Chapter Sixteen: The Timing Varies with the Circumstances

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At the Divine Strategy Army camp, several scouts arrived in succession to deliver their reports:

“The North Gate is heavily guarded, with roughly forty to fifty thousand troops.”

“The South Gate is comparatively weak, with approximately twenty to thirty thousand soldiers.”

“The Jurchen army’s horses are currently concentrated at the former city-defense cavalry grounds west of the city, under dedicated guard.”

“The Grand Qi allied forces have just discovered that they have fallen into a trap and are marching rapidly toward the northern frontier…”

“No disturbances have broken out in the city so far…”

As report after report was presented in the command tent, Qin Xuan gradually pieced together a picture of the current situation in Northpeace City.

Everything within the city appeared peaceful. The Jurchen army had presumably restrained its men deliberately, hoping to create the illusion that everything remained normal in Northpeace City and thereby deceive him.

“Fortunately, we marched ahead of schedule and reached this place first. Had we arrived even half a day later, we might well have been trapped inside the city,” Zhuge Xuan said with a deeply furrowed brow. The situation before them was far from optimistic, for the Jurchen army numbered no fewer than eighty thousand.

Against the hundred thousand troops of the Divine Strategy Army, that number would make either a direct assault on the city or the plan of relieving the siege by attacking the besiegers’ homeland exceedingly difficult.

In ancient warfare, when one side defended a city to the death, an attacking force needed two or three times its numbers to breach it.

Put simply, every siege was won by filling the walls with human lives.

The only good news was that the Grand Qi allied forces had only just set out. Qin Xuan still had sufficient time to carry out his plan.

Even so, from the very beginning, the Divine Strategy Army had been at a certain disadvantage compared with the Jurchen army.

The Jurchen had lived in the northern frontier for generations and were exceptionally skilled in mounted warfare. In a direct clash, the Divine Strategy Army would have little advantage.

Furthermore, although the Divine Strategy Army was brave and battle-hardened, its fighting strength had been diminished by the long march, while the bitter cold severely impaired its combat effectiveness.

Most crucially, the army’s horses were southern breeds. They were somewhat smaller than northern horses and far less tolerant of the cold.

Taken together, these factors were enough to turn a war that should have ended in victory into a defeat—or even the annihilation of the entire army.

“Military Advisor, there is no need to worry so much. The Jurchen army does indeed possess considerable advantages, but so do we,” Qin Xuan said calmly.

Zhuge Xuan was puzzled. After pondering for a few moments, he asked for guidance. “Your Highness, judging from the present circumstances, we possess none of the three advantages: favorable timing, favorable terrain, or favorable morale.”

Zhao Luoying, standing nearby, nodded slightly and added, “As for favorable timing, the Jurchen army attacked the city first and emerged victorious. As for favorable terrain, they are now the defenders and possess every possible advantage. And as for morale and manpower, the Jurchen army’s eighty thousand soldiers are, in overall combat strength, scarcely inferior to our Divine Strategy Army.”

Hearing their analysis, Qin Xuan smiled. “Warfare does indeed depend on favorable timing, terrain, and human support. But have you never considered that circumstances change with the moment?”

“Change with the moment?” Zhao Luoying murmured, then pressed him. “Your Highness, what do you mean?”

“The Jurchen army’s advantages in timing, terrain, and manpower are not fixed,” Qin Xuan said, his words startling everyone. Every person in the tent immediately focused their attention on him.

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“We cannot presently alter their advantages in terrain and manpower. After all, eighty thousand Jurchen soldiers are already stationed in Northpeace City.”

Qin Xuan pointed to Great Man City on the map and continued, “But what of favorable timing? The Jurchen army does not know that we have arrived ahead of schedule. Otherwise, they would never have restrained their men and continued preserving peace within Northpeace City.”

Given the Jurchen army’s customary conduct, once a city fell, they would surely burn, kill, and plunder, committing every imaginable atrocity.

Their abnormal restraint this time was naturally intended to lure their enemy into the trap.

“So, if we launch a surprise attack on Great Man City now, what do you think will happen to the Jurchen army in Northpeace City? Will they not be thrown into chaos?”

