Xun Xiu was injured. Oh, and Zhao Ming was also injured, though his injury came from being dragged and tripping during the retreat. Compared to Xun Xiu, he was much better off.

As a person of wisdom, he believed that as long as his mouth could move, he could command the battlefield. So when Xun Xiu was injured, he naturally took over the Xun Family Army and began deploying troops and issuing commands.

Unfortunately, ideals are rich but reality is harsh.

He had only one combat experience—the Battle of Xiping Fortress, which had been primarily defensive.

At that time, he was one of the Zhao Family’s most trusted people. Everyone shared a common enemy, so they could be used by him, responding to his commands like arms and fingers.

But now it was different. Even though he held higher position and greater authority than before, this army belonged to Xun Xiu.

To be precise, it was the Yuzhou Army, but it bore Xun Xiu’s mark.

In this era, armies were basically all like this. Unless the imperial court’s power was highly centralized, whichever military general led troops would stamp them with his own label.

Zhao Hanzhang was considered strong-willed. She had given plenty to the Yuzhou Army, but it was still stamped with Xun Xiu’s mark. Among the military commanders, four out of ten were surnamed Xun, and two more were Xun Family relatives by marriage. When Xun Xiu was injured and Zhao Ming had just shown intention to directly command them, the assistant generals led by Xun Sheng used the reason that the main general was injured and shouldn’t fight anymore to forcefully lead the troops in retreat.

Zhao Ming was furious, but in the chaos, the Xun Family Army instinctively obeyed their own assistant generals’ orders, and he couldn’t control them for the moment.

Zhao Ming had a famously bad temper, but what they didn’t know was that he was also very good at enduring.

When Xun Sheng and the others saw that although his expression was unpleasant, he still retreated with the main force, they assumed they had persuaded him.

The group ran for most of the day, retreating to central Sui County in basically a routed state. Many soldiers quietly fled along the way. If it weren’t for the two thousand troops still under Zhao Ming’s command, plus many officials from the Yuzhou Governor’s Office and Chen Jun Commandery Office who were present and maintaining discipline, the Xun Family Army would likely have reverted to old habits from four years ago, directly plundering villages and towns they passed to gather military provisions.

It wasn’t until dusk that the scattered Xun Family Army finally stopped. Xun Sheng and the others at least knew the army couldn’t be in chaos, so they tried their best to rally the troops.

But news that the army had suffered a night attack and the general was injured and unconscious had long spread throughout the military. Morale was unstable—not only among soldiers, but even Xun Sheng and the others were anxious and uneasy.

Zhao Ming had Changqing apply medicinal wine for him. After binding his foot, he forcefully stuffed it into his shoe, endured the pain, and stood up, asking: “Have Pingyi and Pingzhong arrived?”

Pingyi and Pingzhong were men Zhao Hanzhang had recruited during the Battle of Xiping. The three brothers had first become retainers, then followed Zhao Ju and Zhao Hanzhang in campaigns north and south. By now they had become squad leaders.

When Qiu Wu left, he had them each lead a thousand men to stay by Zhao Ming’s side. Their younger brother Pingxin followed Qiu Wu to the ambush.

The two quickly brought their trusted men forward, all selected according to Zhao Ming’s requirements—clever, loyal, and each with their own skills.

Some had great strength, some were fast, and some had hard enough hearts and ruthless enough methods.

Zhao Ming stood and led the two brothers outside.

Outside, Song Zhi, Chen Siniang, and other officials were already waiting. When Zhao Ming emerged, several people bowed in salutation.

Zhao Ming said calmly: “General Xun is injured. Let us go see him.”

Everyone acknowledged.

Zhao Ming led them to the main tent to visit Xun Xiu. Xun Xiu’s personal guards didn’t want to let them see him, but with Xun Xiu injured, Zhao Ming was currently the person with the highest official position and greatest power.

For a moment they wanted to block them but dared not.

