As for Chen Bi, who was still desperately defending the main camp, he was one of Liu Ji's most trusted and loyal confidants. He was expected to fight to the last man. Xiahou Ying could only offer his condolences in advance.
Xiahou Ying was defeated and fled. Chen Bi was also in trouble. Xiang Han came out from the north gate of Juchao and launched a fierce attack on the southern position of the Han army camp. Meanwhile, Xiang Sheng led 8,000 cavalrymen to land in the northwest of the Han army camp in Juchao. It was only a matter of time before Chen Bi was attacked from both sides and was defeated.
At this moment, Chen Bi, who was battered and bruised, was hiding in a corner and taking off his armor piece by piece, leaving him only in a gray robe.
A Han soldier, half-covered in blood, was looking for a place to rest when he bumped into Chen Bi.
"General, what's going on?" the soldiers asked, puzzled.
Chen Bi was slightly taken aback, then picked up his sword. "This armor is too cumbersome. This general intends to fight the Chu army bare-chested! A true man should fight to the death to protect the King of Han! What is your name? Can you ride a horse?"
"I, Zhang Er, have never ridden a horse, but I can ride a donkey..."
Chen Bi clapped his hands and said, "Excellent! This set of armor and that warhorse are yours. I order you to go and find Xiahou Ying immediately to request reinforcements! If there is an opportunity, break through the encirclement directly. Go to Guangling to find the King of Huainan or go to Liyang to find Cao Can for help. This is a matter of great importance and you must not delay."
"Yes!" Zhang Er bowed deeply, his admiration for General Chen Bi growing even stronger. He was truly a loyal and capable general!
"Go quickly!" Chen Bi waved his hand.
Zhang Er rubbed his hands together. "Uh, how about we save this armor for the general? We don't have any armor..."
"Oh, it's easier for me to fight without armor. Come, let me help you put on your armor. It will provide some protection when we break through the enemy lines later." Chen Bi said, picking up the armor and helping Zhang Er put it on. "Go! I believe you can do it!"
"Yes!" Zhang Er responded, mounted his horse, and rode eastward. Before he could even leave the camp, he saw countless Chu cavalry charging towards him from the east, and the Chu general at the forefront smashed the camp gate with a single halberd strike.
Could that person be Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu? I never imagined he was so terrifying!
Shocked, Zhang Er hurriedly ran back, running for his life. He had to inform General Chen Bi of this urgent military situation as soon as possible. Since Xiang Yu had attacked the camp, it meant that General Xiahou Ying had been defeated. He just didn't know whether he had retreated or been killed in battle.
However, when the soldiers returned to the spot, there wasn't a soul in sight. "General! The Chu army has invaded... Uh, where is the general? Where did he go? Has anyone seen General Chen Bi?"
Zhang Er searched the surrounding positions again, but still couldn't find General Chen Bi. However, he did find a few soldiers who mistook him for Chen Bi.
Now Zhang Er understood completely: General Chen Bi had escaped without a word!
What happened to the promise to fight to the death to protect the King of Han?
...
After Xiang Yu broke through the east gate, Xiang Sheng also entered from the north gate. Seeing that the situation was hopeless and that their commander Chen Bi had disappeared, the Han soldiers guarding the camp surrendered one after another.
Not long after, Xiang Han also led his army into the Han army camp. Liu Ji's 100,000 elite Han troops were wiped out in one battle, with more than 80,000 killed. Only Xiahou Ying led more than 10,000 survivors to flee north.
The Chu army also suffered heavy casualties, but these were mostly from the navy and infantry; the elite cavalry forces and combat strength were not significantly lost.
Xiang Yu entrusted the affairs of Juchao to Xiang Han, then sent Xiang Sheng to pursue the remnants of Xiahou Ying's army, while he himself led his troops toward Shouchun.
"This time, I will never let Liu Ji escape alive again. I will not give up even if I chase him to the walls of Shouchun. I will personally kill him!"
Chapter 87 The Decisive Battle of Jiujiang (Sixteen)
Liu Ji could guess some of the situation in Juchao, otherwise he wouldn't have run away in advance.
Even after Xiang Yu stormed into the camp and discovered that he was not there, he would immediately rush towards Shouchun, a fact that Liu Ji was also aware of.
