In late October of Year 77 of Longqing under the old calendar, Zhou Rong used a scheme to lure the tiger from the mountain and draw away the White Robe. He then redirected the Luoxiao River and sent the floodwaters rushing backward into Shouyang City. Court and countryside alike were shaken. Having only just emerged from obscurity, he became famous throughout the realm. History called it Shouyang Flooded by Water.
That November, strange phenomena appeared in the heavens. Torrential rain fell without end. Though it was autumn turning into winter, the Luoxiao River's water level rose instead of falling, its surging waters reaching the sky and capable of bearing gigantic warships. With a northwesterly wind blowing, after the old court's navy swept northward, it rapidly advanced east, its blade point aimed straight at Youlan Capital. History called it the Fortune of Draining the Marsh.
In mid-November, Emperor Xian of Sheng deployed one hundred thousand naval troops to establish camp at Chibi and intercept the old court's army. At the same time, he urgently summoned the Northern Liang Army back for defense. History called it the Battle of Chibi.
Maozhou.
Northern Liang Army camp.
"My lord."
Xu Wencai entered the tent, clutching several crumpled sheets of paper. "Just as expected, Shouyang was washed over by the flood. Sima Yao and the others led more than twenty thousand remnants to Chibi. The court has sent another eighty thousand reinforcements, making one hundred thousand troops in total. Together with ours, there are more than two hundred thousand men. It's just that...
"The court's troops this time are all elite forces left behind by King Zhennan. They are exceptionally skilled in naval warfare, and their fleet consists mostly of large warships such as Tower Ships and Five-Fang Warships.
"Our Northern Liang, on the other