was the daughter of Kitaba Takeo, the leader of the Iga school, Japan's foremost ninja sect, and a disciple of Yagyu Shizuun, Japan's top martial artist. She was rumored to be inherently promiscuous, allowing only her to indulge in pleasure. Anyone who dared to be disrespectful, regardless of their identity, would at best unknowingly become neither male nor female, and at worst lose their life without a sound. Who would dare to act recklessly? Even Togo Hachiro, with his status, dared not be presumptuous.
Only after Bei Boxing left did the men in the tent begin to press down on the beauties beneath them, imagining each body as Bei Boxing's incomparably graceful form, and their bodies adorned with pearl flowers, and begin to move violently—instantly, the entire tent was filled with lewd sounds and whispers that could be heard dozens of feet away…
Outside the tent, a young man dressed in Japanese samurai attire, but with features that were a mixture of Chinese and Japanese characteristics, shook his head and sighed—if anyone from the Qiu family knew him, they would surely recognize him as the mixed-race man who had escaped alone in Xigang—Qiu Denghui!
After losing Xigang and five warships, Qiu Denghui fled alone, knowing that he was never valued by the Qiu family and would be even less accepted by them now, so he simply contacted the secret stronghold of the Japanese on Zhenbao Island and surrendered to the Japanese. Togo Hachiro highly valued Qiu Denghui, who was familiar with the training and tactics of the Jade Dragon Army. Given Qiu's Japanese ancestry, he appointed him as a senior advisor, specializing in strategizing with him. In the previous naval battle between Qiu Su and the Japanese army, Qiu Denghui had crucially suggested a fire attack using assault boats, which repelled the Jade Dragon Navy.
However, after several days of Japanese landing, Qiu Denghui was extremely disappointed with the stubborn Togo Hachiro.
After failing to capture Donggang City through a direct assault, Qiu Denghui first suggested that the Japanese army take Shunhe Town to the west, occupying this resource-rich town, a crucial point on the route to Keelung City, which would be vital for the Japanese to establish a foothold. If the Donggang army dared to leave the city to reinforce, they could even ambush them and capture Donggang. Togo Hachiro, however, maintained inaction, arguing that the Demonic Sect and the Jade Dragon Army were locked in a stalemate, and that the Japanese army only needed to sit back and watch the fight, reaping the benefits. After the Free Army captured Keelung and then seized Shunhe Town, the opportunity was lost!
Seeing the Japanese army in a disadvantageous position, Qiu Denghui suggested sending a large number of Japanese troops to the Shunhe Town area to block the Free Army's eastward advance. Although Togo Hachiro adopted this plan, he only sent two divisions, totaling 80,000 men, to garrison the hills fifteen miles east of Shunhe Town. The rest of the troops remained either stationed outside Donggang City or searching the surrounding hilly areas of Zhenbao Island, transporting able-bodied men and women to the Japanese mainland for a secret project codenamed "reconstruction."
From Togo Hachiro down, officers and soldiers alike were mostly indulging in illicit affairs, spending their days with the thousands of "comfort women" brought in from Japan for military purposes, creating an atmosphere of filth and showing no awareness of the threat posed by the Free Army. Qiu Denghui repeatedly advised against this, but Togo Hachiro dismissed it, confidently declaring, "A bunch of slaves who have only been in the army for two months, who have seized large tracts of land through opportunism, are no match for the Great Japanese Imperial Army. When the next batch of troops arrives, we will surely sweep away the Free Army, upholding the prestige of Great Japan and the spirit of Bushido. The Hualong people are all slaves under the feet of the Japanese!"
"Alas! I must consider what to do again," Qiu Denghui sighed, listening to the lewd sounds from the tent. If he were to command the Japanese army, he might have a chance of victory. With Togo Hachiro's arrogance, he certainly didn't understand the consequences of underestimating the Free Army like Qiu Denghui did!
Why is it that I, Qiu Denghui, possess such profound literary and military talents, cannot find a place to use them?
**** ********
October 22nd, Shunhe Town, early morning.
Hua Yinghong and Miao Youlan rode on their warhorses, watching the endless stream of troops heading towards Donggang City, feeling quite spirited. According to the "gentleman's agreement," within half a month of Qiu Shuibo's landing on the Hualong Continent, the Free Army was responsible for driving out the Japanese invaders and escorting the Jade Dragon Army of Shunhe Town and Donggang City back to the Hualong Continent. In recent days, the Free Army had been slow to act, only practicing formations and martial arts every day. The Jade Dragon Army of Shunhe Town had been impatient and had repeatedly asked, willing to fight side by side to defeat the Japanese invaders. However, Hua Yinghong remained unmoved, citing that it was too early.