Qin Xuan’s words instantly enlightened everyone. Zhuge Xuan threw back his head and laughed.

“Excellent! Excellent! Your Highness is truly a heaven-blessed genius. This ability to adapt to changing circumstances is deeply admirable.”

If the Divine Strategy Army attacked the city now, it would lack the advantage of favorable timing.

But if it launched a surprise attack on Great Man City, it would seize that advantage completely.

That was what Qin Xuan had meant by changing with the moment.

“All commanders, listen to my orders!”

Qin Xuan suddenly shouted and began issuing commands.

“Your orders!”

The commanders answered in unison.

“Pass down my command. The Divine Strategy Army will set out at once for Great Man City.”

“Du Manjiang, Guan Xingsheng, I am placing seventy thousand troops under your command. You must reach the walls of Great Man City before the hour of the Ox tonight.”

“We obey!”

Du Manjiang and Guan Xingsheng accepted without hesitation.

“Zhao Luoying, listen carefully…”

In the blink of an eye, the hundred thousand soldiers of the Divine Strategy Army sprang into motion at full speed. Even the more than thirty-five thousand refugees seemed to have been mobilized.

At the same time, within Northpeace City, the Jurchen soldiers had already changed into the standard uniforms of the Grand Qi army.

The entire city garrison had been captured and was being held temporarily in the defensive barracks.

Tulan and Gurna had also changed into the clothing of Grand Qi civilians, though their conspicuous coin-braids remained painfully obvious.

Every Jurchen wore a coin-braid, and some even wore two.

They tied one or two copper coins to the ends of their braids, a custom unique to the Jurchen Kingdom.

“Though the Grand Qi Empire has declined, just look at the prosperity before us. How could our Jurchen Kingdom ever compare?”

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As the Jurchen Kingdom’s Imperial Preceptor, Gurna had traveled throughout Grand Qi for three years in his youth, studying many of its advanced cultures, technologies, and crafts. Thus, after becoming Imperial Preceptor, his greatest ambition had been to incorporate Grand Qi into the territory of the Jurchen Kingdom.

Tulan was a towering man, standing nearly six feet three inches tall, and the only Jurchen to bear the title of Battleru.

Battleru referred to the strongest warrior of all.

“And what of it?” Tulan strode through the streets like a giant. “The wealthier they are, the more deserving they are of slaughter. Had His Majesty not forbidden it this time, I would have killed every one of these weak Grand Qi fools.”

Gurna merely smiled. He neither rebuked nor contradicted him.

According to the Jurchen Kingdom’s strategy, border cities like Northpeace City were nothing more than slaughterhouses they deliberately kept alive.

Whenever they conquered a city, they deliberately plundered it without ever occupying it.

Occupation required troops to garrison the city, officials to administer it, and resources to care for its people. For the Jurchen Kingdom, that was not worth the expense.

But if they merely plundered the cities, those places became plump hens. After being fattened for three or five months, each could be slaughtered once more.

At the same time, this provided the Jurchen Kingdom with an excellent opportunity to train its army.

Qin Xuan had long since seen through this national policy and had reported it to the imperial court many times.

Unfortunately, the emperor of Grand Qi was stubborn and self-important. He refused to heed the warnings.

“Help! Someone save me! Stay away from me!”

Suddenly, a woman in tattered clothes appeared in the street, terror-stricken, while several Jurchen soldiers pursued her with savage, greedy expressions.

Fleeing blindly, she collided with Tulan and hurriedly fell to her knees, pleading for help.

“Please, save me! They’re trying to rape me!”

The Jurchen soldiers chasing her immediately stopped, terror flashing across their faces.

At the sight of this, the woman finally let out a breath of relief.

But in the next instant, her body suddenly became weightless. Tulan had seized her and thrown her aside.

“You useless fools! You cannot even catch a woman. As punishment, kill her here and now.”

The Jurchen soldiers, who had expected to be reprimanded, were overjoyed. Without hesitation, they drew the curved blades from their waists and raised them to strike.

At that very moment, an angry roar rang out. A figure moved like lightning, and in the blink of an eye, a blade pierced straight through the chest of one of the Jurchen soldiers.

The figure then scooped up the woman, who had already fainted from terror, and rushed into a nearby alley.