As it turns out, Meng Hu's strategy of defending the city was quite successful.

On the second day, the casualties of the Zhuangmen and the guard team decreased. On the third day, although the casualties of the Zhuangmen and the guard team were still quite large, they almost no longer needed the regular army of the Fourth Division to plug the gaps. With their own strength, they could almost defend the city walls on all sides!

After three days of fierce battle, there were only less than 5,000 soldiers left in nearly 20,000 police troops, and only half of them were left in the 100,000 strong men. However, those who survived were the essence of the guards and strong men.

What is particularly rare is that these survivors have experienced three days of extremely fierce battles. They have seen the bloodiest scenes and the cruelest killings. Under the fierce attack of the Mingyue Empire Army, they can be as stable as a rock and remain unmoved. This is an excellent quality that only veterans in a hundred battles can have!

Of course, if Situ Rui continues to attack fiercely at any cost, Xiling City will be broken sooner or later, and it will last for half a month at most. However, the price paid by the Mingyue Empire Army will be amazingly huge. Meng Hu will never think that Situ Rui will spend all his capital for a mere Xiling City.

The reason is very simple. If the Mingyue Empire Army wants to annex the western provinces, it is not enough to just attack, and it must be able to defend it. If it loses too much strength when attacking Xiling, how can it resist the counterattack of the Guanghui Empire?

▲▲▲

Xicheng Military Camp, Meng Hu’s Headquarters.

Meng Hu was convening officers such as He Qing, Zhou Jin, Bai Xi, Zhan Ying, and Dunzi to discuss the matter. The cavalry corps of Zhan Ying were originally directly under the Western Legion, but now they have been temporarily incorporated into the Fourth Division by Zhao Qinghan. Those who are fortunate to attend the meeting were the Western Priest Rodnan and some Western gentry with prominent identities.

The sound of light footsteps sounded from outside the shaft, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

A beautiful figure flashed outside the gate, and Zhao Qinghan, dressed in plain clothes, had already walked in gracefully. Zhao Qinghan's flower appearance seemed to be a little clear, and his beautiful big eyes looked particularly big. The beautiful eyes showed a faint confusion, and with a graceful figure, it made people's heart beat.

He Qing and others couldn't help but avoided their sight, and they didn't dare to take a look at each other. If they continued to look at them, they were afraid that they would be embarrassed and would be embarrassed.

Zhan Ying looked calm because he grew up in the Governor's Mansion. Although he was not childhood sweethearts with Zhao Qinghan, he was bullied by her. He was immune to Zhao Qinghan's beauty, not to mention that he knew that Zhao Qinghan was one of the three flowers in the imperial capital, and he was definitely not something he could think of.

Thinking of this, Zhan Ying couldn't help but look at Meng Hu.

Meng Hu looked straight at Zhao Qinghan's beautiful eyes, but Zhao Qinghan was afraid to look at Meng Hu's sharp eyes. Seeing Zhao Qinghan's head lowered and pitiful look, Meng Hu couldn't help but smile, but Zhan Ying's brows were frowning involuntarily. The eyes of Meng Hu looked at Meng Hu were jealous and worried, but she didn't know what she was worried about.

After Zhao Qinghan walked to her side and sat down, Meng Hu said calmly: "Since the Legion Commander has arrived, then let's start discussing the matter now."

Luo Daonan and others were shocked. After the fierce battle in the past three days, they also understood that the protagonist of today's military conference was of course Meng Hu, but this opening remark seemed to be made by Zhao Qinghan, right?

After all, Zhao Qinghan is the commander of the Western Legion, so this form always takes a walk? But soon, Luo Daonan and the others were even more shocked, because Zhao Qinghan did not show any unpleasant expression of abuse of Meng Hu. On the contrary, they even found a slight smile from the corner of her mouth.

Meng Hu continued: "After three days of fierce fighting, the Mingyue bandits have lost their aura. It is impossible to capture Xiling in a short period of time. If nothing unexpected happens, tomorrow, the Mingyue bandits will suspend their strong attack and instead think of another way. Xiling's offensive and defensive battle will also enter the second stage - a stalemate!"

Luo Daonan and the gentry behind him showed a look of embarrassment on their faces. Three days ago, they insisted on evacuating Xiling, believing that it would be impossible to defend the city with the more than 10,000 remaining soldiers in the city. At that time, Meng Hu was only dissatisfied with the opposition and insisted that as long as the Mingyue Empire Army blocked the fierce attack of the first three days of the Mingyue Empire Army, the Xiling offensive and defensive battle would enter a stalemate stage!

Now, the war has indeed developed as Meng Hu said, and Luo Daonan and the others are even more grateful when they are embarrassed.

Speaking of which, Luo Daonan and the others were certainly unwilling to give up Xiling, because their power and property were in the western provinces. If Xiling lost to the western provinces, they would lose almost all their property, and their status in the empire would plummet, from then on, they would go from prominent and powerful to destitute nobles who lived in the imperial capital.

Now, the situation seems to have really changed, and Luo Daonan feels it is necessary to improve his relationship with Meng Hu.

