Wei forces advanced deep into the territory, launching continuous attacks on Chu cities.
"Marshal, the Chu army's morale isn't very high. Your subordinate feels that this Chu army is not at the same level as the ones we encountered last time. Do you think it might be a Chu ruse to lure the enemy?" Xing Daorong said with some concern.
In this campaign against Chu, Lin Fan was the marshal, and Xing Daorong served as the campaign supervisor, assisting Lin Fan in commanding the troops.
Lin Fan pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It shouldn't be a ruse by the Chu army. The Chu army is fully engaged in attacking Yue. The main Chu forces should be fighting in Yue at this time."
"Moreover, we have mobilized hundreds of thousands of troops. If Chu wanted to lure the enemy deeper, they shouldn't blame us for directly crippling their army!"
However, Lin Fan still instructed, "But we must closely monitor the situation around the army to prevent sneak attacks by the Chu forces."
"Understood."
In fact, the reason for the attack on Chu being so straightforward was that they had not yet reached the heartland of Chu. Chu had few elite forces left behind. The King of Chu had wisely deployed most of his main forces to defend the core regions, abandoning some less important areas.
Lin Fan looked at the map, lost in thought.
Chu could abandon these regions, but they absolutely could not abandon Shouchun. The Chu nobles held significant power. If Shouchun, which represented the King of Chu, were to be breached, it would mean a devastating loss for the King's direct forces.
At that point, it would be uncertain whether the Chu nobles would still recognize this King of Chu.
Of course, the Chu nobles would not stand idly by while the King's army was annihilated. They would undoubtedly heavily defend Shouchun.
However, Lin Fan smiled slightly. He had no intention of confronting the King of Chu head-on in Shouchun. He would directly lead the army to sweep through Chu's territory, luring Gongzi Shen to lead his army to reinforce Shouchun.
Then, they would secretly set up an ambush to attack the Chu army.
"However, it should be time to meet those Chu officials who wish to surrender," Lin Fan muttered to himself and walked out of the camp.
...
The continuous advance of the Wei army also threw the entire Chu kingdom into panic. The King of Chu could initially withstand the pressure, relaying messages to Gongzi Shen to focus on fighting at the front line.
But as time passed, the pressure on the King of Chu grew greater.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Grand Master Song requests an audience," a guard entered the hall and reported.
The King of Chu frowned and said, "Send him in."
"Yes."
A moment later, a dignified middle-aged man walked into the hall and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
The King of Chu sat upright and said, "You are dismissed."
Song Yi straightened up and said to the King of Chu with righteous indignation, "Alas! Our great Chu is now in a crisis unseen for a hundred years. One wrong move could lead to the peril of national destruction!"
The King of Chu's expression remained unchanged. "Grand Master Song, what are you saying? Our great Chu is now prosperous, and its fortune is on the rise. I do not understand your words."
Song Yi's face was filled with sorrow. "Your Majesty! The Wei army is now invading our Chu territory, killing our Chu citizens. This is a disaster for Chu! How can Your Majesty ignore it?"
The King of Chu remained unperturbed. "Grand Master Song worries too much. The Chu and Wei have been at war for centuries; how many days have been peaceful? What is there to worry about?"
Song Yi replied, "In the past, our great Chu had millions of troops. Even if the Wei army attacked, our great Chu was not afraid. But now, Chu's elite are fighting abroad, and the homeland is empty, hence the danger of national annihilation!"
"Enough!"
The King of Chu asserted forcefully, "The current Wei army is merely assisting Yue. As long as we weather this crisis, our great Chu will have the opportunity to contend with Wei. I will absolutely not allow anyone to hinder progress at this time."
"Your Majesty..."
"Enough!" the King of Chu said menacingly, "If you dare speak further, I will send your entire family to the front lines to resist the Wei army!"
Song Yi did not dare to confront the King of Chu directly and finally left in dejection.
After Song Yi left, the King of Chu let out a long sigh. Song Yi's visit today was definitely not random; someone must have instigated him.
The King of Chu couldn't help but feel concerned. The Chu nobles always prioritized their own interests. The Wei army's brazen invasion of Chu naturally infringed upon the interests of the nobles.
It was one thing for this to happen in the border regions. Now, the Wei army was expanding aggressively, not with the aim of occupation, but to cause destruction. This was something the Chu nobles could not tolerate.
The national strategy was one aspect, but causing these nobles to lose their personal interests was another.
As a result, the atmosphere in Shouchun had been heavy recently. The King of Chu could feel clandestine gatherings taking place.
The King of Chu sighed, hoping that Gongzi Shen could resolve the war with Yue quickly. Otherwise, he feared that serious trouble would erupt domestically.