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Chapter 745: 328 Besieged City People's Heart

Chapter 745: Chapter 328 Besieged City People’s Heart

Flurries of snow fluttered from the sky, and a cold wind blew from the north, causing the flags around to flutter.

Dongfang Wuyun stood on the city wall, his eyes looking east, watching the continuous military camps stationed along the south bank of the Han River, a trace of worry floating in his eyes.

The Chu people came too fast, and it was too unexpected.

No one had thought that Chu State, which had originally been having a pleasant conversation and had quickly reached a huge grain trade deal with them, would suddenly launch a sneak attack during the grain trade.

Over ten thousand elite troops and hundreds of thousands of civilian workers conscripted from all over the army in Nanjiang Prefecture were nearly wiped out in one fell swoop during the Chu’s sudden attack.

Even Nanjiang Prefecture, in its emptiness, was easily taken by the Chu people.

When the news reached Nanzheng city, Dongfang Wuyun, who was reading the accounts in the government office at the time, dropped his pen in shock.

He really didn’t understand how the Chu people dared and were able to send troops to Hanzhong.

Given the current situation of Chu State with internal and external troubles, where did they get the confidence to attack Zhou Country?

Yes, Zhou Country is currently facing enemies on three sides, and the situation is indeed very unfavorable.

But of Zhou Country’s three battlefields, the eastern Henan Prefecture is supported by the natural defenses of Helong, with a large river to the north and dangerous passes to the southeast. With 200,000 troops stationed there and two Pillar State Grand Generals presiding, they can protect themselves even if Liang sends 500,000 troops to attack.

The northern Shuofang Prefecture, though without dangerous passes, also has a large river for support, and its vast grasslands and deserts make it difficult for people to traverse, which can also be considered a natural barrier.

Zhou Country’s 300,000 most elite Northern Border troops are stationed here, led by two Pillar State Grand Generals, who have kept the Wei people from crossing the river for decades.

As for the western Helong Prefecture, there are 400,000 regular troops stationed, two Pillar State Grand Generals and two Protector-country Grand Generals, plus many more local militia, with nearly a million troops gathered here.

Even the Barbarians who came down from the Snowy Wilderness have had a hard time in the Helong wars over the years and have been defeated in succession.

The northern and eastern battlelines are safe, and the western battleline has the upper hand. Although Zhou country seems to be in a difficult situation, its foundation and heritage still remain.

If they wanted, the court could still organize a 200,000-strong army despite the shortage of money and grain in the country at the moment, and equip it with a Protector-country Grand General to lead it on a Southern Expedition.

It is precisely because of this strong strength that Dongfang Wuyun couldn’t understand why Chu State, having lost its mind, would attack Zhou Country.

Could it be that after defeating some southern barbarians and bullying those small countries in the past few years, they really thought they were Unrivaled in the World and dared to provoke Zhou Country like this?

Yes.

With its development in recent years, Chu State has gradually begun to transform from a small country into a hegemonic power.

With eight million people, 500,000 troops, and five Inborn powerful individuals, it does sound intimidating.

This kind of strength is enough to make people suffocate when compared to those small countries that only have a half or a single prefecture.

But in the eyes of those truly powerful countries, it’s just that.

As just mentioned.

As long as Zhou Country is willing, it can send a Protector-country Grand General and 200,000 troops south at any time.

By then, the combined forces of the garrison in Hanzhong Prefecture would give them 250,000 troops and two Innate Generals stationed here.

This strength is already equivalent to half of Chu State.

And this is only one-fifth of Zhou Country.

But to summon so many troops, Chu State would have to overturn everything.

The difference between the foundations of an old and a newly-promoted hegemonic country is such that it makes people despair.

Yet despite this, Chu State sent troops.

And in order to plan this war, they made so many preparations.

First, they used grain trade as a cover, then secretly mobilized their troops. Taking advantage of the relaxed defenses on the day of the trade, they launched a surprise attack, completely opening the western gate of Hanzhong Prefecture.

Now, tens of thousands of Chu soldiers are at the foot of the city, with countless ships on the wide Han River. The Chu people have completely sealed off this great city of Hanzhong from land and water.

In comparison.

Although Dongfang Wuyun immediately closed the city gate and conscripted soldiers in the city after receiving the news.

How much reaction could they make in such a hurried situation?

Up until now, the city is still in chaos, a complete mess.

“Grand General.”

As Dongfang Wuyun was pondering, a deputy general walked up behind him, saluted, and said: “I have been ordered to train the troops. Now, in addition to the original ten thousand garrison troops in the city, I have also conscripted two thousand guards from wealthy households and merchants in the city, as well as twenty thousand able-bodied men.”

In addition, various city defense weapons, armor, and supplies have also been ordered by the city government officials to be transported out and distributed.”

With these 32,000 people here, plus the Grand General presiding, even if Chu sends 100,000 troops to attack, they won’t be able to shake Nanzheng city.”

At its peak, Nanzheng city was said to have 50,000 households, or more than 300,000 people.

But that was many, many years ago.

With the wars of recent years, especially after Lu Yuan, who was playing in Changsha at the time, made a trip with his troops twelve years ago, Hanzhong fell into a complete decline.

At that time, after the Northern Expedition and capturing Hanzhong, Lu Yuan directly ordered 350,000 households, nearly two million people from Hanzhong to move, in order to enrich the country.

After this migration, Hanzhong’s population was reduced by more than half, leaving only about a third, just over a hundred thousand households, or more than a million people.

In recent years, with Zhou Country’s governance, Hanzhong Prefecture has gradually become revitalized.

Furthermore, after the Helong wars began four years ago, many people from the two prefectures who sought to avoid the war fled to this area and settled down.