At this time, after the Free Army had expanded and reorganized the surrendered members of the Bright Army, it had four regular divisions, two reserve divisions, plus the Special Operations Brigade and the Women's Army Brigade, totaling 260,000 men. In addition, there were 40,000 naval troops, 150 warships, and no fewer than 1,000 transport ships. A number of Free Army generals were promoted: Hai Tianqing was appointed deputy regimental commander and concurrently naval division commander; Yun Shalang was appointed deputy naval division commander. In the army, Ye Zhiqi, Lin Zhi, Liu Litao, and Pang Yi were appointed commanders of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Divisions respectively; Zhang Qunfeng and Qin Zhong were appointed commanders of the 1st and 2nd Reserve Divisions respectively; Mu Shanzhu, Helian Shu, Xiao Zhanfeng, Gao Baisheng, Li Tianhao, Cui Zhongxiu, and others were appointed deputy division commanders of the 6th Divisions or concurrently regimental commanders; and Chang Shengqiu, Yang Rongbin, Wei Buqun, Ye Shouxin, Mei Jian, Yuan Sitong, Linghu Yong, Lu Dafu, and others were all promoted to regimental commanders. Feng Yanran officially became the female soldiers' regimental commander and the Free Army's chief rifle instructor, at the same level as a deputy division commander. With the Free Army's overwhelming strength and momentum, coupled with the assistance of the Jade Dragon Army, they could easily swallow the hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers
in a direct confrontation. However, Hua Yinghong delayed issuing the order, causing even the Free Army soldiers to grow anxious. It wasn't until yesterday, after over a thousand wagons from the shipping guild transported a large quantity of secret supplies to Shunhe Town, that Hua Yinghong finally gave the battle order.
"Commander Hua! It is the duty of every valiant man of Hualong to expel the Japanese invaders! Please allow my Jade Dragon Army to fight alongside your army!" From afar, several riders galloped from the Jade Dragon Army's encampment to Hua Yinghong's horse, saluting him and shouting loudly. The leader was none other than Qiu Siming, the Jade Dragon Army's battalion commander in Shunhe Town.
Under someone else's roof, one must bow one's head. Zhenbao Island was now the Free Army's domain; the "slave army" that the Jade Dragon Army generals had previously referred to had become "your esteemed army."
"What a hero!" Hua Yinghong praised, "Drive out the Japanese invaders, uphold our divine might; united in hatred against the enemy, fight side by side!"...

Volume 5, Chapter 72: Attacking the Japanese Invaders
. The war on the Hualong Continent once again reached a stalemate.
After several days of fierce attacks by the grassland allied forces, the two large camps of the Western Legion of the Jade Dragon Army led by Li Xuanji outside Longxi City had been captured, leaving only 80,000 men to retreat into Longxi City. Of course, the grassland allied forces also suffered heavy casualties. Due to the strong attack on the pre-built fortifications, coupled with the undeniable disadvantage in weaponry, the grassland allied forces lost more than 60,000 men. However, once Longxi City was breached, the gates to the relatively flat Xiliang Prefecture and the Luolan County controlled by the Sima clan would be opened. Therefore, Meng Muzhen led the grassland allied forces to attack day and night in shifts.
The famous general Li Xuanji lived up to his reputation. Although his soldiers were exhausted, he was still able to skillfully command them and hold the city walls. Nearly 40,000 reserve troops, hastily recruited from various martial arts schools and boxing rings in Longxi City, a city of over 200,000 people, matured in assisting the defense of the city, greatly relieving the pressure on the regular army to cope with the relentless attacks of the grassland allied forces.
At Taihe Pass, the 100,000-strong grassland army also failed to capture it after a prolonged siege. Taihe Pass, strategically located on the main road amidst mountains, is largely similar to Lingbao Pass, the "Heavenly Pass" of Zhenbao Island, except that its walls are four li long and about seven zhang high, making it slightly less formidable. However, with 30,000 men defending a mere four li of frontal walls, and the commander being Li Wenlong, a close disciple and nephew of Li Xuanji, who possessed considerable generalship, the grassland allied forces suffered only several thousand casualties and were unable to achieve anything.
Meng Muzhen had no choice but to consult the Grand Preceptor Gong via private letter while simultaneously dispatching tens of thousands of troops to sweep through the entire Longxi Prefecture, except for Longxi City. Following the instructions of the Grand Preceptor Pang Deyan, all resistance was to be forcefully eliminated, while the poor and lower classes were to be treated with leniency, aiming for long-term stability. Longxi Prefecture was mostly mountainous, and the mountain people were generally indifferent to the distinction between Han and non-Han. The steppe allied forces, having eliminated the powerful local gentry and bullies who had previously oppressed the people, and by not harassing ordinary citizens except for confiscating government grain, had won considerable goodwill. In some places, the people even welcomed the arrival of the steppe allied forces.
