The people far away in Yunzhong Commandery didn’t know what was happening in the capital, nor could they spare attention for it.
When Zhong Changrong received the victory report, he also received a note from Xie Yanlai. The note said to send the report in two copies—one should be marked with the character “Zhang,” while the other should follow normal reporting procedures, announced with flying bulletins.
He said that this time, Xi Liang breaking through the defense line and capturing Stone Slope City seemed rather strange no matter how one looked at it.
Zhong Changrong also didn’t believe the border army was watertight like an iron bucket. Even when Chu Ling was there before, they could only make Falling City like an iron bucket—other places were beyond their capability.
After Supervisor Fu arrived, investigating this and that, saying this one was corrupt and that one was negligent, though he sneered and ignored it, in his heart he also knew these things were facts.
The Xi Liang King being captured alive—this was a major event deciding the fate of Da Xia and Xi Liang.
Xie Yanlai worried someone might deliberately obstruct it.
The news of Stone Slope City’s fall would stir up great turmoil at court. Zhao, as Empress, would certainly face enormous trouble. For many matters, being one step late could mean heaven and earth turning upside down.
So first send the news over, let Zhao breathe easier and have peace of mind, then let the courier report fly with bulletins, letting everyone along the route know the news of the great victory, to comfort the people’s hearts.
This way, both inside and outside would be stable.
Zhong Changrong heard the sentence about capturing the Xi Liang King alive, then saw these few verbose sentences on the note—nothing else.
“How was the battle fought? What’s their situation? How are Xie Yanlai’s injuries? What else do they need?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Did this brat know he had acted without orders again? Even if he captured the Xi Liang King alive, merit was merit, but the transgression was also a transgression.
Having the energy to write so much nonsense, teaching him what to do, couldn’t he say two more sentences about actual business?
Really infuriating!
“I, I don’t know either,” the messenger stammered. “I’m responsible for the reports. General, you know, for timely reporting, no matter how brutal the battle, we don’t participate. However, when I received the message, Xi Liang troops from all directions were surrounding the King’s camp.”
Xie Yanlai and his men weren’t many in number. With few men, they could conduct surprise raids and attacks, achieving success unexpectedly.
But success didn’t mean everything would be worry-free afterward.
Zhong Changrong was both angry and vexed, and his heart felt blocked.
Capturing the Xi Liang King and drawing away all the Xi Liang soldiers eased the pressure slightly, but Stone Slope City on this side still presented an enormous challenge.
Stone Slope City’s location was easy to defend and hard to attack, and with developed trade routes, it was very prosperous with a large population.
The Third Prince of Xi Liang had taken Stone Slope City and was holed up inside. When the border army attacked, they would bind civilians to the city walls and throw them down—
Those who died on impact died. Those who didn’t die cried and wailed. When the border army went to rescue them, they were met with a rain of arrows, until both the border soldiers and the wailing wounded were all dead.
After several rounds, Zhong Changrong ordered the border army to stop attacking.
After receiving the victory report, Zhong Changrong’s first order was to have soldiers surround the city constantly shouting that the Xi Liang King had been captured, but the Third Prince still holed up without moving. When they approached to attack again, he still pushed civilians out to die.
Stone Slope City’s side remained at a standstill, and Xie Yanlai’s side couldn’t be ignored either—
“General,” a deputy general said urgently, “The Xi Liang King’s side is more important. You should go personally.”
“The messenger knows nothing except that the Xi Liang King was captured alive. We can infer that Xie Yanlai and his men are trapped in heavy encirclement, otherwise they wouldn’t have only sent out one report,” another officer said. “If we don’t provide timely relief, I’m afraid—all efforts will be wasted.”
“That boy Yanlai’s problem when fighting battles is that he truly doesn’t care for his life,” another deputy general muttered quietly.
Of course he was also aware of this brat’s problems. Zhong Changrong stood in the command tent without speaking, his hands clenched at his sides.
“General Zhong.”
There was commotion outside the tent, accompanied by guards’ shouts to stop.
“General Zhong, I am Liang Qiang.”
“General Zhong, Liang Ji requests an audience.”
Hearing this, Zhong Changrong looked toward outside the tent and said coldly, “Let them in.”
The tent flap lifted. Liang Ji entered first, wearing general’s robes. Behind him followed Liang Qiang, who wore prisoner’s clothing. After the caning, he hadn’t been locked in prison but was ordered by Zhong Changrong to be brought outside Stone Slope City.
“Make him kneel here and watch with his own eyes,” Zhong Changrong coldly ordered. “Watch how when one general is incompetent, how many people lose their lives. In the future when the war ends, when you receive official positions and honors, you’ll know more clearly—what you wear and bear is made of how many people’s flesh and blood.”
Whether from the caning wounds or from kneeling these past days, Liang Qiang’s face was pale, his lips completely bloodless, his frame thinner by a size.
“General Zhong,” Liang Ji said, “Please lead troops to reinforce General Xie. Leave this place to me. I’m willing to enter the city and negotiate with the Xi Liang people.”