Intuition, or rather, a sixth sense, including nightmares and prophecies—these somewhat mystical things—are highly dependent on luck for accuracy. But Liu Ji has no shortage of luck; he always manages to escape danger when he's in dire straits, always with the help of benefactors.
This time, there may have been many benefactors who helped Liu Ji escape danger, and Consort Qi was one of them.
After Liu Ji persuaded Consort Qi, he summoned Chen Ping into the carriage. The three of them whispered to each other and made a plan. Then, during a rest, Liu Ji changed into a soldier's uniform and was arranged by the 'Liu Ji' in the carriage to go with Chen Ping to the rear of the troops to provide cover.
The army continued its march, but the small group at the back slowed down and gradually fell behind the main force.
It is normal for soldiers to fall behind due to exhaustion during the escape, and it is even possible that all the soldiers will run away. Moreover, the army behind is commanded by Chen Ping, and it is not unreasonable for him to stay behind to cover the rear and resist the pursuers.
Even when Guo Meng, who was in charge of the guard, discovered that so many soldiers had suddenly disappeared, he only asked Liu Ji in the carriage if he knew that Chen Ping had not followed. The one who answered him was naturally Qi Ji in the carriage.
Whether Liu Ji's plan to escape his predicament would succeed depended most on Qi Ji; if she did not cooperate, the plan would be difficult to carry out.
However, the two conditions that Liu Ji proposed to Qi Ji were exactly what she had been dreaming of, and were worth her risking her life for. It was better than maintaining the status quo and being caught up by Xiang Yu and wiped out. Dying with Liu Ji was really not attractive to her.
It was wishful thinking for her to ask Liu Ji to take her with him. She knew about the incident where Liu Ji pushed the child out of the car, which is why she used her pregnancy as a life-saving excuse.
As a result, although she was not pushed off the carriage as she wished, she also became Liu Ji's discarded pawn.
Of course, Consort Qi is now willingly playing the role of a pawn, trying her best to cover up the fact that Liu Ji is not in the army.
Whether Guo Meng believes it or not is not a problem at all. Even if Guo Meng guesses that Liu Ji is not in the car, he will pretend not to know, or even help cover it up.
After all, this wasn't the first time Liu Ji had used this tactic to escape danger, and Guo Meng was extremely loyal to Liu Ji. If Liu Ji asked him to act as bait to lure the Chu army, he wouldn't hesitate at all.
Guo Meng was Liu Ji's personal bodyguard and also the commander of Liu Ji's personal guard. Wherever Liu Ji was, he was there too. Conversely, with him in the army, no one would think that Liu Ji was not there.
However, there was one person who might know that Liu Ji got off the train halfway through the journey: Liu Ji's coachman, Zhou Xie.
But Zhou Xie was only good at driving and flattering, and he wasn't very bold. Even if he guessed that Liu Ji wasn't in the carriage, he didn't dare to say it.
Therefore, under the cover of Consort Qi, Guo Meng led his army to protect Liu Ji and continued to advance towards Shouchun.
Of course, Liu Ji had already sent a reliable person to convey his order for the troops that had crossed the river to quickly return and besiege Xiang Yu.
However, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Even if the messenger successfully reaches Jiangdong and finds Lü Ze, Liu Ji still has to overcome the immediate life-or-death crisis before he can act.
Scattered around the north of Chaohu Lake are some low hills, some tens of feet high and others around a hundred feet high. The largest of these is Fucha Mountain, which is more than forty miles north of Chaohu Lake. If one wanted to escape Xiang Yu's cavalry, that would be the best place to go.
However, on Chen Ping's advice, they did not go to Fucha Mountain, but instead went to Turtle Mountain, which is closer to Chaohu Lake. Although Turtle Mountain is not big, it is more than enough to hide them. This is another classic example of reverse thinking.
Everything depends on the outcome of the Battle of Juchao. After Xiang Yu discovers that Liu Ji is missing, he will determine where Liu Ji went. Dongcheng, Yinling, Shouchun, Fuchashan, Liuxian, Shuxian, Guchao, and even Jiangdong and Dabieshan are all possible places for Liu Ji.
