Chapter 2729: Surrender and No Killing

Manbao slipped back to General Ashina’s side and complained, “General, I think the people on the opposite side want to kill me.”

General Ashina: “… Lord Zhou is overthinking it. If they want to kill, they would kill me first.”

Why would they kill a military doctor over a good commander?

Is the person across lacking brains?

Manbao paused for a moment and then said, “I am also very important.”

General Ashina smiled slightly and said, “That’s true, but Lord Zhou need not worry, we will protect you well.”

Clearly doesn’t believe it.

Manbao pursed her lips; if she could sense it incorrectly, could Keke also be wrong?

That surely can’t be.

However, she didn’t argue, insisting that General Ashina believe it, just looked at him with wide eyes.

General Ashina said, “If Lord Zhou needs anything in the future, just order them to do it. You should avoid the front line; the wounded in the rear need you.”

He added, “I will also keep an eye on the opposite side. If someone is truly foolish enough to rush up, I’ll twist their head off and make it into a wine cup for Lord Zhou.”

Manbao: “…No need for that, I don’t like drinking.”

Manbao dumbly went downstairs and hid behind the city gate.

As soon as she stepped outside the city gate, drums sounded from the Goguryeo side. Not only did the soldiers on the opposite side get up ready, but the Jin army on this side also sprang up, and then sounded the drums. Everyone grabbed their weapons and charged at the enemy with loud shouts.

Even though they had exchanged pleasantries just now, at this moment, as the swords swung and spears thrust, there was no hesitation because on the battlefield it’s either your death or mine. Clearly, a few words of friendship are not enough for them to sacrifice themselves for each other.

Everyone was killing with red eyes, and in the end, only the instincts of slashing and charging remained.

Manbao got busy again, while General Ashina watched with a gloomy face. Seizing the opportunity, he ordered a change of formation and advanced. He himself also took up a sword and charged forward.

The soldiers, seeing the general lead by example, all became invigorated and fought harder, gritting their teeth to hold the checkpoint, not letting them advance a single step further.

Manbao pressed a medicine pouch against a wounded soldier’s chest, reached for a silver needle, and vaguely heard the sound of booming thunder. After a moment of confusion, she turned her head toward the west and saw State Duke Zhao leading a group of soldiers galloping out from the end of the official road, followed by soldiers holding flags and weapons. She also saw Bai Shan, a few rows behind State Duke Zhao.

Her eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but wave her hand with the silver needle at them.

State Duke Zhao glanced at her, nodded slightly in response, and in a flash, they emerged from behind the forest. The soldiers on the city tower also discovered the reinforcements, turned around, and shouted inside, “The reinforcements are here, the reinforcements have arrived, general, our army has arrived——”

He shouted almost to the point of breaking his voice, yet those who were killing fiercely in the front barely heard it. Even General Ashina didn’t hear it, as the shouts and roars filled the air, making it impossible to hear sounds from the rear.

So, the soldiers beat the big drum vigorously, the drumbeats spread across the entire battlefield. General Ashina, hearing the drumbeats, invigorated, shouted, “Reinforcements have arrived, sirs, kill them——”

“Kill them——”

The Goguryeo soldiers were shaken by this momentum, involuntarily retreating a few steps. In the rear wine building, General Yuan Yi was startled by the sound of the collective roar, stood up from his chair immediately, leaned out the window, and saw a team of cavalry leaping in from the city gate, followed by soldiers holding big flags. He was shocked and immediately ordered, “Stop them, do not allow any retreat!”

After saying this, he went downstairs immediately, took up his spear, mounted his horse, ready to fight in the front. However, his deputy pulled him back and said, “General, at this moment their momentum is strong, we cannot face their edge, why not retreat and preserve our strength?”

Yuan Yi immediately agreed, “Alright.”

The deputy:…You could at least argue a couple of times.

Yet Yuan Yi didn’t wait for him to react, he immediately turned his horse’s head, ordered the vanguard to continue resisting, while the rear army retreated, and immediately built barricades to block the enemy.

State Duke Zhao led his men into the fray, and the Jin soldiers in front immediately leaped aside to let them charge forward. They had been fighting for a day and a night plus half a day, their hands had long since gone numb, so when reinforcements came, they naturally gave way.

Bai Shan followed State Duke Zhao inside, hearing some Jin soldiers hiding on the side shouting “Surrender and you won’t be killed,” he gestured to the imperial troops behind to join in the shouting.

It was naturally best if they could make them surrender rather than fight to the death, otherwise, Manbao would have to tend to the injured later.

So the imperial guards behind joined in the shouting of surrendering without being killed, and indeed quite a few laid down their weapons. State Duke Zhao at the forefront didn’t expect this to happen. His sword was already swinging toward a kneeling Goguryeo soldier, who had laid down his spear, when Bai Shan, seeing this from behind, reflexively flicked his long sword, and with a clang, the blow landed on the blade, causing a recoil so strong it caused Bai Shan’s palm to bleed.

Bai Shan:…

State Duke Zhao:…

The Goguryeo soldier was rattled by the sound, ears ringing, and plopped to his knees on the ground, staring blankly ahead, trembling all over.

State Duke Zhao glanced at Bai Shan, retracted his sword, and looked forward with authority. Bai Shan silently sheathed his chipped sword, sternly ordering, “All those surrendering lower your weapons and move to the side.”

The Goguryeo soldiers still holding spears and swords hesitated as they saw their comrades in front surrendering, caught in a dilemma, unsure if they should put down their weapons.

State Duke Zhao’s personal guards shouted, “Your commander has fled, do you still wish to resist?”

They looked back, and indeed, General Yuan Yi had already vanished with the rear army.

Everyone hurriedly laid down their weapons, and State Duke Zhao rode toward them with his troops, and they all stepped aside.

State Duke Zhao led his troops to pursue the fleeing Yuan Yi, while those behind rounded up the surrendering soldiers.

After chasing for some distance, they encountered a barricade and directly destroyed it. Those who resisted were killed immediately. Bai Shan saw they had pursued for two streets and were still chasing, so he stopped them, “Chief Steward, don’t chase a cornered enemy, we are already far from the city gates.”

The soldiers following were also very nervous, after all, the city was said to have ten thousand men, who knew where they might be hiding? If they chased this deep and fell into an enemy trap, what then?

State Duke Zhao glanced at him, then turned his horse’s head, leaving some men to build barricades, occupying the alleys and important buildings nearby, while the rest returned.

State Duke Zhao harbored a grievance and was not pleased.

General Ashina was already exhausted, leaning against the city gate. Seeing him return with a solemn face, he knew why, and said, “If Chief Steward wishes to charge, you can take a look at the north gate.”

This was entirely a case of wanting to charge and fight but being blocked by the enemy’s surrender. However, in Ashina’s view, at this time, soft tactics would be more beneficial to the situation than forceful killing. Bai Shan’s sword intervention was not a mistake.

Furthermore, “I just saw Bai Secretary pass by. Was he injured?”

State Duke Zhao was even more displeased. To be injured over an enemy soldier, he really couldn’t understand what Bai Shan was thinking.