Moreover, Zhao Ming said he had brought the physician traveling with them.

As Zhao Ming walked inside, he ordered: “Go invite all the generals. We’ll hold council in the main tent today.”

The personal guards thought Zhao Ming had a way to make Xun Xiu wake up immediately and went down to summon people.

Zhao Ming truly had brought a physician, except the physician’s medicine boy had been switched out, along with the attendants these officials had brought.

Pingyi and Pingzhong also followed at Zhao Ming’s left and right with their swords.

The physician examined Xun Xiu’s body and told Zhao Ming: “General Xun’s wounds have stopped bleeding. He’s not awake now because he lost too much blood. As long as he rests more and takes blood-replenishing medicine, he’ll wake up by noon tomorrow at the latest.”

Zhao Ming breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: “That’s good, that’s good.”

Xun Sheng and the others who had rushed over also heard this and similarly breathed sighs of relief. Seeing that Zhao Ming seemed to truly just be bringing officials from the Governor’s Office and Commandery Office to visit the general, though somewhat dissatisfied that he had barged into the main tent without permission, they still endured it.

Xun Sheng stepped forward: “Commandery Governor Zhao, you must be tired from traveling through the night. Why don’t you go rest first? We’re here with the general. When the general wakes, I’ll send someone to invite you.”

Zhao Ming sat by the bedside, right next to Xun Xiu. Hearing this, he lightly raised his eyes to look at him.

Zhao Ming’s expression was solemn, and he said nothing. The tent fell silent for a moment. The several assistant generals who had arrived felt somewhat panicked and lowered their heads under his gaze.

Although Zhao Ming was the Chen Jun Commandery Governor and couldn’t manage them directly, he handled many Yuzhou matters. Every time they came to request military pay, provisions, and equipment from Zhao Hanzhang, they mostly dealt with him. To be honest, even Xun Xiu sometimes feared him.

Especially since his tongue was so vicious—even Zhao Hanzhang had to be respectful before him.

Zhao Ming said nothing, his gaze looking over each person one by one. The atmosphere grew increasingly stifling. Everyone became careful even when swallowing.

Only after seeing them all lower their heads did Zhao Ming say: “Before General Xun’s face, this official has three questions to ask you.”

Xun Sheng immediately said: “Commandery Governor Zhao, our general is still unconscious. If you have something to say, why not wait until our general wakes…”

Zhao Ming merely raised his eyes slightly, and Chen Siniang stepped forward and shouted: “How dare you! Xun Sheng, even your general wouldn’t dare be so discourteous before the Commandery Governor. How is it that with General Xun unconscious, you don’t even understand basic propriety?”

Xun Sheng’s expression instantly darkened. Just as he was about to speak, Xun Ming beside him quickly grabbed him and called out softly: “Fourth Brother!”

Because of their sudden retreat, Zhao Ming and the Governor’s Office officials had accumulated a bellyful of anger that needed to be released.

Xun Sheng could only temporarily shut his mouth.

Only then did Zhao Ming fix them with a sharp gaze and ask: “When you retreated without authorization, did you think about the comrades who had been ordered out to ambush?”

Xun Sheng muttered: “They didn’t go out on our general’s orders. We didn’t even know about the ambush when they left.”

Zhao Ming asked coldly: “Did this official not remind General Xun that the Stone Army might launch a night attack? When the scouts obtained intelligence, did this official not immediately notify General Xun?”

The commanders hung their heads in shame. Xun Sheng’s breathing became rapid, but he clenched his fists, unable to speak any words of rebuttal.

“The second question is: when you retreated without authorization, did you think about the Yuzhou people behind you? Once the Stone Army enters Chen County through Sui County, what will the consequences be?”

The commanders swallowed hard.

Zhao Ming’s gaze grew sharper as he stared at them, asking word by word: “When you retreated without authorization, did you think about the grand counteroffensive plan? Did you think about how to explain this to Governor Zhao?”

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