To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

Chapter 603: Chapter 281: Hard to Fill the Hole

“Han Shun and the King of Xichuan have already led their troops to break through Jinguan City and crossed the river together to escape back to Yuzhong Prefecture?”

Lu Yuan finished reading the urgent secret letter in his hand, then looked down at the dust-covered messenger below, no, it should be said, a junior officer in the army.

From the lingering smell of blood on the other party, it was not difficult to guess what they had experienced along the way.

Bringing this letter back alive was no easy task.

“Reply to Your Majesty, yes.”

The junior officer below felt the gaze of the king and felt a bit of pressure in his heart. He dared not look directly at him and hurriedly lowered his head to reply: “Ten days ago, news hit the rear of Xichuan State, which greatly shocked the left general and the King of Xichuan. After discussing it together, they decided to withdraw their troops from Xiang City.”

This decision was made and implemented that night.

At that time, I broke through the encirclement with the left general. After several fierce battles, we finally escaped Jinguan City.

Then the left general ordered me to lead his personal guard and deliver this urgent letter overnight.

He led the remnants of his troops with the king of Xichuan along the way back to Xichuan.

According to the arrangement at the time of departure, the left general was planning to lead the troops back to Yuzhong Prefecture, but whether he could actually make it back now, I’m not sure.”

When we attempted to break the siege, the Jianchuan barbarian army seemed to have anticipated it and had prepared early.”

On the way, the army had suffered several ambushes and pursuits, and the arrangement seemed to have started long ago, not a hastily made decision…”

This junior officer spoke about the arrangements made by Han Shun after breaking the siege, as well as the details of their own escape along the way.

The more detailed and in-depth he spoke, the deeper Lu Yuan’s eyes became.

Although his expression was still calm, the oppressive atmosphere gradually enveloped the room as the story unfolded.

Noticing the change in the atmosphere, the junior officer also knew how terrible the news he brought was. He was momentarily overwhelmed by Lu Yuan’s momentum and broke into a sweat.

“That’s enough. Your news arrived in a timely manner. You may leave for now. I appreciate your effort in bringing the news at the risk of your life. Rewards will be given later.”

Noticing the slight unease of the junior officer below, Lu Yuan glanced at him and slightly restrained his own aura and said expressionlessly.

“Yes, I shall take my leave.” Upon hearing these words, the junior officer breathed a sigh of relief and left the room as if escaping, without even wiping his sweat.

After the people left, a terrible atmosphere erupted in the room.

The chilling cold seemed to freeze everything.

“Nanzhao Country, I really underestimated you…”

A deep, suppressed voice filled the room, swirling back and forth.

Two personal guards outside sensed the terrible pressure coming from the room, shivered involuntarily, looked at each other, and revealed a hint of fear and terror.

‘I don’t know what that man just told the king to make him emit such a terrifying aura.’

Both of them had this thought in their hearts, but the awe-inspiring aura in the room soon receded, and then the king’s voice rang out.

“Someone!”

Without indulging in further curiosity, one of them quickly went in upon hearing the command.

“Here is a military order. Send it immediately to Xiangyang Prefecture and hand it over to the Grand General.”

Inside the room, the calm Lu Yuan handed the letter to the personal guard.

“Yes.”

The personal guard who entered the room hurriedly took it, and then, holding the urgent letter, rushed away.

Lu Yuan watched the departing figure, his expression silent.

That Xichuan State was suddenly attacked by Nanzhao Country, to be honest, was somewhat unexpected, even catching him off guard.

Nobody ever thought that Nanzhao, which had been gathering troops in the capital without any movements, could come up with such a surprise attack thousands of miles away.

It had to be said that this move had really hit him, or rather, the painful spot of Xichuan State.

Taking advantage of the empty rear of Xichuan State, they directly sent a large army, sneaking through thousands of miles of mountains and avoiding their ears and eyes to strike directly into the hinterland of Xichuan State.

This surprise attack was nearly as shocking as Lu Yuan’s surprise strikes on Xiangyang and Xichuan seven years ago during the Northern Expedition. It hit the enemy’s Achilles’ heel and held their fate.

Now that the Nanzhao army has attacked Jinguan City and captured the capital of Xichuan State, their performance is no worse than Lu Yuan’s two surprise attacks.

At this time, Jihui and Han Shun’s armies, which had lost their rear support, were also in danger of being besieged by front and rear forces, just like Zhou Shu’s united army that had been blocked at Wushan Pass.

Their only advantage over the Zhou Shu United Army was that their retreat was not completely blocked.

With the loss of Xichuan State, Lu Yuan’s Xichuan Prefecture remained. They didn’t immediately suffer the miserable outcome of losing all territory and having nowhere to go.

However, that was just a small consolation in the face of the disastrous news.

The Nanzhao army’s surprise attack on Xichuan State involved a significant number of troops.

Although there is no exact figure yet, judging from the secret letter Han Shun sent back, the news from Xichuan State suggests that there were at least fifty to sixty thousand bandits, perhaps even more.”

This number was already quite terrifying.

Know that at the peak of Xichuan State’s power, including some militias, they only had that many troops. After a county force of ten thousand was deployed in Lu Yuan’s Xichuan Prefecture, only six thousand remained.