So as soon as Meng Hu finished speaking, Luo Daonan took the initiative to come out and said, "Everyone, this time the Mingyue bandits' army is approaching, and our army can block the enemy's attack for three days. General Meng Hu's contribution is invaluable. The Lord General suggested to His Majesty the Emperor that General Meng Hu's imperial first-class medal was awarded to commend his achievements."

The prominent gentry behind Luo Daonan agreed. Although they looked down on Meng Hu, a general without aristocratic blood, Xiling is still surrounded by hundreds of thousands of Mingyue troops. They still need Meng Hu to defend the city for them. Of course, they will not be stingy with a few praising words.

"Thank you, Lord Priest."

Meng Hu smiled faintly and continued, "But it's too early to say this now. The current situation is still dangerous. The Mingyue bandits suspended their attacks but it does not mean that they will withdraw their troops. In the next step, Situ Rui will definitely try his best to deal with us. We must not take it lightly."

"I have confidence in General Meng Hu."

Luo Daonan waved his chubby hands and said shamelessly, "I believe that General Meng Hu will definitely smash Situ Rui's ambitions and drive the shameless and barbaric Mingyue bandits back west of Qingyun Mountain!"

"Yes, yes, General Meng Hu will definitely not disappoint us."

"General Meng Hu is like a god, and Situ Rui's old man is no match for him at all."

"I have said a long time ago that as long as General Meng Hu is here, there will be no problem in Xiling City. Look, I am not wrong, right?"

A group of prominent gentry began to compliment Meng Hu shamelessly. In the past, these guys were afraid that they would not even look at Meng Hu when they saw Meng Hu. But now, they were more numb than the other one. The reason was very simple. Their fate was in Meng Hu's hands. Meng Hu could not offend him now.

Meng Hu smiled and ignored these gentry again. He turned his eyes to Zhao Qinghan and said, "Sir, if nothing unexpected happens, Situ Rui will adopt the tactic of digging ground and siege from outside the city to dig a tunnel directly under the foot of the city wall, and dug the city wall by hollowing out the foundation!"

"Dig a land to siege the city?"

"Dig a wall?"

The generals of He Qing looked at each other. It would be a very difficult thing for Situ Rui to do this.

Luo Daonan even changed his face and said anxiously: "General Meng Hu, what should we do if the enemy is really digging the ground to attack the city?"

Meng Hu smiled and said, "Digging the ground and siege the city is a huge project, and it will take at least two months. However, Mingyue bandits and bandits lack food. If they want to siege the city for two months, Situ Rui must send troops to collect grain from Sanjiang and transport grain."

After saying this, Meng Hu suddenly looked ferocious and smiled grimly: "This gives our army the opportunity to take advantage of the nearly ten thousand barbarian cavalry cruising on the Sanjiang Plain to bring Situ Rui an indelible and painful memory!"

▲▲▲

Outside Xiling City, the bright moon camp.

Yan Changkong, Qin Qi and more than a dozen division commanders and their respective chiefs of staff had gathered in Situ Rui's tent. The central army's tent was brightly lit, but it was so quiet that the needle could be heard. More than a dozen division commanders and their respective chiefs of staff were hung down, their expressions were depressed, and the atmosphere in the tent seemed a little depressed.

Amid the heavy footsteps, Situ Rui slowly walked into the tent with Yan Ting's company.

Seeing the depressed expression of the generals in the tent, Situ Rui's expression suddenly eased and said calmly: "What's wrong with you? They are all frowning? Xiling is the capital of the western province of the Guanghui Empire. The Zhao clan has been operating here for hundreds of years. The city defense is extremely strong. How can it be so easy to conquer?"

Yan Ting, who was following Situ Rui, couldn't help but look deep in thought, thinking that this was Situ Rui's extraordinary feature.

If he had changed to an ordinary commander, how could he be so calm at this time? I was afraid that he would have cursed the dozen division commanders in the tent to death, but Situ Rui was not like this. Not only did he not scold his subordinates, he took the initiative to excuse them. This is his cleverness in commanding troops and controlling people.

Yan Changkong looked ashamed, and knelt down on the ground, and said excitedly: "Governor General, tomorrow's general Beiyi led the guards to fight. Even if he died, he would take down Xiling for the Lord!"

"No." Situ Rui waved his hand and said solemnly, "Starting tomorrow, the strong attack on Xiling will temporarily stop!"

"ah?"

"What!?"

"Suspend the attack?"

The generals in the tent couldn't help but look at each other.

Yan Ting followed Situ Rui's tone and said: "Generals, the enemy's resistance is very tenacious. The three-day fierce battle not only did not break the city, but instead caused more than 50,000 casualties in our army. If it continues to attack, the casualties will increase dramatically. Even if Xiling is finally captured, how can we resist the counterattack of the Guanghui Empire Army at that time?"

Yan Changkong said angrily: "Are you just retreating like this? You're really unwilling to accept it."

"Retreat?" A trace of eloquence suddenly flashed through Situ Rui's old eyes, and he said, "When did I say I want to withdraw from the army? General Changkong, giving up strong attacks is not giving up attacks. There are many ways to fight and attack cities. Launching strong attacks with an absolute advantage is certainly the easiest and fastest way, but not the most effective way."

Yan Changkong said in a voice: "Governor General means..."
Chapter completed!