Li Weiqiu and others really couldn’t understand why Loulan wanted to retreat.

With the enemy’s manpower, under the condition that they have exhausted their shells and fire bottle bombs, they should have been able to hold firm, and they were prepared for a long siege battle.

But now they suddenly received news of the enemy’s retreat.

"This is a trap, sir, this is definitely a trap, this must be the enemy’s ruse." Li Weiqiu said.

Everyone knew that something was not right about the situation.

Dai Xishan and Gao Zheng both thought the same.

"Could it be the enemy’s empty city strategy, trying to lure us into a trap, with ambushes inside the city?" Zhao Qianyi pondered for a moment and said.

Chen Mo seized the opportunity to simulate, and upon learning that there were internal issues in the Desolate Kingdom, his expression lit up with joy.

"What’s going on?" These past few nights, Zhao Qianyi had been teased by Chen Mo, which made her completely consider herself his woman. Seeing the joy on his face, she asked in confusion.

Chen Mo didn’t directly explain the reason, as it would make him seem too omniscient, and instead said, "Whether or not the enemy plans to defend the city, we are ultimately going to attack Sa City. Let’s first go and see what the situation is."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qianyi and the generals all nodded.

As they approached, they discovered the guards on the city walls had expressions of undisguisable panic.

They easily set up siege ladders and climbed up the city walls.

At this moment, they found the city in complete disarray, with defenses wide open.

The enemy had indeed retreated.

The city gates were wide open, and the Song Army, stepping over the enemy’s corpses, flooded into Sa City like a tide, heading straight for the armory and granary.

The Desolate Kingdom had retreated, how would they leave anything behind for them?

As expected, whatever could be taken was taken.

Whatever couldn’t be taken was burned to ashes.

"Sir, we’ve captured a live one from the Desolate Kingdom, and he says that their General Wu Muling led the troops to retreat from Sa City overnight, and before leaving, they burned the supplies of their own king’s personal guard. Therefore, I suspect something has happened internally with them."

Dai Xishan brought a Desolate Kingdom commander, bound and tied, before Chen Mo.

Chen Mo nodded, "Xishan, leave some people here to clean the battlefield, the rest take three days of rations, travel light, and follow me in pursuit."

Chen Mo had long instructed Zhang Lie and the others to circle around. By the time they chased Yue Yuxi to Yao River, Zhang Lie could launch an ambush.

"Yes."

...

Chen Mo led the cavalry ahead, trailing the Desolate Kingdom’s main forces, but not too closely, to prevent a sudden stop and counterattack by the Desolate Kingdom’s troops that the Song infantry couldn’t keep up with.

The distance between the cavalry and infantry was no more than thirty li.

Traveling without rest even at night, even if the horses were exhausted, they were urged to continue until they foamed at the mouth and could run no more.

Running for two days and two nights, such intense marching caused quite a few of the warhorses to die from exhaustion.

...

The 212th day of great turmoil.

After a long forced march, Bai Yongtao and Zhang Lie led the 100,000 Heavenly Martial Army to ambush at Yao River, using carried fire bottle bombs to blow up the ice on the river surface.

Then they dispatched scouts along Yao River to investigate, preventing the Desolate Kingdom’s troops from escaping through other points.

But this precaution was unnecessary.

The current of the Yao River was swift, making it difficult to freeze, and only a section of less than ten li upstream was frozen.

If the Desolate Kingdom truly suffered defeat and wished to retreat, the fastest route was through this location.

The 214th day of great turmoil.

A scout reported the approach of a large number of Desolate Kingdom troops.

Zhang Lie and Bai Yongtao became spirited, their expressions slightly excited, "They’ve really come!"

"Sir is truly divine, to have foreseen this."

"No wonder the sir always wins battles."

"Archers, prepare!"

"..."

"General Wu, upon returning to Loulan, we will report your contributions to the chieftain, and by then, you will replace Ling Zhi as Loulan’s new Grand General." Jin Shou flattered Wu Muling. He was a spy from the Jin Family among the Loulan army.

Wu Muling’s face showed a smile.

But he hadn’t been happy for long when cries of anguish came from the front.

As it turned out, a deep pit had been dug unknowingly in front of them.

The pit was filled with sharp spikes.

The pit had been specially covered with a layer of snow, making it completely invisible.

Once many people stepped on it, they immediately fell in.

And there were more than just one such pit.

"Whoosh!"

Just as Jin Shou tightened his reins and checked his warhorse, a swift arrow shot from afar. During his hasty pull on the reins, his horse reared, and the arrow shot directly into the horse’s eye, causing both man and horse to tumble. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"It’s an ambush." Wu Muling suddenly realized, and in the next moment, he heard the sound of arrows cutting through the air from afar. Looking up, he saw a rain of arrows pouring down upon them.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

"Pfft... Ah... Pfft..."

One after another, the cries of agony rang out. After a volley of arrows, Loulan’s forces were in disarray, corpses strewn everywhere.

Before they could recover their senses.

Thump, thump, thump—

The ground trembled.

"Charge!"

"Kill!"

...

From the distance, a row of dense black dots appeared, and upon closer view, it turned out to be the Song Army.

"Not good, it’s the Song Army, retreat!"

"It’s the Song Army, retreat quickly!"

...

Wu Muling’s face changed dramatically, "How could there be Song Army here?"

Hearing the Song Army’s thundering drumbeats and shouts of battle, even though their troops outnumbered the Song Army, the Loulan forces, who were already terrified, lost the courage to confront them.

Watching as the Song Army charged towards them, they scattered in panic, abandoning their armor and fleeing.

Then an interesting scene unfolded.

Wu Muling and others, being chased by Zhang Lie, soon collided with the Loulan Queen who had arrived later.

As the saying goes, enemies are especially keen when they meet.

Yue Yuxi could not tolerate betrayal.

Seeing Wu Muling, the source of her vexation, Yue Yuxi charged forward.

"My Queen, I was wrong, please forgive me, there are Song Army behind..."

Yue Yuxi didn’t care for his nonsense; she was well aware of the Song Army behind without him needing to say.

In less than ten rounds, Yue Yuxi captured Wu Muling alive, and just as she was about to ask him about the Moon Slave’s whereabouts.

She suddenly heard the sound of battle cries ahead and saw the Song Army’s banners.

How were there Song Armies at Yao River?

Yue Yuxi’s face changed dramatically. At this moment, she also realized that the Song Army Wu Muling mentioned behind was indeed true.

And behind Wu Muling was her front, and behind her was also the Song Army.

"Please forgive me, my Queen, please forgive me..." Wu Muling continued to plead, being aware of Yue Yuxi’s methods, desperately begging for his life.

"Shut up." Yue Yuxi frowned; she wanted to kill Wu Muling, but now was precisely the time she needed to use him.

"There are Song Army behind us as well. We must split up and break through. You lead your men to break through to the left, and I will go to the right." Yue Yuxi said.