The city of Xiliang, with a population of 400,000, was garrisoned only by a single detachment led by Li Zhimin, the heir of the Li family. Without the support of the Great Wall, the Li family felt the shortage of manpower facing the powerful steppe allied forces. Fortunately, a steady stream of military equipment and supplies was transported from the Sima clan's royal court to Xiliang County, and the Li clan's elders also agreed to issue the "Order to Shock the Gods"—martial arts schools, township militias, large and small martial arts sects, and retired soldiers throughout Xiliang County, which were openly or secretly supported or established by the Li clan, responded to the order and quickly gathered from all directions under the banner of the Li clan in Xiliang City and Wulan City...
Once the potential of a powerful clan is mobilized, its power is not to be underestimated!
After occupying Jiujiang City and Changyin City, the Golden Dragon Army remained inactive. During this time, it engaged in minor battles with the Sima clan's Jade Dragon Army, but all of them were short-lived and no major battles occurred. The Sima clan intensified training of its two expanded naval divisions, while the four reserve divisions of the Central Army Corps were deployed to various locations. Meanwhile, the four major divisions of the Central Army Corps' regular forces converged on Changyin City. Even the Fourth Division of the Imperial Guard, which had traditionally been stationed in Shiyan Prefecture of Yulong County and rarely deployed, transferred its defenses to the newly formed Fourth Reserve Division of the Imperial Guard, stationing itself in Yichun Prefecture, only 120 li from Changyin City. Given the Imperial Guard's reputation as an "elite force," 120 li was merely a few hours' journey for cavalry, and at least half of the Fourth Division of the Imperial Guard consisted of cavalry—the atmosphere of impending war was palpable, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder!
The Ding family also adopted a pressing posture against the Later Tang army in Zijiang Town—except for the Third Division and its reserve division in Nanjiang Prefecture, and a reserve division in Beijiang Prefecture, which remained unmoved, the remaining three regular army divisions (including the directly subordinate divisions), two reserve divisions, and the naval division, totaling 240,000 men, formed an arc-shaped encirclement of Zijiang Town, ready to launch a fatal attack at any moment. The Later Tang army dared not be negligent, hastily transporting four divisions of the Later Tang Southwest Army across the river. Combined with the Jiangyin navy guarding the river, this totaled 200,000 men. Adopting a defensive posture, they could hold their ground. However, this left only one division to defend Jiangling Prefecture, which bordered Anqing Prefecture of the Golden Dragon Kingdom…
Qingyuan City. Qiu Haoyu, commanding the Jade Dragon Army's Third Guard Division, the Second Special Division of the Baiyi Army, the Tianshui and Dongguan reserve divisions, and 100,000 troops from Baiyang City, besieged Qingyuan City. Together with the two regiments led by Qiu Shuiliu, they numbered 280,000, pinning Long Feiyang's Liang army firmly within Qingyuan City. At this time, Long Feiyang had already divided his 350,000 troops, stationing 200,000 in Qingyuan City and 150,000 in Shunde Prefecture, but dared not make any rash moves against either side—
Qiu Shuibo's exceptional talent began to shine: after capturing Yangjiang, Maoming, and Zhanjiang prefectures, and with authorization from Qiu Haoyu, he swiftly and decisively eradicated the pro-Daliang Kingdom forces within these three prefectures within just a few days, guided by Qiu family spies and Yulong's secret agents. He established a robust defensive system in the three prefectures and simultaneously conscripted slaves and commoners to form four reserve divisions—two in Yangjiang, one in Maoming, and one in Zhanjiang. No matter which direction Long Feiyang attacked, he couldn't easily capture them; instead, the Yulong army would exploit the situation to attack his rear. Looking back now, Qiu Shuibo's surprise attack, while focused on occupying the three prefectures, failed to consider the economically prosperous, populous, and strategically important city of Quanzhou, at the mouth of the Yulong River—a move that foresaw the current prefectures' fate!
The entire Jade Dragon Kingdom transformed into a colossal military camp, far larger than the one on Treasure Island at the time. The areas where the two armies clashed alone contained over two million troops from both sides, not counting the rear-line forces!
Anyone with even a modicum of information knew that the calmer the surface, the more it foreshadowed a volcanic eruption of earth-shattering force!
