Everyone lowered their heads and said nothing. Shi Le also knew this wasn’t the time for investigation. He said: “Summon him, and also transfer troops from the other two armies to intercept on the official roads to Yuzhou and Jianye!”

When Kong Qiang arrived, Shi Le had him leave the city overnight: “Return to camp immediately. If Gou Xi is still there, seize him at once. If he has already rebelled, immediately send men to pursue.”

Shi Le’s face was sour as he said grimly: “If he’s willing to surrender again, so be it. If he dares resist, kill without mercy!”

Kong Qiang accepted the order and immediately led men out of the city to return to camp.

Before even reaching camp, he encountered an urgent messenger coming to report. Kong Qiang heard that Gou Xi had truly rebelled and even escaped the main camp. Both angry and chilled, he immediately led men quickly back to camp, then selected a large army to pursue him.

Gou Xi fled overnight with pursuing troops close behind. They only stopped to rest briefly when day was about to break, shoving some food into their mouths.

Gou Xi mentally calculated the distance, thinking that in one more day they could approach the Yuzhou border. He wondered if Zhao Ju’s garrison could coordinate with them.

Just as he was feeling anxious, a scout came galloping: “General, there’s something unusual ahead—it seems like an ambush.”

Hearing this, Gou Xi lowered his eyes in brief contemplation and said: “Shi Le’s right army is west of Puyang County. He must have transferred troops from the right army. Go check how many men there are.”

Gou Xi was already surveying the surroundings, mentally considering from where to break through. While thinking, his sharp ears caught the sound of ten thousand horses galloping.

He immediately rose to alert, and just as he mounted his horse, the scout came stumbling back: “General, pursuing troops have arrived!”

Hearing this, Gou Xi immediately said: “We break through forward. Ten li ahead there’s a small road leading to Chengyang—we’ll detour through Chengyang.”

Everyone acknowledged and immediately mounted up. But they had only run five li when they crashed into Shi Le’s main army lying in ambush. Though they had some preparation, they still suffered heavy losses before breaking through. Gou Xi led the remaining thousand men with Gou Chun, Wang Zan, and others onto the small road, continuing their desperate escape.

After running for a while, the pursuing troops temporarily didn’t catch up. Their horses were so exhausted they were foaming at the mouth. Wang Zan reined in his horse and called out to Gou Xi: “Commander Dao, you go. I’ll stay with some men to block them for you.”

Gou Xi quickly reined in his horse and turned back: “No! If we leave, we leave together!”

Wang Zan smiled bitterly and shifted his body slightly to show his back: “I can’t go on. Hurry and leave.”

Gou Xi saw his back garment soaked red with blood, with a blade wound running from shoulder to waist, slashing through the clothing. He didn’t step forward to look, but with his many years of experience, this cut must be deep enough to see bone. The wound was deep but the opening small, which was why he hadn’t collapsed yet.

Gou Xi gripped the reins tightly, jumped down from his horse, lifted his clothing and tore a strip from inside to help him bandage.

Wang Zan didn’t refuse. Being able to make the blood flow slower was good. However, he refused Gou Xi’s offer to give him medicine and take him along. He shook his head: “I can’t survive. Taking me along won’t get you far—hurry and escape by yourself.”

Wang Zan even gave him his horse: “Take an extra one. When you’re tired, you can switch. As long as you enter Yuzhou, you’ll be safe.”

The two had always been allies. They even surrendered to Shi Le together and could be considered good friends. Wang Zan sincerely urged him: “I know you came from humble origins—going from luxury to frugality is extremely difficult. If one can live comfortably and at ease, who would want to restrain themselves like an ascetic monk?”

“However, when a great man walks in the world, he should have principles. You can be called a famous general through the ages. Though you were defeated at Shi Le’s hands this time, it’s not that your skills were inferior,” Wang Zan said. “Don’t forget, before this, you beat him out of Jizhou and reduced him to a lone general, forcing him to flee to Bingzhou to join Liu Yuan.”

“You bear the title of reincarnated Bai Qi. Your martial prowess and civil governance aren’t inferior to anyone of this era. Why destroy yourself for a bit of comfort?”

If anyone else had said this, Gou Xi would have exploded long ago. Or if Wang Zan had said this earlier, he would have broken ties with him. But now, with death imminent and Wang Zan still willing to block pursuing troops for him, Gou Xi’s heart held only gratitude and shame.

Tears filled his eyes as he stopped Gou Chun behind him from exploding in rage, and nodded: “You’re right. After this, I will definitely reform.”

Wang Zan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at him: “This is fortunate not only for you, but for the nation.”

Wang Zan felt his time running short and couldn’t help being long-winded: “Look at Zhao Hanzhang—she’s a woman who was born into wealth and grew up in luxury with fine clothes and delicacies. For the sake of family, country, and people, she can endure poverty and hardship. You’re a grown man—why can’t you?”

Gou Xi’s hand, holding Wang Zan’s, paused. Some of the gratitude in his heart dissipated. Wang Zan still hadn’t noticed and gripped his hand in return, his face full of earnest concern: “Zhao Hanzhang is broad-minded, but those under her command will surely have much to criticize. Don’t mind them—just treat them as barking dogs. His Majesty has fallen into difficulty, and the Jin state still needs you all to support it.”

Gou Xi struggled to maintain his expression and responded with a sound. Gou Chun behind him said irritably: “Elder Brother, pursuing troops are approaching.”

Wang Zan released his hand and urged him: “Go quickly—don’t delay.”

Gou Xi hesitated, then leaped onto his horse and cupped his fists toward Wang Zan.

Wang Zan led a squad of cavalry to stay behind in ambush to intercept the pursuing troops, while Gou Xi continued his escape.

Those left behind were basically all wounded soldiers. They knew they couldn’t survive this time and had all made the determination to die, thinking that even in death, they would drag someone down with them.

But dying like this left some unwillingness in their hearts. So while the pursuing troops hadn’t yet arrived, a soldier asked Wang Zan lying beside them: “General Wang, can the Grand General really reform? I heard the Grand General loves beautiful women. I also love beautiful women, but I’ve never even married a wife.”

Another soldier beside them snorted with laughter: “What’s that? I’ve never even seen a woman.”

“I have!” Another soldier said: “I married a wife, but unfortunately I can barely remember what she looks like. On the third day after our wedding, when I was escorting her home for the return visit, I was forcibly conscripted on the road. I don’t know if she’s still alive now—whether she’s living with my father and mother or has remarried.”

Wang Zan’s heart felt desolate as he asked: “Who conscripted you?”

“Young General Gou.”

Wang Zan asked: “Then why are you still willing to rebel with us?”

The soldier gave him a simple smile: “My home is in Henan Jun. Didn’t the General say we’re fleeing to Yuzhou this time? I thought, if we could escape to Yuzhou, maybe I could go home? General Zhao is famously good to soldiers—even if I can’t return home, life in Yuzhou would be easier.”

Wang Zan’s eyes heated up as he asked in a low voice: “Now we can’t survive—do you regret it?”

“No regret. Those Jie barbarians eat people when grain runs short. Staying there, who knows when I’d be treated as a two-legged sheep. Though I died a few days earlier, at least I wasn’t eaten.”

The pursuing troops arrived. By the time Shi Le’s main army pursued past this area, the grass on both sides of the road seemed to have been rained on by blood, with red blood droplets condensed on the leaf tips, about to fall but not yet falling.

Wang Zan’s corpse lay by the roadside. Shi Le’s main army didn’t deal with his body, planning to wait until they caught Gou Xi to decide.

—