Chapter 353: Treading Upon the Lands of All Nations!
Hearing that Xiahou Nan wanted to surrender, Xiao Mo was stunned for a moment and even doubted whether he had heard wrong.
In Xiao Mo’s view, the possibility of someone like Xiahou Nan surrendering was too low.
“General Xiahou is surrendering just like that? Without any conditions?” Xiao Mo asked the envoy.
“Regarding the specific matters of surrender, General Xiahou wishes to meet with the Frost Prince face to face. The location would be between the two armies. I wonder if the Frost Prince can agree?” the envoy spoke.
Xiao Mo thought for a moment and nodded, “If that’s the case, then tell General Xiahou that tomorrow at noon, I shall await General Xiahou!”
“Yes.”
The envoy bowed and withdrew.
“General, you must not!” After the envoy left, Li Jing and others advised, “In this subordinate’s view, there must be something suspicious about this matter!”
“Indeed,” Zhao Guang also echoed. “The possibility of Xiahou Nan surrendering is really too small. I’m afraid there’s trickery involved.”
“Now that Xiahou Nan has been forced to abandon the city, the Prince will arrive soon. Xiahou Nan is merely at the end of his strength. Zhei Kingdom’s fate is exhausted. Why must we accept his surrender?”
“Exactly so!”
The generals spoke one after another, all feeling this matter was improper.
Xiao Mo waved his hand, and everyone’s voices gradually stopped.
“Everything you’ve said, I naturally know. However, what I want is not merely Zhei Kingdom,” Xiao Mo slowly spoke.
“What does the general mean?” Xiao Gui asked in confusion.
“Currently, we have taken in Zhei Kingdom soldiers numbering two hundred thousand. Although these people have surrendered to our army, their hearts are not all together with us. Xiahou Nan has extremely high prestige in the army. If Xiahou Nan truly surrenders to the Northern Frontier, then the hearts of these soldiers will mostly settle down. Besides this, Xiahou Nan is indeed a famous general of the world. In my view, his value is much higher than Zhei Kingdom’s.”
Xiao Mo looked at the sand table.
“Tomorrow, prepare wine and dishes. I shall invite General Xiahou to drink a cup!”
The next day at noon, including the reinforcements Xiao Shi had later provided and the surrendered soldiers Xiao Mo had taken in during these days, a total of eighty thousand Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry and five hundred thousand infantry formed battle lines upon the battlefield.
Similarly, Xiahou Nan’s six hundred thousand troops were also in strict battle readiness.
In the very middle between the two armies, a wooden table and two cushions had already been placed.
Today, Xiao Mo did not wear dragon scale armor but instead wore plain white robes. Riding a white horse and carrying a food box, he walked step by step toward the middle.
Xiahou Nan was also wearing plain clothes, like an ordinary martial artist, walking toward Xiao Mo.
The vice generals of both armies nervously gripped their reins, staring intently at the front.
If either side made any movement, a great battle would erupt in an instant.
“It’s been a long time. The Frost Prince has become even more talented and handsome,” Xiahou Nan said with a smile.
“Heh heh heh, on the contrary, the general seems to have aged considerably,” Xiao Mo spoke honestly.
“Ha ha ha,” Xiahou Nan laughed heartily. “Frost Prince, please sit!”
“General Xiahou, please.”
Both sides knelt and sat down.
Xiao Mo opened the food box, took out the wine and dishes, and personally poured a cup for Xiahou Nan. “Does General Xiahou dare to eat the food and drink this junior has brought?”
“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Xiahou Nan boldly picked up the wine cup and drained it in one gulp, smacking his lips. “This Sangluo wine from your Northern Frontier is indeed strong enough. At first, I didn’t think it tasted good, but later I gradually became addicted. I once had people try to imitate it, but they couldn’t capture your flavor.”
“This Sangluo wine, when first drunk, is indeed difficult to get used to. However, after drinking it, when you drink other wines, they become tasteless, and you want to drink it again,” Xiao Mo took a sip of wine. “Old General Du also liked to drink it.”
