Lin Tian's vast army soon gathered before the city fiercely defended by Xiang Yan's forces. The immense concentration of troops immediately put Xiang Yan's army on edge.
"What are the Qin people planning? Are they going to attack us?"
"Judging by their formation, they clearly don't come in peace. We need to prepare ourselves for a battle!"
"If it really comes to war, can we stand against the Qin army?"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
In terms of sheer numbers, they had a force of three hundred thousand, double the size of Lin Tian's army. Based on this numerical advantage, Lin Tian's army shouldn't be a match for them.
However, war is not solely decided by numbers. Especially concerning Lin Tian's army, it's difficult to gauge the outcome of a conflict based on numbers alone. After all, Lin Tian's army had a history of achieving victories against superior numbers. When facing powerful enemies, they often unleashed extraordinary combat prowess. Furthermore, Lin Tian possessed an abundance of cunning strategies; the Chu state had suffered at his hands before. Therefore, they were uncertain if their army could truly defeat Lin Tian's forces.
Moreover, observing the demeanor of their own generals, their army lacked absolute confidence in defeating Lin Tian's troops. In fact, they seemed somewhat fearful of Lin Tian's army. Consequently, when Lin Tian's forces appeared, many were filled with anxiety and tension. Xiang Yan was no exception.
"The might of the Qin army is undeniable. We must be extremely cautious, more cautious than ever. We cannot rashly charge out to clash with Lin Tian's army simply because we outnumber them!"
"Order our army to hold the city and wait for my command. Observe the situation!"
"Yes!"
Xiang Yan's words effectively determined the Chu army's combat strategy. This defensive stance indeed presented a significant challenge for the Qin.
"General, looking at the Chu state's stance, it's clear they intend to defend their city and avoid direct confrontation with us!"
"Indeed. Their stubborn defense of the city without engaging us is a considerable problem. It will be difficult to breach their defenses!"
"If this trend continues, our army might end up in a stalemate with the Chu army, and it won't be a short one."
A stalemate with the Chu army had its advantages and disadvantages. According to Lin Tian's usual operational style, he would not opt for a stalemate. Thus, such a standoff was inconsistent with Lin Tian's methods of warfare. Even the soldiers would likely feel that such a stalemate would be a waste of their time and could negatively affect their morale.
However, for the Chu army, a stalemate also carried significant drawbacks. With three hundred thousand troops on the front lines, the expenditure of resources and provisions would undoubtedly be immense. For Chu to bear such a heavy burden would require considerable sacrifice. If the situation dragged on, the Chu army of three hundred thousand might be the first to falter and be forced to withdraw. Therefore, the soldiers in the army were unsure which course of action to take. Their eyes were all fixed on Lin Tian, awaiting his command. Whatever decision Lin Tian made at this moment, they would obey.
To everyone's surprise, Lin Tian did not choose to engage the Chu forces in a swift battle, nor did he opt for a prolonged stalemate. Instead, he chose to negotiate.
"Go, send an envoy to discuss with the Chu people. Tell them to release those civilians who belong to our Qin!"
"If they refuse, our army will immediately turn and attack Xiang Liang's twenty thousand troops!"
"He, Xiang Yan, may be confident in his ability to hold the city against our army's charge, but I wonder if his son, Xiang Liang, has the same confidence in defending their city against our assault!!"
Xiang Liang commanded only twenty thousand troops, and they were all raw recruits, largely untrained. If Lin Tian's army were to assault Xiang Liang's position, Xiang Liang would certainly not be able to resist. Yet, Xiang Liang was Xiang Yan's son. Xiang Yan could disregard others, but he absolutely could not ignore Xiang Liang, nor could he ignore the state of Chu. These two points were Xiang Yan's absolute vulnerabilities, and he could not afford to overlook them.
Therefore, when Lin Tian dispatched an envoy to negotiate with Xiang Yan, the generals under Xiang Yan erupted in curses.
"Despicable!! If you dare not face our army, you resort to ambushing other parts of Chu! How utterly contemptible!"
"For him, Lin Tian, to call himself a Sword God and a hero, yet engage in such lowly acts, is truly shameless!"
"Lin Tian of Qin, our army is here, do you dare to fight us directly!!"
They knew perfectly well how threatening Lin Tian's proposition was to Xiang Yan. Both Xiang Liang and their twenty thousand Chu troops were matters of concern to Xiang Yan. Even if he could abandon Xiang Liang, he could not abandon the twenty thousand Chu soldiers, nor could he abandon Chu territory. Thus, they intended to provoke Lin Tian through their words, hoping to lure him into a direct confrontation.
However, their words did not provoke the envoy sent for negotiation. The envoy merely narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with ferocity. His voice turned colder.
"Well, General Xiang, have you considered it? Will you continue to detain our Qin civilians?"
"This matter... I require time to consider!"
"Grant me one day, and I shall give you my answer!"
"Very well, we shall grant General Xiang one day. We hope General Xiang will give it serious thought, for once a wrong choice is made, the consequences will be beyond your ability to bear!"
"You...!"
The envoy's words enraged many of the Chu generals. However, despite their anger, they still dared not lay a hand on the envoy. Firstly, it was customary for envoys not to be harmed in wartime. Secondly, the Qin's power was too formidable, and they currently held the initiative. Thus, they could not afford to provoke the Qin. So, they could only watch as the Qin envoy departed before their eyes.
One day later, Xiang Yan made his decision.
"For the safety of our Chu soldiers and our Chu territory, we must abandon these civilians who no longer hold allegiance to Chu!"
"However, they will eventually regret not being Chu citizens!!"
"Order the army to open the city gates slightly and allow these civilians to leave!"
"Simultaneously, guard against the Qin army exploiting this opportunity to attack our Chu!"
"Yes!!"
Under Lin Tian's immense pressure, Xiang Yan's army was compelled to allow the civilians to depart Chu. This action also had a considerable impact on the morale of the Chu army.
...