In Baiyang County, and even Nanhai County, Yunyuan County, and Jianghan County under the Ding family's control, the number of people fleeing the war was increasing. Even some wealthy families were transferring their riches and families to places they considered safe. The happiest of all were the members of the shipping guild. Benefiting from the growing reputation of Treasure Island as a "paradise on earth" under the Free Army's rule, the guild's thousands of transport ships never ceased sailing, transporting large numbers of refugees to Treasure Island daily. The pockets of the guild members were bulging. At this moment ,
all forces were preoccupied with their own problems and were powerless and dared not stop the people fleeing to Zhenbao Island. Firstly, they feared losing popular support by forcibly sealing it off; secondly, they lacked sufficient troops; and thirdly, they were even more afraid of provoking the unpredictable and elusive "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong—for the current state of the mainland war, especially the stalemate between the Qiu family and Long Feiyang's Liang army, was like a temporarily balanced scale. With just a small addition from one side, the other could be crushed beyond repair!
Moreover, during this relatively peaceful period on the mainland, the Free Army quickly proved to the world with a major battle that its weight was far more than just a "small bargaining chip"!
******** ****
October 22nd, 9:00 AM. Hai Tianqing led three full-strength naval regiments of the Free Army, escorting over 500 transport ships to the waters off Donggang. The ships carried the Free Army's Fourth Division, led by Pang Yi, along with supplies and provisions. General Qiu Su personally led two Jade Dragon naval regiments to meet them at sea. The hundred-odd Japanese warships tasked with blockading the sea, seeing the overwhelming strength of the Jade Dragon Army and the Free Army's combined naval forces, dared not obstruct the attack. The Free Army's Fourth Division successfully entered Donggang city and completed the garrison change with the Jade Dragon Army. The city's inhabitants, hearing of the invincible Free Army's garrison and receiving a large quantity of long-scarce supplies, erupted in jubilation! He who
wins the hearts of the people wins the world. Every move Hua Yinghong made carried hidden purposes and follow-up plans. The supplies were not particularly valuable, merely necessities, but their arrival at the time when the residents of Donggang needed them most after the blockade was like sending charcoal in snowy weather—the effect far greater than a million gold coins!
At noon, the deployment was completed as planned. The Free Army and the Jade Dragon Allied Forces launched an attack on the Japanese army by land and sea as planned.
General Qiu Su and "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye, due to insufficient troops, had endured for days the humiliating provocations and challenges from the Japanese devils outside the city, speaking broken Chinese. They had only suppressed their anger to protect the hundreds of thousands of civilians within the city from falling into the hands of the Japanese invaders. Now that the Free Army had arrived, the Jade Dragon Navy was freed and set sail first towards the Japanese navy southeast of Donggang. The Jade Dragon Navy's true strength lay not in land battles, but in naval warfare. On the vast sea, the Jade Dragon Navy moved with ease; even the Daliang Navy, with equal numbers, dared not provoke them. With three naval fleets and 150 warships, General Qiu Su and "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye were confident that even if the Japanese army had more than twice the number of warships, they could still defeat them!
Moreover, according to the "gentleman's agreement," the three regiments of the Free Army Navy led by Hai Tianqing will, as agreed, do their utmost to expel the Japanese invaders and uphold the might of the Chinese dragon! Just by observing Hai Tianqing's masterful command of the Free Army Navy and the high morale of its soldiers, it was clear that the Free Army Navy, after nearly two months of training under Hai Tianqing, was no less powerful than the Jade Dragon Navy. Victory in this battle was assured!
With the Jade Dragon Navy in the lead and the Free Army Navy supporting from behind, after only a little over an hour of sailing at full speed, they spotted a vast, dark mass of Japanese naval forces—nearly four hundred warships—positioned ten miles away on the sea, ready for battle.
"Long snake formation!" The veteran General Qiu Su, a seasoned warrior, immediately issued the order to attack! With the wind at their backs, they only needed to confront the Japanese navy head-on. The Jade Dragon Navy's warships possessed superior long-range attack capabilities and resilience compared to their opponents. Taking advantage of the favorable winds and currents, they could first severely damage the Japanese forces, and then encircle and annihilate them!
The nearly four hundred Japanese warships seemed to know their own weaknesses, and suddenly dispersed to the sides, attempting to seize upwind and upstream positions from the flanks, thus surrounding the Jade Dragon Navy and launching a close-quarters attack!
"Swarm tactics?" General Qiu, with years of experience fighting the Japanese ronin, was extremely familiar with the Japanese navy's battle formations. With a wave of his command flag, the flag signals on the flagship changed—"Change formation!..."
An unprecedented naval battle between the Jade Dragon Navy, the Free Army Navy, and the Japanese Navy thus began!
At the same time, the Free Army, advancing eastward by land, also engaged in fierce combat with the Japanese army!

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