Although Chaohu was under the control of the Chu army, if Liu Ji wanted to go to the south of Chaohu to join Zhou Bo's troops or go to Jiangdong, he would have to go around most of Chaohu. However, it was not impossible. But this detour was not much shorter than going to Shouchun, and it was more dangerous. What if the Chu army attacked from the south gate of Juchao?
In short, in Liu Ji and Chen Ping's view, no matter which way Xiang Yu chased, he would never have imagined that they would be hiding in Turtle Mountain. This is what is meant by "the darkest place is under the lamp."
Even Consort Qi didn't know exactly which mountain Liu Ji and his men were on, only the general area. Once Xiang Yu's troops caught up, Consort Qi would tell Guo Meng that Liu Ji had left halfway.
Guo Meng could either escape with Consort Qi or escape on his own. In any case, there was still a possibility that he could safely return to Shouchun after breaking away from the army. After all, Consort Qi was very light, and there wouldn't be much of a problem for her to ride a horse with Guo Meng.
If all else fails, Guo Meng could either abandon Qi Ji or kill her and run away.
Having followed Liu Ji for so many years, Guo Meng knew Liu Ji's character better than anyone. He killed Qi Ji to prevent her from revealing Liu Ji's whereabouts. He simply said that Qi Ji died at the hands of the Chu army. Even if Liu Ji guessed that Guo Meng was the one who killed her, he would never blame Guo Meng and might even reward him.
Of course, it would have been even better if Xiang Yu hadn't caught up with them. After arriving in Shouchun, Qi Ji would have informed Guo Meng of Liu Ji's whereabouts and then released the news that Liu Ji had arrived in Shouchun, allowing the army to gather and head to Juchao.
Once the Han army regains control of the situation, Liu Ji will come down from Turtle Mountain unscathed, which will surely infuriate Xiang Yu.
"This is truly a perfect plan," Liu Ji said lazily, lying in the tent.
"Your Majesty, we should continue our journey. This is not a place to linger. It is safer to stay on the mountaintop," Chen Ping said, bowing.
“That’s right. This Turtle Mountain is like a turtle with its head raised. It’s safer to stay on top. Even if the Chu army comes to search the mountain, they probably won’t climb that high.” Liu Ji’s whole body ached from walking, but he had to persevere in order to survive.
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. Even if the Chu army does find us on the mountaintop, the main peak of Turtle Mountain is steep and easy to defend, making it difficult to attack. We can hold out for a few more days, and from our high vantage point, we can also see what's happening below." Chen Ping regained his usual calm and composure. The decapitation scheme that Xiang Yu had painstakingly created had failed.
"Very good." Liu Ji got up and went outside the tent. He saw two soldiers carrying a wooden raft the size of a door panel standing in front of him.
"Your Majesty, the mountain roads are difficult to traverse, so I had this specially made. If Your Majesty is tired, you can lie down on it to rest, and it won't delay the march," Chen Ping said with a smile.
Liu Ji's eyes lit up. "Strategist, this plan is brilliant! Haha, it's perfect for me. Excellent!"
"I'm glad Your Majesty is pleased." Chen Ping secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that Liu Ji would hold him accountable, after all, the war had come to this point, and he, as the strategist, bore a great responsibility.
After a difficult trek, the group finally reached the top of the mountain. Although it is called Turtle Mountain, it is not a barren mountain. There are quite a few trees on the top, and the terrain is relatively flat with a large surrounding slope, making it very suitable for camping.
Liu Ji and his group came up from the western slope of the tortoise, which means they climbed from the tail to the head. Except for the western path, which is relatively easy to walk on, the southern, northern, and especially eastern slopes are extremely steep, so there is no need to worry. They just need to guard the path they came from.
Accompanied by Chen Ping, Liu Ji eagerly reached the edge of the mountaintop and cautiously peered down through the gaps in the trees. The scenery was truly magnificent…
"Huh? There are so many red ants down the mountain." Liu Ji blinked.
"Heh heh, ants my foot, those are Chu cavalry!" Black Dragon's voice suddenly rang in Liu Ji's mind.
"Chen! Ping! How come there are so many Chu cavalry at the foot of this mountain?" Liu Ji grabbed the stunned Chen Ping fiercely. "Speak!!!"
