The Singing of the Empty City [13]
When Ku Za Mu saw this, his expression had quickly changed. He suddenly patted his back, turned around, and quickly rushed out of the hall.
Ku Za Mu exited the palace. On horseback, he hastily rushed towards the place that’s 30 miles from the city gate, where the 400,000 soldiers are stationed.
Yesterday, their banners were still fluttering in the wind. Yet, they weren’t allowed in from the city gate. However, the city gate walls were already destroyed by them. So how could there be traces of an army approaching now?
Could it be that the 400,000 soldiers had flown here using the night as cover?
While Ku Za Mu hurriedly rushed towards his destination, Li Kuo and Prime Minister Xiao Chen joined him. The three looked at each other in dismay as they continued to hurry toward their destination.
While they traveled toward their destination, they noticed that along the sides of the road, numerous large trees had fallen on the ground. The fallen trees had long lost its branches and leaves, leaving the fallen trees bare.
A short distance from the pile of fallen trees, there would be another cluster of fallen trees, then another. This cycle continued on with all the trees showing traces of being bound together before. The scene appears to seem like a group of horses has been dragging three or four trees.
The three people looked profoundly at the scene in front of them as they continued to advance forward.
The scenery changed again. Now, there are traces of extinguished bonfire. A short distance from the bonfire, there would be another, then another, and then another. And into the distance, as far as the eyes can see, there are a few mountains.
Ten days before, while standing on the city walls, they were faintly able to see the fire illuminating the sky, covering half of the horizon.
The 400,000-strong army should be enough to make a few mountains.
However, when they looked closely, it seemed as no one had occupied the area. What was remaining was only a few pieces of burned twigs and logs here and there. Surrounding the remaining traces of fire, there are only a few footprints.
When Xiao Chen saw this, the corner of his mouth began to cramp.
As they head deeper, there were lesser and lesser signs of soldiers living in the area. There were only countless fallen trees and extinguished bonfires.
After walking for half a day, the signs of human existence in the area became less and less.
“We don’t have to continue walking.” Ku Za Mu pulled his horse reigns, slowing his horse to a stop. On his face, there was a smile yet not a smile, anger yet not anger, a weeping expression yet not a weeping expression. In other words, his expression was very complicated as he looked at the scene around him.
“Looking at the traces left behind, there would be at most 20,000 soldiers and horses.” Li Kuo reached out his hand and massaged his temple.
They are military generals so they can’t fight in the struggle for power. However, they’re the best when it comes to leading armies to fight wars. So when they looked at the traces left behind by the soldiers, they can clearly tell how many soldiers and horses that once occupied the area.
There were only 20,000 soldiers here, only 20,000!
When Xiao Chen heard Ku Za Mu and Li Kuo’s words, he pulled the horse reign, slowing the horse to a stop. He stayed silent for a good while before looking up to the sky and letting out a deep sigh, “It’s an empty city strategy, an empty city strategy ah.”
There were merely 20,000 troops and horses yet they created the illusion of having a 400,000-strong army. The lack of one basketful of earth spoils the entire effort to build a nine-Ren mountain. In the end, they could only concede to Liu Yue.
If the 100,000-strong army had fought against the 20,000-strong army, how could Liu Yue still sit on the position she is on now?
Today, her real army has actually arrived. So even if they know now and want to make a move, they would be powerless to reverse the situation.
What a good empty city strategy. What a good Liu Yue.