Hearing about Old General Du, Xiahou Nan’s expression dimmed. He sighed, “Originally, the Great Pillar of State had already withdrawn from the political arena to enjoy his remaining years. It was I who forcibly dragged the old general onto the battlefield. This is my fault. I wronged the old general.”
“Perhaps that’s so,” Xiao Mo poured another cup of wine for himself and Xiahou Nan. “However, before Old General Du passed away, he never blamed the general, nor did he ever regret it.”
Xiahou Nan gripped his wine cup. “Before Old General Du passed away, did he say any last words?”
“Old General Du wished to be buried on that plain. Additionally, he wanted to drink one last mouthful of Sangluo wine,” Xiao Mo stated truthfully. “In the future, General Xiahou may bring wine to pay respects.”
Xiahou Nan nodded and raised his wine cup. “This cup, I toast to the Frost Prince. Thank you, Frost Prince, for giving the old general his final dignity!”
“It was only proper,” Xiao Mo raised his cup in return. “Speaking of which, does General Xiahou truly wish to surrender to my Northern Frontier?”
Xiahou Nan smiled. “What does the Frost Prince think?”
“It doesn’t seem so,” Xiao Mo shook his head. “I guess General Xiahou is falsely surrendering to me, but your condition is to command your original subordinates as well as the Zhei Kingdom surrendered troops under my command. At that time, General Xiahou will find an opportunity to act, breaking my army and ultimately reversing the great momentum.”
“Indeed, nothing can be hidden from the Frost Prince.”
“Except for three-year-old children, anyone who has read even a little military strategy could understand General Xiahou’s meaning.”
“Ha ha ha,” Xiahou Nan continued to laugh heartily. When Xiahou Nan’s laughter gradually disappeared, he looked directly into Xiao Mo’s eyes, his gaze carrying the sharpness of a hawk. “That’s right, just as the Frost Prince said. So will the Frost Prince still accept my surrender?”
“I accept,” Xiao Mo nodded. “If General Xiahou surrenders to me, all Zhei Kingdom soldiers shall be under General Xiahou’s command.”
“…” Xiahou Nan narrowed his eyes. “The Frost Prince is not joking?”
“I generally rarely joke,” Xiao Mo shook his head. “Because I will not give General Xiahou this opportunity, and I have my own methods to deal with it.”
“The Frost Prince truly has confidence,” Xiahou Nan drank a cup of wine.
“I suppose so, but there’s also another reason,” Xiao Mo said with a smile.
“I’m all ears.”
“Before Old General Du passed away, he once told me that he also wanted to see this world unified in a prosperous age, but unfortunately, he could not see it. And according to what I know, General Xiahou once studied under Old General Du for a period of time, essentially master and disciple.”
A breeze blew past Xiao Mo’s hair and white robes. His voice drifted outward.
“I’m thinking that perhaps General Xiahou could take Old General Du’s place and witness the future unification of all nations.”
Xiahou Nan fell silent.
Xiao Mo slowly stood up, patted the dust from his body, and clasped his fists in salute.
“The general possesses talent that comes once in an age. You should not be limited to Zhei Kingdom. Although Mo cannot promise the general anything, I can guarantee that in the future when the general campaigns through all nations, you will encounter famous generals throughout the world and tread upon the lands of all nations! If the general has such intention, Mo will be waiting for the general.”
After speaking, Xiao Mo turned and departed.
Xiahou Nan sat alone on the cushion, Xiao Mo’s voice constantly echoing in his ears.
When Xiahou Nan came back to his senses and raised his head, that figure in white robes had already walked far away.
…
The Records of the Warring States, Annals of the Frost Prince records:
Twenty days after the Northern Frontier army arrived at the Zhei capital, Zhei general Xiahou Nan laid down his armor and requested surrender, relinquishing all military authority. The Frost Prince Xiao Mo personally greeted him ten li out, took his hand and entered, and together they attacked the Zhei capital.
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