Outside Xiqi City, in the broad, flat wilderness, the Great Shang army's barracks stretched across the land, surrounding the city on three sides—east, south, and north—in a formation that "besieged three sides and left one open." In the commander's tent, Grand Tutor Wen Zhong had both hands braced on the desk. He stared for a long while at a map of Xiqi's terrain and a rough comparison of the forces on both sides, drawn on a sheet of sheepskin, before letting out a heavy sigh.
"..."
"We've fought fiercely here at Xiqi for so long. Now our provisions are running short, nearly half our troops have been lost, and many of the Daoist brothers who came to help have fallen as well. Yet Xiqi City still stands like a mountain. What are we supposed to do?!"
After staring at the map for a long time and remembering that the Kunlun immortals, led by Jiang Ziya, were still inside Xiqi City, Wen Zhong—who saw no hope of taking the city—couldn't help sighing again.
"Alas..."
The battle at the front was now at an impasse. Word had it that back in Chaoge, the military and government were in the hands of some upstart named Yan Wushi... That newly appointed chancellor of Great Shang, whose origins were unknown, had actually dared issue orders without authorization, cutting off his supplies and forcing him, the Grand Tutor, to retreat. What utter nonsense!
But anger aside, Wen Taishi had no good solution.
At present, although Wen Zhong could not advance an inch outside Xiqi City, he had at least kept the city under siege for half a year, greatly curbing the arrogance of the rebels. Even though the tide had turned against him, and he had repeatedly failed to take the city, losing many generals and