Chapter 604: Chapter 281: Hard to Fill the Hole_2

With these numbers of troops on both sides, it can be said that resisting the surprise attack from Nanzhao Country is extremely difficult, even precarious.

One carelessness,

Xichuan could face the risk of extinction, and Chu State could lose the crisis of the three prefectures of Xichuan.

Either of these is unacceptable to Chu State.

“I have already sent a message to Xiaoqing, asking him to draw a Forbidden Army from Xiangyang Prefecture to the west, and rush to rescue Xichuan Prefecture.

However, to move troops from Xiangyang Prefecture to Xichuan, even if they march as rapidly as possible, it will take at least twenty days. I hope that it will all be in time”

Lu Yuan tapped his fingertip on the table lightly, and his gaze was thoughtful with some worries.

…

Ever since Han Shun led the breakout, he sent a desperate message back, not waiting for Lu Yuan to make more arrangements, bad news kept coming one after another from Xichuan and Nanzhao.

On July 5th, the Xichuan division of the Royal Palace reported urgently that a large number of Nanzhao troops surged out of the western mountains, occupying a large area of Xichuan in just half a month.

Now Xichuan has lost its two prefectures of Chengdu and Anyue, and Jinguan City has fallen.

And after the sudden emergence of Nanzhao’s forces took the above regions, they divided their soldiers into several groups and went to seize the remaining three prefectures of Xichuan.

Now Xichuan is empty and without a master to sit in town, I don’t know how long it can hold on.

On July 7th, news of the fall of Xichuan reached Hanzhong, causing Qiao Kangquan to lose his color in shock.

Upon realizing that he could potentially be attacked front and back, he immediately decided to pull the 20,000 soldiers sent by Xichuan to co-defend and 10,000 Hanzhong soldiers from the front line confronting Zhou Country, and rushed back to Xichuan to defend against the invasion of the Nanzhao Army.

Now Qiao Anquan is leading these 30,000 men, stationed around Jiange Prefecture, containing and watching the Nanzhao Army rampaging in Xichuan.

At the same time, Hanzhong also sent a flying report, urgently requesting reinforcements from Chu State.

On July 8th, news came back from Nanzhao’s Jiandian Country. The King of Xichuan and Han Shun attempted to break through together, but were strongly resisted by the Jianchuan Army along the way, encountering numerous ambushes.

Moreover, after breaking the siege, the Jianchuan Army did not stop pursuing, insisting on chasing, with a tendency to never stop until this united army was annihilated.

Left with no choice, Jihui, the King of Xichuan, had to lead 5,000 troops to break off at the Nuo Yi River, desperately resisting the Jianchuan Army.

However, in this do-or-die battle, the King of Xichuan did not perform very well.

Because within the pursuing army lurked the King of Yongchang, Zhao Zhenshui, of Nanzhao Country.

This King Yongchang, Zhao Zhenshui, who was also born to the royal family of Nanzhao Country, is the uncle of the current ruler of Nanzhao Country and an Inborn Grandmaster of the older generation.

He was hidden in the Jianchuan Army all along, not even revealing himself when attacking the city previously.

It wasn’t until news of the Nanzhao Army’s invasion of Xichuan arrived and Jihui escaped with his troops that he finally started to take action.

So, when Jihui tried to use his innate strength to resist the Jianchuan Army for his troops, the King Yongchang, who was hiding in the army, directly launched a sneak attack.

Caught off guard, Jihui fought him and was instantly severely injured.

In the end, if he had not cast several secret techniques in desperation and barely fought his way out, this King of Xichuan might have lost his life on the Nuo Yi River.

But even so, after being seriously injured, Jihui’s situation is not very good after using secret techniques. Although he saved his life, he is not able to take action again for a while.

On the Jianchuan Army’s side, even after defeating Jihui, they did not give up the pursuit, and still chased the escaping army all the way, with a relentless attitude.

On July 10th, another report was sent from Xichuan Prefecture.

General Han Shun, leading more than three thousand remnants, withdrew from Xichuan Prefecture to Yuzhong Prefecture in a disheveled manner.

At this time in Xichuan Prefecture, due to a previous urgent letter from Han Shun, a mobilization had already been initiated. Five thousand militias had gathered in Yuzhong Prefecture, starting to set up defenses in the border towns along the southern boundary with Nanzhao and the towns near Xichuan in the west, strictly guarding against Nanzhao’s attacks.

With these fifty thousand militias, and nearly ten thousand remaining county soldiers in the prefecture, the sixty thousand troops in Yuzhong Prefecture should be able to protect this territory for the time being.

On July 12th, Xichuan sent a letter.

After the battle at Nuo Yi River, the lost King Jihui of Xichuan returned to Panshi Prefecture of Xichuan with more than five thousand remnants.

However, at this time more than half of Panshi Prefecture have been occupied by the Nanzhao Army. Even though Jihui brought back five thousand troops, facing tens of thousands of enemy soldiers, it is still not enough.

Right now they can only huddle inside the city, surrounded by tens of thousands of enemy troops, and can’t get out of the city at all.

At the same time, an urgent request for help from Xichuan arrived in Chu State. Jihui asked Lu Yuan to fulfill his alliance and help him repel Nanzhao and recover his territory.

July 15th.

Another message came from Xichuan. One hundred thousand Jianchuan Army from Jianchuan advanced north to Panshi Prefecture and merged with the Nanzhao Army, formally joining the ranks of the siege.

At the same time, news came from the north. The northern part of Xichuan, Xuanwu Prefecture, has been occupied by the Nanzhao Army.

Few parts of the remaining Nanchong Prefecture were only occupied due to the southern defense of the Hanzhong Army, and now both sides are stuck there, exchanging offense and defense.

As of now, only nearly half of Nanchong Prefecture and a small half of Panshi Prefecture are left in Xichuan, not even a whole prefecture’s territory remained.

The prospect of national extinction is already apparent.

July 20th.

After a month of long-distance travel, a Forbidden Army of two thousand men transferred from Xiangyang Prefecture finally arrived at Yuzhong. Without taking rest, they deployed and started to set up defenses in different areas, guarding against the Nanzhao Army.