Yu Jin Chang An (With Jin's Chang'An)

Chapter 13

After a night of chaos and turmoil, the defender of Lu City, Li Zhangyi, was shot through the heart by the mysterious man in the black mask from a hundred paces away and died on the spot. Li Shuang naturally led the soldiers of the Changfeng Battalion into Lu City.

Although one battle had ended, Li Shuang's work was far from over.

The people of Lu City were in panic, and the death of the city defender left the city's bureaucrats without a leader. Li Shuang immediately supported a civil official under Li Zhangyi to take on the temporary position of city defender.

With the Changfeng Battalion entering Lu City, strong and powerful, whoever became the city defender had to obediently listen to Li Shuang. However, Li Shuang's focus was not on power struggles.

After dealing with the city's affairs during the day, when night fell, Li Shuang climbed onto the city wall of Lu City and looked into the distance. She saw that the Western Region army, dozens of miles away, had not withdrawn despite the sudden death of the general, Ashina Du. On the vast plains of the northern border, one could still see the rising smoke from the sprawling camps.

Li Shuang's face darkened, and she silently tapped on the rough stones of the city wall in front of her.

Beside her, Luo Teng exclaimed, "Damn it, General, looking at this situation, it seems like the Western Region aren't planning to withdraw!"

After some contemplation, Qin Lan spoke in a deep voice, "This winter is cold and lacking in food. Since the Western Region have gathered a large army to press Lu City border, they must have their eyes set on seizing some food. As for Ashina Du..." He paused, thinking of the image of the man in black armor carrying Ashina Du's head from last night. Qin Lan admitted that he harbored hostility towards that man in black armor, and he couldn't deny that the man's actions yesterday had truly shaken people's hearts.

"Although Ashina Du died suddenly, the Western Region have temporarily withdrawn to regroup. However, they will definitely not retreat back to their city so easily. I'm afraid that in a day or two, they will be able to produce another general to serve the Western Region."

Luo Teng snorted, "Damn it, in the end, we still have to resist forcefully."

"It doesn't necessarily have to be a direct confrontation," Qin Lan said, his eyes glancing towards the enemy camp. "I have a plan."

Li Shuang turned her head to glance at Qin Lan. Having followed her for many years, she knew his thoughts and intentions very well. "I know what you're going to say," she said. "You want to take advantage of the Western Region's delay in choosing a new general to have the people of Lu City and our Changfeng Battalion retreat, leaving some grain for the Western Region as a delaying tactic. This will buy us time to gather reinforcements from other cities before confronting the Western Region army."

Li Shuang expressed his thoughts, and Qin Lan's eyelids drooped slightly, his gaze tender and hidden, "What I have in mind is exactly what the General said."

Li Shuang fell silent.

Seeing that Li Shuang was seriously considering this plan, Luo Teng furrowed his brows in anger, "How can this work? This is just handing over the city we've just defended to the Western Region Army! No way! I won't give the land of Great Jin to these jackals!"

Qin Lan pointed into the distance, "Just take a look. The main forces of the Western Region Army behind them have already arrived one after another, far exceeding all our previous estimates. We can only delay and wait for our main army to gather before we can counterattack."

Luo Teng was about to argue again, but when he looked at the distant bonfires of the vast Western Region army, he gritted his teeth.

He couldn't possibly... really let all the soldiers of the Changfeng Battalion and the people of Lu City risk their lives just to defend this city.