in2ebook Chapter 188 Perhaps there is a third way
Chapter 188 Perhaps there is a third way
Tang Ling pointed at the sand table, and everyone understood what he meant.
Bashan was completely different from Xingtian Pass. Bashan was a vast valley, with only one entrance and exit route, two gates to the north and south. Bashan housed a garrison, but it wasn't a large city. The civilian population was much smaller than that of Xingtian Pass, only around 10,000 to 20,000. Causing unrest within Bashan was extremely difficult. Regular troops were far more alert and responsive than civilians, so the same tactics wouldn't work.
Furthermore, if a rebellion broke out, Han Chaosheng would certainly make the same decision as Chen Hexia. With martial law and the pass sealed, they only had one gate to enter. Once martial law was imposed, they would have to storm. Bashan's city gate was built in a canyon, taller than the towers at Xingtian Pass, and impossible to storm without ladders.
Once the Bashan Gate was closed, it was completely sealed off. Communication between the inside and outside was impossible, and even signals might not be visible. Coordination between the inside and the outside was impossible.
Furthermore, Han Chaosheng, known for his cautious nature, was guarding Bashan, a position he would undoubtedly defend with unwavering resolve. Given his character, if news of an enemy attack reached Xingtian Pass, he would have sealed the pass and sent a letter back to Shuoliang requesting assistance. He would have remained entrenched in Bashan, refusing to come out to rescue Jialin and Xingtian Passes. As long as he held the gates closed, Bashan would remain unconquerable. Once reinforcements arrived from other locations, Jialin and Xingtian Passes would naturally be recaptured.
If it were Tang Ling, he would do the same.
"Then what about the second method?"
Cross Bashan Mountain and enter from the south gate. Pretend to be Xu Zheng and let Han Chaosheng open the gate for them, or falsely convey the imperial decree to trick Han Chaosheng out of Bashan Mountain.
But this method was even riskier than the first. Crossing Bashan Mountain with six thousand men would take at least three to five days, and there were sentries everywhere. If they were discovered, they would be doomed. Furthermore, as for pretending or forging someone, who could guarantee they could fool Han Chaosheng even for a moment? If they were discovered, they would be killed instantly, and all hope would be lost...
Qi Xiao took a deep breath and said, "Maybe there is a third way."
"Ok?"
"what?"
Tang Ling looked at the sand table and immediately understood what Qi Xiao meant. She smiled softly, "It's not maybe, it's definitely there."
The two smiled at each other, but the others were confused.
"Could you two stop being so mysterious at a time like this?" Bai Xiqiao couldn't help himself. He couldn't stand Qi Xiao and Tang Ling being so affectionate. But Tang Ling could see through Qi Xiao's twists and turns, and they were so in tune with each other that everyone else looked foolish.
Tang Ling looked at Qi Xiao with a smile, waiting for him to explain.
Qi Xiao pulled Tang Ling and leaned against him, laughing softly, "I want to hear what Ziyi has to say first."
Bai Xiqiao rolled his eyes and said, "How about you two continue chatting first, and then we can go out for dinner?"
"Brother, are you hungry?"
Bai Xiqiao gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "I'm starving! I'm dying!"
Qi Xiao couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Then let's talk while we eat?"
"No, tell me now. Explain yourself clearly before eating. I hate it when you only say half of something."
Qi Xiao and Bai Xiqiao, the two brothers, quarreled anytime and anywhere. Everyone present was used to it except the newcomers from Xingluo Guard and Xuanji Camp. In the past few days, when they left Fenglin Mountain, entered Jialin Pass and seized Xingtian Pass, everyone was on edge. Now it was nice to hear the two of them quarreling. Suddenly, they felt that the armor on their bodies could be lightened by two or three points.
"Let me explain," Tang Ling pointed at Bashan on the sand table and said, "Bashan has been a fortress for six hundred years. It's known as the best fortress in the world, said to be impenetrable and solid as a rock. But in fact, Bashan was breached once. Many, many years ago, long before the Eight-Nation War, the area between Fenglin Mountain and Bashan was the territory of the Huyan tribe. They occupied a natural barrier and refused to submit to the Sui Dynasty. To capture Bashan, the Sui generals spent three months digging a secret canal through the high mountain wall, and in one fell swoop, they breached Bashan."
Bai Xiqiao was delighted, clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Then there is a third way!"
Tang Ling shook her head. "It's just that this history is poorly written. There's no description of who commanded the troops or how many men participated in the battle, not to mention where the culvert ran from and to where it ended. Many people just treat it as a story. Furthermore, the pre-Sui Dynasty was three hundred years ago, and Bashan Pass was a military fortress for the State of Qi. It's impossible that it hadn't been repaired over the years. Even if this culvert really existed back then, it would have been blocked by now."
"...Isn't that all in vain?!"
"Don't worry, Senior Brother," Qi Xiao said with a smile, "We are not in Fuzhou or Yuanjing now, but in Xingtian Pass. We can see Bashan from the city gate. If there are any hidden canals in Bashan, we can search Chen He's study to find out."
Bai Xiqiao and Lu Xiulin were both stunned. That's right! They had already occupied Xingtian Pass. The confidential military defense map that even the Xuanji Camp couldn't steal before was now right under their noses!
"What Young Master Tang said just now..." Bai Xiqiao thought again and still felt that it was not right. "What if the culvert is blocked? What if we can't find it?"
Qi Xiao waved to Bai Xiqiao: "Brother, come over here."
"Huh? What?" Bai Xiqiao walked over without thinking.
"Look here."
Bai Xiqiao followed Qi Xiao's direction and looked carefully at the sand table. Bashan was still Bashan. What was the difference? He could see it clearly from the other side.
"Brother, take a closer look. Is there a stream here?"
Bai Xiqiao nodded slightly: "I see it." It is not unusual to have springs and streams in the mountains.
“This stream flows into Bashan Mountain.”
"Hmm...that's right..."
Is there something wrong with a small stream flowing into Bashan? Isn't it common for mountain streams to dry up while flowing? It doesn't necessarily flow through the mountains and into rivers.
Bai Xiqiao frowned, looked up at Qi Xiao, and murmured, "...You're not trying to tell me that this stream is where the culvert is, are you?"
"Whether it is true or not, we can find out by checking it out."
Lu Xiulin's face was tense, seemingly expressionless, but his heart was beating very fast. He almost wanted to shout to the sky, to Bai Liu, "General, we are going to attack Bashan! We can take Bashan!"
It was as if Lu Xiulin hadn't realized until this moment that they had already entered the Qi territory and arrived at a place that Bai Liu had never been able to set foot in his entire life. Lu Xiulin had followed Bai Liu for half his life, and finally, he had finally walked ahead of Bai Liu.
Lu Xiulin looked at Qi Xiao, the King of Chu and the Ninth Prince. He was sure that this young man would become another legend, surpassing Lu Fangjin and Bai Liu. He might even be the crown prince of Dachen and the new master of the world.
Lu Xiulin clenched his fists, thinking, "Can I see it?" The world is unified. Over the past century, countless heroic souls have shed their blood, their bones turned to dust. Now, Lu Xiulin seemed to see the words "success and fame" written before his eyes, awash in a blinding light.
"Let's go, I'll go to Chen He's study now!" Bai Xiqiao had already left the conference room before he finished speaking. Lu Xiulin seemed to wake up from a dream and followed him.
Qi Xiao held Tang Ling's hand and asked, "Are you hungry? Let's eat first?"
Tang Ling smiled and nodded: "Let's eat first."