Upon hearing this, Yang Chao abruptly stood up, his face filled with alarm and anxiety:
"Uncle, you mustn't! Absolutely not! His Majesty is outwardly lenient but inwardly suspicious, harsh and ungrateful! This time, with the loss of Xijing, we have suffered heavy losses in soldiers and generals, and our strength has been severely damaged. If you go back now, how can he tolerate you?"
"To shirk responsibility and stabilize morale, he will definitely target you!"
"At that time, not only will your life be in danger, but your family members remaining in the capital may also be implicated! Going to the capital is tantamount to walking into a trap, a dead end!"
He took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and spoke earnestly:
“Uncle! Why not stay in Jiannan? Although I am not very capable, I have already stabilized the situation in Jiannan and have tens of thousands of soldiers and enough money and food to support us.”
"We, uncle and nephew, are of one mind, guarding this land of abundance in Jiannan, uniting with the Qiang and Rong tribes in the west, pacifying the barbarians in the south, and strengthening our military."
"If we advance, we can seize the opportunity to conquer Jinghu and sweep across the southeast; if we retreat, we can also establish our own territory and observe the world from a distance."
"Why go back to see His Majesty's expression, or even... even to throw your life away in vain?"
As Yang Yan listened to his nephew's words, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper weariness and a certain stubbornness.
He slowly shook his head, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable resolve: "Chao'er, your uncle understands your intentions."
"But the defeated army lost its troops and territory; its 100,000-strong force was wiped out, and the important city of Xijing was handed over to the enemy..."
"How can I still have the face to talk about separatism? How can I stand between heaven and earth?"
“Since we started our rebellion in Xia Prefecture under His Majesty, the Yang family has always been loyal and devoted. This hard-won loyalty and righteousness cannot be destroyed by my own hand!”
"Moreover, there are still hundreds of my Yang family members, relatives, and friends in the capital. If I stay and do not return, they...they will surely be punished by His Majesty!"
He struggled to his feet, walked to the window, and looked north, towards the capital, his expression complex and unreadable.
"His Majesty might kill me to establish his authority, or he might imprison me to vent his anger..."
“But I must go back no matter what. This is not only to apologize, but also... perhaps to fight for a chance of survival for my clansmen in the capital.”
"At the very least, I must let His Majesty see that I, Yang Wenyuan, am a man of action and responsibility, not someone who is cowardly and uses his military power for personal gain!"
He turned around, gripped Yang Chao's shoulders tightly, and stared intently at him:
"Chao'er! Remember this! Jiannan Road is the last foundation of the Yang family, and their only hope for the future!"
"You must protect it for your uncle and for the Yang family!"
His tone grew increasingly urgent and serious, "Xijing has fallen into Zhao Muyun's hands, and his military power is at its peak. He is very likely to move south next!"
"The three main routes from Xijing to Jiannan—the Ziwu Road, the Tangluo Road, and the Baoxie Road—must be reinforced with heavy troops immediately, relying on natural defenses, fortified with deep trenches and high walls, and strictly guarded!"
"We absolutely cannot let Zhao Muyun set foot in Jiannan! What you need to do is be like a nail, firmly driven here! Understand?"
Looking into his uncle's eyes, which held a mixture of despair, resolve, and last hope, Yang Chao knew that further persuasion would be useless.
He knelt heavily on the ground, his voice firm and resounding:
"Uncle, rest assured! Your nephew Yang Chao hereby swears that as long as I have a breath left, I will live and die with Jiannan!"
"As long as Jiannan lives, he will live! We will never let Zhao Muyun cross the line!"
"Please also take care, Uncle! If anything changes in the capital, please prioritize your own safety."
Yang Yan helped Yang Chao up. The uncle and nephew looked at each other in silence, with only the sorrow of parting and death filling the air.
......
Unlike Yang Yan, who chose to flee south via the rugged and difficult Ziwu Road, Li Hu, who was the first to escape from the chaos at Niushou Mountain in Xijing, relied on his bravery and familiarity with the terrain to run eastward at breakneck speed.
His goal was clear: to cross the still chaotic eastern part of the northwest and return to the Guandong region controlled by Li Jingang via Longmen Pass.
He believed that, with the favor of his uncle Li Jingang, he could make a comeback as long as he returned to the capital.
However, reality dealt him a heavy blow.
When he finally approached Longmen Pass with his few remaining confidants, dressed in rags, he was met with the "Xi" banner flying high on the pass wall and the Hedong garrison standing ready for battle!
Longmen Pass, this strategic choke point connecting Xi'an and Beijing, has changed hands at some unknown time!
"Damn it! How did Longmen Pass fall?"
Li Hu was both shocked and furious, and could hardly believe his eyes.
With his path blocked and pursuers likely behind him, a tremendous panic gripped him instantly.
"General, what should we do?" The trusted captain asked anxiously.
Li Hu forced himself to calm down and looked around.
To the east lies the heavily guarded Longmen Pass, to the north flows the turbulent Wei River, and to the south... to the south lies an area recently occupied by the Hedong Army, where the remaining enemy forces are being purged.
The only way out seems to be...
His gaze fell upon the ever-flowing Wei River beside him.
"Find a boat! Seize a boat!"
Li Hu gritted his teeth and said, "Let's go downstream, bypass Longmen Pass, and find a chance to go ashore downstream!"
They searched along the riverbank and finally found several small fishermen's boats in a secluded bend.
Li Hu was overjoyed and immediately ordered his men to tow the still-usable boats to the water's edge, preparing to board them.
However, Lady Luck seemed to have completely abandoned him.
Just as they were frantically preparing the boat, and some of them had already boarded the wrecked vessel, a patrol team from the Hedong Army happened to pass by.
This squad belongs to Lin Feng's army, which is on its way to Huazhou to establish the Western Eastern Military Governor's Office and is responsible for the defense of the entire eastern Guanzhong region.
"Who goes there?! Stop right there!"
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