Chapter 2737: Persuasion to Surrender

Xue Gui saw that they had been ignored for a long time and frowned, looking up at Bai Shan standing in front of them.

Bai Shan stood there with his usual upright posture, and behind him, Daji also stood silently, with no extra expression on his face.

Xue Gui lowered his eyes and said nothing, continuing to stand with them.

Manbao returned to the medical tent, assigned today’s tasks, and then personally led people to the front line to check for any new wounded soldiers. In the meantime, she gave points to Keke to record Bai Shan’s situation, so if there was any danger, it would alert her.

However, the alarm on her side never sounded, while on the Goguryeo side, a messenger quickly entered the Council Hall to sound the alarm.

“Prince, East Third Street is under attack by the Jin army and they have already taken ten zhang (around 33 meters).”

The Second Prince Gao sprang up from his seat, his face pale, and asked, “Didn’t Great Jin send envoys over? Why are they still deploying troops?”

The others were also surprised. One person said, “Prince, perhaps it’s best to call the envoy in and ask. If they’re playing with us, we can simply execute their envoy.”

“That’s unwise. When two countries interact, envoys should not be harmed. Killing the envoy now would only give them a reason for continued aggression,” another person said. “Since the Prince wishes to negotiate peace, we should not be too harsh on the envoy at this moment.”

“Indeed, those who come as envoys at this time must be inclined to peace from Great Jin. Perhaps the Prince should make an effort to win them over.”

Even the supervisor thought so.

The Second Prince Gao thought for a moment and then sat back down, with a solemn expression, saying, “Let the envoy in.”

Someone went down to invite Bai Shan and his group.

The Second Prince Gao instructed the messenger, “Dispatch three thousand men to support, and be sure to hold East Third Street.”

Anshi City is not that large; losing a street would greatly impact them. They cannot afford any further territorial shrinkage.

Bai Shan brushed shoulders with the messenger as he exited. Glancing at the bloodstains on the other’s clothes, he smirked slightly and led Xue Gui and Daji inside.

Bai Shan stood in the hall, first glancing at the people seated. There were two people sitting on the upper seats: a young man in the center resembling the Fifth Prince Gao, with an expressionless face, should be the Second Prince Gao.

Half a step down, there was a chair with a middle-aged man seated in it, wearing armor, yet his facial expression seemed amiable. This should be the supervisor of Anshi City.

The supervisor of Goguryeo is equivalent to a military governor of Great Jin, possessing regional military and political powers.

The path of the Imperial Army’s eastward expedition was smooth up until their block at Anshi City. Naturally, this was partly due to Goguryeo’s reluctance to lose another city, and the reinforcement from a heavy army, but this supervisor also played a role, right?

Thus, Bai Shan couldn’t underestimate him. He lowered his eyes, with a faint smile, bowed, and said, “Bai Shan of Great Jin greets the Second Prince.”

Xue Gui and the others only cupped their fists without bowing.

Seeing their insolence, the ministers of Goguryeo became indignant, but since Bai Shan, as the lead envoy, did not offend, and they were at a weak point now, they could only glare discontentedly at Xue Gui and the others behind Bai Shan.

The Second Prince Gao clenched his fists, seeing Bai Shan smiling as he looked at him, and the supervisor beside him had already stepped down the platform to greet him with vassal courtesy, saying with a smile, “Xu Li, regards to the superior country’s envoy. This is the Second Prince of our kingdom.”

The Second Prince Gao forced a smile, stood up, descended the stairs, and returned the courtesy, “Gao Zhi greets the superior country’s envoy. Please take the upper seat.”

Servants came forward to rearrange the two chairs facing each other.

Bai Shan, being a guest, followed the Second Prince Gao by a step, sat on the right, and looked at the seated Goguryeo ministers below. He took the national letter from Xue Gui behind him and handed it to Gao Zhi opposite as he said, “Second Prince, here is the national letter from our country.”

The Second Prince Gao accepted, opened it, and couldn’t help but have his emotions stir, almost bursting in fury.

As the superior country during a campaign against Goguryeo, the national letter from Great Jin was naturally not written in a friendly manner. It directly listed Goguryeo’s misdeeds and stated the reasons for Great Jin’s campaign, basically demanding their surrender.

The Second Prince Gao abruptly closed the national letter with a snap, and said with a sullen face, “So the envoy is not here to negotiate peace.”

Bai Shan replied, “Given the favorable situation for Great Jin now, we have already occupied half of Goguryeo. As long as we capture Anshi City, we can continue our advance. In such a favorable situation, why would Great Jin negotiate and even use the word ‘request’?”

The Second Prince Gao’s facial muscles twitched as he said, “Then, Envoy, please return. There is no need to speak further of surrender. The Goguryeo royal family would rather die than surrender!”

Bai Shan tried to persuade, “Why be so stubborn, Second Prince? Continuing to resist will only harm both sides. Moreover, think of the entire populace of Anshi City. Even if not for yourself, at least consider the welfare of the entire city’s people.”

Gao Zhi sneered, “It is precisely for the people’s sake that we cannot surrender. Do you intend to relocate all the citizens of Anshi City inward, forcing them to experience the heart-wrenching pain of leaving their homes?”

Bai Shan smiled slightly, “The Second Prince overthinks it. If you agree to surrender, I can guarantee that the people of Anshi City will not be relocated inland.”

“I just received news that the Jin army is attacking East Third Street. I find it hard to believe the envoy’s promise,” the Second Prince Gao sneered. “Your Jin Kingdom sends envoys while attacking my territory. How can I trust your current promises?”

If it weren’t for these attacks, I wouldn’t have seen you now. Bai Shan wasn’t inclined to waste time engaging in prolonged negotiations with him. However, he appeared startled and then seemed to understand, ending with a sigh, “Perhaps the Second Prince doesn’t know. A few days ago, when the West City Gate of Anshi City was captured, the Fifth Prince Gao already surrendered to our emperor on behalf of Goguryeo.”

Everyone widened their eyes, including the Second Prince Gao sitting opposite.

Bai Shan took out a piece of jade token from his sleeve pocket and handed it to the Second Prince Gao opposite, “The Fifth Prince Gao felt that once Anshi City fell, Goguryeo would be close to perishing. Therefore, he was willing to represent the Goguryeo royal court and our emperor to surrender. You may not know, but the envoy group led by the Fifth Prince to persuade surrender already set off towards the domestic city a few days ago.”

Just having persuaded the Fifth Prince, planning to depart tomorrow, Zhang Hui sneezed loudly. With a slight frown, he wondered if his young and delicate wife and children at home missed him.

Bai Shan counted on his fingers, “It has already been the fourth day. With their rapid pace, they should be close to reaching the domestic city.”

The Second Prince Gao’s face turned deathly pale, and even the ministers below were greatly shaken, feeling panicked for a moment.

Attempting to send troops to intercept now would be too late. Indeed, if it weren’t for the fact that they were nearing the domestic city, why would he tell them such crucial information now?

The Second Prince Gao’s eyes were nearly bleeding as he stared at the jade token in Bai Shan’s hand, refusing to accept it. He possessed a similarly designed piece, with only minor differences in color, with their respective names engraved.

So he immediately recognized that this was Five’s jade token.

The wretched and cowardly fool that Five is, he dared to actually…