Chapter 88 The Decisive Battle of Jiujiang (Part 17)
Turtle Mountain was surrounded by Xiang Yu's cavalry?
Chen Ping was deathly pale. If he couldn't persuade Liu Ji, he would surely die without a burial place.
"Your Majesty, please calm down and don't shout. If the Chu army hears you, it will be disastrous. In my opinion, the Chu army down the mountain may be searching for Xiahou Ying's defeated troops. Think about it, Your Majesty, if Xiahou Ying can't hold the camp, he will have to break out. Where can he go? He can only break out to the north towards Fucha Mountain."
"I see..." Liu Ji calmed down. "The strategist is absolutely right. I acted rashly just now. The strategist won't blame me, will he?"
Chen Ping secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Your Majesty, I dare not. It seems fortunate that we did not go to Fucha Mountain, otherwise we would have run into the Chu army that was pursuing Xiahou Ying. Alas, who would have thought that Xiahou Ying would be defeated so quickly?"
"Hmph! Xiahou Ying is truly a piece of trash. He not only lost, but he also dragged me down with him. Will the Chu army come all the way to this mountain to find Xiahou Ying?" Liu Ji said angrily.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. At this point, we have no choice but to hold this mountain. Your Majesty need not worry. There is no way the Chu army can climb up from here. It would be time-consuming and laborious to come up from the west, and Xiahou Ying might not be able to escape. Once the Chu army finds Xiahou Ying elsewhere, there will be no need to search the mountain here," Chen Ping said, bowing.
"Well, then I'll have to trouble you, strategist. Uh, by the way, I spoke a little too loudly just now. I hope it didn't reach the foot of the mountain?" Liu Ji asked, a little worried.
Chen Ping hesitated, then said, "Uh, I don't think so..."
At the foot of the eastern slope of Turtle Mountain, Shen Tu Jia suddenly turned his gaze toward the mountaintop.
"How strange! I think I just heard the King of Han's voice. Was it just my imagination? Pass down the order! Everyone, be on high alert! If Liu Ji escapes from our side, I will chop off your heads!"
“Look! Uh, General Shen, the terrain here is so steep. Even if Liu Ji is really on the mountain, he wouldn’t break through from our side, would he?” the guard asked doubtfully.
Shen Tu Jia's expression turned somewhat unnatural, and he immediately roared, "Just do as I tell you to take strict precautions! Enough of this nonsense!"
"Yes, sir!" The guards dared not say anything more and hurriedly went to relay the order.
Shen Tu Jia looked at the summit of Turtle Mountain and sighed. It seemed that the credit for capturing and killing Liu Ji was not for him. Xiang Yu had assigned him here, probably because he thought Liu Ji could not possibly escape from here. He wondered when he would be able to gain Xiang Yu's appreciation and trust.
On the western slope of Turtle Mountain, Xiang Yu led the Chu army to search the mountain all the way to the main peak, where they had just conducted their final reconnaissance of Liu Ji's location.
"God of Wine, may we probe once more?" Xiang Yu asked again as they approached the summit.
Hao Jiu's lips twitched violently. "Hey, Overlord, this detection consumes my precious energy. I've used a lot of it along the way, and now Liu Ji has surrounded this mountain with it. Let's conserve it as much as possible."
"God of Wine, I'm just doing this as a precaution. We absolutely cannot let Liu Ji escape again this time. It's worth paying a higher price for this. That Liu Ji is too lucky; we can't be careless." Xiang Yu had been narrowly escaped death by Liu Ji several times, leaving him with a deep-seated fear.
If a strange wind hadn't suddenly descended during the Battle of Pengcheng, making it impossible for the Chu army to open their eyes or move, how could Liu Ji have had the chance to escape?
Then there was that traitor Ding Gu, I don't know what he was thinking, he let Liu Ji go despite such a huge achievement. Liu Ji's life is too good, it's completely illogical.
Now that he had another chance to kill Liu Ji, Xiang Yu became increasingly worried as he got closer to his goal.
Hao Jiu felt a chill run down his spine. Had he been blinded by victory? Liu Ji was, after all, someone with a system. If he were killed so easily, then that black dragon would be utterly useless.