Qin Yangming heard the shouts coming from the walls of Eastern Liang Commandery and asked quietly, "What are they shouting?"
"They seem to be saying they've already captured Eastern Luo Granary," Yang Xian said.
Qin Yangming frowned. Beside him, Zhai Xian said, "General, they must be trying to shake our troops' morale. How could they spare enough men to attack Eastern Luo Granary?"
"Exactly," Yang Xian said. "Even if they attacked Eastern Luo Granary, they couldn't breach its sturdy walls. General Chang Fanqi is one of the fiercest warriors of our age. How could he be defeated so easily?"
Qin Yangming considered this silently. They had already considered the possibility that Hu Xiaotian might detach troops to attack Eastern Luo Granary while they assaulted Eastern Liang Commandery. Precisely for that reason, he had cautiously assigned Chang Fanqi to defend the granary. Qin Yangming sought to leave no chink in his armor when deploying troops. Although he thought there was only the slimmest chance of Hu Xiaotian attacking Eastern Luo Granary, he had still taken every defensive precaution. Yet the enemy soldiers' shouts unsettled him somewhat. Eastern Luo Granary was one of Great Yong's seven major granaries, and its strategic importance was beyond question. As the commander defending Shaoyuan, one of his most important duties was to provide mutual support to Eastern Luo Granary.
Of course Qin Yangming knew what losing Eastern Luo Granary would mean. Even his own head might not be safe. After a moment's deliberation, he decisively ordered the assault. The troops began advancing toward Eastern Luo Granary. When they entered the enemy's attack range, Yu Tianxing waved the Red Triangle Flag in his hand atop the gate tower. The little flag danced amid the swirling snowflakes like a flickering tongue of vivid flame. That flame announced the