Zhong Changrong didn’t even ask how he would negotiate, directly saying, “No need.”
Liang Qiang couldn’t help but kneel down: “General! Please believe me, I will definitely breach Stone Slope City.”
Zhong Changrong didn’t even look at him, only saying coldly, “This matter doesn’t require you father and son to worry. This general has his own arrangements.”
Liang Ji sighed softly: “General Zhong, I know you have misunderstandings about us father and son, but at this moment it concerns Da Xia’s battle situation. Don’t think this battle is already won. General Xie capturing the Xi Liang King alive is a great victory, but it’s also nothing.”
Zhong Changrong was furious: “Liang Ji, you’re not yet my Central Army Administrator Chief of Staff. It’s not your turn to give orders!”
He simultaneously called for guards.
The officers in the tent also looked displeased.
“General,” Liang Ji showed no fear whatsoever. “Please let me finish speaking. I’m not questioning General Xie’s courage and merit. The Xi Liang King being captured is indeed a great achievement with decisive effect on the battle situation. Precisely because of this, the urgent priority now, the most important thing, is to preserve this achievement. General Xie’s situation is very critical now. He must be surrounded and trapped—”
“Rest assured, he certainly won’t die before the Xi Liang King,” Zhong Changrong said coldly.
“General,” Liang Ji seemed somewhat helpless. “What this subordinate worries about is precisely the Xi Liang King dying. Xi Liang still has the First Prince holding the fort in Xi Liang City. They still have a king.”
Zhong Changrong’s expression stiffened.
“General, now the problem isn’t that the Xi Liang King’s soldiers threaten General Xie,” Liang Ji said. “It’s that they’ll be ordered to kill the Xi Liang King.”
If the captured Xi Liang King died, the First Prince guarding Xi Liang nation would become the new Xi Liang King. The situation would instantly revert to before, with Da Xia still besieged.
Zhong Changrong fell silent. The other officers in the tent also paled slightly. They all knew Liang Ji spoke the truth. In fact, this was why they had urged Zhong Changrong earlier, and even why Zhong Changrong himself had been hesitating.
Now that it was exposed and spoken, they had to face it.
What was more important now was preserving the great victory of the Xi Liang King’s capture. Stone Slope City should actually be abandoned.
Liang Ji took in Zhong Changrong’s expression and softened his voice, saying, “General, if it’s truly like this, General Xie’s bloody battle will have been in vain.”
The other officers also couldn’t help but speak up: “General, you should personally lead troops there. This can’t continue.” “Yes, the news of the victory report has already been sent to the court. If something unexpected happens again—” “Right now we must preserve one—”
Zhong Changrong lowered his gaze, looking at the waist token placed on the desk. The news of capturing the Xi Liang King alive was too significant. To avoid everyone’s doubts, Xie Yanlai had sent out his own waist token as evidence.
Looking closely, there were still coagulated bloodstains on the token.
Was that brat already covered in blood, no longer looking human?
Zhong Changrong closed his eyes, raised his head, and said, “Reinforcements have already been sent to Xie Yanlai’s side, but I must keep watch over Stone Slope City. I absolutely will not leave.”
Everyone present was stunned.
Reinforcements were reinforcements, but if the commander personally took charge, the momentum would be different, especially when facing the Xi Liang King’s army.
A flash of surprise crossed Liang Ji’s eyes. He actually failed to persuade him? That shouldn’t be. Zhong Changrong was single-mindedly focused on power and authority. For power, for victory, plus everyone urging him to this extent—he should have led troops without further hesitation to surround the Xi Liang King.
With his indecisiveness, what use was watching over Stone Slope City? Better to turn a blind eye and let him do things decisively—
For Zhong Changrong, this was good—he wouldn’t have to bear the infamy of inadequate relief or disregarding civilian lives.
He, Liang Ji, had voluntarily come to take the blame.
What confusion had possessed Zhong Changrong?
“General,” he stepped forward, wanting to say more.
Zhong Changrong raised his hand to stop him: “You need say no more. To me, the Xi Liang King dying and the First Prince of Xi Liang becoming the new king are both less important than the safety of Stone Slope City’s three hundred thousand civilians.”
His gaze moved past Liang Ji, looking toward outside the tent.
“It doesn’t matter if the First Prince of Xi Liang becomes the new king.”
“Our Da Xia’s brave soldiers—if they can kill one of their kings, they can kill another.”
…
…
At the same time, in the Xi Liang King’s camp, the Xi Liang King was also discussing life and death.
“This king is going to die,” he said, sitting on felt cushions, bound hand and foot. “Young General, you’re going to die too.”
Beside him on the luxurious barbarian couch lay a young man, also bound hand and foot—bandages wrapped almost his entire body.
Yet even so, he still managed to lie there casually, even barely crossing his legs.
Hearing the Xi Liang King’s words, he smiled and turned his head.
“Then you must remember who sent you on your way,” he said, lifting his arm and pointing at himself with his bandaged finger. “This young master, Xie Yanlai.”