Chapter 235 Undercurrent
Meng Zhang, who had won a great victory, pursued the victory and led the Yellow Turban army to march northward without stopping with great momentum.

The nearly 300,000-strong Yellow Turban army was marching in a mighty force, with iron cavalry like clouds and flags covering the sun. They chased after Yin Yuanxun and other Daqian troops all the way, showing an unparalleled mighty momentum.

Wherever the Yellow Turban Army passed, the abandoned county soldiers of Daqian all surrendered, and the defenders of many large cities surrendered, not daring to contend with the Yellow Turban Army.

This is different from the high-spirited Yellow Turban army led by Meng Zhang.

Yin Yuanxun, Qiu Longteng and other Daqian generals were in a miserable state, like stray dogs, under the pursuit of the Yellow Turban army.

The elite army that they had been so proud of collapsed under the fierce attack of the Yellow Turban Army, and they were unable to organize an effective resistance.

Most of the soldiers fled in panic, and the generals could only flee with their remaining troops.

The Yellow Turban army advanced rapidly and recaptured many large cities.

Moreover, Meng Zhang was strict in military discipline and did not harm anyone wherever he went.

Wherever he went, he was warmly welcomed and supported by the local people. He lived in harmony with the people and won widespread popular support.

In the recaptured city, the Yellow Turban Army had a brief rest and replenishment.

They repaired the city walls, appeased the people, and rectified military discipline, making full preparations for the next battle.

Meng Zhang used this time to communicate with local gentry and common people, understand the people's sentiments and opinions, and formulate a detailed plan for the next move of the Yellow Turban Army.

As the Yellow Turban Army continued to move north, their momentum grew stronger and stronger.

Meng Zhang led the Yellow Turban army, like an unstoppable torrent, sweeping across most of Luzhou.

Only a small area adjacent to Qianzhou, where the core of Daqian is located, is still under the control of Yin Yuanxun and others.

The two sides once again engaged in a confrontation here.

Unfortunately, unlike before, the Yellow Turban Army has now completely half-surrounded Yin Yuanxun and others.

After a massive defeat.

The 200,000 Daqian regular troops under the control of Yin Yuanxun and others suffered heavy losses.

In previous battles, some were killed, some were injured, some were captured, and some surrendered.

Many troops were also lost during the defeat.

Now, only one tenth of the Daqian regular army controlled by Yin Yuanxun and others remains.

Although Yin Yuanxun and his men had recovered nearly 100,000 troops when they confronted Meng Zhang's Yellow Turban Army, most of these soldiers were remnants, and most of them were county soldiers who had fled in defeat in various cities.

There were only a handful of soldiers who were truly capable of fighting, and the morale of these troops had long been dissipated by the repeated attacks by Meng Zhang and the Yellow Turban Army.

Faced with the attacks of the Yellow Turban Army, these soldiers often showed extreme panic and anxiety.

They had witnessed the bravery and cruelty of the Yellow Turban Army in previous battles and were well aware of the gap in strength between themselves and the enemy.

Therefore, when faced with the charge of the Yellow Turban Army, they often lost their fighting spirit and even collapsed without fighting.

Yin Yuanxun and others were well aware of the actual situation of these soldiers, but they had no choice.

In the current predicament, they can only rely on these soldiers to resist the attack of the Yellow Turban Army.

In order to boost morale, they constantly mobilized and motivated, trying to help the soldiers regain their confidence and fighting spirit.

However, these efforts often have little success.

The fear and anxiety in the soldiers' hearts were difficult to eliminate, and they still showed extreme passivity and negativity in the battle.

This put Yin Yuanxun and others at a great disadvantage in the confrontation with the Yellow Turban Army.

Therefore, the Yellow Turban army that Yin Yuanxun and others are facing now far outnumbers them in both numbers and morale. They can only rely on strong city defenses and limited manpower to support this piece of land.

And at the dark moment when the Luzhou front of the Daqian Empire collapsed.

At this time in Qianzhou, in Lingyang County, the rear base of King Yan of Xiyu Yanzhou, the situation was also turbulent and undercurrents were surging.

At this time, although the prominent families in Lingyang County were constantly fighting openly and secretly, at this critical moment of the country's survival, they unexpectedly chose to gather together secretly.

There were few pedestrians on the street, and only the sound of night watchmen echoed in the empty streets.

At this time, in a hidden mansion in the city, the lights were on, people were everywhere, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

Several prominent families from the west of the Daqian Dynasty also gathered here.

"Duke Pei, is this plan really feasible?"

The speaker was the head of the Li family, who controlled the Lingyang County Magistrate. He had a frown on his face, and was obviously uneasy about the upcoming changes.

"Brother Li, the Daqian front in Luzhou has collapsed, and the Yanwang army is unstoppable. If we don't make plans early, I'm afraid that the day when Yanwang conquers Qianzhou will be the day when your family and I will be destroyed."

Duke Pei, the patriarch of the Pei family, has been enjoying the emperor's grace for hundreds of years and has guarded the west of Qianzhou on behalf of the Daqian royal family.

At this moment, a hint of cunning flashed in his eyes.

"Mr. Pei is absolutely right."

"My Shen family has assisted the royal family for generations, but now the royal family is in decline and Daqian is at the brink of life and death. We have to think about the future of our family."

The head of the Shen family, who controls tens of thousands of soldiers in Lingyang County, also said in a deep voice.

"Although I do not want to be a traitor, King Yan is powerful, and those who know the times are heroes."

"I just wonder if the Flame King will be able to do as we wish and not harm anyone after this barrier is opened?"

The head of the Zheng family, who controls most of the business in Lingyang County, stroked his long beard and sighed.

"Humph, if King Yan dares to break his promise to us, how can we let him easily get all the gold, silver, treasures, and beauties in Qianzhou?"

The head of the Xu family, who represented most of the dark forces in the underworld of Lingyang County, snorted coldly, with a ruthless tone in his voice.

"Don't worry, everyone. Pei has been secretly communicating with King Yan for many days. He will keep his promise to us."

"As long as the barrier is opened, the Flame King's army will attack Huanglong directly. Then we can benefit from the dragon's achievements and share its wealth and glory."

Duke Pei smiled slightly, but there was no smile in his eyes.

When everyone heard this, they all fell silent.

They all knew that once they took this step, they would fall into an abyss with no way back.

But the current situation did not allow them to make more choices. The Flame King's army was like a sword hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any time.

"What Pei Gong said is true."

"But opening the city to meet the enemy is, after all, a crime that would be condemned by the world."

"If King Yan comes into the city and settles the score later, wouldn't we be digging our own graves?"

The head of the Zheng family frowned and took over the conversation.

"Humph, King Yan has always been known for his benevolence and righteousness. He is a hundred times better than the tyrant Emperor Qian!"

The head of the Xu family slammed the table and said angrily, "In my opinion, it is better to take this opportunity to make a good relationship with King Yan, and perhaps preserve the honor of the family."

(End of this chapter)