CHAPTER 207: CHAPTER 118: ROYAL EDICT ARRIVES, PROMOTED TO MAIN GENERAL! WANG YAN GOES INTO LABOR!

"The Qin Army." The King of Wei’s complexion changed dramatically. "How dare they attack our Wei directly? Are they really trying to start a war with us? Attacking two states at once? How dare Qin?"

Although Wei Wuji had been defeated, the king had thought Wei would be safe for the time being since Qin was busy attacking the Zhao state. But now, it seemed the situation was not as he had expected.

"Uncle?" The King of Wei turned his gaze to Wei Wuji.

"Your Majesty, do not panic." Wei Wuji raised his hand, his aged face a mask of calm composure. "Bring me the map of Wei," he called out immediately.

In response, several Imperial Guards promptly brought over a map of Wei.

"Point out which cities the Qin Army has conquered," Wei Wuji said to the messenger.

"Yes, sir." The messenger quickly stood up, walked over to the map, and pointed them out one by one.

As he followed the soldier’s finger, Wei Wuji’s expression grew more and more solemn. "The Qin Army’s target isn’t Wei, but the Zhao state," he said, pointing to the border of Zhao.

"Does this Qin force intend to carve a path to the Zhao state through our Wei?" The King of Wei quickly understood.

"This Zhao Feng... what an exceptional man he is," Wei Wuji said with a grave expression, the apprehension in his eyes for Zhao Feng reaching its peak. "To have such audacity, to dare to move troops in such a manner."

"Uncle, what should our Wei do? Can we really hold off this Qin force?" the King of Wei asked anxiously. He knew little of military affairs and could only place his hopes in Wei Wuji.

"Judging by the speed of the Qin Army’s advance, their numbers are no less than seventy thousand, and perhaps even more," Wei Wuji said. "The Prefecture Soldiers in those cities and towns won’t be able to stop them. To halt the Qin Army, we must seize this opportunity to send reinforcements to Lincheng. It is the largest city on the path to the Zhao state and has sturdy defenses. With tens of thousands of our troops there, we can resist a hundred thousand from Qin."

Wei Wuji’s eyes scanned the map, finally settling on the most crucial city on the route to the Zhao state.

"Uncle, you are well aware of the troops and supplies our Wei can mobilize right now," the King of Wei said gravely. "As for the arrangements, you have my full authority. It would spell disaster if this Qin force makes it to the Zhao state."

If Wei didn’t have to rely on the Zhao state to resist Qin, the king might have even considered abandoning those cities.

"Your Majesty, I understand your words completely," Wei Wuji replied. "We absolutely cannot let this Qin force enter the Zhao state, or Zhao will be attacked from both front and rear. I will immediately muster fifty thousand troops and station them in Lincheng. I believe a defensive posture will be enough to stop the Qin Army."

"Are fifty thousand troops enough?" the King of Wei asked, still worried.

"Our army suffered a great defeat, and our national power has been severely damaged. Fifty thousand is the most we can mobilize to maintain our defense. Any more, and Wei will truly lose the foundation protecting our nation," Wei Wuji sighed, his eyes filled with shame.

After the defeat at Wei City, everyone under the heavens knew that he, Wei Wuji, had lost—and to a young general from Qin, no less. A lifetime of prestige, utterly destroyed in a single day.

"Then let us proceed with your plan, Uncle," the King of Wei nodded at once. "This Qin force must not be allowed to enter the Zhao state."

"Besides deploying troops to defend, the most crucial thing is for the Zhao state to withdraw their army from Yan and return to provide aid. Only when Zhao’s three hundred thousand elite soldiers have returned will we no longer need to fear Qin," Wei Wuji said solemnly. "We must also inform the King of Zhao that the Qin Army intends to use our cities to enter his territory. I am confident he will understand the gravity of the situation."

「In another conquered city of Wei!」

"General," Tu Sui reported respectfully to Zhao Feng, "the situation has changed. The Wei troops stationed in this city number fewer than a thousand. Upon interrogation, I learned that this city originally had another four thousand Prefecture Soldiers, but they were redeployed to Lincheng under a military order."

"It’s obvious," Zhao Feng said with a faint, unsurprised smile. "Wei Wuji has seen through my intentions."

"So Wei Wuji plans to block us at Lincheng?" Tu Sui also understood immediately.

"Lincheng is a border city between Wei and the Zhao state, fortified with high walls and strong defenses," Zhao Feng explained. "By deploying his forces there, Wei Wuji intends to use the city to stop our army from entering Zhao."

"Judging from the number of Wei’s Prefecture Soldiers we’ve encountered along the way, their total strength must be at least thirty thousand. If Wei Wuji deploys more elite troops, then the army defending Lincheng will be truly formidable. I fear it won’t be so easy for us to enter the Zhao state," Wei Quan said with a worried expression.

"Indeed, breaching Lincheng won’t be easy," Zhao Feng said with a hint of a smile. "But you have to consider this: it would have originally taken us two months to capture these Wei cities. Now that Wei has pulled its forces from them, our army can split up and take all the cities except Lincheng within half a month.

"And let’s take a step back. Even if we can’t breach Lincheng and enter the Zhao state, our army has not been defeated. Right now, we are building upon a great victory to secure further gains, not making a desperate push after a defeat."

Hearing these words, the surrounding generals had a moment of realization.

"That’s right! Even if the Wei Army amasses troops to defend Lincheng, they’re the ones who should be worried, not us. There’s no reason for us to be anxious," the generals exclaimed, their understanding dawning. "If it really proves impregnable, then capturing these dozens of Wei cities is still a great accomplishment. The initiative lies with our general, not with Wei!"