"No! This is absolutely impossible! How can Chu Chen still have so many troops! This must be a feint!"
Li Mengdie shouted in disbelief.
Her cry alerted the surrounding generals, who quickly ordered the messengers to shout along, barely stabilizing the army's morale.
The Liu Wang army began to contract from the surroundings, but the intensity of the attack on the core offensive point actually increased.
Currently, the possibility of a feint was very low, and even if it was a feint, it had achieved its effect.
In the darkness, torches and unfamiliar banners suddenly appeared all around, which was enough to cause suspicion and unease. The purpose of this move had already been achieved.
The only way to break this plan was to capture and kill Chu Chen, the marshal.
Several of Cai Guangyao's generals personally led the charge with their sabers, their body-refining realm cultivation allowing them to break through like a hot knife through butter.
They were followed closely by their personal guards, a small number of ancient martial realm and martial apprentice realm guards, who assisted in tearing open this gap.
This time was different from before; several defense lines were truly breached.
Vice Marshal Wei Lixuan exclaimed in alarm, "Marshal, shouldn't we deploy the three thousand reserve troops now? It will be too late if we don't! Marshal!"
"No need. Divide the three thousand reserve troops into two groups of fifteen hundred each and send them to support the left and right wings!"
"But, but what about the front?"
Wei Lixuan was completely stunned. They had never deployed reserve forces like this before.
Chu Chen glanced at him and sighed, "These soldiers are too useless. If I had been given another month, it wouldn't have come to this. What a pity!"
What a pity that the damned court behind him, as soon as he was gone, started causing trouble, constantly sending secret memorials accusing him.
Accusations like "fearing the enemy and not advancing," "cowardly and afraid of death," "secretly colluding with King Liu," and "harboring rebellious intentions."
Damn it, he had already collected evidence against these scoundrels. Once he returned to the capital, he would arrest them all, along with the big fish behind them!
The accusers were only some minor officials, even some local officials, but most of them were likely instigated and misled, otherwise, where would they get such courage?
However, Chu Chen didn't care about that.
"Do as I say. You are not needed here anymore."
"...Yes, sir!"
Vice Marshal Wei Lixuan reluctantly took the order, but inwardly felt fortunate, thinking, "Fortunately, the Marshal had already transferred Princess Xin Yue away in advance. She's not in this army. Otherwise, if anything happened, I wouldn't be able to explain myself to His Majesty!"
"I hope the Marshal truly has everything under control. If this plan fails, we will all lose our lives."
Although Chu Chen's record was impressive, he had ultimately fought too few battles. In such a crisis, it was inevitable that he would be doubted.
But Chu Chen was indifferent. The front had already been breached, and he was not afraid. He sat on his horse, his white robes fluttering, standing out from the crowd.
"Look! The one in white must be Chu Chen! Hahaha! Let's see how I capture you alive! The title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, here I come!"
"A million taels of silver! It's a million taels of silver!"
The rebel soldiers charging forward shouted excitedly.
They all tried to surround Chu Chen, but the soldiers around him were still resisting.
"Marshal, you should flee quickly! Even with your profound cultivation, you can't fight against so many!"
"Yes, Marshal, flee quickly! We brothers will cover your retreat! The Kingdom of Shuangyue cannot be without you!"
The personal guards around him urged him. They were not Chu Chen's personal guards nor Princess Xin Yue's, but a group temporarily promoted by Chu Chen after he arrived at the army.
There were not many of them, only a little over a hundred, but they all knew gratitude. Even in this seemingly desperate situation, despite their fear, they had no intention of fleeing alone.
"No need. Just watch. I will personally show you what the Qi Transformation realm is! Who is a true enemy of ten thousand men!"
Chu Chen confidently stopped his guards from stepping forward.
What a joke! He had finally managed to lure these guys out of their turtle shell of a city. If he didn't personally intervene and let them escape to disrupt his plan, what then?
At this moment, Qiancheng County City was at a critical juncture. These people could not be allowed to escape and cause trouble, or it would take many more days to capture Qiancheng County City.
"You will personally take action?"
The guards around him were stunned. They had never seen Chu Chen fight before, nor did they know that Chu Chen was a Qi Transformation realm master. Hearing this suddenly, they couldn't believe it.
But at this moment, the surrounding rebels had already charged over.
"Protect yourselves!"
Chu Chen shouted, and instead of retreating, he advanced. He gently nudged his horse's belly with his legs and charged into battle with his spear.
"A million silver is charging over! He's mine!"
"No, he's mine!"
The rebels rejoiced, pulling at each other, trying to hack Chu Chen down with their sabers.
Chu Chen sneered, circulated the spiritual energy within his body, and his spear moved like a dragon. A point of cold light struck first.
A chilling aura erupted from the spear. Even in late spring, it made people feel as if they were in the dead of winter.
"What's going on! So cold!"
"Sorcery! This is sorcery!"
The surrounding rebels looked in horror at their comrades who were blocking Chu Chen about thirty meters away. Those comrades were now covered in ice, standing frozen in place like living ice sculptures.
Then, with a gentle breeze, they shattered.
"Ugh~"
Witnessing such a brutal scene, both rebels and government soldiers couldn't help but vomit.
But the battlefield wouldn't care about that. Chu Chen, holding his spear, charged back and forth.
He didn't charge directly towards Li Mengdie's position because he still had the banners to protect behind him. The army couldn't see if he himself was dead, they could only see if the banners were still there.
If he ran away and the banners were cut down, then this ambush would be ruined.
Chu Chen was like a god descending from heaven. His subsequent attacks were either imbued with chilling ice, raging winds, or piercing rain.
Hundreds and thousands of approaching rebels, whether they were generals in the body-refining realm or soldiers below, could not get within a few feet of Chu Chen.
Within a thirty-meter radius centered on Chu Chen, there were no living people.
"This, this is the current Prime Minister? This strength... is terrifying! Is this still a human?"
Cai Guangyao was dumbfounded, and the few remaining generals around him also found it hard to believe.
Only Li Mengdie, staring blankly at Chu Chen's display of power, was completely dazed.
"Chu Chen, to be so valiant! Why is such a person not mine to command? Why is he not my husband?"
"Huh? Your Highness, what did you say?" Cai Guangyao vaguely heard something extraordinary and asked curiously.
"It's nothing! We've probably lost this time. Have the archers make one last attempt to shoot Chu Chen dead!"
Li Mengdie shook her head, gritted her teeth, and ordered ruthlessly.