It was not until noon that Qin Yangming's army reached the Eastern Luo Granary. Sixty thousand troops surrounded it so tightly that neither wind nor rain could penetrate. Qin Yangming ordered them to make camp and cook for the time being. After marching all day and all night, the soldiers were utterly exhausted and could no longer undertake a siege. Without rest and time to recover, many would likely collapse.
Hu Xiaotian deliberately had cooking stoves set up atop the gate tower. The aroma of food drifted on the wind, spreading everywhere around the Eastern Luo Granary. The Yong Army soldiers outside had yet to eat, and their empty stomachs growled. Smelling the food only sharpened their hunger.
Qin Yangming summoned everyone into his tent. Without even discussing the battle situation, he immediately unleashed a barrage of accusations at Chang Fanqi. "Chang Fanqi, I ordered you to defend the Eastern Luo Granary and exercise the utmost caution. Why did you sortie without authorization and lose it? Do you admit your guilt?"
Chang Fanqi was seething with anger himself. How could he fail to understand Qin Yangming's intentions? This was nothing more than the guilty party crying foul first, dumping all the blame on him to escape responsibility. Chang Fanqi said coldly, "General Qin, if you hadn't ordered the attack on Eastern Liang Commandery and transferred fifteen thousand men out of the Eastern Luo Granary, how could it have fallen?"
"Bastard!" Qin Yangming roared. "You lost the Eastern Luo Granary, yet you still refuse to admit your guilt! Guards! Bind him and put him in custody. Once we retake the Eastern Luo Granary, we'll hand him over to His Majesty for judgment."
The warriors on either side surged forward. Chang Fanqi roared, "Let's see who dares touch me!" His rage bristled