Chapter 108 Entering the City
At the same time as Baihu broke into the city, the army outside the city launched a final charge under the command of Li Jing.

The remaining soldiers of the Cangzhou army behind him shouted and rushed towards the city wall. Their steps were firm and powerful, as if they wanted to flatten the city wall.

Li Jing rode on a horse, waving a long sword in his hand, and personally commanded the soldiers to charge into battle.

For a moment, the sound of killing was deafening, the flames of war were raging, and the whole city fell into chaos.

The setting sun was as red as blood, and its afterglow sprinkled on the pass that had just experienced a fierce battle.

This ancient pass standing between the mountains looks both solemn and desolate under the reflection of the sunset.

The city walls, having weathered countless storms and erosions, still stood majestically, but the flags flying on the top of the city walls had been replaced with the symbols of the attackers.

When the last bit of resistance was crushed and when the last enemy soldier laid down his weapon, Li Jing rode on his horse and slowly walked into the pass.

His armor was covered in blood and dust, but it could not conceal the majesty and momentum emanating from inside out.

His eyes are deep, as if he can see through all vanity and fog; his expression is firm, as if he will not give up easily no matter how great the difficulties and setbacks are.

The Cangzhou army behind him followed Li Jing's footsteps, each of them full of energy and high morale.

Although their clothes and armor were torn and their faces were haggard, the light in their eyes was brighter than ever.

They know that they are already winners and have proven their worth with their courage and wisdom.

Li Jing walked into Yaohua Pass while patrolling the pass.

The city walls here are tall and solid, and the arrow slits and watchtowers on them are still preserved as they were.

He imagined what advantages and psychological comfort these facilities had brought them when they were occupied by the enemy.

But now, everything has become a thing of the past.

Under his leadership, the Cangzhou army was like a tiger descending from the mountain, unstoppable, and they broke through this seemingly indestructible pass.

He walked to the city wall and looked out over the valley below and the mountains beyond.

Here he could clearly see the enemy's defeat and escape.

The Qi army was in a miserable state, like a lost dog.

Afterwards, Li Jing came to his senses and began to arrange the follow-up matters.

He ordered the soldiers to clean up the battlefield, repair the city walls, and strengthen the defense to ensure that the pass would not be captured by the enemy again.

Following closely, Su Ye also officially stepped into this majestic pass that originally belonged to Qizhou. His attire was relatively simple, but his every move revealed a natural majesty.

At this moment, Su Ye's eyes revealed a deep and complex expression, with both the joy of victory and worries about the future.

Next to him was Yao Guangxiao, who was wearing Buddhist robes. He had a kind face but his eyes were sparkling with wisdom.

Holding the Buddhist beads in his hand, every time he turned one of them, his thoughts seemed to flow with it.

Including Li Jing, the three of them walked slowly forward on the path inside the pass, one in front and one behind.

All around was a battlefield that had not yet been cleared after the war. Broken swords and spears, torn flags and drums, and scattered arrows all silently told how brutal the battle that had just ended was.

The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood, irritating everyone's nerves.

Li Jing was the first to break the silence. His voice was loud and powerful: "This Yaohua Pass has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. It is located between Cangzhou and Qizhou, and is easy to defend but difficult to attack."

"It's not easy to capture it today."

Su Ye nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, this victory was hard-won. I never thought that a Yaohua Pass would actually hold us back for almost a whole month."

Su Ye's eyes swept across the surrounding ruins and he spoke slowly.

Yao Guangxiao, who was wearing Buddhist robes, gently turned the Buddhist beads in his hand and said, "If you want to conquer the mountains of Qizhou, you need more than just force."

"The mountains in Qizhou stretch endlessly, and almost every few steps you take are a huge obstacle."

"If we want to capture this place, it will be a long-term battle." His voice was calm and firm, as if it had a soothing power.

Upon hearing this, the commander frowned slightly, as if he was thinking about something.

After a moment, he said, "Sir, you are right. But the situation is still uncertain, and there are still enemy troops surrounding us."

"We have to ensure safety before we can talk about other things."

Li Jing's tone revealed a sense of pragmatism and caution.

As the three of them talked, a tense and orderly atmosphere spread among them.

They knew that although they had captured the Yaohua Pass, the real challenge had just begun.

The three of them came to a meeting room inside the pass and sat around a table.

"Pharmacist, you have conquered Yaohua Pass this time and made great contributions. You have worked so hard."

Su Ye spoke first, breaking the silence.

Li Jing quickly stood up and replied respectfully: "It is our duty as soldiers to serve our lord. We were able to conquer this great pass thanks to your wise leadership and the ingenious strategies of your advisers."

Su Ye smiled slightly and motioned Li Jing to sit down.

"Next, we will face countless checkpoints in the mountains."

"These checkpoints are strategically located and easy to defend but difficult to attack. I wonder if you have any good ideas, sir?"

He looked at Yao Guangxiao, who was dressed in Buddhist robes, and said.

"My lord, with our current military strength, if we want to conquer these checkpoints one by one, it will probably take a lot of time and energy."

"Also, if the enemy concentrates its forces at a certain checkpoint to launch a counterattack, we may also be put in a passive position."

Yao Guangxiao gently turned the Buddhist beads in his hand and said after thinking for a moment.

"Then according to your opinion, how should we deal with it?"

After hearing this, Su Ye frowned slightly and asked.

Yao Guangxiao continued, "Daoyan believes that we should adopt a strategy of dividing our forces and attacking together."

"Leave some troops behind, led by the pharmacist, to continue conquering the next checkpoint along the route."

"Also, send out a few detachments to head to other passes via other roads to distract Qi's army."

"At the same time, Cangzhou is currently empty inside. Not long ago, Luowang sent news that Daqian wants to form an alliance with our Cangzhou and Yunzhou."

"My Lord, you can lead a part of the army back to Cangzhou to deal with any emergencies that may arise."

After Su Ye heard this, a hint of intention flashed in his eyes.

At present, the strategy for conquering the mountains in Qizhou is a long and arduous process.

There is really no point in keeping this here, and it is just an eyesore.

As a result, Li Jing had to ask him for permission before doing anything.

Commanding a large army is a matter of course.

He looked at Li Jing and asked, "What do you think, Pharmacist?"

Li Jing pondered for a moment and replied, "Sir, you are absolutely right."

"Dividing our forces and attacking together can not only ensure that we can continue to conquer the checkpoints, but also ensure the safety of Cangzhou. However..."

He paused and continued, "But if this happens, I'm afraid I won't be able to continue to follow you, my lord."

(End of this chapter)